IFB: Evolving Influence Conference - Future of Fashion Blogging

Because this was twenty minutes late I had to stop the feed early so I could GO TO WORK. I was not pleased. I also did not get a picture, which I really wanted. If someone could give me a picture of this panel, I would be grateful.

Susie Bubble - Style Bubble/Dazed Digital
Tavi Gevinson – Style Rookie
Bryanboy
Phil Oh – Street Peeper
Britt Aboutaleb & Lauren Sherman – Fashionista.com
Moderated by Jennine Tamm Jacob

I find it interesting that AmEx sponsored this, considering the previous blogger ethics panel. The AmEx rep spoke about opening doors, and talking about what they did for their card members. I am amazed to see Tavi here, and really excited about listening to her take on things.

Seating Arrangement:

1- Brit and Lauren
2- Bryanboy
3- Tavi Gevinson
4- Susie B
5- Phil Oh

How much time do you commit to your blog?

Brit/Lauren have a blog owned by a corporation. They blog during the day as a normal job, or more. Sometimes twelve hours a day. Bryanboy says he is on eighteen hours a day and has no life. Tavi says it depends on whether the post is a picture of an outfit or an actual long discussion post. It can be two minutes to two hours depending on the time. Internte usage is not consistent, even when she isn't blogging. Susie is online most of time and has been for four years. Phil spends thirty minutes deciding which photos he wants to post. He does not take photos every day. During winter he doesn't work much at all. He wakes up late and plays video games for a few hours.

He says he does not work that hard normally, but during NYFW he works twelve hours a day, maybe six... Susie says twelve during fashion week, others agree. Tavi doesn't own a laptop or phone with internet. During fashion week, she is in her hotel room watching TV, not blogging, when everyone else is trying to be first. I can't imagine being without a laptop connection via iphone tethering. Half of these posts are because of that connection.

Bryanboy says everyone is trying to get the scoop first, and he has just given up on that. For him, as an independet blogger, he does not do that. He wants to space out his posts.

How has blogging become an overnight success?

Bryanboy says he's an attention whore, but he is glad that he is able to influence people. He finds it entertaining. He welcomes whatever is written about.

Brit and Lauren say it's not overnight, and Tavis has been working for two on her blog, Bryanboy for four, but it just recently became the brand new thing. Susie is a bit "granny about it" and thinks "wow, you're just coming around to this?" It "confuzzles" her considering blogging has been around for a decade.

Lauren worked for Forbes and says some traditional media are connecting with bloggers, but some are scared because online writers are getting more and more influence. They're afraid of losing their positions and influence.

Tavi says things just happen so fast and talks about how techonology changes so fast, and yet there is this this reluctancy from many different areas, you have to move with the flow, because it won't slow down. The movie she mentions with Lindsay Lohan and the video phone is called Get A Clue, which I was amazed she knew about. I liked it.

Bryanboy and Lauren both mention how newspapers and magazines are dying. They're taking it out on bloggers because of fear.

Blogger vs. Editors

Oh, God, I knew this was going to be talked about, considering who the panelists were. I really think we should move past it, because most of us have said our piece. Mine, of course, being that the whole thing is utterly silly. Jennine brought it up and asks everyone about it, considering they are the subject of the fights.

Susie says it's all aside the point because it is not concentrating on the content, but rather the people. She thinks it is the wrong tactic when considering who to deal with. She feels people should just let magazines get one with it, they're just one strand. Brit says the fuss was all made up, everyone is there and happy, and she wants to read everyone's reviews of shows. No one has to read what they don't want to. She believes there is room for everyone.

Tavi thinks that a lot has come back and refreshed itself because a writer was sitting behind her and could not see the show she was at because of her bow. She thought it was a joke, but apparently it wasn't. Tavi feels this is what caused the current blow up. Most bloggers, including the panelists, said they also thought it was a joke. For media to make an entire article about it, says Susie, was just complete fluff.

