Charlie Sheen's Bottom?

Unfortunately when it comes to change, one must hit bottom before any help is accepted.

Bottom - When a person has reached such a deep level of surrender that they become willing to ask for help

Once again Charlie Sheen is on his knees - one would argue a familiar and most desired place for the TV actor - facing what could be his last bottom. Well that is if everyone would leave him alone to his own fate, which can be very difficult to do by those who really care for him. 

In the words of the universal mortal god of all media, Oprah Winfrey; what I know for sure is that in order to implement change in life - especially change we don't like - one must hit a bottom. Has Charlie Sheen reached his bottom? Well let's see.

Please be advised that the images you are about to see are highly disturbing and may produce real emotional responses. Continue reading at your own risk and be aware that this material IS NOT appropriate for children.

Here we have a disturbing shot of Charlie at one of his earlier episodes. Notice the high waisted jeans and the cheap sport fan shirt. The belt seemed to be a dressier belt then suggested for this out-of-control casual look. Then there's a towel on his right leg, perhaps to wipe the blood from his most recent tattoo on his right arm? Who knows? Definitely a fashion bottom to most and yet it was not the end for Sheen.

Here we have Charlie trying to come back from his previous debacle and attempt to recover, however the signs were there all along and real fashion sobriety was far from his reach. Notice the red silk shirt and hanging glasses. Clearly Charlie is in a full blown blackout . And yes, that is Ron Jeremy as his co-pilot. Enough said.

The world became truly alarmed and realized something was seriously wrong with Sheen when these images hit the airwaves. It was evident that something needed to be done, Charlie was in real danger. Hotel gift shop Hawaiian shirt is absolutely a fashion bottom most addicts never even consider reaching since this is just to low a bottom to hit and most die once they have gone this low. Something needed to be done but what? Clearly Sheen was on a death wish.

One of the saddest moments in fashion recovery history came in the form of this photograph. Having learned nothing from his previous Hawaiian shirt bottom, Sheen then goes further in his addiction abyss by buying ANOTHER Hawaiian shirt and this time pairing with high waisted black denim pants, over-sized blue blazer and a Vegas hotel logo baseball cap. When will it end? Can Charlie Sheen ever achieve true fashion sobriety? Will Charlie's children ever have a true power of sober example to follow in their highly addicted father?

What is necessary in this case of dire circumstances is for everyone to leave Charlie alone to live out his own fate. Stylist step away, store clerks do not dispense advice, family members do not clear out his closet. You must let Charlie go through it alone and reach a real surrender. No one can help those who do not want the help. 

The only thing left to do is pray and so I encourage everyone who reads this article to join me in prayer for Charlie Sheen's fashion sobriety. We have lost many to this devastating disease but millions of lives have also been saved. From one who is the front lines of this devastating fashion addiction war, I speak from experience when I tell you that recovery is possible.

Matthew by Vincent

I love what I do and every once in a while I get a little thrill.

I have the honor of dressing and creating wardrobes for various male clients and amongst them is Matthew Weiner. 

Matthew Weiner, the mastermind-genius-creator of the multi-award winning television sensation - and my favorite show on TV today - Mad Men was honored a couple of weeks ago in Paris with a French Vermeil Medal of Honor for contributions to culture and society. Matthew allowed me to dress him for this occasion and I cannot tell you how exciting it was for me to have my client be praised for his look in one of the world's most fashionable cities. 

 

Congratulations to Matthew Weiner for creating such a fresh, exciting and innovative show and taking us back to a time where drinking at the office was encouraged, smoking indoors was just the norm, adultery was something men did and fashion was sublime. 

My most heartfelt thank you to Matthew Weiner for allowing me the opportunity of helping him with his wardrobe. It is a privilege and honor I truly appreciate.

Here's to many more shows and many more awards Matthew! 

Bow Tie 101

Tying the perfect bow tie is not as easy as you may think and the key to it is patience!

