We have seen plenty of men's fashion turmoil on BYT in the last few months: defending the city, attacking the fashion and the anti-fashions, learning how to shave like a real man, etc. Plenty, but by no means enough. With this we break the tip of an iceberg and make a commitment to having and doing more. Plus, I've always wanted to run a giant photo of Alain Delon on top of this site. And now I have an exuse-Svetlana
While I have a lot of gripes about the various male-perpetrated fashion crimes of the world, I'd rather talk about what I do like guys to wear than what I don't. Plainly put, here are some ideas about men's fashion that I think are totally awesome, sexy, and easy to incorporate in any wardrobe despite size or budget. Let's get dressed!
The Golden Rule
Fit and intent should be considered first and foremost when wearing clothes. Just as guys like it when girls wear clothes that fit and accentuate their best features, ladies are fond of a man who shows confidence with his body by not hiding it. Case in point: if you think sweatpants look lazy and formless on women, imagine how men look in them. Pants should fit around the waist and hips and fall with a relatively straight cut. Tops should fit around the chest and arms without drastically obscuring the figure. If you are fond of tight clothing, go for it. If you don't feel comfortable in tight clothing, don't wear it. But pants do not have to be "skinny" and tight in order to fit.
If you are wearing something that makes your body look monstrously different than it does under those clothes, was it intentional? Are you wearing baggy pants to make a statement about yourself or society? Or were you too lazy to try on your trousers before you purchased them? Is your shirt oversized because you are insecure with what's underneath it? Did you notice that the shirt looks big? Did you look in the mirror? Did you realize that something as simple as the fit of your clothes blasts endlessly telling tidbits of information about your mood, your values, your habits, hopes, thoughts, fears, lack of sleep, breakfast cereal into the air? Look down at what you are wearing. Does it say good things about you? Do you look the way you feel? Are you being honest?
Pattern + Color = Your Friend
Unless you are a self-proclaimed minimalist (in which case a crisp white shirt and slim black/grey tie are always appreciated), you should feel empowered to incorporate color and pattern into your wardrobe. If a color strikes you and you really like it, don't be afraid to wear it - it doesn't make you "gay," I promise. My favorite shirt/tie combinations always seem to emerge from the pairing of two pieces that you don't think go together until you put them on. When you think you have a successful pairing of tones and prints, listen to that little itch over your shoulder that is suggesting something completely crazy and put it on – chances are, you will look totally charming.
It should also be noted that color doesn't have to be doused all over your outfit in order to make an impact. A completely monochromatic outfit with a pop of color or print in, say, a pocket square, shirt, socks, or shoes can be perfection. Style icons for the brave: Simon Doonan, Hamish Bowles, Chuck Bass.
Pile It On
Fall and Winter are the best seasons in which to dress like a dude. You'd have to duct tape even me to my bed to keep me away from mens Trovata sweaters, argyle socks, and my boyfriend's closet. The excitement in these cold months happens in a man's ability to layer great pieces on top of other great pieces to transform any commonplace outfit into a fucking superhero textural masterpiece. Layering is a surefire way to add detail and texture to even the most mundane looks. Sweaters (and sweater-vests) are great. I love a great striped sweater. Even more, I love a sweater over a dress shirt and tie. Over a tee shirt with a scarf. Over a mean flannel plaid. Over corduroys. You don't get to wear corduroys in the summer! You keep warm, look suave, add depth to your outfit, and impress the ladies. Everybody wins.
Those are just a few ideas to keep you busy; I could talk about menswear allllllllll day.
What do you like to wear?
God loves a cheerful giver.
OK, I guess I agree with about 70% of the information in this article. But in all fairness, nearly every dude pictured here is YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWN boring.
There is very little creativity or originality in any of these outfits. With the exception of the gentleman peeking out from his sunglasses while wearing a loud shirt and skinny tie, there's not an ounce of "Hey, that was unexpected in any of these outfits." Yes even the gentleman in the grey plaid suit, green coat/shoes and tortoisehell glasses. I have a special amount of Haterade reserved for the two Vampire Weekend looking gentleman towards the bottom of the page. Yuck.
Great Article
Hmmmm....
