Daily Outfits 108

Okay, so I’ve been getting less blogging done because I was out of commission for about half a week due to some horrendous cold. But I did get to go out an catch the opening night of Aria Hotel and Casino inside the new City Center. It was absolutely beautiful and so crowded! I couldn’t find a slot machine to save my life.





* Dress shirt by Theory, boot cut denim jeans by Diesel, charcoal vest by Kenneth Cole, thick wool pea coat by H&M, grey logo embellished scarf by Versace

So this outfit is all about layering and the best way for men to layer is to start with a vest that has a buckle you can tighten or loosen in the back. This buckle should never be left undone and should always be tightened to keep the silhouette as trim and fitted in the midsection as possible. A lot of guys suffer from dress shirts that are super baggy and become un-tucked with frequent sitting and standing. The best cure for this problem would be to find yourself a good tailor, but the second solution would be to find a good vest.

The peat coat is a personal favorite of mine because of the high collar. I think the high collar coats and sweaters are just my current look of the moment, and I think this look really goes superb for this winter.

The entire look is finished with a focal feature which is the scarf. The bold Versace scarf really makes an impression no matter where you go.

Daily Outfits 107

I went to watch “The Blind Side,” featuring Sandra Bullock, with my former roommate tonight. I wasn’t feeling too great and had been lounging around like a bum at home and felt really too lazy to get spruced up. So today you guys get to see me dressed about as casual as I ever get.





*White, v-neck hoodie by Theory, light wash, boot cut jeans by True Religion, and a plaid hat by H&M.

This is quite casual but it still has an interesting design element. I absolutely love this hoodie and it’s really the only true sweat shirt/hoodie I own, and the only reason why I purchased it at Saks Fifth Avenue was because of the fact that it has this v-neck feature.

When you pop up the hoodie and actually put the hood on, the v-neck line extends further on down to reveal the collar bone area whereas if you place the hood down, it looks more like a normal hoodie.

Daily Outfits 106

Okay, so Sunday’s outing was to a local Spanish tappas restaurant called Firefly. A good friend of mine is taking a one month vacation in Japan and so a group of our friends got together to have dinner before she flies out. The entire restaurant is a local hotspot well known for its good food and great sangrias by the pitcher. Firefly is what I would call a trendy local spot where everyone from businessmen to alcoholic college students all congregate to create a very unique vibe and atmosphere.

So this is what I ended up wearing.





*Red, metallic, skinny pants by H&M, black hooded vest by Armani Exchange, and a custom, French cuff, dress shirt by Geoffrey Beene.

The focal point is really the red pants. The unusual color and the brightness of the fabric is really a strong visual so it’s important not to embellish too much on the top. I’m also not a big fan of crazy cuff links, so I kept them simple and classic.

Daily Outfits 105

Tonight, I’m going to a farewell party for one of my friends who is leaving Las Vegas for New York City. The party is going to be at one of the penthouse suites at the Mirage Hotel and Casino and it’ll probably filled to the brim with booze. So while it’s not an evening that requires formal attire, I still wanted to cross something urban and trendy with something that’s a bit more formal.



*Blue and white stripped Dolce & Gabbana dress shirt, white denim jeans by John Galliano, black hooded vest by Armani Exchange, and black bowtie by Molly Rodgers

One of my favorite looks is pairing cotton fabric hooded vests with more ridged suits. I think it urbanizes the whole formality of the suit and really helps it transition into the semi-formal and trendy casual look. I’m also a big collector of bowties and happen to adore Molly Rodgers.





Lastly, I finished the attire with a tweed suit jacket that really harmonized the whole look together.



*Tweed jacket by Buffalo Exchange

Daily Outfits 104

Okay, so not much to discuss today. I had to run to class and take the Nightclub Management final and ended up going over to a friend’s house for dinner. Dressed pretty simple and warm but still kept the pieces interesting.





* Black open collar shirt by John Varvatos, white denim jeans by John Galliano, grey pea coat by A.C.K.

So the military style pea coat with brazen buttons is one of my favorite, slightly casual, winter pieces that I own. Instead of throwing on a hoodie and looking like a bum, a pea coat over a tee takes the outfit for guys up a few notches. Really, if guys and girls in our generation would just step away from the sweat shirts and hoodies for a few days, it’d make the world a far more aesthetically pleasing place to live.