Last week I was outfitting a client in a tuxedo for a wedding he was attending as a groom's man. He opted for a more traditional look and wanted a bow tie. Though I tend to wear bow ties quite often, I prefer the ready made ones therefore it had been years since I had tied a bow tie and the process of doing it again, took me back to my younger days. It was the winter of 1990 - back in NY when I was running nightclubs -  when a customer of mine who was a very classic and sharp-dresser sort of gentleman, taught me to how to tie a bow tie. It was quite a long process - though we made it fun by adding alcohol to the mix. The key to creating the perfect bow tie is patience. My hat is off to anyone who is able to tie a bow tie on the first try.

 

Technically is just like tying your shoelaces, however the width of the fabric - and the fact that most times you are tying the bow tie on yourself looking in the mirror - makes it a bit complicated to achieve even sides. This is where patience comes in. You may need to do it a couple of times before you get it right.

You can always tell the difference between a ready made bow tie from a self tied bow tie. The ready made bow tie is always perfect where the self tied one tends to be a little less perfect thus making it special and unique.

Whichever bow tie you choose, wear it well and have fun with it!

Hollywood's 24 Hour Rush to a Great Cause!

One more time Hollywood is coming together to help a worthy cause..... Blah blah blah!!! 

However this time Jason H. Kennedy and his fellow producers are giving you so much for your money, - and I'm not talking stale chicken and shitty gift-bags either - you will not even feel like it's another old, boring fundraiser!

Jason H. Kennedy along with Zibby Allen has come up with:
24 HOUR HOLLYWOOD RUSH
A great evening to benefit the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center Crystal Meth Recovery Services - more about them in a minute. 

The Event

Forty of Hollywood's most talented writers, directors and actors will come together to create a hilarious and unpredictable evening of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants theater ... all within 24 hours time!!

Click 24 HOUR HOLLYWOOD RUSH for list of stars AND more importantly to buy tickets now!

The Cause

Crystal Meth use is an epidemic which affects thousands of men and women in Los Angeles. An estimated 6000 gay youth are living in the streets of LA most of which are engaged in Crystal Meth use. The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center (LAGLC) offers an array of services for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth, who represent a disproportionate percentage of the homeless youth on the streets of L.A. today.  More than 1,000 young people turn to the Center for help each year. 

Facts and figures about the LAGLC programs:
Youth Services

For homeless youth the LAGLC - the Center as it is commonly known - offers:
Meals (More than 26,000 meals served in 2010.)
A place to shower
A GED program
Some youth find a home with the Center's Transitional Living Program, where youth live for up to 18 months while working or going to school and working toward independent living. 
Youth Development
The LAGBT also has a youth mentoring and development program called LifeWorks. 

LifeWorks offers
One-on-one mentoring with trained adult mentors
A charter school for LGBT youth who’ve been bullied or harassed in traditional schools
After-school programming such as martial arts and art classes
Addiction Recovery

The Center's Crystal Meth Recovery Services program offers counseling and support groups for meth users.
Many LGBT youth on the streets—many rejected by their families—turn to meth so they can stay awake at night. The Center offers meth groups specifically for the young homeless people who turn to the Center for help.
The Center’s Addiction Recovery Services program is an evening outpatient program for people fighting an addiction to meth, alcohol or other drugs. It is an accessible outpatient treatment program that makes it possible for people to get treatment without interfering with jobs or other daytime obligations.
A probability survey conducted by well-known researchers Cathy Rebak, Steven Shoptaw and Christine Grella, reported that approximately 11% of gay men in Los Angeles used meth in the previous six months. L.A. County’s 2006 study found that those individuals who use crystal meth are five times more likely to be HIV-positive than those who were not users. 

The Center offers individual and group counseling. In 2010, more than 1,500 people got counseling at the Center.

If you only give back to your community one time this year, THIS IS THE TIME!!!!!!!!!! 

You will help a truly worthy cause and may even save a teenager's life but you will also have great fun doing it. What could be better!