Phil's experience has been on both sides, good and bad, of editors. He photopgrahs editors (this is a lot more like what I do/wish to do). He says they were hesitant. That he felt they treated him as if they were saying, "Oh please, little people. Fine you may take a picture." As street style photographers became more popular, a lot of editors used street style bloggers to lift their profiles. Now they smile and say hi to Phil. Everyone loves attention, says Bryanboy, but Phil maintains his experience is entirely different.

Tavi thinks that if editors don't want competition from bloggers, then they would not feature those same bloggers. Brit thinks there is no fight, it's not real. In New York or Paris or whereever. Susie thinks that from a European standpoint, that Paris and London are much slower on the uptake. New York is the more of a breeding ground for bloggers getting into shows. Paris still isn't sure exactly what bloggers do. Milan started picking up on bloggers, but Paris is definitely it's a bit of a question mark.

Tavi thinks in the debate bloggers and editors and are generalised. Some bloggers are stoking the flames, some editors are all about bringing bloggers into the fold. The problem is all in overgeneralisation.

How do you think celebrity bloggers have affected the community?

Phil says hype creates blacklash, and maybe it has already started with Tavi, Bryan, or Susie. Susie says people should just let bloggers get on with it. Phil thinks it is encouraging to fashion bloggers that are just starting out. I would agree, that is quite encouraging. Especially since I intend to cover Japan Fashion Week. Susie says it's just another hierarchy. The blogosphere has, in my opinion, essentially elected our own leaders. I'm not too displeased with out selection.

Do you think the hierarchy disrupts democratisation?

Susie says no, but by highlighting the same people over and over, worthy blogs are lost. She says we're not a cohesive movement. We are indviduals or separate entities. Bryanboy says his blog started as a travel blog or diary. He does not consider it a fashion blog. Tavi mentions how she was on a PR list as a celebrity. She understands there are a lot of offers because some fashion houses think she's a gimmick, but she's motivated to be more creative and give reviews more critical or constructive, because there is always a backlash. In fashion, as soon as the event ends, it is out in a second. Susie says it is completely true what Tavi says.

Tavi does not consider herself a celebrity, because she is at her house at the computer, just writing stuff most of the time. Bryanboy says that Tavi has been featured all over the place. How do you define a celebrity anyhow? His mom knows Tavi. Bryan was referenced on Family Guy, says Tavi..

Tavi says there are perks, and working with Pop Magazine is great because it is read by people in the industry. Fashion houses are saying thanks for what other magazines are not doing. Pop is doing well joining forces with technology. It's helpful to be known in the industry. She hopes she inspires people with her blog.

Bryanboy, Marc Jacobs?

This was in reference to Marc Jacobs naming a bag after Bryanboy. Bryanboy shrugs it off.

Tavi thinks people are general inspired they do not blogger support, so that if you get gifts then, it is because the designer really likes you. Once bloggers had voices that were refreshing, but she doesn't think that's been lost.

Lauren says everyone has an opinion, "what's your angle? What's the slant?" As a fellow journalist who worked in newspapers, I can agree. There is always an angle. This comes up in assignment meetings, in budget, etc. Lauren says you can disclose and go ahead and just throw it out there. Has nothing to do with what we're doing. In Europe it is a much better.

The ethics surrounding gifts is used more to build on the story. Brit says no one is reading the blogger who just works to get free stuff. Tavi says it goes back to generalisation.

Difference between personal blogs and corporate blogs?

Brit and Lauren create their own standards. Lauren is a journalist and teats herself as such. Sourcing things and having high standards. My concern with this is that it would have to be a professional issue. Lauren goes onto say that if it feels sketchy, don't do it.

I want to know, if we have full time jobs, how do we do it like when we were newspaper reporters? I worked every day calling sources. I could do it now, but it would mean blogging and teaching, and that's it. Nothing really else. I would have to go commercial just to pay for my ability to source. I would be producing an actual publication.

