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The style of Matt Lauer

The Today Show on NBC had an interesting piece the morning of June 18 – on the fabulous subject of ties. “How appropriate!” you must be thinking, seeing how it was three days away from Father’s day and ties are the paragon of male-holiday gift giving. And yes, that was the reason for the bit, but they had a unique angle to the piece as they focused on the reemergence of the tie as well as the tie collections and tie thoughts of two of the network’s most familiar faces: Matt Lauer and Brian Williams.

Both did a little ribbing of the other and of Al Roker, the host of the piece, and they posted extended video of the interviews online, breaking it up into specific pieces for Williams and Lauer. The piece that aired on TV is found here:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31423437#31423437

While the full video for Lauer can be found here:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31423437#31413418

All joking aside, Matt Lauer has become a fashion icon of sorts for many men in this country. Personally, I sport a similar hairstyle and quite enjoy his daily sartorial choices. I, however, never did pick up on the fact that his ties “always have some blue” in them.

Another interesting tidbit from the first piece is the interview with Adam Rappaport of GQ. When discussing Lauer, he comments that the Today Show host is neither fashion-forward or conservative, but rather covers himself like a “well-dressed European businessman.”

So at the urging of my wife and mother, and to satisfy my own curiosity, let’s dissect Lauer’s style at work and outside the office. Is he not fashion forward? Is he not conservative? Is he a European businessman? We’ll see.

Let’s start with his typical office wear – the suits. Suits are his uniform and it’s only on rare occasions that he has to dress like this:

I have been doing some research lately (i.e. watching some TV in the morning) and have discovered that Lauer is predominantly going to wear a suit that is a shade of grey. They trend darker in the NYC fall and winter and much lighter in the summer, but grey with some blue in the shirt and/or tie is a safe bet. Let’s start with this one:

Classic – that’s the word to describe this picture. A medium-shade of grey that truly could be worn year-round with the trendy and popular light blue shirt and solid navy tie. This is a suit/shirt combo you will see Lauer wearing on air as the light blue is best for TV lights instead of a white shirt.

But in this picture, Rappaport nails the description of being neither fashion forward or conservative. He is not wearing your traditional navy suit-white shirt-red tie presidential attire, but he is also not attempting the super-skinny tie or spread Windsor collar either. Notice the detail of the tie and lapel of the jacket being about the same width; that’s the sign you are dealing with someone savvy and sartorial.

This suit will work in 1959 and 2059 as well as it does in 2009.

Here is a suit for the colder months – a darker grey pinstripe, with an off-white or possibly very light blue shirt. A sign that the suit fits well is that one can tell that Lauer still can be comfortable despite sitting down, cross-legged, and arms stretched out.

Details are important here as well. The perfect dimple in the tie, just enough sleeve poking out from the jacket, and also displaying what is slowly become his trademark; the JFK-style white pocket square with only the simple, straight line of linen showing.

The tie gives this suit a modern look, but tell me you can’t see this same suit on Cary Grant circa 1950.

Again, the grey suit – but clearly wearing it out of the office this time. You can learn a lot from the little piece of this ensemble we can see. What can seem to be a very straight-laced, basic suit – the grey suit with white shirt – can always be dapper-ed up a little bit with some original flair or design in the tie, a man’s one true blank canvas with which to work.

Nothing surprising or revolutionary here – the straight point collar, the exaggerated pin-dot look – all modern in style, but classic enough to pass the test of time.

In the Today Show and in the interviews above with Lauer, it becomes clear that suits are not jut a necessity for him, but rather a comfort zone. He has to know he looks good in them, so in turn, he takes pride in creating and refining his look in suits. And don’t be fooled, his look is not all the work of one of the show’s producers or designers – it’s his own.

Now for some more casual wear, here are some examples:

Interesting outfit here in what is obviously a candid photo of Lauer. I am amazed at all the different shades that are in play here, yet they all seem to work, drawn together by an unconventional yet stylish pair of light brown cap-toes.

