New Lacoste Fragrance L.12.12

What is the next silhouette for a man?

I really love these videos from Details magazine. Designer Robert Geller talks about what inspires his collections and wonders what will be what the next silhouette for a man, as he gets a haircut at NYC's Blind Barber.

Goodbye Calvin Klein… Hello MensFit!

Men’s underwear just got a lot hotter since discovering MensFit.

As a card-carrying member of David Barton Gym in Chelsea (The mostly gay gym with a sprinkling of trannies and a couple of straight girls… and yes, Anderson Cooper goes there) I have access to the locker room where I get to see some of the underwear fashion trends before they hit the mainstream. Observation #1: not a boxer short in sight. Observation #2: Underwear styles have never been more colorful, fun and butt-enhancing. MensFit, an Australian company, has an incredibly sexy, nicely cut and well made line of briefs. These have replaced my 2xist and Calvin Klein’s. Check the MensFit line out here.

Dior Aqua Fahrenheit is Hitting the Right Notes

Ok, so I was a fan of Fahrenheit by Dior the minute it came out in 1988 — one of the first fragrances for men that broke tradition by adding a floral to the mix. The groundbreaking violet accord was the surprise in this case. Every once in a while, to keep things fresh, Dior would introduce a version of the fragrance where the mix would be tweaked, intensified and even warmed up a few degrees. They’re all pretty good but none as good as the original — until now. Dior has introduced the new Aqua Fahrenheit and it is really hitting all the right notes. It rocks the same woody/leathery base notes of the original with a crisp refreshing twist of Vetiver and Citrus. The opening is quite stunning with a blast of Italian grapefruit which is smoothed out by middle notes of Violet and Brazilian Spearmint.

The fragrance is quite nice and perfect for the warm days and evenings of summer. Enjoy!

Check it out at Dior.com

Product sample supplied by Dior

FREDERIC MALLE for Father's Day

It pays to be a man this Father’s Day. The rugged nature of Frederic Malle’s four classic men’s scents (Bigarade, Vetiver Extraordinaire, Bois d’Orage and Geranium Pour Monsieur) makes them the only fragrances from his collection tough enough to exist in body wash form. Bois d’Orage and Geranium Pour Monsieur are new and right in time for Father’s Day.
Bigarade, Vetiver - $75
Bois d’Orage, Geranium - $70

My New Gucci Belt

To get this Memorial Day off to a good start, I took the girls out for a TWO HOUR walk around Greenwich Village. Girls in tow, I put myself on autopilot and headed to Jeffreys in the Meatpacking district. While I was there, I bought this Gucci belt (to wear with my Gilded Age selvedge denim jeans) and I sprayed on some Comme des Garcons Fragrance WONDERWOOD. It smells so good and is so well made that I think I need to own a bottle ASAP. A fresh wood - great for warm weather.

Ooh La La...Oui Oui... Abercrombie and Fitch Opens in Paris

Yesterday 100+ shirtless models worked what mama gave them for the pre-opening of Abercrombie & Fitch store on the Champs Elysées in Paris. Can Hollister be far behind?

Gucci Guilty for Him

Last autumn, the House of Gucci introduced Gucci Guilty for Her. This month they've launched Gucci Guilty for Him and it is nothing short of amazing. I previewed the new fragrance and, like all Gucci products, this one is incredibly well-made and very stylized. The scent is heady, sophisticated and fearless, yet young and fresh and definitely made for a guy who likes to live life at full throttle. It’s not for the weak of heart. Gucci Guilty is quickly become one of my favorite new releases — very masculine, very approachable and very charming.

The scent opens with an invigorating heady cocktail of Italian lemon and mandarin, crushed green leaves and a punch of pink pepper. Amazing. The middle mellows out with a fresh hint of herbs — lavender, cardamom and a little whisper of orange. The magic and the hallmark of any Gucci fragrance is in the drydown. In this case, a heady mix of sandal wood, amber and a touch of patchouli. The effect is remarkable. The sillage (that waft of scent you leave behind in your wake) has a confident presence but is never over powering. That’s the charm.

