Sharpmagazine november 2013 singles

45 Grooming Guide

W a y s

LOOK

BETTER

•

FEEL

BETTER

•

KNOW

MORE

Daniel Radcliffe N OV E M B E R

2 0 1 3

S H A R P F O R M E N . C O M

Is just getting started

Steven O u r

M a n

i n

S o c h i

Stamkos Cleans up NicE Sexy Storytime With

Sasha

Grey

Winter Style Update: How to Get Down In thE season’s coolest parkas Eat Here Now!

CANADA’S Best New

Restaurants

t o

Save Face (and body and hair) NINE New Places to Spend Money in

NYC

SHARP | EDITOR'S LETTER

The Smell of Success

Facebook: facebook.com/Sharpformen Twitter: @SharpMagazine Instagram: @SharpMagazine Pinterest: pinterest.com/sharpmagazine Tumblr: sharpmagazine.tumblr.com YouTube: youtube.com/sharpmagazine 16 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

My first scent, as yours may have been, too, was drugstore deodorant, which I distinctly remember picking out from the rows of bold labels with dynamic, sports-conjuring names. I wore my Fresh Surf proudly, and in far greater quantity than my hairless armpits required, partly because I liked the smell of it—bright and masculine and vaguely chemical— but mostly because to me the scent signaled an entrance into manhood, and I wore this like a badge of honour.

I can’t imagine what those around me must have thought encountering my swaggering 12-year-old self—reeking of Speed Stick (and, consequently, masculinity), a regular Chuck Bronson in sneakers—but I remember how good it made me feel.

While I think I immediately understood the power of fragrance (if not quite how to wield it) it took me a long time to take my next step into the world of scent. Indeed, fragrance—and male grooming products in general—is an intimidating realm that seems to only get more diverse and complex with each passing season. Nonetheless, a few years after discovering the first one I liked, scent is now just as much a part of my wardrobe as shirts, ties and socks. I’ve come to enjoy the

ritual of selecting one each morning that best suits my mood, the weather and the occasion. And it’s not just the smells themselves I find so satisfying, but the added sense of propriety and sophistication that comes from wearing them. Not only do I smell like a man, I smell like a certain kind of man.

Grooming is not just maintenance— it’s a transformative process, by which we change the way we look and the way we feel. In this issue of Sharp we have dedicated a significant chunk of pages to grooming: what to use, how to use it and when. The aim is twofold.

While we’ve all come a long way since those early days of adolescent cluelessness, every man can benefit from some well-informed advice when navigating the immense (and growing) world of grooming products. Secondly, and most importantly, there’s the evocative power of smell—to make you feel sophisticated, complete and, yes, like a man.

Jeremy Freed Editor-In-Chief

@Mrjeremyfreed letters@contempomedia.ca

P h o t o : D a r r i n K l i m e k ; g r o o m i n g : N ata l i e B lo u i n

Smell is the most evocative of the senses. It can, in a moment, transport us through space and time with shocking specificity. Like when you catch a whiff of burning leaves or sea water or a stranger’s perfume and all of a sudden you’re somewhere else entirely, in a different time of life, and it’s so real you can almost touch it. The brain is funny that way about smell. I’ve always enjoyed it—the mix of damp earth and diesel exhaust that for some reason always reminds me of Paris, the smell of mothballs that takes me back to my grandmother’s apartment. Stuff like that.

Contents NOVEMBER 2013 | VOL.6 | ISSUE 5 FEATURES 96

108

Death at Le Mans Amid the opulence, fandom and corporate spin, a tragic accident reveals what’s really on the line at the world’s oldest motor race.

100

Daniel Radcliffe Don’t mention the wizard. After making his name (and a huge pile of money) as a child star, Radcliffe is showing the world his dark side. Not to mention his serious acting chops.

106

Sasha Grey

STEVEN STAMKOS pg. 116

Our comprehensive daily, weekly, monthly and annual routine will ensure your inner beauty shines through for the world to see. Also: cool haircuts.

116

Steven Stamkos At all of 23 years old, this Ontario boy has established himself as a leader of the new batch of hockey prodigies.

Next stop: doing battle with Russia on home ice in Sochi.

122

Parkas Criminal Minds star, and notorious ladies’ man, Shemar Moore shows us how to stay warm in sub-zero conditions, and look good, too.

P h o t o : M at t B a r n e s . F o r a dd i t i o n a l C r e d i t s s e e pa g e 1 3 2

After a prolific career in adult film and a starring role in a Steven Soderbergh movie, she’s taking a stab at erotic fiction for the masses. Is the world ready for Sasha Grey, author?

The Grooming Guide

18 SHARPFORMEN.COM / NOVEMBER 2013

Contents NOVEMBER 2013 | VOL.6 | ISSUE 5

DANIEL RADCLIFFE

pg. 100

GUIDE The First Thing

Design

64

80

The best part of fall?

These boots.

A Man Worth Listening To

Concrete: it’s been making things beautiful and solid since the Roman coliseum.

Check out what it can do for your coffee table.

A tour of Paul Smith’s office, the year’s finest designer collaborations and a clever new take on the pocket square.

How Steven Page’s love of food turned criminal.

56

86

Perhaps the most iconic— and most misunderstood— cocktail of all time. We set the record straight on the martini.

These racing chronographs channel a little bit of Schumacher-esque glamour. And are also great for timing steaks on the grill.

Film

58

Food

88

Ten years in the making, Kill Your Darlings sees Daniel Radcliffe take on a young Allen Ginsberg. Plus, how horror movies got really good.

Find your next great meal in our annual survey of the Canadian gastronomy scene—from BC to the Maritimes.

52

75

James Franco and Gucci are at it again with a new fragrance and a Francodirected documentary about the storied Italian design house.

Jonathan Lethem’s new novel, Dissident Gardens, is urgent, angry and funny.

We travel to Portugal to see BMW outdo itself again with its all-new 4 Series.

Plus a tribute to Jaguar’s R-Division, whose slogan should be “putting racecar engines in stately limos since 1988.”

41

44

A Welcome Introduction Bellamy Young is the anti-ingénue.

48

Books

Style

Drinks

Watches

Grooming

Automobiles

70

Travel Our guide to eating, drinking and shopping in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district.

92

Fatherhood Shaugnessy Bishop-Stall on becoming a superhero.

94

Sports Nicholas Hune-Brown on the joys of being a Canadian sports fan.

That is to say, losing.

