Throwback Thursday: 1960s

As we start to truck along in the world of men's fashion through the decades, I've noticed one thing has stayed the same, the need to look polished.  What that means may have changed throughout the decades but one thing will forever be the same.  The suit.

As we explore the 1960s let's take a look at their version of the suit and what else men were wearing.

You know you've seen this look before... just go raid your parents closets or bins marked "Bad Decisions," kidding, probably marked "The Good Old Days."  Bell bottoms seem to be a theme for the 60s and continued through to some other decades [which will will get to next week].  

But we can see what modern fashion took from the 1960s.  Do you see that pinstripe collared shirt?  Darring has one so similar, you'd think we were from the 1960s.  Maybe we wouldn't pair it with a knee-high sock and dress shoes, or maybe we would... would you?

And we can't forget about the suit.  In the 1960s, it seems like the only change from the 50s is the pant width.  Other than that, males knew how to rock a good looking and classic suit and vest.

But sometimes... they went blue, and matched their shoes. So that's different.  Would you rock that 1960s trend?

Frankly Fausti.. We don't give a damn

Recently I did the makeup and hair for a photoshoot featuring the designers by Timothy K. Take a look at all the amazing pictures! [credits listed below]

Photographer: Audrey Froggatt

Model/Styling: Faustina Rose

Designer: Timothy K.

MUA/Hair: Me

You're never fully dressed without a smile...

So you can never quite figure out what to wear, sound familiar? We struggle with that [almost] every day.  But if you follow these rules you'll be fine!  No one wants to be that underdressed person while attending a charity event [happened to us this month] so take a look and see what you can do to make sure you're dressed right for any and every last minute occasion.

It's better to be overdressed than underdressed.

The key to looking put together is making sure things are slim.

This look above is the perfect amount of dressed up and down.

The detailing on the denim pants makes us happy and the tailored blazer is the perfect fit.

Also, are can you see the matching prints with the cuff and pocket square?  We approve.

It's spring right? So try a light colored chino cuffed with a more causal oxford.

We love the navy and light blue combination on top and the brown belt brings in all together.

A pullover patterned sweater in neutral colors is always a good choice.

And so is black.

Another tip: keep a tailored blazer in your office or your bag for any last minute invites. 

This season we love khaki and navy ones!

Oh... and don't forget your smile

-A

Throwback Thursday

Today we welcome fashion of the 1930s

The above picture features trends from the 1930s and walking the streets of NYC, I happen to see these trends everyday.  Well maybe not the bathing suit one, but never fear, Hamptons weekends are near!

1930s fashion is all about clean lines and looking quite dapper in a suit.  Suspenders are usually thrown into the look to create a put together appearance.  I know I see men of all ages rocking suspenders around New York City.  Just the other night, I was in a bar in the Lower East Side and one of the bartenders was defiantly feeling the 1930s vibe.  Clean dark pants, suspenders and for a modern twist, a flannel button up.  It created a polished and look at me vibe.

So in conclusion, if you want to channel your inner 1930s man, rock some suspenders, put on a tie, slick back your hair and make sure you keep it classy.

What are you wearing Wednesday.

On this week's addition of What Are You Wearing Wednesday, Darring sat down with Tony DiVirigilio to discuss his passions and what his daily routine consists of.  

We also had the chance to put him in our Spring collection and take him from drab to darring. 

Tony is originally from Deleware and now resides in Chinatown.  He attended Wilmington University and graduated in 2011 with a business degree.  He started modeling six months ago and is already making quite an impact in the industry.

In his spare time he likes to work out, play sports and listen to music.  His favorite artist is Mark Kinchen. 

Check out the before and after shots below!

[before]

[after]

Throwback Thursday

We are starting a new series called Throwback Thursday where we feature a era of fashion that has an influence on modern day fashion.

Today let's take a look back at the 1920's mens style that seems to be hugely influencing designers around the world.  A lot of TV shows are also using the 1920's as their influence.  Shows like Mad Men, and Broadway Empire introduced the fashion to the average consumer and now every male wants a piece of the action.  

In the 1920's mens fashion color palette was keep minimal and shades of cream were considered signs of extreme wealth and suave.  The emphasis is on the whole outfit and not just an individual item.  This era holds a lot more over fashion than people think.  This era was all about luxury and men across the world are starting to pick up the trend.

 When we attended Liberty Las Vegas it seemed like the 1920's influence was everywhere... well the sales rep at least.  Barber haircuts, slim fitted pants, oxford shoes and button up, polished shirts were the norm.  

Great Gatsby is also one of the biggest influences in modern fashion now.  People are taking inspiration from the characters to their clothing and the looks are great.  Personally we love the look and are excited to start incorporating spring fashion with the 1920's era.

         Spring is finally in the air here in NYC.  We are excited to be able to finally start putting together our spring outfits.  Our spring collection is being launched March 15 and slowly being put up on the website.  Take a look at some of our style inspirations and how to wear our newest collection!

Alex Minsky

 [Darring Sweater Shorts, Burnt Olive]

[4 on the Floor Tank, Cabernet]

Alex Minsky

[Faded Chino, Black]

[Oiler Tank, Flint Grey]

Highlights of the Oscars.. Men's Edition

The Oscars were last night and it was hosted by Ellen Degeneres which means it was a great and hilarious show.  I personally couldn't stop laughing.  She instantly made references to Jennifer Lawerence tripping up the stairs to retrieve her award last year and made a point to mention that she had already tripped outside the theater on a bright orange cone.