This does remind me of Europe what with the thick scarf, slim pants and sweater. On what is probably a cold spring night, Lauer certainly realizes bundling up doesn’t mean dressing down.

In what was probably not his proudest moment, Lauer was injured a few months ago, separating his shoulder swerving to avoid a deer on his bike in Central Park. But despite donning a sling for a weeks, he manages to still define casual-cool.

I have seen Lauer in this double-zip cardigan on multiple occasions. He always seems to match it with a dress shirt and jeans – all very clean colors and straight lines that carry a French/Italian feel to it as well. You can tell the jeans are well-fitting and not baggy or sagging – an important lesson for today’s man.

For what looks like a night out, Lauer chooses the dressier casual approach, with basic sport coat, crisp white shirt and flat-front dress pants. Again, muted colors, nothing flashy, clothes that fit appropriately, and making simple things work to look classic – notice a pattern here?

It’s funny how Lauer uses the white pocket square in this outfit. Where we discussed above how he chooses almost daily to show the small, straight line with his suits on the air, he decides in this picture to go with the more laissez-faire approach, with the “give it a tuck and go” toss into the pocket. It’s almost like he uses the white pocket square to help define what he is doing – saying I know how to separate work and play.

Other things I like here: the matching of the belt and shoes – always a subtle detail, the open jacket – gives off an air of casualness, and the orange cell phone cover – just for it being a little funky.

So the final verdict? Simple colors, clothes that fit to the body, attention to details, and a touch of modernity? All these things shout out European everyday couture, so I can’t help but agree with Adam Rappaport.

Lauer has style worth emulating, style that is admittedly his own.

Can’t keep it bottled up

Published April 21, 2009 Accessories , Basics , Casual , Recommended Leave a Comment
Tags: guidelines, pet peeves, style mistakes

I am as frustrated with society as a pyromaniac in a petrified forest.

- A. Whitney Brown

OK, so my frustration doesn’t exactly run that deep when it comes to something trivial like style. But last week at the gym, I was reminded of one of my biggest pet peeves concerning matters of satire.

I must preface what I am about to write with a reminder about context. I never have a problem with someone because they have chosen a particular style for themselves. But in each particular style, there are – rules is not the right word – standards that should be observed whether your style is classic, urban, preppy, or any other fashion choice.

Most of my pet peeves result from failure to follow the standards in a given style paradigm. Saying “I choose to present myself this way,” and then not doing that appropriately is what gets my blood boiling.

So, in no particular order, here are my top nine most hair-raising:

Same color shirt and tie

The inspiration for this post at the gym came when I saw a fine-looking gentleman getting dressed to head back to work in his business attire. He proceeded to put on a maroon-ish colored shirt with a tie that was an identical match in color and in material – undoubtedly bought together as a set.

A similar combination, albeit in a slightly more offensive color, can be found here for some idea of what I am talking about. The pocket square also gives it that extra little punch of formal obnoxiousness.

For my money, the only time your tie should match your shirt would be if you are attending a white-tie affair. Or unless you are this guy.

Pleats

Full disclosure: I own at least two suits that have pleats in the pants. I must admit this before I go further. These two suits are bought from well-known department stores and, believe it or not, almost a decade into this century, it is still difficult to shop at a department store and find suits that don’t come with pleated pants.

But, perhaps for personal reasons, I can somewhat excuse pleats on a suit because you will always have your jacket covering them. Otherwise, I just can’t stand them.

A perfect example of why is on display in the new May issue of GQ on page 36 in a section they now regularly run called Project Upgrade, where they take an ordinary guy off the street, and using the same style of wardrobe in which they found him, provide him with clothes that fit and look better – for the same price as the clothes he already owns. This month featured a 28-year-old golfer who entered with a pair of pleated khaki pants that looked so insanely wide and inflated, the magazine ran a disclaimer stating that they in no way Photoshopped or altered the picture of him in his pants.