And really what’s the hassle? Shrugging on a coat takes just as little effort as tossing on a hoodie and it keeps you just as warm and comfortable if not more so.

Anyways, the focal point to this outfit with the jacket on is in the black leather detailing and the bronze big brass buttons on the pea coat. When the coat is taken off indoors, the John Varvatos open collar shirt really highlights the entire outfit with such an interesting design around the collar.

The white John Galliano jeans also serve as a color contrast and a focal piece as well, but I’ll talk about those jeans on another day.

A good tip in keeping white jeans clean during the rainy, snowy, muddy season is to tuck them into leather boots or your favorite pair of rain boots. It pulls off a old school aristocrat/equestrian look if done right.

Daily Outfits 103

After having a lazy morning at home I decided to go out to a local outside shopping district in Las Vegas called Town Square around 3PM. Since I’d be doing a lot of walking outside in 40 degree temperatures, I wanted to dress as warmly as I could. However, even though the mall is an open air facility, the many restaurants, shops, and cafes that line the street are incredibly well heated.

It seems many people in Las Vegas and the folks in southern California make the mistake of wearing a thin t-shirt underneath a really thick puffer jacket every time the winter chill rears its head. This fundamental mistake often leaves you too hot with the jacket on but still a bit cold and uncomfortable with the jacket off when indoors underneath a heater. This leads to a lot of article removing and replacing. The best solution to temperatures and situations like these is to layer appropriately.



Grey, wool, long coat by Valentino, black buckle turtleneck by Kenneth Cole, white spring scarf by Emporio Armani, and straight leg boot cut jeans by X2.



The grey Valentino long coat is perhaps the best purchase I’ve made off of 5th Avenue in New York City so far in my entire life. Unlike the majority of the form fitting and tight coats I buy, this Valentino coat is comfortably bigger and has a cozy, slouchy feel to it. However, to keep the coat from losing the shape I want it to give; I employ a simple trick of tying the waist belt behind the jacket to keep it in its proper form.



The black Kenneth Cole turtle is actually a very versatile piece. You can close all the buckles and turn it into a turtle neck, or forgo the buttons and let it droop. I love pieces that have dual functionalities such as this while featuring focal points that keep the overall design interesting and intriguing.



And of course, the white Emporio Armani scarf adds a huge splash of color and contrast to the overall dark and dull color scheme that will wash you out with every other grey and black long coat that stalk the streets during winter.

Daily Outfits 102

Today I had to sneak out for a quick hour just to meet up with a friend of mine who’d driven to Vegas from California with a bunch of his friends from Los Angeles. Since it was a relatively quick outing, I went with something simple that I could throw on fast without worrying about layering. However, even though I wanted it to be simple, I wanted something that was still unique and had a focal point.



* Grey Emporio Armani sweater with black skinny Helmut Lang jeans.

Now the focal point of the entire outfit is in the asymmetrical detailing around the neckline and the white logo armband attached above the elbow. Because the sweater really features two unique and prominent designs, it’s important not to lavish too many accessories on top of the outfit. So I kept it simple by pairing it with the black Helmut Lang skinny jean which helps the overall look by keeping the silhouette modern and trim. Although not pictured, the outfit was finished with a pair of black and grey, lace up, charcoal distressed Converse by John Varvatos.

Quotes & Proverbs 103

"The world must be made safe for democracy."
- Woodrow Wilson

Daily Outfits 101

So I decided to keep a daily record of the different outfits I wear after having purchased my new Logitech Webcam (which makes the whole process of picture documenting a lot simpler).

And that brings us to our first Daily Outfit post.



* Black sports jacket by Christian Dior, white turtleneck by Versace, and black skinny jeans by Helmut Lang.

Due to the white stripped ruffling of the fabric on the turtleneck, I would never wear the turtleneck by itself. White sweaters are notorious for making a big frame look even bigger, and to add to that, the ruffled fabric stripes add even more volume to the frame. Thus I took the turtleneck and matched it with a very modern and slim Christian Dior sports jacket. The Dior jacket keeps the overall silhouette slim and modern while the vintage Versace turtleneck adds softness and age to the outfit.

