Clothes for Boys, Men, and Puppets

Wrapping up our Week of Men, I'm going to bring you a few highlights from the Men's collections -- specifically myboyfriendAlexanderMcQueen's show. McQueen got his start working in menswear, tailoring suits on London's Savile Row, the Mecca of Menswear, and there aren't many designers working who do better tailoring. Probably none. Menswear is such a challenge for designers: the vocabulary of men's clothing is much more limited than women's, yet season after season the designers have to show something new. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline and imagination to keep coming up with interesting stuff that isn't simply showpieces for the runway.

McQueen's collection led off with this look, which gave me great cause for hope.

Excellent sweater. It's a cardigan but not a cardigan, with just enough slouch.

And here's a great example of that tailoring. Holy moly, would you look at that jacket? That is so sharp.

What a great, fun, sometimes-I-pretend-I'm-in-the-Rat-Pack cardigan. I just love this, although our model does not appear to.

(And a word about the models... What is UP with the models they're using in men's these days? Are ANY of them over the age of fifteen? Good googly-moogly, what a passel of fey, wan, wispy elves they are. They seriously almost all look as though they were plucked from the sidelines of a high school phys ed class -- no one wants them for dodgeball, let's put 'em in some fancy clothes! The most substantial thing about most of these kids are the hollows under their cheekbones -- they're looking as emaciated as the female models. I don't know about you, but I find these boys terribly tiresome to look at, and not even remotely attractive. Where are the MEN??? Gimme some stubble, gimme a little silver hair!)

And what I'd also like to know is, do men (the ones who like women, anyway) feel the same way when they look at the girls coming down the runway? Do they think, "Where are the WOMEN?" Are they as put off by those insubstantial high-heeled wraiths as I am by these refugees from "High School Musical"?)

According to reportage on Men.Style.com, McQueen spent a month this year traveling around the Indian subcontinent, evidenced by some of the detailing on these clothes. I think this coat is mind-blowingly beautiful. Yes, it's very adorned for a men's garment, but the shape of it is classically masculine. I just think it's hopelessly lovely, and I'm crazy about the idea of a big strong (adult) man wearing it.

If the embroidery on the coat is too much, here's that motif beautifully translated into intarsia work on the sleeves of a sweater. Really gorgeous. Even your little cousin Scooter here looks great in this.

Of course, this being a fashion show, there was some silliness...

Looks like this poor shmo showed up late for his call and was thrown down the runway before he had a chance to finish dressing...

The Bumble appears to have found a second career in modeling. Good for him!

I, too, am wondering what happened to this young man's pants. (But that is a spectacular coat, isn't it?)

(I also have to say, I'm a little skeeved by the hair on these models. They all look like newborns with cradle cap.)

Here's this one-sleeved shawl thingie again. I don't get that. If you're going to do a wrap, do a wrap. If you're going to do a jacket, do a jacket. I feel that outerwear is no place for this sort of asymmetry! That being said, the shearling coat with the embroidered details is fan-freaking-tastic.

A side trip to Peru, for some reason. Seriously, Lee, if you're going to make clothes out of the curtains, make an effort and at least put in a dart here & there.

Very intrigued by this. If I'm getting the information right, it's made of that Indian embroidered fabric with the tiny mirrors all over it. That could be a bit much, of course, but I'm so taken with the shape of this jacket. It's so neat and trim and beautifully constructed. I'd really love to see this piece up close.

Looks like Animal also found a second career in modeling. Good for him!

(It does my heart good to know these guys aren't just languishing away in some Old Puppets' Home.)

But you have to forgive the silliness when you see the suits.

Good heavens, I'll bet you could cut your hand on that lapel. That, my friends, is the way a suit should look. If I ever get married, the groom and I will both be wearing Alexander McQueen. And we'll be gorgeous.

The couture shows (including the final runway presentation ever by Maestro Valentino) have been going on this week, so it hasn't been easy to stick to my Week of Men theme. Looking forward to bringing you some outlandishly fabulous stuff next week. Have a great weekend!

Photos: Men.Style.com