How to Be a Well Dressed Man about Town, Spring 2014 Edition

A few years ago I did a blog entry that ended up being read by over 2,000 people, making it one of my most popular posts. I suppose it could have been one guy reading it 2,000 times. But I don't think so. The piece also got picked up and re-posted on the "Rocker" website for an even larger audience.

The article was about fashion for working class dudes. Especially guys past 30, who want to dress well and stand out in this world of baggy sweat pants, over sized Wal-Mart T shirts and chunky white plastic running shoes.

Now, I must explain that when I say "fashion", I don't mean catwalks and runways and "Zoolander" haircuts. I am not referring to "blue steel" here, folks. Nor am I talking about the skinny-fit, "metrosexual" look. I am talking about timeless, classic clothing for work or play that won't ever go "out of style". I know this because the designs of much of the clothing I'm talking about originated 50 or more years ago, and are still commonly worn today.

(Photo: Anonymous, well dressed middle aged dude found on the internet.No idea who he is, but he "gets it".)

I wanted to do another piece about this, for guys looking to buy some items to wear this Spring (if it ever stops snowing). I wanted to emphasize low cost alternatives to the high end, fancy boutique men's store stuff. There are companies charging huge amounts for their high quality reproductions of classic mid century work wear and casual fashions. Alot of these are great, and they're also made in America, so you are supporting small businesses and helping to provide jobs for Americans.HOWEVER. If you just cannot afford to pay premium prices for these items, don't worry. I will show you how to get the classic, timeless look you want on the cheap.

Before I start, let it be known far and wide that a man does not need a huge closet full of clothes, unless he wants to have that. What most guys need for Spring, really need, is the following:
SIX SHIRTS:3 long sleeve and 3 short.
ONE HAT
THREE PAIRS OF PANTS: One blue jean, one black jean, and one dressier pair of slacks.
ONE LEATHER BELT
SIX PAIRS OF SOCKS, SIX PAIRS OF UNDERPANTS
A PAIR OF GOOD LEATHER BOOTS
A PAIR OF GOOD SHOES (sneakers, brogues, what have you)
ONE LEATHER JACKET (with removable lining)
ONE LIGHT SPRING JACKET (such as a Harrington or Eisenhower).
That's all you need. I personally have a drawer full of pants, two leather jackets, three pairs of boots, five or six pairs of sneakers, etc...but I'm just like that, you don't have to be. Now that you know what your basic needs are,let's get specific, gents. We're gonna start at your coconut head and eventually get down to your stinking feet nubs. Are ya with me? Let's go!

BRIXTON HEADWEAR: One thing every guy needs for those colder Spring days is a good hat. My choice is the Brixton Brood newsboy cap. It has a nice retro feel, like the newsboy caps of the 20's, 30's, and 40's. It's rugged and warm, and it goes with almost anything. Brixton has a great website full of good hat options, but remember one thing. Frat boys, "Jersey Shore" meatheads and "Mad Men" wanna bes have ruined the Fedora for everyone. Stay away from the Fedora at all costs.

RAY BAN GLASSES/SUNGLASSES: Whether you are slowly going blind as a bat like me, or you just want to keep the cursed sun out of your eyes, or you'd like to creepily check out girls without them being sure that you are staring, Ray Ban glasses/sunglasses are the way to go. The Ray-Ban Aviator was developed in 1929 to keep the glare from the sun and shiny plane metal out of the eyes of our fighter pilot boys in the skies. The regular Joe on the street wanted to look like the flyboy heroes too, so eventually these iconic shades became available for public purchase. In 1952, the ultimate icon of cool was introduced: The Wayfarer. You've seen these on the noggins of everyone from James Dean to Chet Baker to Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Elvis Costello and Huey Lewis, not to mention every rockabilly and punk rock rocker that ever lived. Ray-Ban recently introduced a "modern" take on the Wayfarer, and although it is usually an absolutely awful idea for iconic companies to "update" their eternally popular,classic designs, these are actually pretty great. Ray Bans tend to be on the expensive side, but check eBay for hundreds of cheaper copies, some of which are probably just as good.

