Step into Style

    This week I am going to be short and to the point.  My Uncle Harold told me once when I was younger that,” A man in suit and bad shoes is like washing your Cadillac without washing the tires; it brings the car down.” A man’s shoe is just as important as the rest of the outfit. We as gentleman owe it to ourselves to project our self image from our fedoras to down to our Cole Haans. Guys invest in your feet, not only for comfort, but style.

   If you only have two pairs of shoes make sure there’re black and/or brown these two colors are neutral to every ensemble you can put together. Invest in a good reputable shoe that can transcend any trend; usually a good lace-up shoe will do. And keep up with the maintenance of the shoe, meaning always cleaned and polished. Believe me it makes a difference; if you don’t trust me ask any woman. Until next week, stay “Style Connected!”

Respect the Tie

    Me being a style guy I totally understand trends, but I also respect classic fashion. Bow ties and Fedoras are the in thing now, but during the roaring twenties and the Harlem Renaissance they were acceptable norms for a classy gentleman. I know I should evolve with fashion and I do (often), but there comes a time when fashion evolution diminishes the classics and takes away the sole function of accessories. I relish in the fact that youths are accessorizing with classic style. It does my heart good to see young men in hand tied bow ties, oxford shirts, lace-up shoes, blazers, and fedoras showing pride in their appearances. But, some people are making a mockery of classic looks. I have a few pet peeves with some of the evolutionary trends. Please fellas! I beg of you not wear clip-on or pre-tied bow ties, don’t wear a bow tie with a t-shirt or a winter fedora with shorts in the summer; keep it classy.

If preppy is your look there are rules to that look also. When I was in high school we had an official guide to pull off the look, it was called The Official Preppy Handbook. Through an aggressive search I found the 1980’s publication on Amazon. It’s worth the investment. Until next week, stay Style Connected!

Presidential Style

    We all watched the Presidential Inauguration, if you missed it you apparently were out of the country yesterday. All of America was in awe over how perfect the Presidential couple looked. All the networks on television were giving their critiques on the First Lady’s and First Children’s dresses and outerwear, but no-comment was made about the man of the hour and his look. As I mentioned last week President Obama has pure “swag”. His style was elegant, yet simple. Our President was oozing style during the entire inauguration. Gentlemen he is an example that all men should follow; a perfectly tailored suit with two buttons and silk power tie. At the Inaugural Ball President Obama looked dapper in the all black tuxedo with satin lapels accented with a silk white bow tie. 

   While his is attire may cost more than the average man could afford, it’s still plausible that average man can secure the look. Now, Mr. Obama’s suits are custom tailored by Hartmarx, a 121 year old Chicago based company and the largest suit maker in the United States and is probably out of many of our price ranges. But to borrow TJ Maxx’s slogan, “We can get the look for less.” Gentlemen if you buy a suit off the rack get it altered to fit your dimensions. And you too will have the Obama look. Until next week, stay style connected!

Style vs. Fashion

    Style and fashion have two different meanings. Fashion is the layers of perfectly designed articles of clothing ensembled to reach a desired look or to make a statement. Style on the other hand is attitude and confidence a person displays through the fashion. I have noticed in our surrounding area there's a lot fashion and little style. We would think we could look for style in our elected officials and community leaders, but many of them fall short. Even though their jobs and responsibilities do not require them to be stylish, we do look for the attitude and confidence to be physically displayed. Our attire says a lot about who we are. Long gone are the days men took pride in their daily appearances. Throughout the twentieth century men cared about their look, many us like myself were raised by men who believed in wearing slacks, shined shoes, and yes, belts.                                           

    The question I ask is who are young men to look up to today for prominent examples of style? Professional athletes? Entertainers? Politicians? Very few can be considered style role models. To name a few that are able to hold that title in my opinion are the obvious; President Obama (we can call his “swag"), D L Hughely (traditional style and "swag"), and LeBron James (I just like his style).

    Gentlemen the elements of style are simple; fashion yourself in ways that display your personality. Stay away from silly trends. Wear clothing that fit; alter what needs to be altered: suits, jeans, and/or shirts. Style can be achieved through brand name designers to store brands it really makes no- difference. Have pride in the way you look, be confident and self assured and others will notice your style.

     Until next week, stay "style connected!"