STANDARDS 16

Editor’s Letter

26

Letters

20 SHARPFORMEN.COM / NOVEMBER 2013

31

the Man About Town

132

Brand directory

134 RANK & FILE

P h o t o : M at t h e w Ly n f o r a dd i t i o n a l c r e d i t s s e e p.1 3 2

40

SHARP | Letters

37

exclusively at SHARPFORMEN.COM

BoLd FALL styLe

Pages of

LO O K B E T T E R • F E E L B E T T E R • K N OW M O R E SEPTEMBER 2013

S HARP F O RME N . C O M

Before you read on, don’t forget about what’s happening right now at SHARPFORMEN.COM

FeaturiNg

Top-SHELf SuiTS DAmn finE SHoES

Chris hemsworth

SwAnKy wATcHES

& SwEATErS.

You waNt ‘em? we’ve got ‘em.

TAKES THE LEAD

the mANLiest

sCotCh

meGhAN mArKLe

on THE pLAnET mucH morE

THE HoT pArALEgAL

from SuiTS (Not weariNg a suit)

worLd eXCLUsiVe

(iF tHis guY’s BiCePs wereN’t so Huge we’D teLL You aBout it Here.)

Top of THE

S-cLASS: A wEEK in THE uLTimATE riDE

Cover(NOUPC).indd 1

13-08-13 4:55 PM

The Mark(le) of Greatness I imagine it’s not easy to come up with different things to say about attractive starlets—there are only so many ways to say that a beautiful, talented, smart, famous actress is also down to earth. So, I appreciate what you wrote about Meghan Markle in the September issue of Sharp. Focusing on her intelligence—and backing it up with anecdotes about her previous career in international politics—is refreshing. Plus, I won’t lie, the pictures were amazing, too.

WOMAN A Welcome Introduction: Sarah Dumont You can’t swing a dead teen drama around without hitting a former model turned actress (or so it seems these days). What sets Sarah Dumont apart is, well, talent. And by talent, we mean a willingness to play a sadomasochistic seductress in a small indie film. Would that every actress were so talented.

Dale Engle // HALIFAX, NS

Man Worth Overhearing?

I was as big a fan of 90210 as the next guy (as long as the next guy was raised with a bunch of sisters, too). And, granted, I’ve yet to see Call Me Fitz, so maybe it’s an amazing show. But, I’d still be hesitant to call Jason Priestley a man worth listening to, at least when he’s unscripted. If I was sitting behind him on a plane, I might try to overhear what he was saying, but I wouldn’t strain myself.

If you know what I mean.

Mike Roth // TORONTO, ON

Free Falling Maybe you could pass this note on to Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall: Your last column was the best you’ve written. My wife and I are expecting our first kid this winter, and reading your columns has helped a lot to reassure me that I’ll, somehow, be okay. Thanks.

Amir LeBlanc// CALGARY, AB

Twitter @SharpMagazine

Facebook /Sharpformen

22 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

TECH Tech-friendly Life Hacks You already waste enough time on Facebook and Pinterest so isn’t it about time you used technology to be more productive? Google glasses, digital sleep monitors and other such helpful innovations will help you do just that.

Instagram @SharpMagazine

Pinterest /sharpmagazine

STYLE Cool Weather Kicks This winter, if you’re not careful, there will be a day when you will wish you had warmer footwear. Here are the boots that will prevent that.

They’re good looking, too.

Tumblr sharpmagazine.tumblr.com

YouTube /sharpmagazine

SHARP | MAN ABOUT TOWN

p h o t o s : GEORGE P IMENTEL AN D MAURI C IO C ALERO

Fall/Winter 2013 Sharp: The Book For Men Release Party CANADA’S C-SUITE SET were out in top form at the release party for the Fall/Winter 2013 Sharp: The Book For Men at the Ritz-Carlton in Toronto. Guests sipped beverages from our sponsors The Macallan, Don Julio tequila, Ketel One vodka, Tanqueray No. 10 gin and Peroni while Cadillac gave away track time to one lucky guest. Meanwhile in the Editor’s Lounge, premium watches were on display alongside high-end leather shoes and luggage, unique artwork and bespoke clothing. Should the food—a masculine spread put together by the Ritz-Carlton’s chefs—drink and spectacle not prove enough stimulation, the style-savvy professionals at Garrison Bespoke were on the scene embroidering pocket circles, while American Crew offered hand massages and hair touch-ups. The ladies were well taken care of too, of course, in the S/Style & Fashion Lounge where hair and nail treatments were offered alongside a display of jewelry and purses by Chanel.

More images and video can be seen at sharpformen.com.

NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 31

11.13

Look Bet ter • Feel bet ter • Know more

Footwear for the Ages >

The two elements at play here couldn’t be more traditional: men have been swathing themselves in tweed and pulling on dress boots since Edward VII was on the throne (the early 1900s, if you’re not up on your monarchs). In theory, fusing them together should result in the most geriatric footwear this side of Velcro orthopedic shoes, but clearly that’s not the case.

Combining stout Goodyear-welted construction and show-stopping good looks, Allen Edmonds’s lace-ups are, somewhat implausibly, absolutely the freshest boots you’ll come across this fall. Use them to dress down a flannel suit or smarten up a stiff pair of jeans—either way, you’ll be paying respect to your elders in the most unimpeachably stylish way possible. – Yang-Yi Goh

Win these

B O OTS

Allen Edmonds $395

40 SHARPFORMEN.COM / november 2013

GUIDE | Woman A Welcome INTRO DUCTION

Bellamy Young is the hottest First Lady since Jackie O. (Sorry Hillary)

By Dan Rankin

You know her from: Playing the strong-willed FLOTUS on the addictive political soap opera Scandal, which you got hooked on the same way you got hooked on Grey’s Anatomy and every other Shonda Rhimes show: your lady forced you to watch it, then, dammit, you couldn’t stop.

The thing about Bellamy Young: It’d be easy to think she’s lived a charmed life. A youth spent at fancy prep schools, then Yale, afterward she built her career sharing screen time with the likes of Tom Cruise and pre-meltdown Mel Gibson. Now, she’s on one of the buzziest (Yes! Buzziest!— it’s the only word to describe the way Twitter explodes every time Scandal airs) shows on television. And while all of that’s true, it’s also a testament to how hard she works. Even now, building buzz isn’t easy.

“We built this thriving, exuberant family of gladiators on Twitter,” she says. “We sit down on Thursday nights and go through it together. We ride the ride with everybody.

I sit down at 7 p.m. and then I get up at midnight because we do all the time zones.

It’s amazing.”

