Archive for February, 2009

2009 Oscars – Men’s Fashion

Published February 25, 2009 Reviews Leave a Comment

Much like Adrien Brody on stage with Sir Anthony Hopkins, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro and Sir Ben Kingsley, coverage of men’s fashion at the Oscars doesn’t really seem to fit in with all of the thousands and thousands of words spewed about the ladies; their dresses, jewelry, accessories, etc.

Granted, men are generally limited in their options, with the most extravagant thing you can do would be to not wear a tie with your tuxedo:

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But it is still worth noting and reviewing at the very least to look at who did it well, who could have done better, and what trends emerged from the most elegant and graceful awards presentation of the season. The mere fact that one of the red carpet hosts on ABC this year was Tim Gunn shows what emphasis is placed on the critical eye with which the Academy Awards are viewed. Gunn, forced to work out in the sun for a couple of hours, did well in his style – as one would expect from a fashion tour de force.

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Certainly one of the slimmer lapel of all the tuxes I saw that night, but it works for a man with a thinner frame such as Gunn. I prefer my bow tie a bit wider, but all in all, very classic and classy.

But let’s look at some of the other highlights and lowlights of the evening, starting with the best-dressed.

Best Dressed

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As host, Hugh Jackman had to make not only an outstanding first impression, but a lasting one as well. As you can tell by his custom-made tuxedo, this is a man who can handle not only the burden of joking and singing his way through the show, but also the burden of looking timeless all evening. I almost knocked him down a grade or two when I thought his shirt had mere buttons in lieu of white or ivory studs, but upon further review, I believe they are the appropriate accessory, and I will leave him where he belongs. From what I have read, the shirt is Burberry and the shoes are Ferragamo. His tie, designer unknown, almost looks too perfect. We can chalk that to probably a dozen fashion assistants assigned to him backstage instead of the unthinkable pre-tied.

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I was supremely and pleasantly surprised place Seth Rogan on this list. He has apparently recently lost an incredible amount of weight and he has removed the scruffy curly hair and five-o’clock-two-days-from-now shadow. Not to mention the crumpled polo and baggy jeans have not been seen on him for ages. The structured black glasses provide a bit of balance to Rogan who has otherwise pale skin and can be drowned out in all black. Nicely done on using his new figure to his advantage.

Rogan had a photoshoot with GQ back in 2007. Is it possible something like that could cause a paradigm shift?

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We should just create an instructional video entitled “How to Wear a Tuxedo Properly to a Black Tie Event: with narrarator Brad Pitt.” Actually, the jacket’s sleeves are a little too long for my taste – where’s the shirt cuff? But I am really just digging for something now.

Notice the hourglass shape of the coat. For all you kids out there, that’s what you should be going for.

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I think there were about five people in the audience that got the whole “and boom goes the dynamite” quote, but no one there could deny the style portrayed by one of Hollywood’s leading men and style icons.

But, as you can tell in this photo, those actually are buttons instead of studs. Hey, Fresh Prince, you get paid $20m per picture – go pick up a set of black studs at Macy’s for thirty bucks. An A- instead of A for that gaffe.

Johnny Cash Awards – for the all-black look

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Sean Penn – maybe the all-black was a statement in protest against all the “commie, homo-loving, sons-of-guns” in the audience. Not my favorite look.

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Jochen Freydank – “Congratulations to me! I can’t tell where my jacket ends and my shirt begins!”

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Eddie Murphy – “I am wearing all black because I’m in mourning. My career died after The Nutty Professor.”

Most Noticable Trend – The Skinny Bow Tie

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I have started seeing this a lot lately, and not just with formal bow ties and tuxedoes. Plenty of high-end and more affordable designer have begun making these skinny bow ties, an obvious derivative of the skinny tie so evident these days. Zac Efron obviously has caught on to the trend early, as have the following gentlemen.

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Team Edward has picked up on it as well. Robert Pattinson of Twilight was also seen sporting a skinny bow tie.

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James Bond (Daniel Craig – one of my all-time favorites) also sported a slightly crumpled version of the skinny bow tie. In addition, Craig went the untraditional messy look of the pocket square, bucking the “half inch of straight white showing” standard.

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And another British bloke, Dominic Cooper, chooses skinny over traditional Saville Row.

Mickey Rourke Lifetime Acheivement Award for Wanting to be Casual at a Black Tie Affair

Of course, Rourke would have won this easily for his white suit, open white shirt, no tie and necklace that paid tribute to his recently-deceased dog, but since it is named for him, we must go elsewhere.

