Businessmen Strip Off the Power Suit

Burning, shooting make new look old

(NEWSER) - T-shirts were once simple sweat absorbers, then for a few decades they were "movable billboards," but in the 21st century, the "cutting-edge T-shirt is all about the T-shirt," writes Hugo Lindgren in New York magazine. Comfort, not logo or slogan, is the name of the game, and a great deal of art and science has been devoted to giving tees that worn-in look and feel. Techniques range from a “slub knit” that uses varying types of threads for a “clotted” appearance to literally shooting a hole through a shirt. More»

Tips from sexpot to buttoned-up

(NEWSER) - Mad Men fever is sweeping the nation—if you want to copy the looks of the women behind the Mad Men, heed these tips offered by Raakhee Mirchandani in the New York Post:

• Curve-hugging styles like “fitted blouses tucked into tight pencil skirts under snug sweaters” will help you “highlight your assets” like sexpot Joan Holloway.

Paris, Milan top Forbes list

(NEWSER) - Weighing everything from fashion to architecture to street life, Forbes rates the 10 most stylish cities in the world. The best of the best:

• It doesn’t get any more chic than Paris
• Milan: “flashy” fashion and cool contemporary design
• New York: a shopping spree from Brooklyn to 5th Avenue
• Rome: La Dolce Vita still says it all

Bright colors spell optimism in troubled times

(NEWSER) - As economic woes plague the country, fashionistas are turning to bright, cheery colors—most notably hot pink, the Wall Street Journal reports. Even in New York, those who once wore only black are buying fuchsia ties and designing magenta kitchens. With men who might balk at the traditionally feminine hue, one hotel exec who planned a hot-pink restaurant calls the shade “mangenta.” More»

Pants provide 'affordable luxury'

(NEWSER) - The economy may be tight, but consumers aren’t cutting their pricey denim loose, the Los Angeles Times reports. Sales of premium brand jeans climbed 17% in 2008 and continued a smaller increase into this year—one of the few bits of good news for retailers. A new “focus on fit” and “women's never-ending quest for the perfect pair of jeans” means “the passion for denim is alive and well,” said an analyst. More»