44 SHARPFORMEN.COM / NOVEMBER 2013

P HOTO : M i c h a e l e d wa r d s

But on the other hand, the Internet isn’t all good: While Scandal’s insane popularity on social media helped rescue the show from possible cancellation, the Internet hasn’t always been a boon for Ms. Young. “I look a lot younger than I am. There was a time when everybody could just play the age they looked, and then IMDB put everybody’s age online and it changed overnight. But you can’t meet that stuff with resistance. It didn’t turn out to be a horrible detriment,” she says. “I’ve never had a job that’s any better than this. This was my first time being semi-naked on TV and it’s in my forties, so there it is. I’m good with it.”

For more Welcome Introductions, visit Sharpformen.com/category/women

GUIDE | Film

>

should spend $14 to see, but John Krokidas is at the same time, you need sitting on the couch a crippling sense of doubt in his room at the Trump and insecurity, that you’re a the same way a kid might fraud and you have no talent. sit down to watch Saturday That’s the thing that keeps morning cartoons, crossthe drive going.” legged and hunched forward Perhaps unsurprisingly, slightly. He’s engaged. The you realize pretty quickly topic of the conversation, that there are some however, is not exactly similarities between the child-friendly. “What’s most young filmmaker and the shocking is not that there’s a young poet he’s captured gay sex scene,” he says, “the on film. Ginsberg clearly most shocking thing for a lot had that confidence. And of people was that two gay that doubt. “I can’t direct a men could do it that way.” scene unless I emotionally He’s talking about a scene understand it. Was I a kid in his new, 10-years-in-thefrom a small town with making film Kill Your Daran emotionally ill parent, lings wherein Allen Ginsberg, who got into an Ivy League played by a very un-Harryuniversity, who fell in with Potter-like Daniel Radcliffe a bunch of friends who admits to himself that, yes,

By Greg Hudson wanted to start a cultural he is gay, in a very, um, revolution and do something important with their lives, intimate way. “I don’t think anyone was shocked that Allan and then ultimately out of this made the decision to Ginsberg had sex with another man. You’d have to be pretty become an artist? One hundred per cent,” he says, quickly new to the Beat Generation to be shocked by that,” he says. as if it’s scripted, though it probably isn’t. “Did I start the Of course, there’s more to the movie than that scene. most important counter-culture revolution of the 20th The film dramatizes the beginning of the Beat movement, century? Not yet. But, obviously, there are reasons we’re following Ginsberg as he falls in with the crowd that would attracted to the artists we’re attracted to.” change the course of American literature—Jack Kerouac, And that, actually, is what’s most appealing about Kill William Burroughs and the charismatic, and enigmatic Your Darlings, and Krokidas, too.

Lucien Carr. The latter, convicted Yes, the movie is complex, and of manslaughter in the death of his funny, and heartbreaking. And, stalker (60-year-old spoiler alert!) yes, the performances are thrillplays an especially important role ing. But you end up loving the in the proceedings of Kill Your movie because you can feel the Darlings. It’s a film that mixes filmmaker’s love for the subject elements of noir, new wave, and matter. He’s a fan in the most the kind of Dead Poets Society rush genuine, earnest sense—someone of young men out to change the whose idol, for lack of a better world through drugs, sex and poword, did more for him than etry. It’s a tall task for a first-time inspire. He changed his life. And writer/director. when that kind of fan makes a “You need two things,” he movie about his idol, it can’t help explains. “You need an enormous but be affecting. amount of confidence that you for After that, even the sex stuff some reason have the ability to say Radcliffe and Dane Dehaan as GinsbErg and Lucien Carr becomes a side note, doesn’t it? something important that people

Turning the Beat Around

48 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

P HOTO : M at t h e w ly n . F o r a dd i t i o n a l c r e d i t s s e e pa g e 1 3 2

For a film titled Kill Your Darlings, director John Krokidas does anything but in his festival-topping debut

GUIDE | Books about. He’s done it again in his new novel, Dissident Gardens (Random House), a family saga about American radicals in Queens, which he wrote from Maine and California, though—again—you wouldn’t know it.

“My life has been sort of this spasmodic sequence of self-exiling, then running back to the embrace of New York,” he says over the phone from New York, of all places. “Obviously, I get a lot from being here. I also think that I need to be away. I write about this really vividly when I’m living somewhere else; it’s almost like I’m writing my way back to the homeland. So, for me, for whatever reason, the exile works really well. I lived there for the first 18 years of my life, then again for other really major chunks, and I’m kind of living there in my brain no matter where I am.”

It’s a testament to the specificity and intelligence of the writing in Dissident Gardens, the characters that feel as though they must be real people given new names to only barely protect their innocence, that this is even an issue. In short, Lethem makes everything feel too real, too personal, to be written off as mere fiction.

Of course, it is personal, and historical—there are shades of his grandmother in the protaganist of Gardens, whom he used to visit in Sunnyside, Queens, where the novel takes place, and, yes, his mother spent some time on a commune, like another character in the book, but there is more, too. “I kind of fragment myself into various characters and then simultaneously, just to make things trickier, I often put big chunks of other people who matter a lot to me into characters that look like they could be autobiographical,” he explains. “I draw so much energy from this stuff that I don’t ever begrudge anyone identifying the books as personal. Yeah, they are howlingly personal, and usually in 12 different ways.”

They are also howlingly entertaining, urgent, angry, sad and funny. So much so that the alchemy behind their creation isn’t important. What’s important is that Lethem has turned his gaze back on New York. And you need to read it.

A New York City of the Mind Jonathan Lethem returns home in Dissident Gardens

By Greg Hudson

>

Jonathan Lethem wrote his sprawling, magic, and incredibly specific Bildungsroman about growing up in Brooklyn while living in Toronto. This shouldn’t be surprising—after all, a man who can write believably about futuristic cops with kangaroo partners (Gun, with Occasional Music) or riff on modern noir by giving his main character Tourrette’s, without losing any pathos or suspense (Motherless Brooklyn) doesn’t suffer from a deficit of imagination. Of course he can write about Brooklyn without having to be there while he does it. Such is the magic of fiction.

Still, so much of his writing lives and breathes New York—and in turn makes New York live and breathe—that it’s surprising he’s not composing all of his novels from the comfort of a stoop in whatever neighbourhood he’s writing

The Canada of Yesteryear

A Good Day’s Work, Searching for a Disappearing Canada

52 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

One might think that there is nothing more insufferable than a Boomer shaking his head nostalgically, pining for the glory days, when things were simpler, better. And, actually, if that’s what A Good Day’s Work (Random House) were, it would probably be insufferable. But it’s not that. Yes, it gives a picture of the kind of workers in Canada that seem to be disappearing—milkmen, and blacksmiths, and drive-in movie operators—but it celebrates them.

