Italian men know how pants should fit (something that, at times, escapes their American counterparts). When the trousers are made by Zanella, a good fit is easy to find: The company's entire business revolves around sharply cut slacks, like those pictured here, made from 100-percent wool selvage denim. (Yes, that sounds like a lot going on in one pair of pants, but it works, and is extremely soft.) Added bonus? They come in Nantucket Red—about as American as it gets.

After 10 or 15 years of relaxed-fit blandness, players on the PGA tour seem to be reembracing the concept of style this season. For someone who cares about style as much as I do, it's encouraging to see guys finally ditching the droop-shouldered polos and billowy, pleated pants for clothes that actually fit. So what's with all the novelty belt buckles? I was lucky enough to be at last weekend's U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and while Tiger's last-minute heroics are forever burned into my brain, so is the rhinestone-encrusted skull protruding from Rory Sabbatini's midsection. Here, a few examples of an unexpected and—sorry, guys—not necessarily appealing trend in golfwear.

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Haversack is one of those Japanese brands loved by those in the know but almost impossible to find in the West—even though its outerwear and shirts have the sort of aesthetic (and durability) you'd associate with outdoorsy Americans. That's set to change: Come next spring, Haversack will make its U.S. debut, although it's unclear precisely where; the company's in talks with several retailers. Still, it's encouraging news, and I hope other Japan-only brands (like Kapital) will follow suit.

For a place with a storied history of excess, Versailles has long outfitted its staff in some pretty drab attire. But that's set to change, thanks to Agnès B. The French designer unveiled new designs for the palace staff's official uniforms yesterday, and they're a marked improvement: Her sketches and photos (pictured) reveal an 18th-century-style look that wouldn't seem too out of place on today's Montparnasse (give or take the tricorn hat).

[The Moment]

Yuketen has long been one of my favorite brands, but this season it's upped the ante by releasing this striking crepe-soled take on L.L. Bean's Handsewn Blucher. Handmade in the U.S., the shoe comes in three versions. Obsessives, be advised: They're only available at Bergdorf's—the two have cut an exclusive deal through 2010.

GM just posted a video of factory workers making the 2009 Corvette ZR1 (soon to be the fastest—and most expensive—car the automaker has ever released). Turns out making one is almost as cool as driving one. See below:

[Autoblog]

A TV that looks as good off as on: LG's new PG70 series. The LCD HDTVs are designed by renowned British firm Seymour Powell, who also created the interiors of Virgin Galactic's spaceship. (It's a living.) They've given the flat-screens a pleasingly minimalist bezel, as well as a reddish, tear-shaped profile when seen from the side. More importantly, function follows form—the TVs will be Wi-Fi-enabled and include the brand's new Clear Voice audio, which helps distinguish dialogue from music. Price remains TBD, but the sets hit shelves this month.

[Dezeen]

After a long hiatus, renowned streetwear designer (and toy monster enthusiast) Mihara Yasuhiro is designing an entire collection for Puma again. And while the subtly tweaked, athletic-minded clothing—think a track bike shirt that's been outfitted with a collar—is clever (and wearable), the true innovation is in the company's retail concept. To showcase the line, the company has built a PlayStation interface (pictured) so that shoppers can outfit avatars in various items and zoom in on details. Puma will roll it out for in-store use soon, but don't expect it to turn the company's retail locations into arcades: Buying clothes just isn't as absorbing as the wealth of options in, say, Grand Theft Auto IV.

Hope you didn't buy Dad a bunch of James Bond DVDs for Father's Day. This November, vintage 007 will make his Blu-ray premiere. (Casino Royale is already out in the format.) The first batch includes five Bond classics (Dr. No, Live and Let Die, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia With Love, and Thunderball) as well as Die Another Day. (And, uh, sorry, pops.)

Italy's Supreme Court has ruled that Carabinieri policemen (whose motto, btw, is "always faithful") can face jail time for cheating on their wives because it lowers respect for the force. (One Casanova officer from Naples has already been handed a four-month sentence for doing so.) Any cops planning a romantic dalliance had better go plain-clothes: The Carabinieri wear an eye-catching (and stylish) Valentino uniform.