Tavi says she has a team of elves that set her standards and write for her. I think she is an elf. She says she has always written about whatever interests her. And people are out there who are interested in that. She doesn't post every day, she doesn't post. She doesn't want to just fill space.

Susie tries to fact check. I agree with this. Fact checking is essential. Yes, Susie, we can hear you. Kinda. Good thing about blogging is amending and editing (I have made many mistakes already).

Phil started three years ago and wanted to look like a corporate blog because of advertisers and because blogging was not terribly respected. He did not call it a blog, but a web destination. Only in the last six months has he been okay with being called a blogger. He "jumped on the bandwagon despite driving it." Bryanboy now considers his site a venue site. He says he has always considered blogs very personal like a diary...


And this is where I had to cut off. If someone could tell me what happened after I hit work, I would appreciate it. I was very disappointed that each of the panels started very late. Between sleep and work, I had to really budget my time in order to cover these events, and so not adhering to the schedule was a real problem for me, being 9000 miles away. I really, really wanted to see all of this panel, and I am rather upset I could not. Perhaps if IFB runs this next fashion week, there can be a trial run through the day or night before to make sure there are no audio/video problems, and that the schedule is adhered to.

IFB: Evolving Influence Conference - Blogger Ethics

I skipped the blogging business panel because I am not interested in making my blog a career. Without further adieu, the write up on the Blogging Ethics panel:

Imran Amed - Business of Fashion
Diane Pernet – A Shaded View on Fashion
Jessica Schroeder – What I Wore
Gina Garrubbo, EVP – Blogher
Mary Scherpe - Stil in Berlin
Clark Hoyt - Public Editor, New York Times

Moderated by Wendy Brandes

Seating Arrangement:

1-Gina Garrubbo
2-Mary Scherpe
3-Clark Hoyt
4-Jessica Shroeder
5-Imran Amed
6-Diane Pernet

Okay, the audio got fixed, for the most part, but Diana could not be heard very well at all. Questions were not as clear cut as in the previous panel.

How do you deal with gifts/invites, and writing about them?

Jessica says as long as you make it equal across the board, and you treat every product the same way, and are consistent, then it's okay. She does not feel she's a journalist. She's not trying to be dishonest.

Clark cannot accept a gift from anyone for anything. The problem is from the outside, he says, is that you are compromised, the person who is givng you the gift is not doing it out of the goodness of their heart, but because they want to something, and the readers know that. Don't accept anything if you want to maintain credibility.

Gina says BlogHer is in the middle. Handpicked bloggers take gift certificates and write reviews, but they all live in a review area. No ads accepted in the editorial area. This prevents certain types of bloggers from joining the network.

Jessica says she discloses pieces she has been given, because it is a form of advertising.

Imran says it should be no different than Elle or Vogue. He does not do reviews, but he says it is no different from what editors do (imporant considering the editors vs. bloggers debate, I think). Thinking of the issue in terms that are too black and white is not productive.

Mary says working for the New York Times or some other major publishing house, means that reporter is backed up by the paper, but a blogger has no one to back them up.

Clarks urges bloggers to think about the impact on the readers and have an audience that trusts you. You need to be seen as someone with credibility. Making rules is good and everyone needs to know them; disclosure is a good idea.

Imran says he has a different blog, and he is not attacking fashion magazines. He just says in order to review a product, you have to have it. He thinks the media is holding bloggers to a different standard than them themselves. He says to consider sample closets. Most major editors will walk into their hotel room at NYFW and they're full of goods. Is it 100 percent ethical? No, but to put editors and bloggers in two categories is unfair.

Diane was a fashion editor, and she backed up Imran's account. But she was extremely hard to hear. She says price doesn't matter.

Imran says blogger disclosure is a higher a standard.

Jessica says it is not possible to have a higher standard because bloggers do not have publishing houses behind them.

Gina says a lot of her bloggers get a lot of money and BlogHer never says not to do business your way. MommyBloggers caused a big scandal, but she thinks food bloggers get a lot of stuff, and people offer BlogHer bloggers items they cannot take. She mentioned bloggers who basically extorted and blackmailed the companies. This caused a lot of issues, but most bloggers don't do this.

