How to Dress like a Manly Man

By Monique Bellamont - March 2016.

Ack!

It is that word many "manly men" shy away from - metrosexual.

Which we women find silly because it reveals that many men are so homophobic that they refuse to deal with anything that is remotely "gay".

As such men's high fashion has suffered over the decades to the point that men really can only wear suits and uniforms. Anything too risque and they feel they are being emasculated

However done right, men's high fashion doesn't have to look metrosexual.

What it should look like however is:

Rugged.
Cool.
Capable.

And a touch of James Bond doesn't hurt.

As such high end clothing for men really needs to flatter a man - building a bridge between "uniform / suit" and "rugged casual wear".

Check out the image below to see what I mean. The men in the photo below, all wearing clothes from Toronto-based company Kish Wear (see http://www.kishwear.com/), look rugged yet sophisticated. And this is what men want when it comes to high fashion. They want to look professional, yes, but they also want to look like they could doff a cowboy hat and ride off into the sunset at the same time looking heroic while they do it.

 Now as a single woman who dates a lot I have to imagine waiting in a coffee shop for the guy I met off POF to show up.

And then he shows up wearing a black bow tie, wearing a white shirt, suspenders, a black jacket with fur collar (I am describing the photo on the right here) then I am going to be instantly impressed and have the following first impressions.

#1. This man is intelligent. He is smartly dressed.

#2. This man knows how to dress properly and takes care of himself. He probably bathes daily, does his laundry regularly, and might even wear cologne on special occasions.

#3. This man probably knows how to treat a lady. If he treats himself well, then he probably treats others well too.

#4. This man has a job / career. He wouldn't be able to afford this quality of clothes if he is still living in his parents' basement.

#5. He looks like Viggo Mortensen. Part of that is just the hair and beard, but the clothes completes the package.

#6. Retro. And anything retro is cool. So that is automatically a bonus.

Thus, first impressions, I would be very happy to meet a man dressed like that. Whether his personality matches mine, that is another topic, but the first impressions means that I will be taking this man seriously and he will be having my undivided attention while I sip my latte and contemplate a second date.

Below are some photos from Kish Wear's 2014 Winter Collection available at http://kishwear.com/lookbook/winter-2014

Fashion Models Vs High Fashion: An Essay

Last year I learned something interesting.

Fashion models (more often than not) don't actually care that much about "high fashion" or "fashion trends".

Basically they just wear normal clothes - well, normal clothes that fits them physically, if you can call that normal - and they really don't care which fashion company is paying them, so long as they are being well paid and treated well by the company.

But for their day to day clothes they are basically just wearing "casual fashion". Jeans, t-shirts. "Normal clothing" is every respect except maybe the size. Same goes with their makeup, often fashion models don't even wear makeup when they're not working.

Now you might think "Wait, so people are buying this stuff because fashion models are wearing them, but the models don't wear them in real life???"

Yep. That is correct.

Ironic, don't you think?

It is really the "beauty of advertising". And by beauty, I mean trickery.

Take this photo of supermodel Heidi Klum for example with a hamburger. Do you think for a second she actually ate the burger? Nope. She probably didn't even lick her fingers after touching it. In real life she probably would never eat a burger unless she was starving with hunger. (Because fashion models often have eating disorders that border on starvation.)

So then you might think "Wait, so if they're not wearing that stuff, why do people make such a big fuss about fashion?"

Well I have answer for that too, but for you to understand why you need to read the essay further below.

And if you are unwilling to read the essay, I say "What is wrong with you?! You read the rest of this blog post, how is an essay any different? It isn't even that long of an essay."

:p

Why is Fashion Important?

By Cinnabelly, Toledo, Ohio

Fashion. When you hear that word you may very well think of ditsy supermodels that strut around in thousand dollar name brand pieces of fabric. Or you could think of movies like Confessions of a Shopaholic, The September Issue, Coco Before Chanel, or The Devil Wears Prada. But what you most likely don't think of is an art, a career, a passion, or a lifestyle. Fashion can promote creativity, that it is very important in culture, society, and religion, and it can make you look and feel more professional.

So, I know that you may think that fashion is not important. That people should find other ways to be creative, like joining an art class, or getting into photography. Maybe you think that nowadays the clothing choices are just not all that great, and I agree with you in part. Or you could think that if people want to be religious then they can practice their religion just as long as they are in their own home, or a place of worship. You might think that kids shouldn’t be exposed to other cultures besides theirs. Maybe you think that you can look professional without making a big deal about it. And trust me all of these reasons are completely valid and you have the right to think this way. But in this case the pros outnumber the cons.

First off, fashion can make you more creative in your everyday life. Of course you’re wondering how fashion could possibly improve someone’s creativity. But if you really think about it, when you are getting dressed in the morning what goes through your mind? No matter what it is it's probably pretty creative and you most likely put some thought into it. No matter if you are trying to look like the most popular kids in your school or if you are trying to look like your favorite celebrity. Now if we we were more creative with everything that we do including the way that we dress it could makes us more creative in school/work. What I have found is that people feel extremely happy when they create something that they like and ends up a success. For example if someone was getting dressed and they decided to wear an outfit that they had never worn before and people complimented them on it they would be happy and self confident. Once people understand that it is okay that your clothes look different from other people's and they start to enjoy looking different and/or having a "signature" style they will become a lot less stressed about how they look and won't feel as much pressure to look like everyone else. Of course it will also really give people a lot of self confidence, which is always a good thing. For all of these reasons fashion can promote creativity in everyday life.

