Men’s Style Revival

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.