SS2011 Shopping List Item #1: Leather Belts with a Twist

It always bothers me a little re: how fashion houses showcase their Spring collections almost a year in advance, but then I guess everyone needs some buffer to shop for the trendy looks that are being featured in the fashion shows. And god knows how difficult it is to shop with a purpose in mind. It's always when you shop without having a specific goal in mind you find the perfect pieces!

Having that said, we still need a general direction to prevent us getting caught off guard when great pieces come our way. So I've decided to compile a short (but sweet) shopping list for SS2011 based on the looks designers have been pushing for the coming Spring/Summer! Here's item #1...

Photo credit: Marc by Marc Jacobs 

Photo credit: Michael Kors

Photo credit: Robert Geller

Photo credit: Robert Geller

1. Brownish Leather Belt with a Twist

Is it me or is every major SS2011 men's collection featuring these brown / camel belts with a twist? I think the trend started some time in FW2010 and ever since it has been spreading around like wild fire!

It's everything I look for in accessories: an understated color that still pops and a twist that brings an effortless sophistication (literally so in this case!).

What I personally find interesting also is that these looks could easily have been picked out from Fall lookbooks with the grayish, earth-tone palette and the knits - not typically and not necessary something that shouts Spring.

Stay tuned for more items on my list in the coming weeks!

IN MY BAG: Lanvin for H&M Collection!

Pheww... What an eventful morning! Witnessed the first time in my life where people would actually rip clothes off mannequins as if clothes were food in a famine. Then things took a turn for the better best! Lesson learned: life is full of surprises! Wanna know what happened? More updates soon on what I got!

Shoe Mania: Christian Louboutin Sneakers SS2011

Photo credit: Christian Louboutin via Highsnobiety

Cardigan Crush: Vivienne Westwood Cut Out Cardigan

Spotted these new cardigans by Vivienne Westwood from her FW2010 ad campaign and sorta fell instantly in love with them!

Cut outs are tricky to pull off in a classy way because of the rock n roll feel that entails but once you get there, they're so incredibly sexy. I do admit they do look like some sort of sewing machine error right now - but imagine wearing a t-shirt inside with a playful color that pops like the very right-now neon palette or a shirt with a pattern underneath to give it a sophisticated touch.

Take a look at them in grey and the Vivienne Westwood ad after the jump!

One More Week To Go! Lanvin for H&M

In a little less than a week's time, we'll be getting our hands on the Lanvin for H&M line! Remember to check out my post on the detailed arrangements on November 23 with complete price lists for both gents and ladies!



I can hardly wait!

Preview: H&M Spring 2011 Lookbook

Here, we have the preview of H&M's featured looks in Spring 2011. The trend of military green extends from AW2010 to SS2011, along with combat boots and brown leather details! Not a huge fan of the green jumpsuit, but I'm liking everything else I see. I'm particularly digging the sweatpants in the second look.

What about you?

Photo credits: Design Scene

This Week In Fashion

• Tired of muggle clothing? Get Harry Potter-inspired apparel from Hot Topic. More here.

• Hear Alber Elbaz's words of wisdom on traditions and heritage at the IHT Heritage Luxury London 2010 Conference [VogueTV]

• Edward Cullen doesn't wear Burberry, according to Vogue UK.

• Loved Tom Ford's 'A Single Man'? Good news: He's already working on a new movie! The Cut has more.

Style Notes: Party Cavaliers

Wondering what to wear for all the Christmas and New Year's Eve parties you have lined up in your calendar? Worried that it'd cost you a fortune to look hot and dandy while you're counting down at Times Square? Fear not, because as always, you've come to thee right place.

I've pulled together two sets of party looks for just about everyone: one for the more established gentlemen with a designer budget, and another for those who want to keep things economical but still look stylish and chic.

For those with a designer budget...

Jacket: Deepest Blue Velvet Slim Blazer by D&G Dolce & Gabbana 

Bow Tie: Maroon Spot Silk Bow Tie by D&G Dolce & Gabbana

Suspenders: Black Pin Dot Braces by Fred Perry

Shirt: Dinner Shirt by Alexander McQueen

Trousers: Flannel Tailored Trouser by Prada

Shoes: Leather Brogues by Maison Martin Margiela

For those who wanna keep things economical... 

Jacket: Grey Blazer from H&M

Shirt: Herring Bone Shirt from Zara

Cardigan: Burgundy Slim Marl Cardigan from Topman

Trousers: Tailored Black Trousers from Zara

Shoes: Black Patent Leather Shoes from H&M

Glasses: Black Square Reader Glasses from Topman

Photo credits: Matches, MyWardrobe.com, H&M, Zara, Topman

5preview x Joey Yung Number 6 Concert Souvenir T-Shirt

Photo credit: 5preview via my903.com

Swedish indie fashion brand 5preview will be partnering with Hong Kong pop singer Joey Yung to release two t-shirts to commemorate Joey's sixth live music concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum this month.