Click 24 HOUR HOLLYWOOD RUSH for tickets now.

I will be there and I hope to see you there too, so come over and say hello!

Grammy Schmammies!

I'd like to think of myself as a glass-half-full kinda guy with a mostly optimistic view of life and able to see what's right with any given situation - for the most part. However when it comes to finding the right looks for men at this year's award shows, I'm quickly becoming a true pessimist. Slim pickings in the best dressed category walking down the red carpets lately and the Grammy Awards was no exception. 

What's happening?

Are Hollywood stylists becoming escorts whom are paid for their services and fired if they disagree with their johns? Isn't anyone telling most of these guys the truth about what looks good on them? Is fame so conniving that it removes all sense of truth and reality from the minds of these "star" folk? 

Well maybe I am being a bit dramatic and a little bitter. Maybe? After all I use to walk red carpets myself once upon a time!

Note to self : Self, it is Valentine's Day and you are alone in your home, at your laptop, writing about other men's fashion foibles.

Pause, two, three........OK, I'm back and with a slightly more optimistic approach.

Though not every man looked their best at the Grammy Awards red carpet this past Sunday, there were some real standouts.

Kings Of Leon - minus one - looked dapper, hip and age appropriate. These guys are not just the coolest band around, they are also really savvy when it comes to fashion. No matter what the occasion, they are always on point. They clearly know who they are and what works for them at all times. Kudos to you guys! And to your stylist too!

Adam Lambert also knows who he is and he is proud of it. With a real rocker look yet giving a it a fomal-ish approach, he takes my vote for best dressed at the Grammy Awards red carpet.

The guys from Lady Antebellum also stepped up to the plate as did Bruno Mars.

These next three "stars" were not as fortunate, unfortunately!

Ricky Martin. Where do I began? Pants tucked into boots at a red carpet on a sunny LA afternoon. Tie not pulled all the way up. Tuxedo coat with silver jeans that looked like he has wrapped his legs in aluminum foil and to finish off this mesmerizing ensemble he gives you; Man Camel Toe! Nice!

Justin Bieber. Is his father a milk man and did he let him borrow his suit? 
Either that or he's paying homage to Colonel Sanders of KFC fame.

Usher. Marching band boots with ill fitting trousers and a bad leather Members Only style jacket. Why?

I started off with a nasty tone and I refuse to end on such a note. I will be the glass-half-full kind of  guy I truly am.  Since I cannot find a guy on this red carpet who absolutely blows me away, I will end with a member of the opposite sex who clearly does.

I will leave you with the diva of all divas, The woman who knows herself and her style. The woman whose natural beauty has no rival and the star that always knows how to please her audience. The fiercest look of the Grammy Awards red carpet goes to: Ms. Jennifer Lopez. 

Give it to them J-Lo!

Tan Yes - Burn No

For many years, people have constantly debated over the pros and cons of tanning. A lot of people are convinced - and by a lot of people I include myself - that getting bronzed skin is sexy, while other people believe that constant exposure to the sun is foolish and unhealthy. Both points are well taken and both are right in their own way. I have put together some facts about tanning in an effort to help you decide if tanning is or isn't right for you.

Advantages 

One of the most obvious advantages of getting a tan is that it makes you look really attractive - not like George Hamilton tan but a sexy bronzed look. Looking attractive and feeling sexy helps boost confidence - for those who think that beauty is skin deep. Tan free skin is good for non olive complexion people - usually Scandinavians with rosy skin who look great year round - but sun-kissed skin is better for us olive skin types. 
If you want to get that exotic, sexy and healthy glow, spend some time under the sun. Remember to not over do it, especially the first couple of sun outings of the year. Make sure that you always use sunscreen - trust me you will tan even with sunscreen all over your body - beforehand to prevent your skin from burning and after-sun lotion - or moisturizer - afterward. Aloe Vera is cooling and refreshing to the skin after sun exposure during the summer months. A sunburn is NOT a tan.
Tan = Good look!
Sunburn = Not good look!


