The H&M Tease

So like, H&M, who are coming to Australia some time soon, have decided to titillate the market place with a new teaser campaign for their  Autumn 2010 collection.

In video form, it’s made its rounds on youtube and we like … very arty, gorgeous fab!

Want to see what we’re rabbiting on about? Watch it here:

So what’s behind the tease?

Well, could it be H&M’s next designer collaboration with Lanvin, one of the killah fashion brands of the 21st century?

Apparently Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz, and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver, are behind the collection going on sale on November 23 in around 200 H&M stores worldwide. The collection of both womenswear and menswear will be revealed to the world on November 2, just three weeks before the clothes hit the store, making the launch of Lanvin for H&M among the most anticipated fashion events of the year.

H&M’s current look & feel

Since joining Lanvin as artistic director in 2001, Alber Elbaz has transformed the Paris-based label, founded in 1889 by Jeanne Lanvin, into a fashion powerhouse bursting with ideas and creativity. Alber Elbaz has pioneered there some of the biggest trends of the past decade – ribbon, bows, pearls, raw edges, sumptuous colour and metallic embellishment among many others. Alber Elbaz has a mastery of cut and an instinct for cloth which leaves a very personal signature on his work, ensuring that all Lanvin clothes are instantly recognizable. Since the introduction of a new menswear line in 2006, Alber Elbaz has also transformed the male wardrobe, bringing a relaxed elegance to men’s clothing which is as special as the womenswear.

Lanvin is the latest brand to collaborate with H&M, with previous collections designed by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Comme des Garçons and Sonia Rykiel. In a new twist, the Lanvin for H&M collection will be revealed to the world through a special film which will be launched on November 2. The film will be available for all to see online at www.hm.com. Following the film’s debut, it will be just three weeks before customers have the chance to get their hands on a covetable piece of Lanvin for H&M.

We wait with bated breath … ok no we don’t, we’ve got lives, but we’ll be watching for sho’!!!

For more H&M Designer Collaboration Videos visit H&M’s Youtube page, and to see the latest and greatest from their showroom, visit www.hm.com.

A man of style rocks a great party!

There are ok parties and there are great ‘talked about for weeks’ parties. When it’s on your watch, make sure your name is associated with the latter. Here are our seven principles (courtesy of the Bearings Guide) for being the quintessential host.

Men’s Street Style – September 2010

Gents, can you believe that it’s September already? How fast have we blitzed thru 2010? My head’s reeling at the crazy pace of life. It’s all good though, MenStylePower has grown in leaps and bounds and we’re looking forward to 2011 where we’ll be announcing some kick*** news abut the next phase of this fast growing blog and community. Watch this space!

In the meantime, enjoy what the men on our streets – from LA to NYC and Jo’Burg – are wearing. This time we’ve taken a slight focus on the African American and/or black urban gent. Black brothers have some serious attitude and style and we’re not ones to shy away from including them from our spotlight. Shine boys, shine!!!

(as always, props to histyley.com and this month, annebernecker.wordpress.com, for some of the great street style shots below …)

Shorts doth make the man … now here’s a dude who’s rocking calf confidence …

The bag, the jacket, the glasses, the vest, the BAG!! Nice!

New York, New York! D’you think Sinatra had this macked out brotha in mind when he sung his now famous ditty? The sneaks are killah!

Now anyone who’s been to Africa will know that bright colours are the norm du jour on the streets any city in the sub continent … appreciate these shades of red on our brother from Jo’burg. Where’s a vuvuzela when you need one?

Amandla! More style power from the literal Rainbow Nation of South Africa …

Ah Paris … je t’aime! Especialy the man bag … j’adore!

Hey you? Yeah you … what do you see? Come a little closer … I spy with my eye shades of pastel … on a brother … talk about swagger!!

Punk is alive and well in London town … feathers, studs, dead cows and all …

The Blues Brothers?

Peace up Officer!

Those shoes are smokin’ … dudes, please note – an individual, stand out pair of great clogs will always razz and matazz up your wardrobe bigtime …

That’s the skinny on September street style … (props for the fedora hat dude!)

Gents, I leave you with these last wise words: Spend a few minutes each morning making sure you look great. Wear one (or two) stand out pieces to jazz up your look, then go out there confidently into the world … knowing that you are making a difference by being uniquely YOU …

Over and out!

The Stylemeister!

