"Trendy"

This is not a Provo-related post, per se, but nonetheless something that has recently interested me. I've been thinking about the word "trendy." For me, this word has a wholly negative connotation. When I think of things that are trendy, I think of things that are passe, out of style, and boring. When I think of people being trendy, I think of shallowness, caprice, and a lack of creativity. Basically, trendy signifies (to me) being on the tail end of a trend at best, and getting caught up in a vapid, flavor of the week at worst.

But I get the sense that not everyone shares my impression of this word, which genuinely surprised me when I realized it. I began to realize this when I was covering a brutal rape case for the newspaper. After raping a woman, a guy held up a children's clothing store called "Trendy Tots" (or something like that). Though it was beyond the scope of what I wrote about the case, I was always perplexed by that store name; why did they basically call their store "Out of Date Clothes"?

But Laura was just telling me that for her mom, trendy doesn't have a negative connotation (or, at least, didn't). So what is going on? Is this just a generational thing? A regional thing? Are you reading this, thinking I've completely gotten it wrong?

(After reading through what I just wrote, I realize that my underlying assumption is that once something is "trendy" I wouldn't want to wear/use/subscribe/etc. to it. Or, trendy means something is over. Is that a common impression?)

Men’s Fashion Tip For December

For this month’s fashion tip I’m going to begin what may be an ongoing series on choosing a suit. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing a suit but, judging by the suits I see on men around town, not many people pay attention to them. Obviously that can have negative repercussions; a sharp looking suit will connote success and confidence, but a bad suit can be a significant handicap.

For this first suit-oriented tip I’m going to focus on venting. When buying a suit it’s important to look at the jacket and determine how many slits it has in the back along the bottom. These slits are called vents and there are basically three main types of venting: no vents, single vents, and double vents. (This is also true of most sport coats and other jackets as well).

The most flattering of these styles is double-venting. A double-vented jacket will have two slits, just behind each hip. This style looks more European and typically has the greatest slimming effect on the body. It makes the wearer look more athletic and its lines suggest the ideal masculine shape. This kind of suit also suggests a classier look; because it requires more effort to make (more cutting, sewing, etc.) it looks more expensive (and sometimes, but not always, costs more too). All of these factors combine to give double-vented suits a sleek, flattering, modern aesthetic.

Though I prefer double vents, I more commonly see single-vented suits. These suits will have a single slit in the center of the back and the style is characteristic of looser, more billowy American suits (as opposed to European styles). When I recently asked (the incredibly talented tailor) Lady Danburry why this kind of suit is so common she speculated that it is because they are easier, cheaper, and faster to make, especially by machines. Not surprisingly for suits that have emerged under those conditions, these suits are less flattering. Of course, the single vent can be used to make the suit slimmer and more tailored, but depending on body shape it usually won’t compete double vents. (This style is particularly unflattering when paired with the great fashion travesty of the century: pleated pants).

Finally, suits with no vents are often the least tailored. They’re basically cylinders cut out of fabric and are less flattering. In fairness, some would say they look more formal than single-vented suits (more like tuxedos, for example). They can evoke a particular kind of retro vibe as well; Cary Grant wears one in North by Northwest for example. Still, double and single-vented suits can look equally retro and formal under the right circumstances and have the advantage of actually being attractive too.

Ultimately, then, a double-vented suit is going to be the most stylish choice. Though people in professional and social settings probably won’t consciously note how many vents your suit has, they will be impressed by a man that looks especially sharp and well kept. It should also go without saying that a better looking suit leads to greater confidence, which is in turn a key ingredient for success. So the next time you go decide to revamp your wardrobe remember: venting matters and there is no fashion neutrality.

November Fashion Follow-Up

Re-reading my November fashion tip I was struck by the fact that it seemed to suggest that the only good coats for winter were wool pea coats. While that type of coat (as well as coats based on it) are certainly cool and functional, there are also many other kinds of coats that can be worn effectively and stylishly.

 

One type of fabric that I personally have come to appreciate is canvas. For example I have a green, lightweight canvas jacket that I got from H&M. It’s not jean material, but it’s 100% cotton and has kind of a quasi-military look (except with a flattering, double vented-cut). Though I purchased this coat on a study abroad in England two and a half years ago, all the H&Ms I’ve been to have had equally stylish, if different, cotton jackets.

