Men's Second Style

Forget your fellow man
Offer no helping hand
Put a little glum in your heart
You see it’s getting late
Oh, please don’t hesitate
Put a little glum in your heart

Another day goes by
Hey, hear the children cry
Put a little glum in your heart
If you want the world to know
We won’t let gladness grow
Put a little glum in your heart Read the rest of this entry »

You may have thought you’d seen it all.  Or, at least, everything I’d ever actually wear in public.  After my initial foray into latex (with a Christmas theme, no less!), you may well have been wondering, “What next?”  I wondered myself.  What would be my next adventure, my final frontier, my undiscovered country?  It occurred to me, and not for the first time, that I had not yet explored the adventurous territory of silks.  Now, I’ve seen a lot of silks, more than you might expect in fact, and tried on perhaps more than my share.  But, while I make no claim to have made an exhaustive survey of the genre, I had never come across any that spoke to me on any level.  Silks are by their very nature simple in design, and while I’ve certainly seen many examples that were well done, often they simply weren’t very interesting. Read the rest of this entry »

I cannot tell you—I don’t think I can even begin—how much I dislike the word “murse.”  It’s not even a word, really.  It’s just a fake word somebody made up because they didn’t want to say “man purse.”  And you can see why, but still.  I mean, why does it have to be a “purse” of any kind?

Because I do like bags, and men often do really get the short end of the stick when it comes to things to contain and carry their stuff in.  Women of course have purses, which are (in Western culture, at least) universally accepted not just as a utilitarian necessity but as a legitimate fashion accessory, and often a quite beautiful one.  They take a variety of forms, as well, for different seasons and occasions:  shoulder bags, tote bags, handbags, clutches, and the list goes on.  And then there are the many interpretations and variations in shape, size, color, accents, trim—they’re almost like butterflies, with no two alike.

Men have wallets.  Usually in black or brown.  See what I mean? Read the rest of this entry »

Well, Valentine’s Day 2010 is shaping up to be a bit of a casual affair for me this year, in SL as well as RL-–I still don’t have RL dinner reservations!  (I know, I know.)  The very casual ensemble I’ve put together for your consideration isn’t exactly appropriate for an intimate dinner at a fine restaurant.  Think more romantic picnic in the park and you’ll be just fine.

The Grunge Tanktop and Flame Red Swim Trunks are both by Shinichi Mathy.  As always, fine fabric texture work is the hallmark of Shinichi’s garment designs, whether casual, dressy or more formal.  The busy print on the swim trunks helps the optional prim leg extensions to blend in better than they might in a solid color.  I did mod the taper of the prims just slightly to fit my fairly thin avie a little better.  These are the February 2010 Shiki group gift for guys.  You’ll need to join the Shiki group (if you aren’t already a member) and visit the shop Shiki 91, 153, 22 to pick up your gift.  Head down the red hallway (on your right as you walk down the main aisle) to the special Members Only area to find the gift vendors.  Available at Shiki Designs (Shiki 91, 153, 22). Read the rest of this entry »

[i]  Things had never been easy on the farm.  Raising crops was honest work, but hard, and it was all he had known his whole life.  But since the drought had begun things had been ever harder.  The soft greening wheat had turned brown and brittle; the dark brown earth had grown hard and grey.  Read the rest of this entry »

You never see men wearing smoking jackets any more.  (Okay, Hugh Hefner, but he’s the last bastion.)  That seems a shame to me—there’s something very classy and Old Hollywood about the image of a gentleman properly attired for lounging about the manse.  Is that you, Clark Gable? Read the rest of this entry »

It isn’t too unusual that I find myself impressed by a single clothing item or accessory.  In fact, the creativity and ingenuity of SL designers never ceases to amaze me—they constantly find ways around inherent limitations in the virtual world, and they manage to amaze and delight in spite of the technical ties that bind them.  Even so, it’s not often that I’m surprised and taken aback by something as seemingly basic and utilitarian as a polo shirt.  After all, aren’t they everywhere?  A dime a dozen, basically?  Well, yes…and no.

It’s nice to be surprised now and then. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, I had some more formalwear items lined up to share with you over the holiday season.  Unfortunately, timing didn’t work out in our favor there, the holiday season now being over and all.  If we’re lucky, I may well get back to some of those designs in the near future.

In the meantime, though, I feel like doing something a little bit different.  I’ve had some winter gear piling up in my inventory over the last few weeks, and now seems like as good a time as any to break it out, even though for the last few days it’s been 75-80 degrees F where I live in RL.  Hey, it’s technically winter, after all; I’ll just pretend that it actually feels like it outside. Read the rest of this entry »

I guess I’m getting a little ahead of myself here.  I have some beautiful formalwear to show you—possibilities for a highly dramatic New Year’s Eve party—but I thought that first I’d go directly to the after-party.  Do not pass Go, do not collect L$200.  Now, it’s understandable if you feel that the main event deserves most of your sartorial time, attention and budget.  But don’t make the mistake of thinking that what you wear to the after-party somehow matters less.  In its own way, it’s just as important.  You’re still making an impression, after all!  You can’t just throw on khakis and a polo and let it go at that.  (Jeans and a t-shirt can work, though…if they’re the right jeans and the right t-shirt.)  No, you still need to put some time, effort and attention into your after-party attire.  Don’t worry, though.  I’m here to help. Read the rest of this entry »

He’s making a list, checking it twice
Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town!

You’ve almost certainly heard the Christmas song “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”  If you’re of a certain age, you probably remember well from the childhood the old Rankin-Bass holiday TV special of the same name.  What’s important here is Santa’s role as judge, jury and (metaphorical) executioner, at least as far as Christmas gifts are concerned.  Who wants a lump of coal in his stocking?

You do remember that key section of the lyrics, don’t you?  It actually sounds kind of scary, when you think about it.  I mean, what, Santa knows everything?  All the stuff I’ve done this year?  Even that one thing?  I only did that once, I swear.  Okay, two or three times.  But still, what happened to my right to privacy?  I still deserve presents, don’t I?  I’m a good boy, I am! Read the rest of this entry »