Saddle shoes - Bass

It took me a while to finally find these. They were either too expensive (Ralph Lauren) or they just didn't look right.  Then I found this pair from Bass in one of the many shoe stores on Broadway on the NYU campus.  The Burlington white/black for $89 - the right shape with the classic red soles and definitely the right price. And very comfortable.

Timeless

This shot must be 50 years old, but Cary Grant wouldn't look out of place today....

Feeling Lucky - J Press sale

I wonder how this might work out....has anyone tried this?

Black watch plaid blazer

I picked this one up on Ebay recently and it just arrived. I didn't know what to expect, but for a winning bid of $38, I had little to lose. Surprisingly, it fit reasonably well - just need to have my tailor take it in in the waist. Looks pretty good with dark jeans and shell cordovan bluchers.

Copy these looks - Street Style by Tommy Ton (GQ)

Very cool looks caught by Tommy Ton on the streets of NYC, Milan and other cities.

 Difficult jacket to pull off, but it works here

 Simple, clean, fitted

I'm not much of a bowtie guy, but this works 

How cool is this cat? 

Elegant 

Nice variation on the classic blue blazer 

I like the current shorter jackets, but my problem with them is how they look from behind. The butt still needs to be hidden. 

Ivy style with a twist. 

The proper wardrobe - J. Press button down oxford

J. Press has been around over 100 years, with shops in New Haven, Cambridge and New York. The authority on the Ivy League look. I don't think their wardrobe has changed since they opened their doors.  I've tried shirts from many merchants, even bespoke, but I always return to the J. Press button down oxford. Their collars have the perfect roll. Excellent fit, not too baggy, not too slim. And the length isn't too long, so if you wear them untucked with shorts, they don't hang down too low like a dress.

The proper wardrobe - Gucci horsebit loafer

The classic Gucci loafer. Been around since 1966. The most versatile and comfortable shoe ever made, in my opinion. Looks great with a suit, with khakis and jeans, and especially shorts.  I own several pairs, the oldest being 15 years old and still going strong.  If you can only own one pair of shoes, this is it.

The proper wardrobe, part 1

Before the 1970's, it seemed that men of all classes and ages just dressed better than men of today. Whether for work or weekend, men just seemed to take more pride in what they wore, or, even if they didn't care about what they wore, they still looked better than most men of today (case in point: look at the greasers in the 1950's wearing white t-shirts and jeans rolled up with Converse high tops or motorcycle boots).

So with that in mind, I decided to start this blog and jot down my thoughts on how I feel men should dress. What are my qualifications? None. I'm not in the fashion business, but I've always felt its important to dress properly and look your best as often as possible.

I have a few simple rules on men's fashion:

1.             Dress your age- I know an elderly gentleman, a very nice guy, who is fond of dressing like Vanilla Ice on a bad day. I can't describe his look, but suffice it to say that he looks ridiculous. Let's face it - as we get older, your clothing options become more limited, but that doesn't mean you can't have style. Which brings me to my next point....

2.             The Ivy style - I saw a photo recently of a man dressed in a white button-down oxford, khakis, Gucci loafers with no socks, and a light navy crewneck sweater casually slung over his shoulder.  Taken on a what looked to be a lazy spring afternoon at his country club, the man looked classic and timeless. And then I looked at the date on the photo - 1972. The photo could have been taken yesterday. The Ivy look, or a subtle variation of it (as we will discuss later on), is truly, in my opinion, the best way to dress. 

3.             Clothes that fit - But the Ivy style will still look like crap if the clothes don't fit. Actually, I take that back - the Ivy look is actually one of the few styles that can still look good even if clothes don't fit, such as pant bottoms several inches too high. But generally speaking, clothes need to fit well to look good, which is why everyone needs a good tailor.    

4.             Buy the best quality you can afford - Your stuff will look better, age better and last longer.

5.             Women notice the shoes - for most men, this is the least important part of the wardrobe, yet in my opinion, its one of the most important, if not the most important, part of a well-dressed man's wardrobe.

6.             Understand what looks good on you - this does not apply to you who are tall and thin. But if you're tall and slightly overweight, like me, or worse, short and fat, you're not going to look good in everything, so you have to understand what looks good on you.