Category Archives: Style

A Holiday Outfit in Bad Taste

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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

Is there room for humor in fashion?

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In addition to attempting to survive the nonsense of the holiday season, every year, my girlfriend and I are invited to an “ugly sweater party.” Since I think about clothing a lot, this always gets me wondering whether there’s any room for humor in fashion. As a matter of principle, I own no ugly sweaters, and refuse to buy a one solely for the sake of seasonal shenanigans. This year, attending said party (to which I wore a very simple Margiela pullover) did get me thinking about a bigger question: whether there’s any room in fashion – and more specifically, in my wardrobe – for humorous clothing.

I’ve tried in the past to incorporate silly or even ironic pieces into my closet.  I’ve played with the idea of dumb logo sweaters and intentionally ugly outerwear and shoes as an attempt to inject what could be construed as some kind of humor into my daily wear. It never sticks, though.

Now, “humorous” clothing is different from “whimsical” clothing, which I do favor – and I’d classify brands such as Kapital, Blue Blue Japan, even Margiela as whimsical – whereas an ugly holiday sweater has no use or significance outside one very specific time of year and one very specific in-joke. I suppose it’s an in-joke, but the number of people I see (granted, in Colorado) wearing truly hideous Christmas sweaters – and they’re specifically Christmas sweaters – on a regular, daily basis, suggests that maybe the joke’s gone completely over my head.

After all, the ugly Christmas sweater industry is now worth millions of dollars. I’m not kidding. Large (primarily) American and UK retailers (think Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl’s, Lord & Taylor) dedicate massive amounts of floor space to seasonal garbage, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of websites dedicated to providing users with endless options (as in, tens of thousands) for their hideous seasonal needs.

That one on the left? That’s the world’s most expensive Christmas sweater. It’s covered in Swarovski crystals and is valued at $30,000. The one on the right has a detachable reindeer stuck to it with velcro, and it’s a bargain at $67.

I had privately thought that we’d moved beyond the fad of whatever intentionally post-ironic hipsterism defined the years 2010-2013, but the meteoric rise of admittedly ill-defined “street” fashion seems to have proven me wrong. When a cotton tee with the DHL logo can become the must-have item of the season, as well as an intentional and in-your-face statement about conspicuous consumption (retail ~ $300), I think that an ugly Christmas sweater starts to make more sense. Yes, I do see a link between wearable seasonal garbage and it-brand Vêtements – if in no other way than that they’re both trends so runaway it’s impossible for anyone to point at why we still care about them (Vêtements did, I think, have some initial promise that has degraded for a number of reasons).

This year, uglychristmassweater.com is projected to make $5.5 million in sales, which is not a small figure. And this summer, Gosha Rubchinskiy more or less won Pitti with a show featuring collaborations with Kappa and FILA, among others – all of which are probably poised to sell out the instant they hit e-tailers in 2017. We’ve known that The Logo has returned in importance for some time now, but the popularity hasn’t faded. That it will, I’m certain – trends always die, and in five years I doubt we’ll be seeing many Instagram supermodels wearing chokers and distressed sweatpants.

There has always been room for “ugliness” in fashion, and more generally in art, whether it comes in the form of Rei Kawakubo’s continued insistence on clothing that’s almost nothing like clothing, or in Carol Christian Poell’s garments that often display – intentionally – the opposite of bourgeois good taste while largely ignoring the shape of the human body. In these cases, the ugliness has merit, meaning, and considerable intellect backing it up. The extent to which that matters is debatable – we’re all paying so that we can be in on the joke, and show that we’re a part of the club too.

I think that it is difficult for even the most resolutely self-aware consumers to avoid taking themselves far, far too seriously – whether it’s forming opinions on the “correctness” of Ivy League attire, desperately wanting your box logo Supreme tee to be real as opposed to a knockoff, or refusing to snip the stitches holding the tags on your Margiela garments. Taste is largely a matter of societal echolocation, and the world of fashion is a very big – if often nonsensical – echo chamber.

