Losing it

Since reading this post over on iCiNG I have been mulling over the topic of losing your hair. I was racking my brains all over Christmas for some good bald/balding icons, only to kick myself for my stupidity when I caught a bit of The King and I on TV. Yul Brynner is surely the most obvious choice?
And while he is probably best known for his completely bald look (above) as sported in the King and I, I think he looked quite dashing in his younger days when he still kept a bit on top.

The supreme neatness of the hair he does have is vital to the look. And this just set the ball rolling. There are so many balders (not yet baldies, you see?) out there to admire! The trick to it, as always, is excellent grooming.

This is perfectly illustrated here by Mr Astaire. While he does have his hair reasonably long it is slicked down and back at all times with no attempt to hide the arches of his hairline. His skin is clear and healthy looking and, as usual, he is clean shaven.

I've noticed quite a few indie boys trying to disguise a receding hairline by growing a long sweep of hair to use as a fringe. I hate to break it to you boys, but I'm beginning to feel that this the the modern equivilant of the comb-over... you're fooling no one my dears. I did consider finding a picture to illustrate this point but I thought that would be a little bit too mean. Maybe your new influence, if you don't like the swept back look should be Brandon Flowers?

His hair is short here and ever so slightly pushed forward. I'd be interested to see what he will do once it REALLY starts going though. I was also going to use Jude Law as a muse here but, if I'm honest, he creeps me out nowadays.

Bluebirds are so natural...

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and are gearing up for your new year celebrations (be that expensive or cheap, hangover guranteed or a quiet night in). I am now back in London where I belong after having a quiet Christmas with the family by the seaside and eating far, far too much. This festive season is all about excess but the January belt tightening is on it's way (oh dear) but fortunately we have the sales and the fashion weeks not too far away.

After my recent blog post you might have concluded that I would be out savouring the sales all day every day fighting over the rails and piles of so called bargains but that just hasn't been the case. I hate shopping in crowded shops, during the sale madness the clothes are scattered across the rails and floors and fellow consumers take on a more panic stricken animal attitude, either fearful eyes and a look of terror or they come out fighting, elbowing their way to the reductions. Sales can be a scene of desperation, style at times is forgotten. Some people enjoy shopping in this madness, sifting through all of the rubbish just to find that nugget of a bargain but not this consumer.

My first full day in London was spent wandering around Selfridges with EJ and the girlfriend, where last year I was fortunate enough to find some great things but this time I just wasn't in the mood. I'm sure there were some great bargains among the racks and rack of clothes but from my half hearted glances I didn't see anything, only the very fortunate or those who put in the most work succeed in arenas like the Selfridges sale. My mind was made up to vist b Store and the Shop at Blue Bird the following morning. In the interim I did venture into Liberty's and was seduced by some of the reductions, for example a Maison Martin Margiela navy suit jacket which despite the substantial price cut was still a little out of my grasp. A couple of APC items were tempting but my will power was strong enough to dissuade me buying things that I didn't really want or need.

Now onto more happier and successful tales and the wonders that were to be found within the Shop at Bluebird. Adam Green once chirped 'Bluebirds are so natural' in his song 'Bluebird' and it the shop felt very natural to me. It felt so far away from my previous shopping experience at Selfridges which left me questioning the whole sale thing. I walked out of the shop at Bluebird with a huge smile on my face, I had a bagged myself a white Givenchy shirt for £55 and a pair of wrap trousers from Unconditional for £125 but had also enjoyed myself within the shop, which is well presented and has attentive and extremely pleasant staff! There was so much to choose from, ranging from Raf Simons tapered trousers and that metallic shirt, Omar Kashoura cardigans and shirts (check out the scary myspace music) alongside rails of countless items that were great!

The sale purchases teamed up with a pair of old but quite rare converse (black with red trim).

The Unconditional trousers are unlike anything I have in my wardrobe. Wrap fly, tapered bottom, they are a play on proportions and so damn comfortable.

If you like me are dissuaded from most sales I would recommend visiting the Shop at Bluebird which was fruitful for me alongside ventures inside b Store and Concrete.

Let us know about your own success stories or nightmares with the recent sales.

