The 2016 Balmain Homme Fall/Winter Footwear Preview
Be dazzled by Balmain's Fall/Winter 2016 equestrian-style men's riding boots. This collection of footwear will blow you away with it's strategic infusion of bold tassels, royal crests, quilted patterns engaged with velvety velour colors and gold hardware.
Kudos again to Mr. Olivier Rousteing for another fine design execution!
DRESS LIKE A GENT
The 2016 Balmain Homme Fall/Winter Slay
Olivier Rousteing's latest Balmain Homme Fall/Winter Collection 2016 streamed LIVE today at 5PM CET via www.balmainlive.com showcasing a very fresh and bold #BalmainArmy replica of 19th century-aristocratic layered pieces. This brilliant Parisian designer continues to push the bar with his vibrant recreations of staple eras by bringing them to life on the runway. Rousteing's Fall/Winter Collection featured unforgettable military-styled coats, equestrian drop-crotched trousers, embroidered riding boots, plaids, checkered prints, paisleys and more. In fact, mere words could never capture the detail and sensation of this well-constructed collection that only a visual could provide.
See for yourself...
DRESS LIKE A GENT
Style Feature: Donnay Ragland on Style Versatility
Individual style when given the proper attention is one in which we get a chance to experience a person's artistic nature and sense of self. In a world of so many stylish gents who are also hard workers, I feel it is important to often spotlight such men. Their style, character, gentry and ambitions all play a part in telling a story and inspiring others. The foundation of Dress Like A Gent ™ is built on showcasing various methods of not only dressing well, but also doing well and living well from the inside out. With this being said, I would like to introduce our readers to a phenomenal young dapper gent by the name of Donnay Ragland. I've chosen to feature this gentleman for his stellar style versatility and his current ventures. And the part that really stands out about Donnay beyond the obvious is the fact that he loves the Lord unashamedly!
Here's a look at the things discussed during our recent interview:
Be inspired.
Me: Donnay, how would you describe your personal style?
Donnay: If I could describe my personal style in two words I say versatile and spontaneous! My style varies from street-inspired styles, to dapper /professional styles and sometimes a combination of both. Depending on the occasion or how I'm feeling determines my outfit choice for the day. If I want to dress comfortably, I would lean towards my street attire which always is stapled with a fresh pair of sneakers. If I'm feeling dapper for the day, I can pull out a nice tailored suit with a slim tie and pocket square to finish the look. When I want to be professional but not overly dressed, I do a mixture of street and professional attire which consist of a blazer, jeans and either dress shoes or casual sneakers.
Me: What role do you feel your personal style plays in your work?
Donnay: My personal styles plays a major part of who I am and what I enjoy most. I'm a people person so I enjoy talking to people or holding small conversations from time to time. My style usually sparks conversation with people especially my coworkers. " Your shoes are nice!" "I love your outfit!" "Is that a new coat you have on?" These are simple compliments that usually leads to short convos. How does this play a role in my work? Starting your day off with a short convo or a compliment usually kicks your day off in the right direction. I get to work with a positive attitude which transpires to a productive day with my duties at work. being well dressed also makes me feel good. Deon Sanders once said " If you look good, you feel good, then you play good." I live by this motto at work lol.
Me: What or who inspired your stylishly?
Donnay: Living in NY, the fashion hub, has inspired me to take my style to the next level. I get inspiration from just walking the streets of NY and seeing well-dressed fashionistas on a daily. I constantly take mental notes from others style to enhance my own. In addition, I love looking on Pinterest and Instagram for style inspiration. There are several bloggers and unique styles I run across on social media!
Me: Please share with us some of your immediate goals in life and what specifically you are doing to achieve them.