It makes these workers live forever. No mourning needed.-GH

GUIDE | Vices

Understanding The Martini

Gin (or vodka), vermouth and olives. In cocktails as in life, the simple things are always the best.

By Coleman Molnar

>

Take a look in your liquor cabinet. Scotch? Surely. Some VSOP cognac? Of course. Rum? Check. Mysterious liqueur you were given for Christmas years ago and have no idea what to do with? Undoubtedly.

If you have nothing else, however, you’d better be equiped with vodka and gin—the mainstays of even the most casual bartender’s arsenal, and (not coincidentally) the main ingredients of the world’s greatest cocktail: the humble martini.

The tools:

The Booze:

When building anything— especially cocktails— having the right gear is essential.

Without a sweet mixer to mask the flavour of inferior spirits, only the top-shelf will do.

Gin Tanqueray $30

Gatsby Cocktail Shaker $30 at Crate & Barrel

Riedel Platinum Band Martini Glasses $60 for 2 from Williams-Sonoma

Yarai Mixing Glass $35 from Cocktail Kingdom

Channel Knife $5 from Cocktail Kingdom

The Classic Martini: It’s rumoured that the martini glass was invented during prohibition somewhere near San Francisco to make it easier for lawbreakers to dump alcohol in the case of a raid. The more likely reasons for its unique form are functional: a long stem allows drinkers to keep their warm fingers off the cool contours of the glass and delicate liquid therein, while the conical shape helps to keep ingredients separate as well as working to maximize aromas.

Unless you specify, you’ll always (or should, anyway) end up with gin when you order Ingredients: a classic martini. In most 2.5 oz gin bars, a classic martini means 0.5 oz dry vermouth a few things: gin (stirred, 1 scoop ice not shaken, to avoid bruising Olives or lemon zest the spirit, which creates a bitter flavour), a splash of Preparation: • Chill martini glass by filling dry vermouth and served with ice and water. Let stand. “up,” meaning “straight up” • Add gin and dry vermouth to with a twist. If you’re new mixing glass filled with ice. to martinis, try one like this • Stir for 15 to 30 seconds. first, then customize it to • Strain into emptied martini your taste (using the proper glass using julep strainer.

• Garnish with twist or olives. lingo, of course).

56 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

Vodka Belvedere $50

Dry Vermouth Noilly Pratt $15

The Olives:

Pimento-stuffed Spanish queen olives in brine.

Accept no substitutes.

Martini Olives $14 from Williams Sonoma

GUIDE | Eat Here Now

The Best New Restaurants in Canada

By Chris Reynolds, RenÉe Suen, Karen Pinchin and Amie Watson

58 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

This is a bowl of potatoes with spicy cod roe and seaweed butter, and pidgin’s take on a bourbon sour. The octopus is an uninvited guest, likely looking for a taste.

Vanc ouve r

PiDGiN The Lowdown: Fusion gets a bad rap, but at PiDGin it’s clever and balanced.

Acclaimed chef Makoto Ono infuses his changing menu with Chinese, Japanese and Korean flavours and textures. The ambitious and, to some, challenging combinations appear on the elaborate sharing-friendly plates as everything from faux noodles made of thinly sliced squid or kohlrabi (German turnip) to airy cauliflower mousse lapped by sea urchin tongues and an ass-kicking ponzu-jalapeño salsa. The restaurant is located right across from notorious (and gentrifying) Pigeon Park, but its minimalistic, functional, white-washed space exudes casual elegance and is counterbalanced by the quirky addition of taxidermy (in a not-creepy Bates Motel way).

What to order: Foie gras rice bowl with chestnuts, daikon and unctuous unagi glaze; potatoes, spicy cod roe and seaweed butter; late-night snacks paired with craft cocktails from the bar; unique desserts by Amanda Cheng. Can’t decide? Opt for the prix fixe and let the chef pick. – RS

350 Carrall Street, Vancouver • pidginvancouver.com

Photo: Eydis Einarsdottir

This is where we entice you to keep reading by explaining some things about new restaurants in Canada. But, you know what, you’re a man, you like to eat. not only that, you like to eat at the best places. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. Here are the places you need to eat, across Canada, as chosen by locals. Go, now.

GUIDE | Design

1

LA DOLCE VITA

LIVE

2 3

Concrete Solutions >

At some point in his life, every man realizes that disposable furniture—the kind that comes in a flat pack and can barely withstand the rigours of daily use, let alone a move or two—has no place in his home. When it comes to longevity, concrete—which the Romans put into use as early as 800 BC—is about as robust as it gets. It also fits perfectly with any modernist interior.

As a result, designers are using concrete to accent room-anchoring objects any man can live* with: tables, lamps and even speakers. These are a few of our favourite pieces: rugged, masculine and, yes, weighty.

64 SHARPFORMEN.COM 2013INVITE LIVE LOVE TASTE/ November TOGETHER

1. Alar Double-stemmed floor lamp ($3,300) at Avenue Road 2. WF Magazine Side Table ($2,300) by Joshua Howe Design 3. N1 Speakers ($3,800) by Concrete Audio Find office furnishings for the stylish executive at Sharpformen.com/ category/style

YOU TO EXPERIENCE THE SWEET LIFE – LA DOLCE VITA

GUIDE | Travel

1.

T h e Tr aveli ng Man:

New York City Cleave your way through the Meatpacking District

By Coleman Molnar

>

This neighbourhood along the Hudson River has seen some serious changes since the days when meat was actually processed there. It became a hotbed of dubious activity in the 1980s, blossomed in the ’90s and is now a character-full, charming and fashionable neighbourhood with great boutiques, restaurants and cocktail bars at every turn.

