I’ve always been one of those people who bitches about junk deliveries to my inbox and, ironically, looks forward with equal fervor to coming home to check the “snail mail.”  Recently, both have gotten exceptionally out of control.

No, I haven’t shared my address with new coupon providers or subscribed to new magazines.  (In fact, having recently moved, I have sneakily evaded a number of pesky grocery store mailbox flooders. Hah.)  Rather than stacks of handwritten letters and special “buy one jumbo pizza, get a second [AKA the addition of a few unwanted pounds plus a solid dose of sluggishness] free” offers behind the P.O. Box door, I find a special key – luring me to the neighboring “oversized mail” box which contains plastic pouches of pristine goodies expressly shipped by my oh-so-frugal self sometime 12 to 14 days prior.

The culprit:  sites offering deals.  groupon.com, woot.com, ideeli.com, gilt.com, thefoundary.com, ruelala.com, livingsocial.com, ahalife.com… An ever-growing collective phenomenon to strip me of my willpower. Exclusive online membership to get massive daily discounts on designer brands, tasty restaurants, fabulous vacations or fancy gadgets while supplies last.  Reaching us through Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, news websites and email (when we give them the golden ticket and invite them in) to offer us stuff we never even knew we wanted by speaking with the language of our witty buddies in the next cubicle.
Pure. Genius.

Deliciously beautiful, affordable things I couldn’t possibly find in a mundane Omaha storefront, right? That’s the thing – they don’t even give me enough time to find out.  I have a 600-second window to decide to purchase the item between the time I spot it and the time it disappears from my virtual cart and falls into the hands of Jane Doe clicking “refresh” on her computer somewhere in Honky Tonk, USA.  Oh, the pressure!

The sneakiest part: (more…)

I’m not given to hyperbole, but this is one occasion when I can enthuse about a truly stunning artistic fashion collaboration between two powerhouse brands, Liberty of London and Target. I am especially excited because the collection includes that sartorial standby every man can set himself apart with: The necktie.

Liberty is an iconic British institution, famed for its extensive collection of ebullient, playful and colorful prints for fabric and housewares. Liberty has been creating unique, inspired prints since 1875, working with artists, designers, and other whimsical collaborators. Each season’s collection has transitioned from an intensely contemporary aesthetic into collectible classics over time.

Continuing their Designers Collaboration series, Target has brought its own brand strengths of good quality, contemporary items at great value into partnership with those of Liberty of London. Target consistently demonstrates the consumer value potency inherent in leveraging core brand traits across different brands, as well as the business success this strategy creates.

So, succumb to sartorial superiority. Despite the hurry to casual wear every day of the week and the denunciation of the necktie as a metaphor for a vacuous, banal corporate persona, any man of genuine style will appreciate the delight in a finely crafted suit set off by one of these gorgeous Liberty of London for Target prints (there are three in the image above). Be a tailored triumph, get to Target now.