Just A Guy Thing

Is It OK to Un-friend an Ex?

James — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:00:43 +0000

Relationships are hard enough as it is, but throw Facebook and other social media into the mix and it gets downright mystifying. What are the new rules of the road? A national social media survey released last week by Liberty Mutual’s Responsibility Project tries to find out.

Nearly two-thirds of 1,200 social media users polled believe ‘un-friending’ an ex is completely reasonable. However, a little over half of those surveyed thought it is irresponsible to “friend” an ex’s family member on Facebook.

Here are some other interesting findings from the survey:

Two-thirds of those surveyed believe checking personal email is acceptable at work.
When it comes to Twitter, 63% of women think CEOs shouldn’t tweet while 51% of men think they should.
Nearly three out of four people think pets should not have a social media profile. Um, yeah, I’d have to agree with that.
Twenty-five percent of men find it responsible to tag a friend in a Facebook photo without them seeing it first, while only 19 percent of women find it responsible.

Marion Cotillard Introduces Forehead Tittaes

James — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:30:12 +0000

Oscar winner Marion Cotillard introduces a new product to help women be taken more seriously in the workplace. Sounds so classy with a French accent, don’t you think?

Forehead Tittaes w/ Marion Cotillard from Marion Cotillard

The Toilet Paper Article of the Week: You’re So Vain

James — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:00:35 +0000

Here’s an article from our friends over at The Toilet Paper. To subscribe to their free ball busting daily newsletter, click here.

Delusional thespian and part-time lesbian Lindsay Lohan is so upset over an E*Trade commercial that she is suing the financial services company for $100M for pain and suffering. Lohan believes the ad spot negatively depicts her—a smoking hot, red-headed diva—as a cute, chubby baby. A stretch, you say? Hardly. In the commercial, the baby’s name is also Lindsay. It gets worse: the baby is said to be a “milk-aholic.”

Wow, we knew about the drug and alcohol arrests and rehab, but who knew Lohan was hooked on moo juice too? Good thing the baby in the commercial wasn’t sucking on a rubber nipple and doing blow, or Lohan might have a case.

Number

20M – Daily page views New York Magazine’s website received the first three days in January 2009 when they posted a sexy photo shoot of Lohan recreating poses taken of Marilyn Monroe. Lohan was not paid.

In September of 2009, Playboy offered the actress, model, singer, and designer $900,000 to pose nude. She declined.

Quote

“She has to begin to build the foundation of a life that’s got stuff in it, not just celebrity.”

Jane Fonda, discussing Lohan on Larry King Live

Word

jackanapes [jak-uh-neyps]

noun. 1. A conceited or impudent person. 2. A mischievous child. 3. A great way to get banned from the primate exhibit at the zoo.

Fact

Before the release of Herby: Fully Loaded in 2005, Disney decided that Lindsay’s rack was too spectacular for her character to portray in the family film. Lohan’s bust size was digitally reduced in every frame of the film, making the movie suck even more.

The List

Lohan(tourage)
Michael Lohan, Sr. (Father) – The former actor, minister, and youth counselor did two years in prison for various probation violations after getting a DUI. He also shopped a show about his family while he was estranged from them. Later on, he tried to sell private recorded conversations with Lindsay to the media.

Dina Lohan (Mother) – Rose to fame as Lindsay’s manager. Claims to be a former Rockette, has dabbled in acting, and launched her own shoe line called “Shoe-han.”

Ali Lohan (Younger Sister) – Starred in the reality series Living Lohan alongside her mother. The 17-year-old sometimes acts as club companion to her big sis.

Jenni Muro (Lindsay’s Assistant) – Claims that she doesn’t get paid enough for all her work. In a “leaked” conversation with Lindsay’s father, Jenni insists that Lindsay is suicidal and that she tries to “save [his] daughter’s life everyday.”

For more in-your-face news blasts, click here to subscribe to The Toilet Paper now.

Your Mantelligence Briefing for March 11th

James — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:00:14 +0000

Looking for the manliest links on the web? You found ‘em! Enjoy.

