Best of 2008: Men's Style

As an equal opportunity fashionista, I think it's only fair to give the men a shot at their very own title as well. For The Fashion Bomb's First Fashionable Male Award, how about we choose from the following debonair gentlemen?
First up, without question, is Kanye West:

He once said he didn't need a stylist because he shops so much he can speak Italian. Well his propensity for shopping certainly shows! Though we gave Kanye the side eye for his internship hijinks, his singular style cannot be denied. In 2008 Kanye stored his signature prepster gear away, replacing his pastel v necks with trendsetting suits, edgy eyeglasses, and adventurous color combos. This college dropout gets an A+ for fashion originality. Do you agree?
Next up in the style queue is Common:

On top of his forays into t-shirt design, this year Common has capitalized off of a new prime-of-life steeze, heavy on cardigans, suits, and intellectual glasses offset occasionally by his traditional neo-soul vibe. Talk about great in '08!
Next, we have Pharrell:

This Billionaire Boy keeps his look fun and lighthearted even though he has a serious eye for style. He favors sweatshirts emblazoned with his line's logo over stuffy button ups, and if he must wear a suit jacket, he pairs it with a pair of jeans in a dark wash. He has a swagger that makes everything seems unerringly cool and ahead of the curve. Doesn't hurt that he looks absolutely divine. (Between me and you...I'm so not a groupie, but would probably run and jump on him if I saw him!).
Lastly, a Fashionable Male contest wouldn't be complete without Diddy:

As a CFDA award winner and owner of the Sean John label, Diddy obviously embodies sleek sophistication, so much so that L'Uomo Vogue had to give him shine on their October cover. This year he tempered his typical suits with tributes to Obama in t-shirts worn with or without jackets. Diddy got his grown man on in the fullest sense, leading as an example by way of his mature style and by offering political support via his fashion and celeb status.
Time to vote!

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The Fashion Bomb Does Sean John Fall '08

Hey!
I'm up bright and early on Saturday to give you the scoop on the Sean John Show!
Yesterday, I made my way over to Cipriani's near Grand Central Terminal as early as possible... 
..I just had a feeling that the line was going to be nuts.
As predicted, the scene seemed a hair short of mayhem, with a line that stretched halfway down the block...
...full of stylists, publicists, and editors waiting to see Diddy's first show in five years.
I hopped on the back and settled in for a long wait, but the line moved quite rapidly, check in was a breeze, and I was in in no time!
The seats slowly started to fill in...
... and I had my Canon Power Shot poised to take pictures:
Mama Puff was perched front row in full fur glory...
... next to Spike Lee in a very fashionable Obama '08 t-shirt. Baby momma Kim Porter was also in the house to show support.
Rumored jump off Cassie wasn't very far away...

...looking svelte in a strapless canary yellow Herve Leger dress.
Crooner Trey Songz was also in attendance...
...as was design czar Roberto Cavalli...
...seated closely to rappers Fabolous and Q-Tip. Apparently K-Fed along with a few other 'A-listers': Ellen Pompeo, Helena Christenson, and Wilmer Valderama were there as well.

The show started promptly, and I'll be honest, I was loving all the male model eye candy!

The clothes themselves, however--a compilation of outerwear, suits, and shaggy sweaters--were a mixture of sleek and absurd. I consider Diddy to be a super stylish man, so as I was looking at his collection, I constantly asked myself: Would Diddy wear that?
For most of the collection, the answer would be a resounding, "NO": 

Tweed, brocade, or even sequined jackets can be sophisticated in steel gray, but the rib grazing cropped cuts worn over long shirts would turn most fashionable men away.

Jackets with fur accents are chic in most circumstances...

...but, again, the short length would deter most style mavens, and chinchilla accented sleeves would get an "I'll pass."

I was also skeptical of the wearability of tailored jackets in red leather...

...I don't think the boys in The Band would cosign red fur trim or long sparkly scarves.

But some pieces did have redeeming qualities.

The suits and wool coats were generally impeccably tailored, and perfectly suited for a CEO...
The sequined shirts were a bit over the top...

...but I could see Puff rocking them for parties in Ibiza or St. Tropez.
And a few other pieces, like motorcycle jackets in gray and cream...
...and nubby sweaters...
...would fit seamlessly into the wardrobe of an adventurously chic man.  
So while some items were edgy, Puff brought it back with a few can't go wrong style staples.  A great balance and a perfect reintroduction to the world of high fashion.
Of course I caught the final walk:

Is 'Superstar' the theme of all urban fashion shows these days? I guess everyone's really feeling Lupe Fiasco.

The final walk was certainly very 'Diddy' and Tyson was a welcome touch.

Bravo.
After the show, I caught a few pictures with resident allstars, including Cassie...

Trey Songz...
Blogger Micah Jesse (www.micahjesse.com)...

..and Chanel Iman!
So that does it for Fashion Week for the Fashion Bomb...
...it started and ended with quite a bang!
Smootches!

Fashion, News and What Nots

*Remember this video?

