Fashion: Modern Man's Guide to a Vegas Spring/Summer

Spring and summer is here! Yay...?

I had just bought the biannual special issue of GQ Magazine and it was a guide on the trends and styles men can work with for Spring and Summer. All of the notable trends were covered but the biggest issue I had as I read was, "How am I supposed to layer up in this heat?"

I was trying to imagine myself with even one more layer than a single one but I personally cannot bear the summertime heat here in the Southwest. If I had to describe the weather here to anyone who might not have a clue, all I can say is that outside during the summer literally, without any exaggeration, feels like a heat lamp and winds like a hairdryer. Temperatures in the 3-digits and high nineties is quite common and therefore, if you layer up, you better have some seriously light clothing.

Where am I going with this? Basically I want to share my ideas and insights on the upcoming 2-3 months of heat we have here in Vegas which honestly, scare me. If you can do just fine or don't care all too much then that's fine. I mainly have to deal with the heat a little bit more because my car does not have air conditioning. I will try to explain the reasoning behind these articles of clothing and hopefully, we all take something from it!

Bucket Hats 

Navy Wool Bucket Hat. Light and can be tucked away easily.

These things are great. They are light weight and have a brim that can protect both the back of your neck and give you eyes some shade when it is super sunny. You can always take them off and tuck them away somewhere in your bag or even in your pockets! I have been wearing one and I apparently look like a tourist. That's alright though since tourists are common here!

Shirts

Light colors and comfortable fabric.

I am extremely picky with my plaid patterns.

The thing with button-up shirts is that they are just as comfortable as a t-shirt but you have a more dressed look. This is also thanks to the fact that your shirt is clean and not wrinkled (right?). You can never really go wrong with a shirt when you go out but be mindful of your colors and patterns. If you can, try and play around with floral patterns and lively earthly colors. There are many lightweight fabrics out there like the common cotton, linen, and seersucker, that can keep you cool while looking cool as well. (Pun-tastic huh.)

Shorts | Swim Trunks

You can cuff em' too if you want a shorter length.

Can't go wrong with a floral pattern for to be in tune with the season.

Lively pattern for swimwear. Or maybe just wear these shorts where ever you want.

Hey, I love pants as much as the next guy but sometimes we just can't keep cool when it's a hundred degrees out there. Try some shorts and find some good styles and designs that will suit your taste. Fit is still something you have to note and it will make or break how you wear shorts.

Less Socks | More Style

I've had these Sebagos for about two years and they're aging quite well.

These double monks are great for where ever you're going.

As much as I love wearing quirky socks with my outfits, sometimes it's just too hot. If you can, go with no socks and it'll make your shoes stand out more. I personally am going less with sporty sneakers and more into boat shoes and will be venturing into shopping for a pair of loafers. That's at least what I want to go for, dressy-ish but comfortable. Comfort really is a big thing with most men or anyone for that matter.If you really hate going sockless, like me, I would recommend buying no show socks from Journeys. I bought the women's sizes because my feet are small, and I would recommend you do the same if you have like around size 8's.

Sandals | Spartan Footwear

I'd wear these with a suit...

Brown is the new black.

While sandals are more casual and relaxed in by nature, you can pick ones that also emit sophistication. They even have camo.

At least for my peers, sandals have been something you kind of want to stay away from usually. I'm not talking about beach thong sandals anymore though. As for my shoes, I like to make them a dressy and casual hybrid and that will go for sandals as well. You want something that is leather and looks sophisticated, just like yourself (hopefully). 

Wondering where I got some of these items on the pictures? Here's the list:

Bucket Hats

• Navy Wool Bucket Hat - Urban Outfitters

Shirts

• Pink Oxford - Gap
• Green and Blue Shirt - Hawkings McGill, Urban Outfitters
• Blue/Yellow Plaid Shirt - Penguin
• White Plaid Shirt - Perry Ellis

Shorts/Trunks

• Blue Patterned Shorts - Brigade, Kohl's
• Botanical Print Shorts - 21Men
• Aloha Print Shorts - 21Men

Shoes

• Brown Boat Shoes - Sebago
• Double Monk Straps - Topman

Sandals

• Dark Brown Sandals - Zara
• Tan Sandals - Zara
• Camo Sandals - ALDO

Writing: The Color Blue

 What was your favorite color when you were a child? Mine was Blue. Blue was a color that just made everything better for me. In a sense, everything that was Blue was superior in my eyes as a child. It ranged from clothes to objects to cars to anything you can imagine. If it was Blue, I would most definitely like it. If the food had Blue packaging I would want to have it. Blueberry muffins, pancakes, and other things were my preference. As I grew older that part of me faded away.