Drunken Spring Break Facebook Pics Exposed (see above) [COED Magazine]

Top 10 Craziest Video Game Freakouts of All Time [Double Viking]

Why Kim Kardashian loves NASCAR [All Left Turns]

Things Women Don’t Care About [MadeMan]

9 Worst Places To Be Caught Masturbating [EgoTV]

30 Girls Who Have Never Paid For A Drink [Manofest]

Funniest Eminem Lyrics and Videos [Gunaxin]

Natasha Poly In Numero Tokyo [StyleCrave]

A Solution to the Unemployment Crisis [Living With Balls]

Getting Over Your Glory Days [Art of Manliness]

Ripped T-Shirts from the Underground [Cool Material]

Me and Chat Roulette, Chat Roulette and I [TSB Magazine]

The Video Game Bosses’ Lament [College Humor]

Mugshot Of The Week [TastyBooze]

Iron Man 2 Looks Awesome

James — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:27:51 +0000

Director Jon Favreau and Robert Downey, Jr. team up again in this summer’s Iron Man 2. Now I’ll admit you can’t judge a movie by a trailer, but if it’s anything like the original this sequel should rock. Here’s the trailer:

Company Markets Extra Small Condoms for Tweeners

James — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:00:56 +0000

Those folks in Switzerland are so darn open minded. Lamrecht AG, a Swiss company, has started making extra small condoms for 12 to 14 year old boys.

The condom – called “Hotshot” (not shown above, btw) – was produced after the Swiss government figured out that tweener boys often don’t wear condoms during sex. Heck, when I was 12 I was only dreaming of the days when I could have sex.

The hotshot is smaller than the average condom – though exactly how small is not clear – and costs about $7 for a six pack. If the company ends up expanding beyond the Swiss borders the U.K. would be the top priority since it has the highest rate of underage conception in Europe.

What do you think – are condoms made specifically for tweeners a good idea?

[via Daily Contributor]

The Sexy Moves at The Olympics That You Missed

James — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:19 +0000

Most red-blooded guys went out of their way not to watch the figure skating competition at this year’s Winter Olympics. But if you skipped the couples skating you missed some downright sexual poses.

The folks over at Fresh Pics rounded up 40 of the most sexual photos from the 2010 Olympics and if these athletes were not wearing skates (and, well, clothes) you’d swear you were watching a porno. Here are a few of the Kama Sutra inspired poses you probably missed:

To see all 40 suggestive photos head on over to Fresh Pics.

Spend a Cheery Night Inside a Converted Nuclear Bunker

James — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:30:28 +0000

Nothing says fun like an underground nuclear bunker, am I right? If you find yourself in Switzerland and want to live it up for a night, head on over to the Null Stern Hotel in the town of St. Gallen.

The welcoming retreat has been dubbed the world’s first “zero star hotel.” The “only star is you” the hotel’s website proclaims. The Null Stern Hotel is an invention by the Swiss conceptual artists Frank and Patrik Riklin. The hotel can host 14 guests in a configuration of 6 single beds and 4 double beds – each bed “a room without a wall”

If hunkering underground waiting for the nuclear holocaust is your thing then you’re in luck – even the priciest bed at the Null Stern costs less than $30 a night.

For more photos or to book a room, check out the Null Stern Hotel website.

Is Facebook Killing Your Mojo?

James — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:00:13 +0000

Sure, social networks like MySpace and Facebook give you access to more girls than the old analog world of generations past. Sadly, though, these young ladies may be more digitally privy than you. And they may be looking at your online profile right now, only to conclude that … you’re a jerk.

Example: Think an ambiguous relationship status makes you mysterious? Well, nope. Actually, a girl eyeing this immediately thinks you’re hiding something or someone — or that you just want to keep your options open.

Here are five more things she may perceive as a red flag, and here’s how to avoid them:

TMI
You had a disagreement with your best buddy, hate your boss and can’t get bigger calves no matter what you do at the gym. And every online “friend” you have knows it. Because you told them so.

