A Diva State of Mind

Knowing where to shop can be difficult, especially for men.  Kenneth Issac from NOVA Fashion Week shares with you his list of some of the best retailers catering to men. Fellas check it out! Ladies, take note; you may be in need of purchasing that special someone in your life a gift. Valentine’s Day is a couple weeks away!

Having the comfort of your own home or those quick minutes at work with the blinds pulled down and door locked, gives us all a great opportunity to purchase items when our schedule doesn’t allow for in store trips. However, what happens when you are spending hours trying to find online sites that offer great finds and just cannot get a break? Welcome to the world of online shopping for men.

Shopping in general for most men does not come natural, but because of the recession and actively seeking to stay on top of their game, men see the way they dress as a means to give them a competitive edge. Men are now letting go of the pent-up testosterone and understanding, as women have, how soothing shopping can be.

This year will bring about great reward for the men’s market as more companies are seeing the benefit to expand their online presence to men and even expand the square feet for in-store experiences. Here are a few online retailers who are capitalizing on men’s shopping experience:

Gilt Groupe for years has been a leading figure for grabbing great finds, for women. Recently Gilt has identified the need to have a male only site labeled Gilt Man. Gilt Man allows an impulsive exploration of new high-end fashion enticements every day you visit their site. All of this is on a first come, first served basis of course. The site does require a membership which is invitation only and this is a membership you simply don’t want to pass up on. Gilt Man has great blazers, ties and shall we mention shoes from hundreds of top brand.

Patiently waiting is another shopping option created by Net-A-Porter.com. The new menswear only site, Mr. Porter, will be made available later this month. This London based company, has more than 3 million users, predominately female, around the globe.  With the launch of Mr. Porter,  men will now boost even more distinguished user hits to the London company.

For men who love the European look, Top Man is the largest privately owned clothing retailer in the UK. Staple items such as jeans and t-shirts are given twists to suit the current fashion mood. It’s the perfect site to shop to improve your wardrobe with essential basics and classic fashion. When visiting the site, you get the vintage influences and notice the variety offered in the collections. One of my top picks is the Black Napolean Cardigan.

J. Press having one of its four stores in Washington, D.C., is the All-American store that allows a man to never have too many suits and button-down shirts. A very conservative American style is what you will get from this shop created on the campus of Yale. Having a tailored Glen Plaid Tweed Sack is one of the best items a man could ever have in his wardrobe. J Press has had the commitment to dress men in an Ivy League standard since 1902 and it’s very clear that are living up to that standard.

Another shopping option that I have run across is John Varvatos.This designer brand unities old world craftsmanship and refined tailoring with modern innovations in textiles and rock-n-roll sensibility. One item that I think is a great pick for both men and women is a the button front vest. One of the recent trends has been women adding a more masculine feel to their wardrobe. Men don’t worry, there is nothing girly about this John Varvatos Button Front Vest at all. This entire collection is the perfect option to add a little edge to your wardrobe.

For the men who simply wish to have nothing to do with shopping at all, try out the Trunk Club. This is a creative way for men to discover great clothes and establish awesome wardrobes by simply talking to an expert. These experts curate an assortment of pieces and provide recommendations to you. You receive your trunk filled with various items that you try on. The fun part about it is that you keep what you like and send back what you don’t. No hassles, no lines and less stress. My favorite find is their modern wool car coat which is a timeless piece for any winter attire.

It is quite clear that men’s fashion is on the rise. Regardless if you are venturing out to retailers to shop or sticking to your online roots, you will begin to see stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, and Ralph Lauren increase their men’s departments. Men can rest assured that many brands are seeing the increase in men’s shopping. Brands are no longer turning their heads to men and now doing a double take at the impact men are making.

You can follow Kenneth and the entire NOVA Fashion Team on twitter @NOVAFashionWeek. To learn more about NOVA Fashion Week visit www.novafashionweek.com.