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Danny Boyle had to know his movie was the odds-on favorite for most of the categories for which it was nominated. To choose to take the stage as the Best Director and with the Best Picture with a loose tie and unbuttoned collar is almost like trying to make a fashion statement that button-up-edness of the event is just not necessary. You weren’t asked to pick the dress code, bub. Stick with what you are expected to do.

Honorable mention:

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No comment necessary. If you don’t know what this is from, Google Joaquin Phoenix and David Letterman together.

Awards for the Most Room for Improvement (hey, I’m a glass half-full guy):

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Alan Arkin must have been so flummoxed by Philip Seymour Hoffman’s outfit and knit cap that he called him by the wrong name – “Seymour Philip Hoffman.” Was it supposed to snow inside the Kodak Theatre?

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Louis Gossett, Jr. just needs to go back to making Iron Eagle movies. Why was he even there? Was James Avery not available?

Overall, not a bad night stylistically for the men. Most were impeccably dressed and one could tell thought and precision and time were put into dressing for one of the most publicized and criticized nights of the year. There were many more names of men who did it correctly that I have not listed that could fill pages and pages. Hopefully this just provides a sample of what went right and wrong and hope that there can be some slight improvements next year.

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Most pictures taken from Yahoo!Movies

America and stylish men

Published February 23, 2009 History , Style Icons 2 Comments

It’s fashion season around these parts, in case you had not noticed: fashion week is upon us in Bryant Park in New York, awards season is here which means an abundance of designer outfits that will be worn one time and then donated to charity, Michelle Obama and her designer, Jason Wu, are getting a ton of press for their garments. But one thing late last week caught my attention.

In advance of their latest issue, GQ announced online their choices for the Ten Most Stylish Men in America. The complete list and slideshow can be found here, but below is a quick rundown of the men who made the list:

Justin Timberlake – entertainer – named most stylish man in America
Mark Ronson – DJ, producer
Alexi Lubomirski – photographer
Andre Balazs – hotelier
Kanye West – pop musician, aspiring designer
Sid Mashburn – haberdasher, Southern Gentleman
T.I. – M.C.
Glenn O’Brien – GQ’s Style Guy
Jason Schwartzman – actor, indie rocker
Ed Ruscha – artist, LA icon

I don’t by any means think that any of these men are not stylish. In fact, I applaud GQ for not doing a safe list with the same old names like George Clooney, Johnny Depp, et al. At least these are some men we may not have heard of before, and we are allowed to peer into the world of some new(er) faces.

But this list got me thinking about stylish men in America – more specifically, who I feel are the most stylish men in the history of this country. So while I have put plenty of thought into this subject before, never before have I put my thoughts down on paper (read: hard drive) as to my picks.

So I present to you, sticking with the theme GQ established, my most stylish men in the history of America. Presented in no particular order.

Robert Redford

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This is one of my favorite pictures of all time and is a paragon of timeless style at work. Despite the fact that this picture was taken about 30 years ago, look at the outfit: the slim jeans, the tweed jacket, the aviators, the boots – you could lift this right off of him and place it on someone today and it would work. Maybe we can leave the mustache behind, however.

Redford has always been one of the best of pulling off an outfit no matter what the time frame or circumstance. He seems to effortlessly accept what must be worn and pull it off with confidence.

One of the most underrated stylish movies, in my opinion, is Spy Game, with Redford and Brad Pitt. Redford’s style in the movie spans the Vietnam war, Germany and Eastern Europe in the 80’s, and 1990’s Washington DC. Watch it – the style journey within is amazing.

John F. Kennedy

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Imagine an entire country following a trend based on one day of one man’s life. Well that is exactly what happened after Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961. Kennedy braved a cold January day with no fedora or top hat, becoming what is believed to be the first president to do so. From that day forward, hats were no longer a staple in men’s wardrobes.

This day would eventually become just the first of many days that a country would look on this president as a style icon. Whether in his office, at home, sailing, or playing with the kids, his style was always impressive – some would say, presidential.

Dean Martin

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Probably the swankiest member of the famed Rat Pack, Dean Martin was known for heavy drinking and always looking good. Martin was famous for always having three things at his disposal – a cigarette, his legendary charm and the best clothes he could find. Ruling an entire town such as Las Vegas required as much.

