Fashion Me Fabulous

Snake print, in its many incarnations, is everywhere for fall. Its ubiquity, however, does not imply conformity. No matter your style, there is a sassy snake print shoe to add a fun twist to your wardrobe*. Top Row: Ann Marino Diamond pumps, BonTon $49.99 Christian Siriano for Payless harness ankle boot, Payless, $69.99 Calvin Klein Harley flats, Macy's, $99.00 Bottom Row: Madden Girl Kaboby pumps, Zappos, $39.95 Dollhouse Pitone flats, DSW, $19.95 French Sole FS|NY Boa flats, 6pm, $90.00 Top Row: Michael Antonio Lalita platforms, Sears, $25.99 Calvin Klein Flare wedges, Zappos, $94.40 Rockport Faye flats, Macy's, $90.00 Bottom Row: Michael Kors MK Flex Mid pumps, Dillards, $98 Worthington Kairo platforms, JCPenney, $39.99 Sofft Avant Mocha Python pumps, 6pm, $39.33 *Unless you want boots. The only snake-print boots I could find in hours of research were in the $300+ range... and weren't even exciting enough to warrant a splu...

Project Design is our own friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway. Cuff Links are a classic gift for dads and dapper dressers. These cuff links are full of personality and are far more thoughtful than the typical monogrammed or nautical pair. Consider giving them with a dress shirt to any guy who is looking for a wardrobe lift or any gal who loves mixing menswear with her frilly things. Vote for your favorite below. LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 Cuff Links by Cufflinks Silver Plated Robot Cuff Links by CosmicFirefly 5 Speed Cuff Links by southernliving26 1943 Steel Penny Cuff Links by friendlygesture Scrabble Tile Cuff Links by GratitudeJewelry Lock & Key Cuff Links Set by FistaCuffs Talk Nerdy to Me Cuff Links by NostalgicLinks Fluer-de-lis Cuff Links by classiccufflinks poll by twiigs.com

Fashion Me Fabulous has a brother! His name is Bloke , and he's a menswear blog. You may remember some FMF menswear content from the past, which was written mostly by Mike. He's now blogging all things menswear over at Bloke . Tell your boyfriends, husbands, brothers, friends, fathers, cousins, uncles, grandfathers and any other men in your life. Bloke is here, and they too can be fabulous (or some equally complimentary term with a more masculine feel)! Also, you can hear Jael Paris and Mike on last night's broadcast of Late Night Jenga Jam. They gave some great fashion tips!

My dear roomie is a lovely six foot tall ball of cuteness and joy. When her heart breaks mine breaks. One of the most frequent violators of her heart is shoe shopping as most stores don't carry her size -- size 12. In the case of snow boots and sneakers, she frequently resorts to the men's shoe department rather than deal with the dejection in the women's department. Thankfully, there are a number of stylish, unisex options being sold as men's shoes. With oxfords and brogues being so popular right now, all it would take to pull these off is confidence. They would look equally nice with full skirts or wide leg pants. Here are some options from Endless.com. First: yellow perforated lace-up, John Fluevog "Radio FM" $238.95 (Roomie, these are sunny and cute like you!) black suede and patent slip-on, Mezlan "Didley" $244.95 beige linen and leather oxford, Kenneth Cole "Panoramic" $148.71 Second: grey tone brogue slip-on, Banana Blues "Ripp...

Jabot's "HollyVogue" Vintage Boutique prides itself on supplying swing bands with authentic costumes, so it should come as no surprise that their inventory is heavy on 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Of course, there's plenty here for men too. Unlike most vintage shops, Jabot's carries several pieces for larger women as well. Prices are in the reasonable Gap range. 1930s black evening dress $76 (First dress) 1950s green and teal plus size dress $62 (First dress) Of course no retro look is complete without a hat. I'm quite enamored with the selection and the prices! 1940s straw hat $38 (Bottom left) 1950s blue felt hat $34 (7th row left)

Aside from very 1950s hair, I don't know how Catherine Horwood, author of Worst Fashions , expects people to cover their heads. The end of her book included several hairstyles she thinks no one should have. Not surprisingly, Horwood frowns on extreme styles like mohawks and unnatural colors. My husband once had blue hair, so I'm not with the author on this one. Other looks she considers extreme are primarily African-American such as the afro, cornrows and dreadlocks. This seems so off to me as the kinky curls of African hair are difficult to care for, and these styles can bring more freedom than, say, a straightened look. Horwood's primary issue regarding former styles for females is big, long feathered hair, a.k.a. The Farrah. I guess something about the softness and the way the curls accent the face really peeves her. Strangely, this fashion critic had nothing to say about the beehive. Men get the worst of things. Shaved heads and crew cuts are out. (What will state troop...