WRANGLER WESTERN SHIRTS: It's Springtime. Some days are warm, some days are cold. You'll need a good short sleeve option as well as a long sleeve. For the long sleeve, go with a Wrangler western shirt. These things have never been trendy. These are American working class icons. They look good on almost everyone. They come in endless variations of colors and patterns. They are inexpensive and will last you for years. If you have the time and patience, look them up on eBay. You can likely pick up five of these used for the price of one new shirt. Now, there are hundreds of companies making shirts like this. Some are very, very cheap and some are ridiculously expensive for a piece of work wear. I'm telling you, go with Wrangler. If you are a larger man, do not tuck these in. If you are very tall and thin, you can tuck them in if you like. If you are of smaller build, like myself, tuck them in. They tend to be very long, so if the shorter fellas leave them untucked, it looks like we're wearing a dress. No dresses allowed here.

WARRIOR BUTTON DOWN SHIRTS: I usually recommend short sleeve shirts by brands like Fred Perry and Ben Sherman for that classic Ivy League springtime look. Those are great items, but they can be quite expensive. As always, check eBay. Many of my FP and BS shirts were purchased that way, for less than half of their original cost. If you want a crisp new shirt that has never known another man's arm pit...go with Warrior. Warrior is a Brit company that makes affordable reproductions of classic '60s button down shirts. Timeless, sharp plaids and checks, with button down collars and really nice details. You can find these in America at Angry Young And Poor, Sourpuss, and other in the know online shops.

NOCONA LEATHER BELTS: So many companies make good, affordable belts. The aforementioned Brixton, for instance, has great belts. But if you, like me, like to incorporate iconic tough guy western items into your wardrobe, please know that it's now safe. Madonna and Brad Pitt have stopped wearing these things, and they are no longer trendy. You may don them once again. I usually go with a brown belt for blue jeans and a black belt with black jeans. For your dressier pants, go with the brown for a dark pair of pants and the black for a lighter pair. If you are only going to have one belt, go with the brown.

LEVIS 501 ORIGINALS: Denim is a huge fetish item for a lot of people. If you start delving into the world of denim, you'll hear terms like "selvedge", "Japanese selvedge", "Neppy", "Vintage cut", and endless discussions of which thickness or weight of denim is the best. Even Levis themselves has gotten into the game of super expensive selvedge denim and re-issues of their iconic jean cuts from the past. That stuff is fun to look at, but you really only need one thing, and it's not expensive. A classic, iconic 501 original jean. This is something I would try to buy new if I were you. Get the raw, dark denim. If you buy the "Shrink To Fit" variety, know that you should buy about two waist sizes bigger than your normal size, and about three inches longer than usual for the inseam. They shrink. Hence the name. The idea is that they conform to your body as they shrink, which they do. But in order to get them to do that, you have to wear them wet. if you don't have that kind of time, simply go with the 501 Originals. Get your regular waist size, and a few inches longer on the inseam, because you will want to cuff them (fold them up) on the bottom. Either go for the chunky three or four inch rockabilly cuff or the sharp, two inch tight 60's style mod/ skinhead cuff. AVOID the modern "skinny jean" look. It is way too trendy these days, and looks terrible on anyone over 25. You want slim, clean lines, yes. You do not want to look like you are wearing denim pantyhose.

DICKIES 873 SLIM STRAIGHT PANTS: Dickies are always great. You can wear them to work, or with a nice button down as dress pants. Just make sure they're clean, dummy. A lot of guys feel that the original Dickies flat front work pant is a very baggy and unflattering cut, and I tend to agree. Again, you don't want anything skin tight. But you also, and I really have to emphasize this, do NOT want to wear baggy clothes. It tends to make a person look sloppy and out of date. My Motto: "Take the Time to Find Shit That FITS". Dickies makes a new "Slim Straight" option, the 873. These are perfect. In the photo I've chosen, the model is wearing a very new, unwashed pair of these, and he is also wearing them a bit long. This is making his pants look a little baggier than you'd want. If you buy a pair with a slightly shorter inseam than you'd normally go for, or cuff them with a nice two inch turn up, they will look great. Dickies also makes a "skinny" trouser for those so inclined, but again, it's not really our thing.

So let's sum up what we've learned so far:
Classic, timeless work and casual wear is ace
There are expensive options, but they are not necessary
SLIM is good, TIGHT is not
BAGGY leaves you saggy

For your jackets, you cannot go wrong with two old standards. 1)The Levi's Trucker Jacket, and 2) The leather bomber jacket. Shoes or boots by Doc Marten and/or Red Wing. The thing to remember is have fun, tailor your personal style to your interests and what appeals to you, and wear it confidently. Ladies be likin' that!

