Winter is Coming: Shopping for the Best Burgundy Shoes

It has recently come to my attention that burgundy is the only (essential) colour without a presence in my shoe collection. This is obviously an issue that must be addressed as soon as possible, especially since the FW13 is upon us and a merlot-leather shoe is the best way to add a dash of season-appropriate colour to a winter outfit. I had a look around at my favourite online retailers to see what they had to offer and these are the ones that made it to the shortlist. Which one is your favourite?

1. Clarks Edward Limit Brogues, 2. Armando Cabral high-shine Derby Shoes, 3. H by Hudson Cornell Brogue Shoes, 4. KG Kurt Geiger Burnham Brogues, 5. Rolando Sturlini Leather Brogue Shoes, 6. Jil Sander patent-leather Derby Shoes, 7. ASOS Derby Shoes in Polido Leather, 8. Selected Homme Leather Desert Boots.

Neil Patrick Harris Wears my Favourite Jil Sander Dinosaur Tie

JustJared

This week Neil Patrick Harris was spotted arriving at the CBS Studios in New York for an interview to talk about his upcoming Tony Awards hosting gig. The actor looked cool and relaxed as always in a classic combo of slim jeans, white shirt and black blazer and lace-ups, which he spiced up with my favourite Jil Sander dinosaur tie. You might remember I posted about it a few months ago first when I bought it from Mr Porter and then as part of one of my outfits during the last Milan Fashion Week. Alas, the tie is no longer on sale but I'm so happy I got it. It's a classic with a twist that makes any outfit interesting without being loud.

I'm not Frank: What I Wore in Milan, Day 1

Fashion, Frankly

I really tried to make an effort to try and get pictures of what I was wearing during the days that I recently spent in Milan. However, I didn't make it past the first day.
On Saturday, to kick things off, I wore my Gant Rugger tweed blazer, Nudie Jeans, Uniqlo shirt, Grenson shoes, Jil Sander tie and Urban Outfitters scarf. It was freezing in Milan and I wasn't wearing a coat but the combination of tweed, scarf and tough shoes didn't make me miss it.

Just in: My Buys from the Mr Porter Sale

The morning of the 30th of December was almost more exciting for me than Christmas Day's. The first thought to come to my mind as I woke up was that the Mr Porter sale was on! After (quickly) decided which items were my priority I decided to void the shoe section because, let's face it, I have more shoes than anything else. So I tried to pick classic items that would go well through the seasons.
I first indulged with one of my favourite buys of the season – the Jil Sander dinosaur tie I have been raving about for a while. With this out of the way I could focus better. Second on my list was the YMC jersey jumper with an inside out effect I love. And lastly, as I have been looking for the perfect pair of khaki trousers for months I went for these NN.07 trousers that have a great fit.

The Mr Porter Sale is still on – check its amazingness here!

Frank's Top 10 Christmas Wishlist

1. Marc by Marc Jacobs shearling bomber jacket, 2. An Extraordinary Theory of Objects: A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris by Stephanie LaCava, 3. Slowear plaid cotton chinos, 4. New Balance ML574 Backpack Trainers, 5. The Unknown Hipster Diaries by Jean-Philippe Delhomme, 6. Alexander McQueen wool and cotton sweater,

7. Jil Sander dinosaur tie, 8. Oliver Spencer leather brogue boots, 9. J.Crew leather iPhone 5 cover,

10. Sandro checked bomber jacket.

Winter Pattern Mixing inspired by Tim Gunn

It hasn't been until recently, after 10 years of Project Runway being on air, that Tim Gunn (the legend) started to make an effort dressing up for the show. I'll admit that the man is elegant and knows how to wear a suit but if you work in fashion you need a little more than that.
I already blogged about one of his looks about a year ago and it seems he was only getting started then. In last week's episode Tim gave a masterclass on pattern mixing wearing a bold pin stripe brown suit paired with a pale blue shirt and a striking blue paisley tie. I was glad to see that I am not alone in pushing the boundaries (of taste) of pattern mixing – you should have seen me wearing camouflage in Milan...
And so I went over to the little piece of heaven on earth that is Mr Porter to find some blazers I would gladly add to my winter wardrobe and paired them up with some fun neck attire.

Above: Woolrich Woolen Mills plaid wool blazer paired with (my favourite) the Jil Sander dinosaur tie.

Above: Gucci slim-fit wool and cashmere blazer and Beams Plus camouflage bow tie.

