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Frames Should Frame.
Details Magazine put together their picks of the best of the new eyeglass frames from Tom Ford, Zita, and the like in their November 2009 issue, with Adam Lambert on the cover. Of course, it’s one of the only features in that issue that I can’t link you to because they don’t have posted on their site yet. Sorry about that.
The verdict: The Clark Kent-look is trending upward. It is more fashion-forward right now for men to call attention to their spectacles with big, bold, and beautifully full-figured looks, rather than trying to minimize their affect with wire frames or super light weight frames.
As an eyeglass wearer by necessity, I personally have never really appreciated the look of thin frame or wire frames on my own face. I have always wanted to use my glasses as an accessory. I’ve never had the inclination to tone them down, treating them like some kind of social liability. And this trend speaks to that; A parody of the ancient notion that the large spectacle was a province of the nerd.
I was a bit disappointed, though, that my personal top pick for this new eyeglass trend wasn’t included on Details’ list. But it may have been because that these particular frames are marketed as sunglasses, and are only turned in to eyeglasses with special effort by the owner.
My top pick for bold eyeglasses are the Selima Optique, Rivington, designed especially for the most recent J. Crew catalog, available for $325. In black:
…And the tortoise shell version on a model:
Awesome choice to top off any look, and certainly awesome with modern fitting suit.
Don’t expect to go and try these on at your local J. Crew though. Their popularity was underestimated and they are down to online availability only. And not only will you probably not be able to try them on, but the website doesn’t even list the official measurements of these frames. So until now, it was a bit of “pay and pray” as a shopper: Pay for them, and pray they fit. And at $325, admittedly, I don’t like those odds.
So, I was able to speak to a J. Crew Online personal shopper named Katie who forked over the measurements. So, as a bit of an exclusive, if you really are considering these frames, here are the size measurements of the Selima Optique Rivington.
Lens - horizontal: 50mm
Lens - vertical: 44.45mm
Bridge (mm): 21mm
Front of Frame at Top: 120.65mm
Length of Arms (temple): 143mm
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Before You Buy Leather Furniture: What is “Bicast” Leather?
It would be easier for me to explain to you what bicast leather is not: leather. Well, arguably.
The difference between the two came to my attention when I had to take on the project of designing an entire apartment, rather than just the bedrooms that I was renting before. I was interested in getting a leather piece or two and I noticed that there was a significant difference in cost between the leather items at Crate and Barrel, and the leather items at my local, no-name furniture outlet stores (Why are they perpetually “going out of business?”). Then I noticed a modifier that seem to show up in all the product descriptions of the less expensive leather items. That word was, “bicast,” or sometimes, “bycast.”
So, I took my questions to Google, as I often do, and found that bicast is about as close to leather as MDF pressboard is to real wood. Bicast begins, literally, with the parts of the leather hide that are unusable in traditional leather work. If I understand correctly, that unusable piece of hide is coated a few times with a colored polyurethane, and then embossed with a leather-like texture. The only portion of the material that was actual leather from the cow isn’t even visible when the process is complete.
Leather is a beautiful, timeless material for a couple reasons. First, every piece of leather is unique. If the cow was grazing with wild abandon, as cows will do, and scraped it’s side in to a barb wire fence at some point during it’s life, that mark would be on the hide forever, and come through in some way on your club chair. Defects like this ensure that no two hides are ever alike. Secondly, leather ages particularly well. It’s probably the only material used for furniture that actually looks better having been sat on for five years, than it does the day you buy it. Just like a leather jacket, it gains a patina over time.
Bicast, on the other hand, does not age well. In fact, it cracks and peels in to it’s individual layers after it has seen too much friction. And, since the texture is actually embossed by a large factory press on to the polyurethane surface, the appeal of a unique, one-of-kind piece is no longer a factor.
But bicast leather won’t always be called by that name. In some countries it is against the law to market bicast items as simply “leather” but, in the United States it is not. While the more honest among them will refer to it as bicast, or “leatherette,” In America, retailers seem to be totally allowed to refer to bicast items as, “leather,” and even, “genuine leather.”
