CITY INSPIRATION: NYC

New York New York, the city that never sleeps. It’s the city where Chinese take out is available at any hours of the night, there’s always some event happening in Central Park, or a production being filmed just around the corner. Its the place where ‘dinner on a budget’ means you only have to $1.50 for a slice of pizza. Where Nike kicks are a culture. Carrying a camera around your neck doesn’t make you a tourist, it makes you cool. Where acid washed denim and black leather are still acceptable. NYC constantly buzzing with different people, a melting pot of cultures merging together to make it one of the most amazing cities in the world. It’s inspiring, fun and it’s where the cool kids are. The cool kids that wear their sneakers with pride, rock that crew cut and aren’t afraid to take risks with their clothes. So take a page out of their book and be inspired by The Big Apple to dress in your coolest of gear this week…think relaxed street wear, loads of layering with a touch of swagger to keep you looking fresh for the ladies.

TREND: Knitwear

Happy Thursday Annex Men. In light of the weather taking a rather crazy turn compared to last weeks blue skies and warm days, what better to erm….celebrate the cool weather finally here than to discuss knitwear. In some ways, winter allows the modern day chap to experiment with different clothing- that quirky blazer or the weird textured jumper- and of course accessories are a must in winter (but lets leave that for another trend shall we?). Today we are discussing knitwear for the modern gentleman and how to incorporate the trend into your look and wardrobe. Sometimes a plain knit is your style and thats cool- chuck it with a pair of dark wash jeans and some cool boots and you’re ready to rock. But if you want to be experimental, check out this inspiration board for some ideas including how to wear little itty bits of knitwear i.e. the knitted bowtie or scarf! Try different colours, different types of knits- cable knit is one of our personal favourites- or even different shapes. Cardigans, jumpers, scarves, hats, beanies, ties and even pants if you can find them! Knitwear is really on trend for Autumn and Winter and as a bonus tends to keep you warm… Our personal pick are the knitted moustache beanies. Just sayin..

Tuesday Roundup

Oh Tuesday, it’s not exactly the beginning of the week but not quite yet the middle child and definitely not the end. It’s kind of the random day, you still have enough energy as it’s technically still the start of the week but its starting to ward off by the time you get home tonight. So to spruce things up and keep that mind going with lots of new things and ideas emerging we put a little random list together of what we –here at the Annex- are loving right now.

We are loving this awesome feature wall found at an art apartment in West Hollywood California. It’s a bit kitsch and playful and really opens up the room.

This Edi Desk Organizer created by designer Tommaso Bistacchi screams cool. Its simple and organized, holding everything you really need at your desk whilst looking suave and aestheically pleasing to the eye. For you unorganized blokes (or if you’re just really into cool looking stationery style items) take a note of inspiration! Check out all of Bistacchi’s work here.

As for an awesome blog, Why You Mad?! Has got to be the epitome of cool. It’s a men’s blog written by New Yorker Austin Ao-Xiong.  His style is clean, simple and effortlessly gentleman-esque and he specializes in dudes seeking fashion advice from another…dude. Check him out.

And finally some food porn (a recipe) , for the love of good food. The good ol’ classic eggs benedict never gets old in our books. This BLT twist to the original is the perfect comfort food (yes even men do have those days) on a crispy morning which is sure to warm you up for any day ahead.

Happy Tuesday Annex Men!

Trend: Neutral Colours

So last week we spoke about how to wear bright block colours as a trend for the coming season, but this week, we have been inspired by another bunch of gentlemen to rock the neutral colour trend for those of you who like to keep it nice and simple with your clothing. The trick with wearing neural colours is keeping the clothing nicely tailored and getting the right colour combination to avoid looking washed out especially if the colours are light beiges and pinks/corals. Pastels can also be neutral depending on the type of colours you choose and don’t forget darker neutrals like dark browns and grey’s, which work well with lighter colours as well. Neutral head to toe can look mighty suave and mixing and matching different neutral shades looks even better.

Miguel Madness

Introducing Miguel. He’s part of a new wave of r’n'b artists that have taken the music world by storm with their super cool and chilled tunes, interesting beats and ever so smooth vocals. Starting off in an independent label as a young chap, Miguel has slowly climbed his way to the top with his label change to RCA Records and his second studio album Kaleidscope Dream. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 with the first song on the album ‘Adorn’ (a personal favourite for us here at the Annex) winning Best R&B Song of 2013 at the Grammy’s. The entire album is really relaxed and oozes a type of funk, hip hop and electronic cocktail of styles which makes his sound really unique. Miguel cites artists including Kanye West, John Lennon, Prince and David Bowie as inspirations to his musical artistry and we think he’s doing a good damn job at it. With artists like Alicia Keys and Elle Varner working on the album we aren’t surprise it’s nothing less than awesome. It’s one of those albums that you listen to spaced out or in the really early hours of the morning, or even when you have a lady friend over. Some of the songs are surprisingly seducing. We love “Kaleidoscope Dream” and “Candles in the Sun”.