Besides the hilarious offers of pizza and celebrities taking the ultimate selfies, the mens fashion was simply amazing.  There were different varieties on the simple suit look and we rounded up the top 10 male looks from last night.  Take note gentlemen, because these guys look stunning.

10. Zac Efron wearing Calvin Klein

9. Matthew McCohaughey wearing Dolce & Gabbana

8. Brad Pitt wearing Tom Ford

7. Kevin Spacey wearing Burberry

6. Pharrell wearing a custom Lanvin shorts suit

5. Bradley Cooper wearing Tom Ford

4. Leonard DiCaprio wearing Armani

3. Michael B. Jordan wearing Givenchy

2. Jared Leto in Saint Laurent

1. Chris Hemsworth wearing David August

Model: Dani Braun

Photography: Audrey Froggatt

HMU: Me

Styling: Me

Bed Talk

Photo from a series last Fall

Model: Dani Braun

Photographer: Audrey Froggatt

HMU: Me

Styling: Me

Goodbye to Online Clothing Returns

Fits.me has taken a giant step in the right direction.  The company has created an online mannequin where you can input your measurements and actually see how the clothing will look before you buy it.  Now why didn't someone think of that idea early?

Fits.me was developed by the University of Tartu in Estonia with the help of Human Solutions to come up with a database of thousands of combinations of hip, chest, sleeve, and waist size.    Each item of clothing is photographed several thousand times as they go through the permutations of each mannequin.

They state on their website, "The size of the US online apparel market alone is over $4 billion – yet garment return rates average 25% for online apparel sales of which around 70% is for reasons of fit.  Measured even in this simple way, the value of garments returned because of the Online Fit Problem is $700m per year in the USA alone.”

We tested it out and the results were awesome.  You just simply input your measurements and a visual "you" is created.  Click "Show the Visual Me" and all of a sudden a mannequin form of you shows up wearing the garment.  The idea is pure genius.

Once the garment is on, it shows you the different sizes they have available and how it will fit by pointing out areas that are too loose or too snug.  Go try it out for yourself and see what you look like!

NYFW Fall 2014 Day 1

Fall/Winter 2014 Fashion Week started yesterday and already the Fall trends are starting to emerge. It seems like dark, mysterious colors are here to stay. And we are having major coat envy from the collections. Here is a brief overview of the collections that have been shown so far. Also take a peak at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week schedule below.

David Hart NYC: 

Started working the the fashion world at 17 and launched a neckwear line in 2007.  In 2013 he launched his first ready-to-wear collection.  This season his looks are crisp and tailored to perfection.  Any man who puts Hart's clothing on will instantly feel put together.

Nicholas K:

The brother and sister pair have created a dark and stormy collection for Fall 2014 and we can't wait to get our hands on it!

-A

Details Magazine "The March Issue" Party

Last night, Darring USA had the privilege of attending Details Magazine's "The March Cover" Party.  The event took place at the Stephen Weiss Studio in the West Village and was packed with gorgeous people.

We spotted some amazing male models while we were there as well as a couple celebrities.  Check out Chris Nonn, wearing the Octane Motorcycle Jacket by Darring USA, and Joe Jones posing for the camera.

Joe Jones and Chris Nonn

 

At the event Details Magazine showcased their new March cover which was the top 10 male models currently in the industry so you can only image what the room was like!  Everywhere you looked, pretty people stood. 

Sean O'Pry and Rohn Padmore, Joe Jones and Rohn Padmore

The issue will be released on February 10, so look for it on stands then.  The biggest theme of the entire event seemed to be black clothing with dark hair, although there were a couple of people who stood out in more daring clothing chooses or bolder hair colors.  

Ade and I

  

What are you Wearing Wednesday

In this week's edition of "What are you Wearing Wednesday," we interviewed two  football players, brothers;  JD and Malcolm Griggs .  JD Griggs is 23 and Malcolm is 21.

JD played Defensive End and Linebacker for the Jacksonville Jaguars while Malcolm is a current NFL hopeful, training hard for try outs.

Both of them grew up playing sports and started playing football at the age of eight.  The boys started playing basketball at the age of four and it seemed like sports were in their veins.  They were born in Jersey City, NJ and moved to Piscataway, NJ when they were younger.

How did you get started in football?

• We grew up in Piscataway which is a big time football place.  We were kind of thrown into the sport because we liked it and also because of the town.

JD and Malcolm also grew up playing baseball and ran track as well.  So it seems like sports is just a natural thing for these two talented brothers.

       "We have a big back yard and when we were younger we would actually play against each other" -JD

The brothers were fortunate enough to play together in high school when JD was a senior and Malcolm was a sophomore.  They told Darring that it was nice to have a brother beside them because it made training easier.

JD's Career:

• He started playing football at the University of Iowa and then went onto the University of Akron.


• He is a hybrid defensive end, capable of shifting over to a linebacker if the scheme dictates.


• He came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent


• He competed in a rookie try out with 40 other athletes and only two were picked to join the team.  He was one of them.


• He played the 2013 pre-season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.


• JD now plays for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Canada, where he resides from May to November.

Malcolm's Career:

• He currently plays for Nassau Community College and is in his last semester there.


• He is a safety but can also play quarterback.


• Malcolm is pretty fast, running a 4.4 in the 40 dash.


• He is confident in playing for the NFL and is currently training to be the best football player he can be.


• In his spare time he likes to play sports related video games.

The Griggs's transformation from their street clothes to Darring: