Beau-ties | Guest Post: Beautiful Shirts And All That Jazz

Hey Fashionable Guys&Girls!

It's an exciting week here at Bows&Beau-ties! Today is my very first guest post. And how fabulous that it's one of my super sweet friends and TSOF editor C.E.R.

Stay Fabulous, xoxo Aimee

"Hey guys and gals! How’s it going?

In form of gracious appreciation, I’d like to introduce myself as C.E.R. ("Le Guerrier Neuf")...the first ever guest blogger for our girl Aimee – a personal BFF of mine! – and her sky-hot fashion blog, Bows & Beau-ties. Before we take a stylish dive into the subject of this premier guest post, rude I would be to not give you a nutshell background. I’m the founder and editor-in-chief of The Sitch on Fitch, the world’s preeminent Abercrombie & Fitch Co. fan blog; and it was through TSOF that I met our chic girl who joined the privileged crew as fashion and style contributor for our global audience. With her great eye, sense, wit, and charm, she became a highly popular addition, back during the Christmas 2012 fashion season, and continued to deliver quality, engaging content for her growing following of personal fans. The imminent 2013 launch of her fashion and style blog, Bows & Beau-ties, then became an inspirational new endeavor driven by a passion for the love of excellent creativity and expression. Undoubtedly, as close friends, I gave my full support and, naturally, Bows & Beau-ties unbounded spirited on and up the haute road of stardom. Now, I am beyond the stars humbled to be a part of Bows & Beau-ties as its premier guest blogger...

This Summer 2013 season, for me, has brought an unprecedented heightened attention to the allure of beautiful shirts. And the root of this fashionable ailment of the mind is Baz Luhrmann's revolutionary 2013 3D film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great American Novel, The Great Gatsby (1922). You see, I personally profess to you - as a guy myself - that a man's shirt is of the highest indicators of who a man in question really is. It isn't for nothing that Daisy Buchanan finds herself in awe of the designs and fabrics, billowing down and around her presence, of Jay Gatsby's shirts as he throws them spirited in the air for both of their passionate amusement in the film. "I've never seen such, such beautiful shirts," Daisy expresses in a quote straight out of the original novel source. So that by the time that the story reaches the point of entry into climax of Luhrmann's adaptation, she admits softly in love of Gatsby to him, though in flair of melancholic adoration, "You always look so cool. The man in the cool, beautiful shirts." ...And that is a golden hook which hits at the heart of Gatsby, man and film. Summer of Gatsby, let it be then, with all the gorgeous shirts in play!

And when I think of beautiful shirts, only Prada comes to mind for me. Principally, I believe this is so because of this one particular piece from the iconic series, Sex and the City (1998-2004): the Carrie, Berger, and Prada shirt ordeal. I watched that piece when I was about 13 or 14 years-old, and it left a deep impression on me. That red Prada shirt represents a lot of symbolism both in the Carrie/Berger situation and in general societal/cultural terms; but more relevant to style, it was the key moment in which men's fashion took front stage, for a very meaningful and important point, in a show otherwise all about Manolos and what else have the Sex girls. Furthermore, it is a preeminent example of how you can tell a man by way of the shirt. Berger is taken aback by the item, for personal style and financial reasons, but as Carrie dotingly declares to him after gifting him with it, "It's the 'I-never-say-fabulous' fabulous shirt. You have to have the 'I-never-say-fabulous' fabulous shirt because you are the most fabulous of all the fabulous men who never say fabulous." I LOVE her delivering that line; but what comes for them is very profound, and it was all symbolized in that beautiful, red Prada shirt.

Fate be great, for as we have it, Miuccia Prada herself contributed to the costume design of select pieces, for Luhrmann's Gatsby, in collaboration with the filmmaker's wife, the Oscar-winner Catherine Martin. Unfortunately, however, Prada worked on womens pieces while the menswear was taken care in part by Brooks Brothers (from whom Fitzgerald himself liked to obtain his stylish wares of the day). It's all relevant, nevertheless, and actor Tobey Maguire, who plays as character Nick Carraway with striking resemblances to Fitzgerald, modeled for the Prada Fall-Winter 2011/2012 campaign.

Check out this awesome compilation of my photos of Tobey for Prada as seen in the September, October (incidentally featuring the handsome Leo DiCaprio who stars as Gatsby along with Tobey), and November 2011 issues of the flagship American GQ men's fashion & style magazine...

Now, I myself may be among the most fabulous of all the fabulous men who sparingly say fabulous - as an English language aficionado, I find it a very endearing word! - but this has been more than fabulous to say the least! I hope you've enjoyed my premier guest post!

In War,
Le Guerrier Neuf

P.S. Follow me on my personal Twitter and check out The Sitch on Fitch!"

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