Red Coat Revealed

In my opinion, a classic red coat is a staple piece. Less bland that it’s more traditional khaki style, a red coat even has a militaristic background- witch brings to mind another prevalent red coat- the illusive character on Pretty Little Liars who places such an emphasis on her outwear that he/she is known solely by their “red coat.”

Whether you’re objective is finding a new way to look chic in the fall or you’re more into the whole ‘striking fear in the eyes of your enemies’ thing, Rag & Bone’s Resort 2014 collection offers the perfect option. 

Not only is this coat the perfect shade of standout red, but that nifty utilitarian zipper detail will allow you to transition from functional (warmth) to a moto style better suited for stomping around Williamsburg than stalking the likes of Aria, Hanna, Spencer, or Emily.

 

Haa! Featured on GQ.com

Well this was flattering... and a little strange! 

A friend of mine found this image of Dakota and I during New York Fashion Week back in February on GQ.com.

my sweater: kenzo

dakota's (and the one in my hand) jacket: zara

Emma Watson is Au Naturel by Nature.

No, this isn't Emma Watson's stab at the age old tradition of child stars trying to prove something about themselves by shocking the public during their (oftentimes regrettable) transitional periods. These images are however, meant to send an important message to the masses. 

Emma (now 23) de-robed for the lens of James Houston as part of his newest book, Natural Beauty, which aims to raise awareness and funds for sustainable living. The project, which was created in collaboration with nyfw waiting room concept space MILK Studios, is a study of the interactions of humans and the natural world. Houston also features a number of other well-know actresses and models who were willing to lend their bodies for the purpose of bring an appreciation of nature back into vogue. 

One of the many things I admire about Ms.Watson is that she seems very genuine about her efforts to better the planet. Now defunct, her past efforts at creating eco-friendly lines with People Tree and Alberta Ferretti (Pure Threads) go beyond the ubiquitous 'all-natural' cosmetics lines and 'organic' cookbooks produced by a number of other prominent people. And clearly it couldn't come at a better time- though these images are hardly scandalous or naughty, they do seem to have appropriate timing considering the image she took on for her current film The Bling Ring. 

It's worth noting the convenient timing of these images which were released this past spring. Nicki, Watson's character in her newest film, The Bling Ring, may have stripped down to her birthday suit for much less-worhty of a cause, but I'm sure that do-gooder/director Sofia Coppola would be proud. 

Natural Beauty by James Houston can be purchased online at Damiani. Proceeds of the book will be donated to non-profit organization Global Green USA. You can also check out a behind the scenes view of the making of this book on Houston's Youtube channel.

Aaron Johnson for Prada

While my grounds for pride aren't exactly credible (we've been mentally dating for the past four years), I still felt a wave of immense pride for Aaron Johnson when I opened up a relatively recent issue of Vogue and found him staring in their SS13 campaign. 

The images below and above are all a part of a new concept of advertising for Prada which features both emerging and established thespians donning their best Prada pieces. In preceding seasons we have seen the likes of Gary Oldman, Garrett Headlund, and Adrien Brody taking over for the usual crop of male models in the label's immaculately tailored clothing.

My love of all things Aaron Johnson aside, what stands out to me about these pictures (all shot by David Sims in London) is the way the dramatic lighting works to get the most out of the Savile Row -esq tailoring and sharp silhouettes. Surely it wasn't an easy feat to strike that balance of focuses- should we be looking at the personality or the garments themselves?- yet everything seemed to come together seamlessly to create these timeless looks. It appears almost effortless... much like the appeal of Aaron's brooding, British boyishness (in contrast to his actual life as a 23-year-old father of two/trophy husband. Not that I'm bitter or anything...)