Starry Night Over the Rhone, Vincent Van Gogh. Musée d'Orsay.

One's favorite color was a nice ice breaker for a simple conversation. When you're becoming friends with another person, it's easy to ask what their favorite color is. Without thinking you could ask the question: "Why?" It is interesting to find out that the answer to why ones favorite color is what it is can vary from a very simple response like "because I like how it looks" to a whole story associated with the color or colors.

Blue things I own. Shirts.

That is one more point. There are so much colors available for us humans to see and yet we sometimes narrow them down to a few or just one as our favorite. Some people might even hate certain colors. I can relate in a way but it is still very confusing to me. I can barely choose a color as my favorite now and yet some people can like and dislike a color so easily.

Wool Bucket Hat and a Rain Jacket.

Ever since I lost favor for the color Blue, I was in some sort of color favoritism limbo. I couldn't pick what color was the best in my eyes. I began to ask myself what color should I believe will give me the most satisfaction. This only brought me to a conclusion that I can not pick only one color. At that point of my life I liked all colors. I would respond to the question of favoritism by saying that I liked all the colors and it is just in a way on how they are used, combined together and the occasion they are being used for. Of course the old ways of picking blueberry muffins and blue dyed food still lingered.

As of now I chose Navy Blue as my favorite color. It looks sturdy and elegant. It works well with a lot of the other colors. It is a remnant of my childhood's favorite color. I still like all of the colors when correctly used but it feels good to have arrived to a conclusive answer to my question.

Hats and other accessories.

So when you ask someone what their favorite color is, it will actually tell more about them than you think. It might tell you about things and people they love. It might tell you about how they see the world. It could also tell you that they just like Yellow.

Writing: Labor Cost Comparison

Did you ever wonder why so much things are "Made in China"? From clothes to little items that I can't even name them because I am pretty sure that everyone here has interacted with goods manufactured by China. Anyway, this made me think about what I am buying and how it affects the price and quality, to a degree, of the things I purchase.

There's a saying that goes:

You get what you pay for.

This is true to a degree because the money you pay gives budget to the manufacturers of the product meaning the more they charge for labor cost, the better they can pay their laborers and therefore have higher quality product.

Here's a table for you to get a perspective on how much difference there are in labor costs in a few cases.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor. *From what I understand, Hourly Compensation includes the hourly pay, benefits, and social insurances.

The figures were gathered from a couple to about a few years ago but it is probable that the costs have only gone up a bit. Well there's the comparison. I just wanted to share with you guys the table so that you'd get a better idea of what exactly the difference is. Thanks for reading.

Spotlight: Profound Aesthetic

The first hats I got were the ones in the right and left. Portland Rose and Alzarin Paisley. Photos from the Profound Aesthetic website which will be linked below.

My first encounter with Profound Aesthetic was actually at Urban Outfitters. I was browsing around the store and something that really caught my eye was this floral patterned hat. I held the hat in my hands and I knew that I had to have it. It wasn't all too exuberant but just the way the hat was put together was making it so appealing. I went home and ordered two hats from their website after looking at their designs.

Profound Aesthetic was established in 2008 in New Jersey. The creators wanted to deliver visually appealing pieces while also having a meaningful inspiration behind it. They have inspirations drawn from American history and culture, historical artifacts and iconic individuals. The general feel anyone would get from their items is that they pay attention to very small details. They take great pride in their product.

Visions and Victories (2014 Collection)

Visions and Victories (2014) Lookbook.

Now more than ever, Profound Aesthetic comes back with a collection that pays even more attention to the small details of a product.

Left: The American Aviator Hooded Parka Jacket in Khaki Tan. Smaller photos: Various clothes pieces.

Americana: A main feature of a lot of the products in this line is the flag of the thirteen colonies. The first original colonies are Profound Aesthetic's way of expressing their origins in New Jersey. The Americana theme is felt throughout the collection because of the cultural references to many different eras in American culture.

Sports Inspirations: Sticking with the general theme of Americana, Profound Aesthetic's creators draw inspiration in the things they enjoy. The football jerseys are made with top quality which could be felt with its weight. Iconic figures and designs are featured in their graphic t-shirts.

Profound Aesthetic, to say the least, is one big, beautiful paradox. Minimalistic designs with a maximum amount of detail. Historical references with a modern approach.

Special thanks to Kristina for giving us her time to answer our questions about their products. Check out their website at www.profoundaesthetic.com.

Bonus: Photo with the masterminds of Profound.