And if he wasn’t cool enough with his music, Miguel’s fashion sense is definitely interesting and new age to suit his artistic style. We love the smart casual look he has going on, a type of street style, new kid on the block kind of thing.

Check him out here

Trend: Block Colours

Forget dull colours for the cooler months and invest in some pieces this autumn that really make a statement and what better than block colours? Wear your favourite colour with pride and take some inspiration from some of these lovely young gentlemen and create a look thats fresh, vibrant and interesting. Wearing block colours transforms a look, channeling a European edge that is a big trend right now. Why not try a bright blue blazer or red pants and pair with some neutral coloured basics for a statement look? Or if you are scared of rocking a bright colour, try something a bit more toned down like navy or beige. Even more, block colours also look awesome with different prints such as paisley, checkers or stripes for a real nautical look.

Artist of the week: Lantomo

She’s an illustrator, she’s Italian, he lives in Beijing and she is the epitome of cool. She’s Antonella Montes also known as Lantomo whose works are fun, vibrant and creative. The creative environment of the underground culture of Barcelona inspires her and has led her to experiment with mixed media in her work. She recycles wood into canvases and uses the likes of acrylic paints, inks, pens, markers and the ever so fun crayons to create her illustrations. Below are some of our favourite works of hers. They’re all a bit different and interesting and really speak to the viewer don’t you think? Check out her website here.

Keeping summer alive

Happy Monday Annex Men! To kick of the week, what better than some eye candy inspired by the big blue sea? As summer has now officially come to an end, we have whipped up some great inspiring ideas that will help you keep the beach, the sun and the good times in your lives the whole year round.

Jellyfish Lamps

First up we have these ridiculous Jellyfish lamps by Roy Russell Design that really add a punch (and or sting) to any living area. Even better they are eco-friendly and available online via the designers website! Although a bit pricey, we are loving them, and the best part is a portion of the profits are donated to The Ocean Conservatory!

Grown-up Sand Box

Find the beach a relaxing place that keeps you inspired, working or just relaxed to the max? Does it bum you out that you can only really visit the beach in the warmer months or when you actually decide to get out of bed on a saturday morning? Artist Justin Kemp has got it all figured out and has decided to share his insight with us all. He has built himself a personal sandbox under his workspace so that he always feels like he is constantly relaxed and enjoying his time whilst working. Genius.

Blueberry Mojito

And lastly, don’t think that we would forget you summer drink lovers. This Blueberry Mojito is sure to pack a summer punch with the sweet berries whilst keeping your insides warm during the cooler months. It can be found here.

TREND: 50 Shades of Grey

Not quite like the erotic novel (although we are sure many of you fine gentlemen would love to be a woman’s Mr Grey) , but this trend is all about finding the right shade of grey this season. Take these images as an inspiration to find your perfect shade for the autumn and winter ahead. And the best part? Grey is like your best friend- you can always rely on it no matter what type of day you’re having, is the perfect wingman at a bar when trying to impress the ladies and best of all is the least high maintenance colour- it gets along with all of your other colour pals! In the form of suits, scarves, t-shirts, shorts or even shoes, it’s great. We are loving it especially paired with denim and black right now, but for an edgy look why not try a pair of bright red pants and a simple grey tee? Or even take from JT and go grey head to toe for a twist on the classic suit.

TREND: BOWTIES

Summer has come and gone and now we find ourselves in the transitional season of autumn. Whilst the air is becoming dry and tans are fading, with a new season comes new trends, and autumn is the perfect time to experiment with different fabrics, textures and especially accessories. And what do we think is the perfect accessory to get you through this transitional season? Why the mighty bowtie of course! Bowties add class to any look and they’ll always be there for you- they’re the ultimate fashion statement to pick up the ladies, the ones to save you when trying to get into a club or a great talking point when stuck with nothing else to say at your boss’s annual dinner party. So take a tip from any of these guys and try adding a bowtie to your look. We are loving the different textures, patterns and colours that are coming out this season that you can pair with anything from a denim shirt, with a scarf or a full tuxedo.