The about-face: Really, keep it inside. To hook a girl, you need to keep a few secrets, or at least try not to seem like a whiney pessimist. Pour your heart out after you’ve been dating for a few months — not on your wall. She may still think you whine but at least she’ll feel special that you whine to her.

Compromising Profile Photos
They show you can’t grow up, you’re not relationship material and you’re probably $10K in credit card debt because you put your vices — like those allegedly awesome rims in albums No. 1, 2 and 3 — on your card at a cool 27 percent APR.

The about-face: Swap these pictures out for something a little more conservative, such as something that actually, and accurately, features you — at a time when you’re not puking, fighting or wearing someone’s boxers on your head.

Constant Status Updates
It looks like you have no life. Seriously. If you do 60 quizzes per day and comment on everyone’s pictures, you’re probably unemployed or not the backbone of the company you say you are.

The about-face: Even if you do spend your weekends playing online backgammon, you can at least appear to be busy by curbing the urge to update every hour on the hour. And please wean yourself off the “Which Family Guy character are you?” quizzes.

A Defaced Wall
Your buddy posts the following message on your wall: “You’re the man! I couldn’t believe you and bowling babe last night in the parking lot!” The girl of your dreams sees this. She now knows the deal and wants nothing to do with you.

The about-face: Deactivate your wall or restrict who can view it.

Alibi-busting Photos
You tell your girl you were visiting your sick grandma last weekend, when you were actually at a party with your ex. Once those bash pictures hit Facebook — especially if you’re tagged in any of them — your cover’s blown.

The about-face: Change your settings so you’re notified whenever anyone tags you and can un-tag yourself ASAP. (Or, you know, stop being a lying two-timer.)

Got it? Stop shooting yourself in the foot with your profile. Now you might actually have a chance with her.

Belisa Vranich is a renowned clinical psychologist, author and public speaker. The former sex and health editor for Men’s Fitness magazine and Maxim radio co-host claims she’s not on Facebook.

How to Cultivate Your Image for the Ladies

James — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:52 +0000

This is a guest post by Joseph Matthews from Art of Approaching, a hands-on guide to picking up any woman.

Last week week talked about getting yourself ready to meet the woman you want and what different types of women are looking for in a guy. Today we’ll talk about the next step in the process.

Once you know how you want to tailor your image, it’s time for you to cultivate it. This means you gotta put some money forth. Now, if you’re a guy like me, you HATE to go clothes shopping! Not only can it be expensive, but it can be a real pain in the butt!!!

However, putting the time and effort in now will pay off later when you got the girl of your dreams in your arms!

Now that you know what image you want to have, you’ll have to pick the right store to shop at. Different stores cater to different styles, and different bank accounts. Clothing is a mix-and-match game, where sometimes you have to piece together outfits from many sources. But typically, you want a set of clothes to have a certain theme.

For instance, if you work at an office, you want to project a professional image, so all your clothes for the office might be nice, dark suits with monochrome shirts and flashy ties. But when you go out to concerts, maybe you have a bunch of ripped pants and faded vintage T-shirts.

Different environments call for different types of dress.

I believe that we all have different personas in different areas of our lives. Maybe at the workplace, you’re a vicious shark who no one wants to mess with because you really know your stuff and you’re an expert at what you do. That’s your “work” persona. But when you go home to visit mom and dad, you’re quiet and you do what you’re told because you don’t want to fight with your parents. That’s your “son” persona.

We all do this, depending on how comfortable or confident we are in different situations. Your type of dress will determine how strong your persona is.

When you do go shopping for clothes, here’s some advice for you. Take your time! Make sure you’re not rushed, because you’re making an investment in your future. You need to try on the clothes, see how they look, get opinions from the store clerks (don’t be afraid to ask them what they think or their advice on what to get).

If you’re looking for good, trendy clothes that will work in almost any situation, and won’t totally drain your bank account, I suggest going to your local Banana Republic store. You can usually find these stores in malls across America. They make great clothes, and their sales are fantastic. I never buy anything there that isn’t on sale because their stuff can be expensive. But the sale items are just as good quality as the regular items, only cheaper!