You see, pleats (designed originally to allow more fabric to fit on a narrower piece of clothing) stretch pants out on the sides as well as the front when they are filled, and unnecessary bulge is created. This is certainly not what men want or need. Flat-front pants are cleaner, straighter lines that fit and sit better on a man. A straight line from the hip to the shoe is what should be desired, and pleats tend to distort that with extra weight and material.

Sagging Clothes

Note that this does not read “baggy clothes.” I realize and accept that baggy clothes are an integral part of urban wear and even some casual wear – baggy clothes are not usually acceptable for business attire, but they do have their place.

By sagging clothes, I really mean clothes that are falling off of someone, or pants that are sitting at mid-thigh or shirts that reach the knees – those are saggy clothes.

Is this really what you want people to see as you walk down the street? These people do have dedication to their craft, however, because they constantly must hold their pants with one hand to keep them off the ground.

Baggy can work, and work well. Flaunting your undergarments in public? That will never be in style.

Black With Khaki or Tan

Believe me, I see plenty of this around, especially by golfers and business-casual office workers – so there will be a lot of people that disagree with me here. More specifically, I am speaking about the black belt and shoes with khaki or tan pants.

For me, it’s about consistency. Khaki and tan are obviously part of the brown color family. We’ve all been taught or heard before that brown and black don’t mix, and while there are certain exceptions to that, a very light brown like khaki and a dark black, just don’t seem to be consistent with one another.

There are certainly a variety of opinions about this matter – check out this forum as a good example. But if I am making a list of MY pet peeves, it certainly makes the cut.

Buttoning Every Button on Suit Jacket or Sport Coat

For single-breasted suits, you generally have three options: three button (most common), two button (becoming more popular) and one button (rare). Any more than three buttons and you either don’t know what you’re doing or you are part of the Kings of Comedy tour. Ideally for a suit, you would have a jacket with two buttons. This allows longer lapels, a slimmer cut and more room in the chest.

No matter what type of suit you have, there should never be more than one button clasped on your jacket. Follow these guidelines:

Three Button Suit – only middle button should be clasped
Two Button Suit – top button should be clasped
One Button Suit – not much choice here

Double-breasted suits tend to follow a pattern of only needing to button the top row of buttons, just below the lapel. But please remember to button not only the inner button but also the one on the overlap – lest you have two huge pieces of fabric flowing at your side.

And for God’s sake, please stick with a traditional double-breasted suit at a modest length. Not something like this:

Ties that are too Long or too Short

A few simple guidelines here. This is where a tie should land when it is done properly; right at the middle of the belt buckle:

This tie worn by John McEnroe is definitely too long:

While this one is certainly too short:

And this one by Karl Malone at the 1985 NBA draft is WAY too short. But I certainly won’t be the ones to tell him that:

A few words about shorter ties. It was once, and in some circles still is, considered acceptable for a man to tie his tie shorter, especially if it was with a full Windsor knot. But it was also understood that if that were the case, men would also leave their jackets on and buttoned, thus not revealing the tie’s end. If you follow this philosophy, please always wear a jacket and keep it buttoned.

Jacket Sleeves that are too Long

Conventional wisdom on the dress shirt and jacket combo is that there should be about a half-inch of sleeve that peaks out from under the jacket at any given time. Too often, I see jackets that have obviously been bought straight off the rack and the sleeves that been left at their original length with no alteration. This is a simple clothier tailoring procedure that will cost you a few bucks and will keep you from looking like this…

When you should be looking more like this:

Both pictures taken from the following link:

Perhaps no other detail in a suit jacket lends more to one looking like they do not have a coat that fits than sleeves that are too long or short. Too long? You look much shorter than you already are. Too short? You look like you are holding onto something a little too long when it should have been retired about 25 washes ago.

Athletic Shoes with Everything

What is important to realize about shoes is that they are all made with a specific purpose in mind when they are designed and produced. Boat shoes are made with thoughts that they will be worn on boats and near water, basketball shoes are made to protect ankles and provide comfort during basketball, dress shoes are meant to look elegant with the suit (man’s most prominent clothing), and tennis shoes are made for – want to guess? – tennis!

