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There are certain things in a Man's wardrobe that simply never go out of style. Some of these things have been around for ages, and as the title of this issue states, they're idiot proof. Others are new additions to the roster, and whether they will stand the test of time remains to be seen, but for now they make the grade.
Before i get to the list however I would like to start by making sure that every man, gentleman, guy, dude, boy and bro reading this are aware of James Dean as a classic style icon. Many of the classic examples on this list were either trademarked by him, or became classic after he wore them. Let us all take a moment of silence to remember such an icon....
Ok then. On to the list. We will start with the quintessential classic, the must-have for EVERY man:
1 - The White T-shirt
The White Tee is very simply a necessity. It's clean and versatile and can literally be worn with just about everything. It can be dressed up and dressed down, and can add a punch of brightness to any outfit. At the time this blog is being written, the v-neck is in style, but whether you choose v-neck, or crew neck the look still remains classic. A couple of tips: Buy several of them, since they are prone to pit stains, coffee stains....sauce stains...just about any stain you can imagine. Keep several at a time and always keep a small budget to pick up more when needed. Also, spend the extra money to get good quality shirts, as opposed to the 3 pack of fruit of the loom shirts. Quality shirts fit better, last longer and just look right. The shirts should fit well, not too snug, but not overly large (hint: If you're one of those guys who thinks everything that fits well is too tight so you wear a size bigger, DON'T do that with these shirts.) Also, if you're a crew neck guy that's your call, but buy a few v-necks to wear under dress shirts. Nothing looks tackier than a white t shirt poking out through a dress shirt collar. Trust me. I learned the hard way.
Where to get them: There are only 2 things i will EVER say to buy at Aeropostale. The white v-neck is one of them. They are relatively cheap at 2 for $18, and fit fantastic....and the best part? They don't have AEROPOSTALE written all over it like everything else in the store. Just plain, white, classic. Forever 21 for men also has fantastic tees. Choose wisely.
2- The Black Leather Jacket
This one has been around for well over 50 years, and still is an iconic piece. It's a bit trickier though and really takes a proper usage to really work. While there are many stores that offer leather jackets and coats, 98% of them are brutally ugly, oversized, and boxy. You don't want that. Far too many men think that just owning any leather coat makes them stylish or classy looking...they are wrong. The leather jacket should be trim, fitted and clean. It should not fall too far below the waist, nor should the sleeves be too long, or the shoulders too wide. Think of it as an extension of your body...a well fitted accessory that announces your presence. Opt for a clean lamb-skin or cow-hide, but nothing with any form of pattern or texture. You want to look clean and polished. Basically for lack of a better term, you want a biker style jacket. Now don't go and get a 3 inch thick leather jacket with zippers and buckles and studs and rhinestones. Not THAT type of biker jacket. You want the great grandson of that jacket; The young hip version of it.
For the budget conscious, a faux leather jacket of the same style will suit just fine...until you get a real leather one of course. Oh yeah, and the jacket is a perfect soulmate for the White t-shirt.
#3 - A good pair of jeans
This one is simple. Find a pair of jeans that fits you. WELL. The wash is up to you, although dark denim is still in. How should they fit? Well in my opinion i would say decently snug at first, since they will stretch. Not too wide of a leg, and not too long. You want definition in the legs and ass, but you don't want a lot of break at the foot (break is when the bottom of the pants crinkle at the top of your shoes because they are too long). Get them properly hemmed and tailored to your needs. We'll put it this way: If you have to hold them up while you walk, (a topic we will cover in an upcoming issue), then they're too big. If you have to spend 15 minutes getting them on, they're too tight. Anything in the middle is fine. Like the skinny look? Go for it. Just try not to have them TOO skinny if you can't pull it off. And hey, spend some money on them. Jeans will last a good amount of time, so don't cheap out and get them at Wal-Mart.
#4 - The Black Tie
A plain black tie is required in any man's wardrobe. Get one. Now. Opt for the skinnier versions, since wide ties are so horribly outdated. Don't think a skinny tie is cool? Watch Madmen, and see how it's really done. I have 3 different versions; A glossier one, a dull cotton one, and one in the middle. Use according to your occasion. Worn with a CRISP white button down, you can't be touched. Also to be worn with lighter colours. Experiment with the looks, after all it's YOUR style. But please stop wearing the wide ties. Get with the times. Oh and one more thing. Guys, your ties are usually too long. Stop it. How do you know the perfect length? The tip of the tie should touch the top of your belt buckle. It can even extend to the middle of the buckle if desired, but if it extends PAST the belt buckle, it is TOO Long. You can even experiment with going shorter lengths, but don't go past the buckle. Got it? good.
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