By now, you are well aware of the tragic events that have occurred in the country of Haiti. The earthquake that destroyed the homes and spirits of so many Haitians has been the cause of an unimaginable amount of pain and suffering. It has also been the cause of many good deeds done throughout the world. It seemed like there was almost an immediate response from the rest of the world when word of  the events that took place in Haiti got out. Not only was it a trending topic on Twitter, but #Haiti is also a trending topic on the news and within the hearts of millions of people. People have been coming together and giving so much towards the rebuilding of the shattered country. The Hope For Haiti telethon that aired world wide has been the biggest of the public efforts thus far. Organized by George Clooney, the two hour telethon featured everyone from Denzel Washington to Alicia Keys. The powerful performances and speeches given that night set the tone for everyone to do whatever they could to help out and they raised almost 60 million dollars for the cause. Despite much controversy, Haitian music mogul, Wyclef, has been very instrumental in restoring his country through his organization Yele and just by speaking on the subject like he did this years Grammy Awards. I couldn’t go a day without seeing his tweets telling me to “Text Yele to 501501 to donate $5.” If you didn’t know, $1 is the equivalent to about 40 Haitian Gourdes so your dollar can surely make a difference. It seems as if everyone is getting in on the action, including Walmart, the New York Yankees, and Bank of America. Ralph Lauren has created special polo shirts and is donating 100% of the proceeds to aiding Haiti. They are actually pretty stylish so you may want to consider getting one if you haven’t already given to the cause. The Restaurant Week Truck in NYC is also donating $1 of every $6 purchase. Big names aren’t the only ones helping Haiti. My good friend Overfab recently held an event in NYC and raised over $2000 and 70 bags of goods. I say all this to say, the world isn’t as bad as it seems. There is always a way. Give and you shall receive…Contribute to the hope for Haiti in anyway you can. Trust me…It’s worth it…Peep some amazing photos of Haiti by photographer Jeff Antebi…

]]> http://www.mn-eminent.com/2010/02/01/when-disaster-strikes/feed/ 0 http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/12/28/it-may-be-the-last/ http://www.mn-eminent.com/2009/12/28/it-may-be-the-last/#comments Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:53:54 +0000 Nick http://www.mn-eminent.com/?p=2681

But is also one of the most fashionable days of the year. Yes, I’m referring to New Years Eve (NYE). This is the last night that you can do the exact opposite of all your New Years resolutions and actually get away with it. I personally don’t believe that waiting for the year to end is what should prompt change but that’s neither here nor there. The fact is, NYE is less than a week away and wherever you go that night, looking good will be a high priority. So I’ve decided to put together two looks, male and female, that might just help you out when you’re scrambling through the mall this week trying to figure out what you’re wearing. For both guys and girls, black has been a very instrumental color in this year’s fashion trends. A lot of  great accessories, outerwear, and shoes have come out in “All Black Everything” and they still are so take advantage of that when shopping for an outfit. I personally think that gentleman should incorporate color in their NYE looks, but make sure it’s less than your female counterpart. Be the reserved cool guy and let your lady get the shine with her colorful fit with splashes of black while you do the opposite. The guy should have on the black eye wear like these new leather (yes..leather) Super glasses and dark jacket or sweater. The Rugby Tartan Blazer would be good as a splash of color if everything else is black or very dark. Or this John Varvatos shawl collar cardigan would look good with a plain white button down and black tie but offset all the monotony with these colorful Ralph Lauren corduroy jeans. Boots are the move these days so I’d go with these A.P.C. derby ankle boots. That sole is amazing. Now for the ladies…NYE is the night of unconventional…So don’t fall into the cliche of huge coat, small dress, and high heels. Show out and push the limits a little. This sickening Stella McCartney cardigan is a great way to start. You can still wear the small dress but do it different than the rest so you wont blend in. Under the cardigan try something that will add contrast like this Jay Godfrey one shoulder dress which can be worn with these cool Rugby sequin leggings or the colorful slim cords to add even more pop to the fit. Skip the heels because it’s gonna be a long night… Try these smooth Christian Louboutin patent leather shoes. You’re the best dressed and your feet aren’t killing you 3 songs into the party. A lot of these items are pricey but this is just a blueprint. Replicate expensive looks through inexpensive brands or go vintage! See you at the party!!! I’ll be late for that…

This product, as well as the brand, is all too familiar for those who have been viewing our site for a while. Yup. That’s right. I’m talking about the Ralph Lauren Polo Ranger boot. It’s a classic and it’s my favorite boot of all time so you know I had to fill you all in when I heard of recent releases. A few months ago, we brought you details on the initial re-release of the boot. Since then, there have been a few new colors and variations of the Ranger boot. There are five, yes five, official colors of the Polo Ranger Boot. Two of those colors come with the option of a shearling lining for extra warmth this winter…I went into David Z yesterday to pick up the newest color, grey, and saw that they had all 5 colors, including the shearling lined pairs. Now that I’ve informed you, please just do me a favor and do it right!