I would not fuck any dude dressed like any of the dudes in the photos in this article. Just sayin'.
almost every single one of the dudes pictureed above look ridiculous.
Is that Alain Delon in the pic at the top? If so, he's a good model of whom to dress like.
Except for Steve McQueen and R. Redford of course, right Eddie?
McQueen will come back from the dead and burn out a motorcycle on your face.
I always thought that Morrissey had a terrific sense of style when he was in the Smiths. Same goes for Graham Coxon.
Key word is "style" not "fashion"
of course. mcqueen can't lose. and redford could wear a smock and look good. all others - no alibi
@Patrick - and that little gentleman with the sunglasses and tie in Simon Doonan. creative director for Barney's. I love him so much.
"Great Gatsby Batman!" I love the looks you have chosen...fresh, fun, daring, well fit, dashing, and occasionally manly. As previously stated in these style debates, I believe the individual supersedes the garment. Personal style is about confidence, thoughtful choices, and individuality. I feel you have captured those features in the selected photos. Well done.
And for all you Redford fans: if you have not seen "Jeremiah Johnson" check it out from the library stat.
Pleated pants? Really?
patrick: from what i've seen of vw's style, ezra koenig's fits are a lot more slouchy than he should probably wear, those two look more like every other person walking around soho in this weather.
this is a good primer on how to play it relatively safe. while i wouldn't consider chuck bass' style particularly brave, (at least not as much as i would by things like, oh, let's say patrik ervell), i think you're missing the most important part of dressing like a dude -- the swagger.
sure, you can dress head to toe in yohji or raf simons, but if you're not confident in your look then girls (and guys) will definitely notice. mindset is what makes the man; the clothes should just make it easier to think that way.
a friend over the weekend brough up these three examples: james dean, miles davis, and steve mcqueen. the appeal of these guys is that they just fucking LOOK cool. james dean just rolled around in his white tee, leather jacket, and cuffed jeans not giving a fuck and made that look into a greaser staple. miles had a swagger you could see in his music and performance, and was probably the greatest hipster (in the truest sense of the word) the world has ever known, and previous comments already expressed how badass mcqueen was.
bottom line: the coolest thing a man can wear is the comfort of his own skin, unfortunately -- it is illegal to do so, which is why we wear clothing.
p.s. i do think, however, that this article could use more bowties -- just not any from the collection of anthony williams.
Whatever, Patrick, you know you roll out on the Chuck Bass tip every Saturday.
I splurged on a Raf Simons sweater and it fell apart after about 10 wearings. Definitely not wasting my money on that shit again. Fashion. Pah.
I do not, however, understand most Washingtonians' bizarre and outspoken reactions when I wear a bowtie. You'd think I wore an "I love Jane Fonda" shirt to work. I was raised to think they were more elegant than standard neckties - not the rebellious dress of anti-establishment radicals. Ah well.
I love how on the internet all people like to talk about is Sartorialist preppie ties and white patent leather shit, but in real life all men ever wear when not at work is jeans and t-shirts. Women especially like to gush over pocket squares and such but if they saw some dude in the club wearing tweed they'd spit in his face on the way to hooking up with the scruffy kid in the dirty white v-neck and trainers. (Except the dapper Jason B. of course, but that dude could pull honeys rocking a djellaba).
This is fine, I guess, but I wish someone would pen some advice about what to wear when I clearly am not going to wear a suit to the ESPN Zone.
You know really, its ok to steal ideas from guys in famous vintage bands too like pink floyd, smiths, the kinks etc. Perhaps try an era and niche in that era you may like such as 1960s mod, get ideas from that then try to include vintage style with that of the modern. Jeans are the most important thing in a casual wardrobe, the cut must be flattering, the wash modern, sophisticated and interesting. fuck wrangler jeans, they seriously suck. fuck carpenter pants, why on earth do you need that loop sticking out from the side of your leg unless you are actually using your hands to carve a desk.
this (ehh) band dresses decent and it doesnt look gay at all.
http://www.mastedonia.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=4865&fullsize=1
Piss off, Pedro.
Yes, a bowtie. A timeless classic. I certainly approve of that.
