Posts filed under 'Men'
Q: I’m so sick of the club "uniform" - dress shirt + jeans combo. I was wonder what else could I wear that will allow me to stand out while looking classy?
A: In order to stand out from the crowd, either dress up or down, but stick with one and do it all the way. Of course, there is a little bit of wiggle room, but if you want to stand out, just don’t plant yourself right in the middle of the “formality†scale by wearing a structured blazer, dress shirt and dark blue denim.
I think the dress shirt/jeans combo is so popular because guys consider it to be that “in between†look. They think (incorrectly) that by wearing a button down, they are dressing up, but by wearing jeans, they are also keeping it casual. Their mistake is thinking that the shirt is the piece of the outfit that defines the formality. In reality, the pieces of the outfit that define formality are actually the pants and shoes. You could wear a suit jacket, a dress shirt and a tie, but if you wear shorts, it’s still a casual look. Or maybe they’re doing it because everyone else is doing it. Either way, don’t follow their lead.
I don’t know what you define as a “club.†(In Tokyo, a “club†is what we in America would call a strip club.) If you’re going to a place mainly for drinks and atmosphere (e.g. museum/art gallery openings, lounges, restaurants for nightcaps, etc.), dress up. The look, summed up in three adjectives, is this: rakish, refined, and clean.
Try a dark monochromatic suit (color ranging from medium gray to black) with a white shirt and a tie. Don’t wear a tie narrower than 2.5 to 3 inches in width at its widest point. The trend of the moment, one that I embrace, is a dark, solid colored tie. Try a tie in charcoal or medium gray, but don’t match the suit color entirely; it looks too calculated.
As for accessories, the idea here is minimalism: skip the belt. The pocket square is up to you. You can wear your watch, but only if it’s subtle.
If you want to make the look more casual, skip the tie. Or you can skip the jacket altogether and wear a vest instead—but only if all components of the suit are from the same suit (i.e. don’t wear a medium gray pants and a charcoal vest). As always, fit is absolutely key. If your suit doesn’t fit, you’ll look like you’re trying too hard. Tom Ford (left) does it right, as always.
On the other hand, if you’re going to a place where dancing is central, dress up by dressing down. I say this more for practicality rather than for style. Wear jeans, but mix it up by wearing jeans that aren’t blue. A great pair of gray jeans can go a long way. Slim chinos, like those by Mason’s (available at Barney’s New York and Douglas Fir), are also a great alternative. In Milan, you will see men wearing navy chinos instead of jeans.
Also, don’t be afraid to wear a blazer (roll up the sleeves to casualize it); again, just don’t wear a formal, structured blazer over a button down shirt and blue jeans. The trend of the moment is a horizontally striped crewneck tee. The gentleman in the gray jacket (right) has the right idea.
Last tip? Tuck in your shirt.
Have a great tip about what to wear to a club? Share it with us in the comments!
Pictured: Tom Ford Photo (left) and Gentleman in Gray Jacket (right), both by Men.Style.com.
April 16th, 2008
Plaid became trendy again this past fall/winter, and it looks like it’s here to stay for one more season. Here are five of the best summer plaids for men:
Engineered Garments Plaid Woven Shirt | $144 at Bloomingdales (in store only)
Engineered Garments got their name from a pattern maker who claimed that the clothes were not designed but rather engineered due to the amount of detail put into each article of clothing. Translation: these clothes are fantastically constructed. This piece was adapted from last season’s long-sleeve version of the same shirt.
How to wear it? Plaids can be “intense,†so follow a simple layering tip and wear something monochromatic over it. By physically hiding part of the shirt under, say, a black or charcoal peacoat, the shirt serves as a colorful, bold accent, and it isn’t overwhelming.
A.P.C. “Plaid Shirt†and “Plaid Belt†| $140, $100 at A.P.C.
A.P.C. offers a shirt and belt with the same plaid pattern on it. While I like them individually, I don’t like them worn together, even though the model does it. It looks too calculated when you have an outfit that has parts that match exactly. To complete the outfit, I would recommend wearing brown pants like these Mason’s chinos because it picks up the peach in the plaid shirt. The plaid shirt and the chinos combine for a great casual summer look. Note that A.P.C. runs a tad small, but this is a summer shirt, so the fit is more classic (read: looser). As a point of reference, I wear a 40†jacket and I buy a large in A.P.C.
