The Movie Theater That Fits in Your Pocket

There is a great highlight in the newest Details magazine (March, the one with The Social Network’s Andrew Garfield on the cover) of the new ShowWX+ projector by Microvision. They say “time will only tell if Microvision’s ShowWX+ is mentioned in the same breath as the camera obscura or IMAX, but for now it’s the palm-size reason to give up your flat-screen.  The size of a cell phone, the projector connects directly to your iPod, iPhone or iPad (or, with an adapter, to a laptop or digital camera). Aim it at a dark wall and view high-resolution photos, TV shows, sales graphs – anything you have stored – at up to 100 inches wide. Just like that, your home video collection is a movable filmfest.”

$450; www.microvision.com

 

Video From All Corners…Cubed

Wow.  I am in awe over here.  You gotta love GQ Magazine – even though the first article is usually located approximately 48% into the Stephen King-sized novel of a publication (you know, past all of the ads?), it has some great information in it.  One of the things that caught my eye in the March 2010 issue (Kobe Bryant on the cover) is the Boxee Box by D-Link.  Out this spring, the Boxee Box aggregates and organizes tons of free and paid TV and movies available on the web in a slick, user-friendly interface.  Want to watch LOST? No need to go to ABC.com or Netflix.  Just type “Lost” into Boxee and every episode available on the internet appears, no matter the source.  It’s like some Uber on-demand system from the future.  Get it from www.boxee.tv – it costs about $200.

Suspenders: Not Just for Bankers Anymore

Every issue, GQ Magazine has a section that is called “The Manual: Look Sharp, Live Smart.”  It usually has endorsed products to help you look like the stylish man that your mom always knew you could be.  In the May 2010 issue of GQ Magazine, the one with Jake Gyllenhaal on the cover, GQ endorses the use of suspenders. Apparently they have come back into non-nerdy fashion.

Wearing suspenders used to be a practical move.  Back in those Bogart days, you’d go about your business with your pants perfectly “suspended,” rather than cinched by a belt.  Now, like plenty of other mid-century essentials (tie bars, pocket squares, fedoras), suspenders feel in again after being out for so long.  Thin clip-ons channel a punk-rock vibe, while wider, button versions deliver more of a neo-preppy message.  Either way, keep your outfit simple for a custom – not costume – look.

Groomsman: Tidy Up

In the december 2009 issue of Details Magazine, the one with John Mayer on the cover, the style issue brings to light a good point:  grooming is just as important as your clothes when you are getting ready for a big event.  “You don’t just put on a tux – you get dressed up in one.  There’s a ritual to the fastening of the cuff links and the positioning of the bow tie.  But while most men take their time perfecting the getup for a big event, they rarely do the same for their hair, nails and skin.  Your grooming should be equal to the occasion.”

1.  Style your hair. The parted-on-the-side, cemented-with-gel hair helmet works if you look like Cary Grant, Jon Hamm or Tom Brady.  For mortals,, however, there’s a less slick way to make your dome look more polished: Pick up a hair dryer.  “Most guys just shower and go,” says New York hairstylist Jerome Orby. “But half an hour later when their hair starts drying, they’ve got a surprise.”  You don’t need to be a pro with a brush; you can use your fingers to style your hair as you blow dry it.  Once it’s dry, keep it in place with a dab of pomade or wax.  Davines defining Wonder Wax ($24), davines.com

2.  Trim your beard.  Just because you’re snapping on smooth enamel studs doesn’t mean your face has to be clean-shaven.  But your scruff should look neat and even.  Los Angeles barber Craig Whitely suggests using a trimmer for stray hairs on the neck, stopping about half an inch above the Adam’s apple in te front.  And don’t forget, Whitely says “You can’t look sharp with hair on the back of your neck.”  Finish by snipping any hair hanging over your lip and smoothing on a dime-size amount of beard wax (regular hair pomade works, too). Clubman Moustache Wax ($6), clubmanonline.com

3.  Perfect your skin. When the flashbulbs pop, your face shouldn’t reflect the glare.  De-sheen with a mousturizer that’s designed to sop up oil.  It will keep your skin from shining like your tux shoes.  Chanel Allure Homme edition Blanche Anti-shine Moisturizing After Shave ($50), chanel.com

4.  Clean up your hands. You don’t necessarily need a manicure.  Your hands will look better in three minutes if you give them a snip with a clipper, then do what guys rarely do – file down the corners.  Wash them thoroughly and mousturize with a lotion made specifically for hands.  Top the nail beds off with a cuticle pen, which instantly hydrates dry skin.   Santa Maria Novella Crema Per Le Mani ($50), paullabrecque.com

5.  fortify your cologne. A formal occasion calls for a more substantial fragrance than the citrusy scent you get away with every day.  One with hints of vetiver or patchouli will last until you take off your cumberbund.  Hermes Terre d’Hermes Pure Perfume ($112), hermes.com

