“My Father’s Fashion Tips”

[uppercase]

An interesting article :


https://www.gq.com/story/fashion-genera ... zine-award

[Rob O]

Thanks, its was interesting. Do you think ‘wearing white to the face’ should be a maxim? I see so few people doing it. Maybe one needs a deep tan to carry it off.

[whyescalar]

This was a great story when originally written, and holds up well.

As Mr. Alden has accomplished building a very international membership to LL, some of the generational and demographic insights into post-war America might be lost on some of the readers. I have always thought of Junod's piece as an excellent perspective on uniquely East Coast (NY/NJ/MASS) ex-GI's who'd gone through something so mindboggling in their youth either in Europe or the Pacific that they'd all had a twinkle in their eye from that day forward, realizing grit and hustle could pull you through anything. The style quotient of these gentlemen tended towards the flamboyant: cue the gold Rolex, alligator shoes, et al. The amount of wealth created in the United States during this time exceeded anyone's expectation, and one had to spend money on something, so they spent in on vacation homes, travel, entertainment, and expensive clothes which now may seem garish. Even their more button-downed counterparts in law, finance, or international commerce could still be found crowded around a piano into the wee hours in the Persian Gulf or Asia during the 60's, 70's and 80's, making sure the waitstaff was well-compensated for "just one more." I know one business "legend," a Marine, who still fancies himself a lady's man (mid-nineties). I have seen him in action belting out a song in tony settings. His tailor was Huntsman.

[couch]

Thanks, its was interesting. Do you think ‘wearing white to the face’ should be a maxim? I see so few people doing it. Maybe one needs a deep tan to carry it off.

Not with the rigidity of Lou in the story. And one doesn't need a deep tan to look good in a white shirt (remember the chestnut "every man looks good in a tux"). But there's a grain of truth there.

Alden has written here several times about the value of bringing illumination to the face—one reason why white and light blue (good also when mixed, as in various oxford weaves and stripes) are flattering to the majority of men. Different complexion shades and hair colors can be complemented by different shirt-tie-jacket combinations, but relatively few men look great in very dark shirts, especially in daytime. And if you don't have a high-contrast skin, eye, and hair color palette, wearing light to mid-tone neutrals can drain color from the face (cf. Lou's horror of gray shirts).

Alan Flusser's Dressing the Man has a long section on evaluating complexion, eye, and hair color and selecting combinations of clothing that set off different types. He includes "good" and "bad" examples for each type. Of course the photos are lit to favor his good examples, and you may not agree with all his criteria or judgments, but the exercise provides a template for the process of evaluating what looks good on you that can be adapted. Worth checking out if you aren't familiar with it.

Almost the opposite of Lou's dictum about white, many if not most men also look good in a black (or charcoal, midnight, espresso, or other near-black) rollneck/turtleneck at night. Especially one with some texture and a textured jacket. The light level in the evening is lower, and the face benefits from its comparative brightness compared to the surrounding clothes. Dinner clothes or formal clothes give the face an evening halo of white but (apart from summer dinner jackets) similarly deflect attention from the body.

Anyway, regardless of your opinion of its subject's particular "secrets," it's a fine piece of writing. Thanks, UC.

[alden]

It’s probably just a coincidence but I found this article just as I was writing a check to pay for the two latest biopsies my over protective dermatologist just carved from my face. Like Lou, I have always been accused of always being well tanned. And now that I am edging into maturity I would add to the style tip of wearing light colors around a well tanned face, the one that says to have good white coated professionals available to you if you do.

Most of you will know of my affection for Roll neck, aka Polo, aka Turtleneck sweaters. They do look great on any “slim” man who wears them, but they look especially well on women as well. The Ava Gardner like brunette last night who wore one in a beautiful English Racing green that put into perfect proportion her ample Pininfarina proportions was a perfect example.

Like Lou, I believe life is one beautiful and continuous feature length Seduction. And if you are nor seducing, you are probably not living. That’s the most important Style lesson any man can learn. It’s the one that will keep you young when others whither and shrink.

Finally there is the circular argument in this jewel:

“My father believed, absolutely, in the old saw, at once terrifying and liberating, that “clothes make the man,“ and so did his friends, and so everything they wore had to tell a story, and the story had to be about them, because otherwise, the world was never going to hear it. “

The “clothes make the man” if the man “makes the clothes.” The clothes tell a story if the story is about you. I made a few videos way back when with this fundamental style lesson. It’s a good one.

Oh, and I like a dab of olive oil every day....its better than the baby stuff.

Cheers