Backpack Troubles.

Q:      I wear a suit to work most days and usually have to bring stuff (papers, books, etc.) back and forth. Right now I use a backpack, but it seems so high school. A briefcase, on the other hand, seems uptight. Plus, I like to have my hands free. What do you recommend?

Jeremy Cole.

 

A:     I think a briefcase would have been a fine choice, they don’t have to be uptight, but then you say you like to have your hands free. Ok, hears what i suggest. If you change your mind about or find a briefcase that isn’t ‘uptight’, you could get one with a shoulder strap. I currently carry a brown Hugo Boss shoulder bag, only just big enough to carry my 15” laptop and another pocket for a self development book, a magazine, a notebook(paper), and one of my phones. I think it’s the perfect compromise between a briefcase, and a backpack.

How many shoes should a man have?

How many shoes should a man have, is probably one of the oldest questions there is, when it comes to men’s fashion. This however is a question I believe might never get a suitable answer.

In my search for a possible answer to the question, three seems to be the conventional wisdom (and no, flip flops and slippers don’t count). But come on, is three really wise in these times? After much searching and delibrating, I’ve come up with an answer that should hold, till theres another breakthrough in fashion like the suit or shoes itself. And it goes a little something like this:

Ofcourse every man should have a pair of black dress shoes – no excuses, no exceptions. A pair of brown dress shoes would make alot of sense, as well as having a third in another colour (White, Gray,…). Thus making three dress shoes.

A classic pair of sneakers, like the Chuck Taylor all stars. A not so classic pair, like Vans or Plimsolls. And a pair of the hottest new trend, which for me, for now,  would be the LV Jaspers. Thus making three pairs of sneakers and six pairs of shoes altogether.

A pair of boots. No matter your style or lifestyle or both, you should definately have a pair of boots (of your choice). Thus making seven pairs of shoes now.

Finally, (and arguably the most important) three pairs of casual shoes. They make you look mature, but not old. Not quite formal, not quite informal. Cuts across all generations. The most versatile of all your shoes. All adding up to a total of ten.

A good amount of rotation, would definately add some logitivity to your shoes….and your style.

Esquire’s Best Dressed Real Men in America 2009: Meet the Finalists

Ontario Armstrong, 27, Entrepreneur, Philadelphia
How he won: By taking chances. “I throw so many things out to the wind, from my suits and socks to my shirt-and-tie combinations.”

But here he’s wearing: “I got this suit custom made for $400 in Vietnam, and I’m big on what I call ‘tricky socks.’ Just to give the outfit that extra wow.”

A man can never own too many… “Shoes. There is no such thing as too many shoes.”

Dan Trepanier, 22, Student, New York City
How he won: By being named “fan favorite” by online voters and by dressing the same way he played basketball at Columbia University: “You never want to blend in. You always want to shine.”

But here he’s wearing: “A basic white shirt — can’t go wrong with that — and a rugby shirt that’s bold only in the sense that it’s red and blue. Everything else is toned down. You should have only one bold item per outfit.”

Santino Lattimore, 34, Real Estate Agent, Atlanta
How he won: By listening to his mother. “My mom was a buyer at a retail store, and she always stressed that you should present yourself with your gift wrapping on. The true gift lies inside, but you have to present yourself really well.”

But here he’s wearing: “My casual look. I try to create a fashion statement every time I dress, and I like taking things that don’t look like they belong together, like this jacket and scarf, and making them work. It’s an art.”

Matthew Fan, 27, Lawyer, New York City
How he won: By not overthinking it. “I’m not a very fashionable person. I built my wardrobe in such a way that I don’t have to think that hard in the morning.”

But here he’s wearing: The same thing. “This is how I dress 90 percent of the time. Whether I’m going to work or whether I’m going to dinner, a sport jacket and a tie are almost always appropriate.”

Kevin Kasson, 18, I.T. Consultant, Coralville, Iowa
How he won: By keeping it classic. “I used to wear jeans and T-shirts every day, but then I started watching old movies. The white dinner jacket in Casablanca is what got me to start dressing well.”

But here he’s wearing: “I got this suit on eBay. It’s unworn from the ’50s, and it’s made from a sharkskin sort of fabric. It’s a little shiny, but from far away it looks like a standard medium blue.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ontario Armstrong, 27, Entrepreneur, Philadelphia

How he won: By taking chances. “I throw so many things out to the wind, from my suits and socks to my shirt-and-tie combinations.”

But here he’s wearing: “I got this suit custom made for $400 in Vietnam, and I’m big on what I call ‘tricky socks.’ Just to give the outfit that extra wow.”

A man can never own too many… “Shoes. There is no such thing as too many shoes.”

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/style/best-dressed-real-man-2009#ixzz0PyrId3Ni

Ontario Armstrong, 27, Entrepreneur, Philadelphia

How he won: By taking chances. “I throw so many things out to the wind, from my suits and socks to my shirt-and-tie combinations.”

But here he’s wearing: “I got this suit custom made for $400 in Vietnam, and I’m big on what I call ‘tricky socks.’ Just to give the outfit that extra wow.”

A man can never own too many… “Shoes. There is no such thing as too many shoes.”

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/style/best-dressed-real-man-2009#ixzz0PyrId3Ni

Ontario Armstrong, 27, Entrepreneur, Philadelphia

How he won: By taking chances. “I throw so many things out to the wind, from my suits and socks to my shirt-and-tie combinations.”

But here he’s wearing: “I got this suit custom made for $400 in Vietnam, and I’m big on what I call ‘tricky socks.’ Just to give the outfit that extra wow.”

A man can never own too many… “Shoes. There is no such thing as too many shoes.”

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/style/best-dressed-real-man-2009#ixzz0PyrId3Ni

Office Party Attire.

 Dressing for an office party can be tricky. I mean you want to look quite different from what your bosses and collegues are used to seeing on you. Afterall it is a party. Still believe it or not there are appropriate and inappropriate attires for office parties.

WOMEN: It is not good taste for a woman to dress “sexy” at an office party. At every big office party, at least one woman is wearing a low-cut, mini-high dress of sequins. In addition to that, at every office party are a percentage of women who are dressed just too sexy, and this is never appropriate.

                     Studies have shown that when a woman dresses in a classy, dressy pantsuit, she is more likely to be perceived as having a management position. For the record, why would you wear a pantsuit for this reason, when all your co-workers already know what position you have with the company — unless you want your co-workers’ spouses and significant others to think you’re in management?

What to wear? There’s nothing more modern for night than mixing everyday and dressy pieces, like a regular sweater (dual-function items save money) over a long, festive skirt. Or casual basics in fancy fabrics (charmeuse, lace, metallics) that give you the comfort of a tee, tank, or drawstring pant while still looking party-ready.

MEN: If a man is not sure what to wear (invitations can range from saying “casual,” to “informal” to “black tie optional”), he can never go wrong if he simply wears a black suit, white/black shirt. In fact, at office parties, it’s best for men to always wear dark suits.

The goal of both genders is not to stand out from the collective appearance of the office crowd. The idea is to show that you are part of a team, and a team player.

Your Clothing Budget.

No matter the budget, this is how your annual clothing budget should be allocated.

Check and Plaid Prints For Fall 2009

How debonair is this Dolce & Gabbana Black Check Velvet Tuxedo Jacket? Features include peaked lapels and button cuffs. This velvet and silk check jacket is $2795 but man is it SWEET or what?

Where else would you first go for check prints but Burberry, right? Here is a pair of Burberry Check Cuff Links in purple. This $195 cuff links also comes in blue color.

And of course we can’t leave out the classic check long sleeve shirt like this one from Burberry