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!

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:

Alkemy’s Chemistry!

MSP Spotlight : Edgy Menswear Design : A mix of sci, phi & magic, Alkemy is a versatile brand that fulfills a guy’s needs for any occasion, focusing on simplicity with a touch of uniqueness, providing staple styles that have a true fit without sacrificing complete comfort.

Proof is in the puddin’ and the Cali based clothier is steadily winning fans day-by-day, including celeb flossers like rapper Lil Wayne, musos a la Linkin Park, actors Sean Faris (Vampire Diaries), Rick Malambri (Criminal Minds) and daytime soap star Casey Jon Deidrick (Days of our Lives).

Alkemy’s philosophy is understanding and appreciating that each man is committed to being an individual. The science of the brand is found in its innovative fabrics and great fit, and the magic? Well, that’s in the eyes of the beholder!

Alkemy’s 2010 fall collection features pieces that range from graphic tees to blazers to dress pants, all of which feature clean tailoring and impeccable details, ensuring the power and sleekness of Alkemy is seen and felt when dressed. All of these styles are also versatile and beyond comfortable— with unique details like side cargo pockets, ultra-breathable fabric and a wide variety of cuts and fits.

Alkemy – we like. Wear it and hopefully when you do, you’ll be celebrating your individuality and unique strength. That’s alot of pressure to put on your threads, but then again, how you wear what you wear (‘tude) is all a state of mind.

MSP is all about encouraging you  gents out there to find your true self; we just don’t recommend any old crap. Alkemy away and meditate on this from Paul Coehlo’s groundbreaking magical tale : “… Alchemists spent years in their laboratories, observing the fire that purified the metals. They spent so much time close to the fire that gradually they gave up the vanities of the world. They discovered that the purification of the metals had led to a purification of themselves.” – The Alchemist.

www.alkemyclothing.com

Have a look at Alkemy’s fall collection right here:

Icarus Store

There’s a massive stirring in the city of Sydney. Pitt Street Mall is full of construction & noise, day in, day out. You would imagine this to be off-putting for the local Sydney-Sider but the opposite seems to be happening. Instead of foot traffic slowing and stores reporting decreased sales, we’re seeing the general public’s insatiable curiosity leading them into ‘almost finished shops’ with glaring 50-70% off sale signs.

Just like kittens, these shoppers are tenderly making their way through the new shops of Lend Lease and Westfield (still yet to be opened) as Pitt Street Mall takes a face-lift. It’s been in the making for many years, and while the 2 giants go head to head in a Jurassic tug of war trying to entice consumers, we have a subtle yet more tailored call to the design district of Sydney, known as Surry Hills.

This understated design district has a new player called The Icarus Store. Now if you didn’t know, in Greek mythology, Icarus, is the son of the master craftsman Daedalus. The main story of Icarus is about his intent to escape Crete by means of wings constructed by his father. He ignored instructions not to fly too close to the sun, and thus, feel to his death. What I love about this character, is he dared to be great. He also was innovative, larger than life, and thought outside the square.

Which takes us to Nathan. Not unlike the character named – Neo out of the Matrix, Nathan knew there was something else to his life than an office job. In a moment of true revelation, and while on a holiday in New York City, Nathan started to see retail as a way to serve young men (in his home town of Sydney) in their efforts to look different, feel confident and have a more unique and quality driven wardrobe. So, with the help of his friends in creative and high places, Nathan stuck a deal with various unknown yet splendid labels and brands and planted them in Reservoir Street in Surry Hills.

Now this story may not be for everyone, as it’s localised. But remember, we have international products in this store.

Take ‘CB I hate perfume’ for instance. After four years with Kiehl’s USA, Christopher Brosius set out to make perfume on his own in 1992. Since then, he has won four Fragrance Foundation awards and been nominated for many others. Christopher opened the I Hate Perfume gallery in Williamsburg in 2004. The name reveals his disdain for overpowering department store perfume brands and their use of alcohol as a base for fragrance. His oil and water based perfumes have their own story to tell and capture a very special sense of place or experience. Each perfume is carefully compounded, blended and bottled by hand in his gallery workshops. We love it!

Then look at Loden Dager. This is a menswear collective based in New York designed chiefly by two Marc Jacobs alumni, Oliver Helden and Paul Marlow. Loden Dager debuted in 2006 with a rigorously unadorned collection of shirts, jackets, and pants. As the label has gained a loyal following — plus an Ecco Domani award and a partnership with Uniqlo — it has grown more adventuresome with its fabrications and influences. With a nod to a bygone era, Loden Dager’s designs echo fashion’s grey area between the masculine 1940’s, the mod 1960’s and the hippie 1970’s. The result is a sophisticated and approachable wardrobe for the student, worker, activist and everyman.

Swedish-born Patrik Ervell received a political science degree from UC Berkeley and fell into design after working as an editor at V magazine. Ervell saw a gap in the market and launched his own menswear collection in 2005. His designs are heavily influenced by the military and classic American sportswear, carefully tailored with luxurious touches. Ervell has received widespread acclaim for his minimal aesthetic and creative use of utilitarian materials, highlights include winning the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award in 2007 and being a runner-up in the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in 2009. Check out the home page! http://www.patrikervell.com/ It’s totally innovative.

