Style Tips from Head to Toe for 2009

It’s that time of year where everyone has an “I want to be _____in 2009” list. Last night, I heard Will Smith say in an interview on New Year’s Resolutions, “I don’t believe in resolutions. If it was important enough, you should have done it a long time ago. You don’t need a change in year to resolve something”. So this is not a resolution list, but rather a set of tips that I feel are important to know everyday.

1) Get a new "Do". Personal grooming works hand in hand with a great wardrobe. A new hairstyle does wonders to your appearance. In fact, it sometimes determines the rest of your wardrobe. Key hairstyle trends for guys are the school boy and rocker cut. The school boy look is evident with parting of the hair to one side. The rocker is a cut where you have a lot of fringe or bangs. See images below. Also get into the habit of moisturizing your face. Healthy skin makes you look younger.

2) Perform a Wardrobe Audit and Closet Makeover. Take a look at your closet. Review what you own and make sure you have strong basic pieces. Understand how each piece works with the others in creating your look. If you need to buy new pieces, make sure they are as classic as possible. Investing in a good quality classic item will serve as your foundation for future purchases. Work with a friend (preferably female) or hire a personal stylist to help you determine what to keep and what to get rid off. If you didn’t wear it in 2008, you won’t wear it in 2009. Trust me!

3) Utilize your size. Buying clothes that fit your shape is an essential wardrobing tip. Most guys buy a size bigger for whatever reason. 100% c otton shirts have a maximum shrinkage of 2%. So if you’re really a large, and you buy an extra-large, the chances of it fitting properly after a wash are slim. Speaking of slim, the tailored look will still be seen a lot in 2009. Get your neck, arms, chest, waist measured by your tailor and keep these measurements in your wallet.

4) Keep your shoes clean. Whether it’s a pair of sneakers, loafers or boots, the best way to mess up your look is to wear a pair of scuffed up and muddy shoes. There are two things that determine where a man is in life, the watch on his wrist and the shoes on his feet. Make sure your shoes reflect the man you are!

5) Know thyself. A new you is based on who you want to be and not what other think you should be. The clothes you wear are a reflection of who you are at a point in time. Understand what your goals are for 2009. Pick what clothes will best suit you to achieve those goals. Identify what image you want to convey to others. Work from the inside out.

Happy 2009 everyone!

The Coat: A Key Piece to complete your Fall-Winter look

The one piece that every guy should have in his closet this season is a coat. Coats are a great way finish off your look. It serves as a very functional accessory that gives your outfit a lot of character and pizzazz. The two more common coats guys wear are the top coat and the pea coat. Top coats are usually longer in length and slimmer in cut. They are also most times single breasted. Pea coats are usually double breasted and wider in cut. Both can be worn over a suit. Both can be dressed up or dressed down.

My favorite coats this season are:

Tri-Blend Car Coat in Camel from Banana Republic - clean lines, three quarter length, wool-cashmere blend. Great with a pair of black denim jeans and boots or a Navy suit and oxfords. http://www.bananarepublic.com/

The Lopez Trench Coat from Boss by Hugo Boss - double breasted, wide lapels, cuffed sleeves, elegant finish. Great with a cocoa brown suit or dark navy raw denim jeans. http://www.hugoboss.com/

The Crosby Wool Pea Coat in Steel Gray from Club Monaco - double breasted, metal buttons, military cuff sleeve, wool-cashmere blend. Great with dark blue straight or slim cut jeans and an touch of color in a burnt orange cashmere scarf. http://www.clubmonaco.com/

Some tips when buying a coat:

• Try it on with a sweater. The fit should be comfortable not tight. Move your arms and check the points by the armpits and shoulders.
• Length. Your sleeves should sit slightly above your thumb knuckle. If your sleeves sit right at your wrist, then your coat is too short.
• Fit. Make sure when the coat is all buttoned up, there are no stretch lines across your chest. That's a sign it's too tight.
• Fabric. Wool or Cashmere for warmth. For wetter climates, a weather-proof nylon works really well.

Oro Real Premium Tequila - Ad Campaign Shoot

Photographer: Paco Guzman
Wardrobe Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Clothes by CC 1827
Makeup and Hair: Jeanine Lehfeldt, Stacy Peterson
Model: Sonni Pacheco













Photographer: Paco Guzman
Wardrobe Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Clothes by CC 1827
Makeup and Hair: Jeanine Lehfeldt, Stacy Peterson
Model: Alicia Meek














Photographer: Paco Guzman
Wardrobe Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Clothes by CC 1827
Makeup and Hair: Jeanine Lehfeldt, Stacy Peterson
Model: Kristen Voss






Photographer: Paco Guzman
Wardrobe Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Clothes by CC 1827
Makeup and Hair: Jeanine Lehfeldt, Stacy Peterson
Model: Tannaz Alsefar









Photographer: Paco Guzman
Wardrobe Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Clothes by CC 1827
Makeup and Hair: Jeanine Lehfeldt, Stacy Peterson
Model: Tajah Olson














Photographer: Paco Guzman
Wardrobe Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Makeup and Hair: Jeanine Lehfeldt, Stacy Peterson
Models: Tajah Olson, Matt Deane, Kristen Voss, Sonni Pacheco