More importantly, it’s important to remember that all of this stuff is constructed more or less arbitrarily. Completely random or outdated occurrences have nevertheless resulted in what are now the “rules” of menswear. Welcome to fashion! The show where the game’s made up and the points don’t matter. And despite my griping, at this point the Ugly Christmas Sweater has become tradition solely due to saturation – and in that way it’s sort of a nice metaphor for the fashion system at large. So much of fashion is devoted to the idea of looking as though you don’t care about fashion, and perhaps an ugly sweater is no different: “This is my way of showing that I don’t take myself too seriously – but just seriously enough to make the effort to not appear serious.” Yes, you heard me – happily wearing the waste of capital and labor that is the Ugly Christmas Sweater is the same as adjusting the lazy puff in your pocket square so that it’s not too lazy.

As a good friend put it when I asked what he thought of the whole thing, “It’s important never to start seeing your clothes (or your sociological place) as having any inherent meaning outside human invention,” which is great advice that’s nevertheless easy to forget. As a matter of principle, I also asked forum member @Brad T, who told me that it was stupid to ask “if there is room for [humor] in fashion. Of course there is. There is an infinite amount of room for everything.” Which, as far as philosophical answers go, is comfortably non-nihilistic.

Loops and traps, my friends. This season, remember that all matters of taste are matters of class warfare. And, if fashion is merely the leveraging of existential pleasures or a visual form of reader response, I suppose you’re free to buy all the hideous sweaters you like this winter. Wear them over your button-down collars with buttons left undone, underneath your Margiela overcoats with stitches intact . Nothing’s stopping you!

As far as the sweaters go, I won’t be joining you – they’re just not to my taste.

How to Choose a Pocket Square

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Are you a pro-pocket square person? Perhaps you’ve heard that they are the cheapest way to “upgrade” your wardrobe, but you’re hesitant. You feel safe in your white shirt, navy suit, and black shoes, and while you’ve seen them on other guys, and even liked one or two, you could never see yourself wearing one. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to call attention to yourself. You’re wary of getting into uncertain territory, and after all, a pocket square serves no real practical purpose.

On the other hand, you may have completely lost your mind and gone square crazy, spending as much on them as you would for a well-made suit. You’ve bought untold folds of squares in every color of the rainbow. You even have a division of solids, designs and patterns, cottons and linens, woolen and silk. And why not? Most are dirt cheap, even if you splurge on one, you won’t be dropping much more than a Benjamin.

Let’s assume for a moment that you are a balanced individual that enjoys classic menswear and wishes to appear like someone who cares, but not fastidiously so. You’ve seen pictures of old Hollywood stars or various gentlemen throughout the past 100 years and admired how some of them can pull off the pochette. You’ve considered getting one; you may even have a few. How do you wear it without looking like you’ve consulted an article – like this one?
Many how-to’s have been written; often peppered with precision diagrams, architectural blueprints, and earnest cries to wear a pocket square in order to defend the dapper man’s heritage. This is not one of those articles. In fact, it should be said that it is better to wear no pocket square at all than to wear an ill-chosen one, and let’s face it: most pocket squares are hideous. Rather, we’ll showcase some of how some of Styleforum’s own members wear them, and learn from their example.

Our first member to showcase is @Pliny. I’ve always liked how his outfits combine differing scales of pattern, even though I maintain he takes horrible pictures of his successes. Let’s look at a few examples.

When wearing a small-scale gunclub jacket, a pocket square with a large design keeps things from looking too busy. Notice how the mostly cream color of the two complement the jacket, shirt, and tie in both ensembles. These are perfect examples of how well these types of pocket squares work with practically any combination of coat and tie, including, as Pliny demonstrates above, a solid grey suit.

 

Next up we have @TTO, of whom I wish the forum saw more. His creative nod to vintage style may not be to everyone’s taste, but it is always refreshing.

One of the regular pitfalls of the pocket square is wearing one that doesn’t contrast enough with the jacket you’ve chosen. TTO wisely opts for bold white stripes to set his square apart and still echo the light shade of his blue shirt.

Finally, we have Mr. Six, who always has a small sliver of good taste stuffed into his breast pocket. Although not always in solid suits, these two pictures showcase how even in a conservative environment one can enjoy pocket squares without resorting to absurd designs or obnoxious colors.

 

 

In both pictures, Mr.Six has chosen a square that contrasts with his jacket, either lighter or darker. Far from standing out, the luminance of the pocket square in the first photo harmonizes well with the shirt, and the dark colors of the pocket square in the second echo his tie.

