All articles tagged 'monsieur'

Which is better? The debate rages!

There is a Latin phrase that goes, ‘Vestis Virum Facit’. Translated, it means, ‘The Clothes Maketh the Man’. Personally though, I think there needs to be a second point added onto that: Accessories Maketh the Outfit.

How To Get Dressed For A Concert

Audrey tells men how to look stylish at a show.

Notes From The Road

Audrey tells a tale from the road.

The Ultimate Crush Decoder Ring!

I get emails all the time from people who are in the grips of a major crush. The kind of crush that lives up to its name — the sort that squeezes your insides, makes you hyperventilate & always makes you feel like you’re not being very impressive at all. I realised I hadn’t written an article on how to stop a crush from becoming a crash, or how to salvage the wreckage if it does, & with Valentine’s Day coming up, it seemed appropriate! So, here it is — your crush decoder!

Stylish Wedding Attire For Men

“Help! I’ve been invited to a wedding and I have no idea what to wear!”

Man Bags

Alright boys, let’s face facts. Gone are the days where everything you needed to survive a day in this modern fast-paced world can fit in your pocket. It’s just not doable any more. If you’re roaming around the streets with just your wallet in your pocket, you’re either alarmingly under-equipped for life, or you’re cheating and getting your other half to cart around your stuff around for you. And that’s not cool.

How To Be A Gentleman

Audrey’s guide to being the perfect gentleman.

Putting On The Ritz

How to dress up, for men!

5 Masculine Ways To Beat Christmas Stress

Audrey’s tips for dealing with Christmas — in a manly way, of course!

Audrey's Guide To Baldness

A friend recently had to come to terms with the fact that yes, he was indeed losing his hair. It came as quite a shock as he’s not exactly “old”, is quite virile and healthy. Unfortunately, male pattern baldness is a fact of life.

Photobooth Friday -- 7th December 2007

Audrey & I, photoboothing it up!

Audrey's Style Guide For Tall Fellows

How to dress if you tower above everyone else!

Audrey's Christmas Gift Guide!

Audrey gives tips on buying Christmas gifts for men!

Gala's Christmas Gift Guide!

My guide to fun Christmas gift-giving.

Romancing Yourself

I was inspired to write this piece by a fantastic girl called Kylie who emailed me the other day, saying that she had never had a boyfriend & was pretty happy that way. Recently, however, in a conversation with a friend, she declared that she was no longer single — that she was dating herself!

Being Okay With Who You Are

Audrey writes about acceptance & being okay with who you are.

Summer Style For Men

I recently made the acquaintance of a super-cool boy called Audrey. The good news is that as well as working as a buyer & designer for a men’s youth line, he is also a style fiend. He wrote this & I liked it so much that I asked if I could post it here for all the male readers! I hope you enjoy it!

Preparatory Style

When it comes to restyling the traditional prep look, your imagination & courageous spirit are your best assets. Well, that & your Visa!

Gossip Girl Style

Gossip Girl is, without a doubt, the most stylish show on television. Don’t believe me?

Sexual Abuse

A girl wrote in asking how to deal with her sexual abuse, & I offered some suggestions.

The Power Of Eyebrows

It’s truly incredible the way a pair of well-shaped eyebrows can completely transform your face, as seen here!

Winter Style 2007

Things I would definitely be wearing if I was in, say, New York. (Swoon.)

Dissecting Men's Style

A breakdown of some stylish men’s outfits, & how you can achieve a similar effect.

Happy Birthday Betty Dodson!

Some ways to celebrate the birth of this brilliant sex educator.

O Magazine & Ellen Barkin

What exactly is she trying to say here? That women over 50 should cover up & shuffle down the street as if invisible? That once you hit your 50th birthday, your time in the spotlight is over? Time to eat at the early-bird special, grab your Zimmer frame & don orthopaedic shoes?

Nu Rave

How to dress “nu rave” without looking like a complete goober… !

Men's Summer Style '07

Ben asked me what I thought men should be wearing this summer, so I illustrated my point with several cute boys from street fashion blogs.

Irregular Choice Shoes I Love & The Imaginary People Who Wear Them

Beautiful shoes by Irregular Choice & a whole slew of people I imagined wearing them.