After seeing it, I totally expected for the show to be a mixture of menswear and womenswear; as you can see, the show was purely men. Turns out a few of my model girlfriends went bright and early to the casting, and were told that Diddy called it all off. Was the viddy purely publicity? I wonder.
* Check out Concrete Loop for more show pictures plus celeb goss.

Style File: Diddy + TFB Fashionable Contest

"It moisturizes my situation...preserves my sexy." Diddy, Proactive Infommercial.

Hey Guys,
So for my 'Men's Week' Style File fashion profile, I could think of no man other than producer, rapper, style icon, and entrepreneur extraordinaire...

...Diddy.
He never fails to look freshed, dressed like a million bucks whether he's rocking a sporty look at an awards show, walking the red carpet in a spiffy tux, or knocking around on the French Riviera in thin shirts and short pants.
Diddy does it best in his signature suits...

...but unlike most guys who stick to typical black or navy, Puffy mixes it up by wearing unexpected colors, donning variable neckwear, and playing with small details like lapel color, pocketsquares and vests.
When Puffy takes it down a notch, he still looks super sharp...

...in buttery leather jackets, dark jeans, darker sunglasses, and leather boots. He has an uncanny ability to make chunky toggle sweaters look masculine and shearling look sexy.
He kicks back a bit for vacations in St. Tropez and Monaco...

...but still exudes fly-ness in skin skimming shirts and fedoras.
Even at his most casual...

...his t-shirts are pressed, caps fitted, shoes sparkled, and jeans pressed. And his Yankees caps and Harlem World t's show that he's unequivocally New York.
Fab.
If you want your guy to try this look, gently steer him towards the following items:

Top Row: Sean John Grey Sharkskin Suit Separates, $125-$350, www.macys.com; Diesel Large Oval Sunglasses, $140, www.nordstrom.com; Theory Black leather 'Falcon.Cervocow Gran' Zip Jacket, $537, www.bluefly.com.
Middle Row: Adidas Court Piping Track Jacket, $75, www.urbn.com; New York Yankees Fitted Game Cap, $28, www.shop.mlb.com; Polo Ralph Lauren Spencer Bow Tie, $65, www.saks.com.
Bottom Row: Calvin Klein Jeans Polo, $39.50, www.lordandtaylor.com; Hickey Camel Wool Toggle Cardigan Sweater, $152, www.bluefly.com; Country Gentleman Seersucker Principle, $50, www.lordandtaylor.com.
Now go ahead..preserve your sexy.

So since I've received zero submissions so far for women who have fashionable guys in their lives (I know there are some out there!), I want to give you a bit of an incentive. Nautica is debuting their new N Series Straight Leg Jeans for Spring 2007...

...and they offered to send a pair of cool new jeans to a man of my choosing. For the third TFB fashionable contest, I want you to send me pictures of the stylish men in your life. If I think your guy is the most fashionable of the bunch, I'll send him a pair of Nautica Live N jeans. So get your submissions going! E-mail me at thefashionbomb@gmail.com.
Happy snapping!
Smootches!
PS Girls, if you're feening for your fashion fix, check out the new blog 'Making the Diva' (www.makingthediva.blogspot.com) The lovely blogger, Leslie, even featured me in her most recent post! All the more reason to check it out:)

Style Diary: Red Carpet at the Golden Globes

Hey Y'all,

So I caught E!'s Red Carpet Coverage of the Golden Globes last night and thought it would be cool to do a minute by minute style diary of celebrity fashion. Just my two cents. Enjoy!

6pm-- Guiliana Depandi...

...looks gorgeous! I'm feelin' her ruffle front black gown, Chopard earrings, and cute hairdo! Ryan Seacrest looks like....a dude in a suit. This is all about the ladies today, so...

6:05-- Aaaaaah! Jay Manuel! I absolutely love Jay, but I prefer his blonde 'do to the silver. His tie/cravat/bow is very cute, however. He's talking about bringing the 'old to the new' and vintage digs. I wonder: what makes a designer gown vintage? Is vintage the equivalent of last season??? Or two seasons ago??

6:15--Wow Vanessa Williams.

She's a beautiful women, but all the puff, fur, and frizz just don't appeal to me. Her face is gorgeous, and that's the only thing that's working for her tonight.

6:17--Jennifer Love Hewitt's dress...

...looks like she made it at home!

6:18--I realize that I need to go to the supermarket to get some food, but...priorities, priorities! Fashion before food.

6:19--My brother calls me, asking me to go online and find the location of a Best Buy in Santa Monica, California. So. He's calling me in Brooklyn from California to find something in his area. When I can't find it, he hangs up on me. Ridic. Instead of being offended by his rudeness, I get back to it.

6:21--My boyfriend has his hands on the remote. Turns it to ESPN. I'm going to choke him if he makes me miss anything. After a pinch, he jumps back to the Red Carpet.

6:24--BACK! Ryan Seacrest with Vanessa Williams.