Pocket squares, more than most other items in a man’s wardrobe, are difficult to wear well. The ideal pocket square choice neither adds nor takes away from an ensemble, and is instead a harmonious but not attention-grabbing element of the outfit. Far from being detrimental, such choices are in fact a good thing. The components of an outfit should look as though the wearer carelessly threw them together in such a way that nothing matches but everything complements; neither too studied nor too heterogenous. Admittedly, this is more of an art than science, but there are a few guidelines that can help you chose a pocket square that at the very least jives with the rest of your outfit, if not a slam dunk:

  • Silk is always a correct choice, but shun overly shiny squares. You don’t want iridescence to blind onlookers and take their eyes away from your gleaming smile.
  • Solid-colored silk squares are bad, except perhaps in cream. White linen or cotton is far better, and is by far the most versatile pocket square you can own. Really, if a plain white linen or cotton pocket square won’t work, you’re better off with no square at all.
  • Try to contrast the square with the color and brightness of your jacket, as well as with the scale of the patterns in your outfit.
  • Avoid pocket squares with the same pattern as your tie to keep from looking too calculated.
  • Don’t succumb to the interweb’s love of the pocket square explosion. That’s just a stylist’s way of quickly stuffing the fabric into a mannequin’s breast pocket. Keep the puff politely subdued and prevent your points from peacocking.

These above pictures are just a handful of the many good examples of pocket squares you can find on the forum. There’s an entire thread devoted to them, and many users are happy to go into even further depth, including seasonality and fabric choice. The perfect pochette can subtly enliven and enrich your ensemble, but choose unwisely and you may look overly affected and foppish.

Really, at the end of the day, it’s just a useless piece of fabric, and if no one noticed your square, you have claimed a victory.

5 Member Tips for Great Men’s Style

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Styleforum’s members have built a reputation for offering fantastic, if highly opinionated, tips for great men’s style. They range from simple suggestions to take to your tailor, to complete philosophies encompassing life, the universe, and everything.

Are you looking for rules? Guidelines? Confirmation that your own way is the best way? Here, some of Styleforum’s best-regarded members give their take on how you can look great.

1. Dr. Nemo on the topic of learning how to dress:

“Fact is, we are all winging it. What matters is the fit with who you are. I’m a research engineer who is also a bassist in a jazz ensemble. No rules for that other than try what seems right and see how it feels. I’m fortunate to know Terell Stafford and Tim Warfield. Both have a great sense of style on and offstage. I just used Google Images and found a lot of shots of them in higher style and more casual clothes.”

2. @Ramuman, on the topic of what to buy:

“First, the fit of the clothes is the most important thing that people notice. When they compliment an outfit, the first thing they are likely to have notice is the fit (assuming you’re not wearing some ugly color or design). A properly tailored middle of the road shirt will look better than an off the shelf expensive shirt. Second, there are certain things worth spending more money on because they’ll stay with you. Shoes, I think fall into this category. Suits too, but it doesn’t seem you’re going that route. Third, get cloths that are still you. Just because you hear ten people here say that Levi’s Vintage Classic jeans are the best doesn’t mean they’re what you want. The same goes for looks as a whole. If you don’t feel like you can pull off a lavender shirt or a scarf, don’t go for it. A big part of this whole thing is the confidence you gain.”

3. @Berlin Report’s #1 Style Tip:

“Never try to find a substitute for something you think is financially out of your reach. You might end up buying several cheaper things in the hope of satisfying the need for that expensive one but you’ll probably end up spending the same amount and not [be] one bit happier. If I can’t buy it, I don’t have it. Less is more.”

4. @Veremund, on when to match your date’s outfit:

“Repeat after me: ‘I am not a handbag. I am not a woman’s fashion accessory. I will not coordinate my outfit with my dates attire. Ever.'”

5. @fuuma, on how to not look too put together:
“-I almost never press my jackets so they wrinkle at the elbows and often are somewhat rumpled all over. I also throw them pretty much anywhere at my place or wherever I am.

-I’m lazy so I often take months/years to do repairs most make within the week; from small rips to lost buttons.

-I don’t change to go out or do whatever so I sometimes get spills or worse on my clothes, I usually don’t get them cleaned very soon (see above).

-I scuff my shoes ‘cause they’re just shoes, I also don’t dress according to weather so often end up soaked or messy in a variety of ways.

-If I feel like wearing the same jacket three days in a row I do, remember; no pressing afterwards.

-I don’t polish my shoes often although I don’t dislike doing it. Mirror shines are for Nazis.

-I don’t have 65 jackets and 34 pair of pants, they wear in more quickly.

