vintage men

i know, most of you will be blasting me for how little coverage i am giving when it comes to vintage styles for men. well, don't blame me. i wish that i was a trendsetter back then too but in the past, men's fashion was a tad bland hence the less attention given.

One Direction goes vintage?

however, once you understand that fashion is a never-ending cycle that always takes on a modern-day twist, the possibilities for style become endless. vintage clothing has always been a popular phenomenon, but knowing where to find it, how to wear it and which era is 'in' is the ultimate challenge.

from the '50s to the '80s (and soon the '90s), everything from saddle shoes and spandex to big collars and big hair eventually sees a reemergence on the fashion scene. every era has a comeback, as today's designers simply update the styles from other time periods. so basically, it's the concepts from different decades that return, rather than the actual article of clothing. 

here are some items that one can include in their closet to achieve that retro-look!

1) dirty denim 

Denim by Diesel

otherwise known as 'washed-out' or 'distressed', this denim is treated to give jeans and jean jackets a second-hand look.

2) button-down shirts 

Charlie Sheen

popular vintage-looking collared shirts include 'utility' shirts; a button-down with a small chest pocket on one side and a patch or insignia that reads 'joe's gas station', for instance. you can also find shirts, in either brown, blue or green, with some stripes on the shirt, usually in another shade of the shirt's base color. another popular vintage detail is a shirt collar made from a different fabric, usually a knit.

3) converse and nike

the '80s have returned in full force, especially in the world of sports apparel. you can find old-school white nikes with the original nike 'swoosh' in most sporting goods stores. even '80-style converse all-stars (low or high-top) have made a huge comeback.

4) sunglasses

oversized shades are super popular for men and they're reminiscent of the good old '60s and '70s. even '80s-style aviators are flying high on the fashion scale.

fash'on... BAM!

i am jennifer aniston

Jennifer Aniston

jennifer joanna aniston (born february 11, 1969) is an american actress, film director and producer. aniston gained worldwide recognition in the 1990s for portraying rachel green on the television sitcom friends, a role which earned her an emmy award, a golden globe award and a screen actors guild award. aniston has also enjoyed a successful hollywood film career. aniston received a star on the hollywood walk of fame on february 22, 2012.

Aniston in Chanel

in may 1998, aniston began dating actor brad pitt. they married on july 29, 2000, in a private wedding ceremony in malibu. for a few years, their marriage was considered the rare hollywood success. however, the couple announced their separation on january 6, 2005. it was finalized on october 2, 2005. during this period there was intense speculation in the media that pitt had been unfaithful to aniston with his 'mr. & mrs. smith co-star', angelina jolie.

2012: Aniston vs Jolie (ring-side engagement)

in the following months, the public's reaction towards the divorce was reported in the press. 'team aniston' and 'team jolie' t-shirts appeared, with 'team aniston' shirts out-selling the 'team jolie' shirts four to one. well, life goes on and fast forward to 2012.

image from zap 2 it

natural beauty

well, there was no lack of excitement in jennifer aniston and justin theroux's household over the weekend with an engagement party. the wanderlust co-stars celebrated with close friends including demi moore, ben stiller, tobey maguire, ellen degeneres and portia di rossi at the low-key bash, almost four months after first announcing their engagement. justin popped the question on a romantic dinner date to celebrate his birthday at new york city restaurant blue hill in august. the couple then enjoyed a weekend of private celebrations before Justin's rep announced the news in a gushing statement. 

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux

jennifer aniston previously admitted the proposal was a complete surprise. aww... that's so sweet. before we go, here's a collection of jennifer aniston's hair-do's over the years. any favourite?

fash'on... BAM!

men and leather

gone are the days where the majority of men don leather jackets and pull back their hair then ride off into the sun. these days, the use of leather is common yet less conspicuous. owning an item made of natural leather is like being in a sartorial relationship. leather, unlike many other materials, takes on a personality of its own depending on how you clean, treat, or wear it. as if it were a blank canvas, leather takes on scuffs and develops a unique patina over time, adding to the appearance and texture of it. ultimately it’s up to the individual regarding how their leather looks and here are a few key tips to ensure your pieces look their best for as long as you own them.

general cleaning: cleaning your leather is essential, since not only does it remove surface dirt and stains before they become permanent features, it allows for further treatments to be fully absorbed and take effect. the most basic way to clean your leather is to take a clean, lint-free cloth and dip it in some warm water with a mild detergent. if you have a more prominent stain, try using mink oil in lieu of detergent. always work the cloth in small circles and make sure to go over the entire garment, allowing it to dry fully before any further action is taken.

natural leathers: natural leather, often called ‘vegetable-tanned’ leather, is untreated when it makes its way to you. for the unfamiliar, this adds the risk of permanently staining the garment but to those in the know, it provides the opportunity to get the desired tone and patina from their piece. the easiest way to ‘tan’ a natural, unsealed leather is to place it in the sun for a day or two. make sure to rotate the piece so that all parts of it are exposed to sunlight. this will give the leather a nice, warm glow to it that can later be ‘sealed’ in and preserved. if a more mellow coloring is desired, simply treat the jacket and then wear it as you would normally; the color change will be less perceptible, but develop over time.

treating: this is the real maintenance aspect required with your leather, since as a natural material leather will dry out over time. often people attribute cracked, ruined leather simple as a product of its age but more often than naught, it’s simply a matter of improper care. properly treated leather will literally last a lifetime.