If you’re looking to go for the rock and roll/gothic appearance, there are lots of routes you can go. The biggest store that caters to this look is called Hot Topic. You can find these stores in most malls. They sell all sorts of shirts and accessories that go well with this image.

In tandem with that, thrift stores, such as your local Goodwill Store, are good for that and a lot of different looks. Not only are these stores dirt cheap, but you can find hidden gems here, such as vintage t-shirts and the like. Stores like this are very popular with the more “arty” crowd.

If you’re overweight, Casual Male has a great selection of clothes to fit bigger guys, and their clothes range from professional to really, really cool. Because I, myself, am overweight and find a hard time finding pants that fit well in the normal stores, I often go to Casual Male and buy jeans and other pants. Their selection of suits for big guys is really good as well.

The internet is also a great place to find really good clothes. There are tons of websites out there that feature their products and will ship them right to your home, and a lot of times they got great discounts too.

Cheaper outlets like Wallmart, K-Mart, and Target have nice casual clothes, but I wouldn’t recommend going there to find clothes to attract women (though going there to meet women is a different story!).

In addition to your clothes, pay attention to your grooming and hygiene too. Take care of your teeth by brushing at least twice a day and flossing. Try to shower at least once a day to stay clean and fresh (and make sure to wash your nether-regions! You never know when you might need to use them!!!). Take care of your skin and watch your diet. If you can, work out regularly. Thirty minutes a day three times a week is bare minimum for getting healthy. Remember: muscles on men are like breasts on women. The bigger they are, the more attention you’ll get.

Download a copy of Art of Approaching here.

photo credit: {Away until inspiration comes}

It’s Good to be the Azerbaijan President’s Son

James — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:30:50 +0000

I’ll bet 99.95% of you out there couldn’t find the country of Azerbaijan on a map if your life depended on it, but this county has got a lot of oil. So much oil, in fact, that Heydar Aliyev, the son of Ilham Aliyev, the country’s president, reportedly spent nearly $44 million on nine Dubai waterfront mansions. Oh, and did I mention he’s 12 years old?

Yes, a 12 year old has allegedly bought the mansions at the ultra-luxe Palm Jumeira island for more money than you will ever lay eyes on. This over a span of just two weeks, says the Washington Post.

The total price tag is roughly 10,000 years’ worth of salary for the average Azerbaijan working joe.

Now how, you may ask, does a 12 year old have so much money, especially when daddy’s annual salary is just $228,000? Well, there’s the mystery. No one involved in the transaction is talking, but something tells me we’ll hear more about this terrible tyke in the coming weeks.

photo credit: PhareannaH

Finally – Get Your Own Personal Jetpack

James — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:00:04 +0000

What’s cooler than zipping around on your very own personal jetpack? If you thought you would have to wait decades before buying one, think again. The Martin Jetpack (technically it’s a turbine powered ducted fan, but whatever) will begin rolling off the assembly line in the very near future.

The Martin Aircraft Company will begin producing 500 jetpacks a year for about $75,000 apiece. Steep price? C’mon – it’s a personal jetpack. That’s a bargain!

Better yet, the jetpack requires no pilot’s license to operate. You fill up up with premium gasoline from your friendly neighborhood service station and can go for up to 30 miles on a tank.

The jetpack goes as fast as 60 mph and gets you as high as 8,000 feet. Yee-ha! And just in case something goes wrong, it comes with a low altitude ballistic parachute for safety.

Here’s a video of the Martin Jetpack in action:

Now I admit this is not the sexiest piece of equipment ever built. But may I remind you that it’s a freakin’ personal jetpack? Sign me up!

Ready to buy yours? Check out the Martin Jetpack website. Let the future begin!

[via OhGizmo]

Beatriz Recari Is One Hot Golfer

James — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:30:32 +0000

Women’s tennis and golf have been vying with each other to produce the hottest female professional athletes. Beatriz Recari, the newest member of the LPGA tour, might just put golf ahead for good.