But he and his gang would always be linked with the eat-drink-and-be-merry lifestyle of the Wes Coast in the 50′s and early 60′s. The tragic assassination of the man listed above sent a country into turmoil and a once-invincible man into a career decline.

Tom Brady

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A more modern addition to my personal list – this debonair quarterback went from relative unknown from Michigan to a Super Bowl-winning, MVP-dominating, model-dating, stylaholic.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to have the physique and body type that is of designers’ dreams, but whether in a post-game interview, on the cover of GQ, or walking around town delivering flowers on an injured foot, Brady exudes style. It’s almost like he tries, but knows he doesn’t need to try. There is an Italian saying known as sprezzatura, which essentially states that the confidence or nonchalance that one displays masks the effort it took to put work into something, therefore making that work look effortless itself.

That’s what I think of when I see Tom Brady.

George Clooney

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OK, I know what I said about him above, but he has to be on the list. Immaculate suits, well-cut tuxedoes, his patented open-collar look, three Oceans movie that revived the appeal of men’s warm-climate fashion – Clooney has represented or reintroduced too many iconic styles to not be included. Plus he has a villa on Lake Como – what is more stylish than that?

And remember, Clooney has not only become well-known for his attire, but for other individual features as well. Who can forget his ER days when he seemingly single-handedly brought back into style the Caesar cut. Since that time, his hair styles have made men many times over pray for more salt-and-pepper in their locks.

Andre 3000

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I don’t know for sure about this hunch I have – but I get this feeling that, when all is said and done, Andre 3000 (known for his time in Outkast) will be better known as a designer than a musician. Andre’s label, Benjamin Bixby, is inspired from pieces out of the 1930′s, and has recently earned him honors as one of the top new designers in America by GQ.

I guess you could describe his and his label’s style as hip-hop preppy, but you can get a better idea by just glancing at the picture above. A student of older generations, Andre draws on the experience and style of older generations he meets to inspire him in creating looks that transcend the time-gap and meld into modern, popular wear.

Cary Grant

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Yes, Cary Grant was born in England, but he became a household name in America as a movie star – often named on many lists as the greatest movie star of all time. Grant, for the purposes of this list, is the oldest, the original, and the best. All definitions of style, suave and gentleman should start and end with him. In fact, it has been rumored that Ian Felming’s James Bond was based in part off of Cary Grant.

Again, what a truly incredible example of men’s clothing that could be lifted right off of this photograph and onto the gentleman of 2009 and no one would think twice about it – simply timeless. Notice the subtleties that are evident, but that don’t stand out on their own such as the simple cufflinks, the barely-showing pocket square, one button done on his jacket, etc.

Paul Newman

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Wearing a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt was never a fashion statement until Paul Newman made it one. Always a man who kept things simple in fashion, perhaps the greatest thing we can learn from his style doesn’t have to be about clothes at all. Newman was a man who was comfortable in himself, and truthfully would have preferred just to spend most of his time like he is in the picture above. If a man is not comfortable with himself, it shows. It shows not only in clothes, but in attitude, in outlook and in lifestyle.

If you think of all the movies and appearances Newman ever made, you can probably not think of any one thing that stands out about the way that he looked or what he wore. The famous mustache and fedora in The Sting are about as close as you can get, I bet. Newman was never one to wow you with extravagance, but rather inspire you with simplicity and ease. He is man truly worth emulating.

Speaking out against accessory overload

Published February 19, 2009 Accessories , Basics , Recommended 2 Comments

Do you have any idea how many things you can accessorize these days? A quick Google search turns up within the first couple pages advice and options for accessorizing your cell phone, your iPod, your baby prodcuts, your hats, your bags, your dog’s clothes, your desk, your databases, your resume, and even your online avatar. And we have not even begun to breach the subject of accessories as it pertains to fashion or specific items of clothing.

Granted, you try and search for “accessories” in any search engine, and it’s not going to turn up much for your average male audience. But there are reasons for that…

When it comes to accessories, men admittedly don’t have the best track record. As a species we have endured the Tabasco tie era, the woven leather belt era, the overwhelmingly large diamond chain and pendant era, the calculator watch era and the Kangol era – and we seem to have fortunately come through it all intact, albeit demoralized.

We admit it ladies, we’re clueless. Your side of the gender equation does accessories so well and so effortlessly, we are intimidated and unsure of ourselves. We wear belts because we are told we have to, ties are an only-if-I-have-to affair, and don’t get us started on jewelry. It gets ugly in a hurry.