People often ask if my sense of style came from my mother. In all honesty, I was destined to love clothes from both sides of the gene pool. In honor of Father's Day this coming Sunday, here's a story of my dad's relationship with getting dressed. My dad's sense of style evolved from two things: his childhood in southern Indiana during the Depression through WWII and his deep love for his Uncle Will. Dad was the youngest of eight, and his clothes were either hand-me-down or stitched together from other clothes. "New" was a completely foreign concept. Working on a farm, Dad had to wear jeans everyday since they were the best fabric for such heavy work. He was thrilled on days (like Sunday) when he could wear "real clothes." (Also, only the poor kids wore sneakers for everything. They just didn't protect the feet the way leather shoes did.) Uncle Will was already old when Dad was born. He was a dandy: three-piece suit, gold watch and chain, slicked...

What bothered me the most in Worst Fashions is Catherine Horwood's complete disregard for fashion history despite working as a dress historian at the University of London. Here are the three most glaring examples of fashions that said something. The 1950s Greaser Horwood called this the worst look for men in the 50s, which tells me she wasn't much of a rebel. She also seems to hate the basic American look -- a tee shirt and jeans. Jeans in the 1950s were a work pant. They were cheap and long lasting. Men wore them when fixing the car or digging ditches. They did not wear them just to wear them. Likewise, the white tee was underwear that could be stripped down to for a dirty job. It wasn't supposed to be worn in public. Combine this with their long, combed-back hair and nonchalance, and you have a rebel in the midst of Conservia. Punk Plaid First of all, it's silly to condemn a pattern in its entirety. becca was furious about the dismissal of florals, because while so...

Despite the gloom and doom prophesied in my last article concerning menswear , I promised three sartorial 'messiahs' to cheer the bleak face of guy's clothing for the spring months... and hook, crook or something else that rhymes with "ook" we're going to finally get to them... one at a time. Although the scarf has enjoyed a resurgence, as noted months ago as the freezing and bitter touch of winter last drove us indoors, most men pack them back in their closets come the first hint of warm weather; now though, thanks to an oft ignored segment of the fashion industry, neck wear has become spring and summer chic once again. Rising both out of the long history of European style, and a 'bandito' bandanna fling in of all things the skater "punk" scene, scarves are all over the place for guys, and in styles that even 5 years ago would have been con...

Unless you're looking for ironic clothes from the 70s and 80s, vintage shopping can be tough for men. Dress That Man brags that they are "damn picky and proud of it." I think any man desiring to emulate Robert Moore's James Bond rather than Napoleon Dynamite will appreciate their pickyness. In addition to a range of suits, shirts, pants and jackets from the 1970s, Dress That Man also stocks belts, shoes, ties, cufflinks, tie tacks and bars, and for the true retro swinger -- ashtrays. Break out your pomade and your aviator shades, because Dress That Man will suit you. 1970s nubby red plaid sportscoat $64.99 Top Gun Oleg Cassini brown leather bomber jacket $99.99 1950s multicolor seersucker shirt $69.99 grey 3-piece pinstripe suit by Hart Schaffner $149.99 You may also be interested in Men's Casual Dressy Shoes , Vintage Shop: Limonada Vintage on Ebay , "Love Me, Love Me" .

A walk through my local mall assures me once again that the long tyranny of the winter has passed, taking with it once more parkas, fur and watching girls outside clubs freezing their asses off in mini skirts all in the name of the ever powerful nicotine fit, and the explosion of life, warmth and bbq's naturally brings with it a brand new spring fashion craze, with wild styles, retro comebacks, and an annual renaissance of trends and..... oh wait. My bad. That's women's fashion. It's spring in the Western hemisphere, and that can mean only one thing; the polo shirts have come to roost once again. Or taken root. Or gone to Boot... use any one you want, they all generally describe the solstice invasion of pop-able collars, khaki shorts and flip flops, as the middle grade stores like Bluenotes, Stitches, The Gap and American Eagle (feel free to finish the list yourself, 2 points per Middle American store you can think of) overflow with brightly coloured alterations of la...