-Never clean up white shoes or sneakers, they look better dirty.

-I only shave once or twice a week.

-Longer hair, messier hair.

-I smoke and often spill ash on my clothes, I don’t clean up because I’m lazy and I’m going to dirty them again anyway.

-No colourful socks; you look like an anal-retentive child molester.

-Stop doing pocket square origami, just shove it in.

-A nice suit, dress shirt, shoes with a tie is being dressed appropriately, without the tie it’s luxury.

-I’ve been periodically thinking about replacing my wallet for years but always forget, it really does look trashed.

-I almost never button my shirt sleeves.

So basically be a disgusting slob and you should be ok.”

Wise words, don’t you think? If that doesn’t sate your appetite for style tips, check out Styleforum’s “What are you wearing today” threads. If you’re looking for tailored inspiration, try the Classic Menswear edition.

If you’re after the best of designer and street fashion, check out the Streetwear and Denim version of the discussion.

Below, check out some great examples from Styleforum members.

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What to Wear When It’s Sunny and Cold

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What to wear when it's sunny and cold
It can be tough to know what to wear when it’s sunny and cold. Too many layers, and you’ll end up sweaty and then freezing. Too few, and you might as well spend the whole day inside. Since sunny winter days are best spent in the great outdoors (or at least out of the house), let’s go over an outfit that will keep you happy no matter what you’re up to.

First, you don’t want anything to be too tight. That kills your insulation, and you end up, well, sweaty and freezing. In this case, that slouchy streetwear look has a temperature-regulating benefit. So the outerwear – this beautiful cracked pepper slouch coat from De Bonne Facture – isn’t too heavy, which means that even if you pop into a coffee shop you don’t instantly overheat. Most of the warmth comes from a hefty rollneck, and cream is a great choice for wintry days when the sun’s out.

Since we’re going for a look that’s light but still tailored, we’ve opted for slim trousers from Styleforum favorite Blue Blue Japan as opposed to denim. The rich indigo hues are more compelling than a faded blue when worn with sharper clothing, and let’s face it – they’ll be more comfortable than your heavy jeans. On the feet, a leather sneaker with a robust sole will keep your feet happy while you’re moving around, and the details on this pair from Lanvin will keep you from looking like a slob when you’re too lazy to wear lace-up boots.

Finally, don’t forget the details.  We’re big fans of oversized scarves that can be wrapped around the neck or draped over the shoulders, like this beauty from Suzusan. Cashmere-lined gloves offer a good compromise between weight and warmth, and are perfectly suited for days when you don’t have to do any shoveling. Finally, the winter is no time to ignore protective eyewear, and Dries van Noten’s ongoing collaborations with Linda Farrow are stylish and versatile.

To top it all off, try a winter scent that’s as bright and chilly as the weather. De Bachmakov, from The Different Company, smells of snowmelt, icy streams, and frozen sunlight; cedar, coriander, and white freesia combine to form a foundation that’s rich, compelling, and perfect for a sunny winter’s day. You’ll look great, you’ll smell great, and you’ll be ready to spend the day enjoying all the sunlight you can.

1. De Bonnie Facture slouch coat from Unionmade

2. Turtleneck from Maison Margiela

3. Blue Blue Japan trousers from Matches Fashion

4. Lanvin cap-toe sneakers from Browns

5. Suzusan stole from No Man Walks Alone

6. Tod’s cashmere-lined gloves from Mr. Porter

7. Dries van Noten sunglasses from Oki-Ni

8. De Bachmakov perfume from Luckyscent

Embracing the Rebirth of Black Tie

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To claim that black tie, as a phenomenon, is alive and well, would probably be the overstatement of the century. I know that I am one of an infinitely small group of people who actually owns a black tie rig, let alone who uses it with some modicum of regularity.

Then again, you could argue that the entire “coat and tie” community is pretty small. We all still operate, either by corporate necessity or by choice, in this microverse of nerdery. And we see it gaining new traction among enthusiasts around the world. Therefore I hope that at least a few of you share my happiness in experiencing the small (maybe insignificantly so, but still) rebirth of black tie.

rebirth of black tie contemporary black tie

Yours truly in black tie, with last week’s birthday boy Andreas Weinås (N.B. smoking is a horrible habit – don’t do it kids). Photo credit: Milad Abedi.