If you want to know if you’re looking at a piece of furniture made with bicast leather or genuine, “full grain” leather, I’d advise you to take a look at the price tag and gauge it against how much leather would be required to make that piece, keeping in mind, a good leather jacket starts at about $500. If you find a leather, full-sized couch for $999 USD, it’s likely bicast. That’s far too inexpensive. If you find a leather club chair for $299, it too is too good to be true. But that doesn’t necessarily mean its not well made.
Of course, full grain leather is ideal for the more fortunate among us. But bicast leather isn’t all horrible. If you are particular adverse to say, killing two or three cows so they may be used to construct your over-sized ottoman, but still love the characteristics of leather, a well-constructed bicast leather alternative would be right up your alley. Or, hell, if you just want to try and save a couple bucks, even some bicast items that come from China can be virtually undetectable as non-genuine to the lay person (read: your friends). But there’s just as many pieces out there that use a laughable leather alternative. And I say laughable because, if you put them in your home, your mates will laugh at you.
I personally can rub my fingers on leather and tell if it is genuine or not. I always think of other genuine leather things that I’ve touched. For instance, I know what it feels like to touch a real Coach bag, and I know what it feels like to touch a Santee Alley knock-off of a Coach bag. Easy enough. Or, if the product has a disclaimer near the description describing that your item will likely be slightly different in color and texture than the photograph, or the showroom piece, due to the unique qualities of each hide, that is a good sign. That tells you that real hides are going to be used when they upholster your furniture.
If I can’t tell by simply touching it, and there is no further information available regarding the retailers leather process (which itself is a red flag), one can also put their nose real close to the material and inhale sharply; You simply can not fake that great, genuine leather smell. And bicast usually smells more like chemicals than anything. I have a two-year old leather bag from Banana Republic that still smells like real leather, and a brand new bicast piece in my office that really never did.
For a very detailed, if not a bit paranoid schizophrenic, breakdown of leather types and the controversy of selling bicast as leather, I suggest you peruse The Leather Controversy.
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Fall 2009 Shopping List: Dark Wash Jeans
I opened my closet recently to find that I don’t have any straight fit, dark wash jeans that could be worn, say, with a broken-in oxford shirt and tie. Rather, I have several pairs of boot cut, worn-out selvedge jeans, that would go awfully with chelsea boots, and instead would look better with an old Pink Floyd graphic tee and Vans. And I happen to subscribe the notion that dark wash jeans are an absolute necessity this fall.
But, as much as I enjoy the finer things, I find it difficult to discern the difference between a pair of jeans that cost $300, and a pair that cost $100. I have yet to try on a reason to pay more than $150 for a pair of jeans. So here’s a couple pairs of jeans that are on my shopping list during the next three months:
Gap Straight Fit Jeans (Dark Wash) $55
Gap has really been pushing this notion that they recently overhauled their denim operations. I have not yet decided if the product is worth the hype but this fit definitely looks like my favorite.
Banana Republic Straight Wash Jeans $80
Denim is a funny thing. It takes a lot of trying on to find the right pair, but once you find it, it always feels worth the work. Banana Republic jeans have always served me well in the past.
Levi’s 514 Slim Straight Leg $54
The Levi brand is way too often overlooked. Classic stuff.
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Fall 2009 Shopping List: The Brief Bag
I personally love my heavy leather messenger bag from Banana Republic, I take it everywhere I go. As much as I love it though, this season I’ve been seriously coveting a “brief bag”; a kind of hybrid of briefcase and bag.
Of my research, the most attractive bag that I can find happens to also be found at Banana Republic. Not only because I love the color and design elements, but because I happen to know by experience that they consistently produce quality-built bags.
The Banana Republic Nylon Twill Everyday Brief Bag. $180.
The canvas on this bag will add new texture to any outfit, and the slightly broken-down look, as opposed to the stiffer, more corporate looking brief bags, add a younger context without looking too casual for the office. I myself would sport this sans the shoulder strap though, and use just the handles. With this bag in one hand, and a stylish umbrella in the other, you’re just about ready for fall in the way of accessories.