Keeping with the modern silhouette to offset the eye catching Versace turtleneck, I wore a pair of black skinny Helmut Lang jeans to finish off the ensemble. Although not pictured, I wore black, flat toe leather dress shoes to complete the attire.



P.S.

The story behind the white Versace turtleneck is quite interesting. About a year ago I was feeling bored and a bit adventurous and decided to travel off the beaten path. By passing Saks which is a Yoon classic, I ventured over into Buffalo Exchange which is a local thrift store that sells and buys used clothes. After hunting around a little bit I found the white vintage Versace turtleneck in the designer trades section. If I recall correctly, I ended up purchasing it for 19 dollars which is quite a steal.

Impact of America's Veterans

My speech at the “Voices of War,” forum held by the UNLV Student Veterans Organization.

First and foremost, I’d like to begin by thanking the UNLV Student Veterans Organization for putting together such an important forum for students and for the members of our local community. As it has been stated repeatedly throughout the discourse of the evening, the actions of American veterans and the actions of our current men and women in uniform have had a long and lasting impact on the geopolitical history of America and the rest of the world.

Thus, given the subject matter at hand, I can only imagine how your curiosity could be perked by the fact that I am sitting on this panel addressing you this evening. Frankly speaking, while my path in life has never directly crossed with service to our country by means of dedicated military service, my life has been intrinsically impacted by the brave veterans of our country. It is for this matter that I sit here today in an attempt to try to demonstrate how the actions of our brave men and woman in uniform could have drastically influenced your life and the lives of the peers that sit amongst you on this night.

Born in Taejun, South Korea but raised and naturalized in the United States, I am a product of two nations that have been entwined together in history for over the past 65 years. I am a proud Korean-American.

And as a proud Korean-American, I bring you this deeply personal story due to the fact that without the intervention of American soldiers who gave their lives in the defense of a country they’d otherwise probably would have never stepped foot in, it would be nearly impossible for me to be sitting here speaking to this group on this October evening.

Since I sit amongst a group of Americans who undoubtedly love their country, let me take some time to brag about the country of my heritage. In this age, South Korea stands as a member of the developed G-20 nations, currently ranking 15 in the world in terms of GDP. As a full functioning democracy, South Korea has risen to become a global power and a staunch ally of the United States. With a developed free market and a capitalistic society, South Korea has become integrated with the world wide community through means of commerce. It probably wouldn’t be a surprise if many of you in this room had LG or Samsung cell phones, televisions, home appliances or drove cars made by Hyundai and Kia.

But the reflection of South Korea as it stands today would not have entered even the most vivid of imaginations of the many American soldiers who stepped foot in my ancestral homeland at the start of the Korean War in June 25, 1950.

As a product of the Cold War, the Korean peninsula had been divided between the Soviet Union and the United States at the end of World War II, much like Germany and the rest of Europe had been divided between the spheres of Communism and Capitalism.

And while I am not naïve enough to believe that the United States and the United Nations intervened purely out of good will and in their love of the Korean people, it was nevertheless, the fruit born from the bloodshed that occurred over years of fighting back and forth across the peninsula. South Korea today stands as a prime example to the world of what can happen when America leads the free nations of this earth to uphold freedom in the face of tyranny.

Never in the history of the world has any other soldier given so much and asked for so little in return. The American soldier has marched in the defense of freedom to the most remote sectors of the world and I pray that Americans will continue to see her men and women in uniform as liberators and not as occupiers.

To conclude my speech, I’d like to finish by stating that it is my hope that in perhaps thirty years time, my children will also be able to attend an institution of higher learning where they can sit in an open forum and hear a similar story from an Iraqi gentleman or an Afghani lady on how their countries have flourished with democracy and liberty due to the valiant heroism of our American veterans.

A Conservative's Government

My opening address at the debate between the UNLV College Republicans and UNLV Young Democrats.

When we as Americans look at the two opposing schools of political thought in Conservatism and Liberalism, we see that the major divergence in ideology happen in describing what the proper Role of government ought to be. And ironically, it is in this broad and far ranging question that we see the intrinsic and unique qualities of the American democracy in comparison to the rest of the world. It is in this very question in which we find the answer to why so many people from every corner of the world flocks to the land that guarantees the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

To analyze what exactly is so intrinsic about American democracy and its role of government is, it is important to start at the very beginning. At our foundation, our forefathers were able to learn from the examples of what happens when power is consolidated and the sovereignty of the state is able to hold its people accountable to its whim. And so when our government was crafted, our forefathers built us a government in which the separation of powers were evident, and gave us a union where the right of the individual was given greater gravitas than ordinary.

