Assuming other areas of the country are less chill-deprived than my own, it will be to your advantage to know about Scapegoat, a small line of men’s outerwear that offers the benefits of premium construction and trend-proof (ie, good-looking, from a long-term perspective) design. These are the jackets that function to the cold and wet’s disadvantage, while sacrificing nothing, stylistically, to those same foes. Subtle, confident, and — of course — wind and waterproof, Scapegoat jackets are made with the best materials to keep you warm, dry, and happy in seasons of inclement weather…. should you be lucky enough to have it, that is. Be sure to check out the Nelson (pictured, and extra smokin’ in white) and the Fraser; two jackets that are making me want to move into a freezer until November pulls itself together.

We’ve waxed poetic about Portland based company db clay’s cow-free wallets before, and we truly believe you’d be hard-pressed to find a better looking eco-friendly bifold. In fact, the only thing better than one of their wallets could be knowing that yours is one of a kind – something that db clay has made possible through their new project, Puzzle. Puzzle is a gallery of 500 gaffer tape wallets, all entirely unique and hand printed and painted by Alex Steckly. As of today, there are 432 of these arty money holders (or maybe just “ID holders,” assuming you’re an artist yourself) are left for the nabbing, which means heading in that direction will certainly prove overwhelming if only for the sheer sexiness of duct tape. And girls, if you’re starting to hunt down Chrismukkah presents, boys of all types seem to really appreciate these for obvious reasons — check some of those man gifts off your list here.

They say that clothes make the man and while the jury’s out on just who “they” are, that doesn’t mean you can’t take their word for it. Instead of standing around lolly-gagging, waiting for your manhood to be made by that ripped t-shirt you’ve had since high school and those corduroy pants you’ve been rocking since grunge was in, maybe you should just consider upgrading your wardrobe. We’re certainly not suggesting you enter the realm of the suit, we’re merely suggesting you get a head start on looking more say, 2008. Public School, the new men’s young designer collection could be the key to unlocking your fashion potential.

Product of fashion industry veterans Dao-Yi Chow (co-owner of Miami’s Arrive) and Maxwell Osborne (a former designer at Sean John), marries the highest of high fashion with the lowest of the low and takes on various influences in both art and culture in order to capture “the attitude and rebellious spirit of New York”. In fact, the brand’s logo, a black apple with a feather quill is meant to encapsulate the Big Apple’s “edgier side and an underlying quest for knowledge”. New York isn’t the only influence here though as the clothing melds European tailoring with the a Japanese streetwear sensibility. Look for it in January of 2008.

While most advertisers are content to catch your eye, Julian Beever might do his clients one better by making something that nearly reaches out and grabs potential consumers. The UK-based artist specializes in the creation of flinch inducing pavement murals that nearly jump out at pedestrians and certainly make them take notice of the product being advertised using a technique called anamorphic illusion. The murals are “drawn in a special distortion in order to create an impression of three dimensions when seen from one particular viewpoint.” Beever has already turned heads for the likes of Sony, Coca Cola, and the Live 8 Concert, amongst others. His latest creation, for the rebranding campaign of leading Turkish credit card company Worldcard, made for an excellent photo op as passersby were able to pretend they were standing on top of the world…or at least the word “WORLD.”

When inspiration — for just about anything — escapes you, head over to Coroflot and dig through some portfolios. Something over there is guaranteed to get your brain juices flowing.

For me this morning, it was designer Francois Gustin. He’s instilled a little cynical humor into the idea of love with his Love Bomb ring. The presentation of the piece, especially the subtle but humorous shadow behind the model, makes Francois’ opinion on love pretty clear. And I don’t think it would be too tough to find others who agree. What’s your best explosive love story? The rest of Francois’ portfolio is worth a gander as well, so have a look.

We’re onto your scheme. We know that ski mask you keep around isn’t to protect your face from subzero temperatures. That being said, How many times have you been ready to rob a bank or dress up as a mexican wrestler a la Nacho Libre only to give up due to the fact you’ve misplaced your handy disguise? If you can answer this question “at least once”, then have we got just the thing for you. The new Anticon masked hoodies , provide you with that easy to store and find cover you’ve been looking for. Available in three styles, these smarter than your average sweatshirts sport a ski mask conveniently attached to the hood, so that you’ll always know where your disguise is at and you can pull off that heist or “not freeze your face off” in style. Whatever it is you do with your new hoodie, we promise not to tell.

Can a piece of furniture be so damned sexy that it can be seductive? I’m not usually attracted to that kind of wood, but this hot lil’ number, “Mondrian” by Portuguese furniture design group Boca do Lobo is giving off some serious vibes. Super exclusive to just 20 pieces, the immaculate Mondrian is a shiny sideboard cabinet with endless amounts of drawers and ornate handle pulls, targeted for big ballers only. The designers created the showcase piece as part of their Limited Edition line of furniture that transcends aesthetics and turns up the heat on emotion for its owners, likely leaving them in a heightened state not quite familar in furniture circles; that’s a pretty saucy move if there ever were one. Other pieces of note in Boca do Lobo’s Limited Edition line include a bookcase with doors and asymmetrical shelving and the white version of the Mondrian. Put this one on your wish list now.