#men's dressy style

[fashionbooksmilano]

The New English Dandy

Alice Cicolini

Thames & Hudson, London 2007, First Paperback Edition, 176 pages, 261 ill., 100 in colour, 23x27,3cm, ISBN 978-0-500-28680-7

euro 28,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

At once a fashion handbook and a treasure trove of ideas tailored to the modern male or metrosexual, this book is destined to be the bible of men's dressy style, its accoutrements and lifestyle accompaniments. Six chapters define six takes on the 21st-century dandy, each featuring a specially commissioned 16-page fashion shoot, and eight pages of bespoke inspiration, instruction, interviews and insight. The New English Dandy sets the standard for today's new man about town.

10/02/24

[toyastales]

He is rocking that tux!

[skitskatdacat63]

As aforementioned, please take my Leyendecker type Nando bcs that recent Boss pic has brainrotted me

+ ref:

[emhyslns]

[so-i-did-this-thing]

Hello!

I wanted to ask a question, if that's okay. So, I'm genderfluid afab and feel like a man sometimes (probably more often than I allow myself to realise). I don't have access to a Binder or anything of that sort (transphobic parents).

Is there any way for me to look/be more masculine? I'm a bit scared of goggling because I don't want to accidentally take advice from Tate people or the like.

(PS. I really like your Siegfried Farnon cosplay!)

Heya!

This is a tough one to answer. Because "masculine" means different things to different people. And "passing", as well.

Like. When I wear my fleece jacket and baseball cap, I'm deliberately passing as a certain type of man. But I felt more masculine the other day wearing an ascot.

So, I think we need to break down this question:

1) If you're looking to pass, there are going to be trans masc guides out there that will direct you to a very particular gender presentation. They tend to assume you are white and skinny. They present themselves as a list of Dos and Do-Nots, and at the end of the day, do more harm than good, imo. Because passing guides are almost always about hiding parts of yourself physically, often to the expense of hiding parts of your psyche.

Seek them out if you must, but when it comes to passing for safety, all I can suggest is ambiguous layers, a hat, keeping your head down and your mouth shut. The best way to pass is to not draw attention to yourself, alas.

2) If you're looking to dress more masculine to alleviate gender dysphoria, then you need to drill down to what makes you dysphoric and start there. My smaller feet is one area of contention for me, so I look for semi-dressy shoes that look long and elegant (like Taft boots). Since you can't get a binder, consider layers, if your chest bothers you.

3) If you're looking to dress more masculine to seek gender euphoria, then figure out your aesthetic masculine ideal. Make a pinboard of Looks you enjoy and see if there are trends. Some folks are drawn to athletic wear. Work wear. Perhaps a vintage aesthetic -- Rockabilly. 90s grunge. 1940s British country vet (meeeee, lol).

Ask yourself: What are the hallmarks of this style? Are there casual and formal versions? How does it change seasonally? How much of it is clothing and how much of it is the body (haircut, being muscular, etc)? And above all - what is this style trying to communicate to others?

Once done, see what sort of fashion tips are out there for your style. Who are the fashion experts and how much do you care about their advice? (Menswear guy has great tips about how a modern suit "should" fit, but a lot of his advice is also personal preference with a big dollop of classism.)

Pay close attention to how men wear their clothes -- where they sit on the body, how they style the outfit. Compare how a man is styled in your preferred look to how a woman is styled and see what that sparks in you. How much of it is the clothing or body? How much is posture? You might discern some visual shorthand you can harness to be read as more masculine. You might also come up with ways to have plausible deniability around your parents by being able to pivot a masculine look to be more feminine, when needed.

After all this research, get yourself to a thrift shop or other second hand option and start experimenting. Buying actual men's clothing is probably going to be your best bet, but depending on your Look Book, that may not always be the case.

No one can tell you how to feel more masculine -- that really needs to come from within. Once you figure that out, then it's a matter of reconciling your ideal look with the peculiarities of your body. (And all men have their own challenges wrt the fit of clothes.)

Afford yourself as much grace as possible when it comes to your body. And again, remember that feeling more masculine and passing more masculine may not always overlap and could even be at odds. And only you can determine if and when that is a problem.

[bunnywritesjunk]

My King

Series summary: Your parents signed you up for an Alpha Omega Match company when you were eighteen. It took years for them to find your match, but you meet the giant austrian man. Will he be a good partner?

Chapter summary: You and König attend a holiday party.

Pairing: König x Fem Reader

Warnings: A/B/O dynamics (Never use this abbreviation without the slashes it is an indigenous slur) 18+ MDNI, vague racism, heat (omega verse)

Word count: 3.1k

Genre: Mostly Fluff a little angst here and there. Smut.

A/n: Omg....Hi guys......it's me.....hey.......I am alive. This chapter is defiantly geared more towards my poc readers. Theres some angst that i'll revisit in a later chapter. Some comments are made. You'll see. Anyways, I can't promise I will be posting super consistently but I will definatly try to post more then I have been.

Previous Chapter

Chapter Five:

Your editor droned on about deadlines and writing engines as you ate some soup König got you earlier. You can hear the desperation through the computer screen. You'd be lying if you said you were listening. They'll get the pages when they get them, with you, no money. König sat on the couch waiting for your meeting to be done. 

“I'll get the next chapter done, Frankie.” You said.

“You promise?” He was almost teary-eyed.

“Yes, I promise.” 

You hung up and closed your laptop while sighing. You got up and walked over to your giant Alpha. You outstretched his arm, inviting you to cuddle. You obliged plopping yourself on his lap and resting your head on his chest. The November winds were seeping into the atmosphere slowly. You didn't mind. That meant the holidays were coming. 

“The 141 is having an early holiday party. Everyone goes on leave one week into December, so we celebrate early. Would you like to go with me, Schatz?” 

“Oh yes, that sounds lovely. When is it?” You asked delightedly.

“This weekend. It's a dressy event.” 

The weekend was in four days. You haven't done your hair or dressed up in a while. You'd want a new dress for this especially with the cold, but you supposed you could make something work. As for your hair, it was time to hit up a YouTube tutorial for some ideas. König seemed to sense your internal struggle. 

“We can go shopping today, I need a button-down shirt.” 

“You don't have a button-down?” You asked a little amused. 

“Never needed one.” 

“Huh, well I also want to get my hair done. But, I've never been to a stylist here.” You started searching for braiders in the area, and to your surprise, there were some. 

The prices were comparable to ones in the US so that gave you some comfort. König looked over your shoulder browsing the different styles along with you. Some he has seen and others he hasn't. He chimed in with some styles he thought would look cute on you every so often. 

“Oh, she has an appointment available tomorrow.”

“Book it, I'll take you.” 

“I can take myself it's alright.”

“Nein. I'll take you.”

You grumbled a bit at his stubbornness but gave in. You booked the appointment and placed your deposit. 

“How much is it?” König asked.