Long Distance Love

Having a long-distance lover can be one of the most exciting things ever, or it can be one of the most heart-rending experiences of your life… & sometimes both at the same time…

How To Have A Great Picnic

Humans tend to be the best sort of guest, though if you’re having a particularly trying week, you might prefer to picnic with pets, stuffed animals or a handsome-looking gherkin…

Gala's Guide To Tennis Chic

Start spending time at a country club. Remember to wear pearls & get blitzed on gin & tonics like the rest of them…

The Essential Guide To Dressing For Your Shape

This is a very short piece — the sort of thing you can print out, highlight the parts which apply to you & then chuck it in your bag for whenever you go shopping & get stuck.

Gala's Kissing Boot-Camp

I’m quite small so I like to crawl into people’s laps & sit opposite them. This way they are TRAPPED & can’t escape until my lips are satisfied! I am sneaky like that.

"Business Casual"

If you don’t want to fake it — & I don’t blame you — dress like yourself, but imagine your mother is there while you’re choosing your outfit. Run her voice through your head. “Those shoes are completely impractical!” “I think that skirt is a bit short.” “Oh, you just CANNOT wear that.” (If your mother is awesome, like mine, pretend one of the women on Coronation Street is your ma instead.)

Things I Learned From Watching Miss Universe 2007

Some people enter a room & even before they introduce themselves, you know you’re in for a sleigh-ride to Boredomville. In Miss Universe, you could tell the girls who had a little something going on upstairs — their eyes sparkled, they smiled mischievously, they walked with a purpose — & that made them far more attractive.

Making Short Hair More Interesting

“I had my hair cut short for the first time a few months ago, and I love it. Not having to worry about bad hair days is marvellous. But I’m getting bored with it looking the same all the time! Since you’ve got short hair, too, I wondered if you’ve got any tips for making it look more interesting?”

T-Shirt Mania!

Great t-shirts for every possible occasion.

Disguising A Chubby Body Part!

“One quick question that might prompt another article for us guys who read you. Have you any tips on disguising or hiding a big tummy? I have more weight than I really need, but it is mostly concentrated on my belly – how can I make sure I look my best (while I try to lose some weight at the same time)?”

American Apparel Reviews

A review of American Apparel’s “Sheer Jersey Chemise” & “California Fleece Pants”.

How To Adopt A New Skincare Routine

How to pull the old switcheroo on your skin without disaster!

Top 5 Ways To Define Your Own Personal Style

A five-step process to help you cultivate an aesthetic.

Burlesque Chic

For anyone who wants to incorporate a little old-world glamour into their daily dressing, here are some ways to do it…

iCiNG's Definition Of Chic

Yesterday, Kristen suggested that we all — as a community! — compile a list of what we think is chic. In her words, a “positive, fun, happy” list. I think it’s a brilliant idea, so here it is! I think a chic person…

Modern Manners

A call for a return to manners, civility & poise! I believe that the days of being petulant & stroppy must end! I am bored by girls who chew gum with their mouth open, frustrated by those who drag their feet while they walk, disappointed by boys who eat with their elbows on the table.

Marriage -- The Final Frontier

If you were going to ask someone to marry you, how would you do it? If you already have, or someone has asked you, how did it happen? What are your thoughts on marriage in general?

Paparazzi Photos

But what about those times when you’re at an event & a photographer approaches you, asking to take your photograph for x magazine? It is a time of panic for many of us.

Destructive Relationships

There is really no way to improve a relationship that is bad for you. People rarely change, regardless of how much we want them to.

In Bed With Your Parents

Regardless of what you thought about the kind of relationship your parents had, you will subconsciously search to replicate it — or, if you’ve made a conscious decision that you don’t want to be like that, you’ll be looking for the complete opposite.

International Dress-Up Day #002 Pictures!

Fred makes a fabulous Dr John H. Watson (& tells a story to boot) while smokeandwine looks way too awesome as Garth from Wayne’s World.

How To Deal With The End Of A Relationship

People deal with the end of relationships in various ways. Some people go the healthy route (lots of therapy, good food, exercise & meditation, for example) & some go the unhealthy way (say, lots of alcohol, sex with anyone who pays them a compliment, drugs to create artificial joy & an annoying facial tic).

Quality and Conformity

With credit card debt at an all-time high, it’s not the most difficult jump to make. People aren’t being valued more highly these days — it is just getting easier & easier to spend beyond your means. It is basic conformity: you see other people doing something & you want to do it too.

What Does Your Clothing Say About You?