Mike and Chris Hyperion Gingham Shirt | $121 (sale) at Tobi
Part of the allure of plaid is its boldness, right? Mike and Chris prove that you can do plaid in a subtle – but not too subtle – way. This piece features a large gingham pattern in faded grey and white. Style tip? This white/washed grey is a growing trend, especially featured as a horizontally striped pattern, for both men and women.
Gant has been pushing strong in its comeback and is really rising in the ranks. What I love about this tie is that the pattern and width makes it versatile enough to travel from the office to a night out in New York.
YMC Gingham Plimsoles | $89 from OakNYC
That’s right: the plaid trend has even hit shoes. These shoes, by You Must Create, or YMC, aren’t for everyone. But then again, plaid isn’t either.
Want more plaid inspiration? We’re loving these men’s and women’s plaid outfits from the Sartorialist.
April 9th, 2008
How do you know if the suit you want is worth its hefty price tag? While there are a lot of things that go into a great suit, there are two quick tests you can do on the showroom floor to help you determine the quality of the suit.
Wrinkle Test: A quick way to test the quality of the wool from the suit is to grab the cuff of a pant leg and firmly squeeze. That’s right: I’m telling you to purposely try to wrinkle the wool. If, after a minute or so, the wool remains wrinkled after you release the pant leg, we recommend you move on to a better quality wool suit.
This wrinkle test becomes important after a day at the office, during which you sit at your desk, elbows – and jacket – bent. To all of the investment bankers out there: You may have stayed at the office overnight, but you don’t have to look like it. Get a suit that passes the wrinkle test. Disclaimer: If you just throw your suit on your bedroom floor, even the best ones will become wrinkled.
Canvas Test: Between the exterior cloth and the lining of the jacket, every proper suit has a layer of cloth called a canvas. High quality suits will have this canvas hand-sewn into the jacket. Lesser quality jackets use a process called fusing, in which the lining is, essentially, glued to the jacket. The canvas is entirely hidden, and you cannot see it unless you literally rip the jacket open. Some designers will tell you that there are new innovations in fusing that make the fused jacket just as good as hand-stitched ones, but I’m not entirely sure if I believe them. A jacket with a canvas will fit better, especially across the chest. Plus, the canvas also gives the lapel its roll.
How to tell if your jacket has a canvas? Find the part of the jacket in between two button holes. Gently pinch the two sides (exterior and interior sides) apart. If you can feel a third layer in between, there’s a canvas. If you can’t, the jacket is fused. Style tip: Price doesn’t equal quality, so don’t assume that every expensive blazer has a canvas. I recently saw a $1,300 blazer in Barney’s that failed the canvas test.
Pictured: Anthony Peak Wool Suit | $1795 at Ralph Lauren.
April 2nd, 2008
We asked: Would you wear Skinny Jeans?
You said: Yes to Skinny Jeans, with 62% of the vote.
Style tip? Dark wash jeans are going to be the most flattering, as they visually slim the leg. For a fresh look, pair a voluminous top (jacket or shirt) over your skinny jeans for a big-over-small look.
Next question: Trenchcoats are a classic that never really go out of style. The twist this season? Bright colors. Would you wear a brightly colored trench? Cast your vote on the sidebar!
Pictured: Earnest Sewn Cigarette Leg Harlan Jeans | $185 at 80s Purple.
March 31st, 2008
You may have voted pro-Plaid last week, but do you know your plaids? Plaids all have criss-crossed horizontal and vertical stripes, but not all plaids are created equal.
Houndstooth
Houndstooth is a two-color pattern characterized by broken checks or abstract-looking four-pointed shapes. Style tip? Try a fitted houndstooth blazer paired with a solid colored shirt for contrast.
Glen Plaid
Glen Plaid is a variant of houndstooth with contrast striping.
Style tip? Glen Plaid is a bold choice for suiting, especially if you don’t want to look like every other guy in the office.
Prince of Wales Check
Prince of Wales Check is version of glen check, usually with a light blue overplaid.
Style tip? Wear it with a light blue shirt for best results.
Herringbone
You’ll know herringbone by the zig-zag pattern made by the alternating diagonal rows.