By now, I've fashioned myself (please ignore any unintentional puns, I hate them as much as you do dear reader) a wide selection of shoes. Especially for a guy. As I move out of my small college apartment and into the big wide working world, I've had to move that gather and box them all, giving me far too much time to reflect on the pairs I own, and ignore finishing packing the rest of my junk. I'm of the idea that shoes are as expressive a piece clothing as a yellow pinstripe suit on a bright day. While most guys have on average three shoes for the three things they will ever have to wear: -Formal Brown Shoe or Black Shoe for special events or the office -Casual Boot for hanging out with the guys -Sneaker, if not for running or basketball, then usually based on the hugely popular Adidas 'soccer' runner ...Some dudes, and most gals, know the kind of impression a well outfitted pair of shoes can make. Although frighteningly overused by the "emo" crowd, ...

Chic Deux Chic sells vintage jewelry for men and women. This Seattle based husband and wife have a deep love of jewelry (they sell their own creations in another Etsy shop), and like to pick up interesting vintage pieces when they travel. Each piece is small yet distinct, and would be the perfect accessory for a suit. In addition to the usual women's jewelry, Chic Deux Chic also carries vintage tie tacks, tie bars, and cuff links. Their selection of silk scarves is colorful and boldly patterned; they would look equally nice in a suit jacket pocket or adorning a lady's neck. 60s silk scarf $12 mother of pearl cufflinks $65

My husband has been wearing the same pair of shoes almost every day for four years. They're brown leather Sketchers with a thick sole. He wears them to work, to church, on dates, to political rallies, to outings with the guys. This week, those work horse shoes got a hole ripped in the side. After some research into brands and popular casual dressy looks, these are the men's shoes my husband and I liked (okay, some are all me). Ladies, if you're having trouble getting your man out of Chucks or Crocs, please pull him over to the computer now. Things haven't changed too much in men's shoes in the past 80 years, so no need to worry about trendiness. If you're looking for something more 21st century, try one the the long, thin options. First row: grey and black GUESS? "Varick" studded slip on, Macy's $140 brown Dockers "Rampart" casual oxfords, Kohl's $59.99 black Stacy Adams "Santa Rosa" boot, Endless $62.97 tobacco woven Gior...

Up until a year or two ago, the most common annoyance that my mom offered to me, as fantastic as she was, concerned my clothing. "You wear too much black. It's depressing, why do you wear so much black?" I was, really, far and away from what you may now be thinking, and I may as well clear this up before it taints the rest of our time with each other; I only liked the Smiths because Morresey's voice caught. No terribly self-despairing poetry, no black nail polishes, and I learned to smoke while hanging around outside emo concerts while my friends rocked shit inside. It wasn't, and remains far from my scene. The simple truth was that black was all there was. Black was reinvented in the late nineties and early years of the 21st century, from the triumphant return of the mighty little black dress, to the near fetish levels of black leather in the Matrix. It crept into every facet of fashion then open to me (as an awkward teenager dude) and was, therefore, inescapable...

Fiveleft creates hand dyed, hand tooled leather goods. The minimalistic, unique designs are not only eye catching, but also functional and long lasting. Fiveleft designer, Lincoln Heller, began working with leather at an Alaskan logging camp where he made tool pouches out of old boots. He started out making leather good for men and working on several films like Eragon and Blade. The basic materials and clean construction set these leather goods apart because they are made without glue, linings, synthetic replacements or other tricks. The hand dyed leather has less chemical treatment than industrial finishing. Fiveleft is also switching to a water based dye that will further reduce the chemicals used. Heller says long lasting goods are a major goal of Fiveleft. "Functionality and longevity are most important. I aspire to create things that do a job well and for a long time. I resent disposability and planned obsolescence, and think today’s climate of self-serving convenience i...

I remember as a young child the way my grandfather dressed. Bathed in the intense smell of decades worth of Old Spice, he proudly held on to his post-war wardrobe until his death, his last years spent in his old chair wearing wool cardigans of three “distinct” designs: grey, blue and beige. A veteran of the invasion of Europe , I couldn’t even imagine his response if told he was, for the first time since the Depression, ahead of the fashion curve. Abandoned during the radical turmoil of the 1960’s, the cardigan had long become a subject of mocking ridicule in men’s fashion, outdated and increasingly feminized to the point that, outside of stores catering to the senior demographic, the only place to find one was in the ladies section of your local designer (and more often than not, sold to mothers rather than daughters). The cardigan has resurged though in recent years on the forefront of neo-Americana style from the fifties and early sixties, and cont...