Clark asked about identification. Gina says they do positive identification with white papers, awards. Clark says he started as a reporter at the Detroit Free Press. The Big Three (Ford, GM, Chrysler) gave keys to the top editor. The executive editor one time got a car from Ford, he drove it and immediately gave it back. He broke the pattern. Ethics evolved, and will evolve for blogging. It will be lead by mistakes and calling out people. He tells bloggers, don't be the scandal.

Imran thinks the discussion should be based on fashion media as a whole, including blogs. It's natural to apply that standard to the mainstream press too.

Mary has no Federal Trade Comission, being in Germany, of course, and fashion blogging is not that big. But the discussion is beginning. Blogs who are financed by publishing houses are often denounced. The discussion is in progress.

Diane says her blog is about promoting creativity, not stuff. She says for her, her blog is not about getting paid.

Jessica mentioned that the business panel, which I skipped, presented some opposing ideas.

Gina says she spends twice as much time with brands trying to explain to brands what is appropriate. Advising clients how to act towards bloggers.

Imran says that blogging exploded because people believe they are getting something really authentic. When you stop saying what you think, people stop paying attention.

Diana says if she likes it, she writes about, if she doesn't, then she says nothing. If there are issues with safety, then you do have a responsibility to report that.

If you're critical and balanced and researched, Imran says, then people respect that.

Mary says that should apply to positive reviews too.

Gina mentioned Pepsi and a sexist webapp about how to pick up a girl. Pepsi took the app down after a negative reaction, and were very understanding that bloggers at BlogHer were writing about the issue.

Business Solutions for Ethical Independent Bloggers

Jessica says the best way to keep a brand going is to stay true to your niche.

Clark says a cooperative between bloggers would be a good idea. This seems to back up the ideas of a blogger union that have been tosssed around. I frankly think it is a good idea too.

New York Times guidelines, do they lead to fashion show access?

Not entirely, says Clark. Mary says it's easier because of the history of a mainstream media organ. Imran says it is changing and is hoping for bloggers in the front row, but Jessica says that only the celebrity bloggers are getting seats. I am not sure I agree, I think Tavi has become a celebrity, as an example, but her voice has remained consistent. I also don't think she considers herself a journalist. Which seems to contradict Jessica's own claim about not being a journalist.

Media not giving bloggers credit in the media room?

Mary says again, that bloggers in the front row gain access not because of quality, but because they have become celebrities. Imran says the Editors vs. Bloggers situation shows that editors and photographers that work for mainstream publications are feeling threatened, but once people figure out there is a way for both bloggers and editors/photographers to coexist, this should all settle down.

Celebrity bloggers

If someone goes down to the celebrity blogger path, then eventually they will be torn down. In order to keep your voice, be very ethical, and use tight standards, Imran says.

Honestly, I thought this panel was all over the map, questions were not clearly defined, and there was quite a bit of repetition. Although the feed was better, the disorganised nature of the questions and the back and forth was a lot harder to follow. That, or I am just very much out of practice. Probably both. The fact I have edited this three times shows I am way out of practice when it comes to dictating. Also, I miss my memo pad...

IFB: Evolving Influence Conference - Promoting Your Blog

We're hearing from a group of a panelists from many different places, including:

Corinne Leigh -Threadbanger
Erika Miller – Elle.com
Pamela Castillo - Market Publique
Nichelle Pace – StyleMom
Melody Biringer – The CRAVE Company

With Influential Blog Presentation from YM Ousley - Signature9.

Moderated by Jordana Bruner

We're getting a lot of different views, but I am mostly hearing a lot of consensus on what blogging means. YM Ousley talked a lot about the democratisation of journalism because of the internet. With blogging everyone now has a voice, and we see a seriously fracturing, an ever increasing amount of subcategories. Everyone has a chance at getting a voice by having their own niche. He definitely considers this a good thing.

