If the clothes don’t make the man, do they at least signal what kind of man wears them?
If clothing were nothing more than protection from the elements, it wouldn’t matter what we looked like, attired to appear in public. We would wear trash bags, Speedos, togas, bike shorts, no shoes, nothing but shoes, no shirts, or nothing at all, depending on our destination and the weather. It wouldn’t matter if our socks matched one another. There would be no notions of “appropriate attire,” “casual Friday,” or “black tie.” Clearly, this is not entirely the case.
What are the truly important rules for wearing clothes, for guys who don’t care about fashion? What will you wear—and what would you never wear—on a date, a job interview, to go fly fishing, on a long drive, to meet your partner’s family for the first time, around the house with your kids, or to a funeral?
How have you educated yourself on what to wear? What do you notice about the way other men dress? How do your clothes reflect your values?
Do you shop for your clothes online? In second hand stores? Write some pro tips for the rest of us.
Where do you come down on boxers vs. briefs vs. boxer briefs (vs. commando)?
Is looking good part of good citizenship, being a good man, etiquette, or well representing your employer, church, fraternity, or team?
Do you take no responsibility for buying or selecting the clothing you own? How well do your clothes express your personality? How do you see yourself, and how do you think others see you? How much does it matter?
Do you wear a difficult to find clothes in your size, have a disability that makes it difficult to shop off the rack, or for some other reason find it difficult to find clothing that fits your body? What is your particular challenge, and how do you manage?
How do you find clothes that are comfortable, attractive, durable, stylish, and a good fit for your personality and lifestyle as well as body and budget?
How does your self image affect your ability to shop for clothes?
Do you ever engage in “shop therapy”?
Do you advise anyone else on style, or buy clothing for anyone in your family?
Do you have a clothes shopping buddy?
How do you respond to the stereotype that caring about clothing is feminine?
The Good Life wants your articles and stories about men’s clothing. Send your ideas and drafts to Deanna Ogle at [email protected]. Final submissions must be received by Saturday, June 29 to be considered for inclusion in the upcoming series. For questions and further guidelines, email Deanna.
Read more Calls For Submissions on The Good Life.
Image credit: greggoconnell/Flickr
http://www.break.com/article/teacher-wears-same-yearbook-photo-outfit-40-years-in-a-row-2482695
Most of my clothing (suits, blazers, slacks, shirts) are custom tailored. I take pride in being a well-dressed man. One I love how the clothing both fit and feel. This comes from the many choices in fabrics. Second, I do believe how you dress in part reflect how you feel about yourself as well as who you are as a man. Lastly, I am not a trendy or flashy man. I only occasionally will set foot in Neiman or Nordstrom. Usually, it is for accessories, cologne (Pour Monsieur or Bleu both by Chanel) I buy my own clothing period from… Read more »
Most of our readers will never have had clothing custom tailored. Perhaps you could write about what that is like—take us through a typical visit to your tailor.
Justin, Sure. It all begins with the selection of a great tailor. What a very good tailor will do is measure you from head to toe: neck, shoulders, chest, arms (length), biceps size, triceps size, wrist size, stomach size, waist size, legs (length), thigh size, calf size. he or she will even ask you where you place your balls (how do you wear?) as you will need a little bit more room. So, now the tailor have exact specifications on your body. Next comes your selection of products (shirt, suit, slacks, blazer etc). Say for example you want to order… Read more »
This idea intrigues me- it is a can of worms I fear opening- I’ve dislocated and separated one shoulder and even at my advanced age it is not uncommon to try on a blazer and be unable to bend my arm because of my biceps… If I buy a suit the pants need to be taken in 4 or 5 inches at the waist and I have absurdly short legs…
I worry if I get one suit that fits, I’ll want all my suits to fit.
I am always interested to have this conversation if anyone is looking for a voice in the modern menswear world.
-Iain Russell
Isthismenswear.com
Absolutely, Iain. I hope you’ll consider writing for this series.