“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Yesterday was uneventful as far as Manzies go. The women’s collections are in full bloom. Alexander Wang, Jason Wu, Charlotte Ronson, William Rast, Rag and Bone, these are the collections with all the heat. That said, there was little if anything interesting going on in menswear. And when I say uninteresting, I don’t lie. I am still trying to figure out why Lacoste does a fashion show. I’d imagine their retailers would buy that in the showroom, and clearly, if they were in the 21st century, with a basic collection like that, they could handle their seasonal order and reorder… Read More »

Wonders will never cease and change is not likely at The New York Times Sunday Styles. On several occasions I have been astonished at the out of touchness, the irrelevance, and some of the people they take to A Night Out With. It’s shoc…king! Yesterday we have three ditties that I found dubious at best. First off, there was a piece on the new Harvard Yard men’s collection. Excuse me, I reported on that over three weeks ago. Now granted, the Times Style is not a fashion rag and need not be as topical as would a fashion trade publication.… Read More »

Manzies and pansies and bears…oh my! New York Fashion Week will never be the same…for several reasons. First off, being a total optimist and in a response to the recent CFDA meeting, I am confident that there will be a shift in tone at the tents as well as at the off-site activities. No, we will never be free of annoying fashionistas, whose moment of fame starts and ends around the shows (listen up PR Girls), but I’m feeling that the intention of the industry is to act as if we are moving through this unusually hard time and that… Read More »

Being amongst a collection of collagenous junkies out here in Fire Island, where an arrogant puss is as common as sand, it got me to thinking about arrogance in general. Lord knows gays have not cornered the market on that lovely trait, but oh, how they try. Today’s news featured a few arrogant twits. All of them suffering from that terminal illness of believing their own press. And they all have something else in common: flared nostrils, slightly turned up as though they are smelling week-old fish left in the fridge. That is sooo the look of arrogance. Here now… Read More »

The power of suggestion knows no bounds. Yesterday I put it out to the universe that I wanted y’all to send me images of random Manzies. Well, the Lord sure works in mysterious ways. ‘Cause not 24 hours later, these beauties arrived, thanks to Ramon. Will no doubt start a “Manzie Alert” on I Mean…What?!? soon enough. Talk about making my day. Dirty Harry wishes. So now I am addicted…send me more and more of Manzie sightings. We all need another Manzie fix.… Read More »

Letters To The Editor – Who Wears Short Shorts? Every other day, I receive complimentary emails about how much joy people get from reading I MEAN…WHAT?!?…and for that I am most grateful. This week, however, I received my first Dear I Mean..What?!? letter, asking for fashion advice. Kind of like Dear Abey…as it were. But not just general fashion advice. No, this was from a concerned male reader that under no circumstances wanted to be perceived as a Manzie. Hey Abe, Is it OK to wear shorts around Paris?  Your insight into what would be the best way to proceed… Read More »

What’s great about being in good company is that it supports the notion that you belong or that you have arrived. Not sure about what the hell I am talking about? Just go back to the title of this entry…The Man-Girdle. Last week I did a piece on Mancessories, included in which, was a mention of the man-girdle or as I lovingly called it, Spanx for men. Time Magazine did a whole story on Mancessories and today there is an item in The New York Times Style Section, making it all sorts of old news, if it’s there. “At Saks… Read More »

The Russians are coming…for Michelle Obama. Yes…really. Now even Russian fashion designers are dishing our First Lady. Like Russians, are known for style, grace and elegance? I don’t think so. Let’s take a look at some of the Russian designer’s schmatehs that were recently featured at Moscow Fashion Week. I am sure you will agree with me, that the Kremlin will continue to be known for vodka, borscht, and trading their girls on the internet and at modeling agencies. I mean…who has time to listen to this Russian nonsense? These designers are best served honing their craft and piping down.… 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 »

It is most fitting that the Paris men’s fashion shows are staged while in New York City, Gay Pride is in full regalia. Sunday, while the androgynous models sauntered down the runway, the few nelly customers that will likely buy the Manzie looks were sashaying down Fifth Avenue in all their Sasha Fierceness. I did notice however, that Manzies were everywhere in New York both on and off the gay runway. So now, I have officially changed the name of Gay Pride to “Manzies and Tranzies and Bears…Oh My!!!” Though I liked much in most collections that were shown on… Read More »