So unless one is making a habit of playing tennis in their business-casual wear, or going for a run in a suit, the athletic shoes need to be saved for their appropriate time. Believe it or not, there are many-a-pair of comfortable, durable, walk-able shoes that work well with jeans, chinos and other casual clothes that are not an athletic shoe or tennis shoe.

For a more casual, jeans and t-shirt day, the Keds brand is actually beginning to make a comeback to the classic, simple shoes that work with many looks. For a mere $50 you can own the canvas shoe in about eight or nine different colors.

If you are thinking it is more like a jeans and dress shirt day, or a chinos and polo day, try one of the Cole Haan shoes with the Nike Air technology such as the Pinch Penny.

These are built to endure a lot of walking and provide comfort whilst doing so. Knowing that, there shouldn’t be any worries that you have to sacrifice comfort for style when not participating in sports.

So, unless you are a part of the “Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Weekend,” let’s leave the athletic shoes for the playing field and the gym.

Cell Phones Clipped to the Belt

Words can’t do quite the justice that pictures can in this case:

Really? Yes, that last item really does exist and is for sale. Apparently they are trying to attract the crowd that miss their house-arrest ankle monitors.

Seriously, this is why coat pockets were invented, right? To hold things such as cell phones. I recently read an interview with a men’s designer who mentioned that he is now keeping situaitons like this in mind when he designs clothes; making sure that pockets and compartments in jackets and pants are plentiful in anticipation of people wanting to be able to carry their phones and iPods and other gadgets without them being seen.

Keep the phones out of sight.

One Great Scene, Five Summer Must-Haves

Published April 15, 2009 Accessories , Basics , Recommended , Warm-weather Leave a Comment
Tags: shawshank, summer, summer style

As the weather where I am gets increasingly warmer, my thoughts have recently drifted off to summer – warm weather, beaches, tans and summer movies.

In my mind, not only is summer defined by things like movies, but movies define summer as well. There are so many iconic summer scenes in movies from Jaws to From Here to Eternity to National Lampoon’s Vacation, that it is clear life has begun to reflect art as we perpetually wait out the dreary, overcast winter months in anticipation of brighter and better days.

My all-time favorite movie is one that has absolutely nothing to do with summer or warmer weather, save for the last scene. Despite spending two-and-a-half hours in confinement with the prisoners at a cold, Maine prison, the last 30 seconds of The Shawshank Redemption leaves the viewer with a reunion of Andy and Red on a warm, summer day at a secluded beach in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. This place and time for them represented hope, a new life, a new beginning from the lives they had been forced to lead for so many years – much like summer represents for so many people every year.

Like so many famous summer movie scenes, summer fashion is also memorably iconic; it’s about swimwear, sunglasses, shorts and linen. It’s about boat shoes, polos and lightweight suits. And with all other seasons, there are certain things that are must-haves.

Using the last few seconds of that scene, and though the time-frame is 1967, I can spot quite a few summer items to own. So to segue into how this relates to style, I will make it very short and simple and use Andy and Red’s reunion to point out five summer musts for 1967, 2009, or any year. First, some reference:

Pause the video at 1:25 for a good shot of Red, and then pause the video at 1:32 for a good shot of Andy. Taking from these two snapshots and then adding one of my own, here are five summer essentials, the Shawshank edition:

The white button-up

While sanding his boat, Andy knows there is no better way to stay cool and still avoid the scorching sun than a white button-up shirt. The standard-issue summer shirt, this classic invokes thoughts of walking along the beach in a swimsuit with just one of the shirt’s middle buttons clasped as well as sitting down to an outdoor lunch wearing this shirt, jeans and loafers. Most commonly found in linen, cotton or poplin, the white button-up can be dressed up or down for most summer events.

Currently, Calvin Klein sells a well-fitting one in cotton (on sale for $33) that has just the proper slim fit in the torso and sleeves.