The top 2 rules for men’s style on a budget

RULE NO 1:

Inspite of the GFC, spend good money on jackets, belts & shoes.

Jackets:

Own at least one awesome jacket for each season – a light one for summer and heavy wool or gaberdine jacket or trench coat for winter. If you don’t have much money then probably the one item to make a large one off investment in is your jacket. For your winter jacket, think $350 – $500 (trust me, it’ll be worth it), then perhaps a couple more light-weight jackets in the $100-$200 range to help mix things up in the summer or on sunny winters day. Then hit up the second hand stores for some dress jackets to mix things up.

Belts:

We cannot stress how much difference a good belt can make. Men don’t have as many accessorizing options as women, so a good belt is almost more important for a guy than for a girl. $100 for a brightly colored belt is not unreasonable. When it comes to how many, 5 or 6 belts is about the right number to own (if possible) for the standard guy and mix them up – two business/work belts if you have a job that requires business attire AND some brightly colored awesome belts, perhaps one leather one (this is where you spend that $100) and one that’s more a novelty item (think cheap 2nd hand stores). The final belt should be a standard (but nice) black belt, possibly studded if you want to go for a more punky route (think $50). White belts are sweet as well.

Shoes:

You can actually get some pretty nice looking shoes on the cheap, and then have one or two primary pairs that you spend more money on. Obviously you want a pair of dress shoes, and these are usually down to personal preference. Avoid the overly curly tips, a bit of a point is ok, just stay out of pirate territory. As for the more casual look, try ’street’ sports shoes – for example the Chuck-Taylor variant is good to have as well.  You can score some fantastic shoes with plenty of character for under $100 (believe it or not).  Your main pair of dress shoes may obviously be somewhat more than this.

RULE NO 2:

Spend the rest of your clothes budget on accessorizing and clothes with bright colors.

A mix of contrast and color in  your wardrobe and style will definitely lift up your game. Think dark pants/jeans and a black jacket worn with a very bright (but simple) colored t-shirt or a plain white shirt + colored tie.

Ties:

Ties are great as an opportunity to add some color and diversity. The white shirt + tie look never gets old, and can be worn casually (with jeans, open top button and loose knot) as well as formally. Browse second hand stores for color and character, and perhaps spend a bit more on some nice new (perhaps black or red) versatile ties.

Gloves and Scarves:

These versatile wardrobe accessories are gaining in popularity amongst men because and they’re an awesome accessory and a great way to add further color, especially in winter with your jacket. Once again, owning a few scarves is handy, and you can often pick these up very cheaply, especially in second hand stores. How to wear them … see our next post!

Sunglasses and Watches:

Try and own two watches, one classy, analog watch and perhaps a more casual one (possibly digital, provided it has smooth lines and isn’t clunky). As for sunglasses, stick to variants on the aviator look; take Ray-Bans as your expensive starting point and then go from there i.e. cheaper variants that look similar nonetheless. Also, stay away from the standard cheap wayfarers, everyone is wearing those things. You can get good looking sunglasses for $30 if you shop around.

Cardigans and Sweaters:

These can be hard to find, try some second hand or even casual wear stores for the right style that could make you look very sophisticated. Some jeans stores today are carrying great sweaters and cardies – and if you’re a slimmer guy, try the chunkier sweaters to add some bulk to your frame. Beware though, avoid exessive bagginess and over the top patterns, or you could end up vying with like granddad or Professor Joe for most unfashionable man in the room. And don’t be scared of bright primary colours in your knitwear – blues, greens, yellows, reds are excellent for cardies!

Bags:

A good casual backpack is good for the casual look (worn over one shoulder). The backpack as a fashion accessory should NOT be a camping pack, nor should it look too high school, so be careful here. Try  having a satchel as well, try not to get one that looks too battered, also watch out for the surfy/skatey logos on these, you don’t want any of that. Also, don’t go too big. $50 should get you what you need satchel wise.

Hoodies:

A standard, must have item. As with pretty much everything else, the more you can afford, the better, but having at least a couple is good. As usual, keep them design free, and stylish if possible. Have one with a front zip and one without and budget at least $100 – $150 per hoodie.

Fragrances:

We only have one simple tip for fragrance. Keep the spray to a minimum. Our idea of MSP hell is being trapped in an elevator with a over zealous spray dude reeking of ‘Mega Odour du Homme’! Pepe le Pew anyone?