Recari, who hails from Spain, is not only stunning, but actually has talent too. Imagine that.

If you want to see more of Recari, you should vote for her to grab the 16th and final spot at the upcoming Mojo 6 Tournament in Jamaica. Vote here.

It’s Come to This: The iMaxi iPad Case

James — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:00:21 +0000

The Apple iPad has not even been officially released and it’s already a full-blown phenomenon. The latest to hop on the iPad bandwagon is Etsy seller Hip Handmaids which recently released the iMaxi IPad Case.

Yes, that’s a giant maxi pad (with wings!) you’re looking at there. Perfect for wrapping up your shiny new iPad safe and snug.

Better yet – check out the available color schemes: sanitary white and blood red. I think I just threw up in my throat.

If for some reason you feel the need to buy one of these, you can find them at Hip Handmaids.

Meet Miss Sprint Cup Paige Duke

James — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:44:16 +0000

Our favorite NASCAR blog All Left Turns has some smokin’ hot photos of the 2010 Miss Sprint Cup Paige Duke. I don’t exactly know what the Miss Sprint Cup thing is all about, but I do know they have good taste in women.

Here are a couple more choice pics of southern belle Paige:

Check out al the photos of Paige Duke at All Left Turns.

The Toilet Paper Article of the Week: Sweet Soul Sister

James — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:00:31 +0000

Here’s an article from our friends over at The Toilet Paper. To subscribe to their free ball busting daily newsletter, click here.

We hold three truths to be self-evident at The Toilet Paper offices: 1) people that walk without swinging their arms are weirdos, 2) Bloody Marys without celery are an abomination, and 3) Pam Grier was—without a doubt—the hottest actress to ever step onto a film set in the 1970s.

No one could fill a dress and empty a gun like Pam in her early action classics. When she wasn’t “kicking jive turkey ass” and “sticking it to the man,” she was generously revealing her mind-blowing physical gifts and getting stuck by her man. A sexy, self-confident woman with a “No BS” attitude, Pam was a source of empowerment for black women and feminists. A caramel dipped goddess with a happy trigger finger, she was a fantasy for any man with a pulse.

Number

70 – Number episodes Pam played “Kit Porter” on the Showtime series “The L Word” from 2004-2009.

One would think a show called “The L Word” would be about lesbians, but apparently it’s just about female slackers in landscaping. Gals who don’t do dick, but enjoy mowing lawns.

Quote

“I can’t talk about myself. I just can’t. I know I’ve influenced people, and I’m proud of that. But as I see it, I really haven’t done anything. I haven’t saved anybody from a burning building.”

Pam Grier

Nonsense, Pam! You’ve helped young men strengthen their forearms for the past 30 years.

Word

Blaxploitation

noun. 1. A commercial-minded film genre in the 1970s geared towards black audiences.

Some groups like the NAACP found the films to be stereotypical, but many others in Hollywood including Pam, felt they were finally giving a voice to those that weren’t being heard.

Fact

Pam is the only black star from the Blaxploitation era who receives a royalty each time one of her films is rented. Good for Pam. Bad for Fred Williamson.

The List

Queue Em Up Now

Coffy (1973) – “The baddest one-chick hit-squad that ever hit town!”
Foxy Brown (1974) – “A chick with drive who don’t take no jive!”
Sheba Baby (1975) – “Hotter n’ “Coffy” meaner n’ “Foxy Brown”
Friday Foster (1975) – “Her name is Friday, but you can dig her any day of the week.”

For more in-your-face news blasts, click here to subscribe to The Toilet Paper now.

