Tag Archives: street chic

The anxiety of influence must be tough to bear at Columbia and Barnard – especially when it comes to fashion. Fuddy-duddy wool blazers of the sort Michael Caine wore in Woody Allen flicks are still a popular choice, and Marc Jacobs has cinched the popularity of the Ali McGraw-esque knit hats this season. Students wore shorts and flip flops even on a cold day, Converse All-Stars (still), plaid pants, jewel tones, Euro sport zip-up jackets, and – dare I say it? – sheer black stockings. Worn with boots, they can actually look chic.

On view at Washington Square Park: beards, layers of floaty clothes, wild patterns, women and men in caps, red as a primary color, and flip-flops no matter what the weather.

People and foliage in reds, oranges, greens and browns.

After an initial attempt to capture fashion in midtown at 48th and 6th, which was like drawing blood from a stone, I was advised to relocate to Park Avenue in the 40’s for more fertile hunting grounds. Black vinyl or patent leather accessories, bold graphic 60’s prints, more double-breasted blazers, layers, and mixed-up stripes and patterns in menswear were some of the trends in evidence.

Big bags and little dogs, double-breasted coats, and lots of leopard add some panache to the fuddy-duddy fashion of the Upper East Side, where riding boots and Barbour jackets never went out of style.

Stripes, Chanel bags, dresses by M for Missioni, big hair, leggings, lockets, popcorn sweaters, guys with ties, and, of course, models were all part of the Soho shopping crush this weekend.

Despite the strict uniformity of corporate dress codes, a few well-put-together people stood out in the crowd – as did the Mets fans.

Many of you guys may have given this one up for dead, but it’s back: brilliantined hair, also called Brylcreemed hair, after the product that made the look popular. The ultimate Brylcreemed gent was Cary Grant.

My stylist at Aveda tipped me off to this trend in early September, and I’ve seen it many times on the street. To get the same look, you must have enough hair – alas, isn’t that always the first hurdle? Then, it must be long on top, and preferably short on the sides. It looks like Aveda’s Custom Control would well as a styling product, as do several Kiehl’s products, though Aveda’s line smells sexier.

Magazine tear sheets from T: The New York Times Style Magazine, Men’s Fashion Fall 2006.

Caf&#233 culture thrives in Tribeca, especially on the main drag of West Broadway, where Odeon first put down roots in 1980 and many sidewalk caf&#233s followed. Even on a drizzly day there’s not much incentive to sit indoors. You’d just miss the view: the people.

Taught from infancy never to mix black and navy, I report on this latest trend with a particular frisson of rebellion. Now it is not only OK to mix black and blue but endorsed by the fashion police. The blues in question are usually of the midnight or slate variety. Finally we can put to rest that age-old question: does anyone really have/want navy blue shoes?