How do bloggers build their brands, what do they use?

"I think everyone has a book in them," said Melody. She says that your blog may well be Interesting enough to turn it into a book. Hook up with local retailers. You need to get out there and hook up with other brands and put together events. RSS feeds should be traded with other blogs that are somehow related (bags and shoes, as an example) and get with other bloggers in putting together events.

Don't do everything, do your best thing, the internet is huge, and being over saturated causes you to just become white noise. The denser your keywords, the more likely search engines will pick you up, people will link to you, and that will increase your readership even further. When that happens, then you begin to get a platform for business- if that's what you want.

How important are keywords?

Melody talked about how you really need to stick to a specific type of content. She says to make sure to use analytics, sites and programs that track statistics on your website. Making sure you integrate keywords into your content.

Nichelle talked about partnering with other sites, and getting links exchanged is a major way to increase traffic. Keep voice consistent across social networking platforms. What's your brand? Find it, and you are much more likely to move forward.

Logos, the posting time, and original content are are all ways that were mentioned.

What about friending?

Ousley tells people to be careful about friending. He talked a lot about the history of the older fashion zines in London. Photocopiers and etc. Reminded me a lot of the way riot grrrl journalism existed when I was a teenager in the nineties. Ousley compares today's blogging to that sort of rebel journalism. He says making too many partnerships, and linking to too many others, especially corporations or non-independenet blogs, or branding yourself, gets you away from the "pirate journalism" aspect of being a blogger. It's hard to be anti-establishment when you are part of the establishment.

What about localisation?

There was a lot of consensus by the panelists that locality is the key to success. You have to network and connect to people who immediately care about your specific area.

I admit that I have questions about this, because I don't have a local scene in English in fashion in my area. In fact, my audience is primarily people who are outside of Japan who wish to see Japanese fashion, but cannot be in Japan in order to see my content first hand. How can I be local? How can I network? Well, it won't be with other English bloggers, probably. I will be attempting to make contacts with Japanese boutiques, designers, and of course, Japan Fashion Week.... but how much does locality really apply to me?

The Coveted posted via twitter that the audio and buffering issues should be fixed after this panel and before the next one. Hopefully that also means I won't be able to hear people whispering near the audio pick ups as well. That was annoying.

Independent Fashion Bloggers: Evolving Influence Conference...First Impressions

I am trying to watch this via the live stream, but it isn't working very well at all. The stream is choppy, the audio is very low. It's difficult to keep up with what is going on. I wanted to do a write up, but frankly, I don't think it's going to be possible to do during the fact. My hope is that IFB is recording this as well as broadcasting this, so I will be able to do a much better write up and respond a lot better to what the panels are saying about the topics.

All in all, given my own experiences with broadcasting over the internet, I am less than impressed with the system that has been set up. There should be someone monitoring the volume level and buffering rate, especially since some of us viewers are not even in the North American continent, let alone anywhere near New York.

Where does Gucci go from here? Will we see the McQueen brand survive?

So, there's one thing that Alexander McQueen has done for his own brand.

It's cold, and it's heartless, (and bluntly put, we're all still in mourning) but looking at the bottom line, with Lee's death, he has rocketed his brand to the forefront.

Everyone is talking about him, not just us (bloggers, editors, fashionistas, and sartorialists). There are fierce debates about whether his death was "news" at all. Check out the CNN links I posted before. You'll see comments on both sides that show a passioned argument. It's ironic how passionate the opposing view is, that this is not news, given how much attention they are devoting to the topic.

You and I, we know that it is news. That McQueen was an amazing artist. He changed the landscape of fashion forever. That's pretty freaking newsworthy. There are people who have never heard of Alexander McQueen finally learning about his genius. They're discovering, for the first time, the sense and wonder of his paradigm shifting designs.