Your Mantelligence Briefing for March 4

James — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:56:10 +0000

Here they are, chock full of awesomeness, the manliest links on the net:

Audrina Patridge’s Red Hot FHM Cover Shoot (see above) [COED Magazine]

If Men Wrote Women’s Magazines – Part 2 [Cool Material]

The Best Of Playboy’s Lab Rat [YepYep]

6 Changes to Lose Weight Fast [MadeMan

10 Awesome Game Show Answer Fails [Holy Taco]

Married? Get Off Facebook Before It’s Too Late [Gunaxin]

The Art of Shaving [The Rugged]

Tits or Ass? The Great Debate [Living With Balls]

Leadership: The Importance of Knowing How to Delegate [Art of Manliness]

9 Unorthodox Ways to Take A Road Trip [EgoTV]

Internet Sex Moves [College Humor]

An Examination of the Worst Baseball Traditions [TSB Magazine]

Mash-Up: The Empire Strikes Back to the Future [Double Viking]

LOL Race Pics: Danica Patrick Fail [All Left Turns]

Sean Payton Pwns Jerry Jones [Tasty Booze]

What It Means to Be a Wingman

James — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 11:00:52 +0000

This is a guest post from Stefan Knapen, the author of StudySuccessful, a blog about living a successful college life. Stefan is a medical student in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Have you seen the movie Top Gun? Great. Have you seen How I Met Your Mother? Awesome.

In Top Gun, a wingman is the person who protects the one who attacks the opponent. So, Maverick is attacking an enemy and Goose is backing him up, Goose is there to help him whenever he can do something.

In How I Met Your Mother, not so much. A wingman is the guy who helps his friend get in contact with girls. He is helping the attacking male to conquer the female. And that is a flattering job.

Becoming a wingman
You can become someone’s wingman in two ways. You either be asked by him, or you say you are his wingman from now on. So he is asking you, or you claim to be his.

When your friend is asking you to become his wingman, be flattered. Say thank you first and accept the job. When you see that your friend is in need of a wingman, say that you want to step into the role – he will be grateful. He might not like it at first – things like ‘I don’t need that’ aren’t uncommon in the process of getting a wingman. But when you know your friend needs a wingman, do what you have to do.

Before going to bars
Make plans – talk things over with your friend before headig out. Make up stories and have fun, like he has been volunteering for a year in Africa, that he is one of the youngest CEO’s of a certain company, anything will work. But don’t be lax, think your plans through thoroughly.

You and your friend need to be on the same page – you can’t tell a girl that your friend has been to New Zealand when your friend is telling her that he went to Vietnam. Plan doomsday scenarios as well. What if your friend needs to escape from a girl? What if a girl looks through your plan and sees that you are pulling a joke on her? Be ready.

At the bar and on the street
This is where the action happens. Here is your territory, this is where you need to come into action. Go talk to a girl, talk nicely about your friend, point at him, so she knows who he is. She doesn’t need to talk to him or anything yet, but it’s nice when a couple of girls know the value of that guy.

Somehow, when a couple of girls like the guy, more will like him. Show his value, show why he is good. This can be easily done – you only need to chat for a couple of minutes, probably when he is off getting some drinks.

For example, your friend is going for drinks. You say to the girl next to you: ‘Would you believe me if I say that my friend, who just got away to get some drinks, is the brand new CEO of [insert any local company]?’ ‘No’ ‘Well, he is, and we are here to celebrate that fact! But please don’t tell him I told you, he doesn’t want many people knowing that and he doesn’t want to bribe, the guy is shy. There he is, I’m going back to him.’

Works great – you let her know that she needs to come to him and she knows his value and will start to admire him! When your friend sees a cute girl, you can do this too, when he walks away. He can later start to contact her, and it will probably work out.

Concluding thoughts
Being a guy’s wingman is a noble job – it is something men do for each other. We aren’t barbarians who have to fight for girls anymore, so let’s help each other instead.

It’s not only a noble job, but also a tough job. Realize that your friend may get down when a move doesn’t work and you’ll need to pull him through that point. When he is refusing your help, do it anyway. When he doesn’t want to contact a girl, just do the ‘have you met’ trick. He made you his wingman for a reason.

Good luck, fellow men, make yourself proud of what you’ve accomplished for your friends!