Donnay: I would love to become a personal stylist for professional athletes and a brand ambassador for a creative, versatile brand that's fitting to my personal style. Why professional athletes? I grew up playing sports my whole life all the way through college. As a former athlete, I believe I can easily relate to professional athletes, understanding the importance of upholding their image and personal brand on and off the playing field... What steps have I taken to achieve my goals? I'm currently in the fashion industry working at the J Crew corporate office. I want to continue to grow, develop, and learn as much as I can to help build my own brand eventually. I have started my fashion page on Instagram just a start and to showcase my talent and eye for fashion. With God as the center, I want to build a name for myself not elevate myself, but to use that platform to glorify the Father and help others along the way. I want to be able to style young high school boys that cant afford a suit for prom, and help young men find their identity through mentoring and styling.
Images Courtesy of Kenny Nyamekye and Brandon Bryant
Current Location: New York, NY
Occupation: Merchant Assistant
Social Media:
- FB: www.facebook.com/donnay.ragland.16
- Instagram: @Dapper_rag and Fits_by_Rag
- Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/donnayragland16/
- Twitter: @GrownMan_Rag
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RAGTRADE Ready, Set, Go!
This evening beginning at 5PM EST, Ragtrade Atlanta in conjunction with The Art Institute of Atlanta will be hosting their annual Rag Trade Atlanta Runway Show 2015 at The Georgia Freight Depot at 65 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Atlanta. Rag Trade Atlanta is "a year-round platform that discovers and promotes emerging designers worldwide providing a vast amount of resources that not only foster growth, but provide unlimited opportunities to showcase emerging design talent to leading industry professionals including buyers, media, bloggers and influencers." Since 2012, the event has brought together countless people who are both promoters and creators of fashion altogether in one location with the intent of highlighting haute couture and fashion for the city of Atlanta. Beyond just a runway show, this event provides a hub of phenomenal networking between these industry professionals and their counterparts to further the education and exposure of various forms of fashion, trends and more importantly, local talent.
For more, please visit www.ragtradeatlanta.com - Doors open at 5PM and the show begins at 7PM.
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The Brett Johnson Trunk Show - Neiman Marcus, Atlanta
On the second stop of his 9-City Tour and Collection Launch via Neiman Marcus, Creative Director and Founder Brett Johnson makes his way over to Neiman Marcus - Atlanta for another trunk show. The Brett Johnson Collection was initially launched in 2013 with three footwear styles that gained phenomenal attention from fans and eventually stirred an interest to see more of this aesthetic displayed in apparel. To date, The Brett Johnson Collection now provides men's outerwear and knitwear via www.brettjohnson.co, www.neimanmarcus.com as well as through select Neiman Marcus locations nationwide and in a few specialty boutiques. Brett Johnson's collection is described as "a distinct brand of menswear which offers premium apparel that exudes style, sophistication, and edge for the global lifestyle."
When speaking to Brett Johnson at the Neiman Marcus trunk show event in Atlanta, I got a chance to ask about what inspires his designs. Brett shared that when he is developing and manifesting a concept, it always begins with a theme that has touched him personally. An example that he references is how he was inspired by the Sundance Film Festival that he attends annually. He shared how several years ago, he was inspired to pick a 1989 theme of an Armani Saks suit and reinterpret a similar look in a more modern form. Brett also mentioned that they are doing their first presentation in January styled by the world renowned fashion stylist June Ambrose in New York. This autumn/winter 2016 collection will introduce both woven shirts and trousers in addition to the items currently available.
For more, please visit www.brettjohnson.co
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Brrr!'s Grand Launch at Neiman Marcus - Atlanta
A Big Congrats to Co-Founders Tosha Hays & Mary-Cathryn Kolb of Brrr! for their recent grand launch event this past Thursday, September 24 at Neiman Marcus – Atlanta! Former Spanx executives Tosha Hays (CIO) and Mary-Cathryn Kolb (CEO) are the co-founders of the new innovative fashion brand called Brrr! Brrr! is a brilliant new technology invented and designed by Tosha Hayes that is scientifically made of cooling fabrics which makes it cooling to the touch and refreshingly cool when put on. On www.brrr.com, you will see a plethora of fashionably-witty items for sale such as the Coolwrap, CoolNester, CoolClutch, and more. Since their debut in 2014, the two ladies have received an enormous response from their growing fans of Brrr! and done astonishingly well with their eCommerce sales.