“Um, all together with the deposit, one hundred fifty euros. I was also gonna tip but I forgot Europe doesn't do that.” 

König replied with a 'hmm' and tapped away on his phone. Your phone dinged and you checked the notification. 

'König has sent you € 150,00' 

“Kö, You don't have to pay for this.”

“Why shouldn't I? You are mine, You want it, I like it when you look beautiful, so I pay.” He said simply.

König had a habit of paying for everything. You liked it but it made you a little uncomfortable. This wasn't how you'd be treated back in the States. Whenever you mentioned it, König would always rant about how American men were cheap and lazy. He also would mention how he has more money than he needs so spending it on you is fun. König loves to see your little face light up whenever he buys you something sweet, or a piece of jewelry you were looking at. He told you to get dressed for the shopping trip and you obliged, making sure you were bundled up for the cold weather. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two of you opted to shop for König's clothes first. Finding clothing that fits him nicely is a challenge with how tall and muscular he is. There were some stores specifically made for big and tall men that you went into first. One store only had bright floral patterned shirts and loosely fitting dress pants. Neither you nor your Alpha liked that. The next one had some nice boots in his size. They were a fancier version of combat boots. Finally, you found a simple black button-down shirt and slim tapered dress pants for him. You made him try it on before leaving the store.

 My god...You had to keep yourself from drooling. The pants hugged his waist perfectly, and the shirt was just tight enough for you to see some muscle peeking through. König smirked at your reaction. 

“You think this will look good with my sniper hood?” he asked. 

“What?! You're gonna wear your hood and cover-up that gorgeous face? No way.”

“I don't show my face to anyone on base, Schatz.” 

“Hmm, well you look good in anything so... I guess.” You pouted.

König got dressed and paid for his clothes. Nearby there were a few boutiques with dresses. You wanted something nice, but not too fancy. You didn't want to overdress. König was patient with you as you browsed a bunch of stores. Eventually, you found something you liked. It was a midi deep purple knit dress. It had elegant sleeves and looked like it could be dressed up or down. Perfect for a cold night. König sat on the bench of the fitting room as you tried it on. You came out and twirled giving him a full view of the dress. 

“So?” You asked.

“Beautiful.” He motioned for you to come closer. When you did he placed a hand on your hip gingerly. 

“I can think of many things I could do to you in this dress.” He said quietly. 

“König!” You gave him a light slap on the arm and went back into the changing room embarrassed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day you started prepping for your hair appointment. You had to wash your hair but the stylist said she could blow-dry it for you. You spent about an hour washing your hair and another detangling it. König kept you company on the couch as you combed and sectioned it out. You sighed and slumped on the couch once you were done. Your arms were a little sore but you were glad you were done. You put your bonnet on to keep your hair neat and moisturized. You made sure you had your tip ready and a book to read while you got your hair done. König stood at the door watching you pace around the apartment gathering your things. 

The drive to the salon was quick and smooth. König gave you a kiss on the cheek before you exited the car. You opened the door to the building, and the smell of hair spray wafted into your nose. A tall woman greeted you as you walked in. Her hair was braided back into neat rows and her dark cheeks had a warm glow to them. 

“Are you my twelve pm?” She asked with a smile.

“Yes, I am, nice to meet you.” 

She guided you into a salon chair and got started. Her hands were quick, skilled, and gentle as she worked her way through your head of hair. In about two hours she finished. You admired your new do in the mirror and thanked your stylist profusely. König waited at a café down the street. You spotted him sitting peacefully at one of the outdoor tables, away from most other patrons. As you got closer he glanced up to meet and look at you. His eyes widened, taking in your new look. Although he had his mask on you could tell he was smiling under it. He stood up to greet you. 

“You look beautiful, Liebe.” He leaned down to kiss your forehead careful to avoid touching your freshly done hair. You giggled bashfully and returned his kiss on his cheek. 

The next few days went by quickly. You did some extra work and scheduled an editor meeting before the weekend. When Saturday rolled around, you were anxious. You wanted to make a good impression with your Alpha's coworkers. How do you act around military personnel? Your father never brought you around any of his military friends. As you got ready you just tried to keep an open mind and stay confident in yourself. Also, you will get to see Soap again. You slipped on your dress and spritzed a light mist of perfume.

You walked out of your room while looking through your purse to make sure you had all of your essentials. König was sitting on the couch but stood when he saw you. He was dressed and ready, looking over your form affectionately. You zipped around the dining room and kitchen making sure you had everything in order. König walked over to you, stopping you in your path. He slinked his hand around your waist pulling you out of your thoughts. He pulled you into his chest gently. 

“Relax, Schatz.” He purred. You looked up at him and gave him a nervous smile. 

“I think I left my wallet in my room. Do I need it? Should I bring a gift?” You rambled. 

König pulled your wallet out from his back pocket and handed it to you. He shook his head and gave you a small smile. His sniper hood was hanging haphazardly over a dining room chair. He led you towards the door swiftly grabbing it and opening the door. You followed him out reluctantly. 

The drive to the base was uneventful aside from your occasional worrying that was quelled by your alpha quickly. You can't help but feel more on edge than you usually would, but you can't put a finger on why. König pulled up to the massive, barbed wire-lined fence. A man in full military gear and a large gun strolled up to the window. You hadn't noticed that König out his hood in a while back. He rolled the window down and quickly flashed his ID to the soldier. The man nodded and waved his hand in the air. The gate slid open almost painfully slowly. König placed a hand on your thigh as he drove slowly through the base. It helped calm you for the time being. 

There was a large building with a few dozen cars parked outside. König Parked the SUV rather haphazardly a good distance away from the entrance. When you opened the door you heard faint music coming from the building and lots of voices and laughter. Your alpha lapped the car and met you on the passenger side. You started to walk towards the door but he stopped you.

“What is the matter, Schatz?” His eyes softly gazed down at you. 

“Nothing is wrong, I'm fine.” You said quickly.

“If you are uncomfortable, we can go.” He gently caressed your cheek., his scent enveloping your senses. 

“I'm ok, I'm just a little nervous.” Deep down you knew something was off, but you were confident you could get through this night. 

“Shcatz, You forgot your collar.” König said nonchalantly.

You gasped and your hand flew up to your neck covering your exposed scent glands. 

“Oh no! Why didn't you tell me? Now I'm gonna stink up a storm in there.” You turned around embarrassed and even more on edge. 

Your Alpha said nothing, he simply opened the back door of the car and pulled out a small black bag before closing the door. He spun you around by the waist to face him waving the bag in front of you. You glanced at him unsure before taking the bag. König gave you a small nod waiting for you to open it. Inside was a large square jewelry box. When you opened it it held the most beautiful gold metal collar. The one you looked at from the boutique a while ago. 

“König....” You truly didn't know what to say. Tears pricked your eyes but you quickly wiped them away and replaced them with a smile. 

“Thank you, Alpha.” You said while wrapping your arms around his middle. 

