Halla Mohieddeen, shopping editor of That’s Beijing, Beijing’s premier English language publication, strikes a poise at the Van Cleef & Arpels party. She deserves great credit for having “found” me for That’s Beijing. She asked me to write the column “trouser press” and also suggested that Stylites in Beijing be on the pages of the magazine.
Month: November 2007
Daily Men’s Style Tip #7
Hesitate before buying a dark colored shirt.
I’m condemning not them, but it takes a certain shirt and a certain guy. Some guys still regard adding a black shirt to khakis or jeans as a quick road to style excellence. Too often, the desk man out for a night will take his regular navy or charcoal suit, add a dark stripey or solid black shirt, undue the two top buttons, and feel he’s ready to be suave and stylish into the early hours. Some suits and some styles of guy can make this work. I certainly would not be able to pull it off. Stick to a contrasting, lighter colored, shirt with your dark suit and for those stylish nights. With no suit, a subtle pattern or texture in a lighter shirt can be the way to go.
On the other hand, perhaps dark colored shirts are the best way to avoid obvious hot pot or red wine stains.
“Une Journée à Paris” – Van Cleef & Arpels
Last Friday was Une Journée à Paris, the Beijing Debut of Van Cleef & Arpels 200th anniversary special collection. Van Cleef & Arpels handcrafts jewelery and time pieces in France.
Paris’ famous Lido girls made a special appearance in Beijing.
Une Journée à Paris had a Hong Kong debut as well, but according to the VC&A PR director, the presentation there did not include the Lido Girls. They were appropriate only for the capital.
I would like to thank Fu Yuanyuan for taking these shots. Sadly, I am nearsighted and did not have my glasses while at this event.
Daily Men’s Style Tip #6
Tuck it in.
Unless you have a inordinately long legs, leaving the shirt tails out will tend to elongate your torso. Of course, some shirts are designed to be worn outside, but make sure that they do not have that elongating effect on your torso. Also, the un-tucked shirt and blazer look is hard to make look good.
Daily Men’s Style Tip #5
Socks matter.
Go fun or go staid, but don’t go sporty unless you are an athlete. The safest course is socks that match the trousers. Please note that matching trousers is better than matching shoes, to offer continuity between the legs and ankle. Socks should be long enough to prevent hairs from peeking out.
Colorful and patterned socks are good too. This is now a standard expression of fettered revolt in the corporate gulag, where red is favored. Brand-wise, Paul Smith is king here, not mentioning various obscure brands, but you can get good ones at J. Crew and H&M. If you are in Beijing, check out Hotwind for fake Paul Smith.
At the Watchtower
The Dongbianmen Watchtower is one of the world’s more singular gallery spaces and it is among the best preserved sections of Beijing’s old city wall. The Red Gate Gallery, the first gallery founded by a foreigner in Beijing, has one location at the Watchtower and another in the 798 gallery district. I prefer the ambiance of the Watchtower to the old factories of 798. If you haven’t been there, go this Saturday afternoon. There is an opening, Viewing Emptiness by Shi Zhongying.
Tally Beck is a manager at the Redgate Gallery and an Asian Art History PHD student. Like everyone related to Chinese art, he is involved in numerous exciting projects. Next, he will be curating Neo-Nirvana: Contemporary Interpretations of Buddhism at the 798 Redgate Gallery. The preview date is Sunday, November 18, 3 – 6 pm, and participating artists are Gade, Sheng Qi, Shi Zhongying, Tan Ping, Tsering Nyandak / Yak Tsetan and Zheng Xuewu. Visit the website for more info: www.redgategallery.com.
Helen Couchman, was also visiting the Red Gate on that day and looking quite ready for autumn. As it turns out, I was wearing a similar herringbone sport coat, but did not include the picture since people mights call me vain. She is a well-known photographer whose work has been exhibited in numerous galleries in Beijing and London. I think you can still see some of her recent work at Gallery Perif, in 798. Check her website http://www.helencouchman.co.uk for more information.
Daily Men’s Style Tip #4
Avoid Squared-Toe Shoes
Maybe some styles don’t look so boxy, but in general these shoes say: “Hey man, we’re gonna’ go clubbing, slurp down some vodka redbulls, and score” or “dude, I make so much now. There are totally hot chics at that bar and they want me” or something. Sorry for sounding vulgar or misrepresenting the squared-toe shoe wearers. I avoid these people, but the following article expresses it eloquently:
http://men.style.com/details/features/landing?id=content_5350
I’m not going to be as harsh. If your feet really are shaped that way and you need the comfort, consider investing in wide-legged, 1940s style trousers to lessen the effect of the shoes.
Nifty Knees
Knee-length stockings, the tights Chinese girls love that go down to mid-calve – we’re used to this – but sexy knee tights are fresh. Knees do get cold easily. Add a coat and Mino, a graphic designer, will be ready to wear shorts in winter. This is one of my favorite looks, partially because she was very friendly and photographed me as well.
