Trouser Love for the Big Fellas.

I received an email recommendation for a company that specializes in Big and Tall clothing for men, which reminded me that the big guys need some style love as well. As I’ve mentioned before, just because you’re a larger guy doesn’t mean that you can just throw on some baggy clothing and call it a day. Even if you’re a B&T you’ll need to watch the tailoring and fit of your clothing. The idea is that baggy or ill-fitting clothing will make you look bigger, for any body type. It isn’t so much that tailored clothing will be slimming, but more that it won’t accentuate a B&Ts size any more than necessary.
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Felt + Leather = Awesome.

I just purchased the new 13″ Macbook Air (b-t-dub, unbelievable machine) and wanted a sleeve to protect it from my abuse. I cannot stand bland (black) neoprene sleeves, or really anything from the Apple Store. Frankly, nowadays I find it a bit overwhelming just walking into an Apple Store. So, I was on the lookout for something unique and cool (even if the only people who will ever see my sleeve are TSA employees). I searched all over and finally stumbled upon Byrd and Belle’s Etsy shop. They are making some really cool protective accessory sleeves out of felted wool and leather. The combination and execution is one of those odd looks that can be simultaneously decidedly masculine and feminine (don’t ask me how).

For added cool, you can customize your sleeve using different felt and leather colors, so I opted for tan leather with their gunmetal felt. I also asked Angie to add the straps that are present in their Macbook Pro sleeves onto mine. After two weeks, I just received my new sleeve. Flippin’ love it.

Their shop has sleeves for other Mac products (man, wish I had purchased her iPad sleeve as opposed to my Dodocase). Below are examples of their iPad and iPhone sleeves.

Photo Credit: Byrd and Belle.

Photo Credit: Byrd and Belle.

Felt + leather has become increasingly popular these days, but Byrd and Belle’s prices are surprisingly reasonable for handmade items, so check them out.

Cool It – Dressing for Fall & Winter.

I know it may seem obvious, but as the temperature changes so too should your wardrobe. Guys, this does not mean putting a long sleeve tshirt under your existing summer wardrobe or wearing your trusty 8-year old coat from Macys/Wilsons/Burlington. Dressing for each season goes way beyond wearing temperature-specific clothing. There are subtle idiosyncrasies for each season and a big part of looking put together is understanding the underlying style rules so that you don’t look out of place for whichever occasion you’re getting shiny for.

Sooooo…my cold weather = Central Texas cold weather, more akin to fall in the Northeast/Midwest and not NE/MW winters. I’ve several times ended up on my back in the middle of DC sidewalks when it’s snowing out because I insist on wearing my boots from Texas (*hint: they’re not designed with snow in mind). Definitely not an expert on full-blown winters.

Colors

Color palette is drastically different in the colder months compared to the warmer months. Think earthy warm tones for when it’s cold out as opposed to brighter color tones. This means no pastel-ish colored shirts. Your skin will have a naturally paler tone in the colder months which does not compliment the brighter colors well.

This does not mean you only dress in brown, grey, and black. All you need do is adjust the hues of your favorite colors towards the darker side of the scale. If you like green, just choose a shade closer to the forest green end of the spectrum. This is helped by the fact that it is very common for cold weather garments to use heathering, which is just incorporating flecks of grey into fabric to subtly darken the color. See the above awesome graphic (a big ol’ thanks to Ms. JCH) which illustrates how color hue is dependent upon outdoor temperature.

If you’re doing your post-Christmas shopping now, you’re in luck because most men’s stores will only have their Fall line out right now which by default will only incorporate muted colors.

Patterns

Just as with the warmer months, go ahead and opt for a nice pattern with your tops. Plaid right now is incredibly popular, simply because it’s awesome. Fall/winter plaid are deeper in color than what you’d find in spring/summer offerings. Be careful though, if it evokes images of lumberjacks go ahead and avoid it. Most modern big-box brands make some fantastic plaid shirts that are very stylish. I think that JCrew is making the coolest shirts out there.

Photo Credit: JCrew.

Photo Credit: Club Monaco.

These usually are casual shirts, but you can easily dress it up. Throw on a dark solid tie (see more below) to contrast with the pattern of the plaid shirt. Pair this with dark jeans, brown belt and shoes and I promise you that at least one person will comment on your outfit. Honestly, this is one of the coolest looks that a guy can wear. It’s a modern take on a very masculine look. More examples of this look can be found here and here.

Advanced move: do exactly what I said above, but while wearing a suit. Make sure that the suit has a modern cut. This works especially well with grey, blue, and brown suits. As a word of caution, do NOT wear this on formal occasions.

Textures

Don’t scoff! Texture is actually very important. Just like color choices, each season has a texture that just feels right. I think that it’s a visceral thing for most people. You know these rules, you’re just not necessarily aware of them

When it’s colder out you’ll want to go for the more substantial and rougher fabrics: thick wool sweaters, corduroy, and wool sport coats. These heavier fabrics are functionally significant and just look right.

Before I forget (this is a biggie), when wearing corduroy try very very hard to avoid thick waled cords (wale = how wide the ridges in the corduroy are). This is true if the corduroy are pants/jackets/underwear.