He held you close and kissed the top of your head through his hood gently. He pulled away and took the collar out of its box. He clasped it around your neck locking it with the provided key. It fit perfectly, you could barely tell it was there. König held the small key out for you to take but you shook your head. 

“Keep it safe for me Alpha.” You said giving him a warm smile. 

Although you couldn't see his face, you could tell he was happy you trusted him with the key. König held out his elbow for you to hold and led you towards the event. You were still nervous but you brushed it off, you had someone there to protect you. The large hall was buzzing with conversation. Most people were sitting around in large groups having conversations and others were at the bar. There were string lights hung all around the ceiling giving the place a relaxing atmosphere. König led you to the bar eager to get a drink. Parties are not you or your Alpha's natural element.

He ordered a beer for himself and a gin and tonic for you. As you waited you glanced around taking in the different people. You were probably one of the very few omegas. You could tell who was military and who wasn't very easily. Some were still in uniform, others wore masks or dog tags. Some soldiers brought a plus one but it was a minority. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a figure approaching. You turned to see a familiar mohawk. 

“Hey! There they are!” Soap exclaimed pulling you into a bone-crushing hug. You could smell the alcohol on him. 

“Hey, soap.” You eked out while being squeezed. 

Soap turned to König and gave the large Apex a hug as well. König grunted, a little uncomfortable with the contact but patted his back affectionately. 

“We've been waiting for you two to get here, everyone wants to meet the Colonel's Mrs.” His Scottish accent was thick and slightly slurred. 

The bartender set your drinks down and you quickly scooped yours up and took a sip. Soap led both of you away toward a group of men. You lingered behind König slightly allowing him to greet the group first. Soap announced your name loudly sparing König of the burden. You waved shyly giving everyone a small smile. Everyone greeted you and your Alpha before returning to the conversation they were having. You were grateful the attention on you didn't last as you could sip your cocktail and listen to the drunken ramblings of the soldiers. 

As the night dragged on, you met various people. You chatted with Ghost a bit and met Captain Price, as well as Gaz. Though the drunker people go the more rowdy things become. You sat on a chair near the group, only on your second drink. Your Alpha was loosening up after four. Soap suggested they go out to the field and play football, challenging Ghost to a team match. The whole group along with some others from the party joined them outside. König glanced over at you. 

“Will you be ok if I join them?” He asked gingerly.

“Of course, go have fun.” You gave him a reassuring smile. 

You watched him follow his coworkers out of the door into the frigid night. You decided to hang out at the bar as your drink was almost done. Although the night has been fine so far there was still something nagging in the back of your head. You plopped down on one of the bar stools and ordered another drink. Good thing this event had an open bar. You scrolled on your phone for a while not noticing how fast an hour has passed. An Alpha sat on the bar stool next to yours sighing loudly. You didn't bother acknowledging him as many people have sat there in the time that has passed. 

“It's a nice night huh? Not too cold.” The guy said in a European accent you can't place. 

You looked up from your phone. “Oh, are you talking to me?” 

“Yeah, I am. So uh, are you a new recruit or?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Oh no, I'm just a visitor.” You glanced back at your phone hoping he would leave you alone. 

“I've never seen an omega like you.” 

“An omega like me?” You looked at him puzzled.

“Yeah, you're so exotic. I thought omegas like you have to stay in your own countries.” He said while taking a sip of his drink. 

“Well, that's rude and extremely ignorant.” You scowled at him.

“Come on, it's a compliment. I mean I knew your kind your be spicy but damn.” He chuckled. 

You took that as your cue to leave. And you stood up from the bar your felt a tug on the crown of your head. 

“I mean, is this even your real hair?” He rubbed the hair he grabbed in between his fingers. 

You ripped away from his grip. “What is wrong with you?! Don't touch me!” You yelled. Everyone at the bar turned to look in your direction. 

“Relax, I'm just joking around.” The Alpha said trying to diffuse the situation. 

“You don't touch a random person's hair, who raised you?!” 

You felt a hand rest on your shoulder gently from behind. The Alpha you were confronting turned pale. 

“Schatz? What did he do?” Your Alpha asked lowly.

 You turned to face König anger still written all over your face. As angry as you were, you wanted this to be a teaching moment for this young Alpha. You turned back to the Alpha who was standing up now sweat forming on his face. 

“Nothing Alpha, this guy just needs to watch where he's going, right?” You eyed him carefully. 

“Yes! Yes, I'm very sorry miss.” He looked down at your feet. 

You looked up at König who seemed unconvinced. He was staring daggers into the young Alpha. You saw König take a deep breath closing his eyes while doing so. When he opened them he looked down at you.

“Time to go, it's a long drive home.” He placed a hand on the small of your back and led you out.

 Some people glanced in your direction as you left. You couldn't help but feel embarrassed. You hurried to the car in an effort to get out of the cold. König opened your door for you and helped you slide into the passenger seat. 

“I forgot something inside, I'll be right back.” He said quickly shutting the door and storming back inside the building. 

You couldn't tell if he was about to torture that soldier or not. But you did what you could, if he gets in trouble it's his own fault. König came back out no more than two minutes later. As he started the car, you got cozy relishing in the heated air. 

“What did you forget?” You ask him.

“I had a project for Ghost, I had to tell him about it.”

“Hmm.” You responded, not buying it completely. 

As your Alpha drove, the gentle rocking of the car lulled you to sleep.

As your Alpha drove, the gentle rocking of the car lulled you to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

König shook you awake gently. “We're home.”

You stirred and sat up stretching gently. You felt warm, a little too warm. Did you drink that much? You followed König into the apartment and kicked off your shoes at the door. That's when the cramp hit you. It was so painful it made you dizzy causing you to stumble. König caught you by the arm and ushered you to the couch.

“Schatz? You're burning up.” He laid you down and hurried to the kitchen.

You felt the sweat forming on your brow. Your heat had come early. You whined into the couch cushions trying to breathe through the dull achy pain. König brought some water and sat you up to drink.

“Why didn't you tell me your heat was coming?” he said concerned.

“Early...it came early.”

taglist: i hope i got everyone

@that-fangirl-1106 @itsryuken

@midwesternwitchery @hiken-no-stark  @rouge-swears

@gxdsmonsters @the-chaotic-cow @a-gay-cryptid @smutslutsposts @wybwtjmiadz

@somanyminidragons 

@tizylish @thychuvaluswife

@luvamps @ghostslittlegf @justkillme2005

@fishballgr3mlin @mitrr  @simpytheshrimpy69 @maladaptivedaydreamingbum @sweet-can-of-beer @immajustlikeok @dinonacho

@undeadgod  @multy-fandom-lover @cloudyyjanee  @bobafett-tea @mxkaylaj @evilcherries

@warrior-of-justice

@banshee-darling @beebeechaos @lolitsthings @backgroundgirl887 @jayhoneybeecomb @flooftoof @virginalsacrifice @magicleopard69 @johfaam @warrior-of-justice @jesses-wonderland

@zalyluvvs @backgroundgirl887 @beebeechaos @bitchoftoji @urfavsunkissedleo @emmbny @capricorn-anon @sigthechild @justkillme2005 @ghostslittlegf @fieldsofbats @magicleopard69 @cassiecasluciluce @kenz-ee @mysticfire0435 @floralarcher

[yawnderu]

Bimbo-reader, in my mind, is a mix between Marilyn Monroe and Fran Fine. (For me, Personally)

She makes Simon hold her hair while she teases it. No matter how many times he watches, he still has *no* idea how she get’s her hair that… big… and he knows to hold his breath when she sprays her hairspray…

They’re going to a dressy military ball thing- Price, Soap, Gas and Ghost are all waiting for her. “How do I look!?” “You look fine, let’s go! We’re going to be late.” “Fine? I’m changing! I need gorgeous.” All three men groan as she runs back into her room to change while Ghost wants to kill them.