I've only recently fallen in love with 5preview's tongue in cheek humor and their funky aesthetics so I have yet to own anything from them. Would these t-shirts be a good start?

Zara Lookbook Man November 2010

More at Zara.com.

The Rug Company x Alexander McQueen

Remember the gorgeous Paul Smith "LOVE" wall hanging in Carrie Bradshaw's redecorated apartment at the end of the first Sex and the City movie?

The Rug Company is back with another designer collaboration! This time round it's prints from the legendary Alexander McQueen that's being weaved into our homes. Match your classic McQueen skull scarf with a skull print carpet or your smoke print jacket with a smoke print cushion! The luxurious black and gold print from the Resort 2011 collection is also available. Long live McQueen!

Photo credits: Alexander McQueen, The Rug Company via Highsnobiety and Barneys New York

Photo credits: Alexander McQueen, The Rug Company via Highsnobiety

And... good news if you're already thinking of getting the collection - I already spotted the cushions on display at the Lane Crawford at Pacific Place the other day:

Levi’s Workwear by Pendleton Collection

Denim made a comeback this year and now it's a level up with the tribal element thrown in - Levi's collaboration with Pendleton is exactly that! I'm loving the mix of fabrics and the aborigines feel it carries. It's Pocahontas gone Gap!

Shopping Intel: Lanvin for H&M

Unless you've been living under a rock in a cave somewhere in the Amazon rainforest, you'd have heard about the Lanvin for H&M collaboration. As every shopaholic would know, strategy is of the utmost importance in major shopping events like this one, so here we have some crucial info regarding the first day of sale so as to help everyone strategize and snatch that much coveted collection right off the racks and into our shopping bags!

Date: November 23, 2010

Time: Starts at 8:00 am sharp

Stores: ONLY available at the H&M stores in Central, TST, Elements, and Langham Place

Ground rules: Each customer can only buy ONE piece of ONE size out of every item available.

Logistics for the Ladies: The first 320 customers will be separated into 16 different groups (20 customers per group) and each customer will be given a wristband (one of the 16 different colors representing 16 groups) which has a specified time on it and each customer will be given 10 minutes each to shop in the Lanvin section. If you're the 321st customer, you will need to wait until all 16 groups have finished shopping before you can get into the Lanvin section and pick up whatever that is left.

Logistics for the Gents: NO time limit for us gentlemen. So no wristbands, no groups.

I hope EVERY shopper will get whatever item their hearts desire! Here's a list of all the items with prices in HKD for some even earlier planning at home:

Source: H&M
Price lists credit: Popbee

This Week In Fashion

• Bottega Veneta to release a unisex timepiece, BVX, with Swiss watchmaker Girard Perregaux. NYTimes.com has more.

• Upper East Side x Lower East Side = J.Press x Urban Outfitters's collaboration. [Selectism]

Photo Credit: Selectism

• Apple's iPad gets extra chic with Dior Homme for Spring 2011. [HighSnobiety]

• Rachel Zoe, Joe Zee, Cynthia Rowley all appeared on Gossip Girl this week. And oh, six words: Rachel. Zoe. Chocolate. Fondue. All. Over. Watch clip here.

Zara Lookbook Young November 2010

Photo credits: Zara

Olivia Palermo & Johannes Huebl for Mango FW2010

You may not like her on MTV's The City, but I've always loved Olivia Palermo's sense of style and effortless elegance. Here we have the style icon's photoshoot for Mango's FW2010 catalog, along with her real life boyfriend, model Johannes Huebl. The two look smokin' hot and I wish Mango would introduce its menswear line, Mango Men, in Hong Kong soon!

Photo credits: Mango via Nitro:licious

Street Style: Mixed Prints

It'd be a little bit politically incorrect to say stripes are 'in' this year, because seriously, when did it ever leave us? But what's new is to mix it up with leopard prints (or other similar bold prints). Let's take notes from these stylistas who've embraced thee two hottest prints of the year and create our own mixes!

Photo credits: Stylesightings, Street Peeper

Lanvin for H&M Men's Collection: Catalog

Photo credit: H&M

These are the pieces I'm hoping to get! More on H&M's Facebook page!

Photo credits: H&M

Lanvin for H&M Men's Collection: First Looks

The excitement continues to build as we learn more and more about Lanvin's highly aniticpated collaboration with H&M. Daniel over at ModeMan has these exciting images of what the products look like in real life:

Definitely getting the bowties and the purple leopard t-shirt and most probably the suit in the first picture. Who else is queuing up with me on November 23?

Photo credits: ModeMan