NEW WEBSITE!

Hey all, I’ve decided to move my blog over to a site of its own, which is why I haven’t been updating on here. Check it out!!!

fashionhobo.com

stay stylish.  over and out!

-FH.

Burberry: The Sunglasses Series, Part II

Now that I’ve dealt with basic sunglasses (see last post), I’m bringing Burberry to the blog – until recently, a fairly old and stodgy brand. However, Burberry has taken control of its image in recent years and has regained its place as one of the world’s most prestigious fashion lines. Burberry sunglasses are, without a doubt, coveted by everyone: bankers, rappers, artists, anyone with money and an eye for the expensive (not to mention that notorious ‘Burberry Check’ – red, black, white and tan) all wear these, so if you’re looking to spice up an otherwise ordinary summer outfit, and attract some gold-diggers — er, look stylish and successful — then Burberry sunglasses are the ones for you. Ladies, I’ll start with you.

OK, Tortoiseshell Burberry sunglasses: Very cool. These manage to look updated, with a touch of Retro Brit in them. These are pretty neutral, but obviously not for use with businesswear. These in particular would look great with a headscarf or shawl of sorts, as they have that 50s appeal.

Next up, these space-age shades are really cool and updated, but definitely anything but retro. These are great to wear out to a party or with something pretty trendy. If you move with the clubbing crowd, these are the ones for you.

Now, gentlemen, on to our shades. This first pair is my hands-down fave from Burberry to date. They’re aviators, so they have a hint of retro about them, but they’re so much cooler than just that. They’re sort of a sleek, updated version of the aviator which makes them a lot more timeless. Not to mention, they’re great all-around glasses. These would even look good with a more dressed-up outfit (but they’ll still look wicked at the beach!). Definitely, definitely, worth saving up for.

This next pair is basically the same thing, but full-on aviator form. These shades are great for more casual outfits, and they’ll never fail to make you look like a star (or at least cool). Not as versatile as my favourite pair but to each his own. These are definitely great glasses to look cool in while roadtripping or going to the beach – just some summer imagery for you there. Clearly, I need to get outside and spend time in the sun.

OK dudes, one more post for us because I’m a guy and I need to research men’s sunglasses desperately (I have still not found a pair for this summer – yes, yes, I’m wearing my Polo Sports from 2 years ago! Cut me some slack eh?). This pair is more unisex than any I’ve shown so far… I could definitely see some ladies pulling these off. The thing is, they’re pretty mod. Make sure you’re trendy enough to wear these, as they’ll just look dorky with most outfits. If you’re prep central, you’re not going to want to wear these – unless you’re nerdy prep, in which case these would be just the thing to complete your summer wardrobe. Tricky, huh? Not really – just remember: these seemingly square shades are NOT for squares (because you will look like even more of a square). If you’re quirky and a little offbeat, or so conservative that it’s a mod statement, then you probably want to pick these up.

So, recap: Burberry sunglasses are great, if you’re prepared to shell out and generally fit into the middle-of-the-road stylish crowd. Nothing too far out here (aside from the token pair of space age shades). So these sunglasses are perfect for the fashionista ready to branch out and try something new, but nothing too scary/offbeat/trendy. Over and out!

-FH.

Serengeti: The Sunglasses Series, Part I

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Yes, yes. Serengetti. Seeing as it’s summer in my corner of the world, I feel the urge to do a series of posts on something I already post quite a bit about: Sunglasses. (Serengeti ones, to be exact). I promise we’ll return to our usual program of fashion after this interlude But hey, if you’re going to look cool this summer, what you need are some wicked shades to complete your look. Or, you can just look like a fashion hobo. Your choice.

I’m starting with one of my favourite sunglasses brands: Serengeti.

In case you haven’t figured it out, Serengeti is one of the coolest eyewear brands. They’re not particularly trendy – ever since I’ve been aware of them they have looked more-or-less the same, in fact. The thing is, they’re a nice touch if you’re going for that rich, professional look. They also make you look like you know what you’re doing – while wearing massive Armani space-age shades might work in Ibiza, Serengeti will make you belong anywhere there’s sun to protect against. They’re utilitarian, and great quality – this is what lends them a definite sense of authenticity.

Serengeti not only makes sunglasses that are classic and go with everything, but they’re well-thought-out from a utilitarian perspective. Serengeti shades are engineered so that they’re durable and comfortable. The ones pictured at left, from the Flex series, contour around the curves of your face for a fit so comfortable, you barely feel it.