Shopping advice:

1) Take a girl who you trust with you on your expedition (make sure it’s one with a good fashion sense themselves). They’ll tell you if things fit right ( and secretly they’re better at dealing with overly-persistent shop assistants than you’d probably be).

2) Patience. Most guys go way too fast when shopping. Take the time to browse and hunt out bargains. Don’t blow your budget on one or two items. Therefore, you need to be on the hunt for sales, second hand stores and sweet deals.

3) Keep your eyes peeled for interesting colors. Being able to have a light, pastel mix is cool, with a very light pair green or blue jeans (cardigans are awesome when you go for the pastel look), while the other combination is dark jeans + black jacket + colored t-shirt + colored belt.

Budget Tips:

Look for specials at the end of the season and try get new clothes at wholesale prices here from time to time. Second hand stores offer the best in bargain hunting even in the most odd shop places you might be able to find a great piece like a velvet jacket circa 1930s. In particular things like cardigans, scarves, shoes and ties can be picked up on the cheap from these types of places.

And lastly, things to kick out of your wardrobe (or rock ONLY in the right context):

1) Sandals are horrible anywhere except on a beach.

2) Graffiti/big numbers/garish designs and logos. Generally keep your clothing free of brands and logos – it looks generic and sloppy. You also don’t want to be a walking advertisement unless they’re paying you a big fat commission!

3) Baggy jeans/pants. Once again, these lack class. You don’t have to go super-tight, but at the same time, don’t be afraid of going to a tighter cut than what you might normally feel comfortable in. You can get great specials on jeans (particularly at the end of a season), but without a special, a really good pair can be found for around $140 or so if you shop cleverly. This is not unreasonable, a good pair of jeans should last you a long time if taken care of properly.

4) Sporty &/or skate shoes. Keep this look to the casual casual days (never on a date! or for a formal dinner!), and if you want to go the sports brand route, try some variation of the ’street’ style.

Gents, we can assure you that if implement these handy tips you’ll enjoy your great masculine style (and the ensuing compliments) without robbing the bank!

Outed: Diesel’s Street Closet

Oh real, oh gee? Go Diesel. We love your urban street mirror with touch screen tech & a webcam where passersby, street urchins and the local ne’er can do “choose” clothes (from a selection of digital pics, we s’pose) and try them on the screen through Augmented Reality.

If anything is should be educational (what does NOT look good on you), inspirational (what could work) and downright hilarious (frock on a jock?).

If you spot one of these in your neck of the woods, please let us know … so we too can get a kick out of street style tech … Oh wait, apparently it’s just a concept right now … apparently the brainchild of a bunch of Brazilian ad wunderkids (art director, Danilo Costa Matos  and copywriter, Victor Castelo Branco) for Future Lions – the famed global advertising students’ competition. Hmmm … not bad … not bad at all … great for consumer connection …

To see Diesel’s offstreet collection, visit diesel.com.

This has been a MenStylePower Quick Mini Post. Over and out!

The Extra Ordinary Man vs. The Extraordinary Man

Essence dot com’s Steven James Dixon gives you the 411 of being an amazing, respected, loved & extra – ordinary guy!

“The Extra Ordinary Man vs. The Extraordinary Man” is a concept I developed that saved my marriage. Basically, there are three types of good men. I assume that there is no point in talking about bad men because everybody has either been one or had one. The three types of good men are Ordinary, Extra Ordinary and Extraordinary.

The Ordinary Man will work hard and hold down a decent job. He will pay his tithes, bills, save and invest. He can cook, clean and maintain the house. He will take care of the cars and the lawn. When the Ordinary Man becomes a father he will do his part. He will do all of the ordinary things that a husband would do.

The Extra Ordinary Man compares himself to other Ordinary men. He is not interested in being Extraordinary. He is only interested in being better than her last guy. He is only doing a little bit more than the Ordinary Man because his woman asked him to. The Extra Ordinary Man is the guy that does the job of the Ordinary Man and then adds a little extra by paying all the bills and then thinking that money makes for a happy, successful relationship. “I pay all the bills, I don’t know why she isn’t happy.”

How about the guy that says, “I am home every night,” as if being home every night counted for something. What’s funny about doing just a little bit extra is that it’s extra of the same. Its not better, its just extra. You may hear an Extra Ordinary Man say, “I do my part,” but to be Extraordinary, it is not about what you do, it’s about who you are. Too many men are focusing on what they are doing instead of developing who they are as a person.