 

Cotton, of course, is not as warm as wool and it doesn’t wick water away like wool does. However, a cotton coat can be cheaper than a wool coat and if you’re just using it for short periods outside it shouldn’t be a big deal. My H&M jacket is definitely more autumn attire, but I still wear it during the winter, just with more layers.

 

The point here is that in addition to wool coats there are number of other things that work. Ideally, everyone would own numerous pieces for every possible occasion. Since that isn’t the case it’s a good idea to get a few coats and jackets that have some flexibility. My H&M jacket, for example, is decidedly less formal looking than my black coat. I can still wear it to work, but I can also wear it out to see concerts or just to hang out with friends. If I need something more professional or formal I’ll go with my coat.

 

Ultimately fabric choice is extremely important when choosing a winter coat. Find a vendor that has some variety and assess how you’ll be using the coat. In keeping with November’s fashion tip, I’d say that a pea coat is a good first choice because of it’s versatility, functionality, and style. However, if you’re branching out from there consider something that addresses a completely different need. 

Men’s Fashion Tip For November

It’s cold and it’s time to choose a coat. Don’t make the mistake of choosing something that’s warm but ugly.

When choosing a coat it’s important to consider all the factors that have driven you to the store in the first place. If you’re buying a coat it’s probably cold outside, or about to get cold. However, while a coat that is functionally warm is important, it isn’t the only thing that matters. Just like any article of clothing, a coat says a lot about your personality, profession, avocations, etc. Accordingly, it's essential to balance function with form. What cuts flatter your body, for example? What colors are appropriate for the settings in which you’ll be wearing the coat? Which fabrics are going to be functional, affordable, and stylish? As you think about these questions keep in mind that surviving the cold may be the least important benefit of a coat. After all, when was the last you ate a meal solely because you needed the sustenance to survive? Thankfully most of the readers of this blog are not starving to death and they should likewise consider that a winter coat is only ostensibly about avoiding hypothermia.

My preference when it comes to winter coats is to go with something classic. Wool coats tend to be warm and going with something like a pea coat will almost always look sophisticated and urbane (ironically perhaps, given the pea coat’s origins as attire for sailors). There are also numerous coats out there that are based on the idea of a pea coat, but which offer varying degrees of modern flare. These kinds of coats also usually have the added benefit of coming in black or dark colors, which is an absolute must if you live in a place cold enough to actually need a winter coat.

On the other hand, one of the greatest fashion travesties of our day is the development of synthetic fabric coats, or perhaps more precisely, the way that these kinds of coats have developed. Though the 1970s and 80s saw some interesting designs that have moved into the realm of retro-chic, most modern synthetic coats seem to be crafted under the delusion bodies should be round and fashion is irrelevant. Perhaps the epitome of this phenomenon is Gore-Tex, which is theoretically a good idea but also almost always used in coats that are too puffy and unflattering. (Gore-Tex was appropriately parodied on this episode of Seinfeld.) While Gore-Tex is a stand-out offender, modern synthetic coats generally tend not to be well fitted. They also often have a baffling array of colors or shades of the same color. (Again, theoretically sound, but it always just ends up looking passé.) In the end, ask yourself a few basic questions about your coat: does it make overtures toward your body shape? If you plan to wear it anywhere besides your backyard, does it communicate the image you’ve been cultivating? How will it cohere with the rest of your wardrobe? What is it’s level of formality? (This is also the great weakness of non-wool coats: they're generally too casual for anything but leisure activities. A pea coat, on the other hand, looks great with jeans or business attire.)

Ultimately, if you happen to be riding a dogsled to the North Pole this year, go out and find a coat that was made using the latest and greatest thermal technology. However, if you’re a typical guy who will just be wearing your coat to as you walk to school or work (or maybe just out to your car), keep in mind that fashion is at least as important (if not more so) than function. And never forget, there is no fashion neutrality.