Gucci Guilty for Him is available now in Eau de Toilette, Shower Gel, Deodorant Spray and Massage Oil.

Big Pony Fragrance Collection

Spring is almost here — I know that because I’m starting to sneeze — and I expect to see lots of those colorful Polo Big Pony shirts on guys hopping around the city and at the beach. I think the shirts are pretty sexy. The Big Pony fragrance collection is pretty sexy too. A clean and incredibly masculine addition to that casually put together look. Each of the Big Pony fragrances remind me of that fresh “just hopped out of the shower” kind of scent. It lasts and yet is light enough that it's almost impossible to overdo. A guy at my gym sprayed Big Pony 1 (the blue bottle) in the locker room after showering and it was actually refreshing…for me. (Caution: in most cases, spraying cologne in a locker room would cause a brawl but this case was definitely an exception). I really like all of them but my favorite is Big Pony 4 (the orange bottle). It’s a woody, citrusy grapefruit scent that I find very uplifting and fresh — not heavy at all and perfect for day or night.

The Ralph Lauren Big Pony Collection comes in four scents:

Big Pony 1 (Blue bottle) sporty & dynamic — aromatic citrus with lime and oak.
Big Pony 2 (Red bottle) seductive oriental with dark chocolate and musk.
Big Pony 3 (Green bottle) woodsy adventurous with ginger and mint.
Big Pony 4 (Orange bottle) Citrusy & woody - grapefruit and kyara wood.

My contest: Follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/GlamMan to win a Ralph Lauren Big Pony 1 cologne for men. Contest runs between Tuesday 4/5/11 at noon until Saturday 4/10/11 at midnight. At that time, using a random number generator, I will select one follower to receive a bottle of Big Pony 1. Good luck!

Shaving Tips from The Real Shaving Company

I was in Duane Reade here in New York City recently and came across this impressive line of grooming goods from The Real Shaving Company. I had to try. With everything that goes into your morning routine, proper shaving habits may get lost in the rush and your face may not be getting the treatment it deserves! Thankfully, the pros at The Real Shaving Company, whose barbershop-quality products have been keeping guys groomed since 1953, put together these simple tips to make the most of your morning routine:

1. Time your shave wisely! The best time to shave is either in the shower or right after you get out. Thanks to the flow of warm water, pores are open and your hair softens, not to mention relaxed muscles, all contributing to a better shave.
2. Exfoliation is key for prep. Using an exfoliant pre-shave will help unblock clogged pores and remove dead skin cells, blackheads, and bacteria that can cause ingrown hairs and infections, all for a closer shave. Try The Real Shaving Company’s Daily Face Scrub, which features Ground Walnut Shell for gentle exfoliation, as well as Sweet Almond Oil (rich in Vitamin E) to improve complexion and give you a wedding-day glow.
3. Give yourself a barbershop treatment! Every wonder why barbers will place a hot towel on the face first before shaving? The heat from the towel softens skin and opens pores for an easier shave. Try this treatment sans barber with The Real Shaving Company’s Hot Towel Mask. This mineral clay mask warms, softens, and lifts facial hair for a better shave, and also features skin-soothing Vitamin E, anti-inflammatory zinc oxide and toning tea tree leaf.
4. Be picky about your products. Whether you prefer wet shaving with cream, gel or oil, or dry shaving with your electric razor, be sure to use a product that preps skin and helps your razor glide easily. For a wet shave, opt for a low-foam shaving product to keep visibility high. Many products, like The Real Shaving Company’s NEW Ultra Moisturizing Shave Gel (with Vitamin E moisture beads), feature super-hydrating ingredients to moisturize and soothe. If you go electric, try the Shave Tonic with anti-inflammatory Willow Bark and healing Aloe Vera.
5. Keep it sharp to look sharp! Dull blades won’t cut through hair as easily and can drag across the skin, causing friction, irritation and razor burn. Make sure your razor glides across skin and avoid a painful shave by using a fresh blade – especially on big days like this!

The Real Shaving Company line also comes in a travel set of TSA-friendly size tubes and is available at Duane Reade for about $16 bucks. Highly recommended.