RACK CITY

March 27, 2012 – If there’s one fabric I’m willing to define myself by, it’s Ann Demeulemeester’s floral print wool from a few years back. (Extensive research has been unable to confirm the specific season — maybe it was produced in more than one?) It’s a stunning, specific print — the flowers look like they belong on the graves of a couple who drowned themselves in a love-suicide pact, mourning a romance not of this earth.

March 20, 2012 – In a time where I often find myself reticent to leave the house, opting to click around the Internet for my clothes-hunting fix instead, carefully-curated brick-and-mortar clothing shops remain a pivotal link in the fashion food chain.

March 19, 2012 – Record labels and booking agencies (and who could possibly forget Doritos) weren't the only brands throwing parties this past week at SXSW in Austin. In fact, as is increasingly the case, a slew of style institutions dug in during the Music portion of the festival.

March 16, 2012 – "We just signed with Zara," joked Matt Berninger, the frontman for the National, on hand to perform at the Spanish retailer's New York flagship store for its Wednesday opening.

March 8, 2012 – Glow-in-the-dark underwear (for adults) is happening thanks to Swedish fashion label Björn Borg, owned by the mid-'70s to '80s Swedish tennis landmark/class act of the same name. The company known for making sporty briefs in loud, colorful prints has launched a "Turning the Lights Off" theme collection that features luminescent details around the waistband and patterns with light bulbs, batteries, and soda cans.

March 7, 2012 – I know, I know, life just isn't fair for men. The odds are stacked up against us! But seriously, for how long are we expected to accept expensive flannels and selvedge jeans as gospel? The number of forward-thinking, unique, provocative men’s designers is dwarfed by the dozens of fantastic women's designers.