Fit Lesson 5: Swimwear.

Yes, gentleman, you need to be concerned with what you wear swimming. I know, it’s a tough world. But, here at PG, we believe that a modern man (that is what you’re becoming, isn’t it?) should leave no stylistic stone unturned. Every aspect of what you put on your body should be scrutinized to ensure that it looks good, fits you properly, and is exuding the sort of attitude you are intending.

So let’s dive in (!).

As is occurring with shorts, hip swimwear has seen a substantial northward inseam rise. I think the swim trunks Daniel Craig wore in Casino Royale also helped to build this into a fervor and is reflected in the general theme for a recent GQ article: “Shorter is Better.”

I’m not nearly as opposed to shorter swim trunks as I am to short shorts. I just think very few men should wear swimming trunks like those mentioned in the article, and even then, it should only be when in the right location/occasion. There’s no doubt that this look is on-trend and hip, but just like with skinny jeans, it’s not a look that should be attempted by every guy.

Read on for what you should wear for your age, the occasion, and personal style.

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Ahhh.

PG is on vacation for a few days, so the posts are going to be slightly sporadic. There’ll still be updates, just perhaps not as often (or coherent).

Enjoy.

J&M Fall Preview.

Since I used a Johnston & Murphy offering as a punching bag in my post on shirts, despite actually liking some of their stuff, I’ve decided to quickly highlight some of their more stylish offerings in their just released Fall preview.

Which reminds me, I completely don’t understand the lack of consideration of geography when large companies roll-out their seasonal lines. For instance, in the south it is HOT. It doesn’t matter that we’re into August, naughty bits are still sticking together (thank God for Gold Bond). And, it will remain hot into September and October. Nobody wants to be looking at sweaters, tweed, and layering when it’s blistering out. Wouldn’t it be a better idea to keep selling hot-weather clothing well into September in the South as opposed to advertising $25 wool v-neck sweaters?

Regardless, it’s not a horrible idea to be looking ahead as long as it doesn’t involve wool (just the thought makes me cringe). So, here are two things that I particularly liked from the recent J&M release.

Photo credit: Johnston & Murphy.

These boots are very cool. I like the rustic footwear paired with a modern outfit look a lot. It spikes the outfit with a good dose of man character. The combination leather and rubber soles is also a great touch.

Photo credit: Johnston & Murphy.

I also really liked this cool carry on bag, which are always a tough thing to buy for guys. They’re either horribly unstylish and cheap looking, or really really feminine. I’ll post more on this later, but I think the vintage look is a good direction to travel in. This carry-on is both stylish, masculine, and full of character.

*Note: The weird linking has been corrected. WordPress tends to do funky things on me, but I’ve got it handled. (8/10/09)

Tie One On.

Here’s a classic article I read about a year ago, and still love, about the importance of the necktie. It was penned by Ben Stein for Father’s Day 2008 in response to an article he had read in the Wall Street Journal.

It’s a great read, and something I wholeheartedly agree with, even though I don’t don a tie regularly for work (only when I go out).

Some highlights:

The necktie is a sign of a man who is there to work, not to play. It’s what a man who takes his responsibilities seriously wears. Men who want to look and act like small children dress like small children, or surfers, or hoboes, or something.

My fellow men: stop dressing like children. Start dressing like grownups and acting like grownups. The necktie is a start.

Know Your Undershirt.

A little secret guys: your undershirt is important. This ranks as one of the most common complaints by women about a guy’s attire.

I know you may be saying: “Pffft. Chicks are crazy. It’s just an undershirt. Why are they complaining?” And the simple answer is: because you can see it.

Your undershirt should only be visible while wearing a casual outfit. If you are wearing something marginally professional/dressy, your undershirt should not be seen. If I see another guy with a dress shirt on and 5″ of plain white tee below the collar, I’m going on a rampage. This is an old man look and isn’t the least bit stylish.

But fret no more, here are some tips to prevent you from looking like a grandpa.

The Collar
Your old Walmart Hanes white tshirts aren’t going to cut it anymore. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with them (they actually look very nice under the right circumstances), but as undershirts their shelf-life is very short. This is because the collar begins to wrinkle and looks horribly sloppy when you’ve got a decent shirt over it.

Your collar for your undershirt should be crisp and have a nice band to it. The elastic should still retain all of it’s stretch (insert yo mama joke here).

Look at the collar of some of your “good” tshirts, the going out ones. Odds are the collars are nice and formed. Well, so should your undershirt.

If you want to mix it up with a bit more of a modern/minimal look, go with a clean v-neck. If the band show (see below if not), you want it to be a little bit higher, because any v-neck that dips too low (and can still be seen) looks very awkward.

Can I wear an undershirt with a pattern/decal on it?
No.

Get designated shirts that you use just as undershirts. You’re not in college any more.

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Subtlety Be Thy Name.

I wanted this post to be a tantrum against Ed Hardy clothing, but I realized that’s like beating a dead, cliche, and ugly horse. So, instead I decided to target the fundamental aspect of what makes Ed Hardy-like clothes so unattractive – inauthenticity (unless, you’re a huge meathead with spiky bleached hair, cause I really think it looks good on you, but only if the shirt is 2 sizes too small).

For me, whenever a mass-market brand tries to do something “edgy” it just reeks of inauthenticity. You don’t see body artists sporting Ed Hardy or actual surfers wearing Hollister surf shop tshirts. It’s obviously a farce and horribly unoriginal.

My ire recently got directed towards Express Men. I went there as part of a PG shopping excursion, and consistently found some decently cool things, but when I flipped them around they had horrible graphics on them. Take the vest in #1. Front the front it looks great and of decent quality, but when I turned it around (#2) *boom*, hideously ugly “exclusive graphic art” smacks you in the face. Apparently, the purpose is to make a “clean break from the status quo.” The only clean break this is making is from Nondoucheland.

1.

Photo credit: Express.

2.

Photo credit: Express.

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