If you have a rounder face, then you might prefer to go for the larger-lens aviator series. These ones are not my fave – I prefer sleeker shaped lenses. However, they’d look good on my square face as well (basically they’ll look good as long as your face is sort of wide, or squared-off) and they’re pretty cool – safari anyone?

Overall, this brand is good if you’re looking for classic shades. If you’re doing business in a sunny climate, these would be ideal. They’re also great if you’re looking for a pair of shades to last you a few seasons, or if you need a pair that you can throw in with any outfit – that’s what I like most about them, they’re all-purpose and pretty basic. Back next time with more on shades – I’m thinking Burberry. Over and out!

-FH.

Hermes Ties

I bring to you a post on Hermes Ties, because I haven’t posted for awhile and, well, all of my recent posts have been rather female-oriented. I want something pertinent to mens’ fashion up here for a change! Hermes ties are a rather quirky spot in the very conventional, traditional world of male fashion.

While I myself tend toward the conservative when dressing myself, I really like Hermes ties because they are so fascinating! This very stylish, very expensive bastion of French fashion makes ties that … have random prints all over them? If you’re going to a formal-but-sociable occasion, they make great ties. In fact, if you’re an investment banker and every Friday is Wacky Tacky Tie Day … These would make a great addition to your collection (and double as a way to flaunt your personal wealth to your coworkers and the world at large). Not only that, they’re random but still somehow tasteful?? I guess that’s the charm of Hermes.

This is one of my favourite Hermes ties. It’s silk (as they all are). I love the tigers and monkeys running across it! One of the really cool things about Hermes is that each pattern comes in several colours for you to choose from – that makes it a lot easier to coordinate outfits. The ties are not that expensive (well, for a tie they are – US$160). Compared to the bags, which retail for thousands of collars, even for a canvas gardening bag! The really expensive ones (like the Hermes Birkin) start at $4,000 for a basic model – and trust me, the prices just get steeper the more exotic you want it.

Ok, next tie – the interlocking anchors. Not a bad choice because it’s reasonably ambiguous and geometrical enough that you can wear it and still be taken seriously in a court of law, for example. The green and blue isn’t the nicest combo (I liked the blue and red better) but I love this particular shade of green so I chose to show you guys this one.

Is it just me, or is this very reminiscent of Babar? Anyone? Just me? …ok. Maybe it’s just because it’s French, and there are elephants on it. I think it looks like one of my favourite childhood literary characters. Not exactly the sort of tie you’re going to wear to court – who actually buys these? I’m not one to wear a tie outside of dressier formal occasions and business, but I guess there are some people out there with enough disposable income to buy an Hermes tie with a random pattern on it – even if they only wear it once in their life. Hah, I wish.

Now for something you could get away with anywhere, no matter the occasion. This is one of those patterns where the company has decided to integrate the ‘H’ as subtly as possible and I think they’ve done a very good job. You could wear this to work, to formal events, whatever… And nobody’s going to look at you like “hi, you have animals on your tie… were you supposed to be the clown tying balloons? you’re not even funny”. I think this is the tie I would be most likely to buy of the lot … Though the one with the tigers is tempting… Oh, well.

That’s all for today. When I return, more fodder for you female fashion huntresses out there. over and out!

-FH.

Dolce and Gabbana Sunglasses

They are distinctive, expensive, good quality, stylish, fun, cool, cool, …COOL… I don’t know if I mentioned cool.  Yes, they are Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses.  Long renowned as the purveyors of All Things Cool, the house of Dolce and Gabbana is best represented by something that’s timeless, slick, and, well, cool!  Ok, done geeking out now – I think the point is, if you’re going to buy sunglasses, go with Dolce and Gabbana (and within that, I include the D&G subsidiary).  The message sent is clear:  “I hereby proclaim my existence within the exclusive sphere of cool-dom, I attend the ‘it’ parties and get with the ‘it’ people I meet at exclusive ‘it’ venues… and I’m cool.  Did I say that already?  Oh, yea, well.  Whatever”.

First off, gentlemen:  Observe.  If you want to look a little bad-ass, aviators are for you.  Stubble + Aviators + tight faded jeans = instant sex appeal.  I really love the pair I used to head off this post: they’re really a work of art.  The next ones down are a little more plain, but they go with more outfits (don’t try to wear aviators with a business suit or something fool like that…).  These ones are slightly more squared-off, and the subtle metallic sheen lends itself well to most outfits.