I was an Extra Ordinary Man. To become an Extraordinary Man I had to develop my person. I had to become more man. The problem with being an Extra Ordinary Man in 2010 is that in 2010 a woman wants an Extraordinary Man, whether she is Extraordinary, Extra Ordinary or Ordinary.

The Extraordinary Man will never put his hands on a woman. Any man who would hit a woman is afraid of the woman. Why else would a man involve himself in an unfair fight? The Extraordinary Man does not argue with his woman. Men, understand, the more that you argue with your woman, the more she loses respect for you as a man. The Extraordinary Man is open to allowing his woman have the last word. Women need to express themselves. Be man enough to listen and not have what she says affect your manhood. A woman cannot take a man’s manhood. A man can only give away his manhood.

The Extraordinary Man is open to apologizing first, every time. Men, you are responsible for problem resolution. You cannot be a part of the problem. Apologizing first doesn’t mean that you are wrong, it means that you are man enough to accept responsibility for whatever is wrong. Apologizing first is leadership by example.

The Extraordinary Man does not require extraordinary in return in order to be extraordinary. Did Michael expect all the other guys on the team to play like Michael? Being extraordinary is an internal challenge. Every day, men challenge themselves to be the best lawyer, doctor or businessman, but they are not challenging themselves to be an Extraordinary Man. To be a Husband is to be an Extraordinary Man. All husbands should strive to be the absolute best that they can be.

For more from Steven James Dixon, read his ESSENCE.com blog “The Relationship Report.”

MSP Thread Trend Alert: Sept 2010

We graze the world of fashion for the latest and greatest in thread trends for men, gents and beat boys this week …

Street:

The street look for 2010 is cool, smooth and fulla’ attitude. It’s also a little less distressed and more laid back than previous iterations. In fact its positively spit polished. Which could mean that the street is preppy-ing up. Hmmm …

Legendary skater Stevie Williams teams up with New York City’s Alife on a signature make up of his favorite model, the Everybody High America. The sneaker is done in the colors of Stevie’s hometown baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Neighborhood presents the new releases for the month. There is lots of interesting stuff in the new drop, including collaborations with Dr. Martens on boots and with Lewis Leathers on two jackets and with Marmot on a down vest. Other nice pieces include new hats, a fur pencil case, some nice denim pieces and more.

ksubi 2011 all seeing eyewear range “eye, eye” sees mercenary heavy metal mesh, deserted island floral acetate and duty clerk optical combine for an industrial yet sculpted range. Modernising post war shapes with iconic pacific style the collection reflects an effortless complexity. Eleven sunglass and seven optical frames couple fashion versus function creating a collection of wearable statements.

High Street:

Military remains in fashion for both men and women in Autumn (Fall) / Winter 2010. But just as this trend has changed for women, so too has it evolved for men. And in exactly the same way. Taking more inspiration from early 20th Century military conflicts, the look takes in both army and air force motifs, with nautical trailing a distant third (that’s relegated more to a preppy trend).

A great jacket is key to pulling off the military look. And for that we can’t look no further than the granddaddy of the army trench … Burbs!

All black Sir! Reporting for duty Sir! Phillip Lam Fall 2010

Burberry’s 2010 Military Offensive!

Runway:

This fall winter season (Northern Hemisphere) is all about velvet … yessirs! Velvet is moving out of the drawing room and into the wide, wide open spaces. According to the trend soothsayers, the coming seasons are about making velvet one of your key statement pieces.

Says who? Says Fashioninsing.com. Whether you lean toward the young-classics or school boy attitude or towards confidence of a more masculine kind a la Tom Ford, velvet is the new wool/cotton/linen blend.

Burberry’s velvet musings

D&G’s interpretation of velvet

Try a black velvet jacket,for those the winter evenings but don’t feel that dark has to equal black. From navy to plum, the right colours will ooze confidence.

If full velvet suits and jackets aren’t for you then, fear not, there is a alternative: velvet lapels. Though an understated take on the suit and jacket element of the velvet trend, they can be as equally as eye catching as the full velvet look. Provided, of course, that they’re worn with the right lapel.

Can’t do the full velvette? Try velvet lapels …

And that part is simple: avoid a velvet lapel that is cut into a shawl or notched lapels and invest in a jacket that sports peaked velvet lapels. You’re looking for a dominant, eye catching peak, moreover, a peak that is firmly cut and finished. One that says alpha-male.