My philosophy on accessories is unabashedly minimalist. In fact, I can truly only think of five items a man must or might include in his regular wardrobe rotation. When it comes to how to wear these accessories, I believe the same minimalist approach applies. Men’s accessories can be a lot of things, but they should, at worst, go unnoticed; and, at best, effectively enhance an outfit without overpowering it.

Did you know that, according to Answers.com, the definition of accessory is “something nonessential but desirable that contributes to an effect or result?” Sounds like I might be onto something.

Below are my five safe accessories, accompanied by some visual evidence, with some notes on other items to follow.

Ties

By far my favorite accessory, you can catch a glimpse of my collection in the header photo above. Generally speaking, there has come to be a standard operating procedure when it comes to colors of men’s suits – with rodeo clowns, gangsters and Craig Sager having exemptions. So unless you fall into one of those categories, you are typically wearing some shade of grey, blue or brown in your suit. In this paradigm, ties become the most visible piece that men can personalize or use to show character.

I love ties that are colorful, ties that have personality and ties that are unique. In a monochromatic monkey-suit world, ties should reflect a man or his situation. Is it time to be reserved, time to have fun or time to let people know you mean business? Let your tie do the talking before you open your mouth.

These days, the ties run skinnier than they have in days gone by, and that’s fine. Everything is moving slimmer these days to accommodate the fit of clothes that have become so popular. But don’t take that to mean you still don’t have choices. There are various degrees of width, what material to use (silk, knit cotton, etc.), what design or pattern you prefer (stripes, pin-dot, university, bowtie,  etc.), and a dozen other decisions to make when selecting your neckwear.

And while I know we will dive into this topic of ties in-depth later, here is a quick tie-wearing tip: when a tie is knotted and in its proper position, it should hang to the mid-point of your belt – not up to your bellybutton or down to the fly.

Sunglasses

My soapbox on sunglasses is to find a pair that you can wear that doesn’t make you look like you are always about to go roam centerfield or play beach volleyball. A classy outfit calls for classy sunglasses, and, trust me, there is something out there for you. Whether you prefer aviators, tortoise, the Ray-Ban style or any other model, try on at least a dozen pair before you settle. These should be an investment, not only financially but for your appearance as well.

I prefer Persol tortoise shells a bit on the thicker side. Persol is an Italian brand that has been in the U.S. for more than 40 years, and if it’s good enough for Steve McQueen and James Bond, it’s good enough for me.

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Belt

Nothing too complicated here – belts are a necessity, without many exceptions. You should have a combination of brown and black, while the more adventurous have begun experimenting with white, blues and canvas material belts.

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One important thing to mention: No matter what others may tell you, there is a difference between belts for business wear and for casual wear. Know the difference. Being in Texas, every time I see someone wearing their large cowboy belt buckle with their suit, I want to take it off and smack them with it.

Cufflinks

Admittedly not everyone’s cup of tea, cufflinks not only require an extra expense some see as unnecessary, but they also demand an investment in one or multiple French-cuff shirts. However, the opportunity cost here is that extra little bit of elegance inherent in wearing a suit with those French cuffs just peeking out the sleeve.

The best part about cufflinks, in my opinion, is that they provide a perfect opportunity to show personality. For example, I recently spoke to a close friend whose wife bought him cufflinks with the Caduceus, as he is close to finishing his medical degree.

Your links can also be a visible reminder of a personal moment or event with a story attached. From a sample of my collection, you can see a pair of mine you in the picture that are from my honeymoon six years ago in St. Thomas, the only tangible thing I have left from that trip.

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There is good news when searching for cufflinks – they certainly don’t have to be expensive. I have regularly purchased cufflinks from department stores for less than $40. In addition, some designers will sell French-cuff shirts with the colorful cuff knots you also see pictured. The pairs shown here are from shirts purchased at Brooks Brothers, and provide a colorful piece of flair when standard silver studs are not required. Another pair pictured (with the lions) came with a shirt from Express Men and didn’t cost a penny extra.

Watch

I’m not a watch-wearer anymore, and I really don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because I am addicted to my Blackberry that has the time right there for me, but I fear the true answer is more vainglorious than that.

More than any other accessory, I feel I would not think twice about spending some coin on a nice watch. A “nice watch” is truly a relative term as you can purcahse quality timepieces in the $1,000 to $50,000 price range, and above – but my standard is that I should be able to wear it forever.