Beautiful Actress: Chen Hao 陈好

Name: Chen Hao 陈好
Birth date: December 9, 1979
Horoscope: Sagittarius
Birth place: Qingdao, ShangDong, China
Blood type: O
Height: 166cm
Weight: 50kg
Education: The Central Academy of Drama
Profession: Actress and singer
Hobbies: Travel
Favorite artist: Maggie Cheung, Richard Gere, Catharine Zeta-Jones

Sale, Sale, Sale

Long before the presents have been unwrapped (or in my case wrapped), some days before the turkey has been reduced to a carcass and I've eaten my own body weight in roast potatoes and even some time before the family are sick of the sight of each shops up and down the high street and beyond are going into/or have gone into sale mode. The time to splurge on myself is fast approaching. I've been ever so good this December during my Christmas shopping. On previous years I buy a present for someone and then get something for myself but not this year. This could be down to maturity or maybe it was that visit from the Ghost of Christmas Past that made me see the error of my ways...anyway, whatever, I've been well behaved and the time has come for me to spend money on myself as it is sales time!

Here are a few of my picks for the sales

Selfridges
For me this is the best place to go to find bargains in the New Year. I am chomping at the bit to rummage through the rails. Last year I picked up a Preen jumper which is nothing short of a talking piece and two Unconditional items that have bolstered my wardrobe significantly (a very successful trip by all accounts). Be warned though over 3,000 people are expected to queue starting at 5am, so get there early if you are insane/desperate enough. I will wait until I return from my family Christmas and explore the treasures within this great institution on the 28th.

b Store

The b Store sale is already on...what am I doing writing this, I should be running towards Savile Row!

Browns

I've never ventured to Browns but I am told this store can be home to many bargains. If I have time and more importantly any money left I will pop in. Sale starts 26th December.

Liberty
Great discounts of up to 50 per cent on a huge range of products across the store. Expect a large selection of men’s clothes from Paul Smith, Maison Martin Margiela and co. There will also be money off beautiful homeware pieces from brands including Lladro, Kenzo and Missoni.

Topman
After years in the shadows, Topman has finally reached the dizzy heights, formally confined to sister brand Topshop. The sale could be well worth a look.


H&M
Whilst we are on the subject of the High Street why not mention this store which is a staple for many men (I personally have never had too much good fortune at any H&M but often here how great it can be). With a huge range of items all reduced by up to 50 per cent, prepare yourself for the stampede of bargain hunters over the festive break...The sale started on the 18th but I've not been brave enough to go within 50 yards of any H&M store.


Start
Stocking some of fashion’s most-wanted labels for men and women, this great Shoreditch store will be making reductions of up to 50 per cent. The sale has already started so if you are around the area at the weekend (I like going East on a Sunday) I would recommend looking at the reduced pieces like this Commes des Garcons single breasted jacket.

Concrete
This store just off Carnaby street is home to some beautiful things. On previous visits I've been known to cling on to garments that I just can't afford but hopefully this sale should rectify this problem. Sale already on

Dover Street Market
This is not normally the place to pick up bargains but it is still worth the trip, to have a wander the great space around if nothing less.
Starting December 27

I could go on and on but I won't. For a more extensive list than what I have here visit Urban Junkies who have an excellent guide. I am resigned to the fact that both my bank card and my body will be exhausted come the beginning of January. My month of January will go down in memory as the one where I had to survive off Iceland meals and Baked Beans but all my planned bargainous consumerism will certainly be worth the consequences. Happy shopping everyone.

Help!

Steve, I think I've gone crazy. I discovered New York Look and lost my mind. Is it wrong that I like this?:

Ann Demeulemeester, photo courtesy of FirstView

What is that hanging around his neck? Loose threads that they couldn't be bother hemming his trousers with? And yet... something about proportions I like.

And this:

Fendi, photo courtesy of FirstView

See through jumpers?? But still... it really does add something to the outfit, and the suit's just the right amount of shiny.

Still, at least I changed my mind about this one, right?

Calvin Klein, photo courtesy of FirstView

Yeah... that one's just a step too far. Love the colour combinations though.

p.s. oh my god.

Excuses, Excuses, And We're Almost Off To the UK!

We're big assholes. Our hearts are here at Chez Binge, but our hands are furiously banging away at job-related assignments. Boo! I, Tamron Lohan, am getting ready to depart on a trip to London and Scotland, while MKHo has sweetly agreed to play back-up babysitter to my emotionally unstable cat, who I'll now post some photos of because I am lazy, and they are right on my desktop:

Him atop my bedroom door.

Demonstrating the many uses of reusable bags. (Note: that's not my arm!)