In sum, on one hand, fashion - a product of mediocrity, a certain level of life - is vulgar and not worth making fuss about. On the other, a cultured hipster is in duty bound to have good taste. So wear something that really suites you. It is possible to look equally silly in a tux or a pair of overalls. Or look equally well for that matter.
http://www.chictopia.com/photo/show/35816
simple, no? fantastic style? yes!
My two cents: I think the first step to dressing like a man is to stop thinking of yourself as a "dude".
Oh yeah and wear nice shoes, I judge a boy by his kicks. Want casual? Vans classics sneakers (the 60s-70s ones) classic pumas and toms shoes. Dress shoes kenneth cole reaction are quite nice as are hightop mod boots. If you rock frye boots well go for it, but they arr casual kicks
Alas Jason it is too late for me. I am a dude, not a MAN. I spell D...U...D...
D.
But I retract my previous statement and apologize. I am quitting smoking and its making me all michaelish. In a more positive light here is a list of what you should wear if you are a male 24 or younger:
1. Anything.
2. Well not anything, more like, anything except what you are supposed to. Just don't be lazy, you are young so nobody understand wtf you're doing anyway and there are few consequences. Unless you have foolishly reproduced, in which case, you have to wear tracksuits.
3. Like literally anything, but it helps if you don't wear things ironically. Irony is just scared iconoclasm. Own that space-suit or mismatched 3 piece...make sure everyone knows you actually love Disneyland and that is why the t-shirt goes with the ears.
4. Anything less than 25$ too especially the green shoes that you get from goodwill. Other good places to get stuff: lost-and-found at the gym, army surplus shops, your grandfather, dumpsters, TJ Max.
5. Adopt whole styles from outlandish places, like this guy ( http://www.exactitudes.com/big.php?nr=46#08 ) or this guy ( http://www.exactitudes.com/big.php?nr=36#05 ) or mix and match without regard to sense or sensibility (fedoras are bland, but with a parka and booty shorts? Sublime.)
5. Anything that is the opposite of whatever girls and fashion magazines tell you to want. Anything that you make yourself or buy off Etsy as long as it doesn’t smell like patchouli. Don’t identify with a decade and try to dress within it, convince yourself that galoshes and ascots make perfect sense if you’re into rockabilly and IT’S ALREADY TRUE. Anything old, or used, or worn or beaten or dirty--nothing vintage.
6. Anything that makes old bitter repressed sexless paunchy fucks on the internet drool with envy and bawl: HIPSTER DOUCHEBAGS!!!!!
Have fun, once you turn 25 you have to start wearing a tie.
I Dude therefore I Man!
i would fuck most of the guys pictured, except for the one in pleated pants and the one with stringy hair.
jason, i like your advice, i think it goes for girls too, i mean to dreww like a woman you should think of yourself as a woman and not a girl. but i am a girl, and i think boy and girls have more fun than men and women.
pedro - michaelish. i wonder how he feels about that, hmm...
Every man above (besides the two hotties who are actually in man-suits) looks like they may have trouble getting it up for the ladies.
so many BOOOOOs to the plaid sweater-vest carrying a rose. That guy does not know how to rock.
something told me jian would have the most to say on this subject.
all of those guys in the photos look like they fight for the pink team !!!!
ernest/peggy/bobby: I have no idea who you are, but why you bother posting as different people amazes me. and why you feel the need to stoop so low is strange. I feel sorry for you, and your mom. i'll bet your one of this odd kids who's parents are much more fun than they are and still has some strange inferiority complex about it. counseling does wonders.
but i will address what you said. if you knew who i was, which i'm assuming by your statement you don't, you would know that even if a boy didn't think that my face was attractive he would go ga-ga over my tits. they are quite fabulous.
and i don't know meg, but i'm sure that you have never seen her cunt, or perhaps anyone's, and that's just because as you have proved here, you are just a crap excuse for a human being. get it together man/woman, life doesn't get easier, so why complicate it?
Bow ties are for toddlers, old men and Tucker Carlson.
If you wear a bow tie, I'm going to assume it's cutting off the circulation to your head and you've lost your vision.
Let it be known that Tosin is the most dapper of all the dudes that go out right now. He's always upping his game.
DCist is on point.
I'm going to wear a snuggler to every event this weekend. See you in hell.