Have you ever thought about what message your clothing is projecting & what it says about you? What story do you think your outfit today told the world?

Novelty T-Shirts

Please, if you own one of these t-shirts, or your beloved has one hanging in the wardrobe — do your city a favour & dispose of it.

Style Report: Melbourne 02/07

If under the age of 20, a big, black, back-combed nest with a huge combover fringe is de rigeur…

Cleaning Out Your Wardrobe

I can’t tell you how much better I feel to have done a clean-out. I’m a Virgo, & organisation totally thrills me, but I doubt the joy of the exercise is only felt by 1/12th of the population.

Engineer's Boots

“Where can I buy the best men’s engineers boots (sometimes known as biker boots, but I want round toe, non-harness straps: single strap only, flat-ish vibram soles). I would ideally like to know who is the old school company who make these… I want great design and manufacturers integrity, with mail-order-ability from the colonies.”

Learning How To Dress Up

“I’m completely sick of dressing down and jeans and such. I want to start wearing skirts and dresses and dress pants. I’d like to stick to black and red and white if possible. Any suggestions on where to start with completely re-vamping my wardrobe?”

International Dress-Up Day This Saturday!

Just thought I would remind you that the first INTERNATIONAL DRESS-UP DAY is THIS SATURDAY! I’m going to dress like a love casualty.

Last Minute Valentine's Day Idea

How To Buy A Winter Coat

Accessorising For Men

“I’ve got a boyfriend who’s not altogether a bad dresser – what he wears is what the majority of boys in my (very warm) country dress in: big tees/polo tees paired with jeans or berms, with Nike dunks, Adidas superstars or flip-flops. But I’d love to see him dress up just a little bit more, with a bit of accessorising maybe. What would you suggest? And how would you suggest integrating these items into his daily wardrobe?”

Valentine's Day Treats

Okay. I know Valentine’s Day is a major sore point with a lot of people. Capitalist holiday, blah blah blah, yeah I know. I used to be part of the anti-Valentine’s brigade myself. I have since realised that being against anything is a huge waste of energy which I do my very best not to participate in.

Signature Scents

Coco Chanel said that you should wear perfume wherever you want to be kissed, & when Marilyn Monroe was asked what she wore to bed, she replied “two drops of Chanel No.5”. Of course, both statements were excellent P.R. for Chanel’s perfumes. I, personally, have never understood the appeal of Chanel No. 5. It’s lacking something.

These, however, are perfect — which is why I own them…

Makeup Basics Part Two -- Makeup Application

This is part two of my three-part series on makeup basics.

Super Street Style or Why These People Look So Damn Good

Some of my favourite recent looks from Flickr & Hel-Looks. Daily outfits with a twist, yessir.

How To Age Gracefully

I recently had an email from a woman who is nearing 60 years old. She is in incredible shape (I should know, I saw the photos) & has great style but is caught in the trap of getting older & being unsure what to do about it.

Dressing For A Wedding

I just want to gloat about my stylish readers for a second. This is all very shrouded in secrecy — they didn’t want me to give out any details about them.

Shorts For Men

It’s summer and I want to wear shorts, but only feel stylish in pants. Is there any way around this dilemma?

Image Consultation Winner!

Thank you for all the entries! I wish I had more vouchers to give away, but hopefully my write-up of Rod’s experiences will inspire you to give image consultation a go anyway!

Choosing Sunglasses That Suit You

Buying sunglasses can be a thrill or a trial. The most important part of buying sunglasses is knowing your face shape . Different frames suit different faces.

What Goes and What Clashes?

What clashes? What colours don’t go together? What can’t you wear with what? Stripes and polka dots? Stripes and more stripes? Mixing patterns?

Makeup Basics Part One -- Skincare

Being a guy I don’t usually wear makeup, but on occasion when going out I’ll throw some mascara on and maybe some nail polish. I like to be exuberant at times and was thinking of getting some eye shadow too. But in honesty I know next to nothing about the basics of makeup. Can you enlighten me?

First Impressions Count and the Value of Image Consultation

I was recently invited by a friend of mine, Rod, to attend his image consultation at First Impressions Count in Brunswick. He was given a voucher by a friend at a barbeque & thought it would be an interesting experiment, & I was keen to go along & see how it went. We caught a train out to the suburbs (the horror!) in the pursuit of professional styling.

Gala Darling