Sunday, May 31, 2009

Insights and Commentary - JJ Lee

Insights and commentary from people involved in style and fashion in Vancouver

You are…
JJ Lee, fashion columnist and theoretician extraordinaire.

The road traveled…
Involves many regrets and misgivings but leaves me with no other choice than to be who I have become. And I don't mind it. It's called taking responsibility.

The more things change…
The more I feel I'm missing out on something.

The more they stay the same…
Is exactly what I feel when I've spent months thinking I've missed out on something. For example, I'll talk or write about a trend - like the penny loafer revival - two seasons ahead of when it really breaks and then think, "Why didn't I call it?" when it does. But if I actually look down at my feet, I'll see I'm already wearing a pair of Weeguns. This happens a lot. Watch for the tasselled loafer next. This is my second season wearing them (no socks with jeans only please) and I'm still waiting for someone to catch up.

On style…
Style requires both skill and indifference. Guys wearing carefully folded pocket squares isn't style. It's anal. Style (for men) needs a degree of indifference otherwise it doesn't seem sexy or remotely masculine. Also body awareness and understanding how your body and clothes appear when in movement is really the high art form of style. Astaire used to check his jackets cut by lefting his arm as if he were in a waltz just to make sure the collar did not lift at the back. So, looking at mirror or looking good in a picture is only the beginning. Recently, I've discovered when I dress in a certain way women will go out of their way to touch me, even strangers. In other words, I think I'm onto something.

Favorite memory/experience...
Favourite memories always involves slanting, late-summer light, sand or tall grass, women or children, and either baseball or a row boat.

Your style…
I'm currently in my jock/writer mode. I wear a jean-cut leather jacket, a v-neck t-shirt, GWG jeans which I wore and shrunk in the ocean last summer and boaters. Every. Single. Day. If I have to go out (to do fashon stories), I will wear a pocket square or a tie but not both. My reason, I suspect, is I'm trying to evoke stealth chic and not over do it. That look is kind of tired.

Big fan of…
Steelers. Bills. Broncos. Yup, I'm an AFC man. Also Kodak Tri-X 400 ASA black and white film.

Insights and Commentary (this is a blog afterall)…
News anchors need to stop wearing three-button suits and then have directors or executive producers forcing them to button them all up when they're on air. If I have to see CBC's Evan Solomon all fastened during his Sunday news program again,... well I will, I don't know, but it bugs me... he always does it and it drives me crazy. I really believe a smart tailor would make a killing making one-button suits with high waisted pants for these dorks. Is it really that bad to see a triangle of white near the belt-line?

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