Shorts

When you live in a place like Zihuatanejo and have a business that involves a boat, you are going to be in shorts most of the time during summer. The trick in shorts is to find something that is comfortable in heat, but durable; shorts that fit well, but that are not too baggy or long. No matter what the shorts (swimsuit, casual, athletics), your shorts should come to just above the knee. Just no denim, please. Not in 2009.

A pair like Andy is wearing are classic: khaki colored, not too baggy and durable – perfect for cleaning the boat or taking someone out in it. For a modern, affordable pair of shorts, check out Tommy Hilfiger’s canvas Brooklyn Short. They are available in three colors, are plain and flat-front and a perfect fit.

Loafers

I have had the flip-flop debate with many people in the past, and my stance continues to be as follows: You can appropriately wear flip flops three places – the beach, the pool and at a community shower. That’s my list.

Andy would certainly have been within his rights to wear flip flops, being on the beach, but you can tell that he has put some thought into the fact that since he will be doing other things, such as climbing on a boat, he needs appropriate shoes – and not only appropriate for the activity, but for the season.

Loafers are also one of those multi-purpose items. They can be paired with shorts, jeans, khakis, or a number of other options in the summer. And don’t just think about brown when you hear loafers; blue and white have become very popular colors in recent years.

Here is a more modern, funky version of the loafer from Guess. The pattern on top provides a little unique-ness from your standard penny-version and comes in three colors.

Weekend Bag

If you are taking a short summer trip (or if you don’t own terribly much, as in Red’s case), you need a simple, no fuss bag that you can throw in the trunk and take on a weekend excursion to your favorite spots. You never want to be carrying around the large suitcases or suitbags or trunks when you will just be gone 48 hours, so take some advice from Red and learn to pack light for your travels.

As can be expected, bags will run you a bit more than your average shirts, shoes or shorts, but that should never deter you from finding value in something that is so practical.

If you are looking for your first weekend bag, check out Fossil’s new Nevada duffle bag. A perfect size for a couple of changes of clothes and a pair of shoes, you won’t need anything else for your weekend getaway.

Sunglasses

While not appearing in our scene from above, I am assuming Andy’s sunglasses are lying next to him on the boat when we see him again. He also wore a nice pair while driving his convertible to Mexico, so that can suffice for our needs as well.

Sunglasses need no more explanation as to why they are a must. The only hard thing about them is what to choose. Tortoise shell or solid? More square or more round? Aviators or wrap-arounds? There are endless choices.

For a classic, structured, summer style, give the Kenneth Cole Reaction aviators a glance. Metal frames and the double support bar mean more durability, and quite frankly, I don’t know if you can find a cooler-looking pair of sunglasses for the price. These sell for $55 online.

So as warmer weather and debating shorts makes me hope for summer and what always seems like the best time of year, Andy sums up my thoughts well. If you feel like I do, and you’ve just about had enough talk of dismal times and dark days, hope always provides some freedom:

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

Sine Die

Published April 8, 2009 Accessories , Finds , Recommended 1 Comment
Tags: sine die, texas, ties

Being a Texan (and still living here), you have to look long and hard for fashion innovators or designers that can trace their roots back to the Lone Star State. You have the incredible Tom Ford, who was born in Austin and raised in Houston; and then you have Chloe Dao, winner of Project Runway season 2, who has her flagship boutique, Lot 8, about five minutes from where I work.

And that’s about it.

So whenever I see some style worth noting originating from my state, it always excites me. Knowing that much, when a colleague introduced me to a site called Sine Die, I was instantly intrigued.

Sine Die, Latin for “without another day,” is the phrase that signifies the adjournment of a regularly-convened or special session in the state legislature, and has been a fixture in Austin jargon for years. The company’s founder, employed for years on the Capitol, took the phrase and combined it with the cannon from the Gonzales Flag to create a logo that adequately symbolizes the past and present Texas; a beginning and end, if you will – the cannon representing the genesis of the State of Texas and Sine Die representing the end of a tireless work session.

