The other night I got to cure my monthly comic book geek virus with a pre-screening of Iron Man…and can I just say that Robert Downey Jr. is the greatest actor in the world? Who gives a FRAK (that was for all you Battlestar Galactica fans) that he had a less-than-clean past…this boy can act and his funny with a capital F.

Needless to say, I give the movie (and Gwyneth Paltrow running around in heels half the time) two iron thumbs up! It’s one of the better comic book movies that we have seen in a while…remember how catastrophic Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer was? I try not to remember that.

Anyways, Downey plays wealthy industrialist playboy Tony Stark. With his dapper suits and signature goatee, he turns into Iron Man so that he can save the world and stuff.

So as I was watching the movie, I was trying to figure out a way to translate this gold and red plated metal superhero costume into hip, everyday attire…and this is what I came up with:

For all the info on this look click here

I maintained the red and gold color palette and made hipster modifications to give that Iron Man appeal with none of the violent weaponry or heavy armor. Instead of all that, I softened it up with a yellow Gap short-sleeved pique polo and a red Insight Deadpan cardigan. And instead of a fussy mask, I opted for a classic pair of aviators - always a failsafe. And if you MUST have some techie stuff on you, don a street savvy Adidas yellow strap digi watch and put all gadgetry in the Tumi laptop messenger bag. And how bout those Golden Retriever boots? They may not make you fly like Iron Man, but you can sure stomp the pavement in the city with lumberjack authority.

Vegas was fun, but it started to take it’s toll on me on the third day. Here’s a progression of my looks throughout my stay in the wonderful world of Las Vegas:

OUTFIT DU JOUR #6

Shirt: H&M
Jacket: Chinook (2)
Pants: A.P.C.
Sunglasses: I bought them from a boutique called Service Menswear.
Shoes: Yes, I wore my busted Steve Madden boots again (3).
Jewelry: You can’t see it, but I am wearing my Han Cholo breakdancer necklace.
Bag: From Target

This is me at the Wynn for a much-anticipated buffet. Please take notice of that lovely painting I used as my backdrop. I ate so much before I took this picture that I had to suck my gut in. Good thing the dark color gave me a nice slimming effect.

I guess I look decent, but then after a full day and a very late night of Vegas fun here’s what happened:

Shirt: American Apparel
Jeans: Red Engine
Boots: Wow! My busted Steve Madden boots make a 4th appearance!
Jewelry: Dad’s dog tag

This picture was taken at 1:30 a.m. Sunday when I finally arrived back from the glitzy city. I was tired, hungry, cranky and I felt like passing out. I wore this outfit all day. The grimey smell of travel mixed with the cigarette smoke of a casino. I felt like a hot mess. On a side note, the American Apparel long sleeve tee is really comfortable - but still, I felt nasty.

Sweater: American Eagle
Jacket: This really cool vintage store called “My dad’s closet”
Jeans: H&M (2)
Shoes: Calvin Klein
Beanie: I think I bought it from the kid’s section at some store a long time ago

I hate that feeling of having to go back to work after a really fun mini-vacation. Nonetheless, I pulled myself out of bed and managed to put an outfit together. I like to call this my “Ivy League Argyle Midwest” look.

This weekend, I decided to clean out my closet to see if I can earn some extra cash by selling it to one of those commercial thrift stores.

I have done things like this before with Buffalo Exchange and they are, for the most part, generous with their return. They give you the option of getting store credit or getting cash (which is usually 10% less than the store credit).

Most of the time, I am not 100% satisfied with the money I get back, but hey - they helped me clean out my closet and I got a little pocket money for the weekend.

Since I don’t live in one of those swanky Bay Area shopping towns, I was excited to find out that there was this place in the Tri-Valley Area that was like Buffalo Exchange. Since I am about to defame it a little bit, I will call the store, The Philosopher’s Wardrobe.

Anyways…I brought in a Bloomingdale’s Big Brown Bag of clothes. It included everything from ready-to-be-disposed H&M garb to out-of-season (but not too old) Guess slacks to funky vintage store clothes. I thought I was gonna score at least $50 with all the stuff in the bag.

