“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Ahhhh, what a feeling. Women’s Wear Daily proclaimed that orange is the new black for Spring ’10 from the mens’ runways, days and days after I MEAN…WHAT?!? spotted it and even labeled the trend Gina Lollobrigida Orange. Click here to see all the I MEAN…WHAT?!? reportage from Milan and Paris mens’ shows. The other trend WWD spotted was also, right up there in each and every I MEAN…WHAT?!? fashion entry known as Manzie, but they call it something else, “Boys of Summer”. Now, scroll down and tell me that: A) If boys wore these outfits, they would not be shit… 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 »

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 »

Somehow I must have been asleep at the wheel or something, but somewhere between Paris and Milan, several designer shows slipped under my radar and have just now surfaced. If the Manzie Report bores you, by all means, leave now and wait till we cover the NY Fashion Shows in September. And if you are that high, then I suggest taking a spiritual aerobics class.… Read More »

I was just reading on the The Daily Beast about how stylists are being cut from budgets and all other sorts of nonsense. The article was an outtake from a bigger story in The New York Observer pointing out that these “celebrity stylists” are being bypassed as the actual celebrities are going directly to designers. There seems to be less and less patience for these spotlight grabbing stylists such as Rachel Zoe, Phillip Bloch and Stacy London. Well, let me pipe in here and say hold on just one minute. Unless you have been a stylist, you can take these… Read More »

Would everyone just leave Michelle Obama and her wardrobe alone for five minutes? I have never seen anything like it. This woman is not allowed to step out of the shower without some yenteh looking her up and down, snapping a photo and printing it, and as of late…dishing her. Today the NY Daily News trashed Michelle for sporting an expensive, alligator purse. And naturally, to salacify (yes, I made that word up, it means to make more salacious) the wearing of the bag, the NYDN offers up a vote to their “sophisticated” readers as to whether she “should” or… 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 »

Each summer, flocks of people migrate east to The Hamptons. Like birds, they set up nests, arrange their beach wardrobes and busy themselves with all sorts of relaxing activities. Here is a typical day in the life of a Hamptonite: sit in traffic walk around ad nauseam have cocktails or dinner at whatever has been suggested by the media shop for things that otherwise would not be purchased share bedrooms with total strangers…as a living situation, not a sexual encounter congregate with people they otherwise despise desperately try to meet a mate pretend to be nice to potential mates stand… Read More »

George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Youth Is Wasted On The Young”. And after watching the first couple of episodes of NYC Prep, that expression still holds true…and in the case of these pompous noodniks…in spades. There is a column in the The New York Times Style section about the show, which fails to mention just how incredibly horrendous these kids are. The stark reality of these NYC Prepsters, as is the case with the characters on Gossip Girl, is that they all want to rush through their youth and act like grown-ups. I am from the Peter Pan era where the… Read More »

Excuse me…but…can we please, at least, begin to move on from this Michael Jackson Celebrity Death Match? I know, it’s sad. Death as a concept is sad. Yes, I believe in the after-life, but that doesn’t mean I want to get there any sooner than need be. So, for now, death is still sad. But I think it is time to move on. Ok, day 1, the shock. I get it, lots of news. Day 2, details emerge, some stories abound. Day 3, the family speaks. I remember when my father died, also at 50 years of age, I couldn’t… Read More »