I feel cheated by a number of watches I have purchased in the $100-200 dollar range as I have had broken straps, scratches and mechanical failures all within a year of purchase. Perhaps I will just go watchless until retirement and then treat myself. But when I am sipping my cappuccinos outside a coffee shop by the Uffizi, I won’t care what time it is anyway…

And in conclusion, a couple of notes on acceptable accessories, for those who have the wherewithall to experiment:

Pocket sqaures

When wearing a pocket sqaure, always remember, no matter how dapper it might look on you, it is there for another, better reason. First and foremost, it should always be offered to the lady nearest you who needs to wipe away some tears. Consoling someone in their time of need will always be more stylish than anything you can add to your clothes.

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Tie Bar

You don’t always want your tie falling out of your coat do you? Try pulling one of these off with a darker solid tie and a gingham or vertically-striped shirt.

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Scarf

Drawing again on my yearly climate, I don’t often have a chance to pull out the scarves, even during the winter. But there really are only about three ways to tie a scarf, with variations stemming from each of those. Enjoy.

Not mentioned at all above, because truly it should not even be a question, is a wedding ring. Don’t ever leave home without it.

Style Icons: Gianni Agnelli

Published February 16, 2009 Style Icons 2 Comments

In what I hope proves to be the first of many in a series on style icons, I chose to highlight a name that may be unfamiliar to many – the exceptions being if you are Italian, enjoy Eurpoean car history, a fan of Juventus football club, or a student of fashion.

If we were taking the SAT, the analogy would read like this — Gianni Agnelli : Italy :: John Rockefeller : America . A controversial figure who was a leader in not only industry but also innovation. In living up to his controversial persona, there is an interesting quote that says he was directly responsible for making aluminum and factories the materials by which Italy is represented instead of the traditional marble, bronze and paint.

You see, the Agnelli family owned and controlled the Fiat car company which (with all of its holdings) at one point represented over 4% of Italy’s GDP. By comparison, Rockefeller at his height of personal wealth represented just under 2% of American GDP. Agnelli was known for his desire to provide jobs for the people of Italy, as long as they met his rigid, structured standards.

Agnelli, before his death in 2003, was also known for a number of other things including being the owner of the famous Juventus football club, being a man devoted to his family and being a playboy (he allegedly had trysts with Rita Hayworth and Jacqueline Kennedy, although this has never been confirmed).

But in other circles, Agnelli was known as a fashion icon, fashion innovator and clothes savant. Here are two of the more famous pictures of Agnelli:

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Agnelli was famous for not only being one of the most elegant dressers on the planet, but also for adding his quirky subtle details to an otherwise, albeit fabulous, traditional suit.

If you notice on his left wrist in both pictures, his watch sits on top of his shirt cuff. This came to be his trademark as he was famous for saying he didn’t have time to lift up his cuff to take a peek at his watch.

Another detail not pictured here were his ties which he would frequently wear just off-center and a little loose (good image here).

Most of Agnelli’s clothes were made exclusively for him to his exact measurements and specifications, and, rumor has it, his grandson still wears his suits today. They were so elegantly made with such attention paid to detail that they can be worn as classic suits some 30 or 40 years later. And with Agnelli, it was a suit all the time, back when the suit was a man’s uniform and you dared not leave the villa without your coat and tie.

There is something to be said about a man who says he rarely had time to check his watch, yet was so deliberate about his appearance and so conscious of how he looked. As a man of stature, he dressed the part and never would disappoint.

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Sources: New York Times, Wikipedia, Biographybase.com, NNDB.com

Mixing sports and fashion

Published February 13, 2009 Online , Recommended 2 Comments

Ask the people who know me best, and they will say that outside my family and friends, my two deepest passions are style and sports. I actually used to dream of being one of the stat-nerds that agonizingly pored over numbers to develop player evaluation and projection systems.

But enough about the past few weeks…..knowing my two passions, one can imagine that if there are ever opportunities where these two worlds meet, I almost pass out with excitement.

Sports, frankly, does not get enough credit for certain fashion trends. Whether it is Michael Jordan introducing the baggier shorts and shaved head or the Michigan Fab Five donning the black socks in the early ’90s or MLB allowing baseball caps to be mass-produced, sports have set certain undeniable trends in motion that have either had their time come and go (black socks) or are still going strong (baseball caps).

Recently, I ran across a couple of things of interest that I thought might be intriguing to any fellow hardwood-haberdashery lovers out there.