Disadvantages 

Although a glorious tan can make you look attractive and sexy, the effects of tanning can be short lived. Depending on your skin type and infrequent exposure to the sun, you are bound to lose your tan in just a few weeks. On the other side of the coin, exposing yourself to the sun constantly to achieve that perfect tanned look can actually damage your skin. According to experts, skin that is constantly exposed to the sun tends to age faster. We don't want that to happen. A lot of people who spend too much time outdoors often have premature wrinkles on their faces and bodies. This so called "raisin look" is not very attractive and can be found most prominently in Boca Raton.  Also let's not forget that over exposure to the sun cause certain types of skin cancers.

There are also options to achieving a tanned look without ever having to go in the sun at all. I find that to be quite freaky. However in all honesty, I too have been known to use a tanning bed in my life once or twice before. I'm just saying!

Then there's the spray-tan option which seems most popular in Los Angeles ironically enough, since LA is a city where all you need to do is take a walk or drive with your top down and you will get sun kissed. But who wants to work that hard?

My recommendation - if you choose to tan - is to make it part of your life - hiking, walking, jogging , surfing, the options are endless - and have fun doing it. Yes, sun-kissed or even tanned skin can give you that beautiful glow, but attaining that glow as a result of some fun outdoor activity you really enjoy doing is a much better look on you!

Look Great On Valentine's Day!

Dress up for your beloved on Valentine's Day. Etro and Paul Smith are the way to go!
Etro has been using the finest cottons with fascinating patterns in their fabrics through the years. It is no coincidence that Etro is one of the leading designers in Europe with a great following here in the states. If you happen to live in Los Angeles, you get the opportunity to feature beautiful Spring pastels this Valentine's Day.

Paul Smith is the king of class in London, though his reign in fashion is world wide. Paul Smith expands his repertoire with a fascinating collection for Spring which includes an homage to the Safari look inspired from the film "Out Of Africa". 
This Valentines day I give you options in combining both Etro and Paul Smith to achieve a current and romantic look. 

You can also opt for bit more casual look by wearing a shirt and slacks or even jeans. Depending of what your night out with your sweetheart calls for.

My job is to offer you choices, your job is to make a decision.

All items available at:

Sy Devore

12930 Ventura Blvd.

Los Angeles CA

818-783-2700





Love and the Perfect Gift!

To get your loved one the perfect gift is not as easy as going shopping, it really requires a great deal of intimacy and communication.

What is the perfect gift for a man?

Is it season tickets to the Lakers, or all three seasons of Glee in DVD Blu ray, or a year membership at your local boxing gym? Yes, it could be any of those, but how do you really know?

If you choose to follow the Madison Avenue train and celebrate Valentine's Day, then you are choosing February 14th as the day that you show your partner - boyfriend, husband, significant other - that you "love" him. If love is an action, then on this day you have the opportunity to show that special someone how grateful you are to have them in your life and how much you appreciate them, with more than just mere words.

If your intention is to truly celebrate who they are and what they represent in your life, then you need to put a little effort into it.  Ask yourself the following questions:



How well do I know __________ (insert name here)?

What makes ____________ the happiest?

What does _________ need most at this time?

Is there one thing ___________ has always wanted to do but has not been able to get it done? 

If you are emotionally intimate with your Valentine and you have a relationship based on clear and open communication, then these question will be a cinch. You will get the perfect gift.

If you can't answer these questions or feel that is too much work, well..............maybe it's time to move on or seek couples therapy.

I know most of us lead hectic lives and are busy thinking about ourselves a lot of the times, but if we don't take just one day out of the year to make it about our loved ones, something is seriously off course in our lives. This requires a bit of reflection on our part.

The perfect gift can be cooking a delicious breakfast and professing your love, in a genuine way, first thing in the morning on February 14th.

It could be doing house chores for one week.

It could be agreeing to go on that skiing trip that you absolutely hate. And doing it gladly.