And herein lies the difference. The conservative school of thought believes that the smaller the role of government is, the more free and prosperous our citizenry can be. The opposite can be said of the liberal movement. Their strangely skewed trust in government, which they present as the best solution, leads them to place the government and not the people, first. The conservative movement believes that decisions should be made as closely as possible to the people that are affected by it, and that the ones who make the decisions should be elected as directly as possible by the people affected. The liberal movement in stark contrast to such basic principals, attempts to create an umbrella in which generic standards are set and the people are ordered to fall in line.

As conservatives, we believe in a system in which standards are driven up by choice and competition opposed to a society that is supposed to simply be grateful for what is handed to it.

As Thomas Jefferson once said, “the government that can give you everything is a government that can take everything.” Our movement centers on the ideals of individual responsibility where every citizen is given the opportunity to strive for a better life.

Quotes & Proverbs 102

"Tell me what you love, and I will tell you who you are."
- Pope John Paul II

The Art of Eating Meat in Front of a Vegetarian

Recently, as I was reading my University’s student run paper, the Rebel Yell, I found a rather amusing article titled: “From the other side: Veggie delights change social views.” How could anyone avoid reading such a grandiosely titled article? Hopeful to gain an insight as to how vegetables managed to change the perspective of human society and its views, I was left standing aghast by the end of the article. Basically, the author Shane Collins simple trapezes about the article gloriously announcing the delectable tastes of various vegetables and how he was proud that he and his vegetarian brethren are showing compassion and are “reducing [the] suffering,” of animals to quote his words.

Wait, wait, wait a minute. Reduce suffering of animals by becoming vegetarian? This smells like fishy PETA business to me.

I fully understand the concept of vegetarianism for those who follow a faith that calls upon it. I even begrudgingly understand those who are vegetarian for its supposed health benefits. But those who are vegetarian to respect animal rights and end animal suffering? That’s a laughable idea in my book.

Remember that one of the basic lessons in biology taught to us is that we as a human species are supposedly classified as mammals. We are also designed as omnivores. If you look at everything from our digestive organs to the way our teeth are designed, we are clearly built to devour both meat and vegetables.

With this in mind and using this ideology, don’t we as human beings have every right to eat meat from cattle as an endangered cheetah is entitled to hunt antelope? In comparison, the way we slaughter swine for consumption is similar in many respects to wild felines or dogs hunting its prey in the wild.

If the natural cycle that we learned in the movie, the Lion King holds true, why are vegetarians out there propagating this idea that eating meat is a guilty pleasure and that they are above such cruelty to animals. Ask any semi-coherent vegetarian (a possible contradiction), if a lion is able to sustain on a vegetarian diet. That vegetarian should answer you by saying no. You should ask them why not. Its because lions are designed to be carnivores, a beast that only eats other animals.

Then why should humans, a supposed natural creature of this world, be suppressed from living as it’s built to live: as an omnivore? The next time your sitting with a vegetarian friend who’s lecturing you about the barbaric nature of eating meat, remind that person you’re simply doing your part in helping reduce global warming by stopping cattle from releasing methane gas in their flatulence.

Quotes & Proverbs 101

"Let him that would move the world, first move himself."
- Socrates

Christianity and its Compatibility with Karma

“Karma,” as defined by Miriam Webster:

Main Entry: Kar•ma
3: the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence

Recently, I’ve found myself entrenched in a great deal of conversations where fellow Christians will spruce up interesting points in our dialogue with the word karma. It has always struck me as ironic how the western society has taken into its embrace such a strangely foreign and eastern concept as karma.

To the untrained eye, karma and all its alluring promises seem to be just what the average person could possibly ask for in life. That man that cut you off on your way to work? Karma would get him. That teenager who keeps checking his iPhone for text messages during the movie? Karma would hit him ten fold.

It appears that every unjust deed, whether grandiose or minute, that goes unpunished by society would eventually return to bite them in the derrière later on in life. But how is this cosmic judge that rewards every sin with bad circumstance and every good deed with good circumstance compatible with the Judeo-Christian upbringing of the west?