Uni Watch

This isn’t really a new discovery by any means; I have been reading Paul Lukas for a long time. I first saw his semi-regular columns on ESPN discussing each upcoming sports season and the changes (good or bad) that had been made to each team’s uniforms.

That inevitably led me to his Uni Watch blog which is so chock-a-bock full of information, it will make your head spin. Anyone who writes about the “visual history of sports design” (as he calls it) and has categories for his posts that have to do with curling and rodeo certainly has my respect.

By far the most entertaining part of the blog is the regular appearance of the Uni Watch News Ticker which highlights all things old and new in the world of sports fashions, uniforms, logos, patches, color vs. color games, you name it…

And the tagline (“The Obsessive Study of Athletics Asthetics”) is priceless.

Update on NBA Dress Code

This short, but perceptive article appears in the latest issue of ESPN the magazine and is written by the Worldwide Leader’s Ric Bucher. While he certainly will never claim to be a style writer, Bucher (fairly level-headed and straightforward analyst) does a good job of contrasting the grumbling that was first heard when the NBA instituted its “business casual” code back in 2005 with the praise it is receiving today. While admittedly a bit of hyperbole, Bucher says that this dress code might have done more than anything to move away from the sweat-suit-wearing, large pendant necklace-hanging, Escalade-driving culture that was the NBA to more of a “Euro” style – where players are not mocked for wearing clothes that fir their body.

My favorite quote is from a 20-year-old Kevin Durant, who never was part of the NBA without a dress code, saying about guys who would have showed up wearing track suits or something similar: “That’s just not professional.”

Always happy to see somone notice that at such a young age.

Grounded

Published February 13, 2009 Uncategorized 1 Comment

Last night, on the train coming home, a homeless man came up to me and told me I needed to get rid of the tie I was wearing because it “just looks bad.”

I laughed and told him thank you for the advice.

It was a lime green tie with small, subtle blue designs. My grandmother gave me that tie. I love it – no way am I getting rid of it.

But a valuable lesson can be taken from this. Style will always attract comments and criticism, even when you think you might be immune.

You can’t please everyone.

Closet Essentials

Published February 12, 2009 Accessories , Recommended , Shoes 3 Comments

No, this isn’t a post about the essential clothing items that should be present in a man’s closet – that was discussed in my Basics post. But rather, what is it that every man should have in their closet at their disposal to use for the proper care and treatment of what might very well be a multi-thousand dollar investment (depending on the number of items you own).

Admittedly, I get a little obsessive about closets. Being someone who is in the first stages of looking for a new, bigger home to accommodate a growing family, it is a moment of stark self-reflection when the closet size is one of the first things I consider about my new habitat. Whenever I make my way to Ikea or the Container Store, I dreamily wander through the staged closets pretending I own them.

Twelve year old girls planning their dream wedding can’t hold a candle to me.

A man’s closet can be a number of things: it can be a place of hiding a la Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween…

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Or, a closet can be a place that you never want to enter; a place that conjures up fits of hysteria a la Katherine Heigl in 27 Dresses…

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But to me, a closet is a wonderful place. It is one part labratory, one part weapons cache and one part empty canvas. And any chemist or artist knows you must take steps to preserve your chemicals or your brushes and paints.

The same is true with a man’s wardrobe – and there are some very simple and inexpensive items that can aide in the care, storage and preservation of a man’s clothes:

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Drawers
Let’s start with the biggest item here, the drawers. Now, I understand that not everyone has room in their closet for large sets of drawers. I mean, if you’re living in a small studio apartment, you may not even have a closet. But the functionality of these drawers are two-fold – even if they wind up in the bedroom. One, they will inevitably save space. I probably have 30 sweaters, and living in Houston, I wear them three months out of the year – maybe. If I was to hang every one along with every pair of jeans, khakis and workout clothes I own, I would certainly have no room for the things that need to hang – dress shirts, suits, dress pants, etc.

Another value of drawers is that it allows you to fold things that need to be folded. Have you ever left a sweater on a hanger all summer only to come back in October, take it off, and find two large bumps on either shoulder? Hanging sweaters ruins the structure of the garment and it also provides a desirable target for moths.

If you don’t have enough drawers, buy some cheap, plastic storage bins and place them under your bed until you need them. In the winter, take out your sweaters and place your polos and t-shirts inside.

Shoe Shine Kit
You will also see in this picture a shoe-shine kit. This was given to me as a gift, and I love it. One day, we will get into the specific details of shoe care, but for now, know that your kit should contain a polish for black and brown, a couple of clean rags, a soft brush, and heel polish. Polishing your shoes, especially leather ones, keeps the material moisturized and prevents premature cracking and lines in the shoe. Touch them up about once every 10 days or so.