As of this writing, Sine Die is solely a purveyor of ties, although their website claims that it is a “homegrown clothing company.” Perhaps that can be read as a sign of planned expansion or growth.

The ties strike my fancy for a couple reason:

One – they seem to follow the pattern and fit the mold of your traditional Hermes or Ferragamo ties, with the unique color/pattern combination. But instead of fluffy bunnies or dinosaurs like you see in the links above, the symbols on the Sine Die ties represent something unique or experiential about Texas such as oil gushers, cannons and even kolaches – a tribute to the Czech infusion of the 19th century.

The kolache tie

Second – while your Hermes and Ferragamo ties run about $160-$170, the Sine Die ties are less than half of that at $68 per. Granted, the more expensive labels are importing handmade, Italian, silk twill products; the version on Sine Die’s website states that these are also handmade from silk, so you will not be sacrificing much in quality – just that you will not be able to say that your tie’s silk is from the mills in northern Italy. But how often does that really come up in conversation?

Currently, the ties can be ordered from the website or, apparently, bought at a shop called Lone Star Legacies in Austin. Hopefully other locations will pick them up soon as well.

And in case you are thinking, “isn’t this the type of thing I will find one day hanging in a gift shop at the airport with other bits of Texas frippery?” My answer is, I don’t think so. To announce your product claiming quality, style and a laissez-faire (said with a Texas accent) attitude means you have greater things in mind.

I showed these to my father last night, and his response was to tell me he thought he was going to go order about five of them. Some for himself, and some as gifts. While I am not saying you need to go buy five, give one a try, and let me know what you think.

UPDATE: My father did end up buying two of the ties and I had a chance to inspect them the other day. As expected, it is a lower quality grade of slik than, say, your Hermes or Ferragamo, but the tie itself is a good medium width, it seems durable, and the design in real life (not in pictures) work well with the colors. So far I give it a thumbs up.

Put a lid on it

Published March 30, 2009 Accessories , Cold-weather 2 Comments
Tags: baseball cap, driving cap, fedora, hats, rain hat

Back when I wrote about my top list of the most stylish men in American History, I mentioned one day in history, January 20, 1961, that, perhaps more so than any other day to that point, changed a nation’s collective mind about their fashion sense.

At noon on that January day, John F. Kennedy chose to give his inaugural address to the nation after publicly taking off his stovetop hat. And while it may seem trivial, this would have been the first inauguration to be televised to any significant number of people. So when Kennedy purposefully stood up and took off his hat before taking the oath and speaking, all of a sudden, the new, young, hip president had taken a men’s paradigm and completely dismantled it.

You see, in case you are not aware, it is cold in January in D.C. So Kennedy not wearing a hat while he spoke meant he had to make the decision to uncover his head and keep it that way, bucking the trend of the fedora always being worn outdoors and for any occasion.

Let me briefly offer some photographic proof to this point. First, a picture from a baseball game in 1955:

You can see that the large number of men in the crowd wearing fedoras or other kinds of hats. Compare that to this 1962 photo of (who else?) JFK throwing out a first pitch at a baseball game:

Sure, there are still some men wearing hats in the picture, but I am certain in saying that the majority here are no longer wearing them.

And one could argue the point that the first picture is taken when it was colder weather, so more hats were needed, but the second picture was taken in Washington D.C. on April 9 – not necessarily the warmest time of the month there either.

From that day forward, for better or worse, men’s traditional, dressy hats began to fade from style and from public view. But it was not only hats that were eventually lost; we also lost a time when men knew how to WEAR hats.

Fifty years ago, men knew how and when to wear hats. They knew their function – to protect the head and eyes from various forms of weather. Men knew to take their hats off indoors and when you met a lady. They knew that they were to keep the head warm in the cold or to shade their heads or their eyes from the heat and sun.

Hats, fundamentally, are not terribly functional when you consider them outside of the weather. They mess up men’s hair, they get messed up when you lean your head back in a chair, they shade your face, etc.