An easy way to add some well-needed texture is in your tie. In the outfit I mention above, go ahead and opt for a wool or knit tie to the combination. This immediately adds another dimension to your outfit and makes it all the more appealing. The tiebar.com is an incredibly great resource for stocking up on ties in general.

If you’re just building your wardrobe go for the staples: that means solid grey and blue wool ties.

Photo Credit: The Tie Bar.

Photo Credit: The Tie Bar.

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Those are the opening rules for dressing for the colder months. I know some of them may seem self-evident or trivial, but once you incorporate them into outfit ideas (more to come) you’ll see what I mean. Plus, it makes putting outfits together a bit more fun since it becomes a puzzle. Yes, more fun. Don’t judge.

Don’t Do It: The Neckerchief.

Ruh-Roh.

Yes, it’s been awhile.

Call it a fashionable absence. Or lack of time and creativity (blegh).

But! I’m getting back into the swing of things.

I just came across this blog post by Kempt (great post, especially the last paragraph which sums up the motivation behind PG), in response to an article by Men’s Flair regarding Carey Grant and his love for a neckerchief in To Catch a Thief. This particular post really struck a cord, as I’ve been reading more and more about this bogus style phenomenon. Now, I’m not one to have style icons, but Carey Grant is about as close as it has come for me (him and Bond). However, this is a look that you just don’t want to duplicate.

Let me repeat. This look will not work for you.

It’s too effeminate. Lord, the name alone makes me cringe.

Yes, Italian men can pull it off. Yes, Italian men are consistently considered to be style gods. But, we’re American men. Our style is a no-nonsense blend of confidence and masculinity. The neckerchief does not fit this bill. All it does is introduce flair. Which, for most guys, isn’t a good thing. We don’t want flair in our outfits. We want style. We want masculinity. And we exude both of these things with a sense of controlled expression.

This isn’t to say you should be opposed to throwing in some punk into your outfit. I’m all for that. Nobody wants to look like a square. The difference is that the little dash of punk should still send the right message. Say it with your tie, color choice, socks, tshirt, or the fit of your clothes. Just don’t say it with a neckerchief.

I’ve Gone Cardigan, and I’m Not Going Back.

I’ve finally taken the plunge and purchased my first (and second) cardigan. Sort of an odd thing to celebrate, but, hear me out. I know I’m not exactly blazing a style trail here, but I can’t believe it took me so long to pull the trigger.

With the new modern fit of cardigans, it has definitely jumped into cool territory from old-man-sweater region, provided you wear it correctly.

The key to pulling off the look, as with all tops, is proportion and keeping it slim. This is especially important for the cardigan, because if it doesn’t have a modern fit you’ll really look like a square. Make sure it’s lightweight, and slim fitting. The nature of the sweater (just meant for cooler weather) means you really should just have one button down/tshirt underneath it, so you don’t need a lot of give in the fit.

Since, this is more of a hip clothing item (weird, huh?), it’s especially important that the rest of your outfit is suitably modern. Otherwise you’ll look like you only have enough style to pay attention to the one piece. I wrote about this for the sportcoat and jeans post.

What’s Awesome About It

The look is very geek chic, which may or may not appeal to you, but based on anecdotal evidence girls totally dig the look. Just don’t forget the “chic” aspect.

Also, the look is killer, because it isn’t too stylistically advanced, but you’ll still immediately step out from the crowd.

How To Wear It

Wear it as you would a modern sportcoat. Over a patterned button down, tshirt, or throw on a tie with it. Just keep everything modern. Slim jeans, tie, and shirt.

You don’t have to button it all the time, since it looks equally cool unbuttoned. If you do button, remember as with a vest, do not button the last button.

Options

Keep the colors neutral. You don’t need to make a statement with the color.
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Not a bad price for a cashmere blend.

Photo credit: JCrew.

Keep the cardigan simple.

Photo credit: Gap.

I promise, if you wear it with the right top, you won’t look this hipster.

Photo credit: Urban Outfitters.

Chinos, I’m Quitting You.

My February Resolution? I’m done with chinos. I’ve said it before, but this time I mean it. I’m going to stop trying to make them look cool, and stop forcing myself into believing I can make them work. It’s just too hard.

I made the decision this morning as I was browsing through M+O’s new offering of chinos and almost got sucked in, again.

Chinos have to fit perfectly. Because of the heft of the fabric there is less room for error with chinos than with jeans. Too baggy and you look WAY slobby. They have to be perfectly slim fitting. But even when they fit perfectly, they still don’t look right. That’s why chinos are so evil.

The problem is that chinos are supposed to fill that weird gap between jeans and trousers. The only problem is that they do it so poorly, you might as well just opt for the other choices.

You always end up looking *too* preppy. Too shiny. While PG strives to look clean and put together, there’s always a hint of attitude thrown in. Even if it’s in the subtle pairing of colors or textures. With chinos, you don’t have that. There’s no grunge, no character. It’s like you stepped right out of a Gap ad. It’s too vanilla.

But, dear reader, you may say “wait, what about those great JCrew outfits in their catalogs?” Lies. All of them. They look fantastic on paper, but in practice it’s almost impossible to pull off without looking like you actually work at JCrew. It’s too contrived.

Chinos are not stylish.

Phew. There. I’ve said it.