And his product is flying off the shelves like never before. This after the brand was already steadily increasing its market share. In this downturned economy, where luxury brands, and even mid-range department store brands are suffering, McQueen was a bright spot for the fashion industry. He was Gucci's golden child. A poster boy for the truth that superior design always sells.

Now that's in jeopardy. McQueen was always the force behind his own label, even after selling it. As far as we know, he provided himself no heir. He did not have a prized pupil who could step up. His team of designers often seemed to have found him to be the glue that held their work together. They don't have the direction, possibly not even the talent, to take over the brand themselves. Yet he was prolific sketcher, and he left behind mounds of designs.

So does Gucci close the brand, thinking longterm growth is no longer possible, or do they move forward with his design team, hoping to draw inspiration from what he left behind in order to shore up one of the true success stories of the current fashion industry?

I don't know, either.

Editors vs. Bloggers

This is a silly topic.

You are acting like children (no offense to Tavi, who is instead, acting like an adult). Stop it.

That is all.

Yes, Those Are Sweatpants...@Benetton, Shinsaibashi, Osaka

Project: The "Walk-In-Closet" in an Apartment Pt.1

I'm rather lucky, I live in a two bedroom apartment alone. I've converted what was my bedroom into a closet, and am eliminating the guest room and moving into it. While I do have guests every so often, it's never enough to really warrant keeping one bedroom completely empty, as I had been doing. I can always sleep in my new closet, it's certainly large enough!

Most young professionals have apartments, not houses. That severely limits our ability to put in an entire closet system. If we have the space, a smaller bedroom, an office space, or even a decently large corner in a master bedroom, then we can get creative. We just have to stick to moveable, modular shelving that we can use to create the illusion of a closet system.

I spent a few hours going through my apartment and moving random shelving into the bedroom to see what I could come up with. Now, let me be clear, what you see here is a mostly for general shape and composition comparison. It is, to be fair, a sort of closet sketch with real pieces of furniture. It will do, until I can decide how to put together a larger system of modular, and much better looking, shelving.







Here's a good introduction to closet systems:



Now, there are wardrobe systems that are great if you have the money to invest, but can't put in a closet system, for whatever reason. They also act as good design inspiration for creating similar types of looks dependent on what you can find, either at places like Ikea or Loft, or repurposing, or if you're that handy, even making the modular elements yourself! This is perhaps what I will eventually be trying to do, it depends on what I find and where.

The very next thing I intend to get, in a couple of hours, to be honest, is at least a few wood hangers for my pants at least. Wire hangers suck.

Inspired by Kids Clothes...Osaka/Kyoto

Some Shots Just Happen...Shinsaibashi, Osaka

Honestly... This wasn't even an intentional shot. I've only had the new camera for a few weeks, and I was juggling with settings when I took this by accident.

Alexander McQueen 1969-2010

Image credit: CNN Story here.

RIP Lee Alexander McQueen - 1969-2010

You tempt us with what you never gave us, but we will always have what you chose to share with us. Will we ever understand the tortured soul that created such paradigm shifting designs? No, likely not. And that is part of the charm. We will always have a mystery to explore and reexplore. To discover and rediscover.

Friends...@Daimaru, Shinsaibashi, Osaka

Japan Fashion Week Designer List and Schedule

Click to view larger schedule image.

I still have not received any confirmation about whether or not I have been granted press credentials. Registration closes on the 16th of February, so they may still be going through and choosing people. I'm hoping they tell me soon so I can make travel arrangements (I am planning to leave Japan over that week if I am not granted credentials).

The Steampunk...@Louis Vuitton, Shinsaibashi, Osaka

No Socks In Winter Pt.2...@Aristocratica, Kyoto Station, Kyoto

No Socks In Winter Pt.1...@Polo Ralph Lauren, Kyoto Station, Kyoto

My Apartment Is Made of Wood and Paper...Fukuchiyama, Kyoto

Suit by Jil Sander for Uniqlo, Shirt by Uniqlo, Tie by Rosso Bianco, Pocket Square by United Colors of Benetton, Belt by Express, Shoes by Bruno Magli.