In addition, fashion is important in culture and religions. When I say that fashion is important to culture and religion you may ask how? How is something so superficial as fashion important to any religion or culture? But when you take the time to look, fashion is everywhere in religions and cultures. For example, Muslim women cover their faces with head scarves. That could definitely be classified as a “fashion statement,” because it is taking the way that you dress and using it for a purpose. If people were to dress in clothes from their religion more often it could possibly create stronger faith in religion and less people feeling like it is odd to wear things like that. It would create stronger faiths because if people were to dress according to their religion it would be a daily reminder of their faith. And as you have probably noticed people tend to do what they see others doing. So this could catch on quite easily. It would show kids that it is okay to be different from everyone else. If a bunch of their friends has some sort of religious clothing item and wore it then the kid would most likely think that if it were okay for his friend to be different than it is okay for him to be different as well. It could quite possibly make people more interested in other cultures. If someone saw an article of clothing that one person was wearing and thought that it was interesting than that person might want to do a bit of research on that culture and find out what it was for. When I say that it is important in culture I don’t just mean a culture from another country, but I also meant how society develops in the United States. Before women worked there weren’t many women’s dress suits. Most of the clothing for women has changed drastically because of the professions that some women choose nowadays. Most women’s clothing way back when was just fit for house work, grocery shopping, or taking care of kids. Now that some women work more clothes have changed to make them more professional looking and to make it easier for them to work in.

Last but not least fashion can make you look and feel more professional. If you are wearing something that makes you look more professional to a job interview they are more likely to take you seriously and consider you for the job. If people see you and think that you are professional, well kept, and put together than they are more likely to be nice to you. When someone thinks highly of you than someone who thinks that you’re not that great of a person. You will also feel better about yourself and feel like you are professional; therefore you will do better in your work.

In finality, fashion is important because it can make you more creative, it is important in culture and religion, and it makes you look and feel more professional. There are many reasons why this is a completely valid point. I have shown you many facts, and explain it all. Let's face it, regardless of your doubts fashion is important.

Tank Tops Rock

Call it sheer simplicity, but tank tops rock.

Here is why...

Tank tops require very little effort to put on.

Tank tops are cheap and inexpensive.

They look amazing.

Tank tops are great for exercising in or just hanging out casually. (But they are definitely NOT business casual.)

They are just all around easy to have, wear, use and look great in.

The Legalities of Dress Code

I learned something interesting recently about the legalities of dress code.

#1. Security guards are not allowed to touch you unless you do something illegal. Being dressed a certain way (barring nudity of course) does not constitute an illegal act. Thus if you go to a restaurant that has a dress code, the restaurant cannot have security guards throw you out, because legally they are not allowed to touch you unless you do something illegal. If a security guard touches you and you haven't done anything illegal, you can have his security guard license revoked and he or she will be unable to work. Security guards know this rule thoroughly too. The purpose of security guards is really to stop shoplifters, thieves, people who are breaking and entering, vandals, etc. They are not there to be "Fashion Police".

#2. Calling the police is out of the question too. The police don't care what you do as long as you don't break the law. They're not being paid to be "Fashion Police" either.

#3. Basically the only places that can legally enforce a dress code is a court of law. If the judge finds your attire unappropriate they may find you in contempt of court and insist you change into better looking clothing. However if you tell the judge that this is the best clothes you own, well, not much the judge can do about it. They might still find you in contempt of court however if the judge thinks you are lying.

#4. Many restaurants make people wait to be seated, basically standing in the foyer of the restaurant. If you are not dressed a certain way they might refuse to seat you. In which case if you try to seat yourself, then yes, you are trespassing, in which case they could physically throw you out if you refuse to leave.

#5. Trump Card! Food critics can wear whatever they want pretty much. If the restaurant thinks you are a food critic then who are they to argue? They aren't going to insist you leave based on your choices of fashion if they think you are a food critic and might give them a bad review.

Some places have a black tie policy. But what is considered "black tie" can be vague to some people. Its a bit like trying to figure out what "business casual" means. Ask 10 different people and you will get a different answer each time.

In general "Black Tie" is basically a black suit / tuxedo, white dress shirt, black bow tie, black socks, black dress shoes. However there are sub-groups of Black Tie which require a cumberbund, cuff links, etc.

However for women there is a lot more variety and options. That standard is an ankle or calf length dress, or a cocktail dress, sometimes accompanied by a stole, wrap, scarf, gloves, evening shoes - nothing too gaudy or outrageous.

Its a bit like going to the Oscars. Except the dresses the women wear are much more conservative.

I should note at the same time that dress code from decade to decade has a tendency to change dramatically.

What was considered "okay" in 1950 versus what was considered "okay" in 2010 has changed quite a bit - we now show a lot more skin than we used to.