Eyewear Photoshoot August 22, 2008

Photographer: Jasna Stojanovic
Make Up Artist: Maria May Jorgenson
Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Eyewear:"Gascan" by Oakley
Hoodie by Urban Heritage















Photographer: Jasna Stojanovic
Make Up Artist: Maria May Jorgenson
Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Eyewear: "MacGyver" by Urban Outfitters
Bandana by Good Society

Photographer: Jasna Stojanovic
Make Up Artist: Maria May Jorgenson
Stylist: Paulo Vallejo
Eyewear by Chanel
Vest from The Gap
T-Shirt from French Connection UK
Fedora by Livity
Leather Cuff by Nixon

AXIS Salon's Hair Pu'tee: A New Alternative to Salon Branded Hair Products.

It’s not always that guys find a great hair product. I’m not a big fan of the wet, Rico Suave look. I prefer a matte finish, but more importantly the ability to change hairstyles with a few twists and shakes. My other pet peeve with hair products is strong scents. As far as I’m concerned, hair products should be scent neutral or lightly scented.

I recently tried a new product from Vancouver’s most awarded hair salon, AXIS. The product is called AXIS Pu'tee- Texturizing Dirt. I’ve used similar products from other brands like Sebastian and American Crew. From a price point perspective, AXIS Pu'tee falls within the $15 mark compared to Sebastian’s Craft Clay that sells for $25 and American Crew’s Citrus Mint Clay for $20.

In terms of performance, the Pu'tee “holds” strong. This flexible styling pu'tte gives you endless styling looks and options. With natural ingredients like beeswax, olive triglycerides, and sweet almond oil, this product is bound to make to make your hair follicles jump for joy. Unlike other products, AXIS’ pu'tee doesn’t give you that crispy hold, as if you just got your hair fried. The hold is malleable, allowing you to define, texturize, and style your hair however you want to. And its finish, matte with a light caramel scent!

Available at all AXIS Salons in Vancouver, BC.

Coming Soon: Premiere Men's Blog - ISTYLEU, Man!

In the next few weeks you will be seeing this blog change. More and more content will be dedicated to menswear and men's style. To kick things off will be a piece on my picks for fall 2008 and what to look forward to for spring 2009.

Although fashion tends to be 6 months ahead, men in general like to wait for things to trickle into their local Macy's or Nordstrom's. Look out for some practical wardrobing advice, style tips, product reviews, lifestyle discussions, and of course, men's fashion on the runway and in stores. This blog will also serve as a hub for sales in Vancouver and other cities and websites.

I can't wait. This blog's new look will be rockin! Exciting times ahead for ISTYLEU!

Keep looking good!

Paulo

Skate or Urban: Skurban Hits the Streets for Fall 2008

So Fall/Winter 2008 is coming soon. It’s been a month or so since I’ve posted something. I thought it was only appropriate that I write on something that I’ve noticed myself leaning towards more and more – Urban or Street Wear. To prepare for this piece, I checked out some of the local joints and hit the streets to check on what’s shaking in this underground culture of fashion.

Color. Print. Block Lettering. Integration of electronics. Lifestyle association. These were some of the common themes I was seeing for the current season. And in general, the fashion industry is incorporating a lot of the themes in SS2008 in their FW2008 collections. You will be seeing a lot of the brighter colors complementing the traditional nature hues during the colder months. How will street wear aficionados respond? Here’s how.

Trend 1: Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Color to the Nines.
Some of the color palettes for Fall 2008 are colors inspired by worldly travel and earthy ambitions. Translated into streetwear fashions, I’m foreseeing these colors being “neonized” and blended with pieces that have base nature colors. In the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, I remember Will Smith and Jazzy Jazz wearing a lot of these loud colored shirts or jackets.

You’ll be seeing a lot more color this coming season. Here are some color samples:

Neonized Blue Iris

Neonized Shady Green

Neonized Aurora Red

Trend 2: Kicks rule!
Recently I’ve been hooked on the return of the AirForce1s and the Nike Waffle Racers. Just need to have them in the most unique colors and patterns. You will see a lot edgier, unconventional, radical, unique patterns from sneaker manufacturers this season. Neon. Alligator skin trims. Graffiti inspired print. Statement soles – soles which either make a statement because of what they’re made from (i.e. recycled rubber) or simply because a unique statement is written on them, seen when one is cross-legged. Here are some of the kicks that will soon hit the streets.

Nike-Fall 2008

Addidas-Fall 2008

Trend 3: Skurban – a marriage of skate and urban wear!
So I was browsing through sites online and noticed one of the blogs using the term “skurban”. Sounds like this style term was first coined in the UK but was quickly popularized by artists like Pharrell Williams. I did more digging into this. If you’ve seen the following combinations then you’ve seen skurban wear. Skinny jeans and loose fitting hoodie. Tailored pant with baggy ski jacket. Baggy jeans with a slim fitting blazer. And of course, everything I just mentioned with some loud sneaks. For FW2008, you will be a seeing a lot more of this style of clothing among skaters and celebrities a like.

Feel free to drop a line. Peace out!