Style tip? Herringbone is a heavy fabric, making it a prime cold-weather choice for suits.
March 25th, 2008
We asked: Would you wear Plaid?
You said: Yes! A whopping 77% of you voted in favor of Plaid.
Style tip? Plaids can be loud–but they can also be quietly sophisticated. Try a glen plaid (pictured, left) for a whisper of plaid.
Next question: Despite how tough they are to wear, skinny jeans remain on the fashion radar. But would you wear skinny jeans? Cast your vote on the sidebar!
Pictured: Martin Glen Plaid Cuffed Wide-leg Trouser | $59.99 (sale) at Banana Republic.
March 23rd, 2008
Q: I just got plaid pants (straight cut), but I don’t know what to wear them with! Here’s what the fabric looks like. Please give me ideas about what to wear with these pants.
A: We have good news and bad news about your plaid pants. The good news is that you won’t really have to spend a lot of time putting an outfit together when you wear these pants. The bad news is that it’s because you won’t have a lot of options. When pairing shirts with these pants, stick to solid, simple colors. As always, we would suggest a crisp, white shirt (tucked in). Shoes should be casual, but don’t wear sneakers with these pants. Try loafers or Tod’s drivers instead. Oh, and avoid patterned shirts or jackets, or else you’ll end up looking like an optical illusion.
Plaid like yours is bold, especially on a dressier piece of clothing. Last season, Tom Ford had a three-piece plaid suit that was particularly eye catching (shown bottom right). Then again, is there anything from Tom Ford that isn’t? He probably could find some way to make what amounts to a Hanes white undershirt fashionable, price it at $400, and it would sell out.
Wearing plaid pants with patterns can be done, as the gentleman in brown (pictured top left) proves, but it’s difficult to do, especially without a matching jacket.
Our advice for next time is to buy the entire suit, not just the pants. If you want one piece of the suit, buy the jacket, as it’s more versatile (you can wear it over jeans, chinos or wool trousers, if you’d like). When you have the whole suit, it can become a very chic piece; however, separating the jacket from the pants is much trickier.
Have a great tip about what to wear with plaid pants? Share it with us in the comments!
Pictured: Man in Brown Linen Suit by The Sartorialist and Tom Ford Suit by the New York Times.
March 19th, 2008
Spring is around the corner, so welcome it in style with these seven investment-worthy wardrobe upgrades.
The Tom Ford Inspired Shirt
Tom Ford Suit and Shirt, photo courtesy of Men.Style.com.
It’s an understatement to say that Tom Ford does everything bold. (Have you seen his ads? And the ones in US magazines are the “toned down†ones; check out the UK GQ for the real deal) So it shouldn’t be a big surprise that his spring collection is particularly eye-catching. Unfortunately, not all of us can a) afford Mr. Ford’s clothing or b) pull it off. We love the shirt in this suit set. Wear it under a solid colored blazer, such as charcoal, grey—or white, if you have that certain je ne sais quoi. Two more affordable options: the Secret Wash Point Collar Shirt in Large Gingham ($64.50 at J Crew), and a shirt with the same pattern (albeit of a lower quality) for a little less than $100 at Club Monaco (not available online).
The Slim Fit Polo Shirt
Michael Kors Striped Polo | $175 at Neiman Marcus
Polos are a staple of any gentleman’s casually cool spring summer wardrobe. Some designers to watch: Ralph Lauren’s spring line always resonates with color, and their rugby pieces have been recently increasing in popularity. Lacoste is celebrating its 75th anniversary by putting an oversized alligator on their classic polo shirts. Burberry has done two things we’ve loved over the last couple of seasons: (1) they came out with a slim-fit line of shirts, and (2) they’ve toned down the pretentiousness factor (i.e. they’ve gotten rid of that signature Burberry check on the front button placket on some shirts).
Bloomingdales sells a great rugby-striped, slim-fit, ultra-soft cotton polo by Burberry, which unfortunately isn’t available online. If you find it in store, check it out in the white/gray colorway. But similar to this Burberry shirt is the Michael Kors shirt pictured above.
The Perfect Chino Pant
Mason’s Chinos, photo courtesy of Men.Style.com.