[Daily Telegraph]

Starting Friday, London's Medcalf Gallery will host an exhibit called Flooded London, a series of five digitally manipulated photographs depicting the city in 2090. The work is by film studio Squint/Opera, whose vision of the future looks bleak: Buildings are hollowed out and (as the title suggests) much of the world is underwater. Frightening? No doubt, but it's certainly aesthetically pleasing. That said, we still prefer London the way it is.
Flooded London, Friday through July 20, Medcalf Gallery, 38-40 Exmouth Market, London, lfa2008.com

[Dezeen]

The efficiency experts at Kyouei Design have combined two party staples—lighting and balloons—into one. Inspired by traditional Japanese paper lanterns, the Balloon Lamp runs off an LED bulb, which doesn't emit heat (and thus won't melt the plastic) and is good for about 100 hours. One caveat: It's only available in red and white. Jack and Meg White (and Canada), please take note.
$30 each, designboom.com

[Techpin]

Innisfail, the 92-foot wooden yacht that served presidents 32 through 34—HST, DDE, and JFK, FYI—is now available for charter. The 69-year-old clipper was given a thorough restoration—think Art Deco furniture and bronze sculptures—by new owner Frank Lynch, who rents it out of Charleston, South Carolina. Your cost: $800 an hour. BYO Secret Service detail.

[Charleston Post and Courier via Luxist]

Between their works for Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, and the Doors, the Family Dog invented the rock poster (at least the way the art form is conceived today). Comprised of artists Alton Kelley, Stanley Mouse, Rick Griffin, Wes Wilson, and Victor Moscoso, the group helped define the aesthetic of the times: one part Toulouse-Lautrec to every three parts Timothy Leary. A retrospective of the Family Dog's work opens today in L.A.: The Art That Defined a Generation includes pieces like Woman With the Green Hair aka Janis by Mouse and Kelley, pictured, and others of similar stripe(s). Some of the artists will be on hand for the opening, but it goes without saying that you shouldn't expect them to remember the sixties.
Through July 14, Jack Gallery, 6333 W. Third St., Los Angeles, CA, (323) 933-4833, jackgallery.com

Can't make it to L.A.? Check out our favorites in this slideshow >

Undulating walls covered in spiky foam? Check. A hidden storefront with strategic holes for fashion fans to peek through? Yup. Following in the footsteps of other high-concept L.A. boutiques (see Alexander McQueen, Martin Margiela, and Prada) is Phillip Lim's new amoeba-shaped West Hollywood emporium, opening on Friday. Inside you'll find the designer's men's, women's and children's collections, all housed in a 5,000-square-foot former auto shop. (No grease or pinup calendars remain.) The store follows his Tokyo store, opened earlier this year, and marks a sort of homecoming—Lim is from Orange County.
631 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 358-1988, 31philliplim.com

Opening today: New York Academy of Art's annual Summer Exhibition. The show spotlights the work of the Academy-affiliated artists and recent graduates, and awards a Summer Exhibition Prize for the best piece. They couldn't have chosen better than Michael Peery's sunny but chilly Virginia Slims (pictured), a retro-ish portrait done in a style reminiscent of Eric Fischl. There's an immediacy to the painting, despite an out-of-date detail that sticks in our craw: Lady, please, lose the socks.
Through September 7 at The New York Academy of Art, 111 Franklin St., New York, NY, (212) 966-0300, nyaa.edu

Five things worth knowing today

- Pitti Uomo begins today in Florence.
- The Edinburgh Film Festival bows in Scotland.
- A much-anticipated Ikea opens in Red Hook, Brooklyn. People began camping out on Monday, because apparently there's nothing quite like the draw of a free POANG armchair.
- Today in 1940, Winston Churchill delivered his famous "Finest Hour" speech to Parliament.
- And today in 1952, actress and model Isabella Rossellini was born. Below, her career-making rendition of "Blue Velvet":