“Haven’t you bothered me enough, you big banana head!” Because she doesn’t swear, and Ghost is too busy trying not to laugh to even register she’s huffy with him.

Bimbo-Reader is cute, thanks for giving me some inspiration for some ideas!

I can assure u this girl absolutely adores Fran Fine JEFBHJEFJHBFEJHB

Probably one of the reasons she has loved really feminine and pretty styles since she was younger, even if her style now is skimpier and pink.

Getting ready with our lovely girl is absolutely nightmare fuel for any man except Simon, he loves seeing how much effort she puts into getting dolled up, and likes it when she includes him in the process<33

The lads secretly look forward to see whatever new thing she's gonna do with her hair, makeup, and outfits hbefjhjefb

Bimbo!Reader Masterlist

[billskeis]

hiii! i really love your writings and im excited to see the new ones!

i was wondering if you could do a tom kaulitz fluff?

also no rush, i saw the new post so take your time!💜

ᡣ𐭩 shopping w tom

you and tom were out shopping at the mall, stepping into one of the stores, you look around to all the unfamiliar fabrics around you.

everything was so, tight-fitting.

you and tom had been dating for a while, and it has been going so well. you love him so much. however, for the time you have been dating tom, one of your biggest concerns as of now is that not once have you really wore anything feminine around him.

not that he cared.

tom was selfish, and very selfish in the fact that he wouldn’t want anybody else seeing the body you hid under the oversized clothes you wore everyday. in comparison to all the other girls tom has dated, they wore clothes that hugged their body snug, curves out on display 24/7.

not to say that you weren’t confident in your body, you very much were. you just found comfort in wearing clothes that didn’t have to suffocate you, comfort over anything. there were countless times you have been mistaken for a boy wearing clothes as such.

but for tom, he was the only person who could see your perfect body.

he was the only person who could relish in the true beauty you hid under all the layers of bagginess. he also adored how similar your styles were and that matching with each other was so easy, always buying two of the same shirts or sweaters for one another. he loved it a lot.

“what’s the matter?,” tom stands beside you as you hold the small, black body-con in your hands, the straps dangling off your fingers. “i don’t know if i like this, if we’re going out for dinner i want to be able to eat quite a lot. but this dress is soo gorgeous..”

he laughs at you and squishes your cheek between his thumb and index finger, you try to swat away his hand but he’s already dodging you.

“you are quite the eater,” he chuckles as you jokingly elbow the side of his body, smiling. “but whatever makes you most happy and comfortable, i will always love you and what you wear regardless.”

this man has you in a chokehold.

his way of words was so clever, whatever he said and did was always able to make your knees weak, you tilt your head at tom, staring, “i do want to be able to dress up for once..” biting your lip, tom’s eyes widen as he looks at you, the dress, and then quickly looks away. “mm, but baby you know how i feel about men.. they have no shame.”

“they can’t help but gawk their eyes at you even when you’re mine.”

he’s recalling the night were you were both out on a date, coming out the theatre from the movies. it wasn’t even anything dressy you were wearing but instead of a baggy t-shirt like you’d normally wear it was a crop top that showed off your midriff.

let’s just say it didn’t end well for that stranger, tom made it very clear who you were to him.

you pout, you weren’t upset at tom’s possessiveness, if anything it was quite hot. but you wanted to doll yourself up for your man. after all, he really deserves it for being the best boyfriend ever. “aw, but i really wanted to wear this tonight, it IS more for you than it is for me.” you smile innocently at tom who swallows hard, a little speechless at your words because you usually praise how you hate clothes like this.

what’s changed?

he imagines you in the dress, staring at your reflection in the full body-length mirror as you adjust the dress by the spaghetti straps. the dress sits right above your upper thighs, the whole thing showing off your cinched waist and chest. black was also such a sexy color, and it made tom go insane.

you definitely looked good.

as you fix your lip gloss, you bend your body a little closer to the mirror to see better, dress rising up a bit to reveal a bit of your butt.

snapping out of his imagination, tom stands behind you, snaking both his arms around your waist under your shirt, his arms warm. you feel yourself feeling a little hot and panic a bit as you’re in public. trying to escape the grip from him but to not cause a scene in the shop as you almost drop the dress on the floor doing so. he laughs at your attempts to get him off you and kisses your cheek quickly.

you grin at him, what is he doing? tom finally loosens his grip on you as he snatches the dress you were once holding and runs towards the cash, “hey—! what changed your mind?” you ask following behind him as you have a hold on his sweater like a pet-owner trying to control their dog. he stops in his tracks to look at you while the cashier rings up the dress.

tom brings both of his hands to each side of your waist, caressing it a bit while you simply just allow him. his touch is so familiar and comforting you cannot help but not stop him. did the both of you forget that you were in public? “hello? tom? you didn’t answer my question,” crossing your arms as he stops the movement of his hands now just staring at you and smiling brightly.

“wear that dress tonight, i can fight.”

[benjineedssleep]

even more stardew valley headcanons (the list goes on in endless fervor)

when will the headcanons end? never! when these characters are all you think about, you kinda don't run outta fuel XD

ALSO-- lots of sam today but we do have some special friends here. special friends as in alex and leah and harvey :3 almost forgot... pt 1 // pt 2

whimsigoth abby, grunge/midwest emo sam, scenemo sebastian. i rest my case. sebastian's style varies the most out of the trio. he can go from merely jeans and a hoodie, to a million accessories, to a more dressy outfit with loose button ups and slacks. the latter only when he's feeling Extra Pretty though. (tbh he's always pretty to me. he's a pretty boy...) abby, on the other hand, really loves the style, but is more often than not dressed down because of her general messy/down to earth nature. her true style is pretty much saved for special events and gatherings and even then she can still get down and out (further tearing her stockings, mesh shirts, and any lace she has on). sam's the chillest and most consistent of the bunch with a copy-paste kinda style. he can just go in his closet and pull something out and it'll (probably) match whatever he pulls out next. makes it real easy on his already frazzled brain.