Accessories:

Nike! We love you! For their fall collection, Nike have released the Air Max Hyperfuse … sweet!

Converse has released their Jack Purcell Mid in a special version. The entire upper of the sneaker is made up of extremely aged thick leather, resulting in an interesting overall look and effect. The sneaker is now available from Flauge.

Swatch is back! Not that they ever went away … they’re releasing a new, super-sized version of their original classic Gent watch. The debut release comprises a number of toned down colors with simple styling – the tone on tone black and white being our favorites. A nice alternative to that brand that rhymes with Shmee-Shmock. Now on pre-order for a September 20, 2010 launch.

And finally … to celebrate their 35th anniversary, Converse releases their classic trainer once more … to plenty of applause ..

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda … Volta Shoes

It’s only once in a fashion fad lifetime that a new brand ’sneaks’ out infront of the pack and captures the imagination of the style set.

In 2010, a brand with uber appeal has emerged from the mysterious self described multidisciplinary Italian design community of TwentyFourSeven. It’s a shoe concept like no other.

And it’s name is Volta.

Hot, uber cool and fresh off the tracks, Volta has landed at a time the sneaker-world has lost its appeal, even for the street and teen crowd. And while we’re seeing a classic-revivals’ offer i.e. boat-shoes and standard low-cut boots, it’s only the few commercial brands driving the design of shoes, so the same crap is being repeated in store after store after store. I mean, enough already with messy, distressed, military boots!!!

It would seem that the link between “new” and “classic”, “innovative” and “standard” is/was missing. Until Volta; launching just when the market needed a new “classics” to make the difference on style (and sales). I’m a fan, and so are MSP readers. They keep bombarding us with searches for more info on this innovative shoe brand, and so being slaves to our readers, we have complied.

So here it is:

Taking inspiration from the “classics” of footwear, Volta is a comfortable hybrid between sneakers and boots, designed and crafted to become part of the wearer’s daily life.

The designers clearly understand they had to look back into history rather than try to predict the future, and took up the challenge to redefine and actualize classic standards based on people’s needs nowadays.

A mono-product unisex style,VOLTA footwear combines the casual standards to a sneaker feel; a product brand with no strong local styles, ready to be marketed to a wide international audience. The use of classic suede and leather, with classic nylon on the back-side to break the formal look, gives new flavour to a standard boot-style.

The wild colors, ranging from tan, to blue, green, reds and even green trim, makes the brand suitable for a wide variety of different tastes. The price-point matches the brand positioning and the targeted ’style’ audience. Finally, a bright and effective communication campaign, driven by the strong brand identity, renders VOLTA footwear the new must-have. A new, real instant classic.

Stockists? A mystery. Your work’s cut out for you to track down this elusive brand. If you find a list, or a store carrying Volta Shoes, share it with us PLEASE!!

The right leather jacket for you!

The mythical leather jacket. The cool, easy rider symbol for all rebels, bikers, Top Gun rock stars, punks, goths, metal heads, rivet heads, modern day warriors and even the police, who’ve worn versions designed for protective purposes and occasionally for their potentially intimidating appearance.

Looks above from Bottega Veneta, Burberry & Z Zegna.

In the 20th century the leather jacket has achieved iconic status, in part due to popular culture. Remember the Perfecto motorcycle jacket worn by Marlon Brando’s Johnny Strabler character in The Wild One (1953)?

How about The Fonz’s ‘greaser’ jacket in the television series Happy Days? It’s achieved such great heights of leather notoriety that it’s now housed in the Smithsonian Institution and in eons to come, our descendants will exclaim in wonder at the lasting legacy of cool embodied in a cow hide coat.

Then there’s Blade. No one yet has carried off the long leather jacket as well as Wesley Snipes, not even Steven Seagal in his custom ¾ length leather trench coat nor Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne in The Matrix films.

The leather jackets worn by aviators and members of the military were brown and frequently called “Bomber jackets” as seen on numerous stars in the 1940s and 1950s such as Jimmy Stewart in the 1957 film, Night Passage. Bomber jackets, often with sheepskin collars, have remained popular, even appearing on the sets of Top Gun, X-Men, The Dark Knight and Mission Impossible. And in most of these examples, the leather jacket brand seen onscreen has been the iconic ‘Belstaff’.

When it comes to colour, it doesn’t always have to be black. Brad Pitt’s ‘Tyler Durden’, in the movie Fight Club, appears with different variations of his ‘red’ leather jacket.