The answer is quite simple; the idea of karma in comparison to the principals taught by Christianity result in complete and utter conflict. These two ideas are incompatible. And the reason and justification of my proclamation is equally as simple.

Karma and its basic concept of ‘whatever goes around comes around’ doesn’t have room in it’s equation for the essence of Jesus Christ and his critical time spent suffering on the cross.

What is the essence of Jesus Christ’s time on the cross?

Forgiveness.

Karma in its grandiose upkeep of justice and universal balance of morality does not factor into its existence the importance of forgiveness taught by Jesus Christ.

One of the main pillars of Christianity is the belief that when one accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are granted forgiveness and washed clean of the impurities of the original sin and the sins you have committed in one’s life. If you are Catholic or Orthodox, this purity is maintained through the holy sacrament of Confession. If one is Protestant, then this purity is maintained through internal self repentance and atonement.

Whatever the case, the beauty of Christianity is the idea that no matter how severe the sinner, if one is genuinely ready to embrace the idea of Christ as Lord and Savior and live life by the guidelines set by Christ, one can come clean of his ill deeds and start a new life; a life that is clean and rid of one’s old mistakes. This ideology of forgiveness is the ultimate reason why karma and it’s prevalent use today amongst the youth is so counter intuitive to the foundations of Judeo-Christian morality that western society as a whole has been founded upon.

In contrast to these fundamental beliefs, Karma is a simplistic math equation. If one commits a wrong doing, it will return to you no matter what. In Hinduism, Jainism, or Buddhism where Karma is a part of its central dogma, it states that karma does not merely take into consideration your current life, but even your next. If you committed a sin that went unpunished through karma in this life, according to these eastern religions, when you regenerate in your next life, karma would return the punishment of your previous sins, transcending time and being.

And if the Christian philosophy of being unable to live life completely absent of sin is true (have you seriously lived life without ever telling a lie?), could you imagine the vicious cycle of punishment karma has in store for you in this life or the next?

Do not get me wrong, whether it is the concept of Hell or the concept of earning passage through Purgatory (a Catholic belief), there is plenty of room for injustice to be punished within the Christian faith. However the ultimate difference is that Christians believe that judgment day comes through Jesus Christ and forgiveness is obtainable. Through Karma, judgment is simply a cosmic function in which wrong doing is input in and ill fate is spat out.

So the next time you sit listening to, “Karma,” by Alicia Keys while driving to your destination, think to yourself and imagine how scary and frightening the world would be if the universe knew no forgiveness and simply dealt a fair hand each time?

The New Tie-Dye Movement

For the longest time, as a resident of Las Vegas, I have waltzed my way through many velvet ropes and throngs of waiting people to make my way into the posh nightclubs that dot the strip. And as I happen to make this epic journey on frequent and regular bases, I’d like to share with you an interesting observation in men’s ware. I could not help but gaze upon the people dressed in black shirts with gold and swirling silver designs, encrusted to the neck in flashy rhinestones that glitter with every purposeful pose and stride.

No, I’m not talking about the multitude of scantly clad women in cocktail dresses lined with Swarovski crystals.

I’m talking about the boys up front in Ed Hardy shirts, courtesy of Christian Audigier.

These men, decked out in all colors of the rainbow (unfortunately all splashed on the same shirt), seem to be heralding in some type of hip hop meets the 70’s tie-dye shirt movement. There are dozens of these men at every premiere establishment in Las Vegas, looking like Vin Diesel trying to get away with wearing Jennifer Lopez’s stage ensemble.

The tragedy of this is atrocity is that these shirts range within the $100 range with the cheapest falling into the $60s category and some going as high as $250. Why on earth in this current recession, where a sale at Saks Fifth Avenue ushers in 75% off steals in designer labels, would anyone spend this type of money to look this ridiculous?

Are they possibly peacocking?

Often decadently designed with skulls and a generous amount of rhinestones, these damning bastards of Audigier are another blatant eyesore amongst the Las Vegas scene.

With the Euro outpacing the dollar and well dressed German, French, and British gentlemen crossing the Atlantic to capture the rapid price drops amongst the Las Vegas casinos, these poor Americans hardly seem to be able to put up a fight.