ThingsAmongMany

I have an equal-opportunity eye when it comes to style/fashion (though that’s not to say that I shop for women’s clothes much). That said, this coat really caught my eye during my web travels recently. I often find myself jealous of women’s fashion, not because I have some overwhelming desire to cross-dress, but because there’s just so much more opportunity for exploration and adventure for you ladies. With menswear, the details are often the defining moments (and details are expensive!). Or, again, maybe I’m still struggling to learn.

Regardless, the coat caught my eye and led me to explore more of designer Tatyana Merenyuk’s work. Ladies, do NOT hesitate to check out her work. Take it with a grain of salt, but to this uneducated guy’s eye, her work is fantastic. The Olga Coat is just the start, and one of her more expensive pieces, but her dresses are also quite eye-catching. She seems to draw inspiration from a variety of eras (the ’20’s and the ’50’s are both immediately evident) as well as a few different regions. And the prices seem relatively reasonable as well.

She works under the label Red Doll, and her newest work can be previewed on her site or purchased at her Etsy Storefront. Of course, the beautiful photography and models don’t hurt either…

Every few months I hit a familiar realization: it’s time for my wardrobe to grow up a little. Then, of course, I try to go shopping and I realize that I can’t quite afford to make that happen (or maybe I just don’t know how on a reasonable budget). But I’m trying to learn. A recent mom-fueled trip to one of the uptown dept. stores left my wardrobe a bit better stocked and a slightly updated (thanks ma!), which, in turn, brought about those old feelings. Only this time – and I don’t know exactly what was different – there was a bit more fire involved.

Since then, I’ve been rethinking my purchase habits and poring over some online resources. The Sartorialist, in particular, has been a source of vast inspiration and insight. Of course, part of “figuring it all out” involves determining where your personal style falls – something I’m still, in many regards, working to determine for myself. It’s a little easier being in NYC where there’s endless sources of inspiration wherever you turn and plenty of opportunities to shop if you can stomach it.

The trend that seems to be overtaking the streets today of combining a bit of vintage with a bit of modern is also eye-opening – it seems to fit my comfort zone (or interest zone) rather nicely. Take the blog Nerd Boyfriend for example. They do a fantastic job of taking a classic photo and dissecting the look to share up-to-date sources for the pieces involved. And suddenly I can’t help but thinking back to my grandfather - I have this image of him indelibly etched into my brain – sitting in the corner of the wood-paneled TV room of the house that my mother grew up in wearing a classic blue oxford shirt and a pair of khaki pants with his thick-rimmed glasses on and yellow paisley tie tossed aside.

Then, of course, there’s a few spots that have been almost-daily reads for quite sometime, but for some reason have just set in as points of true inspiration. I’m talking about resources (some digital, some real-world) like Valet, Secret Forts, A Continuous Lean, Billykirk (who’s founders Chris and Kirk Bray couldn’t be more awesome), and Billy Reid (who’s windows I’m forced to walk past on a near-daily basis as POKE is just a few doors down).

I’m sure I’m forgetting some, but I digress. There is a question in all this. Where are some of your favorite places to supplement your wardrobe without going broke (or feeling tired of an item a few months down the road)? Any hidden gems you’d like to share?

Seems the changes in our economy will leave an indelible mark after all. There’s been countless posts, articles, etc. about the changes that we’re going through. I recently stumbled across a new site dedicated to just this mentality. Title Wantist, the site ascribes itself to the notion that we all have things we want, but these days it seems more responsible to be pickier about what we actually choose to buy. Sometimes that means selecting something cheaper so as not to be wasteful. Sometimes it means we splurge on something a little more costly with the intent that it will last longer (and therefore be cheaper in the long run). And, sometimes, we have to simple opt not to purchase at all, despite our underlying desires.

Get the description straight from the horse’s mouth here, or just wander over to take a peek at what they’ve got up so far. I particularly love the simplicity of the site design.

Tomorrow, furniture design company Blu Dot will launch their Real Good Experiment on the streets of NYC. Known for their well designed, mid-priced contemporary furniture (I’m thoroughly enjoying the Paramount Sofa I scored during their 20% off sale recently), Blu Dot is starting the experiment in an attempt to give a little back:

Over a year ago, I posted that I was on the hunt for the perfect “man bag”. Something a little smaller, and a little more grown up than my trusty Timbuk messenger bag. As is normal for me when I don’t find anything that knocks my socks off, I went on using my Timbuk.