Damn Cool Guy Furniture – The Sequel

Coincidentally, after I took the time to write the “Modern Furniture with Storage To Boot” article that came from the November 2009 issue of DETAILS magazine, I stumble across another gem that fits right into the category.  It was in a “Wish List” section in the November 2009 issue of Men’s Journal – the one with far too big of a close-up of Tim McGraw on the cover.  Now as many of you know, Restoration Hardware is awesome.  It is a Pottery Barn-like aesthetic that leans on the masculine side that you could go to without your wife/girlfriend and not feel awkward.  One of the featured pieces in this “Wish List was  the Mayfair Steamer Secretary Trunk, pictured below.  “The [trunk] makes every day at the home office feel like a vacation.  [$2,995; restorationhardware.com]

More Modern Design with Storage To Boot

Here at IaMW, we have posted a couple times on modern, masculine furniture.  This post is very similar…but aside from providing yet more examples of modern furniture, this batch of mod, masculine pieces all serve a common purpose: they all have sneaky little storage places.  Pretty cool.  In the November 2009 issue of Details Magazine, the one with Adam Lambert on the cover, you can find all of the following items, plus a few more.  If you would like to know where to find any of these gems, just contact us!  Here they are…

Picture Frame Box – “If a heavy-duty safe isn’t your style, tuck your valuables (e.g., your most prized baseball cards) into the inner chamber of this wooden picture frame made especially for Britain’s coolest design shop, Thorsten Van Elten.” Picture Frame Box by Tim Parsons for Thorsten Van Elten, $97; thorstenvanelten.com

Flip Table – “Each improvisation by the aptly named Danish collective No Problem addresses a specific domestic conundrum. The flip-top compartments in this table allow a guy who works where he eats to clear the home office—and keep files Shiraz-free.” Flip Table by Signe Baadsgaard of No Problem, $650; no-problem.nu

Hallow Dining Chair – “The gaps between the layers of bamboo in the table and chairs from Brooklyn’s Brave Space not only offer cubbies for those Thai menus but also permit guests to hide their phones during dinner.” Hollow Dining Set by Brave Space Designs, $5,195-$7,495; bobbyberkhome.com

Approved Design: Ejection Seat Chair

This is one of the cooler chairs I have seen.  The design that is featured here at “It’s a Man’s World” is masculine by nature.  We have featured bolts and screw tables and industrial-inspired lamps…but nothing compares to this.  found in Men’s Journal’s October 2009 “Wish List,” the item that has us clammoring is the MotoArt F-4 Ejection Seat chair.  This thing is awesome.  Unfortunately it will not eject you from boring meetings or bad television, but you will look cool no matter where you put it.  This chair’s frame is taken from one of the Vietnam-era sky fighters.  Awesome. The only negative is the $3,500 price tag, but we say it is well worth it!

How to Dress Like a Man: Your Allowance

The September 2009 issue of Esquire magazine has a series of mini-articles on how to dress more like a man.  Some are targeted at middle-aged men, but the information is useful nonetheless. One of the segments that caught my eye was an insert that depicted what a man’s annual shopping allowance should be, no matter what budget he has allocated for clothing.  This is how the magazine breaks it down:

Going Green is Fad-tastic…

…but considering the fad never really seems to go away, why not post about it?  In the September 2009 issue of Men’s Journal magazine, their “green life” (lower-cased because upper-case letters take more ink?) section, the magazine calls attention to a breathable and waterproof Zegna Sport Ecotech Solar jacket, pictured below. The Ecotech line of jackets is made of completely recycled polyester yarns (from other garments – think re-usable plastic bottles).  The solar version includes detachable solar panels for each arm to charge your personal gadgets – iPod, phone…whatever else that is chargeable and fits in an over-sized jacket pocket) using just the power of the Sun.  Let’s hope your time outside is a sunny one…

Closeted Color

I like to wear color in my wardrobe.  People notice me when I do it (well, I assume…) and it keeps things light and fun.  The September 2009 issue of Esquire magazine had a segment on how much of any given color should appear in a man’s closet at any given time.  The results were a little surprising.  I was not surprised by the fact thatt white, navy, gray and black were the big winners, but I was surprised at their percentages.  Note: this includes socks, undershirts and striped shirts.  Their findings? Check them out:

1. White – 20% of your closet
2. Navy Blue – 19% of your closet
3. Gray – 16% of your closet
4. Black – 15% of your closet
5. Standard Blue – 11% of your closet
6. Green – 10% of your closet
7. Purple – 4% of your closet (really?)
8. Yellow & Red – each should be 2% of your closet
9. Orange – 1% of your closet.

Take it for what it is…