As it gets hotter, jeans become a little too heavy to wear. Instead, try these chinos from Mason’s. They’re slim, rich in color and are sans pleats and cuffs. Perfect for any event not held at a country club.
The Lightweight Blazer
Soft Blazer | $165 at Oak
When it gets chilly at night—or you need to dress up for that dinner date, you’ll want to wear a blazer. If you’re looking for a new one, we recommend this blazer by OakNYC, as it’s a great lightweight summer choice. Style tip? The trick to instantly casualizing anything, especially coats (even trenchcoats) or blazers, is to push up the sleeves. Note that pushing is not the same as rolling– rolling up the sleeves will wreak havoc on finer jackets.
The Low Top White Leather Sneaker
Common Projects Sneakers | $264 at Revolve Clothing
The perfect casual summer shoe is a low top white leather sneaker. I recommend a slip on by Common Projects (a style that is in fashion at the moment, but not in stores yet). The pictured sneaker, a low-top lace up, is a close substitution. Well made and comfortable, Common Projects shoes bear no logos. Instead, each shoe is individually numbered in subtle gold writing. Style tip? When wearing white sneakers and dark denim, beware: dark denim is often dark because of a powder coating. This powder will rub off onto your shoes (and shirt, for that matter).
The Trenchcoat
Modern Glen Plaid Straight Trenchcoat | $198 at Banana Republic
Springtime welcomes warmer weather—but it also brings rain. When storms hit, you’ll need to keep dry. This single breasted trench by Banana Republic will do that for you. Note the glen plaid design, which keeps things interesting.
Even though its spring, it can still get chilly at night. You’ll want to have a casual, lightweight jacket like this reasonably priced one by Banana Republic. It’s only available online in black - the picture doesn’t quite do it justice - but we suggest looking at the cream color, which you can see but not buy online.
March 12th, 2008
Q: How do I pick out an aftershave or cologne for myself? What is the difference between the two? How much is too much, and how do I figure out how much to wear?
A: Even though aftershave and cologne can smell the same, they’re two very different products. Aftershave is meant to condition the skin after shaving, so while it is scented, it contains conditioners to heal your skin after a close shave. Cologne, on the other hand, is purely for fragrance. As such, cologne has a much stronger, longer-lasting scent than aftershave.
How much is too much? While you can splash your face with aftershave, your coworkers will be able to smell you from across the office if you do so with cologne. Cologne is best applied in small quantities—a dab here and a dab there is enough.
Picking a scent is really a personal process. We would recommend going scent “window shopping†first to familiarize yourself with the variety of scents out there. Spray the fragrance on the paper cards provided at the store—that way, you’ll be able to distinguish between the colognes. (Plus, you’ll keep your wrists and arms scent-free.) Give your nose a break in between sniffing each fragrance. And take your time—the process of elimination to find the perfect scent doesn’t need to be done in a day.
Once you get down to the top three to five fragrances, you’ll need to actually try them on. Everybody has different personal chemistry, so a fragrance smells different on different people. Your perfect fragrance will be one whose smell you love—but one that also works for your personal chemistry.
Have a great tip about how to pick a fragrance? Or would you like to share your favorite scents? Share your ideas with us in the comments!
Pictured: Polo Ralph Lauren Eau de Toilette | $47.50+ at Sephora, Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme | $40+ at Sephora, Rochas Eau de Toilette Spray | $44 at Sephora.
March 4th, 2008
Q: I just got myself dark brown skate shoes (Vans), and I don’t know how they should look. How do I look cool in them?
Feeling the love for this outfit? Here’s more information about it.
A: Whether you’re a college undergrad or you’re a working guy looking for a breezily chic weekend look, here’s what to wear with brown skate shoes:
Jackets: Bring out the color of the shoes with a casual jacket in a dark brown or chocolate brown hue.
Shirts: With the dark brown skate shoes, you can wear anything from a t-shirt to a polo shirt to a button-down sport shirt. We like the look of a brightly colored polo (in cobalt blue, bright green, or even orange).
Pants: Jeans are a no-brainer, as their casualness matches the attitude of the shoes–but don’t discount khakis or cords here for a little variety.
Accessories: For an extra punch, you can add a secondary bolt of color with a brightly colored belt.
Have a great tip about what to wear with skate shoes? Share it with us in the comments!
February 26th, 2008
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