Banana Republic Uncovers Atlanta's Own 'Mad Men'

Evil shows itself in many forms. Demons don’t always have grave-stricken faces or wear ghoulish rags.
So what better cad to dress yourself as this Halloween than the lead character of the AMC Channel’s “Mad Men”?
That Don Draper shows more of his devilish side with each episode. And his disarming weapon of choice is that sharp-edged square of cotton in his crisp grey suit’s breast pocket.
For its Thursday, October 29 “Mad for the Sixties” bash at Atlantic Station’s Ten Pin Alley emporium, Banana Republic presents the opportunity to “come dressed in your best early ‘60s ‘Mad Men’ fashion: Sinatra-style skinny ties and sharp suits for guys & Jackie O. dresses for the ladies!”
Proceeds ($75 per person) from open bar, billiards and bowling event will benefit Prevent Child Abuse of Georgia (www.pcageorgia.org). The festivities will include costume contests, and the sponsor’s web site offers tips on how to dress for the occasion (www.bananarepublic.com).
For details and ticket info, call: 404-870-6589.

Cavalia in Atlanta: Do Horses Wear Hair Weaves?

Someone had to ask the delicate question...
After all, gazing at the long and lustrous manes of the 60 exotic horses who star in the
Cavalia extravaganza incites the same skepticism as focusing on that hairline of Tyra Banks' flat screen-sized forehead does.
It can't look that haute and healthy and be real. Can it.? Publicity photos for the show running at Atlanta's Atlantic Station through November 15, in particular, make the manes look too good to be true.
But the only (human) performer in the show with true ties to Atlanta insists that those flowing locks the horses flaunt onstage are "all natural".
"Do (the horses) wear extensions? No," Dacula native, Jesse Lee Cooper, said while stroking the nose of grey-maned stallion, Hades, after an abbreviated (45-minute) preview staged for the local media Monday.
"Do we (performers) wear them? Oh, yes.)
The show's trick riders, trainers and a crew of 20 handlers wash and style and crimp, cut and blow dry the horses' hair themselves. And human performers adapt hairstyles that relate to the beauty of the 12 breeds showcased.
Cooper, 31, joined the six-year-old, globe-trotting production in 2007; after years training in the art of "natural horsemanship".
He knows which horses are more vain than others, and which are prone to pull a Kanye West (bucking all boundaries of excess) onstage.
(Nothing like being thrown from the saddle to get the message: "I'm not doing that tonight", he said. "They're 500-pound animals. You can't make them do what they don't want to.")
And, you can't make this stuff up...
While giving his "wonder" horse, Hades, a prideful pat, Cooper off-handedly divulged a possible reason why the herd's had no "bad hair" days.
"I don't know if I should say, but do you wanna what we're using in the stables right now?". Cooper coughed: "It's Tresame!"

More Frightening Atlanta 'Housewives' News!

They're creepy and they're kooky. Mysterious and spooky. They're altogether ... oops! Got ahead of ourselves there.
First we need to get to the scary prospect of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" staging a Halloween costume party together next Friday night.
Then we'll pay brief homage to Vic Mizzy, composer of theme song to "The Addams Family" who passed away in New York just days away from his 93rd Night of Fright.
Here's the low-down on what we highly suspect to be a made-for-TV event...
ALL of the cast members are expected to be there. This, presumably, includes the stylist-interloper Dwight Eubanks, who could pull off a fairly convincing Dracula just rolling out of bed. There's a $500 prize promised to go to the guest in the best costume. The Gateway center in suburban McDonough, where the event's taking place, can accomodate a crowd of 3,000. A "tag team" of Audio Junkeez DJs will perform. Tickets are $30-$75, with a $10 discount if you buy in advance.
Got the picture?

Good, now smile in memory of Mr. Mizzy, who created many of TV's "Golden Era" theme songs including "Green Acres".
This Halloween, we'd planned to have "Thriller" piping constantly on the porch as trick-or-treaters dropped by. But now we're having second thoughts about that, as well as what costumes to wear to the after parties.
For more "Real Housewives...Halloween Costume Ball" info: visit http://ajcostumeball-efbevent.eventbrite.com
GRAB BAG: West Midtown neighbors, Ken Barber Clothing and 5 Seasons Brewery, are joining forces on Sunday (October 25, 5-7 p.m., 1000 Marietta Street, $10 per person) to stage a Masquerade Fashion Show and cocktail party to benefit breast cancer charities; and the Whiskey Park bar at the W Midtown Hotel is hosting a Dames & Demons bash on Halloween night (9 p.m.-2 p.m., 188 14th Street) with "Zombie Strippers", costume contests and wicked drink specials.