The brown leather jacket has also been a de rigueur part of the wardrobe of a Hollywood adventurer, from Gary Cooper in For Whom the Bell Tolls to Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones film series.

In particular, the tan leather jacket has become very popular with the Brit Pop and Indie music image and culture and is famously worn by people such as Kelly Jones of the Stereophonics.

The Punk culture also “rocks” the leather jacket with accessories suck as chains, studs, cuts, ands sketch designs. Many “Metal Heads” go with the Judas Priest look (black leather jacket, black leather pants, chains, and tons of studs.)

There is a substantial difference between leather jackets designed for fashion and those worn for protection (a la motorcycle riding). Made-for-Fashion leather jackets are not likely to be of much use in a motorcycle accident due to their light construction.

Leather jackets designed for protective use are safety equipment and are heavier, thicker, and often equipped with armor, thus becoming a very practical item of clothing regardless of the symbolism invested in them by popular culture. Motorcycle jackets often have more substantial zips, weatherproof pockets and closures, higher collars and are styled to be longer at the back than the front so as to protect riders from the cold while they are bent over their machine.

It’s a no brainer. Every man ought to invest in a great leather jacket and while you may not be necessarily be channeling the Black Panthers, the Ramones, the Libertines or trying to masquerade as a member of a heavy metal subcultures, you’ll appreciate the cool class that a we’ll fitted, excellently cut leather jacket will add to your wardrobe.

Style Tips: How to wear a leather jacket:

Punk Rock
Pull on skinny or straight pant jeans – grey is a great colour for 2010. Throw a bold graphic tee on top and slip on destroyed Converse or Superga canvas hi tops – preferably in a dark colour. Simple, effective, cool. Kanye West rocks studs and two tone leather above.

Trendy
Start with a checked or coloured shirt. You can choose to opened that over a plain tee, a vest or keep it buttoned up, both work just as well.  Jeans – blue or black to provide a dark contrast for the checked shirt and then the leather jacket thrown over it all. If it’s cold, a scarf will add some panache to the finished look. This layered outfit hits the military and check trends in one. Slim jeans are a must but they shouldn’t really be skinny in this instance. We want to tuck them into the military boots but want to keep some width in the leg for that military/worker vibe as opposed to rocker. You can also opt for Converse trainers, like Beckham has here, if them boots are too chunky for your liking.

Relaxed Formal
Start with a great pair of smart slim fitting trousers. Then an antiqued brown formal shoe followed by a light piece of knitwear and then the leather jacket over the top. Adrien Brody’s jacket is very stylised, but a plain, good, ol’ black one will do too. You can layer up the look with knitwear if you want… if you wear a cardigan then try a v-neck t-shirt underneath, or if you go for a v-neck knit then you can rock a crew neck underneath or even a shirt/polo shirt. The options are there for you to play with to create your look. If you’re in the sun, then sunglasses would definitely round it out with that extra bit of cool.

Here are a few of the latest leather jackets on offer, from hi-end designer to mid level brands and also riding jackets from mo’bike gear retailers. Click on the ‘i’ to find out more about the brand and the $$ you have to part with to get that stylish look:

Clooney, The Stylish … American

Clooney – actor, director, screen star, all round good guy, chic magnet, dude’s dude. Who’d a thank it that the scruffy doofus handy man on the 80s sitcom ‘Facts of Life’ would have risen to the heights he now soars at? Ah but there was evidence at birth that he was meant for stardom … his heritage certainly hinted at the greatness to come – a former beauty pageant queen for a mother, and father who made his living as a TV anchorman and host, a singing aunt and an acting uncle – a veritable family circus!

George Clooney was born in Lexington, Kentucky  … blah, blah, blah! If you want more on his bio, jump onto wiki.

We’re more interested in the fact that he once dabbled in odd jobs such as selling men’s suits and cutting tobacco. Whimsical George, ‘ey? Maybe that’s when he acquired his sense of suave, debonair genteel as well as a shine for elegantly cut threads and smelly cigars.

It was when this heartthrob, who played ER’s Dr. Douglas Ross, left TV land and begun his celluloid career in films such as Out of Sight (with JLO), One Fine Day (a la Michelle Pfeiffer) and Three Kings, that he begun to be noticed by stylexperts the world over.

