I’m generally curious when I see something defined as a “Fashion Essential.” Essential to what? Clearly, suits are an “essential” if you work in a place that requires suits. More generally, belts are “essential” if you wear pants (save your complaints, suspender crowd). But beyond the basic essentials there’s a lot of gray area.

Forbes, for example, has a very interesting take. Examples of “essentials” include the following:

1. Kilgour suit, retail $8000
2. Hermes reversible belt, retail $500
3. Ferragamo Raul Lace Ups, retail $525
4. Rolex Submariner, retail $5400

Sorry, but to me many of these are “Fashion Aspirations.” The basic theme, though, is correct. Your wardrobe should have items such as a great suit, a great pair of shoes, a great timepiece. Even though Kilgour, for example, might be slightly out of reach, the message from this article is a good one.

To read more, visit Forbes

These days, if it seems like you’re seeing more written words on these internets regarding tequila, it’s probably not because you’re seeing double. seeing double. It’s because 1) it’s summer; and 2) it is increasingly a drink that is not only to be mixed, but savored on its own.

Consider this recent article from the San Marcos Daily Record:

Known most for its presence is margaritas, tequila has gone from the image of a cowboy tossing down a shot with a grimace in a dusty Mexican bar to an expensive, fine-aged tequila sipped from a brandy snifter by refined drinkers.

The authors, self-titled “Wine Guys,” go on to describe their experiences with Patron’s many offerings, from not-so-expensive, to the definitive “it” tequilia, the “Gran Patron Burdeos.”

For those of you who’ve not heard of this stuff, USA Today has some info:

Along with more sophisticated consumers has come more sophisticated (and pricier) packaging. Patrón unveils its $500 Gran Patrón Burdeos this month. The limited-production añejo, aged 12 months in Bordeaux barrels, comes in a crystal bottle with a crystal stopper presented in a handcrafted black walnut box.

This stuff is no joke. Some dude on Craig’s List has it listed for grand.

Bottom line, tequila, maybe more than any other spirit, is going through the kind of popular boom that cigars generally enjoyed in the mid-90s. Choice is good for you and me.

You see this building? Just look at it. It’s magnificent. It rises up from the surrounding city, the trees surrounding it appearing as if bush(es). The capitol domes, two perfect spheres setting off the rigid structure above them.

Yeah, it looks a lot like a dick. This building greets every visitor to Tallahassee, Florida, because it’s the capitol building. As a Florida State student, I saw way too much of this building, and I never was “ok” with the design. I mean, don’t people even freaking review these plans? Apparently in other places they do, because Sandor Shapery’s plans for a 40-story residential tower in San Diego have some residents swooning:

An architect reviewing plans for the 40-story structure for the City of San Diego’s Centre City Development Corp. said “with its rounded forms and swelling of it the uppermost floors … this building is very phallic.” Gwynne Pugh, a Santa Monica architect hired by the semi-public agency, questioned whether the design is right for San Diego.

I have to say, the rendering made available at Signonsandiego.com doesn’t really bear that out. I mean, if you really, really squint you can kind of make it out (I know, I know. That’s what she said), but I tend to agree with Mr. Shapery that Ms. Pugh is a bit, uh, hard up. Maybe she ought to put down the granola and spend some time in Tallahassee. Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.

It’s no secret that we here at TSL, and more so our sister site, Wrist Watch Review (of course), are into fine time pieces. This site is set up to focus on the fashion side of things, as well. Ordinarily, unless you’re talking about the Titanic watch, I think a fine timepiece is its own fashion statement. Pick the right one, and it speaks for itself (time for a shameless Panerai plug? Nah).

But Desanti is going to force me to choose. This clothier is the maker of the Watchcuff shirt. Apparently made for watch geeks like me, these things are so out there that I think I’d have to pass. You may disagree.

Is it fashionable to so prominently feature your watch? Is the ultimate sign of Wisconsin cheddar? Of course, the argument can be made that many watches leave behind “fashionable” and dive head-first into garish, ridiculous, even obscene. But something about these strikes me as, well, wrong.

Cruise on over to Desanti’s website and make up your own mind. Even if you hate the shirts, you may dig the watch porn.

No, wait. I mean, Tony Parker doesn’t have good taste. Let’s think about this. Custom made watch. Right on. Piaget, no less. You damn right. 43mm 18k white gold case, with titanium bezel. All of that is great. Grand, even.

But as the picture in this post shall bear my witness, it comes together in one horrible, bling-sided flight of fantasy nightmare. The diamond “9″ is an especially interesting touch. Look, dude can do as he pleases, but sometimes just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Oh, and congrats, by the way. Not on the wedding, I mean, who cares, right? But the Spurs are a legit dynasty, and he stepped up in a big, big way.

Via The Watch Quote