Dorkus Maximus. “But before you reach for the shorts, Izzy beseeches you to keep in mind this image of New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg, who is usually well-dressed.”

A Quick Guide to Wearing Sandals. “Two words—No Socks.”

Incorporate Gadgets Stylishly. “The ability to carry our music libraries, phones and calendars with us at all times leaves us with devices stuck on our ears, accessories clipped to our belts, and objects stuffed in our front pockets”

But What if You Get Hit by a Taxi? “Novelty underwear, for decades the butt of jokes and the joke of butts, has, in the last two to three years, turned into a serious business, capturing a significant share of the $1.1 billion men’s knit-underwear (that is, excluding boxers) market”

(more…)

32 Nerdiest Tattoos on the Planet. “They range from games like Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Mario Brothers & Halo through to movies like Star Wars” [via]

The 300 Workout. “Want Hollywood muscle? Try this 300-rep Spartan workout—used by the cast of the movie—for a full-body transformation”

NYC Fashion Blog: Athletic Wear. “Athletic wear is taking on a whole new swanky meaning this spring.”

Top 50 Pro Wrestling moves of All-time. “Since this year’s Wrestlemania featured one of the worst lineups in pro wrestling history we thought now would be the perfect time to remember some of wrestling’s finer points by coming up with our top 50 list of the most interesting moves in wrestling history.” [via]

Part 2 of our 3 part series on the designers you should know.

Gucci

Pronunciation: Goo- chi

Founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci, the Gucci brand has become synonomous with quality leather goods. However, it wasn’t until Tom Ford took over the design helm of the company, that Gucci started to make a name for itself in apparel as well. Gucci’s men’s clothing feature classic Italian tailoring with a bit of an urban vibe. You won’t find wild prints, crazy cuts, or pastel colors in this line.

Hermes

Pronunciation: Air-mez

Since 1837, the Parisian luxury goods company Hermes has made the most exclusive,

most coveted bags in the world. So high is a Hermes handbag, that they even

dissed Oprah (and found out that nobody is bigger than Oprah). On the men’s side, the fashion house is the epitome of classic French country style, with a pastel friendly color palette featuring bright oranges, baby blues, etc. The French company is also known for their exquisite silk ties and wallet.

Hugo Boss

Pronunciation: He-you-go Bo-s

German clothing brand Hugo Boss has been around for almost 70 years. During

WWII, the company designed and manufactured uniforms for the Army officials

and other governmental branches of Nazi Germany. Despite their nefarious past,

the brand continues to offer immaculate business suits favored by many leading

male celebrities like George Clooney and a solid fashion collection for women. Less

expensive versions of the suits, can be found at stores like Nordstrom Rack,

Filene’s Basement, and K&G.

Klein, Calvin

Pronounced CAL-vin KLYIN

Born on November 19, 1942, this minimalist designer is known for his use of

neutral colors, classic, timeless cuts and styles. However, he’s most known

for his jeans, made famous by Brooke Shields in the early 80s. The designer

has found great success with mass market versions of his underwear (remember

Marky Mark) and perfume lines.

Karan, Donna

Pronounced Don-NAH KA-ran

The ultimate New Yorker, Donna Karan’s men line is the urban guy’s uniform. Her styles focus on classic lines in somewhat muted colors (black, gray, and black again) and tend to shy away from extreme prints. She also has a well known denim/casual line called DKNY (Donna Karan New York).

Kors, Michael

Pronunciation: My-kal Ko-ors

He may be best known as the ###### judge on Bravo’s “Project

Runway”, but Michael Kors is very successful fashion designer, designing classic luxury pieces since 1981. His designs tend to take a rock star spin on sportswear, resembling a cross between preppy Ralph Lauren and fashion forward Dolce & Gabbana.

Lauren, Ralph

Pronunciation: LORE-in

Designer Ralph Lauren was one of the first designers to build his brand into

a “lifestyle brand�? and is credited with bringing the preppy blue

blood look into mainstream American fashion. The Polo brand, and its iconic

logo of a polo player, symbolizes American wealth and leisure (think summers

in the Hamptons and winters in Aspen). His more mass market lines focus on comfort,

causal looks with a slight nautical bent, but his higher end lines (Black Label)

are known for their elegance, grace and sophistication for both men and women.

Louis Vuitton

Pronunciation: Lu-wee Vee-tuhhh

What started off as a luggage store in Paris in 1854, is now a global status

symbol. In fact the brand’s iconic “LV” logo is considered one of the first

designer labels and was created in the late 19th century to, believe it or not,

prevent counterfeiting. According to the brand’s Wikipedia page, only 1% of

Louis Vuitton branded products sold around the world are authentic. The brand,

which now includes clothing, shoes, and other accessories, conveys a sense of

classic luxury and wealth (summers on the French Riviera) and is led by designer

Marc Jacobs.

60 Things Worth Shortening Your Life For “The following risky activities, decadent foods, and otherwise foolhardy indulgences are detrimental to your health. You will, however, not perish in vain.” [via]

Sunglasses Season. “Paul Frank is one of those designers that defines quintessential California cool.”

2007 Rain Wear. “Poking holes for your arms and head in a garbage bag to protect your designer threads might seem like a clever idea, but in the spring when rain is often a daily occurrence, there are definitely more stylish ways to stay dry.”

3 Men’s Jacket Trends You Can Depend On. “Shop for these three trends in jackets and keep them around for long time! You’ll always find a way to work these separates into your wardrobe.”

(more…)

Yes, we know that there are a billion designers lurking out there, but there’s only a few that a- make clothing for men and b- that you really need to know. So, we shifted through the masses and compiled a list of the designers we think every guy should keep on their blackberry.

Armani, Giorgio

Pronunciation: Jor-ji-o Ar-ma-nee

Known as the prince of minimalist glamour and style, Giorgio Armani chucked a career in

medicine for the life of a fashion designer. Although he started his label

in the mid 70s, most consider his styling of Richard Gere in “American

Gigolo” in the early 80’s as his break into mainstream fashion. Armani is

now a global brand with numerous sub labels from the couture Giorgio Armani

to the mass market A/X Exchange. When thinking about Armani, think Italian tailoring with a bit of classic America

style.

Dior, Christian

Pronunciation: KRE-shtaan DEE-or

A favorite of rapper Kanye West, Christian Dior

is the designer of choice to Hollywood’s “new” elite. Launching the line in 1949,

Dior directed the fashion world to the extravagantly creative look, one that

is provocative, oozing sex, and refined grungy. The house is currently led by designer John

Galliano.

Dolce & Gabbana

Pronunciation: DOL-chay and Gab-BAH-nah

Former lovers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana are the designers

to the world’s rock royalty. Using strong, sensual designs with bold animal

prints paired with fluorescent accents and traditional fabrics like denim, the

boys aren’t afraid to mix it up and specifically design clothes for strong,

confident, men who aren’t afraid of animal printed hot pants. Chelsea boys swear by their jeans.

Ferragamo, Salvatore

Pronunciation: Sal- va- tor Ferr-A-ga-mo

The King of footwear, Salvatore Ferragamo, has been providing the elite with

luxury consumer goods for years. Launching his career in the ever-so-wonderful

Hollywood, his designs were initially utilized in film productions, like the

ruby red slippers he created for Dorothy in the 1939 version of the “Wizard

of Oz”. Today, Ferragamo takes a more conservative approach to shoe and accessory

design (ex: continued to promote the driving moccasin in the era of street sneakers). Each

vision is portrayed in each well-manufactured shoe and the design house has

expanded its line to bags, eyewear, silk, accessories, watches, perfumes and

a ready-to-wear clothing line.