Las Vegas...a fashion plate? Who knew...

Think of Sin City, and the desert oasis will undoubtedly conjure up images of gambling, booze, and broads.

But high fashion?

For the most part, the strip has been known to be rife with tourists in comfy colorful shorts, Hawaiian shirts, and ubiquitous flip-flops.

'Til now, that is.

Lost in thought one day, I strolled off the Casino floor at Caesar's Palace, and ended up amidst a handful of tony haberdasheries in the cavernous lower levels of the gambling house.

At Gianni Versace, exquisite silk dress shirts beckoned from one corner of the aesthetically-pleasing shop.

And, from another, finely tailored suits caused me to squeal in delight.

The moment recalled a scene in the Great Gatsby.

As Daisy (Mia Marrow) rummages through her lost love's walk-in closets, she is overcome with sensory overload as she takes in the spoils his fabulous vulgar wealth.

I was curious about the Vegas scene.

"Aren't folks pretty casual here," I queried the salesman.

"Oh, no," he responded quite emphatically.

"There is a great fashion sense here. Sales at this location are only second to the Los Angeles outlet," he noted somewhat proudly.



























At John Vervatos, the focus was more on individual style.

The trend tended toward monochromatic color schemes - in black and grey - for instance.

And, dress shirts tended to be sparked up with enticing motifs etched on lush enticing fabrics.

A high-quality leather jacket (cut at the waist) - with fashion flourishes like zips and snaps - was even paired with a dress shirt, chic tie, and designer slack - for a decidedly daring "look".

A posse of jackets were crafted in blends with a metallic futuristic look to 'em.

At Bernini, I gasped when I spied a white linen jacket dangling on the rack.

Pure heaven to the touch!

A great wardrobe choice for lunch dates under a lazy mid-day sun or the cocktail hour where the man-about-town is sure to impress with the right accesssories to match.

At Ermenegildo Zegna, the saleswoman was pushing shades of white, pink, and sand.

A Royal Blue dress jacket crafted in lightweight cashmere was a knock-out.

Zegna pays a lot of attention to the finer details when crafting the clothing in their factories in Italy, Switzerland, and Spain.

Fans of the celebrated designer may take a gander at the Spring/Summer collection which is featured in an eye-catching catalogue that has been published in slim book form.

Models were flown to the "pink city" - Jaipur - for the photo shoot.

The exotic locale was the perfect backdrop for Zegna's stunning offerings this season.

When I strode into DKNY (sweaters in sheer fabrics feel great on bare skin), a young salesman noticed the Zegna catalogue in my hand and excitedly queried me about it.

"I want one. It's great for the coffee table."

Undoubtedly!

If you hotfoot it over to one of Zegna's many retail outlets, maybe a bit of sweet-talking will nab 'ya one.

Say Julian sent you!

Mens Fashion...stylish topcoats are practical too! Go for Classic silhouettes...

A few weeks ago, my eyes went wide as I spied a handsome full-length topcoat, dangling on a hanger at a bargain-basement price!

I dickered a little when it came to flashing the cash, though!

After all, residents of the City of Angels had been languishing in the sweltering heat for weeks.

Splurging on outwear appeared to be a costly waste of resource in these troubling financial times, too.

But, a little voice inside urged me to "go for it".

"Maybe you'll need to jet out to New York. This designer beauty won't only keep 'ya nice and toasty, but afford you the golden opportunity to traipse the Upper East Side in style."

So, I snapped it up - although I felt a little silly went I stepped out into the bright light of the sizzling hot fall day- with the ubiquitous fashion statement under my arm.

Sure enough, my investment paid off this past ten days.

While most folks were freezing their butts off and scurrying for warmer climbs as the biting winds and intermittent snow flurries blew in from the desert, I strolled along comfortably and lapped up the festivities the Yuletide season had to offer up all around me.

But fashion savvy guys have known all along that a topcoat or overcoat (whatever you want to coin it) are not only a stylish addition to a well-rounded wardrobe, but amount to a practical article of clothing, too.

And, a head-turner.

Today, I caught a sharply-turned out dude sporting a camel hair number that was a knock-out (the jacket, silly).

But, the pricey designer outerwear was a bit on the high maintenance end, what with dry cleaning costs and extra caution required to avoid nasty spills during the course of the day.

In contrast, a Black or Navy one is ideal.

Go for a form-fitting one, or one on the bulky side that is roomy enough to toss over your suit-and-tie ensemble, in the event the weather gets inclement.

Fashion tip!

Try to avoid snapping up a topcoat with too many flourishes that date it.


For example, avoid oversize belt buckles, padded shoulders, and design details that cast an aura of trendiness.

For good reason.

Once the fad has passed, you'll have to donate it to a Goodwill charity or "Out of the Closet" - and after-the-fact - fork out additional greenbacks for one that doesn't scream "fashion victim".

Go for the classic silhouette, after all, it's a timeless "look" that emphasizes style, elegance, and understated chic.

By the way, a full-length overcoat gives a man great presence and an air of prestige when he confidently strides into the room.

But it's how you "inhabit" the well-crafted threads that sets the men apart from the boys.

A dramtic fashion statement for a woman capable of pulling it off!

www.julianays.com

Menswear...sweaters saunter into fall! Fashion 08!

Sweaters saunter into the picture big this fall as the brisk night air descends on the city's mean streets.

There's a bumper crop of styles to choose from.

For example, cable knits, silky blends, and plain old practical cottons.

Elegant sweater-vests are crowd-pleasers this season. 'Specially those that sidle up to pristine dress shirts, a scintillating array of tasteful ties, and classic sport coats in Navy or Camel Hair.

But, anything goes!

The overwear fashion accent not only makes an entrance in stripes of all persuasions, but jazzy eye-catching patterns that jolt the senses.

The silhouettes are bulky, oversize, and comfy.

Great for layering!

Give it the college try with a bold textured scarf, slouchy hat, and one-of-a kind knit gloves that signal a discerning fashion touch.