Shimmying out of his lobster costume (for dogs).

Okay. Next. All you cosmopolitan Binge readers out there: where should I go in London (I was there about seven years ago, and I've never been to Scotland) -- I'll be staying in Clapham -- and Edinburgh? OBVIOUSLY TopShop, and Covent Garden and Camden Market, but are there any cool shops -- vintage? -- that won't leave me dashing to buy an international calling card to phone Chase and ask them to extend my credit card limit??

Comment or email me through the informative "About Me" section of this "Web log."

Bundchen by Dolce & Gabbana

To all Gisele Bundchen fans, this must be a great news!

The Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen will be climbing to a step higher to next-level career. She will not only wear and endorse clothes, but she want to design them too. The world’s highest paid fashion model have teamed up with Dolce & Gabbana to design her own line of “chic and feminine” spring wear, called Bundchen by Dolce & Gabbana.

Here are some of her ads for the said fashion house:

2008 New Year's IT List

Net-a-Porter.com offers all fashionistas a great reason to start the New Year's countdown to midnight. This IT List includes slinky dresses to sultry heels to make you sensational-looking when the clock strikes 12.

Grab a paper and pen. Create a check list now!







There you have it. These are some of the 10 reasons why we need to look forward for a glamorous and lively New Year.

JAMIE LYNN SPEARS PREGNANT! (Plus, Some Cute Leather Booties)

(Photo via TMZ.com)

HOLY FUCKING FEDERLINE! Jamie Lynn Spears is pregnant. (Story at TMZ.com). You know, I step into the grocery store for a few Tuesday night needs, I walk out, and the last bastion of Spears family hope has a mini bun in the oven. (And please note, I already know I'm going to hell, so to ensure that I get there safely, I'm gonna continue blogging about a 16-year-old's illegitimate pregnancy.)

Okay, so seriously... WHAT THE FUCK? Are condoms not available in other parts of the country? And it's funny, right now I'm reading "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides, and I JUST read the part about how sometimes the English language isn't powerful enough to contain emotion or sentiment. Um, HELLO! TRUER! THAN! EVER! Because is there even a word for levels of schadenfreude this fucking epic? If not, someone ought to invent one.

Also, do you think this was like... some kind of intentional attack by the Winehouse Fielder-Civil camp to deflect attention away from Amy's arrest? Do you think they're even capable of plotting, let alone standing up straight?

Ok. I'm off to enjoy the inevitable media feeding frenzy.


Oh yeah, these boots are hot:

($69, Spiegel.com)

Hibernation

Watching half of Rear Window set me off thinking about pyjamas and doing away with my bedridden wife. No boys that I know wear proper pyjamas any more, perhaps linking them too much at once with both young boys and old men. I think it's a real shame- they'd get away more with being lazy and not dressing until 3pm if they did so looking a little less slovenly and a little smarter; not in boxers and a t shirt but in suitable sleep wear. More in the style of L.B. Jefferies...

Try not to get distracted by Grace Kelly, it's the PJs we're interested in... remember?

I've found a similar pair to these from Derek Rose (of Savile Row no less) here... a similar lovely shade of blue that looks flattering on almost everone. You can even get a matching dressing gown! What more could you ask for? Ok, so at just under £100 they're not exactly cheap but they are delectable. You can get a similar style in a myriad of other colours and fabrics there as well including in silk but I'm not sure if that's a little too Hugh Hefner (not that Hugh's look isn't great, it's just not what I'm talking about here).

A cheaper version of the same look can be found on the high street at both John Lewis and Marks & Spencer.

John Lewis blue cotton pyjamas , £15

Marks and Spencer Cotton Rich Thin Stripe Pyjamas, £22

Marks even do a 'Big & Tall' version so there's no excuses for too-short PJ trousers.

After spouting all of this why do I still want to hide away and spend all winter living in footed pyjamas, shocking people with static?

Beautiful Actress: Eva Huang Sheng yi 黄圣依

Name: Eva Huang Shengyi 黄圣依
Birth date: February 11, 1983
Horoscope: Aquarius
Birth place: Shanghai, China
Height: 165cm
Weight: 45kg
Blood type: A
Education: Beijing Film Academy (graduated 2001)
Profession: Actress and singer
Hobbies: Net surfing and travel
Favorite actresses: Audrey Hepburn and Sophia Marceau
Favorite movie: In the Mood for Love (花样年华)