Wooden Hangers
In what some people call overdoing it, I call necessity. As mentioned above, wire and even plastic hangers can deform the shape of shoulders in shirts and suit jackets. Thicker wooden hangers allow for more shape to be contained, especially if you have to hang up something wet.

And it’s not an indulgence at all – one can purchase 25 for less than $30 by visiting places like these.

Shoe Trees
Moving back to footwear, the thing that aides most in shoe protection besides a shine is the shoe tree. These items, usually recommended in cedar, are also good for two reasons:

1. You walk around all day in shoes and you might wear them 3-4 days a week. You want them to fit as comfortably as possible. Inserting shoe trees as soon as you take them off at the end of the day helps keep the shape you spent all day forming in them until the next time you put them on.

2. Probably more important – the cedar counterbalances any odors from the shoe, helping in what is sometimes a very sensitive area.

Valet
This little box I keep on top on my drawers in the closet is a catch-all for random things that need a home: cuff links, collar tabs, safety pins, tuxedo studs, extra keys, watches, etc. The faux leather one in the picture was about $20 at Pottery Barn on sale. You can also readily find two-level valets with spaces for larger items like a watch or iPod underneath.

With these few items, your closet and, in turn, your clothes not only become more manageable and protected, but it also gives the room a bit more panache – something that is commonly needed from a room so often ignored.

The “polo” shirt

Published February 10, 2009 Basics , Recommended 2 Comments

One of the themes you will inevitably see running through this blog is based on my second post from Feb. 6 about the basics of a man’s wardrobe: how to collect them, what I recommend, and some relative costs. Today’s installment will focus on the “polo” shirt – with the quotation marks explained in a moment.

Another theme that I will expand upon later is the idea that every man can create and afford their own style. You don’t have to be the ultra-wealthy or -elite to have clothes that fit well and make you look good. In keeping with this, you will rarely see me recommend or suggest something in these posts that costs over $100 per item. There will be some unavoidable exceptions (such as shoes, coats, suits, etc.), but my pledge is to help as many people as possible develop an established and confident style, not just as many rich people as possible.

Anyway, back to the “polo” shirt. When people think polo shirt these days, the predominant thought is this:

polo-shirts2

And, perhaps, rightly so. These are Ralph Lauren Polo Shirts – with the horse-riding polo player as the insignia. But are these the first “polo” shirts – the orginal? No.

The reason I use quotes around “polo” shirt is because it was not originally designed for polo at all. More than 80 years ago, tennis player Réné Lacoste, concluding that modern tennis wear was too uncomfortable and restricting, designed a short-sleeve, half-button collared shirt for tennis wear.

It would not be for a couple of years of wearing this shirt that Lacoste would, using his common nickname of The Alligator, sew on the crocodile logo that is still universally well-known today. The shirt was mass-produced beginning in 1933.

lacoste-logo1

Not long after, these shirts would be adopted into the sport of polo as part of their uniforms and on-field dress to provide comfort from the thick, long-sleeved garments they were so used to wearing. It would not be until the 1970′s that Ralph Lauren would introduce his Polo shirt to his line of clothing.

Many years after being incorporated by polo, designers of golf clothing would begin modifying the tennis/polo shirt to fit the shape and movement of golfers, and as you may have noticed, these shirts are now the predmominant fashion on the greens and have been for quite some time.

So the sports lineage, all in the last century, looks like this:

Tennis –> Polo –> Golf –> Preppy Beer Pong

I probably own about 15-20 polo shirts in various colors and patterns, but there are two that I distinctly prefer; Lacoste and H&M.

Lacoste we have discussed. It went through a revolutionary design after separating from Izod in 1993 and has become an icon of young, modern well-fit style that still remains casual. With shorter sleeves, a smaller collar and slim-fitting sides and underarms, it represents modern casual fit. When selecting a Lacoste shirt, remember that you will be looking at shirts with European sizes, so you will have to be familiar with how to translate – but if you buy from Lacoste’s online boutique, they assist you with providing both sizes.

These polos will run you about $70-90 typically, but a quick glance on their site shows that select colors are on sale for about $59.

That also brings up an excellent point about Lacoste – you will not be able to find another pallette of colors that rivals the Lacoste brand. Any color you want you can find.

hm1

H&M is known worldwide as a purveyor of inexpensive yet stylish, and sometimes fashion-forward, clothes. This Swedish brand has stores all over the world, including more than 150 in the U.S. alone.

