Accessorizing

Accessorizing can be extremely difficult for men. I take that back. Accessorizing can be very difficult for a guy who cares about the way he looks. I like that statement better because the problem with accessorizing is that so many companies create really terrible "guy" accessories. From watches, to lanyards, and even various other types of jewelry, there's just so much out there that can take away from a classy look. Let's start with lanyards since they happen to be one of my biggest pet peeves. I see guys with these all the time. The popular wear is to throw the keys attached to the lanyard into the baggy sweats or sports shorts and leave the long, often colorful, lanyard hanging from the pocket. It gives the whole, "I have a very small pet on a very small leash hanging out in my pocket" kind of look. It's far from classy but the one worse look is the lanyard's intended use around the neck. We see your keys dangling there pal. Are you really that bad about losing keys that they have to be around your neck at all times? If you're going to put them in your pocket anyway then the lanyard serves no purpose. Another thing to be careful with are watches. Watches can look super classy and elegant or gaudy and gross so you must choose wisely. When in doubt I say keep it simple. There's nothing worse, in my opinion, than seeing a well dressed guy with a leather watch band that's 3 inches wide. Instead of looking like a classy guy you end up looking like someone who is forced to dress well for work but is a wannabe rocker at home. The same goes for other jewelry. I tend to feel like the only ring a guy should be wearing is a wedding band. The one exception of course comes if he has won the super bowl or something of equivalent significance that is normally showcased by the wearing of a rather large ring. Like I said earlier, just keep it simple. Gaudy never means classy and the most presentable people keep it simple. (the rhyme was unintentional but I like what it does for this post) Stay classy.

Airline Travel Part 2: Dressing appropriately for your flight

Dressing well for airline travel is not a new concept. In past years (starting with the birth of commercial aviation) people always dressed up to travel. This concept wasn't widely received due to its comfort level but because of how people wanted to present themselves. If you've read many of my other blog posts then you know I'm an advocate for always being aware of how you present yourself. Airline travel puts you in front of many new people. It's your responsibility to see that those people view you as a well put together citizen. It's also important to be comfortable on flights and to get through security checkpoints efficiently. I propose wearing comfortable shoes like loafers that are easy to slide on and off and a belt that's not a hassle as these items will have to be removed and replaced. A blazer is a great option for travel outfits as it can be light weight and easy to deal with. It also looks great (tie or no tie) with a button up shirt. Don't do the t shirt and blazer combo. You're not Ralf Lauren. Smart casual is the look to achieve for travel so shoot for that. Another tip: if you'd like to arrive at your destination in nicer shoes than loafers then simply keep a pair of dress shoes easily accessible in your carry-on. here's to comfortable, efficient, and stylish air travel. Stay classy.

Airline Travel Part 1: packing for your trip.

There are many things to keep in mind and consider when packing for a trip. I usually start by taking into account how long the trip will be. Longer trips are pretty easy to prepare for because you will generally pack more allowing for greater flexibility in outfit choices while shorter trips (which tend to be more common) require more planning. for those shorter trips the best thing to do is pack neutrals for shirts and trousers and use color in other items like socks, ties, and pocket squares. This will allow some flexibility without taking up a lot of suitcase real estate. It's also a great idea to pack for 1 to 2 more days then what the trip requires. It will allow you some wiggle room if a flight is missed or canceled. Make sure to consider what types of things you'll be doing while traveling as it will help you pack appropriately for special events or parties that may require nicer dress. Another tip is to invest in some travel containers for things like aftershave and shave lotion etc. These will take up less space and allow you to pack more efficiently. Lastly, when putting all of your items in your bag, try different configurations to see how items fit best. The more compact you luggage the easier it is to lug around. Hope this makes your holiday travels more efficient. Stay classy.

Holiday gift ideas

As much as I hate lists I have to put one out there for the holidays. These are my top 10 ideas for guys to ask for/the top 10 things girls should consider buying for a guy (assuming he has no idea what to ask for for Christmas). Most of these items are on this list because they are "out of the box" ideas as far as gifts go. These are all things that any self-professed sartorialist needs if he doesn't have already.

(In no particular order)

-Fabric Shaver
-Vintage Watch
-Cedar Shoe Trees
-Horse or Badger Hair Shave Brush
-Fabric Steamer
-Leather Driving Gloves
-Wooden Hangers
-Antique Cigar Humidor
-Monogramed Zippo Lighter
-Vintage Safety or Straight Razor (fully restored and shave-ready of course)

P.S. Us guys always love giftcards too. Consider giftcards for thetiebar.com or for a straight razor shave at a local barber shop.