So what is the Clooney secret? Maybe it’s that lean, hungry, “beyond blue steel” look that even Zoolander would not be able to perfect. Or perhaps it’s how those designer linen and wool suits seem to mould to his body like a second skin and create a nether world beautiful being (oh someone stop me!), or more so, just how much he cares to cultivate the air that he doesn’t care being labelled as the sexiest man on planet earth since Cary Grant. Either way, his nonchalance, his easily irritated indifference (at the 2010 Oscars) coupled with his fashion ease, has riveted the fashion and ‘celebrity’ world as much as it has captured the swooning imagination of most females over the age of 2, sweeping them up in a whirlwind storm that rages hot and wild.

His signature style?  Effortless class and dapper well fitted suiting. Very rarely does he don a tie; he always rocks an open necked cool white shirt but he makes up for this casual approach with cufflinks, a fantastic timepiece and a full shaven, neatly cut crop of grey. No-one does silver hair like Clooney. At 49, he’s handling his maturation with killa precision. I’m a die hard fan (can you tell??)

Dag, the man got talent. In 2006, he won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in Syriana; it was the first time in the awards’ history that an individual had received acting and directing nominations for two different films in the same year (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay (with Grant Heslov), for Good Night, and Good Luck).

And of course there’s the Oceans 11, 12 and 13 capers, that play up the quest for the good life at any cost, while surrounded by a pack of disarming, and seriously bent daredevils. And we can’t forget to mention the suits, the Continental locations, the women and the cut throat repartee with an equally charming, debonair Brad Pitt.

And it would seem that Clooney has a purposeful life and a heart, beyond the silver screen. In 2006, Mr. Clooney and his father, Nick, went to Darfur to record the horror of the Sudan war, culminating in the documentary Journey to Darfur. His work on behalf on Darfur relief led to his addressing the United Nations Security Council. He also narrated the Darfur documentary Sand and Sorrow. In 2007, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Jerry Weintraub co-founded Not On Our Watch, an organization whose mission is to focus global attention and resources to stop and prevent mass atrocities in Darfur.

Clooney was subsequently honored with the 2007 Peace Summit Award, given at The Eighth World Summit of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates at their annual meeting in Rome. In 2008, he was designated a U.N. Messenger of Peace, one of eight individuals chosen to advocate on behalf of the U.N. and its peacekeeping efforts. In January 2010, he, along with Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions, produced the Hope for Haiti Now telethon, which raised more than $66 million for disaster relief. Gee!! Whattaguy … I’m glad he doesn’t walk on water otherwise I’d be a tad perplexed about the state of his immortality …

His latest film project is the suspense thriller The American, adapted from Martin Booth’s 1990 novel ‘A Very Private Gentleman‘ (opens September 1^st in cinemas everywhere).

The gist of the storyline focuses on a lone American assassin living abroad who retreats to the Italian countryside after a job gone bad in Sweden. Clooney’s ‘Jack’ holes up in a small medieval town and takes on an assignment to construct a weapon for a mysterious contact, Mathilde (Thekla Reuten).

Savoring the peaceful quietude he finds in the mountains of Abruzzo, Jack accepts the friendship of local priest Father Benedetto (Paolo Bonacelli) and pursues a torrid liaison with a beautiful woman, Clara (Violante Placido). Jack and Clara’s time together evolves into a romance, one seemingly free of danger. The plot sounds inevitable i.e. by stepping out of the shadows, Jack may be tempting fate. We say “stay in the wilds of Abruzzo, Jack, for nothing is  more satisfying than a quiet life, a home in the great harsh outdoors and the love of a beautiful woman”.

Which brings us to the subject of Clooney and his women. Although now publicly dating Italian model Elisabetta Canalis, George is very private when it comes to his love life, and throughout his career, he’s famed for his discretion. Methinks the man wants to quietly run his own life, his own way. He may be commitment shy, and I suspect he prefers the company of a beautiful, intelligent woman but not necessarily the settling down aspects of a long term relationship. Each to his own.

From the sounds of it, The American’s Jack is very much Clooney. The quintessential man’s man living life to his own rhythm, and so we laud him for following his heart, pursuing his passion and looking good in the process. As we say down under, “on ya mate!”

We leave you with the latest ad campaign from George Clooney’s association with Omega Watches: George Clooney, photographed by Norman Jean Roy for Omega’s Seamaster Planet Ocean Watch 2010. NB: This is not a paid ad, no sirree bob, we just loved how dear George is captured here – elegant, grey, cool, smooth, Clooney.