-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

 Ralph Lauren, Fifth Ave.

Netflix has a knack for tugging at threads of thought. The series of choice this week--13 Reasons Why--sheds light on the psyche of a high school girl and the 13 reasons leading up to self-destruction. 13 episodes later, the lingering issue of suicide and rape among youth leaves sentimental residue. This week's windows at Ralph Lauren Fifth Ave. capture the school style cool of a group of faceless young men. It begs the question of how best to nurture morality and better decisions in the next generation. Keep reading for more snaps of this week's windows... 

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

 Polo Ralph Lauren, Fifth Avenue

Dedicating a day to detox from a frantic first quarter, I head uptown to the Met Museum (Manus x Machina post forthcoming). Though feeling genuinely guilty for initiating an interim interlude, a day away gives me the chance to think and thank. In waiting for public transit (allowing time to write this Wednesday Window post), I weigh whether the overtime investment is worthwhile. Opportunity cost outlines the year I spent working, wincing and writing, showing the grass isn't greener on the other side--just a different shade. My conclusion? I work for the 'smartest guy in the room' and despite sidebars and 'special projects,' I am surrounded by a tight team, whose faults and flaws aside, present abounding elements of aspiration. A lifestyle of lackadaisical latitude isn't fully satisfying, nor an accumulation of constant chaos. My goal within the next quarter is to secure self-sustainability, somehow. Keep reading to see the laid-back looks at Polo, Ralph Lauren this week...

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Lovely ladies ready for spring in the windows of Ralph Lauren Fifth Ave

Digital devices influence the way we interact. Casual conversation carries cuteness through emoji, bitmoji and emoticons. With convenience and enhanced communication come corresponding channels for cyber-bullying and stalking. In this world of instant, choose wisely... Keep Reading to see the windows at POLO Ralph Lauren's Fifth Ave. Shop...

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Polo Ralph Lauren on 5th Ave. 

Despite the touts  of "equality" at the tip of political tongues and at the top of activists' agendas, I raise a toast to "men" this week. To begin, new and notable brands present collections at Men's Fashion Week in London. By Wednesday, saucy sneakers, stylists and show-goers thin out as Fashion Week concludes. The week ends with Father's Day on Sunday. This weeks' windows at Polo Ralph Lauren nudge and nod at the dads and dudes in our lives. Thanks for life, dad! Keep reading to see more RL windows set in assorted man-centric spaces...

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Polo Ralph Lauren, Fifth Ave. and 55th St. 

Mainstays of Manhattan living include laudromats, bodegas, gyms, libraries and brownstone boutiques, among others. This week's windows at Polo Ralph Lauren Fifth Avenue highlight City haunts albeit too familiar to repeat customers. As spring break approaches, sightseers scout special spots while City dwellers relish in the comfort of closeness. Keep reading to see all the options... 

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS

Springtime has landed at Ralph Lauren Kids, Madison Ave. (at 71st St.) 

Winter break and wretched weather set the stage for a resort-style escape. Ralph Lauren's Madison Ave. flagship transports a taste of Bermuda to New York in its kid's store windows. Pastel hued houses, swimming shorts and sunny beach scenes warm up weary wills in Manhattan's melting metropolis. With flurries in the forecast, a few glimpses of short sleeves and summer style are a welcome wonder this endless winter.

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

A fabulous New Year's feast at Ralph Lauren, West Broadway, NYC

For some, a new year begins another chance… at fat-busting, forgiving faults or finding things forgotten. For me, 2014 presents a renewed sense of "returning to America"--both in a stylish and literal sense. Maybe it's the 9/11 and JFK documentaries that have been showing on TV or the christening of the Freedom Tower or the growing number of veterans returning from tours abroad--an undeniable patriotism is in the air. Walking past the Ralph Lauren windows on West Broadway (Soho, NYC) jaunts a self-disclosed epiphany that the brand represents the epitome of America with its Navajo prints, nautical stripes, neat lines and--needless to say--namesake logo. Ralph is cool, classy, conservative, casual chic, could-be-rugged and universally accepted across culture, class, race and gender. While my closet is completely devoid of RL, I appreciate the token of Americana each of its store windows lends and the grandiose vision of America-the-Beautiful that invites viewers to experience an amplified love of living in our country. God Bless America (and the World) in 2014!

STYLE SNAPS : BARBIE'S FASHION EVOLUTION

Dolls of the World Collection Big Ben Barbie (2010) and Russia Barbie (2010)

Before the July 4th festivities, I take a lap around the store to grab last minute groceries. In passing, I do a double take of the clearance shelf--partly from the oddity of seeing a Barbie doll (unheard of, as I'm outnumbered 3 to 1 in my mostly-male household) and mainly because the outfits catch my eye. For years, Barbie was the ultimate impersonation of America with her casual clothes, blonde hair and cheery features. I grew up choosing toy cars over dolls; Bikini-clad Barbie had no chance up against a cement mixer or a '57 micro machine Bel Air reversible. To me, toy cars had more character and a distinctive style--Barbies were cookie cutter and overly dainty. Two decades later, as my tastes in clothing evolve from tomboy to trendy, seeing these "international" Barbies is somewhat exciting. It's almost as if both Barbie and I grew up (in age and in style) and experienced the world a little bit! 

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Rugby in New Caanan, CT, Closed

Weary of Sandy's aftermath and the darkness at home, I put on my Row sweater and head North to CT on the single running line of the MetroNorth. Salvaging what's left of my spirits, I stop for pizza on my way from the station to a friend's house. Here's a couple shots of storm-shuttered stores on the main strip.