I’m a late 70’s child myself, and most of my friends are around my age or younger (some were even born in the 90’s). This means that our parents were of the generations that happily shed everything considered to be formal and “stuffy”. My dad, for example, had to wear a school uniform as a kid, including jacket and tie, and then for the first part of his career had to wear a suit and tie to work. All of this was thrown out the window in the 70’s. A “casual revolution” overthrew dress codes almost everywhere. By the 80’s, no one but lawyers and bankers seemed to be wearing suits anymore. Therefore, all manners of dressing even more formally were all but extinct by the beginning of the 2000’s. Black (or even more uncommonly, white) tie seemed to exist merely among the upper echelons of society, or was rented by regular Joes to celebrate very special occasions. Some of these rental places’ interpretations of the black tie were… well, interesting.

Now, something has changed in our attitude towards being “dressed up” in general – and dressing in formalwear in particular. Few working places have dress codes anymore, even the banks who seemed as they would be the last bastions of suit and tie. However, a lot of people who live without imposed rules of dress now wear more formal, classic menswear by choice. A friend of mine in the clothing business tells me that he sells suits mostly to guys working in IT, a line of work where suits are often viewed with a certain skepticism. Still, these younger guys find a certain satisfaction in wearing sharp quality clothing. Less and less find any need to rebel against “conformity” of suits. Quite the opposite, wearing jacket and tie is more of a statement than wearing jeans and a sweatshirt today.

That formal wear should follow suit (pun unintended), and gain a newfound interest is therefore not completely unexpected. And it has directly led to the (admittedly slow) rebirth of black tie. Celebrating a 30th or 40th birthday is now a perfect opportunity to make more of an effort. Wearing black tie will definitely increase the feeling of doing just that. And, if you own a black tie rig you don’t need a grander occasion than having dinner with friends (or your significant other – as Styleforum member @Andy57 shows us below).

rebirth of black tie contemporary black tie

In this past year I have been invited to more black tie parties than ever before in my life, and I’d say I’m very middle class in most every sense of the word. The great thing about the rebirth of black tie is that, just like a suit at your work place, it needs no greater reason to be worn other than it makes you feel good about wearing it. Also, getting yourself a black tie setup is likely to heavily increase the opportunities you’ll find to wear it.

rebirth of black tie contemporary black tie

Perfect black tie from The Armoury

As a final parting though, it is still a good idea to be wary of the dress codes.  If an invitation doesn’t specifically say “black tie,” you will look odd wearing it.

Now all I’m waiting for is the revival of the white tie:
rebirth of black tie contemporary black tie

Erik is co-founder of EFV Clothing. You can find him on Instagram at @ErikMannby.

Member Focus: Urban Composition

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By now, you’re probably familiar with Journal contributor Peter Zottolo, otherwise known as Urban Composition, whose expertise in the realm of classic menswear is second to none – although we’re sure he’d claim otherwise. Here, he talks a little bit about his past, his interests, and the birth of his own style.

Fortunately there don’t exist too many pictures of me in coat and tie as a teenager, otherwise I’d have to worry about blackmail.

It’s around that age that parents allow their children some autonomy in their choice of clothes, and the blame shifts squarely on the one who doesn’t know any better.  This is probably when parents begin to have fun with their kids, because the ridiculousness that children inevitably dress themselves in is not only entertaining, but responsibility can easily be waved away with a shrug: “Well, you know…I let them pick their own clothes, and there you go.”

When I was 13 I wanted a leather tie.  I already had the triple-pleated pants in that speckly/slubby fabric so popular in the 80s, the skinny suspenders, and a pair of black faux-alligator shoes with pointed, metal-accented toes. Shirt collars were impossibly small – at least one had a contrast collar – and all of my ties that weren’t solid knit had an iridescent sheen.  Sleeves were always rolled up.  In short, I probably looked like the unwanted, illegitimate son of Gordon Gekko and Duckie Dale, but so did all the other kids in the hall, except the ones that were still young enough not to care and so wore our old hand-me-downs of when our parents still dressed us in washable polyester suits.  Finally, after much pleading, my parents partially conceded me a small victory and allowed me a leather bolo tie, which I totally rocked for about six months straight, before it fell apart.