sam's extremely confident when he likes someone until his actions can no longer be passed off as platonic or you know how he feels. at that point, all of the confidence leaves his body. he starts rambling, can't get his thoughts out, and will probably stare blankly (super flustered at that) if you flirt back. it always takes him a second to register that hey, they feel the same but once he does, he's back on his bullshit. he's too big of a touchy feely fool and lover boy to let his nerves get to him all of the time.

haley is a secret rock/metal enjoyer. she loves the girly pop music everyone thinks she's into (charli xcx, chappell roan, etc.) but she's also very much into heavier genres. when she's not yelling out her window for sam to stop blasting music or practicing so loud, she's getting ready for the day secretly enjoying what he plays. her favorite days are when sebastian's over and gets to choose the music.

branching off of that, haley and sebastian are definitely concert buddies. one day he mentions he has plans to see one of his favorite local post-hardcore/metalcore bands and haley is like "SEBASTIAN, BABE, CAN I COME WITH???" and sebastian gets absolute whiplash. after much begging, he let's her tag along and is baffled at how much control she has in platforms in the pit. she genuinely invokes the fear of yoba into 6ft men and has created safe spaces for other girls to mosh due to her immense aura LOL

leah introduces alex to tofu for the first time when she makes a dish for one of the festivals/feasts and he's intrigued by it. she explains to him all the finer details (alex latching onto the high protein part) and even gives him a few recipes to try. while he does make and enjoy the recipes leah shared with him, he often elects to eat the stuff straight from the package. he'll only eat it with a sauce after evelyn catches him inhaling it plain and is horrified.

alex and sam would totally be friends, i don't make the rules. i bet they bond over shitty jokes and showing off all their battle scars from sports and being irresponsible (e.g. having zero coordination and falling off curbs, logs, etc.) as kids. sam takes the cake for battle scars and anytime alex finds a new one he tacks it onto a terribly kept mental list like it's a competition. and speaking of competitions, everything is a competition between those two. some of them even end up leading to new battle scars--

robin has a bit of a temper (canon, i know, keep reading) and one of the ways you can tell sebastian and maru are her kids is by their tempers. maru's the least easily triggered, but only because she can tolerate a lot. once the threshold is crossed, though, she can and will snap. robin's the middle ground, often passive aggressive instead of outright mean or aggressive. sebastian's obviously at the very top. he has next to no patience for bullshit but, as touched on in a previous post (linked up top), his lack of control over his own emotions blows a whole lot of minor shit out of proportion.

speaking of maru, i don't think she swears! she's very particular with her word choice and, honestly, the shit she says can sting a lot more than name calling. with her more pacifistic outlook on life, when she does say mean things, it's purposeful and the truth. unless she's joking around. but that's also scary. she only comes out of her shell a bit with playfully mean humor when her and sebastian start getting along better. "i hate you" and "you suck" and annoyed grumbling becomes a whole ass part of her personality because of him XD

not sure if i've mentioned this but sebastian 100% curses around robin. usually it's when he's frustrated, so she doesn't mind, but she won't tolerate it if the energy is directed at any given person (or living thing in general). he does avoid cursing around demetrius but only 'heavy' stuff like fuck or shit. hecks, hells, and damns are almost always okay. sebastian's a dick though and will sometimes substitute a random thing that sounds a lot like a 'heavy' swear just to watch demetrius get tense. "what the frog" is a fan favorite and makes both robin and maru laugh.

neither sam nor abby curse in front of either of their parents. caroline and pierre already think abby's a bit too... different so she tries to uphold whatever remaining 'good girl' standard she can. sometimes it slips but they tend to forget about it in a week. sam, on the other hand, finds it insanely amusing how his mother reacts to vincent trying to swear (see previous post) and will sometimes egg him on, but won't swear himself. he feels immense shame when he accidentally swears around jodi specifically but around any 'adult' in his life too.

i have no idea how i haven't mentioned this yet but sam is totally the type to do his own piercings. it's a random skill he has and he'll do them for other people if they want. he's only okay with certain stuff though and will say no to seemingly simple stuff if he feels any kind of way about doing it. (the rest of this point is totally a headcanon explicitly from my fic and its timeline so ignore it if you want.) i feel like maybe he learned the skill from the older sibling of a friend back in zuzu city. like he just hung around them in their shop enough and asked a ton of questions and learned about anatomy and stuff. it was probably a hyperfixation for a little while and he just hasn't forgotten anything.

on the topic of sam and body mods i feel like he'd have a couple of random stick and pokes. he treats them like stickers on his instruments and doesn't take them seriously at all. i bet he proposed an ass trio stick and poke where each of them tattooed a different symbol on each other's body. not sure what it would be but something everyone does super differently like stars or hearts. it was a silly thing at first but they definitely get them touched up at a later point so they don't fade =( /pos

okay so i'm a firm believer in the ass trio + haley + alex (+ farmer, sometimes) friend group too. usually only when paired off as ships but even so they'd probably join the tattoo line up too if they're close enough. i do feel like ass trio would get a little weird about it since it would be so many years after their original tattoos and instead suffice for everyone having the same kinda thing. and it would be super dumb like a spoon or a shopping cart or something. so yeah, ass trio stick and pokes and then a separate big group matching tattoo hehe

sam is a trinket kinda guy. he likes those stupid little sticker and plastic jewelry machines at supermarkets, gashapon, claw machines, and spending $100 in an arcade for a $5 plushie. and while he'll sometimes keep his little prizes, i like to think he gets them for other people to show them he's always thinking about them/loves them. like a crow!

i feel like harvey is similar to sam with that, in a sense. but instead of being a trinket guy, he likes souvenirs. he's the kind of guy to get one specific thing from every place he goes. i have a family member that does this with hot sauce (don't ask lol) but i think harvey would be a mug kind of guy. he also does it with tiny toy planes if he can ever find them, but that's obviously not as common as a mug. omg first harvey headcanon on the list(s)? i'm diversifying? omg!

emily is a keychain girlie. i do not make the rules. this girl sees a cute keychain and she's snatching it up. even better if it's from a small business. she has so many that she ends up rotating the keychains on her lanyard (yes, she has a lanyard) to match whatever she's wearing. she's the kind of person that, if an art teacher/fashion professor, would jingle in the hallways. you can hear emily a mile away because of those keychains just like you can hear haley because of her heels and winter soldier ass stride.

good lord i have... so so SO much more but this is like... too damn long. i think the longest one too. i'll continue at a later point. and hopefully stray a little further away from ass trio next time too. i do love the other npcs, i swear. i just have brain rot DFISHADFLH

[desifemininewoman]

College fits: the desi version

Kurtis

Starting of with the very basic indo-western outfit: Kurtis. Now, you can wear knee length or short-length kurtis, whatever your prefer.

First of all, please, for the love of god, don't go for those cheap chikankari kurtis or those 'kashmiri embroidered' kurtis. It's disrespecting to the real chikankari and kashmiri embroidered work and secondly, its tacky atp.