It could be accepting to be totally agreeable and not argue for a whole week. This includes giving up control of the TV remote .

It could be a free pass for him to do anything he wants for a whole weekend. No questions asked!

And if you don't want to go to such lengths, don't worry cause what do men really want? 

Sex, sex and more sex! So:

How about the willingness to have sex at your partner's request for a whole month? No "Honey I have a headache!" for a whole month.

Whatever it is, just make sure that it is all about - and for - the other person. If you think about it, if your partner knows you - and values you - as much as you do him then chances are he's putting the same effort on your gift.

By the way if this is just too much work and too new-agey for you, no problem, come back tomorrow for my list of gift ideas for him this Valentine's Day! I'm just here to be of service!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Back To The Barber Shop!

The barber shop is back and the men's retro hair styles of the 50's and 60's are new again. There's a resurgence for the clean cut and men of all ages are flocking to barber shops all over the city to attain the new/retro look.

With celebrities like George Clooney and fictional characters like Don Draper - Jon Hamm of Mad Men - sporting the clean cut, there's been a return to the old school barber shop look. Barber shops that a couple of years ago were just sleepy establishments are booming with business today. I decided to go around town and check out a couple of shops to see for myself what the experience - not just the haircut - of returning to a barber shop was like.

Throughout the months I visited a couple of different shops in various pats of Los Angeles. At some of the shops I had a shave, at others I had my hair trimmed and although I had nothing but perfectly fine service, it was at Sweeney Todd's Barbershop where I finally had the complete experience and the perfect haircut and shave. 

From the moment you walk in to Sweeney Todd's Barber Shop, you are transported back in time to the 1950's. From the linoleum tile floor to the vintage barber chairs and the cool air conditioned temperature. Black and white photographs of Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum and Edward G. Robinson adorn the walls. A magazine rack filled with vintage Playboys, Cavalcade and Sir are available to you as Mancini plays in the background while you sit on a retro vinyl banquette waiting for your turn. No food allowed inside the shop and no cell phones either. The only phone available is a rotary dial

Todd "Sweeney" Lahman started barbering at this very same shop back in 1998 when it was still called Andy's Barber Shop. In 2007 he bought it and restored back to its former state back in 1951. He changed the name to Sweeney Todd's Barber Shop. Sweeney - as he is best known - heads a team of two other barbers - Omar and Almon - with at least ten years of experience each. With their hair slicked back, tattoos and white uniform barber shirts all three of these gentlemen feel as if  they were plucked out of central casting for a 1950's Billy Wilder film.

So the place looks great, the barbers look the part, but are they any good?

The answer is a resounding yes! They are not just good they are the best in town. Apparently I am not the only one who thinks so, GQ proclaimed it in their Best Of LA feature of 2010.

Originally I just wanted a shave and so Sweeney did his thing with the straight edge razor like an artist with a paint brush. There was a confidence about him and his hand moved with such ease that I almost wished he wouldn't stop. The conversation was flowing between barbers and clients and barbers and barbers and clients and clients, topics range from Perez Prado Cuban music to a fist fight at a restaurant the night before, to the new hot club in Echo Park. I even learned a new term; "cholobilly" referring to a Mexican hillbilly. 

I was having so much fun, I was not ready to go, so I asked Sweeney to give me a haircut. So he did. His scissors were like music around my ears as he clipped away. Again his confidence and years of experience were crystal clear.  It is undeniable that Sweeney was born to barber and we are the better for it. Eventually I was all done and it was time for the next customer to take his turn in the chair.
I realized that coming to Sweeney Todd's Barber Shop is not just about the haircut, it is a place where men can gather without any preoccupations, get pampered and express themselves with abandon. I was leaving the place with a smile on my freshly shaved face, a new clean cut and smelling like Pinaud Clubman aftershave lotion. My experience was complete.
Well at least for now, cause I am coming back next month!