I grabbed this next pic to show off the side of this pair… Sorry I cropped it strangely, but it looked cool at the time.  These are a bit bolder, but I like sunglasses with thicker sides (especially if they’re more square).

Last up for men, I couldn’t help but put in a pair of prescription frames.  These are exemplary of the ‘hot nerd’ look – further proof that Dolce and Gabbana are capable of sexing up everything they touch – including nerd glasses (*innocent face* … I’m not in love with the brand… am I?)  The “D” / “G” on the side is sort of a cool touch, too.

Now, ladies.  Listen up.  Big hair = big shades.  Who else would make such a great pair of sunglasses for your 80s fro, than Dolce? 

AAAAAAH ALIENS!  (cool ones).  These bug-eyed glasses are really glam, and if you’ve got yourself the right ‘do they’ll make you look really sexy.  However, beware of short hair:  you might look like an extraterrestrial.

If you have shorter or more conservative hair I recommend this pair.  They’re square and a bit less out there – so they’ll be perfect for you!  As with men, the funkier ladies’ sunglasses are NOT to be worn with suits or formal wear, no matter how much you paid for them.  (for example:  Junya Watanabe costs a pretty penny, but would you wear his spiked punk boots to an interview at an Investment Bank?).  The point is, these are the perfect balance because they’ll go with anything you put them with.  Make sure you get a pair if you plan to be wearing your suit at all during the summer.

Check out the rims on these!  So retro – and the red colour is just about perfect.  These are, again, more for an outfit with funky flair, but they’d also look perfectly at home with a casual beach outfit.

Problem: Fashion Hobo cannot find sunglasses that fit his face.  Solution:  Shopping tomorrow!  I plan to find out the best fit of sunglasses for my face, and report back to you on what that is.  Wish me luck – I’ve only bought one pair of non-unfortunate sunglasses, to date.  I’ve been cursed since the age of six, when I thought it would be cool to wear heart-shaped sunglasses to school …. oh.  What happened.  Over and out.

-FH.

Chanel Eyeglasses SS08

Now that I’m on a roll with Chanel’s Spring/Summer 2008 collection, I might as well give you some Chanel Eyeglasses to consider getting. Chanel Eyeglasses are a great way, in fact, to break into the brand if you haven’t already. Prescription eyeglasses are not cheap, and it only costs a bit more (well, $100 or so extra) if you want to upgrade from some generic run-of-the-mill perscription brand, to runway-for-your-eyes. This is why you see people wearing Pradas all the time: it’s a cheap way to get the brand!

A friend of mine did this and paid the extra $120 to upgrade to her Chanel Eyeglasses and she loves them. This was about a year ago, and she does not regret it at all (though it took her 2 hours to choose a pair). She was looking for a pair that gave her a sophisticated look, but not too prudish – something that she could wear with most of her clothes and look stylish without becoming a tacky, overly-trendy eyesore. Eventually she settled on a pair of black wire-rimmed squares, with the crossed Cs on the sides. Here’s what’s new from Chanel eye wear this season:

This first pair – what the hell?! Trompe-L’oeil eyebrows. (EYEBROWS!). Definitely for the adventurous only. These will look great with a more artsy look, but I find that most of the new Chanel glasses will. Pair these with a bohemian, vintage-indie style and you’ll be fine. Another option would be to use these to spice up a very sophisticated but bland wardrobe: Imagine wearing a grey suit with minimal accessories… Topped off with a pair of these babies! Oh, and before I continue, it should be noted that all of these accessories come in different colours. If you’re interested, click on the Chanel link at the bottom of the page. =)

Next up, gold-topped glasses. Very, very retro look. I love these ones, but you have to wear them with a really funky sense of style to avoid looking like the stereotypical ‘frumpy librarian’. This pair is great because it goes with so many accessories – as long as they’re gold, royal blue, red, light pink… you get the idea. I need say no more about them: Either you understand them or you don’t.

This pair is for a sophisticated, classy, understated chick (and most similar to the ones my friend bought – but hers were slightly thinner rims and more squared off). She knows what she wants, and that’s a pair of sturdy glasses that will look cute, but won’t age, and will go with all of her clothes. These I recommend if you’re a first-time buyer, or someone with a very centred, mainstream sense of style.

Minimalist. That’s all I can say about the front of these. When you turn them to the side, however, they have the signature Goatskin-on-Metal Chanel Weave! That’s pretty cool. It’s executed in a way that keeps it very up-to-date, this look isn’t retro at all. Good for a girl who needs a functional pair of classes that stay out of her way, and don’t steal too much attention away from the rest of her look. Subtle, classy, understated, elegant.