It was ridiculously hard to move throughout the store at the opening of Icarus. The environment design, which as you all know either repels or attracts the side street consumer, was understated and subtle, yet inviting. Masculine to a tee without taking sides of the ‘too dandy’ or the ‘too lumber jack’, we found Icarus to be modest, intelligent and savvy. The supportive crowd chattered and silently coded a nod of approval, as Nathan carefully selected the right ambient lighting, the right music and the right display of product. Even the accidentally broken bottle of ‘CD I hate perfume’ ended up wafting through the store making this another sensory experience for the opening launch crowd.

Icarus Store is located at 42 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills.

www.icarusstore.com – head over on a Saturday to chat to Nathan and his girlfriend Karen, who go beyond retail and actually take pride in customer service.

Top 10 men’s fashion brands … and why …

Which men’s fashion brands are the most popular in the world of style today? With a commitment to excellent design, tailoring and manufacturing, these leading menswear brands will give you a fashion fix for life.

1. Ralph Lauren

Webber you Winner!

Aussie Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing) celebrates his win of the British Formula 1 Grand Prix at Silverstone.

We love it! Burning that rubber and flashing that smile full of devious mischief, we’re here celebrating another brilliant win for the high-spirited Aussie male. Always known for their hard work and carefree attitude, it made us laugh when we read that in a bid to clear the red mist around Red Bull, team boss Christian Horner invited the feuding duo of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel to a barbecue and karaoke session.

What? Don’t these dudes have a full Bang and Olufsen surround sound stereo in their helmets like the Stig, that reduces their need for Karaoke outside of the race track? I mean come-ooooon (said with an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent).

Anyway, it was reported after the brilliant win that Webber belted out Bryan Adams’s Summer of ‘69 while Vettel, strumming a guitar, opted for Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water. And to prove both drivers could sing from the same hymn sheet, the entire party rounded out the evening with a rendition of Don McLean’s classic American Pie – a song with mystical cohesive powers.

What do the respective karaoke preferences reveal about the drivers’ psyches? Bernard Zuel, a well-known music critic, provided the psycho-analysis.

Summer of ‘69 (Bryan Adams & Mark Webber)
Here is a song which seems to be about innocence and aspiration, about the purity of choice we make as a kid with dreams alongside our pals. A bit like off-season testing. (“Oh when I look back now/That summer seemed to last forever”). But look closer and you see that the Australian hasn’t forgiven. Or forgotten. “And now the times are changin’/Look at everything that’s come and gone/Sometimes when I play that old six-string/I think about you and wonder what went wrong.” He’s smiling but he’s saying, don’t mess with me Seb.

Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple & Sebastian Vettel)
Aggressive much? Vettel ostensibly gets to sing about an ancient rock band’s experience on Lake Geneva but as he shakes his golden locks to and fro over the famous guitar riff he can unleash an Ian Gillan scream and tell Webber that even inside the flame retardant suit in that cramped, hot cockpit, he too has a long memory: “We made a place to sweat/No matter what we get out of this/I know, I know we’ll never forget.”

American Pie (Don McLean & Red Bull management)
The brilliance of this choice is, appropriately enough for a motoring event, manifold. Firstly, there’s the fact that no matter how out of tune you are, both musically and in personal relations, the rousing chorus encourages group effort over technique while throwing in a gratuitous motoring reference in the Chevy. Best of all, it is interminable, its many verses building to nothing in particular except a long, long night of the soul. By the end of that song you can’t remember what it was you were angry about at the beginning of the night. Perfect.

”We haven’t been offered any recording contracts and the neighbours will probably be complaining about the noise but everyone here let their hair down and celebrated,” Horner said.

We love your style! So here’s to style, if you find yourself in need or acquiring a motorsport race-suit, check out www.demon-tweeks.co.uk who have a full range of awesome suits for your liking.

Over and Out.

Active Sportswear – are you for real?

Given the massive focus on active sports wear due to the recent focus on the World Cup & Wimbledon – MSP is looking into semi-casual sportswear for blokes, which is proving itself to be more sophisticated than ever before. Active Sportswear also covers sports that aren’t so commercial such as fly-fishing, hunting, sailing, aviation and hiking. No offense fellas, we are aware these sports are dear to your ticker, yet in the light of their social popularity, only the select authentic few are passionate about them. (ps- aviation style/fashion to follow in next week’s blog).

Many moons ago, we saw that luxury brands such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton were venturing into the sports arena with the likes of Adidas and more, to create a semi-casual yet premium look, which quite frankly – worked. The price tag lowered, the ranges expanded, and men could move out of their gym gear and still feel like themselves (in sports clothing) and wear this to outings without having to feel like a tosser and dress in something appropriate that they weren’t comfortable in. Like? Yes.

So in ’style speak’ here’s what’s happening.

