Men's Style Resources?
 

I was talking to some friends the other day about fashion for men.

We were wondering what good magazines/catalogues/online etc resources were available for young men seeking fashion tips.

Stuff, Esquire, and Details were suggested so far. What do you think of them and others?

I know its not masculine, but more guys today seem to be into style then ever before . . .


Also questions for the ladies:

Do you notice the way men dress and does it matter to you in terms of attraction?

How do you like men to dress?

How about Abercrombie and Fitch? :D
Or I would suggest the International Male. Good luck!

hmmm...A & F would be a great catalog for young men.

Yea, if he wanted to be an amateur pornstar.

I didn't mean it that way....lol!

Men's Wearhouse - particularly for professional attire. They sell you on the whole package, shirts, slacks, jackets, ties, shoes, etc. I have watched their salesmen work on my husband - LOL - they have their own credit card, and "wouldn't your wife like a card on your account so she can buy you gifts?" ;) But they know their stuff, they've suggested combinations that neither I nor my husband would have thought of, and you know what they say about a well-dressed man, his wife is good at picking out his clothes... :D

My boyfriend always says "If the manequin has it on, then it must match - good enough for me!"

:)

Most of your men's magazines feature only 'high fashion' stuff -- in the back. $300-$500 shirts, $200 shoes... In other words it's way out of my price range.

Solution: Don't pay any attention to it. Don't buy what's 'in style' but what I like.

Generally speaking though, it's hard to go wrong when you shop at A&F. Formal attire I get through Tom James.. I think they're nation wide but not sure.

Nothing beats a good tailor made suit.

Personally, I like clean cut men with short hair and a preppier sense of style. A man should be well groomed and well dressed. My ex used to get a monthly haircut and manicure and pedicure which made him look really polished. At first it seemed a little girlie to me, but he looked good.

GQ is a good resource for fashion. You can also use a fashion saavy woman as a personal shopper to help you select not only what is fashionable, but what looks good on you.

Playboy

or you could create your own style. trendset

As corporate dominated and one dimensional as it sounds, just go to a place like B.Rep and do some mix and matching...everything is generally classy and are the eternal fashions that won't go out anytime soon....that's why I like so much..

or J. Crew.

Cat's / Stores:

Bannana Republic
GAP
Structure
H&M

Mags

Maxim
FHM
King
XXL

I usually stick to a few stores when it comes to shopping:
Structure
J. Crew
Gap
B Republic
That's just what I like I guess.

Nose hair???? You've got to be kidding!

Exactly what I was going to say...although I'm not as much into Banana, wear more Abercrombie and Polo stuff.

Structure and Polo are my two favorites, although it's weird the store is still called Structure, but the clothing says Express.

Collin

I'm pretty sure that as a company, Structure no longer exists...I presume they're either going to keep the name of the stores for recognition, but it was completely bought out a little over a year ago by Express Inc. I think keeping the structure name was a bad move because people likely would be more inclined to buy from the new "Express for Men" rather than the old structure...personally I really don't like structure (or Gap for that matter)

Haha - youre wearing girls clothes ;) j/k I heard they were thinking of changing the store to Express for Men, but that sounded far too lame so they left it as Structure but changed all the labels to Express.

I usually go for the men in clean-cut, classic pulled together looks of JCrew/Banana/Gap/Structure/A&F. Almost anything you get at the forementioned is timeless, stuff that you'll be able to wear forever. I love that look on a guy.

But most of all I like if a guy dresses for his personality - theres nothing worse than an obvious "prep" awkwardly dressed in like raver clothes or fubu... If you like what youre wearing, and you feel good/comfortable in it, more than likely you'll look good too.

James - if you don't get the JCrew catalogue, I suggest that for style inspriation- just go to jcrew.com and sign up.

I like a guy who dresses casually since I myself am addicted to jeans and t-shirts......I once dated an extremely pretty boy, which at the time I thought was GREAT and that all I wanted, but I have since changed my mind. I want a low-maintenance guy!!

My boyfriend now wears t-shirt and shorts all the time, short hair is a must, and no facial hair (stubble is ok, bears/goatees AREN'T!)

About mags anyway, FHM, Stuff, and Details are much more interesting.....but their style sections suck (i.e. jeans with holes in them that cost around $500 :rolleyes: )

go for classic looks. Leather jacket so you can look like a badass, button down shirts for the Rob Lowe go getter look. Jean jackets are a gamble, but if you must then go dark but not black. Other wise you will look like a biker or drug addict or wife beater.