Whoa … Funky! If I were a girl, I would be wearing these. Yes, in the red colour and everything!!! I know these look a little bit more like the classic Prada glasses (although those ones are in black) but hey .. These ones come in RED (and other colours as well that I don’t enjoy quite as much)! Either way, if you’ve got a Chanel bag then these are gonna complete your look much better than slapping on a pair of Pradas – if you wear too many different name brand accessories (aka. eyeglasses, bags, etc) you will look like a brand whore. If you stick to one brand per outfit, you’ll do just fine under the eyes of even a critical fashionista. Anyway, these are my all-around faves.

This last pair, I chose to show in the turtle-shell colour because, well, that’s what they look best in. Turtle-shell is getting to be overdone, but if you wear the right colours (browns and greens) you will work them well. Notice the sides on these are quilted: I find it tacky, but to each his own, right? As long as your bag isn’t quilted, too… (awkwarddd)… Then you can wear these and the quilted pattern is acceptable.

I know I didn’t give a full range of colour here so I’ll leave it to you all to check out Chanel yourselves and see: www.chanel.com . Oh, and one last thing: Keep in mind you’re going to be (ostensibly) wearing your prescription glasses for quite a while. Especially if you’re getting the brand name ones … So don’t do anything overly trendy. Unless you’ve got money … Don’t choose rash, without the cash! Over and out!

-FH.

Chanel Dresses, Part II

I didn’t post these ones the other day — too many dresses! Anyway, here are a few of the other ones. I found Chanel dresses to be very hit-and-miss this year, (but maybe I always do and just forget each season) but maybe that’s just high fashion for you. I now present the remaining Chanel Dresses worth buying from SS08!

At this point, the collection takes on a more gothic, streetwise appearance. That would be the dark colours and ubiquity of chains kicking in. Interestingly enough, chains were a favourite of Chanel. She liked to weave metal chainlink through with lace or leather: a look still seen today (but often really shoddily executed). All I have to say about the silver boots is… Look out, Eastern Europe. And maybe Tokyo. The boots are definitely only for the daring (and from my experience with Ukraine and Russian, those girls are up for just about anything, fashion-wise. Even if it means teetering down cobblestone streets in 4 or 5 inch tall stilettos).

I am a big fan of the sheer black dress. A really big fan. Granted, if everyone wore this out and about, the magic would fade but who cares; it’s really cool! I can guarantee only a few people (again, see about re: the silver boots) are going to dare to wear this. If you’re looking for something a little classier and easier to pull off, I strongly suggest the cute navy dress with the bow. yay ! It will look good on you, I guarantee.

Again with the dark colours! All of these dresses are cool but I think the first one, the one with the navy that’s floor-length, is paticularly interesting. I like how it’s different – not for everyone, but still cool. I also think the second dress stands out in terms of originality, it plays on gothic influences, like some of the other dresses in the collection. Very cool.

Finally, these last two – nothing too special, but I really like how light & fluttery they are! Very spring/summer. And that’s that, these are *the* Chanel dresses for the season. Over and out!

-FH.

Chanel Dresses to get for SS08!!!

Screw the stars – most of them don’t know how to dress, anyway! For all of your wardrobe advice, Fashion Hobo can give you a good dressing-down on what (or what not) to wear. In this post, you will learn how to look good in a Chanel dress. You’d better look good in these, because they aren’t cheap, as well you all know. So. Here is Fashion Hobo’s pick of Chanel Spring/Summer 08 dresses, complete with running commentary.

First down the runway, these leading ladies look great in red, white, and navy concoctions. I don’t think I need to point out the irony of the Stars and Stripes spangled throughout Chanel’s SS08 collection?! What does Lagerfeld think he’s doing? Chanel would not approve (then again, she did have that affair with a German officer in WW2 and then retreated to Switzerland – so one has to wonder, would she even have cared?). I understand that ’summer nights’ is a whimsical enough reason to smatter stars everywhere, but the red-and-white stripes are not subtle. Not at all. Stop trying to make some sort of commercialized political statement, or at least realize that your future markets lie in Russia and China – so if you’re going to go the political route, JUST STICK WITH RED! ok? ok. But I digress. Beautiful draping (this is key to dresses, because aside from patterns and adornment, otherwise they all look the same but for draping), and classic Chanel cuts.