Got something to say? Contribute to Just A Guy Thing!

photo credit: top – sub_lime79, bottom – a tai.

Transformers: 6 Wardrobe Staples That Adapt to Anything

James — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:30:53 +0000

Think of your wardrobe as a well-stocked fridge: From it, you only need a few basic ingredients to throw together a great combo. In fact, there are only six articles of clothing that you really must own because of their versatility. Mix and match and accessorize properly, and the same elements will work equally well at the beach and dog run as they do at the office or a funeral (or both if you’re having a bad day). Here, the list.

White Button-down Shirt
“The white shirt is the most flexible piece of clothing you will ever own,” says Massimo Bizzocchi, menswear importer and owner of the eponymous downtown Manhattan boutique. Wear it with shorts and jeans for a more casual look, with chinos and a tie for work attire and with a dark suit to a formal event. For a traditional look, stick to 100 percent cotton broadcloth; for modern, try stretch cotton with a slightly slimmer fit.

Dark Rinse Jeans
“Dark denim jeans are considered the new standby,” says Bizzocchi. You can wear them with everything from a tailored jacket to a T-shirt and sneakers. “I like APC New Standard,” says Steven Taffel, owner and proprietor of Leffot, a high-end men’s clothing store in Manhattan. “They’re a crisp denim, and they don’t have any stitching on the back pockets. Paired with a white shirt, you have a blank canvas that you can accessorize with pretty much anything.”

Cashmere V-neck Sweater
You can wear this classic under a suit, with a pair of jeans — with pretty much anything. “And if it gets too warm,” says Bizzocchi, “just take it off and wear it draped around your neck on top of your blazer.” If you’re only going to buy one, choose a neutral color like black, brown or charcoal. If you invest in a second, pick a bright color like green or pink that highlights one of your best traits (i.e., If you have blue eyes, go for bright blue).

Navy Blazer
This jacket always looks great, whether you wear it with jeans or dress slacks. “Just lose the brass buttons,” says Taffel. “The buttons should always be dark.” And make sure to get the right fit — you don’t want a lot of extra fabric through the body. The general rule is that if you can fit your arm in between the jacket and your chest, you have too much fabric and need to get it taken in.

Solid Dark Suit
“You need to have one of these regardless if you wear it to work or not,” says Taffel. “These days you could need it for a job interview, a wedding or a funeral.” A solid dark color (black, navy or charcoal gray) offers more flexibility in dressing up and down. Wear it on its own for a formal event and dress it down by pairing the jacket with jeans and a T-shirt. If you buy more than one, Bizzocchi recommends experimenting with browns. “A dark charcoal brown suit in a lightweight fabric has a lot of personality,” he says, “and it shows you have confidence.”

Stylish Sneakers
If you’d wear them to the gym or the basketball court, they do not go with jeans and a nice shirt on a Saturday night. Instead, go for something plain and simple that doesn’t read “gym.” Guess, Bally, Coach and Puma all make classic shoes that bridge the divide between athletic and fashion, and they read casual or dressy depending on the rest of your outfit (shorts, jeans or dark suit pants). “If I’m not in my boat shoes I wear a pair of Adidas white and blue Rod Laver sneakers,” says Taffel. “Sneakers have a life of their own.”

Jessica Lothstein is a former fashion journalist at Best Life magazine. She has written profiles on such designers as Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani and Michael Bastian.

Fighting Stewardesses Cause Flight Delays

James — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:00:32 +0000

Now some people might think that two airline stewardesses fighting would be kind of hot in a twisted, mud wrestling kind of way. But when the fight happens on a plane, it’s not so hot for the passengers.

A recent flight from Rochester to Atlanta was forced to return to the gate when a fight broke out between two stewardesses. While Pinnacle Airlines, which operates the flight, said it was only a verbal disagreement, passengers on the plane describe the altercation as a fist fight. Nice.

So next time you’re on a plane, be nice to your flight attendant. You never know when she might take a swing at you.

photo credit: rbrwr

This Is Why Fat People Should Pay Double on Airlines