Gender, Fashion Blogging, and the Hope of 80s Rising Again

I've been told that I need to write a whole lot more, both in comments I have received on the blog, as well as in emails. This is not as easy as you might think! Many of my readers are bloggers themselves, but my feeling is that precious few started as journalists, if they are so today. I started off as a journalist, and I've let things slack. I'm... shall we say... rusty? Yeah. Rusty. And I was never a features writer, and certainly never an op-ed writer! I was mostly hard news, and hard political news at that. You know, that Hillary Clinton speech, that Kinky Friedman get together, that one on one interview with Ben Barnes... That sorta stuff (if you're curious, and you might be, all my political articles are online).

Just not a stream of consciousness, this is my opinion, please listen to me because I am entertaining and witty kind of guy. And, uh. I haven't had a byline in well over a year.

So, trying to pitch myself stories instead of working with editors and fellow reporters inside of an assignments or budget meeting... well, it's a challenge. It's like when you haven't skated in a while, and you go out onto the ice and feel your ankles creaking when you try to go into a jump and you wobble. Oh, sure, you land, but it doesn't look very impressive. And you can damn well forget about trying that ax-

Ahem. Sorry. My most expensive pair of shoes would be those SP Teri SuperTeris, with John Wilson blades. Figure Skater? Guilty as charged.

Anyhow, my point is that it's like working muscles you haven't worked in a while. So I'm going to need some time. I might even need some ideas. I might need a bit of peer support. I might need- skating analogy again- someone to come out onto the ice and give me a little bit of coaching.

That being said, I do have a few ideas:

Gender and Fashion Blogging

By far, most of my fellow bloggers, as well as my blog devotees are overwhelmingly female. True, Scott Schuman, Bryanboy, Isaac Likes, Alexander Chambers... Definitely some serious male power in the fashion blogging scene. Yet it doesn't take much searching through Technorati or IFB to notice the percentages...

I'm an avowed feminist, and this concerns me. I especially wish to use fashion blogging to set positive role models for both young men and young women. I'm a teacher, so I deeply respect adolescents and think that style, manners, and good behavior intersect fashion in a way that creates 21st century gentlemanly or ladylike behavior- and that either gender/sex can choose whether to consider themselves gentlemen or ladies.

I want to discuss sexuality and gender identity as it comes into contact with style and fashion. Why must there be this idea that men must be flamboyantly gay to be interested in fashion? Why must there be this idea that lesbians can't be interested in fashion? Where are the transgendered fashion stars?

Hope of 80s Rising Again

I love the 80s. I look to John Hughes and the Brat Pack for fashion inspiration. I don't remember much of the 90s, they were an inward looking blur of self-imposed adolescent exile. The 2000s have rightly been dubbed the Decade From Hell by Time. I'd rather not remember much at all. Perhaps bits and pieces from 2003-2006. The other six years are free to fade from my memory. Now the other decade I lived in, the 1980s, I associate with happiness. I'm not sure why, considering my father passed away in 1987.

I think that is a part of the reason, honestly. My dad was an amazing person. He loved Buck Rogers, listened to Motley Crue, but grew up with the Beatles. Played field football even when his doctors told him not to. Took me to Cubs games. Was educated. Worked for a TV station. And man... you should have seen some of his crazy sixties and seventies looks. So, I guess I associate the 80s with warmth, protection, and love.* And I view the pop culture in the same way, probably because of what it reminds me of.

*I want to make a note here that, obviously, this does not discount my mother, nor my step father. Both of which have been amazing parents. But the 90s = Adolescence, and it was painful. Never got a chance to fight with my dad about anything. Rose colored Duckie glasses, aye.

This is why I am always inspired by Pretty in Pink or Punky Brewster (my step-great Aunt, the fabulous Dodie Goodman was Punky's teacher) and even You Can't Do That On Television. I listen to The Smiths, The Cure, and Depeche Mode, and I probably always will. I Wear My Sunglasses At Night and yeah, I was Never Gonna Give You Up before it was cool to rickroll.

