A Holiday Outfit in Bad Taste

outfit in bad taste

If you’ve followed any of my forum ramblings over the last few months – or took the time to read yesterday’s article – you may have noticed that I’m struggling with the idea of good taste as it relates to the Great Machine that is Fashion. And more recently, I’ve bee struggling with the very existence of ugly Christmas sweaters, which I loathe. Since I refuse to buy one of the latter, I thought I’d try to put together a look that was nonetheless a silent middle finger directed firmly at the holiday season. I’ll share it with you here – you’re welcome in advance.

First: velvet. Really expensive velvet, because the holidays are about spending money. This Berluti DB jacket will look even better if you refuse to button it. As the one gesture of obeisance to the Rules, I’ve included the very necessary linen pocket square, without which no iGent would ever be caught. A cotton chambray bib-front shirt from Margiela will look fantastic under the jacket, especially when paired with an onyx bolo tie.

Pre-distressed jeans from RRL round out the vaguely Western theme we’ve stumbled into, and zip boots from Carol Christian Poell add an extra bit of unpleasantness. They’re the perfect boot to wear with an outfit that makes no sense – remember to consume conspicuously, my friends. While these aren’t black lizard cowboy boots, they’re fulfill a similar purpose while hopefully looking less polished. And since you’re not cool enough to wear them in the first place, it doesn’t matter that they’re always sold out everywhere.

Finally, Tom Fords syrupy Black Orchid also reeks of sex and money. I’m a big fan of Tom Ford fragrances, although they’re about as far from “meek” as you can get. They’re big, juicy, and in-your-face – kind of like the rest of this ensemble. I think the whole thing is absolutely perfect for your next holiday party.

The only problem is that after picking all of this stuff out, I want to wear it head-to-toe. I figured I was crazy or suffering from burnout, but after sending the above to both Arianna and Fok, they both informed me that the outfit looks pretty awesome. Maybe I’m on to something here. Here are the details:


1. Velvet DB jacket by Berluti

2. Slim narrow destroyed jeans by RRL

3. Margiela cotton chambray bib shirt

4. Carol Christian Poell zip boots

5. Bolo tie

6. Linen pocket square by Kent Wang

7.Tom Ford Black Orchid

Sunday Styles: Autumn Travels

styleforum sunday styles autumn travels outfit grid

 

We’re calling this “Autumn Travels,” but really we could call it “Styleforum’s favorite brands,” because this outfit grid showcases some fall styles from a few of the most popular brands on the forum. Eidos, RRL, Yuketen, Anderson’s, and Christian Kimber are all ever-present forum standbys, while Todd Snyder is a reliable source of tailored-casual clothing. We do try to hit both the tailored and casual spectrums when we put these suggestions together, but something about the weather turning just makes all of us want to cozy up in comfy layers and look at the leaves that are still whirling about on the ground.

Not all travels involve planes, trains, or automobiles. Sometimes you have to get outside and explore your own backyard before the ever-decreasing daylight traps you inside for three months, and this is the perfect outfit for letting your feet guide you. A navy jacket over a band-collar shirt is a great casual look, and chambray is a fabric that looks fantastic when worn wrinkled and comfy-like. When combined with olive trousers it’s very worldly – roll the hem (don’t cuff) of the pants up a few inches to show off Yuketen’s great moc-toed desert boots, turn up the collar of the jacket, stuff your hands in your pockets, and spend the day strolling around with hot cocoa in hand.

There’s a lot to be said for simple color combinations, and navy, green, and brown is about as simple as you can get. Add some texture with a woven belt, a pop of color with a lazily-stuffed pocket square, and you’ll look great no matter where your travels take you, whether you’re headed around the world or just down the street.


  1. Eidos indigo Tenero jacket
  2. Todd Snyder band collar chambray shirt
  3. RRL Olive Chino
  4. Yuketen Desert Boots
  5. Anderson’s Woven Belt
  6. Christian Kimber “Colombo” pocket square