THE SPARKLING NEW SHOE TREND FOR GUYS

You may need to wear sunglasses while reading this latest post entry. The trend around fashion capitals has definitely seen more and more eccentric & shiny new shoes for men. These "show-shoes" as I would like to call them, are unique choices for the daring, fashion forward men and fashionistos. They are creative masterpieces in their own right. The majority of styles feature some form of embellishments which make them pop. Think studs,  metal tips, appliquéd crystals and sequins.

Always leading the avant-garde fashion, Louis Vuitton's  Spring / Summer 2010 Menswear Collection includes these dress shoes covered in sequins, "Butterfly Richelieu in Sequin-Embroidered Fabric" in particular. The shoes can be picked up in silver or black, bringing the price tag to oscillate at US$1070.

Miu Miu's Fall / Winter 2011 collection includes this embellished sneakers. Also available blush,  gold & black and are made of patent leather, arabesque lamé & velvet. They will be available at Miu Miu boutiques starting this month & will set you back between US$450 - US$585.

Surely to make shoe lovers salivate with longing. The only shoe style that will be difficult to find in a fashionisto's shoe rack this season is something very plain and simple. As for me, anyone caught  dead wearing these bad boys is fashion royally perfect in my book.

SMART CASUAL MONDAY

"Smart Casual" dressing  is a middle ground between business formal wear and street wear. It is a loosely defined dress code, casual, yet smart enough to conform to the particular standards of certain social groups.The whole idea behind "smart casual" outfits is to make the employees more relaxed and to allow them to better express themselves. This is all to make them more productive and happy at their workplace.

As a college instructor, there’s not a lot of pressure on me to dress up. If anything, it’s just the opposite. For one thing, I interact regularly with younger people and besides wearing business attire can be daunting and boring sometimes. Yet, there are days that  I want to set the sartorial bar high and express myself in a more corporate dress code. Days I just want to violate my bohemian standards of dressing.  It's a great thing that there's enough smart casual pieces in my "treasure trove" that I can incorporate in  my  day to day dressing to enjoy  my work in a more conservative yet stylish manner. Rule of the thumb: When you dress to impress, make sure that your confidence shows not only in your gait but in how you carry your business attire, as well.