When I got to the store, it was small, quaint and was reminiscent of one of those ’80s mall stores like Miller’s Outpost - except a little hipper.

I got to the counter, gave them my stuff and the employee said that since they were really busy that day, it would take about two hours to sort through the stuff and give me an offer.

I could live with that.

Fast-forward 120 minutes and I came back excited to tickle my palms with some green. The teen employee told me that they could only take two items and offer me $4.40.

My first reaction was, “what the hell?” Then I just brushed it off and declined their offer. I decided to look around the store to see what they had to offer.

The racks were invaded by garb from Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, Hollister, American Eagle - I could see why they didn’t take my stuff. I didn’t have any of these labels.

But I did manage to snag a hidden treasure - a blue long sleeved Ralph Lauren gingham shirt for $14. Not bad.

When I went to pay for my find, I asked to get my bag of “unworthy of resell” clothing. As one of the teen workers went to retrieve it, another emo teen boy scoffed and said, “Oh yeah, he didn’t want the money for his clothes.”

No. I did not want my $4.40.

I was fine with this store until this body double for 30 Seconds To Mars’s Jared Leto said that to me. I guess he was really insulted by me not taking the $4.40 and spending $14 instead. This docked major points on this store’s credibility scorecard.

The moral of this story is: You’re better off reselling your clothes to Buffalo Exchange or donating it to Goodwill than trying to sell it to the angsty emo teens at the “The Philosopher’s Wardrobe”…but you may find something fancy enough to buy.

Psssst…. If you really wanna know the store name, e-mail me and I will tell you!

The rainy weather may be upon us in the Bay Area, but Mr. Sun is still peeking through the clouds and that means spring is upon us - not to mention the rest of the country. That said, here are 9 essentials (because 10 would be one too many) to add to your closet for the upcoming season.

Now if your wallet is a little empty, use these items as a guide to cater to your personal style and budget. Nonetheless, these are some great items to make you look dapper while enjoying the temperate sun.

American Apparel Baby Rib Cardigan in White, $38

Brooks Brothers non-Iron Gingham Original Polo Button-Down Collar Sport Shirt, $75

Modern Amusement Sping Chino, $88

Banana Republic Spring trenchcoat, $250

Original Penguin “The All Day” Polo in yellow, (on Sale) $19.99-$49

AE Eagle Issue Belt, $15.50

J. Crew Suede bucks, $138

Mason by Pare Umbrella in navy blue with red trim, $65

Puma Kick Reporter Bag in black and whisper white, $50

So which one are you? Are you a diehard romantic when it comes to the Day of St. Valentine’s? or are you like me - an “anti-heart-shaped-boxes-full-of-chocolates” single gentleman who makes it a point to wear all black on this so-called “day of love.”

Whichever you are here are a couple of gifts to give your loved one or to give to ruin people’s “special day”:

Very flirty, sexy and fun - a perfect gift to see your girlfriend in (and out) of.

This is actually really cute and looks very comfortable – for a girl of course, but if you’re a guy and you want to wear this, I have no judgment against you.

Just because it’s a day of lovey dovey mushy crap, doesn’t mean than men can’t get in on the Valentine’s action – these boxers mix whimsy and masculinity and at the same time, they show that a man can celebrate V.D. without compromising their manhood.

Get wasted and celebrate your singlehood by doing shots of tequila with these rebellious glasses.

More often than not, happy couples unintentionally rub it in your face that you are single by means of public displays of affection and gushing with love and glee. That’s just sad. So why not rub your single self-pity in their faces with some of these treats?

This movie will remind you why it pays to be single.

Giving many small gifts can be just as enjoyable as giving one big gift. American Eagle is a perfect shopping outlet for finding many things for that younger college co-ed crowd - especially with it’s latest holiday collection.

Here are few gift packages to give those young hip kids who love this store. My suggestion is to try to keep it simple when shopping for younger generations. There is a way to shop at those trendy “All-American” retailers without going too extreme. Try to keep it timeless and season-friendly. Usually, solid knits and universal accessories can go a long way - but once in a while, it’s okay to add something a little funky into the mix - just don’t go too far.

All items are available at your local American Eagle store or on their website.