Stay Classy

Closet Organization

I am a huge advocate of organization in general but just recently I discovered the value of an organized closet. There are many aspects to keeping a closet organized so I decided that this would be a great topic for fitted male. The first thing I did to organize my closet was decide on a game plan. Its good to know what you'd like to accomplish prior to diving in. I knew up front that I had to rearrange things but I also wanted to purge. I think that purging your closet is possibly the most important step in getting organized. I  got rid of anything and everything that no longer fit and moved all of my t-shirts, shorts, and other super casual items to my dresser. I decided that the only things closet worthy would be button up shirts, trousers and denim, sweaters, suits, blazers, cardigans, shoes, and other important accessories. The best way to show you what I came up with is post the pictures.

This is an overview from the doorway of my closet. The shelving unit in the back allows for great storage of shoes, ties, and other accessories. the middle section is dedicated to an organizer that houses pocket squares, collar stays, extra buttons, extra shoe laces, and other various accessories. I also keep my box of shoe polish next to my black shoes below my ties.

One of my best ideas was investing a small amount in all wooden hangers. This is not only a great look but allows you to see all the hanging garments better allowing you to find items faster. You can pick up a large set of hangers from the Hangers Direct eBay store for a great price.

This tie and belt system is something I designed from kitchen drawer organizers and propped up at an angle for easy access at the top of my shelving unit.

This is a storage option that I came up with to keep extra hangers out of the way but still easy to access. Its just a cheap crate from a home store turned on its side.

Hanging closet organizers like this one can provide great storage for many things, not just shoes. I have shoes in the bottom half of this unit but use the top bins for scarves.

I didn't have any other place in my room to put all the books that were stored in my closet so I came up with this creative solution. Once again these are just cheap crates turned on their side with books piled inside. I even used an over-the-door hanger suspended from an opening in the crate to hold an antique camera bag and an old marching band hat. 

Not pictured is the wall that opposes my hanging items. Being that it was empty and didn't offer many options, I chose to put 4 double hooks on the wall next to and below each other. This allows me to hang hoodies and light weight jackets out of the way.

These are simple ideas for great closet organization. If you go shopping at places like The Container Store just keep in mind that every item you see can probably be used for something other than what it was intended. This knowledge will keep you thinking outside of the box (pun intended) on your organization projects. The benefit to getting organized is that you will speed up the process of deciding what to wear and getting dressed. You'll also be able to do quick inventories of what you need, when to do laundry, and what you have and haven't worn recently. Get organized and realize the benefit of a neat clean closet. Stay classy.

Leave It On The Rack III

This installment of "LeaveIt On The Rack" is all about pleated pants and trousers. This is a tough one for me to write because I have recently inherited some very nice Crombie suits and would love nothing more than to sport them but feel I am left stranded because of the pleated pants. Pleated pants aren't totally wrong. In fact, I have owned many pairs myself through the years. 

There are two problems I see with pleated pants:

1. I personally see them as unflattering for my body type. 

        (Pleats can make you look shorter if you're not careful and, since I have a 30in inseam, I can't afford to look any shorter.)

2. They tend to make a person or outfit look dated.

        (Since most new trousers and pants are made without pleats, pleated pants tend to look old or out of style.)

The reason I bring this up is not just because of my current Crombie suit situation but because I run into this issue a lot when shopping in thrift stores for vintage suits. I have often times found suit jackets that fit perfectly only to find that the pants are pleated. I have heard some say that pleats can be removed from trousers so I did some homework. I don't know much about the actual construction of a garment so I must say that I am not clear on what is possible with trousers. Soon after starting my search for a pleat removal expert I found that most tailors or alterations shops do not feel comfortable removing pleats from pants. I was told on multiple calls that, while it is not outside the realm of possibility, removing pleats from pants basically requires the tailor to rebuild the entire front panel of the garment. Evidently this is no easy task without a pattern to go by. In the end I decided that the best thing to do was just pass by those seemingly rare gems that featured pleats. Even if you can find someone that is willing to remove pleats from pants it is highly unlikely that the benefit will be worth the cost involved. So when you find pleated pants while looking for flat fronts, just leave them on the rack.

-Stay Classy

Haircuts and You

If you haven't noticed from all of my other blog posts, fitted male is all about knowing what type of impression you're making on the people you interact with. It's not about superficiality but professionalism. That being said, it doesn't really matter how dapper you dress if your hair says something different. I know this all too well because I am a victim of thinning hair and a bad feeling that no matter how I try to style my hair, it will undoubtedly end up looking terrible thus ruining the image I was attempting to project. I have found a reasonable solution though. Get your hair cut often and trust your barbers opinion. I went in recently and said, "give me something that looks professional but that will give the image of a thicker, fuller head of hair as well." If you have a good barber you won't be disappointed with the results. Take their advice. They are professionals and make a living helping you look your best. As soon as it gets too long to style properly you should go back to the barber with the same instructions. They'll do you right and keep you looking your best.
Stay classy.