“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Anyone who knows me from childhood will tell you that I developed my own language, mostly words and expressions to describe things, people or activities that I found somewhat nonsensical. Now, I just say I Mean…Whaaaaat?!?! a lot, which captures the essence. One word is “okeedeer”. This is really just “OK, there”, but with a sardonic twist. Here’s a for instance. Say, The New York Times Style features a fashion spread of men’s clothing, shown on a heavily tattooed model, who looks like a wanna-be beatnik. We know he is a wanna-be, because he is in fact a model, rather… Read More »

One would have to be living under a rock not to know that I have taken issue with The New York Times Style section as of late. I have accused it of being not style conscious enough, behind the trend curve in its reporting, not fierce, old news, and under fabulous. And today is not any different. There are two stories that bugged me to no end starting with the lead article about “marijuana”.… Read More »

I Mean…What?!? presents the Paris Couture Shows. Lord knows I got the Manzie Report down…and two snaps up. However, man does not live by bad men’s fashion alone. Granted, it won’t be as knee-slapping as the Manzie Report due to the nature of this beast. But beasts there are, I can assure you. Now before I show you some highlights or “high”-lights from Alexis Mabille and Stéphane Rolland, I need to say something here. Couture is a unique business that services much of the hype and interest in the fashion industry. The couture customer is not the customer that buys… Read More »

Two years ago, the tuxedo started going through a metamorphosis. Solid black was sooo over whereas florals and vibrant colors were becoming the new black in men’s evening wear. Guess who they were inspired by? Moi! For Spring 2014, Tom Ford continues serving up untraditional, elegant formal attire such as this lovely floral printed tux (above). Below is my blog post from August 19, 2011 that references this chic, new look that also, when you scroll down will see that I started this whole trend eons ago…at my Bar Mitzvah. This is simply unfair. Two of the world’s most acclaimed… Read More »

You have designers like Kris Van Assche and Kris Van Assche showing perfect menswear collections and then there is Thom Browne, using Paris to show his US brand of retardo fashion. Whenever we go there it is never a good thing. Case in point Zac Posen. I don’t even want to go on and on about how pretentious the Thom Browne collection is. I have said it all before and will sadly continue into the future.  Browne is so hell bent on replacing John Galliano’s fashion bad boy reputation in light of the him missing from the scene, that it… Read More »

Welcome to a world where truth and justice is actually the American way. I started this site shortly after the 2008 economic boom, as in ka-boom. The manifesto has always been about finding truth and humor in a world obsessed with fashion, celebrity and politics. I Mean…What?!? is a daily reportage on what’s not quite right in the world. IMW has become the insider’s go-to resource to get a humorous take on the truth, the Emperor’s New Clothes, celebrity fashion designers, and the other absurdities that plague our pop culture landscape. Finding humor in a world filled with dolts and… Read More »

When the global economy took a nosedive back in September 2008, the whole world changed. The perception of what is cool and the reality of what is sellable had to be revisited. At that time, the mens runway shows in Paris, Milan and New York featured a look that catered to what I called Manzies, and it was the end of an era. For those of you who don’t know, or want a refresher course… Q. What is a Manzie? A. A Manzie is not a Pansy or a Dandy. A Pansy doesn’t necessarily dress effeminately to be teased by… Read More »

Finally, men can come out of the closet…and we are not talking about their sexuality here, rather, that men can openly say they use cosmetics and still maintain their butchness…ish. The New York Times Style section has an article about the rapidly growing market of cosmetics created exclusively for men. I love that the evolution of man boils down to his desire to maintain his youth and beauty. Not that there’s anything wrong with it. On the contrary. When men became admitted metrosexuals…though I prefer the term Manzies for this purpose…all bets were off. Suddenly, “straight” men were allowed to… Read More »

Yet another Gay Pride Weekend filled with cha cha and booze is upon us. Since washboard abs and cheesy music has hijacked the look and tone of what is “gay”, let alone the Manzie fashion filled funways, you can see why I have proclaimed that I am homosexual yes, gay no in the piece I AM ASKING AND I AM TELLING.  However, this season there is provocative and compelling element that will be front and center in the Gay Pride Parade. I am speaking of my friend Lauren Foster, the Miami-based glamour puss, who has chosen to take this moment… Read More »

The Spring 11 shows came to a close in Milan, and overall there were great, sexy, safe collections sprinkled in with those few designers that love…and are committed to…Manzies. There were noticeably less mandals than last year, more blue than black and less quirky man-hats, which makes me very happy. Yes, there were Mad Men, but more along the likes of Coo-Coo, rather than Jon Hamm lookalikes. The Milan Maznie Report ends by featuring these few designers who we can live happily ever after…without.… Read More »