This clever design caught my eye because it is useful and simple. Just a short narrow ribbed knit cashmere scarf with a button closure to keep you warm and toasty. Elegant simplicity from Thom Browne. $345 USD.

Available at Barneys NY here.

Thom Browne is making a personal appearance for Fashion's Night Out. Join in the fun at Black Fleece, 351 Bleecker Street, corner of West 10th Street, September 10th at 8pm. The Fall collection looks promising, especially the classic Navy Pea Coat. I wonder if they may have the new Black Fleece fragrances to sample? See you there John.

Thom Browne has not truly entered into the accessories arena until now. Sure, the odd one off briefcase in his showroom or a few pairs of shoes, but not a signature bag. This briefcase will suit his customer perfectly. This retrofitted "Samsonite style" case, replete with red, white and blue striped interior lining is so completely true to its brand: 1960s upscale WASP business executive. Available at Barneys NY. Price approximately 910 USD.

We are finally feeling Summer here in NYC and it was really hot, leaving very little room for self-expression. Brooks Brothers Black Fleece by Thom Browne navy/white gingham short sleeved shirt, Uniqlo skinny dark jeans, Prada taupe belt, Prada taupe shoes and dark brown Hermès bag.

We visited the Metropolitan Museum today. We especially wanted to see The Pictures Generation, Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective and The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion. It was a giant undertaking to see all three shows in one day, but we were determined and we marched on.

We started with The Pictures Generation, which was a revelation of the 1974-1984 period of post-minimal and post-conceptual art, which ushered in a new era of recognizable imagery. This important period brought in new forms of appropriation that have become commonplace in every creative endeavor, from fashion to music. Many of my favorite artists, including Cindy Sherman, Barbara Kruger, Robert Longo and Richard Prince are represented.

Viewing Francis Bacon, a darkly inscrutable painter, takes an emotional toll. The culmination of the show is the room of portraits of the artist's lover George Dyer painted after his fatal drug overdose on the eve of Bacon's Paris show in 1971. Bacon is an uncompromising painter with a very dark vision. His self-portrait mourning the death of Dyer is perhaps the saddest painting I have ever seen. This heart wrenching show is worth every painful moment.

Model As Muse served as a break between our more intellectual pursuits. It was a joy to see images of the Super Models of the 80s and 90s as well as iconic photographs and fashion from the birth of fashion photography to the present.

Finally a quick lunch at the Roof Garden, where we viewed Roxy Paine's bewitching sculpture: Maelstrom.

Make a day of it.

It was a little chilly and overcast here in NYC today. I'm wearing a blue and white striped button down oxford cloth shirt from Thom Browne, APC jeans, Martin Margiela brown leather jacket, black Uniqlo wool vest, black Dries Van Noten belt, grey Balenciaga ankle boots and my grey Coach Alligator Tote (being carried for the very first time).

These new short sleeve button down shirts from Thom Browne Black Fleece for Brooks Brothers Spring Summer '09 collection are incredibly well made. The fabrics, finishing and details are amazing. The prices for this collection are a bit less than they have been in the past and significantly less than the Thom Browne main line, while maintaining the expert tailoring one expects from Thom Browne.

The Gingham shirt is 125 USD and the Tuxedo style is 150 USD.