Above: Paul Smith slim-fit wool blazer and Drake's woven silk tie.

Most Stylish of the Week: Olympic torches, camo & tuxedos

Getty, JustJared, usanetwork.com

I never thought I would be posting about any Olympic-related fashions but Mark Ronson had to show up yesterday at Hyde Park to prove me wrong. He wore a multicolour tee from Jil Sander's SS11 collection, one of my favourite ever. He paired it with white skinny suit trousers, red socks and white lace-ups. I'm not a fan of white leather shoes but they somehow work. Though, I must say, what makes the whole look work is the sharp haircut. I'm glad Ronson has put his gel quiff days behind him.
Kevin McHale's Glee character is so dorky and unstylish that he always overcompensates on his public appearances. This time he rocked a daring combination that wouldn't have worked on many people. The geometric lines of the black and white colour block shirt contrasted with the sinuous lines of his camo trousers and the modern brogues tied the look together. I am seriously impressed but I still think he needs a good trim more suited to his age.
This week's episode of 'Suits' was such a treat. Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams dressed up in the slickest tuxedos. I very much enjoyed the fact that they were perfectly suited to their characters – a broad-lapelled jacket, muted shirt buttons and conservative bow tie for Harvey and a skinny lapel, black buttons and textured statement bow tie for Mike. This show never disappoints.

JustJared, Youtube

And we also had two big grooming hits. The first from Gabriel Mann. After two seasons of dreadful hairstyles on 'Revenge' he's gone for a stylish slightly wavy and more trendy cut that suits him much better. He's also proving he knows how to highlight his guns with perfect-fitting tops.
Brandon Flowers is finally back with The Killers and their new single 'Runaways' is out. For the song's new video he's sporting an edgy new trim – tightly shaved sides and quite longer on top. Once again, a killer look (ha!) that no one else will be able to pull off.

Meet Mr Joe Jonas

Courtesy of Mr Porter

I never would have thought Mr Porter would choose Joe Jonas to be a part of their 'Journal' series. I guess it's that unexpected factor that makes it work. Joe is probably the most fashion savvy of the Jonas' and even though his casual style tends to be a little too flashy LA for my taste he does mostly look quite slick on the red carpet.
The shoot, shot by Angelo Pennetta, follows Mr Porter simple elegant aesthetic and the and styling, by Dan May, is spot-on! I love the Gucci pea coat with the YSL turtle neck underneath and the Burberry velvet blazer with a plain A.P.C. tee.
I was a big fan of Mr Porter (and customer) until now but this story has started to also turn it into a reference point of coolness.

Frank loves: Jil Sander

I can't get enough of Jil Sander this season. Their SS11 collection was genius and their colours, stripes and prints are exactly what I need for a perfect summer wardrobe. I love Mr Porter's selection of the brand because they've picked a handful of pieces with "character" and a selection of more classic clothes so that whatever you buy the Jil Sander garments don't overpower the rest. My favourite, by far, is the flower printed t-shirt. I would exchange my soul for it in a heartbeat. If only someone could actually strike these deals...

I'm not a plastic bag

In fact, it isn't. It's made of acetate. A lot of people may argue that it's a stupid idea to pay good money (or not so much, it's only £90) for something you might've got at the supermarket but I am really keen on Jil Sander's "market" bag. I think it looks extremely cool because it's only a little see-through and because somehow everyone's agreed upon carrying it from just one handle so it stays closed. I also really like the leather tag. My birthday is coming up so if anyway has some cash to spare, buy me one? You can do it at Net-a-Porter here.

[Pictures: Net-a-Porter.com, teampeterstigter.com]

+J fw10

Like every season, Jil Sander's collaboration with Uniqlo is hitting the stores and stirring the web with his innovative designs. +J takes on sportswear from a classic tailoring perspective. We'll see the classic flannel blazers and coats and white shirts the designer is known for but also more contemporary pieces like the reversible black and blue nylon jacket (my favourite) or the quilted blazer. The prices, as usual, range between the £120 and the £150, which is baffling but great. I have been buying +J pieces for seasons and I have to say the cashmere jumper from last winter and the crisp blazer from last season look and feel as good as new. It's too bad the line is launching in the middle of the month when I'm not swimming in money, but I will definitely own the nylon jacket this season!

[Pictures: GQ-magazine.co.uk, uniqlo.com/plusJ]