THE BEAUTY OF THE BOW TIE

Men of all ages, pay attention! The bow tie is an essential that every man must become familiar with. In the traditional sense, the bow tie was the foundation of all male formal attire. The new generation bow tie is just as cool and casual as it is dressy. When the tux is a bit much for the night and you want to tone it down, try wearing one with a pair of crisp straight leg jeans , a slim dress shirt, and a v neck sweater or cardigan. Rolling the sleeves up adds an extra bit of casual cool. The trick is, learn how to tie one. Clip- on's are for kids.

Classic American

While Americans may still favor foreign automobiles, global designers have favored American style. Fall 2008, is sure to bring about the resurgence of classic American fashions by American designers, such as Ralph Lauren, Michael Bastian, and Thom Browne.Globally iconic labels such as Prada and Etro are stepping into the arena with their own rendition of classic style. Look for slimmer, up to date versions of navy blazers, repp ties, polo shirts, and rugby's. Take notice how oxfords have once again become a staple to any male wardrobe, although the newer versions are cut more narrow and less billowy than the ones of years past.

Fall outerwear is also laced with classic staples. On crisp, cool, autumn nights, the perfect additive to any wardrobe, is the tweed blazer. Try layering a tweed blazer with a cashmere turtleneck and pairing it with cotton trousers or black cords.Add a microcheck scarf and it adds a bit of casual sophistication.

The duffle coat and the trench are also great additions for the fall season. Once synonamous with prepsters,the duffle coat has grown in demand and is now a must have with the stylishly inclined man. Trim cuts are offered by labels such as Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Michael Bastian(pictured left). The trench coat is also a classic and timeless look. The versatility of the trench is second to none. You can add a trench to any suit ensemble and give it a dressier edge or with a jeans or trousers and sweater, shirt combo to maintain a casual, effortless cool.

STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES

The most intriguing aspect of this years presidential election, is not the campaign rhetoric of Barack Obama or John McCain. But rather the notion by republican politicos and pundits alike that middle America somehow cannot effectively choose a candidate based on anything other than gimmickry and calculated style. The language used by these "political experts" suggest that middle Americans cannot dissect substantive issues relevant to their own everyday lives.

Instead, republican candidate John McCain, who touts a "Country First" mantra, chose a VP candidate whom he thought catered to the ideals of woman angered by Barack Obama's decision to choose Joe Biden over Hillary Clinton as his running mate; not a VP candidate who appeals to the substantive voice of middle America, not a VP candidate that can effectively articulate the views of the McCain campaign to the American people, and most importantly, not a VP candidate that is ready to be America's commander and chief in the event something tragic should happen to the president. His explanation and the logic of political minds alike, is that she speaks to the hearts of the average American. She represents the Joe Schmoe's and the hockey moms of America. Or so they would have us believe...

The infamous Katie Couric interview, in which Sara Palin was absent in thought on basic intellectual ideas and was poorly versed on even the role of the vice president as it applies to the Constitution, solidified the doubts of McCain cynics. It questioned the preparedness of the candidate and the rubric from which she was vetted. Sara Palin could not even site one supreme court decision that she had an opinion about, favorable or unfavorable! Her answers to questions were rehearsed and when asked to elaborate, she often rambled to avoid awkward moments of silence.

The vice presidential debate was a classic case of style versus substance. Sara Palin stayed in a rehearsed box that under no circumstance she stepped outside of for the duration of the 90 minute debate, while Joe Biden displayed unparalleled knowledge on foreign affairs, economic concerns, taxes and the Iraq war.Palin either misquoted or flat out lied about specifics of the Obama campaign or the McCain campaign at least 12 times during the debate. The post debate polls showed the viewing public clearly saw Biden as the winner. But political minds claimed, "she held her own"! We are speaking about a woman who for most of the night, avoided questions asked and even said to the moderator, she was not going to answer questions in the manner in which they were asked. The bar was set so low for this woman, that all she had to do, was avoid a gaffe, wink a little bit, over do the folksy behavior, and she can re-connect with voters that may have wrote her off as a mere novelty act. Or was it? The post debate polls showed that for most of the Joe Schmoe's, and hockey moms of the country, substance triumphed over style. The Pat Buchanan's of the political world would try to defend the notion that Americans care about a VP candidate that winks in the camera, or a VP candidate that overuses folksy cliche's, or a VP candidate that they "may want to sit down and have dinner with", or a VP candidate that until today had no idea that John McCain had pulled his campaign out of Michigan. Sara Palin is a pawn and the republicans are banking on the stupidity and fickle mind of the perceived American voter to win the election in November.

More disturbing than an inexperienced, fluffy, VP candidate, is the republicans claim that because Barack Obama is articulate, intellectual, and visibly intelligent that he is an elitist. In order to connect to the average American, republicans feel that an effective approach is to dumb down and resort to cartoonish behavior.Elevating the thoughts and minds of the people of a country that hopes to restore its' status as a perennial superpower, a technological leader, and the leader in education starts with the pace and standard set forth by the president. Intelligence, intellect, and articulacy are characteristics that are not limited to what America deems as the societal elite. The heart of this country is middle America. And America's largest economic demographic deserves more than unqualified candidates passed off as, "regulars". Americans should be offended that the intelligence and competency level remains in question with republicans who feel the average Americans don't care about capable candidates.

My opinion is not a partisan approach to politics, but rather a plea for America to pay attention. Middle America has consistantly gotten the short end of the political stick and now the republican machine is undersestimating the overall ability of Americans to choose adequate and suitable leadership. This election is about more than merely casting a vote. It's about changing the perception that most Americans represent a shallow dynamic. Make your vote count and let your substantive voice be heard.