How to do Casual Chic, by Dominic Cooper

As of late I've realised how much less time I spend thinking about what I wear, probably because I haven't had any time for it. In any case, this is quite a departure from what I used to be. Working in fashion can sometimes make you feel like you need to try hard to make it so that other people notice your style.
For the last 3 or 4 years since I started working I have been getting further and further from this idea, seeing how the way you feel in your clothes and how you wear them makes up at least 75% of your look. The other 25%, and also important, is buying good quality, classic pieces. And it is this perfect balance that we see in the picture above – Dominic Cooper wearing a subtle everyday look, which is actually really stylish and crazy cool.
If you think this style has nothing to do with you simply don't try it – and maybe find another blog because mine will be ultra boring for you – but if, like me, you'd be happy to make this your day-to-evening work uniform here is a simple recipe to replicate it yourself. Jimmy Choo's are not essential, but a bit of croc never hurt anyone.

Uniqlo wool blended slim fit blazer, Levi's 511 slim fit jeans, J.Crew slim fit t-shirt,

Uniqlo cashmere crew neck jumper, Jimmy Choo Belgravia croc-embossed sneakers.

The Jimmy Choo SS14 Collection

I could have easily spent my whole afternoon at the Jimmy Choo SS14 presentation during the latest LC:M. The brand had taken over a space on King Street in Covent Garden, which they had turned into a chic cabana full of colour, green foliage and, of course, shoes.
All the different lines stood out from the crowd thanks to the super cool stalls, which had been decorated according to their style. What tied them all together was the inspiration drawn from the 'Sapeurs' – a group of dandies from Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. These gentlemen, who are treated as celebrities in their home town, are known for their bold sartorial choices. They admire the classic Parisian tailoring, which they wear in the most garish ways using striking colours and patterns.
Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo's creative director, has translated these daring spirit into a collection that mixes dashes of bright colours on the soles, laces and stitching of otherwise classic sneakers and dessert boots. Degradé snakeskin or leather contrasting with python and camouflage do it for the smarter pieces.
Their signature 'Belgravia' models adopt this style for SS14 but the brand continues their start-studded offering in powder shades of pink, beige and black for next summer.
I loved some of the new introductions like the slip-on shoe, which comes in a modern velvet leopard print. And the new take on their chic urban espadrilles in soft suedes and classic hues.
From among the smart options I loved the monk strap shoes both in classic monotones and in contrasting two-tone options like the super cool camouflage-detailed or the python skin ones.
Whatever you end up going for during SS14 it is clear that, like the 'Sapeurs', classic shapes are a must but so is individuality and that's why every single Jimmy Choo piece has a character that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Fashion, Frankly and Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

The Most Stylish Kicks they wore to the Jimmy Choo & Esquire party

On Sunday night Jimmy Choo and Esquire threw a bash at 5 Hertford Street to celebrate the opening of a new season of London Collections: Men. Everyone I spoke to on the day, including me, was extremely excited about attending as the turn out was meant to be excellent and Mark Ronson was set to spin tracks all night down at Loulou's. Sadly enough, I didn't make it – and I blame it on a dodgy fashion week spring roll.
Luckily, I was the only one absent. All the coolest faces from the London scene and even some from abroad attended the party wearing their best looks with, of course, Jimmy Choo shoes.
Some of my favourites of the night were Mark Ronson, always unique but super stylish, who wore his Prince of Wales check suit with 'Radnor' Choos. Game of Thrones actor Joe Dempsie went for a more classic blue tailored outfit worn with 'Prescott' Oxford shoes.
Tinie Tempah pleasantly surprised me going in a bit of a fashion-forward tangent in an all black look accessorised with the tasseled 'Foxley' loafers. On a more casual take, Wretch 32 wore his 'Belgravia' croc sneakers with a velvet blazer, keeping it cool but interesting.

Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

Jimmy Choo celebrates the Opening of their first Menswear Store in London

Last night I attended the Jimmy Choo store opening at 35 Dover Street. The new space devoted exclusively to menswear is an eclectic perfection of 60's furniture and a mixture of textures – animal prints, velvet, marbles – that transports you to an exotic yet very chic world where all you want to do is buy glitter slippers, croc sneakers and camo bags where you can also have a drink.
The event itself was also pretty remarkable. The crowd was great and the music – provided by Richie Culver – and the drinks – provided by Sipsmith were spot-on. The vibe was excellent and everyone looked like they were having a great time (which is not the norm at these events).
If you're making weekend plans already make sure to fit a visit to Jimmy Choo in. I personally suggest brunch at Automat, which is next door, and a cheeky drink afterwards while trying out the most amazing shoes.

Yours truly in very good company at the event

Luke Ross and Jenny Lau from Harvey Nichols and Nick Carvell from GQ

My new favourite drink: The gin Old Fashioned by Sipsmith

Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

(Porno) Camouflage for the Summer

Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

Almost a year ago I expressed my surprise at the longevity of the camouflage trend and at the unique and modern way in which Jimmy Choo had reinterpreted for SS12 with their 'Porno Camo' print. Two seasons later, camo seems to be here to stay and not just that, but to be a key print for SS13. And so Jimmy Choo is introducing the 'Percy' lace-up espadrille as a relaxed option to last summer's collection. They also introduce the 'Porno Camo' print in a new colour palette of beige, mustard, brown and black, which I find to be terribly chic.
Both models are already available online at JimmyChoo.com – Get the Percy in green here and in beige here.

Most Stylish of the Week: Liam Hemsworth & Ryan Reynolds nail airport chic

This week I've finally managed to put together a Most Stylish of the Week post without any of the usual suspects, which is refreshing.
Liam Hemsworth's style seems to have improved a lot in the last few months. This week he looked relaxed and stylish at the airport in a flecked jumper and a vintage canvas bag that had slight David Beckham vibes.
It's funny how Gabriel Mann's character in 'Revenge' is to unfashionably preppy but his off-scren style is so sharp, almost edgy. This week the actor gave another lesson in 'less is more' with an all-black look, which he made interesting adding a shawl collar grey cardigan and penny loafers.
Ryan Reynolds is a few years ahead of Hemsworth and it shows. His colour combinations and accessorising are fashionable but subtle and manly. It's all about the man-foulard.
Back on Tuesday at the British Fashion Awards I was in absolute awe of Erdem Moralioglu's evening look. The designer dresses himself with the same elegance and taste that he does women. It was a very classic number that fitted perfectly and I am always appreciative of a colourful sock.
Valentino Garavani was in town this week for the opening of this exhibition, Valentino: Master of Couture, at Somerset House. He's not only a legendary designer but also an Italian so he knows how to look sharp. In this look below I am loving the fur lapels of the coat and the rich detailing of this Jimmy Choo gold paisley-embroidered velvet slippers.
Flynn Bloom – Miranda Kerr and Orlando Bloom's son – is not the first toddler to appear on a MSOTW post but his style easily beats Benjamin Brady's. If at 1 I'm already jealous of his jumper, imagine what his style is going to be like in 20 years.

JustJared, Getty

Most Stylish of the Week: Casual chic

I always get a certain feeling of accomplishment when a few of 'Most Stylish of the Week' match with those of American GQ. I guess it's easier when we don't have a particularly busy week in menswear.
Ashton Kutcher, whom I'm equally happy and jealous of for going out with Mila Kunis, went for the ultimate casual chic combination this week. A tweed blazer and plaid shirt is always a winner. I am not a fan of the shoes but I love the touch of the baseball hat and shades, which give it a 'Ivy League' vibe.
Robbert Pattinson's I-don't-give-a-damn outfits have become a lot more stylish since parting ways with K Stew. I love a bit of black and blue action and the slid back beanie tops it all off, literally, with a touch of boho chic.
This week we also witnessed Roo Panes' third lesson on how to wear a Burberry flannel jacket. First, he showed us a smart evening look, followed by an effortless scruffy but cool ensemble. Now it's time for the casual chic outfit finished off with a clean shave and a dapper pair of purple Jimmy Choo 'Hamilton' loafers.

The best groomed guy of the week is Matthew Fox in his latest editorial for Da Man magazine. I love it when men understand the power of striking the perfect balance between the scruffy and the polished. A stubble with a gel slicked-back hairdo is one of my favourite tricks for an elegant but not overly smart look. And this is exactly what the stylist for the shoot has done for Matthew. If only he kept it up off camera...

