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Why Did or Why Don’t: Man Bun in the Oven

By |August 13th, 2014|Somethin for the fellas, Why Did or Why Don't?|

men-hairbun-high copyThis summer, men took accessorizing one step further by donning what we now know as the “man bun.”  And while I do have a healthy portion of male readers (God bless you analytics), I will not take the blame (or credit- depending on your stance) for the trend just because I’ve made more than one brilliant top knot tutorial (you can learn “how to” here and here).  For the past decade or so, men hadn’t had much wiggle room when it came to socially acceptable hairdos except the beard which they could style at home, rather than going to the barber for such a task.  There’s been the classic buzz cut, the Bieber bob, and that whole spiky gelled situation that ruined shams worldwide.  And let’s just be thankful we all survived the “faux hawk.” You can check these awesome hairdressing scissors most barbers preferred.

While the ponytail is nothing new (hello, Karl Lagerfeld), men decided that wasn’t good enough and began piling their locks on their heads way atop or grazing the napes of their necks, real estate formerly reserved for sweet nuzzles from their beloveds.  I’m not sure who can specifically be appointed as the official firestarter of this follicle free for all, but I think Colin Farrell was one of the male topknot pioneers.  To be fair, average citizens started sporting it well before it became mainstream.  I had an ex-boyfriend several years ago who began experimenting with the trend.  Granted, he also thought waking up and drinking the leftover beer on his nightstand from the night before was par for the course.  In any case, this hair-rowing (see what I did there?) hairstyle has taken over from east to west coast, north to south.  There are several blogs dedicated solely to the praise of ballerina buns fit for Baryshnikov (exhibit A and exhibit B) and The Awl even created a brilliant collection of the male topknot in its natural habitat.

celebrity man bunsMuch like the beard bubble was predicted to pop (and has yet to do so as late adopters are STILL jumping on the bearded bandwagon), the man bun would appear to have a shelf life itself.  Interestingly enough, it seems that the topknot and beard are not mutually exclusive and often worn in tandem.  All this hair has me asking a lot of questions though.  Many men claim to be the superior sex, but I’m beginning to sense a trend.  It started with our eyeliner and skinny jeans then men began eying our tank tops and now they’re angling for our hair ties?  And if you’re in a couple this also leads to a lot of financial hurdles.  Can we afford to double up on deep conditioners?  Do we need to own one flatiron or two?  Won’t our shower drain clog twice as fast?

So with the imminent onslaught of snow, will these top knot wearing gents be forced to concede their coifs once they realize a bun looks more like a goiter under a beanie?  Or will ear muffs have a renaissance for men?  As I typed this, a shiver went down my spine as I realized that the knitted headband or even a turban may not be off limits to a man who has mastered the art of bobbi pins.  I’d be lying if I didn’t get a little hot and bothered collecting visual aids for this post, but I really want to know your thoughts.

 

 xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: Hats Off

By |July 28th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

hat fashion editorialMy mom looks fantastic in a hat.  Any kind.  You name it- from bonnet to bucket- she works the look.  She probably should have been British or born in the mid 18th century.  Fortunately for me, I inherited that trait along with her side stitch inducing humor (am I right?).  In this sizzling summer heat, you may not intuitively reach for a hat, but they are one more step in the right direction towards sun damage defense (more on that here).  In addition to shielding you from the sun’s UV rays, they also prove to be a fantastic way to hide a bad hair day (as witnessed here).eugenia kim fedora sensi studio(from top down): Rag & Bone Leather Trimmed Wool Felt Fedora, Karl Lagerfeld Number 7 Baseball Cap, Sensi Studio Adrian Toquilla Straw Panama Hat,Eugenia Kim Max Feather Trimmed Rabbit Felt Fedora

xx,

WhyDid

 

Setting the Mood: Make It Rain

By |March 31st, 2014|Setting the Mood|

rain fashion editorialWithout a doubt New Yorkers are some of the most intelligent and interesting people on the entire planet and yet all we can seem to talk about is the weather.  Like yesterday for instance, what the hell was that?  Thunder and flurries?  Perhaps we harp on it because it is one thing all of us share no matter our occupations or backgrounds or it could be the fact that all weather, whether heatwaves, snowstorms, or torrential downpours seem to be more extreme when experienced in the city.  In any case, today is the last day before April and though the icy temperatures have started to break (kind of) we always seem to forget that we are now set for another month of miserable grey skies and sloppy street puddles before real spring sets in.  So, brace yourselves and get weather ready with some storm essentials.  This is not a test.

rain clothingDKNY PVC Hooded CoatLanvin Face Print UmbrellaKarl Lagerfeld Rubber Biker Rain BootsMaison Michel Lara PVC Hood

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Wear That: Light Coat

By |March 19th, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

spring central parkTomorrow marks the first official day of spring, however, we’re not quite out of the woods when it comes to outerwear.  While we are left with only a couple more months where a jacket may still be needed, we can swap out the mundane black and grey wool for some lighter weight wares in pops of spring colors from melon to mint, printed to perforated.  Take your pick.

spring jackets

 

1. Yigal Azrouel Eyelet Moto Jacket, 2. Preen by Thornton Bregrazzi Stockton Parka, 3. Barbara Bui Moto Leather Jacket, 4. Golden Bear Sportwear Linen Varsity Jacket, 5. Helmut Lang Python Detail Cropped Jacket, 6. BB Dakota Izzy Jacket, 7. Dagmar Florence Reversible Crepe Bomber Jacket, 8. endless rose Pop Moto Jacket, 9.  Karl Lagerfeld Sienna Tweed and Faux Leather Blazer, 10. Clover Canyon Palm Springs Perforated Jacket

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

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Why Did You Wear That: Sorry, Karl.

By |February 5th, 2014|Why Did You Wear That?|

designer sweatshirtIf you’ve tired of cashmere turtlenecks and grandpa cardigans, there’s some new knitwear in town.  Well, not really “new” because I’ve suggested it once before this past fall, but it’s the sweatshirt.  The last time we visited sweatshirts, I feared for poor Karl’s health, but hopefully he’s recovered from his panic attack by now… because it would appear that sweatshirts have not only grown in popularity, but have been adopted by just about every designer on the market.  An article of clothing once relegated to the gym, males, and lazy Sundays at home, the new sweatshirt is far beyond a marled grey crewneck. Whether in printed neoprene or with heavy embellishments of sequins and chiffon, this season’s sweatshirts might even sway Mr. Lagerfeld.

fashion sweatshirts1. Givenchy Patchwork Print Sweatshirt, 2. Erdem Petal Embroidered Sweatshirt, 3. Acne Beta Geometric Printed Scuba Jersey Sweatshirt, 4. Clover Canyon Gatsby Sequined Printed Sweatshirt, 5. Alexander Wang Parental Advisory Sweatshirt, 6. Cédric Charlier Printed Sweatshirt, 7. McQ Embroidered Ribless Sweatshirt, 8. Carven Aplliquéd Cotton Jersey Sweatshirt, 9. Milly Printed Panel Sweatshirt, 10.Lulu & Co Never Again Sequined Cotton Sweatshirt

Just remember not to pair one with its counterpart, the sweatpant, because that means you’ve given up- and you’re not a quitter.

xx,

WhyDid