But in the past forty years, we have forgotten most of these rules as hats quickly made their way out of the typical men’s daily wardrobe. In fact, when the next major moment in men’s headgear would arrive 25 years later, we as the male species would be so unprepared and unfamiliar, that we had no idea what to – and ended up failing the test miserably.

In 1986, New Era Cap Co., the primary manufacturer for Major League Baseball’s on-field caps, as well as a manufacturer for countless other minor- and independent-leagues, was given permission to mass-produce MLB-licensed caps to the public. For the previous ten years, New Era had experimented with individual, special orders through magazines and periodicals, but nothing to the scale or price of hats being available at every mall Foot Locker in the country.

As should have been expected, the country’s macho obsession with their favorite teams in the stadium spilled out into the everyday streets and everyday wear. And over the past 25+ years, it has reached the point where hats have evolved from an accessory of necessity to the horrors you see on the heads of males across the country.

So in true revival form, here are my guidelines for hats that are appropriate and not appropriate and what occasions call for them.

Let me address baseball caps first. You should wear a baseball cap if you are on a field playing baseball. That’s it. You want to throw one on while you walk down the street to check the mail or go drop off the overdue movie? Fine. But let’s please not make a habit about of incorporating a baseball cap or other similar chapeaux into outfits. There are a few derivatives of baseball caps (such as visors) that are acceptable in certain sports – and in these sports only: tennis, beach volleyball and golf. Notice the similarity to baseball? They are, of course, played outside

A popular hat some 60-70 years ago has recently made a fashion comeback, but in an altogether different use. Celebrities have recently taken possession of the driving cap and made it into a fad.

These hats were originally intended to do just what the name states – protect the head and shade the eyes while driving. That’s not to say that they can’t be used for other ventures (I recently wore mine in Moscow, and my warm and cozy head thanked me). But now, every Hollywood A-, B-, C- and D-lister wears one with their sport coats, skinny jeans and white shoes.

If you own or desire to own one of these, you have plenty of options of price and location to buy; just not in where they should be worn. GAP sells one for about $20 online, albeit in just one color:

Searching a little deeper J. Press also has one for $60 that can be purchased via their website.

Living in Texas, one thing I get plenty of throughout my week is cowboy hats. I can think of a few places where they are acceptable, so please consider this list as comprehensive. You can wear a cowboy hat if you:

1. Work on a ranch/farm
2. Participate in rodeos
3. Are an actor that requires a cowboy hat for a particular part

Feel free to refute me if you like, but to me this seems like the list. But if you need to purchase one for some reason, try a Texas institution like Cavender’s. Their basic line of cowboy hats run from as expensive as $200+ down to about $50. Just don’t make a mistake like this:

As discussed above, the traditional, classic men’s hat for business wear was the fedora for years. It was a staple of the suit and it was in the same class as wallet and briefcase as items you had to have when you left the house.

But in the past five years, the fedora has seen a mini-revival, although not in the business-suit sense. In the past few months, I have seen everything from American Idol hopefuls to Oscar hopefuls in this “new fedora,” with celebs from Brad Pitt to Hugh Jackman buying in.

Looking for a fedora? Banana Republic has, at $60, several variations available - but most of these still don’t look like the “business suit” style:

fedora1

fdora2

fedora3

For more styles, including some that will correspond well with suits, or any other style for that matter, try the website for Hats in the Belfry. You will find what you are looking for there – all for under $100.

One last version of hat worth mentioning is the rain hat. This hat is a call-back to olde english and reminds me of Mackintoshes and the rainy streets of London. When an umbrella just won’t do the job, a rain hat could be necessary. But, much like most of the hats above, this has a very limited responsibility – to be worn in the rain. Nowhere else.

If you’re looking for one of these, may I suggest Brooks Brothers, who sells one for a very reasonable $38.

Above all, remember: Hats do have a place, but that place is not indoors. When you come in, remember to always take it off.

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.

persol1

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.

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.

links

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.

tie-bar

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.

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…

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…

27-dresses

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:

closet3

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.

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