Men’s Fashion Tip For October

With its cool temperatures, brisk breezes, and cloudy skies, October is the perfect month for…accessories! If you’re a typical guy, the word “accessories” might conjure images of handbags, jewelry, or any number of items more commonly used by women. However, while those things are indeed accessories, there are also a number of men’s items that can add charm, sophistication, and class to an outfit. This month, given the cooler temperatures, I’ll focus specifically on hats (and implicitly on scarves as well). 

 

The primary use of hats and scarves, at least in cold weather, is probably to retain heat, so the first trick to choosing an accessory is to make sure it actually does what it’s supposed to.  That may seem obvious, but for the hat or scarf to fit the outfit it also has to look like it provides warmth.  For example, I recently saw a guy wearing a Panama hat on a cold and cloudy day. Because Panamas are typically worn in warm weather near coasts, they guy actually looked colder and more out of place than he would have with a bare head. The same could be said about many kinds of loose, thin scarves that are currently out there; they might look cool but before adding one to an ensemble make sure it looks autumnal or winter-esque too. This is a pretty basic rule, but we have to start somewhere. 

 

The next two rules for choosing a hat or a scarf go hand in hand: make sure your selection exhibits cohesion with the rest of the outfit, and make sure to bring a sense of history to your choice.  First, cohesion means ensuring that the accessory you’ve chosen blends well with the colors, cuts, and (most importantly) formality of the rest of the outfit. If matching colors and cuts should be fairly obvious, formality may not be. With the exception of the baseball cap, hats tend to dress an outfit up. That can be great, but keep in mind that wearing a beret or a flat cap with grubby wear can look incongruous. Though it’s not necessary to wear a suit and tie with most hats, it is worth trying to spread formal and informal pieces throughout the outfit so you don’t look like a casual dude with a bit of gentleman perched atop your head. 

 

Similarly, bringing a sense of history to your hat and scarf selections is essential.  Before choosing what kind of accessory you’re going to wear (or buy), ask yourself when that item was commonly worn. Most likely the item’s heyday was not today, due to the waning use of accessories and the increasingly casual nature of men’s fashion in the western world. However, depending on which time period you’re drawing from you can sometimes get away with a slightly anachronistic piece. 

 

For example, for a long time I felt that fedoras were a serious fashion faux pas. Though some famous people manage to look decent in a fedora from time to time, I usually saw them on Indian Jones fans’ head.  Fatally, these fans often pared their hats with t-shirts, or (worse) sneakers.  The problem with this combination isn’t simply that it illogically mixes layers of formality, but also that during the fedora’s golden age t-shirts were thought of as undergarments. Consequently, a fedora would never have been paired with a t-shirt, historically speaking, and if most people haven’t watched enough film noir to consciously know that, they will recognize a person who has no sense of history when it comes to choosing an accessory. 

 

Recently, however, I have seen a few (admittedly older) men wearing fedoras with more somber suits, and I was surprised at how sharp these men looked. I’m not sure that a young person could pull the same thing off (again, unless you’re a celeb on the red carpet), but the incident drove home the point that with the right outfit you can get away with a lot. 

 

Still, history is important and many kinds of hats only work as costumes. For example, unless you’re a magician, a flamboyant celebrity, or the star of your local production of A Christmas Carol, you probably shouldn’t be wearing a top hat. Assuming the wearer makes a careful selection, an unofficial rule of thumb I like to follow is this: the hat style you’re thinking of needs to have been common (a.k.a. not a costume) during the lifetime of someone who is alive right now. That gives you at least 70 or 80 years into the past to draw on, and potentially even more.

 

Picking an accessory is tricky, not least because wearing this type of clothing is increasingly becoming an anomaly.  However, asking yourself about an item’s functionality, formality, and historical origins should at least provide a basis to work from as you go out into the cold winter.  And remember, there is no fashion neutrality.   

Mens Fashion Tip For September

For a long time I’ve simply taken for granted the fact that autumn is the best season for fashion because you can layer, but don’t have to wear cumbersome winter coats.  Then, today, I walked outside and saw a guy wearing a terrible sweater and realized that like any season, fall is a blank slate.

