On A Fresh Start - The First Post of 2011

Well, my dear fashionable friends, queers, followers and anyone else who has stumbled across this page, happy new year to you all! 

It has been far too long since the last time I posted and there really is just no excuse - with the exception of being out of my mind busy with life and all of the madness that comes with it...

That being said, I have missed writing these posts. I have missed taking a moment to research a new trend or question concerning fashion. I have missed using this blog as a space to educate myself on the fashion world. And I have hoped that at the same time this blog is perhaps also aiding others who are searching for answers to their sartorial conundrums - especially when it comes to being a queer-bodied individual trying to make their style svelte and dapper. 

And so I have returned, your Boy at Sea, with my first post of the new year. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to start writing again with much regularity, but I plan on trying. And if you continue to grant me your loyalty and check back on occasion chances are you'll find me here, leaving you with little tidbits of fashion musings from a genderqueer boy perpetually in search of making clothing work for the non-binary body (and anyone else who is curious!).

To start things off, I'll show you what I wore for my New Years Eve:

I have a tendency to stick to a more classic look for evenings such as New Years. Therefore I went with a fitted black button down (H&M), gray skinny slacks (H&M), black leather penny loafers (Merona), a silk silver skinny tie (gift from my brother, so I'm not sure where he found it), a vintage tie clip with some fantastic detailing (Sid Vintage in Northampton, MA) and my jacket for the evening was this Berlin double-breasted (DB) olive green jacket from Urban Outfitters. I completely fell in love with this jacket when I saw it. I include some more detailed pictures later on. 

I appreciate an outfit like this on a night out like New Years - especially in Boston - because the lines and the colors are classic, and fool-proof. No matter where I ended up that evening (first it was dinner and then it was Machine and then it was 24hr diner) I was dressed appropriately and felt dapper as hell. Not to mention black is always a go to color if you want to hide your chest a bit more. And even if you don't, a precisely knotted tie and vintage tie clip draws the attention to your chest in the most positive manner.

So, with the new year brought in right, we proceed forward into January. And if you're a New Englander like this lad, than you know that while the past couple of days have been delightfully warm, it won't last and the next couple of months will be epically cold. However, I'm looking forward to it because it is always this time of year when I feel I have the most freedom to experiment with layers, colors, textures, and fabrics. The more the merrier in my opinion, just make sure you don't pile on so many layers that you lose your form. 

Here are a couple of the new pieces I added to my wardrobe in the past few weeks. I am excited to bring all of these out during the most bitter days to keep my spirits up...

This is the Berlin jacket from Urban Outfitters. I love the details on the sleeves and the canvas material. Furthermore the hood can zip off and DB jackets are very in for this season. Also shown are three new ties: The silk silver skinny from NYE, a silk dark blue skinny with the fleur-de-lis pattern, and a vintage black and green striped silk uber skinny tie found at Sid Vintage. Here is a closer shot for detail (click to enlarge!): 

Basically I'm stoked to layer under this jacket because while the jacket is small enough to keep my silhouette lean, there is enough room for me to put sweaters, hoodies, and flannel under it without feeling weighed down. It also looks great with dress slacks and jeans. Very versatile.

Winter is also always a great time to get creative with the use of scarves. A scarf is a fantastic way to help bring an outfit to life. It can add color to an otherwise dark ensemble, or can give a change of texture to the layering that helps pull it all together.

While most men's scarves tend to be darker colors, and basic knit, with most patterns being stripes or plaids, I think it is more fun to experiment with your scarves. Brighter colors, bolder patterns and textures I think make for an incredibly dapper addition to an outfit and if done correctly will leave you feeling masculine and fashion forward. This is my current scarf collection:

As you can see, I hardly stick to basic "masculine" scarves. There is silk, wool with a chunky knit, cotton, linen, tassels, patterns and lots of color. Some of these scarves are very long - like the yellow&black and the plaid on the far right - in which case when I throw it on, I tend to just keep looping it into itself, like a giant messy knot. If you do it without thinking about it too much it will fall perfectly. I especially like wearing those scares when I'm only wearing a thin t-shirt or long sleeved shirt. It makes the scarf the main point of the outfit. The blue knit scarf is very short and can be tucked completely around the neck without any excess hanging down, kind of like a cowl. The bright red patterend one at the top is a square and so when folded into a triangle can be knotted at the neck in that sort of hipster bib look.

GQ has a helpful link here to the most popular scarves this season as well as a couple different ways to knot them. Useful for sure, but I still say that a more interesting scarf is the difference between well-dressed and stylish.

It goes without saying that a scarf is another great way to draw attention away from areas you don't want noticed and instead put the focus on the color and the creative way you have chosen to tie it. Not to mention it's a scarf folks, it will keep your neck warm. Definitely necessary if you also live in a state where "frost bite warning" is something you hear with some frequency. 

Alright my friends, I think this is where I call it a night and prepare for the work week. As always I have every intention of posting again soon - but it's not my fault if a brutal work schedule and epic social scene thwart my attempts! I will be back, I promise. I have missed you. We can discuss my current painful endeavor of how and where to buy men's winter boots when your foot is a size 6 in men's (not an easy task!). 

So be well, warm and as always, keep them guessing

Yours,

A Boy at Sea