Go for normal, printed or plain kurtis. I would say thin straps, or cut-sleeves kurtis cause they feel more girlish and more appropriate for college. If you are insecure about your arms then you can go quarter length and full length too. You can buy good and cheap ones from zudio or myntra.

You can pair your kurtis with shorts, jeans or skirts. Your jeans could be linen, wide -legged, cargos, etc. Avoid skinny jeans or ripped jeans.

Personally, I love to wear short kurtis with baggy cargos. I wear boots cause I love that edgy aesthetic. It's OP for me. I live for that fit.

Skirts

Now, if you want to wear those long flowy skirts, you can just pair them with any normal top of your choice. Additonally, you can wear a duppatta as a scarf and go for the whole Ananya from 2 states look.

You can also wear those really big shararas that almost look like skirts. But daily wear dividers/ shararas are a bit hard to find. You would have to get them stitched only.

Nowadays, a lot of of other sort of traditional skirts are also coming. Wrap around skirts, pencil skirts, short skirts, etc. You can find them easily online. Again, pair them with your normal tops.

If you don't like those traditional skirts/ ghagras you can also opt for those trending maxi skirts. Pair them with jhumkas, duppatta and a boho tote bag and you are good to go!

Shirts

Okayyy so printed shirts are my favorite.

You can just wear the shirts with the bottom of your choice. Even with skirts. You saw Katrina Kaif in Fitoor. Take inspiration.

If skirts aren't your thing,I would personally suggest linen pants. Looks amazing.

The other option is ofcourse wearing your shirts as shrugs over your outfits. Avoid buying those full length shrugs and wearing them over jeans and top. It doesn't look elegant.

Random

Pathani kurtas on women>> Yes, I mean those short linen material kurtas that men wear. Feels androgynous and I love them alot.

If you have some pretty duppattas and scarfs, you can wear them as tops.

You can also wear those patiala pants like geet from jab we met. They are really comfortable and I feel not as normalized in your indo-western style too. So you can have your own unique style by experimenting with them. You can buy the plain color patiala pants and pair it with cute fitted strappy tops. Complete the look with punjabi jootis.

You can also just wear duppattas over your normal western outfits too. Maybe or maybe not add jhumkas according to the outfit. Add a totebag and voila! the simplest indo-western outfit out there.

Vests! I live for vests. Vests add color to my outfit in the simplest way possible. it's chic, it's elegant and ots perfect for when you have interviews or jury if you wear them the right way.

There are endless possibilites with the indo-western look. It's all upto you- how much you want to experiment. Some of my friends in Nift even wear sarees in indo-western look and go to college wearing that. So, ultimately it's all upto you.

Accessories

I feel like accessories totally determine your look. If you want it to be more party wear types or minimalist- it all depends on the accessories. They totally carry your look.

For the normal days, you can add on chudiyas. Can go for siilver ones, but if you want it to be a bit more dressy, you can buy matching chudiyas.

Accessories matching your outfit>>>> Even if you are wearing silver jwellery, try to match the rest of the things with your outfit. Rubberbands, hair clip, bangles, your shoes, your bag, etc.

Wear jootis when you go indo-western.

I feel like the key for accessories is to not overdo it. Keep it simple. The best part about our desi style is we have a lot of ways to dress up- bindis to payals. For your college fits, you can just go for bindis matching your outfit or the black one, jhumkas and bangles. finish it with a totebag.

When your shoes are visible with an outfit, you can do this. I like to wear boots alot. So, whenever I wear dresses and my boots are visible, I wear payals over them. It looks really cool. 10/10

if you are really into the aesthetic and want to play around, you can also try wearing scarfs as hairbands, silver necklaces as headbands, use earrings as hair ties.

To feel like a desi coquette, you can wear those bowtie hair clips matching the color of your kurta

pictures from pinterest

[tanuki-kimono]

First of all- thank you for your work with this blog. I really enjoy the information you share, and the kimono designs are wonderful. I have a question- I know you've talked about how 'men don't/didn't wear Bright Colorful Designs' is more complicated then people assume! (Which makes sense- saying 'in X period men Never Wore Colors' isn't true about, say, the Victorian era either!).

But to get to my point- I happened to be reading a very old collection of mysteries called "The curious casebook of Inspector Hanshichi". In them, a young Hanshichi is described as wearing a very bright red and yellow striped kimono that made him 'look like a merchant'. At the time I assumed this implied he was dressing a little flashily- I'm curious if I was right about that!

You most welcome :D

And the parallel you draw with Western men fashion is pretty accurate: we tend to think menswear was always pretty dull (arf modern business suits) when in fact this tendency is quite recent!

As to your question about fashionable Inspector Hanshichi (for those who don't know: hero of early 20thc detective novels with "supernatural" elements written by Kido Okamoto), I think you are right. The "look like a merchant" is probably a mix of:

He's dressing below/above is condition. I don't remember Hanshichi exact social status (is he a yoriki? a doushin?), but samurai class were supposed to dress differently from merchants for ex.

He dressing flashy - "nouveau rich" style. Merchant class was at the bottom of social order BUT hold in fact all financial power in Edo period. Some merchants tried to emulate samurai dress (=conservative), while others didn't hesitate to show their wealth and dictate new fashions.

He is dressy flashy - dandy style. Hanshichi is a wakamono (young) and probably fashionable man, following whatever trend he likes - a late Edo heritage of early Edo kabukimono (flashy young samurai)

[amphibious-thing]

If you don't mind answering, what exactly makes something macaroni?

A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1785) defines macaroni as follows:

An Italian paste made of flour and eggs; also a fop, which name arose from a club, called the maccaroni club, instituted by some of the most; dressy travelled gentlemen about town, who led the fashions, whence a man foppishly dressed, was supposed a member of that club, and by contraction stiled a maccaroni.

To put it simply a macaroni was a fop. That is a man who is too interested in fashion. Because interest in fashion was considered a frivolous female trait men who were "foppishly dressed" were often ridiculed for their gender nonconformity. The Natural History of a Macaroni describes the macaroni as follows:

There has within these few years past arrived from France and Italy a very strange animal, of the doubtful gender, in shape somewhat between a man and monkey, which has generated so much within that time, that they form at present no inconsiderable groupe in most of the public circles about town. Its natural height is somewhat inferior to the ordinary size of men, though by the artificial height of their heels, they in general reach that standard; the face is quite effeminate, but sometimes distinguished by a little hair growing on it like a beard; the fore legs, or arms, are disproportionably long, the hind legs of a slender make. Its dress is neither in the habit of a man or woman, but peculiar to itself, and varying with the day; at present it is principally discovered by an Indian flesh-coloured cloth, or silk, clasped all over with broad shining steel, and buttoned at the neck with a large black collar;

~ Walker’s Hibernian Magazine, July 1777, p458

The term macaroni really just means effeminate if someone or something was perceived as effeminate it was macaroni.

