Closet Case: Cyber Kung Fu Chef

>>A recent addition to my closet and favorite piece of the moment, is my Balenciaga white shirt.  It's mandarin collar and button closers on the right side of the chest, similar to Chinese cheongasm dresses, give it an Asian feel. The stark whiteness paired with the mandarin collar makes me think—chef! I've dubbed it my "cyber kung fu chef" shirt. It also has an unexpected textured padding from the neck to mid-torso which is what drew me to it.

Five Free Associations: padding, protection, combat, martial arts, karate kid

Photo(s): Odvar Daley, Balenciaga.com

Dandy-meulemeester

>>Ann Demeulemeester, Men's Fall/Winter 2010. This season was a portrait of a confident modern dandy melded with her signature air of goth. In true dandy form, the clothes were styled to exuded a fine aesthetic-driven nonchalance. The collection had an overall sense of flamboyance represented by coats wrapped and adorned in cock feathers, feather scarfs, camel capes, leather gloves, relaxed draped casually-belted coats, and leather cargo pants. (Leather pants… the signature of a flamboyant man, no?) Shirt cuffs that extend well past blazer's sleeve that were paired with low necked vests reminding me of the Giovanni Boldini portrait of 19th century dandy Robert de Montesquiou. It was refreshing to see very loose trousers—seemingly with no belt loops—that were plainly gathered at the waist by belts holding them in place. My faves were the relaxed draped coats and loose trousers.

Five Free Associations: Oscar Wild, Lord Byron, Beau Brummel, Henri de Marsay, vampire

Photo(s): GQ.com