Robert Downey Jr

as a general rule of thumb, leather should be treated roughly every six months or so. if you live in a climate where winter prevents your wearing the garment, treat it before you put it away for the season; non-use is not an excuse for non-treatment.

the following products are time-tested methods for bringing the best out of your leather:

neatsfoot oil - used most often on saddles and baseball gloves, neatsfoot oil is produced from the hoofs of cattle. it produces a soft-yellow tone that over time will darken with age. as with all the oils listed here, make sure the product is 100% pure, since synthetic substitutes provide little to no benefit.

mink oil - found in cream or liquid forms, this oil is the most commonly used to treat leather. it moisturizes and provides what many call a ‘reddish’ coloring. it can also be found mixed with waxes for use on items where waterproofing is desired.

leather dressings - these are the products that should be used after oiling, to ensure that moisture is sealed into the garment, and dirt is kept out. this will give your leather that look of being properly maintained.

Brad Pitt in leather pants

leather care is one of the small pleasures of owning a quality item, and it will ensure that a piece is enjoyed for many years. if you would like a more specific post on leather care pertaining to shoes, you can just click here for my earlier post i did on shoe care.

fash'on... BAM!

mirror, mirror on the wall

who's the fairest of them all?

 would it be Snooki from Jersey Shore, Mariah Carey, Fann Wong or Nicole Kidman? 

or does Gisele Bundchen reign supreme?

the notion of a fair beauty has always been a hot topic for discussion. does fair beauty refer to porcelain white skin or is it about the features? that pair of striking eyes, the nose with the perfect angle, the jawline that is oh-so-perfect!

in singapore, the Asian trend is often for ladies to go fair and the men to go tanned. guess that has to do a lot with our cultural roots. fair ladies helps one associate with the notion of the gentle women sewing in the confined spaces of their ancestral homes. whilst, men have to adopt the tanned skin tones... the hours we spent not working but lazing by the pool under the blazing sun just to adopt that bronzed, golden brown tan (of course, there is indoor tanning now...) why do men do that? when one is tanned, one is linked to hard work... ruggedness... everything 'manly'...

culturally, we don't seemed tolerant of tanned ladies... the ladies from my dragonboat team have often had to endure snide remarks because of the tan that they sport... you know what? that's your own problem in life, not theirs... like a saying that has been going round, 'ladies are not expecting you to be Brad Pitt, so why are hoping that they become Angeline Jolie?'

so if we are going to experiment with colours, prints and fabrics in the world of fashion... surely, the skin should be a palette of colours too... so whether you are black, white, tanned or fair, i say, work your colour... 

love you girls... BAM!

code: dress

good morning y'all... so i was out yesterday (brunch and drinks) with a couple of friends and talking about this whole fashion blog thing... yes, i'm still excited and i'm still going to churn out posts and material that you find useful... in other words, i am finally going to take blogging seriously and looking at developing my unique voice... i hope you will be with me every step of my growth! 

since things on the online @dition are going to be more 'serious', i thought, 'why not have a post about serious fashion?' first up, what is 'serious fashion'? 

hands up, those of you who have gotten invites to a black tie event and have NO clue what to wear? i'm definitely one of those who dread black tie / formal events... or basically anything with a dress code...

image from heartnhome.com

here's what to wear at a black tie event (thanks to my friends from Wikipedia...)

the traditional components for men are:

• A jacket with silk facings (usually grosgrain or satin) on a shawl collar, peaked lapel or notched lapel. Many current fashion stylists and writers see notched lapels as less formal although they (like peaked and shawl) have been used since the first evolution of the garment.
• Trousers with a single silk or satin braid covering the outer seams
• A black cummerbund or a low-cut waistcoat
• A white dress shirt (a marcella or pleated front is traditional), French cuffs and cufflinks, and a foldover or winged standing collar. (Old style detachable collars, winged, are also acceptable to the code, although extraordinarily rare.)
• A black silk bow tie matching the lapel facings
• Shirt studs and cufflinks. Studs are often dispensed with today.
• Black dress socks, usually of silk or fine wool
• Black shoes—traditionally patent leather court shoes (pumps); now often highly polished or patent leather Oxfords instead.

for the ladies... no one sums it better than on fellow fashion blog, Shes Daily:

'Dressing up for a black tie event is a difficult task for women compared to men, as the confusion remains over what exactly the attire includes and what it excludes... While choosing black tie attire, remember that your choice will depend on the type of party. More lavish the party, the more formal dress you will need. Your little black dress can be fine for a drinks party but not for a more formal event, which includes drinks and dinner. So, it's best to pick for full length skirts and dresses. Knee length dresses are generally considered semiformal.'

image from getty images

alternatively, you can do what i do... try to not turn up at all! (just kidding...). final note, don't be fooled by the images i selected... the women are all in black because i am just trying to keep to theme... BAM!