However as the term was predominantly used in the 1770s and 1780s it's associated with the fashion from those decades. So while there isn't strict rules dictating what is and isn't macaroni there are certainly some key aspects to the fashion that come up a lot in satire.

The Hair Probably the most iconic aspect of macaroni fashion was the height of the hair. This was mocked in the satirical print What is this my son Tom. However in reality the hair was not worn that tall. Compare the caricature to Richard Cosway's self-portrait in which he is depicted wearing the fashionable style.

[Left: What is this my son Tom, print, c.1774, published by Sayer & Bennett, via The British Museum.

Right: Self-Portrait, Ivory, c.1770–75, by Richard Cosway, via The Met.]

The Suit Menswear of the period consisted of the same basic elements; shirt, stockings, breeches, waistcoat and coat. At a time when English menswear was characterised by plain monochrome broadcloth macaroni fashion was disguised by the fabric, cut, colour and trimmings of the suit. Fashionable were the tightly cut French style suits known as habit à la française. Popular were brocaded and embroidered silks and velvets, sometimes further embellished with metallic sequins, simulated gemstones and raised metallic threads. In contrast to the black suit worn by many Englishmen, macaroni wore pastels, pea-green, pink, purple, red and deep orange.

[Left: The Illiterate Macaroni, print, c.1772, by Matthew Darly, via Lewis Walpole Library.

Middle: The Sleepy Macaroni, print, c.1772, by Matthew Darly, via Lewis Walpole Library.

Right: The Catgut Macaroni, print, c.1772, by Matthew Darly, via Lewis Walpole Library.]

The Accessories But a macaroni's ensemble was not done without accessories. Some examples of popular accessories include red heeled shoes, shoe strings, dress swords, canes, nosegays and muffs.

[Such Things Are, watercolour, c.1787, by Captain Mercer, via Lewis Walpole Library.]

If you want to learn more about macaroni I highly recommend reading Pretty Gentleman by Peter McNeil.

[skitskatdacat63]

Fernando's waist in that last post oh my god, I don't think I can mentally recover from it oh my god

[delurkr]

Anne and James and sibling OCs in 1948

1948 being the year Anne and James married. Penelope is Anne's sister, and everybody else is James's family.

Cropped sections are further down. There's some connections from @108garys 's Super Massive Family Tree that play into everything (here's their portrait of older Penelope), and I'll leave it to them if they want to refresh everybody on the details. (Edit: 108garys gave lore in the notes). Some of the OCs have more lore than others, but I'm not getting into it here or doing deep dives about personalities and all that, so I just stuck together very non-deep little likes/dislikes/favorite activities lists for everyone. But first some notes on the art:

I went for a balance between dressy and casual, so most of these wouldn't be everyday outfits but none of them are formal either.

Nobody has naturally curly hair. Shirley has a perm, and Anne and Penelope use only curlers. (Unlike the other two, Penelope doesn't curl it every day).

If Anne's dress looks piecemeal that's because it is. Around 1948 was when women's fashion was transitioning from shorter wartime styles (minimum fabric) to longer hemlines, but ofc most women didn't just toss out all their old clothes, so the new things they bought were in the new style, while they also continued wearing what they had and sometimes altered their shorter things in various ways. The white border on Anne's dress is a recent addition, and so is the embroidered pocket because big pockets were also fashionable and it was intended to make the border look more like it belongs.

Shirley uses a brace, a built up shoe, and sometimes a cane due to effects from having polio when she was very young.

Bob has been in the U.S. Army for four or so years and he's currently a corporal. If part of his uniform is inaccurate then oh well because there were some details I just wasn't finding clear answers on (do point it out if you know something that's wrong tho). Also that's his hat he's holding in case it's hard to tell.

Ok now for the other stuff:

Anne, age 17 -

Likes: Dancing; recycling; Frank Sinatra music (don't spread it around); telephone party lines; the scratchy sound of crossing things off her to-do list.

Dislikes: Noisy children; poetry; men's cologne; bleached blonde hair; house pets; wrinkled clothes; rain on her hairdo; complainers; people with bad posture; anonymous love letters; being late; people who are late; unraked leaves; these peasants (most of the boys at school); being told she's too opinionated.

Favorite activities: Growing plants, mostly flowers; taking the mick out of James ❤

Penelope, age 8 -

Likes: Bicycling; puppies; reading, mostly fairytales; sticky sweets; movie stars.

Dislikes: Mud; talking to strangers; not having had her first kiss yet; never getting the lowdown after Anne's dates.

Favorite activity: Eavesdropping on the phone party line with Anne.

Shirley, age 24 -

Likes: Card games; chickens; picnics; reading; red on just about anything.

Dislikes: Snow; frogs; Bob; the sound of her own voice.

Favorite activity: Canoe rides to read on the open water. Her preferred victims to accompany her are James (she'll use her oldest-sibling authority for as long as she can) and whoever she happens to be dating (is that a weird date? idk but she calls it a no-go with a guy if he can't handle the quiet time).

Bob (Robert), age 22 -

Likes: Arm candy; being outside; cheating at card games; beer; animals, especially wildlife; pulling practical jokes on April 2.

Dislikes: Peas; serious conversations.

Favorite activities: Hunting; chasing women. (These things are not connected).

James, age 19 -

Likes: Holidays; history; picking dumb arguments; playing hockey when the pond freezes over; reading; PDA with Anne ❤

Dislikes: Waiting; hand-me-down clothes; being called Jimbo; having glasses.

Favorite activity: Finding money on the ground.

Clarence, age 11 -

Likes: Pocket knives; pirates; model train sets and dollhouses type stuff.

Dislikes: Surprises; hugs; getting up early; "old" people; getting his picture taken (that one's partly a joke, because I accidentally drew him looking a little moody for no reason).

Favorite activity: Fixing appliances and things around the house (under supervision because "fixing" is a bit of an overstatement. He can take things apart but has yet to learn how to properly put them back together).

Kathy (Katherine), age 7 -

Likes: Parties; collecting things; Brothers Grimm-style fairytales; terrible creature horror B movies.

Dislikes: Bugs, especially bees; nightmares from the terrible creature horror B movies.

Favorite activity: Poking dead animals. Trips to the butcher and dead mice found in the attic are her lifeline for now until she starts doing dissections in school. She definitely doesn't store said mice under her bed in jars she stole from the kitchen.

~~

Cool so now that everyone is sufficiently grossed out I'll leave it here for now 😊 Stay tuned I guess because sooner or later I'm going to follow this up with the three youngest when they're older, around 1959 because that was a happening point in time for them. And lastly, 108garys is free to hate anything I wrote because we share the OCs but I consulted them on very little of this lol.

[so-i-did-this-thing]

Regarding silhouettes being key to recreating a certain decade's look and vibe: do you have any useful references for larger-bodied people? As a fat transmasc, I struggle to find my body type represented in historical fashion illustrations. Anything around the 1940's/50's/60's would be especially appreciated, as well as general-purpose advice for plus-size vintage aspirations. Thank you!