For any of you gents reading through this thread (I feel for you, I made the mistake as well) let me derail your attention to this website.
http://rulesformyunbornson.tumblr.com/
Read through the aphoristic philosophies here. Aside from ethics and morals, the author covers a number of style choices which to me are timeless, yet in some ways have been shunned by the hipster aesthetic. Yes, cut is important, but so are simplicity and subtlety.
Anyhow, enjoy the website. I've been having a bit of trouble with this whole scene because it seems like I'm missing out on some level of communication that is either invisible to me or nonexistent in the first place, but the way you all choose to treat each other and yourselves is particularly unappealing!
I agree, the Abasi brothers are too fresh for this planet.
There can be only one.
Ummm you all apparently dont know how to dress because these dudes look SHARP. GREAT article, ill be forwarding it to many...
yall just jealous...
I think all these guys look stupidly normal. and who wants that? make up your own style, be you man,boy,girl,woman. Be personable at least. wear what you want to wear, but realize that some will love it while others loathe it, cause if we were all the same that would be boring as hell.
Tosin might could be one of the best dressed guys in DC.
If you guys want to write a column about men's fashion, you should write about DC high school students. They dress better than all of us.
But really, does anyone who frequents this site need to be told to wear pants aren't baggy, really??
some guys dont know how to wear corduroy trousers, first they should be the broad wale type, good quality, soft to the touch, and make that wonderfull corduroy swish as you walk. the various shades that they make when you are being looked at, really show them off to their best, also when they have been washed several times, they gain a new look each time because of the fact that they fade a little, and so take on a new look, and thats one of the benifits of nice good quality corduroys, they are so sensual and warm in the right places, the more you wear them the more you love them. that applies even more to Corduroy short pants, which I wear a lot, fully lined ones. I get lots of admiring looks from guys who would love to be in them !- dont you know, and sometimes that has happened, to my joy and pleasure. Conor.
all guys cant wear the same stuff. you have to own your style and find clothes that meet it.
Are they all supposed to look gay? I mean, I'd never dis gay people as I have a few gay friends, but I really couldn't picture myself wearing that stuff. In my opinion, straight guys should look for very masculine fashion items as it helps to bring out our masculine features. People say I have a "baby face" and it really irritates me. I'm 19 and I don't really want to get older, but I'd love to LOOK older.
Anyway, yeah. I'd not wear any of this stuff....
do you guys think that those black dudes acting HIPHOP (Highly Ignorant People Having Oversized Pants) looks cool?? i'd rather wear clothes like the guys on the pictures cuz they look fashionable.
hey theres nothing like good quality old fashioned baggy corduroy trousers, the more they are worn the nicer and more sensual thy are, and the swish sound they make when walking is great because it reminds you all the time that ure wearing those beautifull corduroy trousers. fashion is for guys who want to be thaught as modern, not for real men who enjoy the great feeling of corduroy both wearing them and seeing them on other guys and being a lovely guy also who understands how sensual thyt are. Conor. conoroneil@eircom.net
All the above is FASHION, no Class, no Style.
Pretty sure Patrick hit it on the nose right here:
Key word is “style” not “fashion.”
Hey, I just want to show this to my brother! everyday he leaves the house dressed like he just woke up (sometimes even in pajama pants!). I agree that men should try and work just as hard as women do to look good, and though I don't agree with alot of the photo choices, and just about all the models look dead, I would have to say that there was alot of great advice for guys to consider. Good job!
Hey, i just bought new toms cuz my girlfriend talked me into it.
Turst i really think they are oretty trendy shoes buuuut... i dont think i look good in em u know how some people can rock hats and some people shudnt even touch a hat? well i think im one of those people who shudnt touch toms.
I have an athletic body and i have a faux hawk thing going but i'm not sure how to rock toms...
There the classic ones and there navy blue so if u can give me some advice on wat to wear with my navy blue toms that wud be great and links to pictures of wat clothes to wear wud be awesome to
I'm more of a skater dresser but i also want to get tips on trendy or "retro clothes" so i can appear in a style my girlfriend likes.
Dont get me wrong its not like she hates my style i just want to do this because the way she reacted when i bought toms i want her to react like that with my whole outfit
Also real quick Toms with socks... do or dont?