A few years later I really got into vintage clothing, specifically from the late 30’s and 40’s. Any earlier and you could get some obnoxious triple-colored stripe; any later and you’d hazard the atomic era with its shiny Dacron flecks.  For some reason, this 15-year period that happened two generations before my time resonated with me in the early 90s – different yet unimpeachably classic.  Old geezers and young chicks thought you were cool.  Grandpa dug it; the Bettys loved it.  Who wouldn’t want that?

Turns out the late 90’s revolted against the oversized trends that preceded it, so I sold my beloved Hollywood suits and exchanged them for Mod-era sharkskin to keep apace.  By this time I was married and fortunate enough to have a wife with common sense where I lacked.  “That hugs your butt too much,” I would often hear, and I was wise enough to listen.  Even now, when I see the throngs of well-meaning dudes that strive for the perfect fit and err on the side of sausage-cases and yoga pants, I wonder if they are as blessed as I (or are too obtuse to mind).

By the time I entered my 30’s I had experimented with the Ivy look (the more plaid, matte, chino’d version of Mod) and after acquiring what I estimated were the best vintage suits of the 60’s and their accompanying winklepickers, I wondered about the origins of square-toed shoes.  My online search led me to StyleForum, and before long I was suddenly entranced by stories and pictures of hand-wrought suits made with cloth woven from ancient looms in plaids only available in archived books tucked away in dusty rooms.  Users paraded their fully-canvassed good-taste bespoke suits, seven fold soporific ties, and hand-rolled ancient madder pocket squares from London, Naples, and Thailand (!), and I was hooked.  Suit and tie went from being a haphazard mishmash or decade-specific cosplay to a classically-based idea of proportion, fabric, color, season, and formality.  Clarity ensued.

I would be remiss to dismiss the knowledge of the old guard, such as Vox, Manton, RSS, Doc Holliday, and others that I am too lazy to remember, but if it wasn’t for them and the forum’s knack for attracting both the pedantic and the visceral, I would not be returning as I do.  Whereas there will always be throngs ready to ride the next trend – slim or roomy, tight or cartoony – personally I have benefitted from those who steadfastly bear the torch of classic menswear, as did many before them.

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One Velvet Blazer, Two Looks

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velvet blazer styleforum holiday style outfit grid

Ralph Lauren “Connery” Velvet Jacket

Kamakura semi-spread shirt

Tom Ford silk pocket square

Ralph Lauren Tux Trouser

“Majestic Black” Bow Tie from Le Noued Papillon

Belgian Shoes “Henri” in Patent

A velvet blazer is great for the winter season. First of all, velvet is warm. That’s a good thing when it’s cold out. Second, it looks fantastic in the dark, and in the winter it’s dark all the damn time. Third, a velvet blazer is surprisingly versatile. You can wear it casually with jeans, or you can take the same piece and wear it to a black tie event. That includes all occasions in between; like, say, an office party, entertaining at home, a night out for cocktails, or just a nice dinner with your partner.

So, we’ve taken the same Ralph Lauren navy velvet blazer and given you two ways to wear it. In the first, the classic combination of black, white, and navy is perfect for any holiday party. The key to not looking like a dust-covered relic while wearing a velvet blazer is to keep things slim. Your clothes needn’t be skin-tight, but we’d certainly recommend hemming the trousers so that they end without breaking atop your loafers. Finishing off the look with a classic silk bow tie makes the deep navy of velvet stand out further, while a gentle touch of white at the chest pocket keeps you from blending into the night entirely. All that’s left for you to do is act the part.

velvet blazer holiday styleforum outfit grid

 

Ralph Lauren “Connery” Velvet Jacket

Kamakura semi-spread shirt

Tom Ford silk pocket square

Saint Laurent mid-rise raw-edge black jeans

Prada Side-Zip Boots

On the more casual side, a velvet blazer is perfect for looking like a louche degenerate in the best of ways. Unbutton the shirt, ditch the tie, stuff the pocket square (instead of folding), and go all-out with raw-hemmed skinny jeans. Mid- or high-rise denim lets you keep the shirt tucked, and slim black boots are a elegant-but-snarky way to tie the outfit together – and they’re better for walking around than patent loafers. Just keep sidewalk salt off of them, and you’ll be set for the whole season.

Wear a Black Turtleneck Under Everything

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Remember when I said that I almost never wear black? Well, I’m here to tell you about the one exception I make: the black turtleneck. Because in Denver, the weather has finally turned, which means that it’s the season when I wear a black turtleneck every other day.