In the same mold of the Lacoste polo, the H&M shirt provides slim-fitting comfort, albeit with a bit shorter sleeve. I have bought at least three in the past year and not paid more than $20 for any of them. A favorite I have is a black, mercerized cotton polo that is great for indoors as well as outdoors. (Mercerized cotton is simply cotton that has been treated to make it appear more vibrant)

There are plenty of other affordable, well-fitting polos out there that I have not discussed – produced by labels such as Gap, J. Press and Hickey (customizable at $120). I recommend you spend some time trying on dozens of them from different outlets, finding the size and fit that is right for you. When you find them – stock up. They’re never going out of style.

My basics

Published February 6, 2009 Basics , Recommended 4 Comments

Going off of my post from yesterday, not long after I give someone my 15 style rules/guidelines, I inevitably hear the question:

“So where do I start?”

A simple question like that lends itself to a simple answer, so I developed my corresponding 15 basics that every man should own. You can find a list of basics for a man’s wardrobe at any of the sites under the blogroll or a thousand other places, but this is just my spin on a list that has proved tried and true:
1. A gray and white t-shirt
2. A blue and black polo
3. A v-neck sweater in a neutral color (navy, grey, brown or black ideally)
4. The best-fitting pair of jeans you can find
5. The best fitting pair of khakis you can find
6. Brown and black belt
7. Brown and black shoes that are good for multiple outfits
8. One great suit (can’t go wrong with navy or grey, especially pairing items with it – and makes sure you take it to be tailored)
9. One navy blazer (dresses up a lot of things, including jeans)
10. Slim cut white and oxford blue dress shirt
11. Two solid ties
12. Athletic shoes (not tennis shoes or basketball shoes, athletic shoes)
13. An athletic/gym outfit
14. Socks – navy, black, white, brown, khaki, and argyle
15. One multi-purpose coat (think pea-coat that can be for casual or business)

So what are the rules?

Published February 5, 2009 Recommended Leave a Comment

From time to time I will have friends or acquaintances or friends of a friend ask me some sort of derivative of the following question:

“I have recently (started a new job/decided to update my wardrobe/been given money for new clothes/had my lady tell me to shape up or ship out), and I would like to know some guidelines on what clothes to buy, where to buy them, and what is in style right now. Can you help?”

Twice in the past few weeks I have taken on a task like this and led me to think about what would be best to offer someone who is looking for a crash-course in style. That led me to sit down and write my fifteen essential style rules. Some of these are completely my own, some have been stolen from other places, and some are a melding of philosophies taken from conversations, books, magazines, etc.

This will not say anything about what you should buy, but rather how a man should approach style – always with confidence. So without further ado…

1. Forget the rules. Style has nothing to do with rules or even guidelines, but rather how you choose to express yourself to people you see everyday.

2. Having style or being well-dressed is not about being noticed – it’s about the subtleties

3. No style is inherently wrong, but there will usually be only one style that is right for you. Embrace it.

4. Everything you are ever going to wear has been worn before (unless you are a runway model), so find a way to be original or unique. It could be in your socks, your tie, wearing something vintage, your accessories, etc.

5. Knowing how to dress for your body type and for your job are two of the most important points of reference from which to begin.

6. Manners and etiquette are as much a part of style as clothes will ever be.

7. Similarly, style is not just about what you wear, it is also about how you treat and take care of your body. Grooming is important.

8. It’s always better to be overdressed than underdressed.

9. Most people can’t invest money in the very expensive, elegant items – but investing time and care into what you do have will make those you do own last just as long.

10. The hierarchy: When deciding what to wear on any given occasion, my rules are: Host/Hostess/Event Type trumps Climate, which trumps Season, which trumps Personal Preference

11. Get measured. Everywhere

12. When it comes to keeping a good closet, follow this cycle: Acquire, maintain, keep (for a reasonable time), purge, repeat.

13. The only accessories a man needs are a watch, sunglasses and wedding ring. Pocket square, cufflinks and tie-bar are acceptable but not required.

14. “You judge a man by the shoes on his feet.” There is something to be said that there is no other phrase like this discussing other things men wear.

15. A quote to live by:

“Fashions fade. Style is eternal” – Yves St. Laurent

I hope this helps. And for more on my philosophy towards style, check out the About section at the top of the page.

 

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