Chic Simple
 

If you can, check out the Chic Simple Men's Wardrobe book. It leans toward the prep-classic side, but it has interesting tips.

Another thing is you don't have to buy the clothes in the books just use them as reference to your own style. I think I've only gone to buy one thing I saw in a magazine as that exact item, and that was a pair of Steve Madden shoes. The way you dress has to show who you are. Its the same w/ letters too. I wear them my way.

I think I like Structure so much now (hated it before) because after they were bought out, the clothing styles began to change. I'm all about that classy/prep kinda look going on. Then again,all the stores I mentioned are like that. I will not shop A&F, although I do own a wool coat that my mom bought me from there.

I liked polo a few years ago, but I just don't really shop there anymore.

I like A&F (sorry everybody!) :D and Banana Republic (for formal stuff). Banana Republic has really classy style, and you have to check that one!

I'm pretty sure all of that list was a joke..at least I hope so!

Kenneth Cole
NEED I SAY MORE

well sturcture still exisits...but the clothes are now express. the structure stores are in the process of being changed over to express men stores. in sd they have changed over, so i'm used to it. at home in norcal they have not all changed yet so i still have to say structure to friends so they know what i'm atlking about.

You could say "broke for life." I hope I never spend $200 on a pair of boots.

I like it when a man dresses for the situation in a way that says casual confidence. My neighbor owns a clothing store and as you would guess, he dresses perfectly. (My Hubby could care less as long as it- AND I QUOTE- "breathes"...) So, I rely on him to help.

There is a new fabric out there that looks like a slk, but is actually a cotton blend. This means when you put it on, it has a crisp look that keeps it's lines, but it wears with the comfort of cotton.
Bonus-You can throw it into the wash and shake it out to dry and it looks new.

I am talking about the fabric because that can make all the difference between looking expensive or cheap. As far as trendy goes, for men in their 40's+ the illusion of the trend is far, far better than the actual trend. GQ is a little too "high fashion", but i's a good place to start. A&F is young, but a good indicator of colors and cuts. WATCH YOUR SHOES. This can be the biggest give-a-way of all. Try to have nice, compatable shoes. Whatever looks like Structure can give you good ideas. It really depends on your climate and lifestyle.


I

I don't like guys who dress down for everything. The ones who dress pseudo-campy. Like wearing sneakers with a suit. That went out with highschool. I'd rather a guy with a sense of style over one who "tries to be cute." He can play at cute with somebody else.

And that is why someone created the clearance rack. Today I bought a pair of Kenneth Cole clogs from DSW shoe warehouse for $30. They had some boots for $60. Gotta shop that's all.

Are we speaking of the same line? One of my friends' fraternity brothers sent him this catalogue as a joke. Isn't this geared largely to the homosexual male population?The clothes seemed a bit outrageous unless you were a Euro stripper.


Exhibit A

...and B

and finally

Maybe it's just me....


Back on topic...

From the female perspective, I am drawn to guys who seem comfortable in their clothing. Example, seeing a guy across the travel section in the local Barnes and Noble in slouchy cords, a button down shirt and a beenie on a lazy afternoon.

I agree with most everyone else on where to shop. There is something marvelous about a preppy kid that draws me in...a wool car coat on the weekends, polos, khakis, dark V neck sweaters over a white oxford, etc. But if a guy digs his random fitted band shirts or long sleeve T's, worn in jeans and sandals and he feels good in them, then that's attractive as well.

In general I can't handle any FUBU or any jerseys. I'm not big on chains around the neck, connected to a wallet or backwards hats. OK, but it's not about my peeves. Basically, just let the clothes reflect you and feel comfortable.

pbpck--------Maybe it's just me....

I hope not........

That is not my idea of an attractively dressed man.

Maybe it works in Italy or Spain!

Rememeber when the movie Wall Street came out? A lawyer friend of ours came to the pool with his hair slicked back and those tight, speedos. Turned out to be a bit much for this La. town. Poor guy STILL gets ribbed about that!

Damn, I have to get some of those leather side split shorts ;)

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: A Lime Green Thong! :eek: :eek: :eek::eek:

Oh lord, JAM... I am off to Barcelona next January. Don't scare me!:eek: Haha.