To date, and with great excitement, Hays and Kolb have expanded their brilliant company from mere online sales to the high-end department store, Neiman Marcus – Atlanta! Anyone who has had an opportunity to sit down with these ladies and hear their story would be totally proud to know that Brrr! is now getting the platform and exposure it deserves to catapult the brand to its next level. This brings us to the Fall Preview Collection Launch at Neiman's... The event commenced on the evening of September 24, 2015 around 6PM EST and from the initial entry into the department store passing Fragrances, the sounds of the crowd mingling in the center of the first floor instantly got my attention.
Let me just say that the turn-out for the event was super! The center of Neiman Marcus' 1st Floor was inundated with a host of people dressed in their best; creating an ambiance of sheer expectation and respect for the brand, the founders and their accomplishment. As the guests browsed the mannequins wearing the new Brrr! Neiman's Collection and the racks laced in fresh cool Brrr! styles, there were cocktails, bites and Brrr! shopping all taking place simultaneously. People gathered around the Brrreeze Machine to witness the Powered by Air™ and science behind Brrr! technology; and how all of that works. Tosha and Mary-Cathryn, both elegantly adorned in Brrr!, along with their families and guests got a chance to converse and meet the co-founders along with checking out the new designs for the Brrr! fall collection.
Finally, the highlight of the event was at hand – The fall preview fashion show! As the models gracefully made there way down the aisle, we got to see first-hand the versatility of Brrr! and how it's not only fashion-forward, but also practical. Mary-Cathryn shared how they intentionally wanted their clothing to be the canvas of their customer's day and to be relevant clothing to be optionally dressed up or casually worn depending on what scene you're involved in. During the show, we got glimpses of several new collection items for their collection which was collaborated with other elegant brands according to Neiman Marcus' 10 Trends of the season. Simply put, Tosha Hays and Mary-Cathryn Kolb have really out-done themselves and we are excited to see the other things the brand will reveal in the very near future. Congrats again Ladies!
Check out some of the looks from the collection and images from the event - Courtesy of Lindsay Abarca Photography
DRESS LIKE A GENT
Button Me Not
Not all guys are aware of the fact that buttoning the bottom button of your suit coat is a big NO-NO! Actually, if you go back to the earlier part of the 20th century, this was not always the case. Prior to, it was a pretty common thing to see illustrations of men with every button of their suit coat fastened regardless to how many buttons were on the coat. It was not until the early 1900s that King Edward VII started leaving the bottom of his suit coat unbuttoned simply because he had gained too much weight to keep it fastened. As a result, and to avoid offending the king, a new trend was created which has transcended into modern style etiquette today whereas men leave their bottom button unfastened.
You may wonder why this even matters. The answer to that would be that when applying this simple rule to the way you wear your suit coat/blazer, it automatically communicates to others that you are the type of gentleman that pays attention to detail and one who is well-accustomed to suit-wearing. Since its all about presentation, these small strides toward improving your presentation can go a long way. Below are visual examples and rules of how this button game works:
On a one-button suit, the button is to always be fastened when standing.
Be sure to always unbutton your suit coat when seated as to not to ruin the coat. The strain from moving while seated with a buttoned suit, can eventually distress the garment as well as the sewing to the buttons. However, it is common to see gentleman wear one button fastened when posing for an editorial or professional shoot. In this instance, the fastened button gives the suit a more polished look on cam.
On a two-button suit, the top button is to remain fastened while the bottom button is left undone.
When wearing a three-button suit, there are a few options... 1 - You can fasten the top two buttons and leave the bottom button unfastened or, 2 - You can simply button the middle button by itself.
Double-breasted suits should have all buttons fastened except for the bottom button.
As opposed to single-breasted suits, you can leave this guy fastened at the top button when seated. Reason being, when unfastened and seated, the extra flap in front appears sloppy and unattractive.
When wearing a vest solo, it is perfectly acceptable to have all buttons fastened and optional to have the bottom button unfastened.
When the vest is worn with a suit coat, the vest should always have all buttons fastened.
DRESS LIKE A GENT