ISTYLEU's Favorite Thing #6 - All Saints Ludlow Sweatpants

I've been a big fan of the brand All Saints since I first set foot in London this year. Their leather apparel, vintage denim and most importantly their plethora of boots can fill my closet any time. Since that visit, All Saints, has recently opened a store two hours from me in Seattle, WA.

This season, one of my favorites from this label is something very basic -- sweatpants! Not just any ordinary sweatpants, its from All Saints. The Ludlow's dropped crotch is inspired by the popular harem pant. The generous amount of room in that area allows for alot of movement whether for sport or just lounging around the house. The fleece back sweat pants with a heavy vintage wash feels comfortable on the inside and the outside.

If you're looking for that classy, cool and stylish sweatpant that you can wear anywhere, this is the one to pick. Price $100, £60.

ISTYLEU's Favorite Thing #5 - beats by dr.dre RED Special Edition HD On Ear Headphones with Control Talk

Is your man an audiophile? Can he tell the different levels of treble and bass? If he is, then Monster's beats by dr.dre headphones could be the perfect gift this Christmas. Popularized by Grammy-winner Dr.Dre, these headsets captures every detail of sound that runs through its wires. The sound is balanced and the bass thumps..a lot. Although bigger than the usual headphones, the smart tri-fold design make for easy storage when not in use. 

And who say's this headphone is only good for your music. Solo HD's cable also works with your iPhone utilizing Monster's ControlTalk™ for iPod® playback control allowing for music phone hands-free calling.Its also a head turner with its stylish design and high gloss finish that comes in black, white and the special edition RED. A portion of the profits from the Beats Solo HD (PRODUCT)^REDSpecial Edition headphones will go straight to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Retail $280, available at Future Shop and Best Buy or wherever Monster headphones are sold.

ISTYLEU's Favorite Thing #4 - Scented Chocolate Bars from Cocoa Nymph and Ayala Moriel Parfums

I like chocolate. And so do other guys although they may not admit it. What's better than great tasting chocolate? Great smelling chocolate. Vancouver-based artisan perfume house Ayala Moriel Parfums has joined forces with CocoaNymph chocolatiere Rachel Sawatzky to create the ultimate indulgence - scented chocolate bars. 

With three amazing scents and flavours, choose from Espionage, with smoked salt, jasmine, and juniper; Guilt, a combination of orange blossom, blood orange, and wild oranges; and Roses et Chocolat, a fiery rose, saffron, and chilli.

Chocolatier Rachel Sawatsky describes the Espionage bar as multi-layered. “It is chocolate, flowers, smoke, spice, and wood all at once. If I don't eat anything else, I can still taste it after an hour. The finish is extremely long and lovely.”

And for those of you that are dark chocolate aficionados, the Roses et Chocolat is a great choice. "Roses et Chocolat was the hardest to complete,” admits Rachel. “But it is also the richest and darkest. The bar is dark and brooding, like a boudoir from Baz Luhrmann`s film Moulin Rouge.”

This present makes a great stocking stuffer for the man who loves fine and decadent chocolate.The chocolate bars are $12 each or 3 for $30 and are available at CocoaNymph Chocolates & Confections, located at 3739 West 10^th Avenue in Vancouver, BC and online at cocoanymph.ca and ayalamoriel.com.

ISTYLEU's Favorite Thing #3: iBottle Opener IPhone Case by iPhoneBottleOpener

First it was the flip flop with a built in bottle opener. And now its an iPhone case. I'll guess you'll never know when you're going to crack open a bottle of cerveza while on the phone. Not only can it open your beer bottle, but it also serves as a protective case for your iPhone. Its hard shell slip on case alongside its soft touch feel makes it a great add-on to your collection of phone cases. Just imagine the number of beers you can drink while your checking Twitter, Facebook or playing Angry Bird. MSRP $19.95 plus S&;H. Available online at iPhoneBottleOpener.

ISTYLEU's Favorite Thing # 2 - Premium "Tight" Gray Selvedge Jean from Cheap Monday

Gray is the new Black. Whether it a solid Dark or a washed out fade, gray is my "pick" color this season. One of my favorite things in stores now is Cheap Monday's Premium Gray Selvedge"Tight"Jean. What is selvedge? It means its never been washed or bathed. Its denim at its purest form. The Swedish brand known for its quality denim at a moderate price has created a nice fitting jean that looks amazing with a pair of cool sneakers or with a  distressed boot. 

The pant has a normal high waist with a long rise, tight fit and tapered leg. Given the unwashed nature of the jean, it can feel really snug. "Tight" is the original Cheap Monday fit born in 2004. The Premium Tight is an updated version using a higher end denim that has selvedge finishing  on inside seams. Check out Vincent Park and Cheap Monday. Retails for $155. 

ISTYLEU's Favorite Thing #1 - Converse Chuck Taylor Storm Boot XHi with Woolrich Fabric

Winter is all about cool boots. You'll see alot of them on ISTYLEU's Favorite Things this holiday season. First up is the Converse Chuck Taylor Storm Boot XHI with Woolrich® fabric. This boot is cool for many reasons. It can look both rugged or casual. It features a dual upper that has a leather outer layer and a Woolrich® inner layer.  It keeps your footsies warm with its soft cotton lining. It's also one of kind (yes, I haven't seen one like it anywhere else).  Lastly, the Storm boots also sport heavy duty eyelets and a rubber lug outsole to give your feet "grip" in bad weather. I've worn this in snow and rain, and they function amazingly well. 

Definitely a must have for the guy that wants to stand out from the crowd by being cool, rugged and stylish. For more information, check them out @ Converse MSRP $170. Available in Vancouver at Town Shoes, Gravity Pope and Little Burgundy.

JOE Fresh lands in Vancouver

This week marks the opening of the first free-standing JOE store in Western Canada. For those of you who are not familiar with the brand,  JOE Fresh is a Canadian high style - low price clothing label started by Joseph Mimran who is also the Creative Director of the brand.  In one of my interviews with Mimran, I've asked him what is JOE about. He said "JOE is about new product, fresh price. That's what I want people to remember." And after this weekend, I think many people will get to see and understand what he meant. 

Paulo Vallejo of ISTYLEU and Joseph Mimran, Creative Director for JOE Fresh
Shot at LG Fashion Week, Toronto Canada 2009
Photo by Darryl Humprhey

I went on opening day to check out what menswear they had available. This place is spacious at 14,000 sq ft and 2 floors. The experience from the time you walk in to the time you left was amazing. I wasn't disappointed.

They had trend pieces like slim denim jeans to great classic pieces like wool double breasted peacoats and cotton v-necks. The mens area was exceptionally well merchandised. The staff was friendly. And the fact that they had tills on both floors made it easy to shop. 

Some key finds:

• Cotton Cardigan - $29
• Wool Pea Coat - $89
• Cotton V-Neck Sweater - $29
• Dress Trouser - $39
• Slim Dark Wash Denim Jean - $39
• Basic Tee - $5

The store's grand opening is tomorrow October 16. Make sure to check out the street party from 2-6pm with performances from Divine Brown, Marianas Trench and many more. This free concert will be happening on the corner of Granville and Dunsmuir, which will only be open to pedestrian traffic.

Have fun. Happy shopping. And I look forward to hearing your stories.