Stay:

Dream Downtown (1)

The 315 suites and rooms are loft style—which, in this case, entails oversized porthole windows, chrome and teak-accented furniture, Oushak rugs and custom bathroom amenities by Etro that are quintessentially New York. Located between the Meatpacking District and Chelsea in Manhattan, the Dream Downtown is a great home base for bouncing about the city, and they even offer complimentary

three-speed cruiser bikes for leisurely pedaling along the nearby Hudson River Greenway bike path. You can get your night started at the 12th floor lounge, Ph-D, which offers a panoramic view of the New York skyline. dreamhotels.com

Dri n k:

Brass Monkey

If you’re looking for a good pint on a sunny day, you’ll do no better than this local standby. Over 75 beers are on offer, with 25-plus brews on tap, and any of them can be enjoyed from a

70 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

675 Bar

Once you’ve had your fill of the view from the top of the Dream, head underground to this hidden man cave-inspired bar complete with rooms dedicated to Pac-Man and foosball. Mid-century furniture, a well-stocked library, a Latin-influenced menu and a seasonal cocktail list contribute to this watering hole’s relaxed charm. 675bar.com

seat in the Brass Monkey’s rooftop beer garden, which overlooks the Hudson River. brassmonkeynyc.com

Employees Only

This bar—patterned after a 1920s-style speakeasy— will satisfy your craving for a classic bourbonbased cocktail, and their talented barkeeps are also

doing some incredible things with mezcal and tequila (try the Ready Fire Aim, with mezcal lime juice, honey-pineapple syrup and bitters). The kitchen is no less innovative, with some oldmeets-new dishes like bone-marrow poppers and bacon-wrapped lamb chops. employeesonlynyc.com

Find more essential NYC destinations at Sharpformen.com/category/culture

A Sharp Promotion

Becoming a Connoisseur of

OYSTERS

T

he oyster has achieved a remarkable, near-mythic reputation in spite of its highly unusual texture and appearance—or, indeed, perhaps because of it. With a history stretching back to Roman times (along with the oyster’s reputation as an aphrodisiac), they have been cultivated and enjoyed by gastronomes since the first century BC. At the turn of the 20th century, the humble oyster was considered peasant food in North America, and was primarily enjoyed by the burgeoning class of European immigrants who settled the eastern seaboard. In the intervening years, however, it has regained its position as a delicacy, consumed by foodies and connoisseurs the world over.

Like grapes, oysters have their own version of terroir. Since every oyster naturally filters close to six litres of seawater each day, their taste reflects the environment in which they are grown. When listed on menus, oyster names relate to their particular geography. Oysters from Canada’s east coast (e.g., Malpeque from PEI’s Malpeque Bay) have a firm texture with a briny taste, owing to the Atlantic Ocean’s relatively high salt content. West

Shuck Like a Pro

An oyster knife has a short, dull blade with a pointy tip. Knifewear Ottawa recommends the French-made Smokey Bay Seafood Oyster Knife ($28). When

72 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

M i g n o n e tt e The Purist’s Sauce While how you enjoy your oyster is ultimately up to you, accoutrements like hot sauce and cocktail sauce can overwhelm its more delicate notes. Next to the simple addition of a bit of fresh lemon juice, mignonette sauce provides just the right amount of tart sweetness to bring out additional character, rather than masking it. Numerous variations exist, but the classic formula includes a red-wine vinegar base with minced shallots and cracked black pepper. shucking, remember the curved side (the cup) of the oyster shell faces down and your free hand holds down the flat side (the lip).

Pop the blade into the

coast oysters (e.g., Kumamoto) are typically creamier in taste and are a savoury entry point for oyster novices with developing palates.

Most of the species farmed in the northwest are Pacific Oysters, the most cultivated species in the world. Native to Japan, their popularity stems from their small size and sweet taste.

Oysters are graded on a scale from 0 (the largest, about 100 g or more) to 5 (smallest).

While oysters can be served baked, broiled and even barbequed, they are typically enjoyed raw. Because oysters vary so widely in taste and texture from region to region (and even seasonally), try one “naked” first (that is, free of condiments) to get a sense of its nuances.

Using a small fork (usually provided, along with lemon wedges, grated horseradish and a selection of other condiments) gently wiggle the oyster in its half-shell to make sure its adductor muscle has separated. Then with the shell’s wide end, slide the oyster and its liquor (the briny liquid it naturally sits in) straight into your mouth. While chewing isn’t necessary, it is an essential step in experiencing each oyster’s unique qualities of salinity, texture and sweetness. hinge (the thick, narrow edge of the shell) and twist as though you were sharpening a pencil until the lid pops.

Gently pull the meat away from the shell and

avoid spilling the liquid.

Finally, put the oyster to your nose and give it a big sniff. If it smells like anything but seawater or looks dried out, throw it away.

11.13

Look Bet ter • Feel bet ter • Know more

Jaguar XFR-S pg. 78

Math Lesson: > 3 Series – 2 Doors = 4 Series The venerable 3 Series coupe is dead.

Long live the 4 Series

By Coleman Molnar

BMW built its reputation on making cars for drivers. And no car did more for that reputation than the 3 Series coupe. When it debuted in 1975, it was a revelation: handsome looks, luxury features and a driving experience to rival contemporary sports cars.

Blowing nearly 40 years of history out of the water, the 3 Series coupe is no more; it has graduated, grown, evolved, you might say, into something more. The number of doors is no longer the main distinguishing NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 75

Autos | Jaguar

Jaguar Rrrrrr

a quarter century of race-bred luxury

By Matt Bubbers

>

It’s been 25 years since the straitlaced ladies and gentlemen at Jaguar decided it was high time to have a bit of fun, creating the brand’s now-infamous R division and stuffing massive, hugely powerful engines into their otherwise buttoned-down sedans and coupes.

True to form, they have been shocking polite society ever since. This year, the legendary XJR returns, and the super sedan segment gets a wake up call from the brash XFR-S.

2014 Jaguar XFR-S

Over in the Wings’R’Us department of the Jaguar design studio, the XFR-S gets its finishing touches put on: an aggressively low front bumper with extra air vents, a goosebump-inducing exhaust rumble, a naughty coat of electric blue paint and a rear wing that looks as if it could have been borrowed from a Vin Diesel stunt car.

I’d say there’s never been another Jaguar like this, but there has. It was the XKR-S, the two-door version of what you see here. And now a pattern for these R-S models is beginning to emerge: I think the British word is bonkers. Or as we might say, nuts. Loony. Mental.

While R cars are hotted up, R-S cars are thoroughly tuned and reworked for ultimate road performance.

A few minutes behind the wheel of the Engine XFR-S tells you it is a driver’s car at heart, 5.0-litre with steering feel and chassis balance that supercharged are at the top of their class. There’s no digital V8 trickery to the engine sound either; this is Power: pure British beef. Nothing on the road can 550 hp match its unhumble rumble.

Transmission: The XFR-S may be one of the best8-speed auto handling super sedans out there, and with Availability: that two-storey-tall wing, no other family Fall car can match it for sheer drama. But it’s Price: important to note that the wing is optional. $104,500 This is still a Jag, after all.

SPECS

78 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

2014 Jaguar XJR

I wonder how many executives will ever don helmets and driving gloves and take their stretched XJR limousines to the racetrack to burn some rubber? Very few, I would guess.

