Style Report | Myth of the Stylish Gay Man

Harmonious with a perception that has a grip on our society like Anna Wintour has on her Prada, a visit to a predominately gay neighborhood would resonate a sudden style enlightenment. Dropping by Dupont Circle should yield such sights as those that one would expect from the Montenapoleone, in Milan. And word on the street is, the fashionably challenged men and women should flock there like herds, notebook in hand. Lets get one thing straight, all gay men are not stylish! This is a myth - and the guy to the left is clear evidence of such.
Its not hard to backtrack the origin of this myth. The myth that is the Stylish Gay Man is older than you, me, and anyone alive today - think back to Louis XVI whose failure to consummate his marriage resulted in homosexual rumors, it started before that; its worth noting that he was exceptionally stylish. Since the beginning of mankind homosexuality has been associated with a vain and perhaps more-put-together aesthetic. And the generalization is without proper claim - Edward II, Quentin Crisp, Liberace, and many others only strengthened this myth, and as a result it waltzed right into the 20th and 21st century.
"This idea comes from how awareness of homosexuals grew over the last 40 or 50 years," says designer Isaac Mizrahi. "To someone who only knew of three gay people, it looked like all gay men were stylish."
In American, more specifically, the first openly gay men that society accepted as public figures were fashion designers. More so than that, TV in the eighties and nineties created this stereotypical 'gay sidekick' who opted to giving sartorial advice to their less-than-stellar girlfriends. Fast forward a decade or two and series like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy emerged into the world, and along with it the Verdis and the Cojocarus.
And although I see no end in sight for the Stylish Gay Man myth, we now have gay public officials who are beyond sartorial help and other public figures who put fault in the myth entirely (note, the above picture). Only now we have a new myth to diffuse, that all stylish men are gay. Now that's a twist for your ass, and mine.
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Accessories Report | OAK Infinity Scarves

Traditional neck-wear can easily become somewhat of a bore; with our current obsession with everything knitted, anything otherwise would catch my interest and have my eyes open wide. OAK's Infinity Scarves have me at full stance. They are wool based but avoid the knitted look that everyone else seems to be doing right now - if your looking to go against the grain then these are the perfect option. Their design pattern speaks to this accord especially: tie-dyed black and orange pattern or dust grey. It will set you back a pretty penny ($82), but you can't take the money with you...the memory of owning such a great item, however, will always last. Available via OAK NYC.

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Style Report | Kenneth Cole Rules of Style

"1. Clothing is maybe the single greatest form of self-expression. Whether you're fashion-impaired or fashion-inspired, I urge everyone to take a few extra minutes every day to contemplate the message you’re sending to the world.
2. Few people get dressed up today. Mix dressy with casual or rugged with refined. And one item should be more tailored. For example, if you're wearing a T-shirt, wear cleaner jeans. Wear a blazer with the jeans or a casual top with slacks.
3. Establish a uniform, then layer in something new to make it fresh each day. I always have my white shirt, my jeans, and my boots. Then I mix up the rest. Some days I wear a graphic tee with a white shirt and a vest. The next, I might wear a white shirt, a V-neck sweater, and a pin-striped blazer. But the must-haves for every wardrobe are a white shirt and a comfortable blazer.
4. Patterns, like stripes, need to be very subtle. The message overall should be that you're not wearing a matched wardrobe (or on parole). Contemplate wearing a jacket that doesn't match your pants and a shirt that matches neither. Your belt and shoes don't have to match either, but there needs to be a sense that everything works together.
5. No matter how long it takes you to get dressed, it shouldn't look like it took more than 10 minutes.

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Buy Report | Fremont Black Speckled Shirt

Its not your usual flannel shirt, but no less captivating. The black speckled button-down is inticing and offers an atypical approach on a typical style. The denim appearance is very versatile and stretches this item far beyond it means; its quality is expressed through the front welt pocket detail and slim fit. And regardless of whether you embrace the flannel debacle, one cannot deny that it has become an essential in the wardrobe of men - so embrace it with quality and distinction. Available via OAK NYC.

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Editorial Report | Come Out In the Cold

Russian GQ dolled up Zach Ferry for what is an inspiring conundrum of style - predictable, but no less note worthy. Using snow as a white canvas for exposing an array of knitwear, photographer Joshua Jordan deserves praise for exploiting light to making the topic at hand the focal point; everything else falls secondary. And yes, its a fashion story that we have heard all too well, but that doesn't distract from their goal of exposing knitwear as the trend of choice for this season, so catch on already. Alas, Ill admit that it makes me feel a bit inadequate. My 'snow on the ground' wardrobe often times falls short of this much style, but I too am a constant work-in-progress.

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Style Report | How to Buy an Overcoat

A phenomenon that never seems to subside in DC is an over-abundance of overcoats. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad thing. An overcoat is virtually impossible to deliver a horrid display, and its a generic fashion so over-abundance is expected. Moreover, for the most part this is a style that all spectrum of DC seem to have a handle on - they look great with the suits that inhabit Capitol Hill and provide a cool edge and contrast to the casual indie vibe that encompasses the U-Street Corridor and Adams Morgan. Sadly, another growing fad that I have noticed recently is that a few Washingtonian men fall burden to what I like to call an 'over-overcoat'. To put it simply, they are too damn big! But with so much attention given to suits and what goes under it, it's understandable to give outerwear the short end of the stick. This shouldn't be the case with an overcoat, however. An overcoat is not a transit type of garment but rather the final piece to the equation, thus it should be treated like one of the most important pieces of clothing you own. Here are a few tips to consider the next time you purchase an overcoat, because it requires some specifics:

1. Length is an important factor to consider - it can make or break you, so to speak. But when it comes to this aspect, every man tends to differ. Find your preference, or have your tailor find it for you. But keep in mind that although overcoats traditionally drifted past the calf, in modern days they should stop just above the knee.
2. For the shorter bunch, ignore the conventional rule of length (above) and decide upon a overcoat a tad shorter - think of it in terms of an extended jacket. It should stop mid-thigh and be long enough to cover your suit jacket. Its magic, and creates the illusion of height.
3. When it comes to sleeves, they shouldn't drown your hand nor neglect it your wrist. They should hit at the point where your wrist becomes your hand, no longer no shorter. Or in retrospect, an inch past your suit sleeves.
   

After the jump, view some of the season's most striking overcoats from top designers. Get inspiration and embrace the trends in your own wardrobe.

Louis Vuitton

Versace

Calvin Klein Collection

Emporio Armani

Hermes

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Shoe Report | YMC Pony Hair Desert Boot

Here is a particular breed that has strayed away from the herd, and with good cause and reason. I have spoke enormously about desert boots and their essentialness for the fall and winter seasons, and while most stick to the grain of dark or light brown suede, YMC has chosen to do an original number with pony hair. Yes, you heard right - pony hair. Despite how hideous this may sound, the look is quintessentially stylish and a tad bit avant garde. Their first pair of pony hair desert boots stick to the mode of green; YMC has since changed things up a bit and now they offer this Assembly exclusive of deep black (it appears almost navy blue, which may be a plus or a negative, depending on the person). Imagine 'all black everything' in different shades - it makes for the perfect outfit. Available now at Assembly.
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