In the meantime, I’ve also become a huge fan of the fantastic craftsmanship behind the work of the brothers Bray (the dynamic duo behind Billykirk which I’ve written up a couple of times now). In fact, having amassed a small collection (a cuff, a belt, and my favorite travel bag of all time), I’ve been meaning to get another order over to Chris lately for one of these (or maybe this one?).

But I digress back to the issue of bags. I stumbled onto the No. 214 Waxed Laptop Satchel (see more photos at the link) this morning, designed by Billykirk for Opening Ceremony. As far as bags go, I think I might be in love. The design is an awesome mix of utility and gorgeous design, and I can only imagine how it would look after a few years of use and break-in. Unfortunately I might have to wait a little longer on it based on the price, but at least I know what I’m saving for now!

The Billykirk boys have been churning out a series of awesome partnerships lately. They made a tote recently for Urban Outfitters, they’ve made some awesome hats (not sure if this was in partnership with anyone), some other bags for Opening Ceremony, and even a footwear collaboration with Sebago.

Only time will tell what’s next up their sleeves. Or maybe I’ll try to catch up with Chris to find out directly from the man himself…

You’ve probably never heard of her – but you should have. Her most recent design is being featured alongside work from Yves Behar, Calvin Klein, Yoko Ono, and 31 of the hottest other designers around. Shelly Sabel is an Brooklyn-based lighting designer who splits her time among personal projects/explorations, paid work, and teaching young up-and-comers at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. And I have the pleasure of being able to say “I knew her when…” (I grew up with the youngest of the Sabel sisters and have had the opportunity to cross paths with Shelly over the years).

Shelly’s latest project is Vipp’s 70th Anniversary Charity Auction in conjunction with Design Within Reach. Thirty five designers were invited to use Vipp’s trash can as a canvas to create whatever they wanted. The resulting works will be auctioned off tomorrow at a gala event hosted at DWR’s SOHO store (the event starts at 7pm if you’re interested in placing a bid). The benefits will go to DIFFA – the Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS.

I caught up with Shelly last night to pick her brain about life, design, her work, and the Vipp project specifically. Read more – and see all of the different cans – after the jump…

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That’s the advice according to Michael Williams of the inimitable fashion blog, A Continuous Lean. This quick interview from Fader Magazine is well worth a read:

For the last 2+ years, I’ve lived a somewhat migratory lifestyle - I’m in my 3rd apartment during that time and have finally found a place that I intend to settle into a bit. Which means that, for the first time in those couple of years, I’m ready to put some artwork on the walls and stake a claim to my space. And, as a bit of an amateur photographer (seen ShotsAmongMany?), I’m excited about the possibility of printing some of my own work to fill that void. The problem is finding some interesting way to print/display my work.

In a quest for a solution, I recently stumbled across CanvasPop, a printing service that will take your photo and print it to a canvas photoboard. They also offer a few interesting possibilities like multiple canvases per photo (turn your work into a diptych or triptych) or add filters (very photoshop-looking, but to each his own). They’ve got a flickr account with a bunch of their work samples if you want to see more possibilities.

Prices seem pretty reasonable, all things considered. Once I’ve decided on an image or two to adorn my walls, I’ll let everyone know how the finished product looks. And, if anyone has recommendations on a favorite shot, I’d love to hear them!

Learning new vocabulary terms is important for all of us. I mean, how else could we possibly maintain an eloquent repertoire of colloquialisms to share with our brethren during times of conversational bonding? But - as we all recall from out S.A.T. days, learning new vocabulary terms is also one of the more boring things we can dedicate our time to. Or at least it was until now. There’s a new site in town that’s aiming to change that: TheFuckingWordOfTheDay.com.

They take the same lofty words that you’d want to learn elsewhere, and put them in a context that will stick with the perverted, raunchy sense of humor that we’ve all grown accustomed to maintaining these days (after all, is “fuck” really that offensive anymore?). Here’s a perfect example in their own words:

Let’s say you’re trying to learn the word assiduous.

Here’s the example sentence that dictionary.com gives:

But he was a man who by assiduous reading, through his devotion to literature, had become the quintessential successful gentleman, a man who could hold his own with the most cultivated companions.

and here’s The Fucking Word of the Day’s:

He was crippled by her assiduous dedication to the blow-job she was performing on him.

Now, which one do you think you’ll remember in ten minutes?