Maybe none. And that’s a shame.

The door shuts with a precisely muffled thud, and I find to my surprise that my helmeted head does indeed fit in an XJR. The specially tuned 5.0-litre, supercharged V8—up 40 hp over the XJ Supersport—starts with just a little more rumbling than you’d expect from something so stately, and a gentle drive out of the pitlane is as smooth as pulling away from the valet stand. But then, green light, track is clear, and all hell breaks loose. There’s no time to take mental notes on the growling/howling sound because a tidal wave of torque has us already approaching the first Engine: corner with the momentum of a freight train.

5.0-litre super- As expected though, the uprated brakes of charged V8 the R scrub off speed as effectively as the Power: 550-horsepower V8 piles it on.

Absurd as it is on paper, I find the tire550 hp Transmission: shredding limo is making a lot of sense as I 8-speed auto crank up the opera while flying down, the Availability: front straight, lining up for lap number two.

Fall The soaring voice of that soprano, whoever Price: she is, serves as the perfect counterpoint to $119,900 the V8’s monstrous baritone.

SPECS

11.13

Look Bet ter • Feel bet ter • Know more

Alexander Olch $60 each

Circle Fits The Square >

Handkerchiefs can be a little finicky. They’re meant to be an elegant finishing touch, but there’s something distinctly inelegant about having to constantly pluck at your pocket square to keep it visible and looking good. Manhattan-based menswear magician Alexander Olch has created a simple solution to slouchy, uncooperative hankies: he lopped off the corners and made them circles. Cut from the same hardy wools as his signature neckties, Olch’s pocket rounds fold up into a cone shape that sits beautifully in a breast pocket, showing off just the right amount of pattern and artfully splayed edges.

80 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

For more key winter accessories visit Sharpformen.com/category/style

STYLE | Watches chopard

Mille Miglia Rosso corsa $9,580

Fast Times

By Ariel Adams

>

Precision timing is essential to all racing events and the mechanical stopwatch was long the standard tool for measurement. So important was the advent of the chronograph that almost as soon as the wristwatch was put into production, watchmakers sought to integrate these complications into them.

Racing chronographs are meant to remind you of being at the track, and many of the world’s top brands have created watches in honour of specific circuits and events. The Rolex Daytona, for example, is named for the Florida speedway and contains a tachymeter scale, a ring of numbers used in conjunction with the chronograph to measure the time it takes for an object to travel one mile. You’ll also find this scale on the bezel of the Omega Speedmaster. Famed for its travel to the moon and favoured by NASA, the Speedmaster began life as a racing chronograph.

Chopard has built an entire legacy of men’s racing watches around the famed Italian Mille Miglia—a 1,000-mile road race which ran from 1927 to 1957— including the boldly red Rosso Corsa edition that is as visually loud as the vintage cars it celebrates. In a similar vein Oris’s Calobra is named for a town on Spain’s isle of Majorca, home to the annual Classic Rally. Modern racecars, too, are the source of inspiration for chronograph watches, like Tissot’s new PRS 516 Extreme and Citizen’s EcoDrive Primo collection—both of which take design cues from the high-tech materials and cuttingedge technology found in their cockpits and engines.

86 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

oris Calobra Limited Edition $3,900

Tissot PRS 516 Extreme Automatic $1,575

rolex Cosmograph Daytona in white gold $37,850

citizen Primo $475

Omega Speedmaster $4,800

Elevate your wrist game with more stunning timepieces at Timeandstyle.ca

STYLE | Grooming

Gucci Tailors Fragrance With the help of James Franco, Gucci launches its latest scent, Made to Measure

By Coleman Molnar

>

When brands choose celebrities to represent them, they look for the ultimate personification of their brand. But so often these relationships are bright and short-lived, mere flickers in the company’s long-term plan, landing then passing with all the impact of, well, a commercial.

However, his lasting professional relationship with Gucci’s creative director, Frida Giannini, suggests James Franco is well on his way to becoming synonymous with the fabled Italian fashion house.

Tonight, in Milan, Franco does indeed look the part. For the video promotion release party for Made To Measure, his sometimes grad-student chic aesthetic has been swapped for a custom-made Gucci tuxedo. Dapper, sophisticated, powerful, but also youthful. Much like the fragrance itself, which blends spices like anise seed, Sri Lankan nutmeg and cinnamon with timeless notes like patchouli, leather and amber.

As with all good relationships, the respect 88 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

Above: James Franco on the set of the new Gucci campaign.

BELOW: Gucci Made to Measure, $104 for 90 ml

and admiration goes both ways. Franco’s appreciation for Gucci is plainly on display in The Director, a documentary he produced with videographer Christina Voros, who worked with Franco on 127 Hours. The film, which was screened to coincide with the launch of the Made to Measure fragrance in Milan during men’s fashion week, takes a rare, inside look at the private and professional life of Giannini, following her over the course of 18 months.

It’s been five years since Franco first scrubbed up for a Gucci advertisement— more than enough time to realize the merits and flaws within any relationship—and the partnership is still strong. His friends may ridicule him for his polished and dashing look (as they did during his recent Comedy Central Roast), and he may still, from time to time, cultivate the persona of a slackersavant in his films, but there’s no denying it: James Franco is a Gucci man at heart.

Find our list of the best fragrances for winter at Sharpformen.com/style

GUIDE | Fatherhood

Who was that masked man?

On becoming a superhero

By Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall • Illustration by Paul Blow

“Tomorrow is Superhero Day!” Really, though, for Zev every day is Superhero Day. He tried to fly before he could walk. And ever since he could talk he’s been asking me about the difference between good guys and bad guys.

Now three-and-a-half, Zevvy understands that heroes are courageous and try very hard to help other people, even at great personal risk—and that to be super requires some sort of power as an advantage in their noble pursuits. He may, in fact, understand this better than I do.

We’ve discussed how conventional comic book superheroes come in three categories: Mutants (Wolverine), Aliens (Superman) and Wealthy, Tech-Savvy Martial Artists (Batman).

We’ve gone back and forth a bit on this last point, as money and advanced weaponry are crass superpowers…. But at least it suggests that basic humans can also be super.

Then there’s Star Wars. Until Zevvy brought it up, I’d never thought of Luke as a superhero; but what is the Force if not a superpower? When it comes to the villain, however, we don’t fully agree. Call it the Darth Vader Conundrum.

“He’s like the baddest guy ever!” I say.

“But sometimes good, too!”