Adidas Smells More of Rose's Marketing Potential

Pardon the South African golfer, Justin Rose, if he’s not updating his personal blog as often as usual.
His latest dispatch reads: “I’m currently in the Algarve playing the Portugal Masters”.
After rising from 114th place in the 2008 FedEx points standings to 85 in ’09, Rose is still criss-crossing the globe in hopes of surpassing the $1,047,854 in prize money he earned last year. At press time, PGAtour.com listed Rose’s ’09 earnings as $918,718. By the time he turns 30 next July, the fifth-year pro’s play will have carried him over the $10 million mark.
And that’s not including endorsements.
Apparently, Adidas thinks Rose’s future is so bright that he’s gotta wear shades. They’re shades.
This week the brand announced that it’s releasing its first collection of golf-specific sunglasses _ called “retego” _ which Rose helped design.
The eyewear can be customized to suit special vision needs, and comes standard with a lens tint intended to enhance the contrast between the ball, the turf and the target.
They weigh a feathery one-ounce, and carry a hefty ($140-&190) price tag.
We presume Rose get around, eventually, to mentioning them on his blog.

'Chittlin' Circuit' Makes A Big Atlanta Comeback

They say the third time's the charm.
If that's the case, then installment three of chef Todd Mussman's glorified "cooking with swine" series should truly be one to savor. When a guy runs an intown butcher shop called "Muss & Turners", what he carves up better be good.
"Guests will witness a whole pig being broken down into tasty, identifiable parts followed by some wood-fired samples," according to the invite.
In addition, at "Primal 3": "There will copious amounts of food (sliders & snacks from Grindhouse Killer Burgers on Sweet Auburn), wine (and cheeses selected by the Taste Network) and (Sweetwater) brew."
For three straight Wednesdays (6-9 p.m.) at the Grindhouse (209 Edgewood Ave.) , Mussman will turn locally grown succulents on the spit while spitting how and why roast flesh tastes best. Paying guests for the limited-seating affairs are welcome to "brown bag" their own wine as long as they call ahead (404-522-344).

Chef Mussman / AtlantaFineDiningThe scheduled roster of roasts: Wednesday, October 21st - Local 103# Heritage Pig; Wednesday, October 28th - Gum Creek Katahdin Lamb; Wednesday, November 11th – Gum Creek 103# Heritage Pig.
Pork on the barrel: $30 per standing room placement; $35 per VIP seat.

Learn more at http://www.artofthebutcher.com, or email brady@tastenetwork.com.
All this fancy talk about proper pork preparation brought a funny scene to mind. Let us know if you get a chuckle out of it as well...

For Atlanta Men, Pink is the New Power Color

If the rough-and-tumble stars of the NFL can rock pink accessories on game day without anyone questioning their manliness, what's to stop Monday Morning Quarterbacks like you from following suit?
This fall,the National Football League is doing its part to raise breast cancer awareness and charitable donations by encouraging players to wear apparel in the symbolic shade of the fight. That explains all those gregarious pink shoes, gloves, towels, belts and even penalty flags appearing on the gridiron lately.
The upcoming Real Men Wear Pink party Wednesday night (7-10 p.m) at the W Hotel-Perimeter offers one of many opportunities for regular guys to follow suit.
Besides swilling Hennessy and Belvedere cocktails, can soak in the artwork of Monica Tookes as well as the sound stylings of DJ Salah.
For guys who find their wardrobes sorely lacking in pink accessories, signature bow ties will be available for purchase on the spot ($20 each), with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.
"I have no fear, whatsoever, about wearing pink," said the 40-something Atlanta financier, D.E. Edmond. "A particular color does not define who I am.
"Everyone should be aware of this epidemic. Breast cancer affects us all, directly or indirectly."
Go to Facebook to see who else is invited and/or attending.
W Perimeter
111 Perimeter Center West
Atlanta, GA 30346
Please RSVP at: realmenwearpinkatl@gmail.com

Menswear Titans Barnstorm Atlanta

There's something about Marty.
The CEO of Joseph Abboud menswear, Marty Staff, couldn't try harder to put a new acquaintance at ease. Oddly, though, his propensity to lumber in and out of "the moment" can put you on edge.
He barged, unwittingly, into the recent EyeSeeStyle taping of an interview with menswear expert Tom Julian, who recently penned the "Nordstrom Guide to Men's Style" (Chronicle Books). Marty must have assumed we were just chatting there in the Phipps Plaza foyer. Julian and I just laughed about the ruined footage.
That's Marty.

Above: A fall Joseph Abboud menswear look

But minutes later he invited me to a party he was staging Wednesday night _ at the most exclusive restaurant in town _ in appreciation for his labels' most faithful local clients and salesmen. The food, drinks and service at Bacchanalia was superb. And the 100 or so guests dove into the limited quantity bolts of fabric offered "for suggestion" as enthusiastically as they did the platters of citrus foie gras, quail fritters, oysters and caviar crisps.
(EyeSeeStyle taped Julian's entire trend tutorial on behalf of the Abboud label after the first round of cocktails in an oakey private room. But since Marty kept drifting in and out of the demonstration _ interjecting some levity, invoking his dominance _ the clip ran eight minutes too long to upload on YouTube.)


EyeSeeStyle interviews "Guide to Style" author

You may not have a chance encounter with Marty any time soon. But his thumbprint's everywhere: from a juggernaut of new "JOE" styles now on JCPenney racks, to his licensing agreement with the NFL to outfit the coaches for their off-field appearances, to his new deal with the NBA to clothe the league's rising stars.
Marty (left) mentioned that he's an avid participant on Twitter. But he only tells select friends how he's listed.
Go figure.


Photos: Aquino/Abboud