JustJared, Style.com

Jimmy Choo presents 'Porno Camo'

Courtesy of Jimmy Choo

Even knowing that the camouflage trend has made it to its third consecutive season I am surprise that fashion has welcomed it so keenly and consistently. It took me a while to warm up to it but once I dared to wear the first camo pieces I realised how versatile it is. It is also perfect for me because as a green lover – can you tell? – it helps create a very interesting colour palette in my outfits.
We have seen quite a few spins on it over the last couple of months and now Jimmy Choo has introduced their own twist for FW12. Quickly glancing at their camouflage print you wouldn't realise that they have actually subtly used pin-up silhouettes to create the print – hence the name. What I love about it is the fact that the shapes are not only classics from the brand but actual timeless pieces – the Sloane evening slipper, the Vigo iPad case, the Archer belt, the Hanover bag and the Belgravia sneaker.
My personal favourites are the belt and the high tops. The first because, like my YSL leopard belt, it adds an interesting touch to a polished tailored look and the latter because who wants a plain sneaker when you can wear something cool and interesting?

The range is available at Jimmy Choo's 14 Burlington Arcade store and online at JimmyChoo.com with prices starting from £265.

'Stepping Out' with Jimmy Choo and Mr Porter

You might remember how Jimmy Choo and Mr Porter already partnered back in June to celebrate the kick off of the first ever London Collections: Men. Well, they have got together again to create an exclusive video for Mr Porter to showcase Jimmy Choo's FW12 collection. It is clear from the first second of the video that we are back to the London of the 60's – the early part of the decade where a certain air of the 50's was still lingering around. It would probably be best described as a Mad Men world.
The two characters take us through their stylish day geared up in Jimmy Choos – from Barbican to Mayfair to Soho with a couple of wardrobe changes as a real dandy would do. My absolute favourites are the Brompton brogue Chelsea boots and the St James monk-strap shoes.

Buy all the Jimmy Choo styles at Mr Porter.

Esquire, Jimmy Choo & Mr Porter celebrate the inaugural London Collections: Men

Courtesy of Mr Porter

Last night Esquire, Jimmy Choo and Mr Porter all brought out all the most stylish Londoners and even some foreign style icons to celebrate the first ever menswear London fashion week – London Collections: Men – that had kicked off earlier that day.
Alex Bilmes, Editor of Esquire; Jeremy Langmead, Editor-in-Chief of Mr Porter; and Jimmy Choo's Creative Directors Sandra Choi and Simon Holloway all co-hosted an amazing party at the Ballroom at the Corinthia Hotel last night.
To help them celebrate, some of the most stylish people in the country such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Matt Smith, Alexa Chung, David Gandy, Florence Welch and Reggie Yates. All (kind of) over shadowed by the visit of Jon Hamm (aka Don Draper).

Click here to take a look at what some of the guests were wearing.

He's Fly: Justin Timberlake rocks khaki trousers

JustJared

I have been a massive fan of Justin Timberlake ever since he left N'Sync and got rid of his curls. And then 'Future Sex / Love Sounds' came out and I also became a fan of his music. His venture into fashion with his brand William Rast wasn't too much of my taste but I appreciate a guy who cares about his style.
His personal style, though, is a lot better than what you'd expect looking at his brand. He's one of the very few people who can get away with the old low-jeans-and-tucked-in-shirt-look. He has also been making a lot of right choices over the last few years.

One of his last looks that I loved was this one above. I find it so hard to find the right pair of khaki trousers. If they're not high-waisted, which I can't wear, they're just cargo pants or they're slim with cargo pockets. I am also very particular about the shade of green. Justin's are a perfect fit –straight and tapered.
he paired them up with a plaid blue shirt –another spot-on choice for me. Navy and khaki together is one of my favourite colour combinations. You can just trow pieces like Justin's on and look effortlessly cool. I would have only changed Timberlake's leather boots with a nice pair of black suede high-tops like the Jimmy Choo ones below.

Get the JT look: khaki trousers by B Store, plaid blue shirt by J. Crew, suede high-top sneakers by Jimmy Choo. All from Mr Porter.