How to be a Well Dressed Man About Town

OK, hipsters, listen. You're doing it all wrong. I understand that modern "hipster" fashion is a jumble of various subcultural styles worn either ironically or without knowledge of the origin of said styles. Hipster fashion rapes punk, skinhead, mod, hardcore, and uh, maybe like lumberjack fashions to gather it's instantly recognizable and somewhat gross visual impact. Most of you don't know why you're wearing these things, you're just trying to look hip and pick up the dumbest possible members of the opposite sex. The idea that clothes might mean something or represent a subculture isn't a widespread notion anymore, is it?

To understand Youth Subculture and what these things mean, younguns can refer to my earlier blog, "Youth Cult Apocalypse". That will explain the various subcultures and their divergent properties to you, if you need to know. For us oldsters though, especially those of us who are sort of clothes-junkies, these modern days are a quagmire of dilemma-goo. Should we wear the clothes we've always loved, and have grown up wearing, at the risk of being misidentified as a hipster? Or should we start shopping at Wal Mart just to shake off the notion?

Hey. Calm down. Let me gently stroke your knee in a completely platonic and non creepy gesture of comfort, and whisper some options in your ear.

Here's how to be a Well Dressed Man about Town, or a WDMAT, as I like to say, without ever setting foot in an Urban Outfitters or looking too much like a V-Neck and Skinny Jean wearing hipster. The beards are coming off and the plugs are out!

ALPHA NB3 PARKA:



For the cold weather, this baby cannot be beaten for style, functionality and subcultural relevance. The Parka came to subcultural prominence in the early 60s in the UK, as worn by the glorious first and second wave Mods. The original Mod Parka was a left over WW2 US Army coat, which were easy to come by in second hand shops in the 60s, mainly because American servicemen in England during the second world war seemed to have left them behind in droves. The coat was at first a cheap way to protect the Mods' expensive tailored suits while they rode their scooters through the blustery London streets. Over time it became a fetish item, a totem of what Mod represented. This can be summed up in the catchphrase, "clean living in difficult circumstances".

While original WW2 Parkas and replicas thereof can be found online and in secondhand shops (and pricey boutiques) to this day, they are usually prohibitively expensive and aren't as warm and wonderful as they look. Alpha has solved this problem for us Mod wannabes by updating the Parka, infusing it with newer US Army technology and marrying the Parka to an old Skinhead staple, the USAF Flight jacket. The Alpha NB3 is made of the sturdy nylon based material you'd find in in their fine Alpha flight jackets,cut into a shape that resembles, but is a little shorter than, the original WW2 coats. It's a great way to look cool, represent an updated version of Mod and Skinhead styles, and stay warm. They do run rather large, so if you want a tight fit, get a size or two below your regular. I'm a petite little curmudgeon, so I had to resort to buying a Large children's parka to get the fit I was looking for. I tried several adult sizes, and they were all just too bulky and awkward.

THE WARRIOR HARRINGTON JACKET:



The Harrington Jacket, made by Barracuta, and later Ben Sherman, Fred Perry, and a host of others, was a staple of skinhead, suedehead and mod worlds, and was even worn in the 1960s by such all around cultural heroes as Steve McQueen and Elvis Presley. It's a medium to light weight men's jacket with a distinctive two button collar, a semi detached back flap and and an inner lining of tartan. I have a more modern slimfit Ben Sherman version, but my newest acquisition is by a great newer UK company called Warrior. They make a mind boggling variety of Mod and Skinhead style clothing, at low prices that a working class "bloke" can actually afford. The Warrior Harrington is cut a little boxy and can run large, but a couple of washings will bring this great jacket down in size a bit. My favorite bit is the tartan lining. It has a Lurex stripe in it, exactly like those iconic old Barracuta Harringtons of the 1960s. Let the hipsters ironically sport hideous '80s Members Only jackets(originally worn exclusively by Phil Collins fans),the true WDMAT will stick to the sharp skinhead look of the Harrington. Yeah?

