i'm not a brand whore even though i'm a proud proclaimer of the anti-giordano/
baleno/hangten/bossini sentiment. and if you want me to walk the walk, you can come over to my house now and check my wardrobe. i don't own a single piece of apparel from any of the above-mentioned mass-marketed brands. okay i do. but those were very cheap christmas presents from the relatives a few years back. the only reason why they are lying dormant in my wardrobe, sealed up in ziplock to prevent the bad fashion from infusing with the others is that they make really good presents for re-gifting. especially the relatives.

still, just as everyone has a favorite position to be in when they get poked in the arse (i personally like the one where i lie prone while the dirty deed is done; it's good for doing homework), the same can be said for clothing brands and labels. it doesn't have to be one that you purchase or even wear on a regular basis. but simply, a label that one admires for its designs, artwork, concepts or even pricing. a favorite brand. being a rather indecisive freak who tells everyone he prefers variety, i have to admit a large number of favorites. but for today, let's just talk about one label so that you can get on with life, rather than sit here and read my rants.

so this particular label revolves around cutesy monkey motifs. they manufacture colorful panties with bizarre monkey prints on it. they design sleepwear printed with their trademark monkey face logo. they even design scrub suits for pediatric nurses with that trademark monkey. they have punny t-shirts. and they have dressed people in various popular television dramas from The O.C. to CSI to Punk'd. so many contributions to quirky fashion, how then, can i not adore Paul Frank for the brave ventures beyond the standard?

to put it simply, i heart Paul Frank.

in fact, i own more Paul Frank items than any other label in my wardrobe, falling short of the standard issues of Topman and Ben Sherman. my current wallet, which is a Paul Frank, is one that i can't bear to change after storing four years worth of financial assets, ATM cards, spa memberships, name cards, receipts, condoms, etc. it's small, it has very few pockets for cards and it's boringly black. plus maybe it's my innate 'Princess & The Pea', but it gives me quite a sore when i sit on it. i'm thinking it's the protruding condom that i carry with me all the time (life philosophy: you'll never knew when you'll get some). but the trademark skull and crossbones interpretation by Paul Frank Industries just says it all: i'm gay. i have a kiddy side in me even though i'm an adult. i like pirates. i prolly have scurvy too. aaaarrrrr!

beside the wallets, Paul Frank creates really unique time pieces as well, almost all of them never failing to make small talk. one of my Paul Frank watches has a picture of an indistinct crowd of screaming girls on its face and a rotating panel to act as a second hand. on the latter are the words 'I'm Big In Japan'. it's pretty eye-catching actually, judging from the number of people who have grabbed my wrist to read the indistinct message on the watch. this generally paves the way for conversations about Paul Frank and an awfully lame joke involving the average penile length in Japan versus mine.

the only thing about Paul Frank that kinda irks me is the fact that it can be quite difficult getting access to the full range of items for a collection. the only places which i can think of that stock PF are the local Flash & Splash outlets which also sell Quiksilver and Ripcurl and any other boarding brands that one can think of. that and the local Stussy boutique here as well. the nearest Paul Frank boutique from Singapore is in Bangkok. if i recall my geography lessons during my secondary school days, getting from SSG to BKK is not exactly a matter of walking distance.

lamentations about the lack of Paul Frank boutiques aside, i have to admit that i'm more of a fan of the women's line rather than the men's. the men's line you see, tend to be bordering on the edge of boring. polo tees with stripes placed at the usual places where stripes would normally be. humongous psychedelic prints that can cause seizures in toddlers. for the average consumer, boring/gaudy and a slightly more expensive price tag is not exactly very redeeming despite good brand recognition. Paul Frank clothes also have a tendency to be modeled after the thin, lanky types like Adam Brody. for bulky people like me with a body shape that resembles any other letter than a V, it's not exactly very flattering. which is perhaps why i steer clear of the apparel line, and focus more on the accessories.

there was a period of time where i actually contemplated the purchase of a red glittery wallet that had the trademark Julius face sewn onto it. thank goodness common sense and that 20% of straightness left in me went with the black scurvy one. i decided that i would leave red glittery wallets to the day that i started using words like 'Divine' and spelling out 'Glamorous' instead of saying it. sigh. if only i was a woman. i could wear all the Paul Frank that i want. but i know i'm going to regret it when i actually become one. plus i'm not a big fan of the Southern fish.

no offense though, but at least i was frank about Paul.

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