This Ralph Lauren outfit caught my eye and has not let it go since…This is the embodiment of the “rugged” man with a sharp fashion sense. From the distressed leather bomber to the classic Polo ranger boots, this is IT. This is very similar to the look I tend to go for during the colder seasons and it just pleased me to see it done so well…Hence why I shared…Enjoy!

A nice hat is essential on those days you don’t feel like really grooming yourself or if it just really compliments your outfit. Make sure you have a decent selection ranging from fitted caps to fedoras. Driving caps are my personal favorites because they can be dressed up or down and they come in so many patterns. Check out J.Crew, Urban Outfitters, and Major DC for some smooth Spring headgear.

Cool glasses are not a fad. They have been around forever and are not going anywhere folks. People seem to underestimate the effect a good pair of frames can have on their outfit, whether it be shades to block the rays or just clear lenses for style. Brands like Dita, Super, and Ralph Lauren are continuously releasing stylish eye wear so open your eyes and find some!! For a more vintage look and a large selection, check out Fabulous Fanny’s of NYC.

A layering piece is a must for the cooler days of Spring when you can’t get away with just wearing a tee shirt. Crew neck sweatshirts and varsity jackets will be in constant rotation for my wardrobe this season. There is so much you can do with them and a key to successful shopping is versatility. Brooklyn Circus, King Stampede, A.P.C. and other brands have managed to produce either cool crew necks, varsity jackets or both in to their Spring 2009 line for men.

Chino’s and broken in light colored denim is the way to go to stand out and be comfortable this Spring. Hard denim is usually what I wear for a large portion of the year. But the Spring weather calls for something lighter and softer. . Visit J.Crew or Rugby for a great selection of chinos and denim.

Classic footwear is the way to go on a sunny Spring day guys. This brings me to another one of my tips for successful shopping. Buy things that have been around long enough to never go out of style, or at least something you love enough to keep forever. That’s what I try to keep in mind when searching for footwear. Adidas Rod Lavers, Converse Jack Purcell’s, and Puma Clyde’s are perfect examples of classic sneakers. They can be worn with pretty much anything and they still look good when they are worn in!

One last thing gentlemen: don’t forget your bag. Where are you going to put your jacket when it’s too warm to wear, or your laptop so you can update your blog on the go, or your camera when you’re done shooting? Get yourself a bag with a bunch of compartments but make sure it’s not too bulky. You don’t want to look like you’re on a camping trip. Check out Manhattan Portage, Incase, and The North Face for some fly, functional bags.

Super producer, Just Blaze, is not only incredibly talented. He is also a Polo Ralph Lauren enthusiast and collector. He’s got the income to support pretty much any habit he may have and there are not many Ralphy collections that can hold a candle to his. Just Blaze recently launched his own blog which is all about Ralph Lauren products. My kind of blog!!! Just Blaze’s site is titled One Nine Six Seven and I’ll be checking it out daily. Follow suit!!!

With this season of New York City’s Fashion Week just behind us, I must say that I’m very disappointed that I was unable to participate in any of the fresh-tivities. I’ll be all over it next season though and my coverage will be coveted by many!! Ha! But back to the present day. Between this recession, and new designers emerging on what seems to be a daily basis, I imagine it must be pretty difficult to maintain a successful clothing label. But Ralph Lauren makes it look pretty damn easy!! Stores are going out of business left and right but Ralphy is not folding. His stores are offering great sales which shows he cares about his consumers to a certain extent but that’s as far as it goes. Not only is he still running the fashion industry, but he is also running the runway. If you didn’t catch any coverage on his segment of Fashion Week have no fear!! It’s smoothly showcased as “Romantic Luxury” in it’s own section of his website so check it out HERE. Enjoy folks!!!

For those of you that know me, it’s pretty obvious that I’m addicted to retail. But I don’t just buy anything. I’m very picky and precise when it comes to shopping. My closet consists mostly of J.Crew and Ralph Lauren for the simple fact that both brands provide quality clothing for people of all shapes, colors, and sizes. They both create and recreate classics and I’m a classic fellow ya dig. Speaking of classics, I figured I’d share a few pics of a classic boot that I own. The Polo Ranger boot is my favorite shoe ever. EVER. It’s right up there above the black and red patent leather XI Jordans (re-releasing on December 26th 2008). But the Ranger Boots a.k.a. the “Cookie” boots can be worn so many different ways and have been the talk of the town since the 90’s. Think I’m not tryna get every pair I can find in my size and some for my kids to stunt with when their feet are big enough? Come onnnnn!!!!!

In the words of Mr. Kanye West, “I know it’s late and I took all year but you can stop complaining cuz I’m finally here.” Those words should be playing in the background of the “make your own” section on Rugby.com. That’s right folks. Customizing rugby’s online is no longer “coming soon”. It’s here!! So those of you who can’t make it to the store or are too bourgeois to shop any other way than on the web, make sure you check it out. I highly recommend going to the store for custom pieces because the site is extremely limited in options but pretty much everything is open game at the Rugby locations. So if you’ve got a blazer, rugby, or anything other item you wanna trick out, head to Rugby and show Ralphy some love…