We’ve discussed roll-necks in the past, but I’m specifically talking about the cotton, shirt-weight black turtleneck, which is the ultimate cheater’s garment. Let me explain: it is a t-shirt that looks fancier than a button-up. Well, not always. But a lot of the time, wearing one instantly takes you from “slob” to “suave” (zing) in perfect comfort. Besides, it fits every style out there, regardless of whether you pine for James Bond-ian masculinity or Creative Artsy Dude Vibes(tm).

Although you can find these anywhere, in a wide range of fabrics, my favorite black turtleneck comes from Uniqlo. It’s very unassuming – thick-ish cotton, relatively relaxed in fit, and it only cost me 15$. I like to wear it under my quilted ts(s) blazer, under an SNS Herning “Stark” cardigan, or alone under a piece of long outerwear or flight jacket. The point is that it looks really good with everything I can think of at the moment. It’s an especially great option for the dreaded company holiday party, when you don’t really know what to wear but you sure as hell don’t want to wear a tie.

The black turtleneck is the kind of shirt that you could stock up on, wear every day of the week, and look great. And as a plus, that whole myth about black being slimming isn’t entirely a myth, which – if you’re as predisposed to holiday overindulgence as I am – can come in pretty handy. The only downside to these cotton pieces is that they don’t insulate as well as wool. So, if you plan on sweating a lot, a good way to combat that is to wear an insulating undershirt beneath it and stay nice and toasty. Of course, Uniqlo also offers Heattech turtlenecks. I have no experience with those, but I’ve worn plenty of “athletic” undergarments under casual clothing, and the idea is sound.

It’s the ideal garment for days when you want to look good but can’t be bothered to try looking good: choose pants and shoes, put on black turtleneck, and outerwear goes on top of that. Done. That’s the kind of ease I can get behind.

Member Focus: Staying Classic with Andy57

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Today, we say hello to another member known for keeping the “Classic” in Styleforum’s Classic Menswear community: Andy57. Whether wearing an odd jacket and trousers or a dinner suit, Andy always takes the time to get the details right. Here, he tells us what led him to men’s style – and what has kept him on Styleforum.

I’ve always been interested in style and fashion, both men’s and women’s. About four years ago, I had to make some changes in my diet and lifestyle to reverse a trend of increasing blood sugar. These changes had a side effect for me of losing around 30 pounds, and so I needed a new wardrobe. Over the years, I had accumulated a number of jackets, some of which now fit me better than they had in years. But even the jackets that fit me were rarely worn and I decided I wanted to change that. so I started to wear them, even though I was still wearing jeans and sneaker, for the most part. But over time, I realized I needed better trousers, which led to better shoes, which led to wearing a tie occasionally, which led to bow ties, and so on.

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Although he often shares suits, Andy57 is no stranger to the odd jacket.

Then I began to do some research. I began to learn about how clothes were suppose to fit. I realized that most of my clothes were too big, for example, and as I learned more and came into contact with more resources, from which I learned more, I began to understand.

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Suburban life with Andy57: always tasteful.

In addition, I had always harbored a desire to have a suit made for me by a Savile Row tailor. But I did not know which tailor to select and I was somewhat daunted at the prospect. But I heard of a tailoring firm called Steed Bespoke Tailors that is part of the Anderson & Sheppard diaspora and that visited San Francisco regularly and I decided to go with them. And it has been a good relationship.

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Here, Andy57 shows off a beautiful white DB suit.

I’ve learned a tremendous amount by being part of Styleforum. Clearly, menswear has standard texts by Boyer, Flusser, Manton, and others. But there’s no escaping that the internet is and continues to be a tremendous tool for learning and for obtaining items that, without it, one simply would not encounter.

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Andy57, enjoying the view.

To the extent that I have a style, it’s a combination of what I hope is a classic English style and then at times a fairly unrestrained exuberance bordering on dandyism. I love color and I love wearing things that few others would wear. For example, I bought some of the last few meters of an ivory flannel with a navy pindot windowpane from Fox and had it made up into a lovely double-breasted suit. I wear it on warm evenings, or sunny summer days and I love it. People notice it because you almost never see anyone wearing such a thing. But I have a gorgeous lovat green tweed jacket that is classic and conservative and occasionally people notice it because it is so classic and well cut. But, in the end, style is individual. Style is harmony. Style is beauty. Style is being comfortable in your own skin and having confidence in your appearance. I don’t think you can have style without confidence.