Men's Second Style

Sometimes when I go shopping at June Dion’s BareRose Tokyo, it makes me crazy. That could be the lag, which can be ferocious. Or it could be that I can’t walk out of there without clicking BUY at least, oh, four or five times. I usually have a folder in my inventory that contains just the last few things I picked up there, so hopefully I’ll think of them when special occasions arise, or at least remember to try them on at some point. The very existence of this folder inspired the topic (and title) of this post. I’m only surprised it took so long. I’ve had these for at least a little while, so I won’t call them “new.” I checked last night, and there are a number of more recently released designs available now, so some of these have been moved out of the New Items towers at the front of the store. Such are the productivity and prowess of June’s CS3 monkeys.

The “Galaxy Train Ride” ensemble for men makes me happy. The name alone puts a smile on my face. I mean, honestly–can you not think of a dandy gentleman boarding a steam-powered rocket train for a quick jaunt to the center of the Milky Way? And, being a gentleman, of course he’d take along some bread, cheese, fruit and wine for a nice picnic lunch.

In the generously appointed set, you’ll find the following clothing items: white shirts with sculpted puffy shoulders, showy lace collar and cuffs, and your choice of brown or black suspenders; pants in brown and black; jacket-layer waistcoats in blue, brown and green; socks and gloves. Prim accessories include hat, travel valise and unscripted pocket watch. The simply sculpted hat is pleasantly casual and perfect for a casual outdoor excursion when you reach the planet of your final destination–perhaps a day at the races?

The shirt’s fully finished detailing makes the prim lace collar optional, and you can leave off the prim cuffs and shoulder pieces for an even more casual look. The beautifully sculpted valise features sturdy steel corners–we all know how rough those baggage handlers can be on interstellar travel routes–and a few stickers indicating some of your recent ports of call. A bargain at L$150 for the complete set. “Steam Rocket Ride,” styled for women, is also available.

The exotic “Arachne Knight” outfit is gothic in its detailing, but it shows fascinating, apparently Eastern influences in its form. The overall lines are defined by the full-length open coat, which is made up of a jacket-layer coat top, flexi coat bottom, and prim cuffs and shoulder pieces. You don’t have to make a close inspection to notice the bold spider-web artwork incorporated into the coat’s front embroidery. If you do look more closely, though, you’ll see the delicate shadow shading that makes the fabric and embroidery look like it’s actually sitting on top of the skin, rather than just ironed on.

The back artwork is equally beautiful, if not more elaborate–it’s hard to beat the impressive ribbed strap-and-loop detailing in front. Note the high collar closure and the dramatic, stylized shoulder pieces and rolled sleeve cuffs. You also get matching pants and gloves, both embellished with decorative artwork to complement the coat perfectly.

The “Arachne Knight” set is priced at L$140. Once again, June has endowed us with an embarrassment of riches–the set includes outfits in Black, Blue, Purple, and Red. Also available: “Arachne,” styled for women. “Arachne,” styled for women, is also available.

You might have expected something a bit more eccentric or extreme from a clothing designed named “Professor of Occultism.” However, I think that “professor,” rather than “occult,” is the dominant concept here. In this getup, I could fit right in as an instructor at Hogwarts but, rather than being fantastic, overall it’s an elegant, restrained design, highlighted by just a few touches of extravagance.

Here again the full-length coat defines the silhouette. The coat’s top is on the shirt layer, and a long flexi bottom section completes the garment. A long line of large, bright brass buttons runs down the front. Prim accessories collar and cuffs that double as shirt and coat components. The sculpted collar includes both the coat’s wide lapels and the shirt’s ruffled jabot and collar pin. The wide coat cuffs feature the the same brass buttons from the coat proper as well as lush spills of shirt-sleeve ruffles. A classic top hat, squared-off shoulder attachments, prim monocle on a chain, and simple pants and gloves complete the outfit. The set includes coats in Black, Blue and Red, all for L$140. “Mistress of Occultism,” styled for women, is also available.

All available at BareRose Tokyo (Bare Rose 146, 12, 30).