Sweeney Todds Barber Shop is located at:

4639 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles CA 90027

323-667-9690

Cash only. No Credit Cards

You can visit their website by clicking the Sweeney Todd's Barber Shop link on the Vincent Recommends column on this blog

Photos courtesy of David Arenas

Taking a Compliment? Really?

Giving a compliment can be much easier than accepting one.

From as far back as I can remember I was taught to be polite and say thank you whenever anyone said something nice about me. As soon as I was able to formulate complete sentences whenever an adult would say something complimentary to me, my mom would immediately say:

“Que se dice” – translation – “What do you say?”

And I knew that was my cue to lower my eyes and say

“Gracias” – translation – “Thank you”

Well something change along the journey from little boy to man.

I am very quick to compliment my friends and even strangers on the street on the way they look. I truly enjoy complimenting people cause I know it makes them feel good and it may even be that one moment in the day when everything is OK for them. However receiving the compliment is a little different for me.

I find myself doing one of two things, either I feel embarrassed and think they are just being nice at which point I say things like:

“Really, I’m having the worst hair day” or “OMG I feel so fat today, I’m just hiding it well”

Doing this is basically calling the compliment giver a liar. This is such an arrogant and ungrateful stance on my part when I really don’t feel that way.

The other response when I receive a compliment is guilt and I find myself down playing it by saying things like

“Oh I got this at the Outlet for 80% off” or “I don’t even wear this anymore, I just put it on today”

The one response that I find most challenging is the simple and polite “Thank you”

At the end of the day I’m sure that is all anyone really wants to hear - is all I want to hear when I give a compliment. A very simple thank you will do just fine and show my appreciation.

I promise you, my dear Blogettes, that I will be aware of my response to compliments from now on and practice those two very difficult words in the English language:

Thank you!

If you can relate and have your own responses, please share them with me, I would love to hear how you handle compliments!

The Italians Have It

When it comes to style, the Italians are ahead of the game.

Fashion trends tend to originate in  Milan, Paris, New York and Tokyo. New York and Paris are best known for austere and fierce fashions. From Tokyo we usually get the avant-garde and very architecturally style clothing. Italy on the other hand, gives us a real sense of fun and audacity that reflects not only the vibe of the country but the confidence of the people who reside there.

Twice a year the fashion conoscenti flock to these cities to experience the shows and decide what we - the consumer - should be buying in stores across the world. No doubt the shows have a great influence on buyers. But who has the most influence on the designers that are responsible for the clothes walking the runways? 

The people in the city. 

Street style has been the driving force for design inspiration through the years. Italian designers like Miuccia Prada, Luca Missoni and Giorgio Armani - to name a few - have often expressed how the people of their city inspire their design. 

The essence of Italian living is very apparent in their clothing. A lifestyle where everyone kisses each other on both cheeks, where hand gestures are as essential to communicating as words, where eating gelato is not only a creamy and delicious treat; it is almost a national past time, where naps are a must and where Sofia Loren still reigns supreme cannot birth any other style than one of beautiful, sexy, fun, colorful, bright confidence. These are the qualities that make Italian design come to life and take the top spot on my fashion meter.

Here are some samples of men in the streets of Milan.

Men can wear various pattern within the same outfit and look elegant and well put together.

No need to be drab, have fun with color

 

Pocket squares or accessories; wear them with gusto!

So no matter where you are, you can always add a little flair to your look and pay homage to Italian fashion. I try to add a touch of it myself to the men I style without ever negating or forgetting that each of my clients have their unique sense of style. My job is to suggest, their job - and yours - is to follow their heart and always feel good in what you wear. 

Photos courtesy of GQ archive.

Sock it up!

                                                         

Socks can add to your wardrobe and enhance your individuality.

For the guy who needs to wear suits to work but also wants to have a little fun and express some individuality, I suggest fun colored socks. No matter what you are wearing, you can always add a funky sock, and not take your look so serious. Gone are the days of black socks or matching socks as a fashion rule. Individuality is encouraged and feeling good in what you are wearing is key.