It’s been this way since he discovered that Vader is Luke’s 92 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

father. Because heroes tend to be orphans; apparently even the Dark Lord can’t be pure evil if he’s a dad. I’m oddly touched by this, but still. “He does really bad things!”

“But not to Luke!”

“Well,” I say. “He did cut off Luke’s hand….”

Zev grows quiet and looks down at his own hand. I should mention that Zev’s never actually seen any of the movies. It’s the same with all these superhero stories; he just seems to know them innately—like some Jungian über-consciousness. I can guess what’s going through his head: for him to be a superhero, I must either die, abandon him or cut off one of his limbs. Or maybe something worse… like destroying Superhero Day. Tomorrow all the kids will go to Zev’s daycare dressed as their favourite superhero—except for Zev, who will be with his dad at a cottage up north.

“He’s quite disappointed,” reads the message from Zev’s mother.

“Of course he is!” replies Zev’s father: How did I not know this? This is why superheroes don’t have dads.

I could say this column is about learning to make up for the countless disappointments you’ll cause, just by being a dad— but that’s not setting the bar very high. The truth is, I want to be my son’s superhero…. It is time to spring into action.

GUIDE | The Reluctant Fanatic

On Losing

It’s what every sports fan hates, and needs

By Nicholas Hune-Brown

Then came the actual game. That first inning, Dickey gave up five hits before he got a single out. Things went downhill from there.

The Red Sox looked like grown men taking little league batting practice, seemingly hitting every pitch to the warning track. By the time Dickey was yanked, with his team on their way to a 13-0 loss, impatient home fans rained boos down onto the field.

It was a fitting start to a frustrating season, a summer of Brett Lawrie tantrums, J.P. Arencibia strikeouts and increasingly creative and statistically unlikely defeats. It was a season in which, instead of honouring a baseball great like Willie Mays or Ted Williams the way successful ball clubs do, the Blue Jays took a moment during a particularly grim July losing streak to unveil a statue of Ted Rogers—the cable mogul Torontonians silently curse each month when they’re forced to reckon with another inflated Internet bill. It was, in other words, a season for losers.

Back in the spring—a few months after some PR flack at Rogers Communications came up with “Love This Team” as the slogan of the 2013 Blue Jays, but before the phrase had been entirely corrupted, transformed into a curse that could only be muttered in a tone of bitter sarcasm—my friend Ben and I went to see an afternoon ball game.

It was R.A. Dickey’s home debut. The new pitcher was, by all pre-season appearances, an easy man to love—a nerdy underdog turned shutdown knuckleballer who came to bat accompanied by the music from Game of Thrones. More than vindication for geeks, though, Dickey and the rest of the Jays’s high-priced off-season acquisitions promised something especially appealing to long-suffering Toronto fans: the chance to win.

94 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

D an i e l R adc l i ffe c o uld d o anything .

T u r ns o ut h e wants t o b e a s e r i o us act o r .

B Y G R E G H U D S O N • P ho t ogr a phy by M a t t he w L yn 100 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 101

people’s lives. I think part of it too is that you can’t help but engender a bit of that goodwill yourself by… I don’t know, showing willingness to be tested and do stuff that’s going to make you better. I don’t think I’ve ever taken anything for granted, and I think that the fact that I’m willing to put myself out there a bit more has made people a bit more willing to go, “Oh, okay, well let’s give him a chance.”

Yeah, you also haven’t been an asshole really. Ever.

Oh well, thanks! I try not to be.

The other thing with that, which I would imagine would be annoying, is to have everything I’ve said, since I was a kid, all documented on the Internet. I can go back and ask you some questions that you’ve been asked since you were a 12-year-old.

Yeah. Please don’t. It is hilarious when I occasionally see something that I’m supposed to have said years ago. It’s often on the international press days, where journalists from all over the world like Japan and Taiwan, where they generally don’t have as much coverage of me, that I’ll get questions about dogs that have died. Or when I first started doing the Harry Potter films, I was a massive wrestling fan, so when you’re 18 and someone says, “So, I hear you’re a huge WWE fan,” I’m like, “Well, not so much now. I was whenever that interview you read was.” There is a funny side to it, but there’s definitely an annoying side to it as well. If I’m expected to stand by every opinion I’ve had since I was 12, till I die, I’m going to go mad.

Cotton shirt ($700)

by Dsquared2, at Simons; wool tie ($130) by Tiger of Sweden.

Wardrobe styling

by Randy Smith for Judy Inc. Photographer’s Assistant: Samuel EngelKing Lighting Technician: Bryan Egan Stylist’s Assistant: Nicole Walker Make-up by Taylor Savage for Mac Cosmetics/ Judy Inc. Hair by Rafael Estrella Dunn for TRESemmé/ Dulcedo Artists Prop styling by Joanne Jin and Jason MacIsaac for Page One Management

drawing similarities between that and a Harry Potter film. I don’t feel like I want to repeat myself as an actor, and I think part of that is finding exciting material from fresh voices of both writers and directors.

I was thinking that you’re in a unique position in the sense that we’ve had child stars grow up, and we’ve had actors who do the same character for a number of years, but you did both at the same time. I feel like what that did for you was it gave the audience a lot of goodwill towards you.

They support you, whereas I don’t know that other child actors, or actors who have played, say, Bond for more than three films, have that same goodwill when they play something different.

Yeah, I definitely feel that. I think part of that is to do with being part of such a well-loved franchise that has a special place in so many

104 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

Does it make you feel like you can’t be honest with the people you talk to?

Yeah, I can be. I did make a decision to myself some time ago that I am too opinionated and too talkative… you know, sometimes, stuff I say in interviews is eventually going to come back to haunt me. I know that. See, it’s always dodgy in print to be sarcastic or humorous, or anything like that, and then it not come across. It’s a learning curve when you start young, but in a way, I think it’s helpful because you can also get away with saying a lot because you’re just a kid. You learn how to navigate questions a little more diplomatically.

Well, now I have to throw away my page on WWE. Sorry, man. We’ll just have to skip that section. But, it is one of my secret ambitions now to do a movie with Dwayne Johnson.

Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Speaking of.... no, I’m just going to switch gears. You seem to enjoy playing with people’s expectations of your sexuality. I mean, you did Equus…

Really?!

Photo: Sean And Seng/ TrUnk Archive

NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 107

/ 5 6 / 3 7 24 PRESE

NTS

G N I M O O R G E T A M I T L U E TH C A N A M AL l

Kimme y Joel tionS b ra t us ill

N o o ne ever said looking good was easy—let alone looking your best. No, it’s a 24hour grind. Every minute of every day is a battle against age, weather and apathy. A bitter moisturizing slog. We’d recommend giving up sleep if only sleep weren’t so important to your health and appearance. Proper grooming, however, is relatively easy, and if you do that well—along with hitting the gym and eating the occasional salad— you’ve pretty much covered your bases. These are the steps you can take—every day, week, month, all year round—to be as handsome as you can be. L et ’ s b egin.