Again, with the starry dresses (which happen to be very cool). I like the dangly necklaces, and the jackets over top. The longer dress reminds me more of Hussein Chalayan (with the outlandish pattern), but the mini-dress is quintessential Chanel. Even though it might be too short to wear in public, this one sure looks great on the runway (or maybe even on the boardwalk at the beach).

Next up, the classics. These dresses emanate class. The subtle colours, traditional-yet-updated cuts and accesorizing, everything hints at Paris of the 20s, 30s and 40s. All of these still manage to look very ‘now’: wear any of these, look well-put-together.
That’s all for now: There are more to follow, but I don’t want to put them all in one enormous blog. Over and out!

-FH.

Chanel Earrings

For all of you Chanel-Crazy fashionistas out there – I present the Chanel earing collection of SS08! As you all know, I’ve been looking into Chanel lately and one of the particularly distinctive accessories released by the fashion house is their earings. They’re so cool! Very good use of the signature crossed ‘C’ emblem, and most of them are quintessential Chanel: Cutesy, girly, arty, a little bit of nostalgia for the Paris of bygone decades.

Chanel earrings are also a great way for first-time buyers to ‘break into’ Chanel products. Karl Lagerfeld is well-known for his iconic fashion work and his time spent at Chanel has done nothing but emphasize this. However a lot of fashion pieces are, well, trendy… So first-time buyers are better off mitigating the risk of dropping, say, $800 on a skirt by purchasing something a little smaller, that can be worked into their existing wardrobe (what are you going to pair with a Chanel skirt… unless you have a really nice blouse? There goes another $1000 on a few nice blouses!).

This pair is one of the gaudiest of the lot. Lately, Chanel has been using stars as a repeated symbol throughout their collections. Well, this season, anyway. I really like it though – go to chanel.com to see some of their other great examples of star-studded couture (the beach cover-up is beautiful!). Anyway, back to topic – these glitzy earrings would look great on someone young and fun.

This pair would be used for a completely different occasion. Get these to pair with that skirt suit you wear to work – or get a funky, vintage summer vibe going with a light cardigan and an A-line skirt.

These beauties immediately below are great club-wear. I can’t help but feel that Chanel has sold out its image a bit in recent times; I mean, it’s supposed to be cute, feminine and artsy, and represent the various aspects of such a girl’s lifestyle. This might include clubbing, but since when was Chanel supposed to be glitzy and so over-the-top?! Leave it to D&G; that’s what they’re there for. Then again, I rarely like Chanel’s ‘pre-collection’… I find a lot of it to be tacky (these hoops are pre-collection SS08, and they definitely border on just that).

Next up, a really sweet, innocent-looking pair. Aww. Butterflies! Again, great for summer – wear these with a pretty flowy dress, or a casual beach look, and they’ll make your outfit stand out. It’s amazing that something as small and insignificant as earrings can do this, but people often don’t realize what makes them look twice at something – typically it’s a small detail that just stands out. These definitely do that for you.

This pair is one of the classier, dressier ones of the season. These beauties would look good with a little black evening dress – well, pretty much any evening dress – but they’re probably a little over-the-top to wear to work. I think the little hearts are a bit tacky (and prone to slipping into the grasp of well-meaning people who are hopeless dressers), but let’s hope the world proves me wrong on that.

Finally, the last pair of the season. I love the champagne colour of the stones. It should be noted that all of these earrings are from Chanel’s ‘costume jewelry’ collection, so the stones aren’t rare, the metal isn’t platinum, etc . Hey, these are still really classy. I think that these would look good on a lady with more mature styling to her – if you’re 20 and wearing these, you’re going to look very sedate. Not as if that’s a bad thing… Anyway, pair these with a dressier outfit; nothing too flimsy or fluttery. Well, maybe a white flowy dress, but only if you’re on a yacht.

And that’s Chanel’s earring collection for SS08 – that’s from the main collection, pre-collection and ‘cruise’ collection. Over and out!

-FH.

Chanel Handbag Video

While I was researching Chanel handbags for the previous post I came across this video
showing off a Chanel handbag. Interesting in that it’s like going into and experiencing an exclusive store (the nearest store to me that you can buy Chanel handbags they actually LOCK THE DOOR during business hours – you have to knock to get in!). At any rate, check it out, it’s a fun video (I particularly love the *white glove treatment*).

Although I think the presentation would have been better with a spoken description, I enjoyed it all the same. The person who posted it has a few other videos of Chanel handbags as well as some other designers in the same video style. http://youtube.com/user/maggymay2007