...Vanessa is getting a lil 'old diva' on me...this look is just not fresh. She reveals that she's wearing a Carmen Marc Velvo dress, Fred Leighton jewels, and a Edwards-Lowell fur. She styled herself in about an hour and...it shows. My boyfriend says, "F*ck she looks good." What does he know? He explains, "It's the big hair." Riiiiight.

6:30--Sienna Miller with Ryan Seacrest. Sienna reveals that she's wearing a Marchesa dress and Cartier jewelry...

My bf said, "Is that Jude Law's girl?" "Yes" "She's not that hot." I think she's cute! And her accent is delightful! Oh! She just said, "La-di-da!"

6:35--The purse with the mirror company is rejoicing right now.

Two shout outs already...

6:36--America Ferrara aka 'Ugly Betty.'

Ummm...Ugly Betty is Hot! LOVE her purple dress. L-O-V-E! And three cheers for the curvy girls.

6:40--ESPN again. I'm going to kill this man. Yes, it's a commercial break. No, I don't want to watch Hockey Highlights. No! No! No!

6:47--I see Chloe Sevigny...

This chick is FIERCE and her one shoulder dress is amazing. Can't wait to see who it's by.

6:48--Penelope Cruz...

...hot, hot, hot. She's wearing a Chanel couture gown by Karl Lagerfeld. And les ruffles again!?!? Does Karl Lagerfeld read the Fashion Bomb??

6:50--The bf is asleep! Yay! No more channel skipping or ESPN.

6:52--Ugly Betty with Ryan Seacrest!

So she's wearing a Brian Reyes gown and Fred Leighton jewelry. The color looks great on her...It really pops and speaks to the 'bright color' trend that's starting to take hold.

6:55--Eva Longoria looks smashing.

Her dress reminds me of America Ferrera's gown, but I feel like America's color looks better on her.

6:58--Ryan Seacrest is poking around for details... Eva's dress is Ungaro. "The premiere of Eva and Navy." Ok, she just did a little twirl...

...Ok, the back of her dress wins out over America's. Sorry Ugly Betty!

7:01--J.LO!!!!!

She's also wearing a Marchesa dress. One shoulder joint. She looks very Greek Goddess in her Lorraine Schwartz jewels. J.Lo usually causes my jaw to drop to the floor, but this dress is kind've yawn worthy. Why is Marc hiding in the corner?? Anyway, I think the one shoulder dress is a theme this time around. And the back details?!?

... Pimpin. Eva and J.Lo have the backs going on.

7:13--I thnk I just peeped Puff on the carpet with a Ryan Leslie type character...

I wonder if Cassie is around...

7:18--I spy Cameron Diaz wearing a one shoulder gown. The one shoulder of her gown is...

...a ruffle! I swear, you heard it first on the Fashion Bomb. And an aside: I'm starting the beret revolution! More on that later.

7:20--Ryan Seacrest is hitting on *everybody*. Guess he's really trying to squash that 'gay' rumor.

7:28--Yay! Will and Jada.

Jada's in a beautiful salmon dress that pops. Who made it? Will Marchesa score yet another name drop?

7:30--Seacrest interviews the hotties from Big Love...

...Turns out Chloe is wearing Yves Saint Laurent. The other girls are wearing...whatever. The dress looks different up close.

7:31--Brad and Angelina. Angelina is a bad b*tch....

..My boyfriend woke up from his slumber to say, "Superstar couple."

7:36--Brangelina with Ryan Seacrest...

Brad is sooo hot. Still. Angelina refuses to talk. I like her strapless gown. No word on who it's by. Ryan was so busy trying to get the scoop on the family that he forgot to ask.

7:40--Oh Sh*t, Beyonce!

She looks AMAZING in her sequined gown. Her decolletage, makeup, jewelry, everything is on point. My boyfriend says, "Best looking chick I've seen all night, bar none." He must not be including me! I'm wearing a fluffy baby blue robe by Vicky's! Update: After a few punches to the chest, he retracted his statement. Beyonce's the second best chick he's seen all night, next to his girl.

7:50--Eddie!!

He's aged well. Something's going on with his mic.

7:51--Cut to Beyonce.

Homegirl did everything right...lots of weave, but not overboard. Looks like she rubbed it down with some Vaseline, popped on some sequins...Bey is WORKING IT!

7:52--Jay Manuel just noted that Angelina was not feeling being there. I mean. If you think about it, celebrities, jewels, and dresses is not what should be on our agenda. But we all need a break from saving the world sometime, don't we??

7:56--Boo. Credits. Guess the red carpet coverage is over. Sucks because I wanted Ryan or Giuliana to talk to Beyonce. Let's just assume her dress is House of Dereon...

7:58--I see Jennifer Hudson!

Pretty. It looks like she's wearing navy.
Ryan is totally overdoing it with the macho commentary. I don't buy it!

7:59--Just got a more complete look at Cameron Diaz.

Her red lips sream, "Free woman" but her dress says, "Wreck!" Ruffles gone wrong.

8pm--The show is starting. Maybe the supermarket is still open???
Update: It was!
Smootches!
All pictures courtesy of E!Online, AP, and Reuters.