A Modern Day Peter Pan

Something that my friends have always given me grief for is how similar I look to the classic Disney character Peter Pan. I've never found any offense in it and actually find myself making light of it quite often. So, going with that, I decided to embrace my inner Disney and tried to embody the character with a more modern, edgier twist. How did I do this? Well I started off with the green pants I was fortunate enough to find when I was bargain shopping last summer. They were very cheap, only costing me around $13 total. Although the green pants are should generally be reserved for the fall months, I stepped out of the general rules of fashion for the sake of attempting this look. Next, I switched out the lighter green tunic you would normally find the actual Peter Pan wearing for a distressed tank top I made myself about a week ago. The tank top was a basic shirt I found rummaging through my closet and found to be too simple for my taste. What I love most about the top is that it looks almost careless and a sort of 'I don't care' attitude courses through me when I put it on. Lastly, since I don't have a pair brown boots accessible today, I threw on the +Justin Boots I can't seem to take off. The Justins add that last little touch of edge that I enjoy finishing off my outfits with. Overall, I love the look and find that it would work for a lazy day out in the city (at least for me). I'd love to know what you think about it. Feel free to share!

Oversized Sweaters & Shoes of Leather

After last night's unexpected thunder storm here in Stockton and the hazy weather that followed, I decided to wear an oversized sweater I found buried under other piles of clothes in my apartment. What I love about this sweater is the kind of waffle knit detail in navy and beige. But! That's not the best part of it, the best part is that I found it at a thrift store for only $2.00. Tell me that isn't a deal! As previously mentioned in a few of my other posts (Like this one), thrift shopping is great to do if you'd like to find common items for a cheaper price. This sweater resembles one that I have been eying from +American Apparel for quite some time, but could never find it in myself to spend so much on a sweater. As far as the rest of the outfit, I kept it minimal with some plain black skinny jeans and my go-to cherry red Justin rider boots with kilties. What do you all think of the outfit? Too much? Too little? Not enough? Feel free to share! 

Thrifted Clubmaster Sunglasses (Similar), Thrifted Waffle Knit Sweater (Similar), Black RSQ Skinny Jeans (Similar), Cherry Red Justin Boots (Similar)

Invasion of the Stripes

Stripes have been found on the runway this season as one of the up and coming trends for this spring and summer. Granted, stripes have always been a trend, but I take this to mean that you will be seeing more striped products out in stores and boutiques. I'm all for it. This trend is one that I followed even before I discovered it as a trend this season. They add quite a bit of flare to an otherwise plain item. For example, a shirt is simple until you add some colorful horizontal or vertical stripes to it. Personally, I only wear horizontal stripes as a top simply because I feel like vertical stripes elongate my body's appearance and are hard to look at for a very long time. However, I love vertical stripes on shorts and pants.

They look nice, clean, and as previously mentioned, make boring pieces exciting. They're fun! And you can wear them on just about anything and look stylish. My favorite stripes items are accessories. The red tie picture above by Smith Street would look great with a white button-up and blue suit, giving a very simple look a bit of a nautical twist. Adding to the idea of flare, other accessories which look great in stripes include backpacks, shirts, and even some shoes if done properly. The boat shoes and espadrilles pictured above are examples of nicely constructed striped shoes. To you right, you can see how I personally wore stripes. I've paired my navy pinstriped shorts with a very eye-popping blue and a simple vintage brown leather belt. It's a classic look that has an added touch thanks to the patterning of the shorts. Take away the stripes and you have just another boring outfit. I don't like to mix more than one patterned detailing with outfits, so I personally wouldn't try adding another striped piece but that's just me. Feel free to mix it up and make them your own! And just as a quick style tip, I would suggest going nautical with navy blue or red stripes for this season to match that incoming summer feel. Thanks for reading and stay styling! :)

The Secret is in the Scent (Part I)