I'd like to do a post or series of posts just about the 80s, especially 80s style icons.

In Red...Fukuchiyama, Kyoto

Suit by Jil Sander for Uniqlo, Shirt by Polo by Ralph Lauren, Tie by Rosso Bianco, Pocket Square by Deco, Belt by Express, Shoes by Star Crest.

Olive Drab Chic...Fukuchiyama, Kyoto

Scott Schuman noted that in Milan and Florence, wearing an old olive drab military jacket over more formal attire seemed to be showing up quite a bit. Here we see Brett sporting the look, although not because of anything other than his own personal taste.

Polo and me: an intercontinental fashion love affair

Hi, my name is Kevin, and I have an addiction.

No, it isn't alcohol.

It's not even fashion. This is even more specific.

I am addicted to Polo by Ralph Lauren, and Japan, YOU are an enabler. I didn't become a fan of Polo until, like many people, I went to college and made many mis- I mean, had many unique, and ahem, valuable experiences.

In junior high school I wore a uniform (looking back now, I kind of like it), and in high school I wore anime t-shirts and khakis. Multiple pairs of the same khakis. Every day. Style and I had not yet met. For the first two years of college, as a Music Education major, where I was more concerned with why I didn't understand theory or why studio sucked so much, I still wore anime t-shirts and khakis.

My tendency to go to anime conventions didn't help. Just added lots of fan badges to anime t-shirts in khakis.

In 2003, when I transferred to the University of Texas at Austin and Huston Tillotson University, I turned to writing. Not soon after, I was working for The Daily Texan, and editing Austin Student, newspapers for the Austin college set. I found that I needed to look snappier, more formal, but I was still a college student. The answer? Well, what was everyone ELSE wearing?

And so I discovered Polo by Ralph Lauren. It served me when reporting at student organisation meetings, it served me as I watched Student Government, it worked when interviewing Chris Bell or quoting Hillary Clinton. Dapper Polo was good for every occasion. No matter what the event was, an anti-war rally or a wine tasting, Polo was never inappropriate. Not in and around a university campus.

My love affair with Polo continued after I graduated and began working in politics. I found that the same youthful spirit that led me to report on politics in Austin as a student, while wearing Polo, made the little horse easily sportable as a young political staffer in Atlanta. In my two years or so in and out of Atlanta, Georgia, I worked both as an Assistant Communications Director (fancy name for press secretary, or One Who Files Press Releases and Answers Calls From Media) and as a fundraiser for Democratic candidates.

Moving to Asia, first to South Korea, and then to Japan, I found that Polo continued to be relevant. Now, why is that? Well, Asian takes on Western styles, especially for the trendy, seem to be very bold in color. I have posted pictures of Japanese youth street fashion and pointed to how bright it is. My students certainly dress this way.

I had collected quite a few blue, and red, and yellow, and of course, pink Polo shirts, but I even had one or two really bright colors (my favorite Polo dress shirt is lime green, even though I don't always find appropriate places to wear it).

Take a walk around Japanese fashion power house Uniqlo, now headed by Chief Designer, the fabulous, Jil Sander, and you will see how strongly Polo influences previous and current designs of the staples. The oxford dress shirts, the v-neck sweaters, the cardigans, the (AMAZING) suits, the socks, all with pinache, style, and COLORS. The only thing missing is the pony.

This isn't to say that Uniqlo has stolen from Polo. Ralph Lauren himself adapted successful cuts and designs from… well.. the game of polo! And also what polo players wore off the pitch. Uniqlo just manages to present some of the same style for a decidedly lower price tag. And good on them for doing it. They will certainly continue to be successful at it.

Of all of the choices I've made in my wardrobe, an investment in Polo was probably the wisest. I am sure it will continue to be a go to brand for me, regardless of if I am teaching, writing, or snapping pictures of other sartorialists.