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Just as designers and the likes of GQ try to convince men to get back into three-piece suits this season, the trend-happy New York Times Styles section is taking the contrarian route, advising readers to forego the whole hog and simply sport the vest.
Photographed by our fearless lensman, Patrick McMullan.
The New York Times may feel no affection for it, but Brad Pitt seems solidly behind the three-piece suit surge judging by what he wore to the 13th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards in L.A. the other night. Of course there are two mitigating factors: a) he’s Brad Pitt, and b) his threads are by Tom Ford.
In other words, he doesn’t give a shit if some twit from the Times advises him to “ditch the suit.”»
There are a lot of pages to be filled out there, and only so many ways to make a runway show sound interesting in print. And when their notebooks run dry and writers decide to put that education to use, things get…interesting.
This time, the culprit is the New York Times, who spiced up an article on a Prada show with a Margaret Atwood reference, quaint use of the phrase “men’s wear” and ominous references to social engineering. Most of the offenses are in aid of Village Voice alum Guy Trebay’s extended meditation on Miuccia Prada’s “complex sexual issues.” This being the fashion industry, we imagine she’s in good company. And no, for the record, we had not thought about the deeper social implications of flyless pants.
Did you notice anything odd about the Times Style Section today? We don’t mean chicken-fashion odd - indeed, we mean good odd. Look, when The Grey Lady offers up another David Coleman piece about the resurgence of pants, a “Modern Love” entry on dead babies/girlfriends/husbands or whatever dust bunnies are rattling around Cathy Horyn’s head, we’re always the first ones to take the piss.
Now that the industry is digging up history at an alarming rate—1962? Check. 1977? Check. 1991? We’re working on it—it was only a matter of time before we lapsed into full-blown Renaissance Fair mode.
In fact, that moment may already be here.
The New York Times style section has just devoted a full 1500 words to steampunk, beginning what trend-watchers call the “lame” period of the trend. The article name-checks Alexander McQueen and Nicolas Ghesquière of Balenciaga as potential fashionista surrogates of the style, but until we see them bust out the top hats, we’ll be skeptical»
Apparently The Moment has bondage on the brain.
After the recent round of Milan shows, the style blog of the internet’s favorite punching bag decided to declare a microtrend of shoes with rubber straps around them, “as if that’s all that may be holding the two pieces together.” That’s all very well and good, but why, may we ask, does this qualify as bondage-inspired? Do these Louis Vuitton wingtips remind anyone else of quality time in a dungeon with Helga? Pilates-inspired might be a little closer.
We’d guess Mr. Pask is thinking about something other than shoes.