For me, the most important thing to do before leaving my home is applying my cologne for the day. No matter what occasion, I also feel as if there is a scent which can accommodate the theme, weather, feel, or whatever mood it is that I am experiencing at the time. Pictured left is my very first cologne that I got my sophomore year of high school, Lacoste Essential. Now, what I loved most about this cologne is not that it was a strong, statement scent, but that I was a 15-year-old boy who had such a thing in his wardrobe collection... And I wanted more. So, I started collecting and overtime I just acquired more and more types of colognes by different labels and, although it might have been overkill, I just couldn't stop myself! So soon after the first Lacoste cologne was given to me, I ended up getting this beauty, Burberry Summer (right). First off, the bottle is beautiful. With the Burberry pattern imprinted on the glass, it already has that sort of class that you associate with the label. The scent is no different - it has a sweet and subtle citrus-like aroma that sort of lures you in to get a closer look. The only unfortunate thing that I find, both about the Lacoste and the Burberry, is that they are two very daytime-esque fragrances - meaning, I personally wouldn't wear them at night given their spring and summery resemblances. For that sexier, "I'm all yours" kind of aroma, I go straight to my favorite (and newest) cologne that I actually happen to be wearing right now, L'Homme by YSL. It's very alluring in its own way. It has a blend of fresh spice, mixed with a citrus and woody melange. There's that hint of citrus that makes it fine to wear during the day, but that oh-so amazing spice that makes it beyond perfect for an outing for dinner, a show, or an adventure with friends. You're bound to catch attention with this fragrance by YSL. As a matter of fact, you'll turn heads (in a positive way) with all three of these. Just don't be that guy who wears TOO much (Remember, less is more!).

Can We Go Thrift Shopping?

Sometimes your best friend isn't the department store. More often than not, when I go shopping with something in mind, I go to a store like American Apparel, H&M, or some other popular place to look for styles which I recently discovered are trending. BUT! There's one problem with all of these places: they're going to charge you higher amounts for clothes that are in season and in style. So, what's your alternative? Well, instead of paying the high prices at the mall, sometimes I find that going to your local thrift shops is the best alternative. Now, some people might not like the idea of wearing previously worn clothes, but if they're in great condition (some still with tags on them) and are nearly identical to what you almost bought at Store X, then why not buy it at the consignment or thrift stores around you?
On your right is an example of a shirt that I found at a thrift store, Goodwill to be exact. It still had all of its tags on it and was unworn, so I purchased it, cut it up a bit, and made it my own. As a matter of fact, the boots that I am wearing - I found those at a vintage shop, too! Sometimes you can find pure gold when you're really trying. Now, you won't always have luck, but it's always worth a shot. So, today I'm going to ask you to try something different and go out and try to find something that resembles one of the trends I've told you about these past weeks. Think about the trending colors of blues, pinks, and orange; or maybe the ethnic styles, such as aztec, tribal, Native American; or how about the yesterday's topic of the "Urban Safari" uprising with it's olive green, khakis, and clay-like colors? Give it a shot! You never know what you'll find. And while I ask you all to try it, I'm going to test me luck here in San Francisco and see what I find. I'll be sure to let you guys know if I have any luck. Until then, thanks for reading!

Lions and Tigers and Burgers, OH MY!

Now here's something that you don't see every day, FULL GRAPHIC sweaters. The dynamism of these sweaters is something that would definitely catch anyone's eye walking down the street. The lion itself  is the king of the jungle, but why not own this statement piece and be the kind of the urban jungle?! What I love is how the sweater just catches the fierce expression of the lion and the mane is dramatically sprawled across the fabric of the jumper. But, this sweater isn't the only sweater of this type available from the trendy UK label, Purple Pop. To your right you'll find yet another KILLER graphic top featuring a female lion (tiger? cat? I'm not quite sure!) with flames coming out of its mouth. Inappropriately, yet hilariously, called the "Hot Pussy" sweater, like the first lion sweater, it has a sort of edge that calls attention to you. Now, some people aren't those who like to call attention to themselves, but who's to say that you can't at least invest in something like this just for the hell of it?  And for those of you not interested in these animal motifs, try this one on for (super) size. The burger jumper looks delicious and completely feeds my love for outlandish fashion . Alongside the lion and "Hot Pussy" sweater, I'm in love not just because the sweater is a giant hamburger, but because it has a sort of humor that you won't get from many other brands. You can find each of these sweaters at around £45 with an additional £12 for international shipping, so if you can like one then I say buy it! They're definitely worthy investments and they're going out of stock faster than you think. Also, keep in mind that elaborate printings like this aren't cheap, so they're a bargain for the detail! Lastly, don't forget to check the other products available HERE on the Purple Pop site. Thanks for reading! :)