 

That brings us to this month’s fashion tip: layer, but do it intelligently.  As the word suggests, layering means you can wear lots of different things at once, creating a more complex look than might be possible (or, at least, appropriate) for summer.  For example, you can combine common place items like sweaters, sport coats, jeans, slacks and scarves to achieve a young professional look, a bohemian hipster look, a libriarian chic look, or an infinite number of styles. 

 

The point here is that fall is like the French Revolution of fashion: suddenly that tyrannical summer heat has gone to the guillotine and you’re free to start with a whole new set of values.  Consequently, if you’re in the mood to reinvent your image or simply try something new, fall is the time to do it; you can mix old styles with new ones and the comfort of retaining something from the past will mitigate the intimidation of change. 

 

While layering can be an effective way to spice up your image, it can also pose some dangers.  The biggest of these is probably that wearing layers can easily begin to add bulk to your figure, making you look fat or frumpy—hardly the desired effect of anyone.  If, for example, that sweater and sport coat I mentioned above are fairly thick, they could end up adding two inches to your girth.  As the weather cools even more and you add a coat on top, you could end up looking bigger and bigger, subsequently turning the fall French Revolution into a grotesque fashion Reign of Terror.  Don’t let that happen. 

 

The most obvious way to avoid this problem is to layer with slim, lightweight garments.  Even if the weather is quite cool, three or four thin layers should provide enough protection until winter.  Obviously all of these layers need to fit well.  Personally, I love sweaters but I’d say that at least half the sweaters I see out there are loose and poorly shaped, which in turn hides the more attractive form of their wearers’ bodies.  (No matter what your body shape, wearing a poorly fitted sweater makes you look worse.)  If you start out with a sweater like that, it’s going to be almost impossible to do anything for the rest of the ensemble.  The same goes with ugly, passé pants. 

 

Besides fit, another way to counter the “added bulk” problem is to make sure that most of your body is lightly but uniformly covered, thereby reducing the amount of skin coming in contact with those chilly autumn breezes.  What I mean is that to stay warm you can either put on tons of coats and sweaters, or you can wear a coat, sweater, scarf, and hat.  I was once told that 90% of a person’s body heat escapes through their head.  While I doubt the number is actually that high, the point is that by wearing a hat and a scarf you will actually need to wear fewer layers on the rest of your body.  You’ll look slimmer, and you’ll be wearing a fashionable hat and scarf (look for a future tip about choosing cool-weather accessories).

 

In the end shop around and use fall’s transitional weather to experiment.  Last year, for example, I got an $80 sweater at Banana Republic for less than twenty dollars on sale.  It wasn’t really my typical style, but I experimented and mixed it with things that were, and the result was something that I felt was flattering, fashionable, and new (which obviously made me feel good and gave me more confidence, which is one of the goals of good fashion).  That it was cheap and easy also attests to the fact that fashion is not difficult or exceedingly esoteric.  In the end, then, remember, you can look great and there is no fashion neutrality.  

(Belated) Men’s Fashion Tip For August

I’ve been washing my own clothes since I was nine years old.  I started doing it because I felt that my mom wasn’t washing them well enough.  Sometimes they’d shrink.  Other times they’d fade.  Though I occasionally had those same problems myself, at least I could spend the time to do whatever was most appropriate for the garment.  In turn, my clothes have generally held up well and looked nice for a long time.  (This isn’t to say that I always look nice, but to suggest that the clothes I’ve taken care of don’t wear out quickly.)

 

Which brings us to last month’s belated fashion tip: take care of your clothes, guys.  While that may seem like a simple, or even obvious statement, I’ve found that many guys don’t have a clue about how to take care of what they wear. 

 

The first, and most basic, part of taking care of clothing is knowing how to wash it and washing it yourself.  If someone else is washing you clothes for you (mother, wife, girlfriend, roommate, etc.), you’re already doing something very wrong.  It’s important to wash your own clothes because you (should) know how they fit and (should) have the largest stake in making sure they don’t shrink or fade.  Conversely, if you don’t wash your own clothes don’t be surprised when that cool new shirt you got is suddenly three inches shorter and two inches wider.  So, check the tags and sort the colors yourself.  Again, this may seem basic, but if you don’t want to look like a dork all the time it's the very least you can do.

