February 7, 2013 – No matter if it’s fashion, art or music, every underground scene has needed a dedicated publication to act as its hub and documentarian. When it comes to the dark, minimalist, androgynous, designer-centric world of men’s clothes that has gained popularity with artists as distinct as Cold Cave and A$AP Rocky, StyleZeitgeist has provided that particular scene with a foundation. Starting as a Web-based community and since branching off into a print magazine, StyleZeitgeist is where the bold, the obsessive and the trendsetters go to discuss the minutiae of Ann Demeuelemeester’s necklaces, Carol Christian Poell’s leather treatments and Maurizio Amadei’s fabric sourcing. Finding StyleZeitgeist was one of my true fashion awakenings, as I learned about designers that brush past the mainstream, purchased and traded clothes second-hand, and witnessed grown men squabble over who is biting who.

November 15, 2012 – Hi fashion friends! It’s been too long since my last post, but not to worry, I'm as clothes-obsessed as ever. In fact, when I was recently in Katowice, Poland for Off Festival, I met two lovely Russian ladies, both named Katya, and made a point of talking to them about clothes. Not even a broken nose could stop me! You see, Katya S. (left) and Katya V. (right) are two enthusiastic and fun young women who work as photo editors for fashion magazines in Russia, at least when they aren’t traveling Eastern Europe to experience all of its beautiful architecture, cheap food and wild music festivals. Even though I don’t think they had showered for like three days when I met them (it’s the festival lifestyle!), I greatly admired their style and figured I’d learn more about where they come from and the things that inspire them. I gotta go to Russia!How did you get into photo editing?

September 20, 2012 – That’s right, after the rousing success of my first column providing fashion makeover support to some of today’s most promising indie rockers, I’m back to lend my support to those in need yet again. Seriously, how many shows must I attend — and I don’t care if we’re talking grindcore or dubstep or improvised folk — where everyone looks like they just rolled out of bed? I understand it can be cool not to care, but it can be far cooler to really care, trust me. I picked out another three artists, some old, some new, and have taken the time out of my busy schedule to provide them with the stellar designer looks to get them noticed. Let’s get started!Danish teen-core darlings Iceage had every major indie label in a tizzy last year, and it’s not because of their clothes, I can tell you that much!

September 11, 2012 – Trying to figure out cutting-edge designer fashion is the same as trying to figure out Killed By Death punk rock, German minimal techno or no-wave film — in order to get started, it really helps to have a guide. In my case, I bridged the gap between, um, the Gap and Ann Demeulemeester thanks to DJ Mike Nouveau. Now, I’m not going to say that Manhattan’s premier fashionisto DJ ever willingly guided me toward anything, or really did anything but insult my choices along the way, but without some of his sharp musings or crucial nuggets of info, I very well might not be striving for the peculiar Star Wars-goth aesthetic I’m currently working on. The first time we met, I was awkwardly trying on a pair of pants he sold me inside of a cramped van.

July 25, 2012 – It's already late July, and if you live in the Northeast like me, you've been doing all you can to keep from melting in the 100-plus degree weather. Thankfully, that also means we are ankle deep in the Spring/Summer sale season, so take the time to upgrade your neon plastic rest-stop cheapie shades to a new pair of high-quality eyewear. There are excellent sunglasses out there for any face shape, with all sorts of ideas and aesthetics being explored — anyone still walking around squinting has no excuse for such behavior. The style of Raf Simons has always burst with youthful innovation, so why not go to him when looking to update your style, not just to 2012's standards, but into the future as well? These aviators are anything but old-fashioned, taking a classic idea and twisting it, with certain details obscured and others on full display.

July 23, 2012 – Let's face it, when it comes to male musicians, who's really making it happen, style-wise? I choose to look to one person in particular for inspiration — that man is Seal. That's right, Seal. I don't know what he's been doing musically since "Kiss From A Rose", but it's irrelevant anyway. The man has exquisite taste in clothing, which is reason enough for him to remain in the pop-culture sphere — he could never sing another song again and I'd still want to see him around, getting out of cars with his kids or hot-stepping the red carpet in sunglasses. Every time I see a new picture of him out and about, I'm amazed at his choices, from the designers he follows to the garments themselves. He makes nearly every outfit come to life, forcing extravagantly dreary fabrics into human action.

June 4, 2012 – I can't tell you how many times I've been out watching live bands only to think, "Goddamn, they need me to dress them." So many bands think that rolling out of bed and onto the stage is acceptable behavior, and while that works for certain groups going for that "aren't we a bunch of losers?"look, I think a little sartorial consideration goes a long way. On the other hand, there are groups who already have very specific looks that I'd love to change-up; wearing the same corpse paint or mirrored helmet show after show can get stale after a while.

April 26, 2012 – Austin Sherbanenko's Odyn Vovk label is one of the few American design houses to mesh with my personal aesthetic tastes. His designs are dark and rugged, conjuring images of hard-fought battles on Tatooine, that sand planet’s gritty deserts amiss with barbed wire and shrapnel. I've always picked up on an ostensible metal influence in his work, from the label's name (sounds like a Southern Lord signee) to the black cloaks and hooded robes he creates, so I managed to get in touch and ask him some questions about his musical inspirations — his answers have led me to appreciate Odyn Vovk even more. To what extent has music influenced Odyn Vovk's aesthetic? When you look at your clothes on the whole, what sort of music plays in your head? Music is a huge inspiration for the entire brand. Music is always playing in our studio, and in the office all day.

April 3, 2012 – It’s not just 2012, but spring of 2012 — men of all orientations, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds should exercise their freedom to wear skirts. And I’m not talking about women’s skirts, but skirts specifically designed for men. We don’t wear women’s jeans (Attack Attack excluded), why settle for women’s skirts? The good ones don’t come cheap, but trust me: you’re worth it. Here’s a quick buyer’s guide. Silent by Damir Doma — Viscose Canvas Pleated Skirt Damir Doma’s diffusion line Silent has been my go-to for thoughtfully-considered basics as of late, which now includes this long-ass skirt. The pleats eventually fade into chaos as they crawl down the leg, resulting in a look that will have passersby wondering if you’re an organic farmer from some exotic country they’ve never visited.

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. There’s simply no mistaking these flower petals for your great aunt’s tablecloth. Ann produced pants, jackets, shirts, waistcoats and hoodies in this material, and who can blame her? When a design like this exists, it must be celebrated. I tried tracking down a pair of Ann’s floral pants for over two years before finding them.