Denim textures are changing, there’s more of a rugged appearance developing, shoes are distressed more and more, (which reminds me of a funny story to tell you about a friend of ours and his new R.M Williams, and how he accidentally de-stressed them while stressing himself!), and there is a more sublimated depth to the fabrics.

Because MSP is all about keeping it ‘macho’ and ‘real’, I’m not even going to write about the deceptive trends that I see rising over the horizon when it comes to the faux fur that is being sewn into velvet jackets and hoodies, which will give you a ‘plush’ feel about yourself – it’s way too dandy for the likes of blokes that I chat to. But I am pleased to announce a more engineered nature to the sportswear that is emerging. Knits are being reworked in every manner by designers, and metallics are shining through but if you don’t want to wear your gold Nikes down the street, then that’s fine. We’re happy for you to do so in the comfort of your own home. But don’t be shocked when you see them on the shelves. Just slowly turn away, and walk to the ‘authentic and manly’ shelves and sigh quietly under your breath. You’ve escaped a bullet. Bond.

One area of sportswear that is sitting on top of the ‘uber-cool ladder’ is the virtual leather patches hanging over shoulders or on the elbows of jackets, the finer piping around pockets and the gloves that are needed in the southern hemisphere right now. What is going on with the cold-snap! Freak!

Men either can handle their clothing snug, or they need it to be loose. Depending on your body shape of course. Climate performance jackets are now multi-purpose and user-friendly. Much like an iPad. They’re adaptable, which is a big YES to the men who don’t want to look like they’re trying too hard in the fashion arena, and most are reversible which gives you a satisfying feeling that your money is well spent. Fleece tops are being reworked, but if you are like me, you’d prefer a sheep-skin jacket that is a little vintage. Some designers who are trying to innovate are taking the classic sheepskin and making it into something that is a cross pollination of a hoodie and a terry toweling cardigan. Don’t go there!

One area that I am really digging in this new emergence of sportswear is the 2011 adaptation of the cropped khaki or hiking pant. Snapping just under the knee, you’ll find the functionality when you’re doing your ‘crouching tiger hidden dragon’ the design gives you more flexibility and doesn’t pull at your crouch. We’re diggin’ it! The colours are still in dark and heavy shades, and we’re still feeling like men when we go hunting. Loving it sick!

Rock contemporary style, contemporary man!

Are you a man who enjoys fashion forward clad, cool bits and bobs and pimped up footwear? Do you wear brands with a commitment to exceptional quality and do you follow independent designers with distinct visions?

Then you’re a contemporary man!

You’re a guy who sees himself as strong and fearless when he’s rocking trend driven luxe looks from edgy, cutting edge designers! Your wardrobe is filled with a mix of the good old staples and a complementary mix of indulgent and exciting brands like D&G, Mulberry, Ralph Lauren, Timex, Prada, Oakley, Marc Jacobs, G-Star Raw, Belstaff, Fred Perry, Hugo Boss and Vivienne Westwood.

And if it’s not and you long to look, be and breathe contemporary, then look no further. Get these essentials into your wardrobe:

Slick up your style, classic guy!

Are you a “classic”? Do you like the tailored look; sharp edges and slick, dark silhouettes? Are you a man after Cary Grant or Clooney’s style?

Here are the essentials to get that enduring, classic look:

Suits and jackets: dark, silhouetted, tailored, fitted well.

Shirts:  Classic black, white and blue in colour, well cut.

Accessories: Slick ties, unique cufflinks, classic timepieces.

Shoes: Minimalist, clean lines and the occasional shine.

Your brands: Burberry, Prada, Hugo Boss BLACK, Paul Smith London & PS Paul Smith, Kenneth Cole, Polo Ralph Lauren.

To cut that dashing figure, just make the following items are in your wardrobe!

Virtual Style: Men’s fashion on Second Life

I was poking around the web today when a very cool site nabbed my attention – An online gallery focused on the fashion of 3D men in the virtual world ‘Second Life’. Talk about stylishly trippin on fantasy.

Apparently SLmen.com is one of the major men’s fashion websites on Second Life, with now more than 3,500 unique visitors per day average (the numbers can rise to 6,000 on days when new posts are published) and an average 400,000 page views per month! SLmen is included in the “fashion planet stream“, which allows even more readers to see each of the post 600 posts published to date. Seemingly impressive numbers …

Each SLmen fashion pic is carefully created by designers living in Second Life, using best practices in photography and lighting in SL, as well as the best poses on the market (model poses can be purchased with SL currency – the Linden dollar – everything and anything’s for sale I guess in a hypothetical universe).

As well, most of the fashion items in the pics on SLmen are available for sale on Second Life  and can be bought and tried virtually via a SLURL to the designer’s shop.

And here we were thinking that Second Life and existing in virtual worlds was a dying trend! Not to the apparently 18 million registered account users.

Although the MSP crew is more interested in living in the real world, we must admit that SLmen’s fashion is out of this universe … literally. Take inspiration from it and if you’re game (get the pun?), try Second Life and its fashion world for yourself.  www.secondlife.com