BEN SHERMAN CHECK BUTTONDOWN:



Ben Sherman was originally a working class clothing company that made great shirts at fair prices in the UK. Mods and Skins picked up on their sharp designs. Over the years though, the label has come under the fire of criticism for losing touch with its Brit working class roots. Their products have become quite pricey,they are now made in China, and at times the designs have tried too hard to keep up with the times. Often the company has committed cultural blasphemy by changing traditional designs to reflect fleeting modern trends. While this is the case, Ben Sherman still offers their traditional, iconic designs, like the shirt pictured here. This is a staple of any WDMAT's wardrobe. The shirt has a high, buttowndown collar, a triangle cut out on each sleeve, and the traditional button right above said triangle. Under no circumstances should you ever unbutton the collar of a Ben Sherman. Other companies, such as the aforementioned Warrior, Fred Perry, Brutus, etc make a version of this shirt and all of those are quite stylish, but it's the Ben Sherman which remains the icon. Whether you approve of their prices, marketing and policies or not.

THE PENGUIN POLO:



Polo shirts are comfortable, stylish and affordable. The Fred Perry polo is the classic Mod/Skinhead icon, and the Ben Sherman "Romford" is great, as are the Warrior and England Belongs versions, among others. My new favorite, however is the Penguin Classic Polo. This is a 1960s design, more or less unchanged. The Rat Pack wore these, JFK reportedly had one, and Mods and Skins have revered them as a lower cost Fred Perry alternative for years as well. If you get a chance, stop into the Penguin store in NYCs Soho district, it's a much friendlier and laid back store than, say, the snotty Fred Perry store nearby.

Now onto the lower portion of your stinking carcasses...

LEVIS 501 SHRINK TO FIT JEANS:



Skinny jeans are all the rage these days, and I like them alright. The key to not looking like a spindly legged hipster is buying a pair of Levis Skinny 511s two larger than what you'd normally wear. You get the slim look without the hideous shrinkwrapped panty hose feel. While those will certainly do in a pinch, the original skinny jean from the 1960s is still available and still awesome. The Levis 501 Shrink to Fit. They really do shrink to fit, kids. If you want them very, very, very tight, buy your normal waist size. But be warned, these jeans are not the flimsy, soft denim of current Levis designs. They are thick and stiff, and they will hurt you quite badly if used incorrectly. Not for those with sensitive waists and crotches, if you're pickin' up what I'm layin' down over here. The secret to success with these classic American jeans (worn by Rockabillies, Cowboys, Mods, skinheads, Punks and everyone else in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s) is to buy a pair exactly two sizes larger than your normal waist and inseam measurements. This is a good rule of thumb with all slim fit Levis (with the exception of 514s, which are baggier and larger than they seem), but absolutely essential with the Shrink To Fits. They do exactly what the name would suggest. Remeber the classic scene in Quadrophenia, with Jimmy traipsing around his parents living room in wet jeans, explaining that they'd dry tighter this way? Of course you do. Of course you do. For rockabillies, a thick turn-up at the cuff is the way to go. For Mods or Skins, a small one inch turn up, sewn in or ironed, is the ticket. I'm a little bit on both sides of the fence so I have various jeans cuffed in various ways. Don't be afraid to put your own spin on it. Never be a slave to a uniform.

DOC MARTENS HARPER CHELSEA 1460 BOOT:



Doc Martens have long been an essential part of the wardrobe of any punk, goth, skin, mod, grunge person, whatever. They remain durable, fashionable and timeless.
This particular boot is a new slant on the iconic 1460 that old school skinheads would never have guessed at. Take the Doc combat boot that skins love, and cross breed it with the classic Chelsea boot worn by mods, rockers, Beatles, and everybody else in the 60s, and you have the Harper. Basically it's a much more comfortable combat boot, with an elastic square at the ankle, taken from the Chelsea design. I have a pair of these in cherry red, and they are amazingly comfortable and look great. Like the Alpha NB3 parka, these are a smart update of a traditional style.

CLARK'S DESERT BOOTS:



A Mod classic. Worn by the Small Faces, The Jam, The Kinks and others, this is the ultimate dress or casual shoe. A simple leather upper on a crepe sole, this is another example of Mods adopting a military style to their own smart fashion. I am sad to say I've never owned a pair of these, but it's in the cards for sure. They are becoming quite popular these days, perhaps overly so, but that's just because they are stylish and durable.

Well, there you have it. There's your complete kit. Now you, too can be a Well Dressed Man About Town. Yes, even you.