108 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

Proper shaving with a razor

DAILY

MO R N I N G // How you start your day is crucial.

Leave the house unprepared, looking tired, unprotected or unkempt, and you’re embarking on a 12hour uphill battle. Best to commence your day with a vitalizing morning grooming regimen instead.

And, yes, it begins with getting enough sleep the night before. Here’s what you do after you wake up.

Proper Moisturizer/ Sunscreen The more you prepare your face for the day, the less repair you’ll need to do later on. Keep your skin replenished and protected to prevent signs of aging and to help you look awake and vital. No one should look haggard in the morning—even if you feel that way.

—

(1) Kiehl’s Facial Fuel SPF 15 ($35), as those three letters suggest, protects your face from the sun—one of the most important things for helping you stay looking your best. Vitamin C helps awaken and heal your skin.

—

Have we mentioned that it’s important to moisturize? (2) Dove Men+Care Hydrate+ Face Lotion ($6), which also contains UV protection, provides a lasting moisturizing effect that’s perfect for sensitive skin. Keeping things non-greasy is important to men, and this does that very well.

You’ve only got one face, and it’s got to last, so don’t mess it up. The Gillette Fusion ProGlide SilverTouch Power Razor ($15) is designed for a gentle but effective shave.

Now with a sleek, silver handle, the ProGlide has thinner-than-ever blades with a low-resistance coating to reduce pull. Plus, the battery-powered micropulses assure an even closer cut—if you’ve properly prepped your skin for shaving, of course.

Gentle Face Wash Leave the scrubbing for later, when you’ve accumulated more dirt and oil. Your morning face wash should be gentle and invigorating.

—

1

3

A daily face wash should wash away dirt and excess oil to prevent breakouts (still!), but you don’t want it drying out your skin. (3) Kyokü Daily Facial Cleanser ($19) uses green tea, citric acid, peppermint, ginseng and sunflower oil to gently exfoliate and clean without drying out.

—

2

4

In a medicine cabinet stocked with creams and sprays, a bar of soap is a little piece of the oldschool. (4) Clinique’s Face Soap ($13) is a good first step for facial cleansing; it loosens unwanted matter, leaving a blank canvas for you to start the day. Pair with a moisturizer for best results.

NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 109

Hockey has always been a young man’s game. That’s true now more than ever. But if all Gen Y players are like Steven Stamkos, the future of the game—and Canada’s dominance of it—is pretty safe.

THE YOUNG GUN

BY ALE X NINO- GHECIU • Photography by Mat t Barne s

116 Sha rp fo rmen .com

NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 121

Wearing a parka over a suit?

Absolutely. Just make sure it’s long enough to cover your suit jacket. It Doesn’t hurt if it’s as refined as this Loro Piana wool number, either.

Virgin wool jacket with coyote fur trim ($1,850) by Canada Goose; wool-blend tweed suit jacket ($600) and pants ($300)

by John Varvatos Star USA; striped cotton shirt ($335) by Paul Smith; leather monkstrap loafers ($345) by Allen Edmonds; L.U.C MKII Automatic watch ($6,970) by Chopard, at Westime.

124 SHARPFORMEN.COM / November 2013

F

or nine seasons, Shemar Moore has played toughas-nails FBI agent Derek Morgan on CBS’s wildly popular procedural Criminal Minds. But you probably know him best as That Guy Your Girlfriend (And/Or Mom) Is Desperately In Lust With. Part of the reason for Moore’s widespread appeal amongst the fairer sex is that he happens to be one of the most naturally stylish dudes in the game. We asked the 43-yearold to give us the rundown on his fashionable instincts. Take notes.

You’ve got a pretty distinct sense of personal style. Where did that come from?

My mom always had an eye for fashion, whether she knew it or not. She was always original and would put her own combinations of stuff together. But I think fashion really hit me once I got to Hollywood. All of a sudden I had to step my game up because I was going to events and getting my picture taken. I started

playing around with stuff I liked to wear, and I went through a phase—especially when I hosted Soul Train for five seasons— where I was trying anything and everything. Some of it worked, and a whole lot of it didn’t. I look back at old pictures and go, “Oh god, where were the fashion police?” But after all that trial and error, I just kind of started to simplify and figure out the styles and designers that I like, and found my own, everyday thing.

We’ve heard a rumour that you actually help to choose all your character’s clothes on Criminal Minds.

My wardrobe department probably doesn’t want me to say that out loud, but yeah. I’m very picky, even for the simplest things like a pair of jeans or boots. I look at outfits and clothing from all angles, from the way your jacket fits to the height of your high-tops. You can call it vain if you want to, but it matters: the clothes I wear can change my delivery, the way I walk and talk.

And because I’m the tough guy of the group, I’ve got to be able to run up and down fire escapes, kick down doors, and feel comfortable in what I’m wearing.

How does Derek Morgan’s wardrobe compare to your own?

Derek Morgan is very similar to Shemar Moore—just not as co-ordinated or put together or flossy. In my own life, I like to have a lot more fun: I dress in different ways, have my ears pierced, wear silver jewelry and accessories, and coordinate my tennis shoes with my hats. When it comes to suits, I like them cut a certain way. I like the flow. I used to look at Michael Jordan, and he made everyone want to be 6’6” because of the way he wore a suit—and, more importantly, the way he moved in a suit. He just had that cool walk. Denzel Washington has his own cool walk, and so does Eddie Murphy. It’s showcased in whatever they have on. Clothes just help determine whatever the swagger for the day is going to be. —YANG-YI GOH

For more essential fall fashion visit Sharpformen.com/category/style

NOVEMBER 2013 / SHARPFORMEN.COM 131

Look Bet ter • Feel bet ter • Know more

SHARP ipad EDITION

Now optimized for retina display

Featuring

• EXCLUSIVE iPAD-ONLY CONTENT • EXPANDED GALLERIES AND interviews • VIDEOS

A one-year iPad subscription includes six issues of Sharp & two editions of Sharp: The Book For Men for only $19.99 HOW TO GET SHARP ON iPAD 1. Download the Sharp app from the App Store 2. Open it!

3. Click on “Sharp Magazine: November 2013” 4. Download it!

5. Read, share and enjoy!

SHARPFORMEN.com