You might think we showed a lot more skin during the 1960s or 1970s, but really that is only because popular culture has made a fuss about such things. In reality we show way more neck, shoulder, back, midriff, leg and even butt cheeks than we ever did before...

Whether you can get into a certain restaurant or posh casino dressed like that however - whole other story.

P*rnstar Fashion Chic

NOTE - I apologize for the bleeps. They are done deliberately.

Dressing like a sl*t is a rather unusual trend within the fashion industry. Typically done by girls in their teens or twenties, its done to be deliberately provocative and to arouse attention. In many ways it is a sign of youth rebellion.

You might believe me that people are doing this... in which case have a look at American Apparel's advertising images, like those shown here. That is really their goal. Selling clothes to young women who want to dress like sl*ts.

And if you are looking to dress like a sl*t then look no further than the adult fashion industry. You know, the type of clothing that you can find in an adult fashion store / s*x toy store. Those clothing in such places will give you plenty of ideas of what is expected when people talk about P*rnstar Chic.

P*rnstar Chic, if you are unfamiliar with the term, is a new phenomenon whereby the p*rn industry is now considered hip, kewl, fashionable. And thus, dressing like a sl*t is likewise considered kewl.

And to be fair, dressing in that way has been considered fashionable for centuries... it just varied on how they did it. The Victorian women did it using low cut dresses to show off their cleavage.

But in a modern sense there are many ways a person can accomplish this. Wearing lingerie as a shirt, wearing panties instead of swimming shorts, wearing a corset instead of a vest... These are examples of one type of P*rnstar Chic - whereby you are wearing lingerie as regular clothing.

There are other ways to exhibit this chic look too... including leather bondage gear (which has been done many times over by people into heavy metal and goth music).

The end result is really just a fashion statement wherein a person identifies themselves as being more sexually liberal and open minded.

More P*rnstar Chic Tips

#1. Wear your bra OVER your t-shirt instead of under it. It looks bizarre, but combined with other pieces of eccentric clothing you can create a really strange and provocative look.

#2. Wear bodysuits. Yes, it also makes you look like a danger, but it is a really sl*tty look too.

#3. Show off your shoulders or mid-riff, either in combination with really tight clothing, or extra loose clothing.

#4. Add elements to your clothing so you look more like a dominatrix.

#5. Get really tall boots that go above your knees. Expensive, but they look amazing.

#6. Fake tattoos. Or real ones. Either way, they do their job.

I also want to note that dressing a specific way doesn't mean that you're a sl*t. Or a prostitute. Or a high class escort. Or a dominatrix. It is really more like a costume.

It simply means you enjoy dressing a specific way. So if someone likes to dress in black leather, a tight fitting black corset,  long finger gloves, and fishnet stockings that doesn't mean that she is a dominatrix. She might simply be a goth. Or a fan of comic book superheroine Black Canary (who is famous for her fishnet stockings).

We should also note that the typical escort agency in Toronto doesn't promote their employees by wearing sl*tty clothing on the street. They're much more sophisticated than that. For $200+ per hour they can afford to be wearing Versace and other pricey brand fashions.

So in reality the people who are dressing like a sl*ts... well, they are just messing with your head. The escorts are blending in and aiming at high fashion - cocktail dresses, etc. Because their goal is different... they want to look classy and respectable, because then they can charge more money for their services.

 
American Apparel knows exactly what they are doing with their advertising.

Except a couple years ago they nearly went bankrupt because they had narrowed their focus too much. Since then they have been trying to diversify a bit, but they're still marketing mostly to thin young women.

Which is ironic, since the more lucrative market in the USA is actually women who are overweight. Regardless, their goal is to sell fashion using sex - and young women are always looking for more ways to look sexy and attract a mate.

Wearing All Black = Always Fashionable

Wearing ALL BLACK is always fashionable.

Why? Because they always match.

You can mix new and old fashions.

It works equally well for business casual or just plain casual fashion, you always look cool, and they go well with black sunglasses.

Great for Autumn, Winter and Spring. (But may be too hot in the summer.)

Just make sure everything is clean, not faded and its all awesome.

Kitchen Aprons = Cute

Check out all the cute and sexy aprons you can get on Etsy? Don't they just make you want to hop in the kitchen and strut like you are on a cat walk?

Of course if you're really itching to have private cooking lessons you could just make your own apron. If you browse YouTube and a variety of other websites you will find lots of great ideas for both making your own aprons... and recipes to make in your dream kitchen.

Yes, you could go out and just "buy" an apron at a local store, but something handmade and unique from someone on Etsy or making an apron yourself will have much more meaning to you. And be waaaaay cuter!

Want to get practice wearing your nice new apron? Go get yourself some cooking lessons in Toronto or whatever city you happen to live in.

After all, what is the point of wearing a cute apron if you don't know how to cook?

Side Note: What if people started wearing aprons outside in public... just for fun? Like a fashion accessory. Or would that just be silly?

Skateboarder Fashion

#1. No self respecting skateboarder would wear the nonsense below:



Or High heels? Get real!


#2. Skateboarders dress for comfort, but they want to look cool doing so. See the examples below of what real skateboarders would wear.