Lean and Loose
Hanging loose but still looking sharp is a goal many men strive for but miss. Evan, a student from the Northeast, shows us how to do it, with comfy but well fitting pants and rolled-up jacket sleeves.
Daily Men’s Style Tip #3
Show cuff.
Show .25 – to 1 inch of shirt cuff when you wear a suit or sport jacket, depending on what makes you comfortable. If you have long arms, too-long sleeves can make them seem even longer. Even if you have short arms, too-long sleeves can make you appear a bit swamped in your suit.
Ever problematic when I buy off the rack because of my ape-like arms, even when jackets are adjusted to make the sleeves longer, I end up showing too much of my custom-made shirts ‘ cuffs – but I would still say better too much than none at all.
Maggie Cheung
Sorry for the hand. I forgot to mention that I saw Maggie Cheung at the Lane Crawford party. She was in the process of being hearded off to the VIP room, no doubt. She is as beautiful as she is said to be and seeing her was one of the high points of my adult life. For Western viewer who may not know Maggie: she starred in In the Mood for Love. Americans may be more familiar with Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi, but for the Chinese themselves and – perhaps not so coincidentally – the French, Maggie Cheung is the most beloved Chinese actress and the most beautiful.
In the Mood for Love is worth seeing just for many reasons: the soundtrack, the story, the setting. For me, the beautiful qipaos she wears are reason enough.
There is a time lag on my photos, for which I apologize. The photos I take for That’s Beijing must appear there before they appear on my blog, according to our agreement. So the Lane Crawford party is quite old news in Beijing as is summer, but photos from these two events will be appearing on my blog periodically anyway. I am trying to remedy this problem. Given the fact that I don’t too much time to take photos, it is difficult. Regard the blog as a celebration of timeless style.
Algae, at NGLX
Algae, an “artist who uses photography as her medium”, shows us how to do converse and a skirt and also proves that light-weight scarves do not look pretentious before it gets cold if you have the right smile and tilt to your feet.
On Lane Crawford’s Menswear
Prepared to go acquiring, some men at the opening party of Lane Crawford are looking cool.
They could feel confident that Lane Crawford selected the best pieces from each of the labels on offer. Rick Owens, Burberry Prorsum, Viktor and Rolf, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Neil Barrett, and Alexander Mcqueen are in Beijing for the first time. The new Dior Homme shop opposite confirms that Beijing is no longer a men’s fashion backwater.
Here are Beijing’s best shoes. Check N.D.C Made by Hand brogues (4,100). Lane Crawford is China’s only distributor of these and the Spanish Preventi (around 2,500). Church’s (5,800-6,800), bench-made in the UK, are among the earth’s best shoes, though boring Zegnas are still the top sellers at Lane Crawford. Uh, not to mention the John Lobbs (14,000+).
The tie, shirt, and scarf selection was acceptable, but for lovelier choices, check Allen in Oriental Plaza. More pocket squares would be nice. Standouts were Burberry Prorsum slim ties (1,895) and Viktor and Rolf star print ties (1,000). Choices in attractive corporate-friendly ties lagged; brands missing include Hilditch and Key, Charvet, and Massimo Bizzochi. The Italy-made store brand shirts (1,400) suffice, but Turnbull and Asser or Borrelli would outclass. Skip Vivienne Westwood scarves – the orb is old – but indulge in an over-dyed Raf Simons “split ends” scarf (3300).
Officewear is Dunhill, Zegna, Pal Zileri, and Armani, familiar brands that will sate nearby ibankers and private equity thugs, and generate steady cash flow. The well-edited collections save trips to their boutiques, but truly exclusive brands like Barbera, Isaia, or Belvest might be nice. Choose Pal Zileri for its superior construction – a one button, peak lapel, s120 navy pinstriped suit (18,300) needs you. Non-sale prices include alterations. Skip the Paul Smith suits, but try out his beige, velvet-collared, crombie (13,700).
For divine experiences, blending high fashion with great tailoring, go for the silk/wool Alexander Mcqueen suit (26,700), which makes shimmering look good and will doubtless adorn a popstar, and the black Burberry Prorsum wool/cashmere coat with braided epaulettes (27,350) that seemed custom-made for me. Or you could get personalized replicas custom-made by a tailor here in Beijing.
Frontman for the Doll
Always in vintage fitted blazers or ‘70s cords brought back from the West by friends, Max packs the aesthetic punch needed to market one of Beijing’s trendiest bars, China Doll, where he is the director of PR.
This picture was also featured in the November issues of That’s Beijing.
Daily Men’s Style Tip #2
The best colors for dress shirts are white, light blue, and light pink.
These are the safest bets for most complexions. With at least one solid shirt in each of these colors, you should be able to match 95% of ties. Gray and navy suits in pinstripes, checks, and textures go with all three of these colors as do more complicated suit patterns.