I don't have specific resources, but welcome folks to chime in. My two main observations, though:

1) Finding true vintage in your size may be tough, because larger garments tend to see the most wear and alterations over time. Read up on "survivorship bias" on why people think the past was only populated by skinny people, when it was nothing of the sort.

2) When sold as a set, men's suits have a 6" spread between chest and waist measurements. I rarely find a trans masc who fits a ready-made suit. So, when buying new vintage, shop for seperates.

That said, I did find this article about the evolution of Big & Tall men's sizing. It has a lot of vintage photos of fat men in casual and dressy attire, plus shopping recommendations. If you want more style examples, I'd suggest zeroing in on some of the fat celebs of the day and look for more photos.

(Quick warning - looks like this article has auto-generated ads, so you might see some weightloss garbage.)

If you are on Facebook, I regularly see large guys post in this vintage menswear group (as well as transmasc folks). People tend to just share their fits, but I'm sure there will be plenty of fat guys who can give you some good recommendations.

Hope that helps!

[harveyguilleniconodelamoda]

Whimsical Windbreaker

Sometimes when I post on this blog, it's just with basic information about an item of clothing, how it was styled, what I think of that styling, and where to find it (if it's still available). Sometimes I provide affordable alternatives in the same style for pricier items.

No matter how in-depth the post (or how not, as the case may be), I often find myself wondering at the reasons behind this item of clothing or that, how it was styled, and how it fits into Harvey's personal style ethos. Sometimes, I even draw conclusions about those things based on the information available. But oftentimes, these patterns emerge not via single items of clothing, but by observation over time. And in the meantime, I find myself making a lot of short, pithy posts that are at least 50% pretty pictures.

But sometimes, Harvey hits us with a piece so interesting and unique that it merits an essay all on its own. Such is the case for this gorgeous silk jacket, so strap in for a deep dive!

The Jacket

Harvey first (as far as I can find) wore this jacket in 2021 for a photoshoot with Cooper Sebastian in New York. Since then, he's worn it a few times at various events or outings with friends and family, most notably Gabriel Iglesia's sold-out show at Dodger Stadium in May 2022. It's an eye-catching piece that Harvey typically styles with an all black or dark blue base, preferring to let the jacket speak for itself.

This silk men's windbreaker from Gucci has a cream base color with a vibrant teal and black art print by Freya Hartas featuring flying squirrels, rabbits, and a border of dancing beetles. The jacket has a zip closure at the front with gold-tone hardware, welt pockets at the waist and interior, elasticized cuffs and hem, and a spread collar. It is fully lined and was originally part of a 3-part set that included a matching top and shorts (each sold separately, of course). The jacket originally retailed for $6,995, but can sometimes now be found online for resale for as little as $495 (or as much as $2,400) on sites such as TheRealReal and eBay, as can the other items in the set.

The Collection

This jacket was part of Gucci's 2020 "Ouverture of Something That Never Ended" collection and campaign, released as part of that year's Guccifest. The campaign included a 7-part miniseries directed by Gus Van Sant and featuring multiple celebrity cameos, with the goal being to present the collection in a pandemic-conscious format. (Source)

You can view a promo for it on Youtube.

The vibes of the campaign are sun-washed and nostalgic, evoking some ephemeral simpler time with everything from the 1975 Minnie Riperton hit "Lovin' You" playing throughout, to the shots of models in retro preppy fashions meeting at soda shops, driving in classic cars, and going to the drive-in for date night.

At the same time, however, the promo seems to want to depict a better past--or perhaps a better and simpler future?--with a racially diverse cast and much queering of gender presentation.

It's a nice thought--that the simple joys of life never ended, and that we might one day reach a point where we've truly progressed socially and politically, while also learning to unplug and enjoy that simplicity with our fellow humans. It's easy to see why these images of such togetherness, while not truly reflective of our present or past, would have been attractive in late 2020--a time when we were all being viscerally reminded of just how much we need other people.

The collection itself leans just as vintage and retro as the promo, incorporating elements from every decade from the 1950s to the 1990s--all those years we tend to think of with a rosy wash of "things were better then" (no matter how untrue that may be).

There is something studiously informal and both/and about the collection: its lookbook features images of models in outfits that evoke androgyny and gender play, but also a conversation between casual and dressy, luxury and thrift (or the appearance of thrift), quiet and busy. The collection overall leans heavily 70s, but with 50s prep school elements, and overtone of grunge, and the barest suggestion of the modern light academia aesthetic. The models as depicted are the embodiment of every quirky character in a classic John Hughes film, brought to life in photos that, regardless of subject or setting, all share that distinct desaturated sepia Polaroid cast.

Who is Freya Hartas?

Freya Hartas is an illustrator based in the UK who specializes in children's books. Her work features anthropomorphized animals, cuddly monsters, fairies, dragons, and the children who often stumble upon them. Her style is colorful, whimsical, and deeply nostalgic, reminiscent of the illustrated fairy tale books I loved as a child. At the same time, the subject matter she gravitates toward is very modern, featuring diverse characters and themes of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and empowerment. I genuinely could have stared at her illustrations for hours.

Her contribution to "Ouvertures" was a set of limited-edition items featuring her fantastical creature illustrations and the Gucci logo. This is part of Gucci's longer commitment to showcasing emerging artists in their fashion. While the items are no longer available, the illustrations are gorgeous and worth a look.

Harvey's Personal Style

One of the recurring themes in Harvey's personal style is his love of color and, for lack of a better term, whimsy. Bold or abstract prints and bright colors have been mainstays for Harvey since his early MTV days, and teal is one of the colors he revisits often--such as in his most recent Siriano collaboration for Pride Across America, this iconic photo from an interview with The Advocate in 2022, or even as far back as this Palm Springs road trip photoshoot with Chubstr from 2016.

Teal is such a vibrant color, rife with contradictions. In color theory, teal carries connotations of calm, tranquility, and healing. In animation, it often denotes electricity, magic, and power.

In fashion, it's a versatile statement color that transcends seasons and doesn't so much scream "look at me" as simply demand that you do by existing. It stands out even in an otherwise colorful crowd, naturally drawing the eye. Like red, it's the kind of color that can stand on its own, or as part of a glorious rainbow. It's such a Harvey color in that way, isn't it?

Harvey has also been open over the years in his admiration and support for visual artists, and has even partnered with independent artists to promote his projects and create merch on his website.

So it's no surprise that he would be drawn to an item like this jacket: unusual, colorful, a bit whimsical. Something youthful and fun, but also a serious collector's item for any lover of fashion.

And frankly, the kind of stylistic choice that makes me sit back and go "oh yeah...that's why I wanted to dedicate a whole blog to this one guy's personal style. That's exactly why."

Update: Freya Hartas is on tumblr! You can follow her and see more of her gorgeous illustrations at @freyahartas !