James's Fall Favorites

 

Fall never fails to deliver beautiful colors and rich scents. So I've taken my cues from nature (and menswear) and chosen my favorite items of the season. Enjoy!

 Comptoir des Cotonniers: Over-size Coat

Oasis: Slinky Knit Tube Dress

 

Jo Malone: Pomegranate Noir Cologne

Madewell: Bobbie Oxford in Canterbury Red

J.Crew: Collection Mini in Jade Foulard

Menswear Monday: Resolve

Ahhh, fall! It's the season in which we pack away our espadrilles, exercise our right to layer garments, and tote the September issue of our favorite fashion magazine (which often weights more than a small child). For those of us who love great style, it's basically the fashion New Year! And, men, why not use this time of year to make a new fashion resolution? Here it goes:

I, (state your name here), will tune into Our Style File's latest segment for men: Menswear Monday.

And to kick off our new segment, we thought we would share one of our favorite fall accessories videos from GQ Magazine.

 

 
If you enjoyed this video as much as we enjoy a hot bowl of soup on a fall afternoon, take a look at GQ's other videos here.

Two-Ways Tuesday: Back to School

Natalie: Skirt: Kate Spade. Shirt: J.Crew.  Sweater Vest: J.Crew. Shoes: Cole Haan (old).
James: Shirt, Sweater, Blazer, & Pocket Square: J.Crew. Pants: Zara(old). Shoes: Ralph Lauren. Clutch: Madewell.

Photo Credit: Angie Harding

Feathers of Fancy

Top: Club Monaco. Skirt: eBay (similar here). Shoes: Ralph Lauren. Earrings: Sequin New York (old). Lipstick: Silhouette by Chanel.

 Photo Credit: Angie Harding

Three Essential Items for the Sartorially Savvy Man

You've purchased a closet full of great clothes and are looking dapper, but now it's time to stay on top of your look. We recommend every man purchase these three items to keep you sartorially savvy.

 

The Laundress Sweater Stone: $18. The Laundress Sweater Comb: $18. The Container Store Sweater Comb: $7.99

 

1. Sweater Comb and/or Sweater Stone: Nothing ruins the look of a beautiful cashmere sweater like pilling. These tools will ensure your sweaters always look new by keeping them pill-free.

  

BOSS Hugo Boss Metal Collar Stays: $90. Brooks Brothers Plastic Collar Stays: $9

2. Collar Stays: Just because you had your shirt professionally pressed, doesn't mean it will stay that way all day. Raise your hand and repeat: "I will NEVER leave home without my collar stays." In fact, leave a pair or two at the office just in case. However, make sure you remove them before you send your shirts to the cleaners; otherwise, they will likely be gone forever.

The Container Store Cedar Shoe Trees: $19.99. Church's Norfolk Wood and Metal Shoe Trees: $95

3. Shoe Trees: Put these in your shoes anytime you aren't wearing them, and shoe trees will significantly lengthen the life of your shoes by helping them retain their shape and prevent creasing. Also, we recommend buying wood (usually cedar) shoe trees, which help absorb moisture and prevent odor.

Concrete Jungle

Top: Club Monaco (old); Pants: J.Crew; Shoes: Christian Louboutin (similar here and love these; Bag: 3.1 Phillip Lim (old)

When I was a girl, I was never short on women sharing their fashion advice with me. The most common belief that many of them shared was that a woman should always match her shoes with her handbag. Well, I'm no longer a little girl, and the Garanimals way of dressing, quite frankly, is for kids. If there is one thing I have learned while living in the concrete jungle it is to MIX IT UP! When it comes to your accessories, feel free to go a little wild—mixing skins is definitely in.

Here's a little tip: Be careful not to mix too many animal prints in a single outfit. The goal is to look chic, NOT like a taxidermist.

Juxtaposing

James: Blazer: Zara (similar here). Blouse: Zara: (similar here). Trousers: Banana Republic (similar here). Shoes: Zara (similar here). Natalie: Dress: Oasis (similar here). Cardigan: J.Crew. Shoes: Vince Camuto. 

James: I am a woman who typically lives by Diane von Fustenberg's famous quote: "Feel like a woman. Wear a dress!" But with a name like James, I was destined to don my fair share of menswear. When I am looking to exude femininity in a tuxedo, I opt for a bow blouse instead of a standard tuxedo shirt. Then I up the female factor with a stunning pair of peep-toe pumps and a red lip. The juxtaposition is bold and elegant, and it shows Justin Timberlake that ladies can look just as good in a suit and tie. 

Nat: Ever since I got my platinum pixie haircut last year, I have leaned toward playing up my flirty and feminine style. I like to joke that otherwise I may be mistaken for Peter Pan when I'd rather look like Tinkerbell. In addition, with this more edgy and boyish hairstyle, I can wear all the floral fit-and-flares dresses I want (like this one from one of my favorite UK stores Oasis) without feeling like a Stepford Wife.


Photo Credit: Michael Wiltbank

Punk'd: Dressing for a Challenging Party Theme

We at Our Style File love a party with a great theme. But when we heard this year's Met exhibit and gala were celebrating punk fashion, we knew the Red Carpet looks were going to be a challenge. Sadly, there were few celebs that truly nailed the look. This posed the question: "If celebrities can't lead the way for party dressing, where can people turn?" To your favorite style experts (that would be us), of course!

Here is our easy recipe for Dressing for a Challenging Party Theme:

One part time and location suitability

One part event appropriateness

A dash of theme “nod”

Combine these elements, and you get a well-dressed partygoer!

Time and location suitability: Is it a day or evening event? Will it be held at a beach, a garden, a beautiful restaurant, etc.? If you don’t know anything about the specific venue, use the great tool of the Internet to do a little reconnaissance.

Event appropriateness: Is it a dinner, a birthday party, a gala? Typically an invite will indicate what type of dress (business casual, cocktail, black-tie, etc.) is appropriate. You can also take clues from the style of invite: Was it a formal invitation or a casual ecard?

Theme “nod”: You can easily acknowledge the theme through your hair and make-up, accessories, and/or dress color choices.

Here is an example of a Met Gala attendee who may have followed our recipe:

Katie Holmes’ Calvin Klein gown was perfect for an evening gala being held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Then she added her dash of punk with a smokey eye, sharp edged diamond earrings, and a shredded hem on her train. A little side boob didn’t hurt either! 

So if you are met with a similar fashion conundrum and the theme just isn’t your style, don’t fret! Just use our recipe. We don’t advise you overdo it nor do we advise you completely ignore the theme (like one very prominent attendee did at the Met Gala; you know who you are). Simply give a little nod while maintaining your personal style—lest you be punk’d.

Photo credit: Getty Images