 

The next part of taking care of your clothes is acquiring an awareness of what kinds of fabrics they’re made out of (again, check the tags).  Most of my clothes are made out of cotton, and if you’re in the same boat you might want to consider taking some extra precautions.  For example, if you have a cotton t-shirt and you ever put it in the dryer, it will almost certainly shrink.  Also, most cotton clothing continues to shrink indefinitely.  It’s true that most of the shrinkage will occur in the first few washings, but that process may never stop.  (How much and how long your clothes continue to shrink depends greatly on the quality.  A three dollar t-shirt will become ridiculously deformed after two or three washings, while a twenty dollar t-shirt will last much longer.) 

 

Similarly, if you have dark jeans (which are perfect for the cooler weather!), they will continue to lose color as long as you have them.  This frustrates me to no end, but if you want proof just go to the nearest thrift store; most of the shirts will be short and wide (i.e. very shrunken), and most of the jeans will be very light (i.e. faded). 

 

For cotton there are a few things you can do.  First, always wash anything cotton in cold water.  Second, hang dry your clothes.  (Hang drying is also cheaper and environmentally friendly.)  Third, if you have a colored garment, wash it inside out.  Taking precautions like these won’t keep your cloths in mint condition, but it will extend the life by months or years. 

 

The other big thing you can do to preserve you clothes, no matter what they’re made of, is hand wash them.  I was lucky enough to learn all about hand washing while in Brazil, but my sense is the few people have hand washed something before.  To hand wash something you can either go out and find all the proper materials (washboard, ringer, etc.), or you can just find a clean bucket.  The easiest way to do it is to fill the bucket up with cold water and a little soap (don’t use too much), and let the clothes soak for a while (I let them soak overnight when I have time, or for an hour or so if I don’t).  Then gently plunge the clothing up and down in the soapy water, making sure the they’re moving against each other and that water is moving through them.  When you’ve done that for a few minutes, empty the bucket out and fill it up with clean water, non-soapy water and repeat to rinse.  Finally, hang them to dry. 

 

Some people might express doubt that that this process gets clothes clean because its not mechanized, but in fact you can actually get things much cleaner by hand washing.  In fact, I often hand wash my favorite clothing both to preserve it and to keep it fresh. 

 

Ultimately, the point is that to look presentable you have to be conscientious of you clothes even when you’re not wearing them.  A hands-off approach to clothing care will leave you looking like a fool.  (When it comes to fashion I’m reminded of the old quote “I didn’t say it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.”  So true.)  And remember, there is no fashion neutrality. 

Men’s Fashion Tip For July

If you live anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere summer is now in full swing.  That means it's time for less clothing, lighter colors, and a more relaxed look.  While that’s probably not news to most men, what may be surprising is that July and August are not designated as two months for looking like a douche.   

 

First, I’ve always felt that the hot summer months are the hardest to dress for.  Warmer weather means fewer layers, which means that A) even fully clothed, the body is more visible, which for most of us is a mixed blessing at best, and B) clothes are what they are (in other words, you can’t use a classy scarf to dress up some grubby shirt—in the summer its just going to be a grubby shirt).  Still, the summer offers a bounty of fashion possibilities, even if they do require some creativity and awareness of common faux pas.  Try taking a holistic approach to your look as you balance comfort with flattering clothes that tell the world what you want to be saying.     

 

Specifically, for this month’s fashion tip it might be most useful to concentrate on the lower body.  While most upper body clothing can go over well (or very badly, depending) in the summer or any other season, July is the month for shorts.  Unfortunately, however, most guys have hairy, spindly legs that, depending on your ethnicity, may also be astonishingly white.  (At least, that’s what my legs look like after a long cold winter.)  While one of the best things you can do for your legs is to exercise and tone them, the second most important thing is wear flattering shorts.  Given the recent popularity of guys slim/skinny jeans, I’m guessing we’ll be seeing more and more slim/skinny shorts this summer (and next) as men begin cutting them off.  Given that a sleek look is also still relatively fashionable, this is probably a safer bet than, say, khaki cargo shorts from several years ago.  (Quick tip: just don’t wear khaki.)  Indeed even if you aren’t Michael Phelps or Lance Armstrong, avoid shorts that are too baggy and hide your figure; unlike many women, men’s narrow hips can actually be emphasized by tighter clothing to make even heavier guys look slimmer.  On the other hand, shorts that are too baggy can make a guy look thick and out of shape, even if he’s relatively fit. 

 

When it comes to the kind of shorts you wear, I’d suggest avoiding cargo shorts altogether.  Like everything, this point is a matter of taste, but I know that I got my first pair of cargo shorts in 1997 which means they were probably out of style at least eight or nine years ago.  If you have a bunch of little things to carry around maybe you need them, but I can’t say I’ve met many people who use the extra pockets enough to warrant looking so passé.  What’s more, most cargo shorts I’ve seen simply aren’t flattering.  They hit at awkward places (like the middle of the knee, which is a terrible place for shorts to hit), and are almost always too baggy.  Wear them camping if you must, but when you return to civilization put on civilized clothing. 

 

The other big area for summer fashion is the foot/ankle area.  For many men, this is an area with great potential: low cut socks (or no socks at all), can flatter slim ankles and, consequently, make calves look more athletic.  If you don’t have great ankles however, avoid some of the more obvious summer shoe/ankle mistakes.  For example, if you wear tall socks with shorts, bring a sense of irony to the outfit.  Get socks with a retro stripe somewhere on them or that are atypically tall.  In any case what you cannot do is simply wear the same socks you’ve been using all winter with long pants.  Short socks with low cut shoes will probably be more flattering than tall ones, but if you go that route be aware that it’s a fashion statement.  If you aren’t wearing socks at all, you’re probably in good shape too (just deodorize your shoes now and then).  (I’m not going to get into sandals here, but certainly there is a lot of potential there.  Just don’t do obviously stupid things with them.) 

 

Finally, as I said in June, for a little money you can look a lot better.  Summer is great because less clothing means even less money.  And remember, your clothes really are a statement.  There is no fashion neutrality.

Men’s Fashion Tip for June

First, I realize that many, many men do not like to think about fashion.  I don’t know how many times I’ve heard them say “I just wear what is comfortable,” or “I don’t want to expend the energy thinking about my clothing.”  These statements seem to stem from the mistaken belief that something like “fashion neutrality” exists.  Well, men, it doesn’t.  Everything we wear is a statement.  You may not be thinking about that statement, or you may not want to, or you may not be capable of thinking about it.  I don’t know.  But if you refuse to put forth the effort to think about what you’re wearing (something that really takes almost no effort), you’re probably broadcasting to the world that you refuse to do other, more important things.  And while no one wants to look terrible all the time, mistakenly aiming for “fashion neutrality” is the surest way to achieve a disastrous image that will be prejudicial in just about any setting.  Also, remember that comfort is relative; it has to do more with being accustomed to an article of clothing than any objective cut or style.  (If you don’t believe me, switch styles for a month.  For the sake of experimentation, try wearing skinny jeans or something else radically different.  When the month is up I bet you’ll be more comfortable in the new style than the old one.) 

 

So, think about what you wear.  One way to start doing that, now that it’s late spring, is to not dress like an old man in 1995.  One of the most common articles of clothing I see on men at this time of year is the pleated pant.  Worse, I often see pleated khaki pants.  If you wear this type of pant, please STOP NOW.  It is hideous, and no matter how good you think you look, you’re wrong.  I understand that the dotcom boom of the late 90s made casual wear acceptable all over the place.  What I don’t understand is why that casual wear had to make everyone look fat and ugly.

 

Luckily, that was ten years ago.  Today it’s permissible to wear light, spring colors in relaxed cuts, without looking like you’ve got two hot air balloons around your legs.  So avoid pleats, as a pleat-less pant is slimming, professional, and athletic looking.  Also, be creative with colors.  Khaki is ugly.  It was designed, if my memory serves, for the British Army to wear in 19^th century India.  So if you’re in the British Military and stationed in India, go for it.  Otherwise, try something else.  I recently got a modern looking pair of brown pants that has a light pinstripe.  Those stripes make a huge difference.

 

Just remember, for a little bit of money at infrequent intervals you can look a lot better.  This translates into success in every field of life.  And remember, your clothes really are a statement.  There is no fashion neutrality.