Oh, and EXCard- I see you as more of a Cire Contour thong guy. Perhaps in the South Beach Pink?;)

NY Times article on young men and shopping
 

July 14, 2002
Boys to Men: Fashion Pack Turns Younger

By RUTH LA FERLA


ANNY HACKETT steamed down a corridor at the Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, N.Y., fueled by a mighty adrenaline rush.

Mr. Hackett, 25, who manages e-mail systems for Reuters America, the news agency, spent his day off scouring the Long Island mall. He prowls its shops three or four times a month, scouting for bargains and spending an average of $100 on clothes and accessories each visit. Last Wednesday afternoon, he bagged a black zip-front pullover at Armani AX, which he had plucked from the linen and cotton shirts piled pell-mell on the sales tables. "I've just gone through the whole $19.99 table," Mr. Hackett said, flushed with the thrill of the chase. "I was going crazy."

His shopping zeal used to be rare among men his age, but it is increasingly the norm. For a new breed of teenage boys and young men, clothes shopping, once a chore, is now a pleasurable pastime, a form of recreation, self-expression, even fulfillment, motivations rarely acknowledged in their fathers' day, but that young men now share with female contemporaries.

"Young men are the new generation of consumers," said Candace Corlett, a partner in WSL Strategic Retail, a New York consulting firm. "They shop for clothing more like women than they do like older men, and are becoming pretty passionate shoppers." A study by WSL of American shopping patterns released in January found that the habits of men 18 to 34 closely mirrored those of women their age. Young men reported that they increasingly visited the kinds of places where women traditionally shop for clothes, particularly specialty retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, Hot Topic and Structure.

Another report, by the NPD Group, noted that overall retail sales of men's wear, an industry gravely troubled by the slow economy and the shift to casual styles, dropped $4 billion in 2001 from the previous year, but the youngest shoppers represent a bright spot. Men 18 to 24 actually increased their spending by 2.5 percent, to $9.2 billion, the only group that spent more, not less, on clothing.

"Over the last two years," said Terry J. Lundgren, president of Federated Department Stores, the owner of Macy's and Bloomingdale's, "the young women's market has been the hot category in apparel, but now young men's is what really is catching fire." This year Federated reported a growth of more than 10 percent in young men's apparel, "significant in an environment where sales have been flat or or even slightly negative," Mr. Lundgren said.

The growth is coming especially from so-called urban brands like Sean Jean and Ecko, whose recent dressier styles like plush sweaters and calf-length coats are garnering a mainstream following. Other popular looks include weathered low-rider jeans and stretch fabric dress shirts in a variety of colors.

Young men these days share with young women a heightened brand awareness, a tendency to buy on impulse and a predilection for clothes that are simpler, more close-fitting and sexier than in the past.

What is more, they tend to view shopping both as a means to an end — dressing appropriately, and stylishly, for dates or the job — and, increasingly, as an end in itself. And the taste for Gucci logo belts, Burberry shirts, Gap khakis and Mavi rinsed jeans is skewing ever younger. The NPD reports that boys 13 to 17 spent $7.9 billion on clothes in 2001, up $1.8 billion from 1999. It is not unusual these days to see teenage boys roaming the malls in packs, just as girls do, chattering animatedly among themselves and spending their weekly allowances, along with their own meager earnings, on jeans, designer sunglasses, roomy logo T-shirts and loose-fitting khaki-tone cargo shorts, sneakers and square-toed leather shoes.

"They want what's new and they want to fit in," said Marsha Drogin Dayan, the owner of Marsha D.D., an Upper East Side purveyor of jeans, khakis and casual tops for boys. "That's their fashion sense.They drop in two or three times a week to see what's new, and I don't see them as embarrassed at all."

Colleen Flynn, the mother of three teenage boys in Manhattan, said her sons shopped often and enthusiastically at a variety of stores, showing a marked taste for luxury labels like Burberry. She conceded that her sons' unconcealed consumer lust left her slightly nonplused. "I don't remember boys shopping this way when I was that age," Ms. Flynn said.

What, then, would she make of Mike Arana, who was shopping the other day at Express for Men at Roosevelt Field, his hair spiked, his eyebrows shaped and waxed, wearing a loose T-shirt and Express jeans. Mike, 14, had ventured inside to check out the the denims and dress shirts that are his club wear of choice.

"I love shopping," he said almost boastfully before vanishing into a fitting room with an armful of bright-colored stretch cotton shirts. "It is my favorite thing to do."

Not surprisingly, that sort of ardor has given rise to brisk marketing efforts aimed at teenage boys and young men through their early 30's. "The young men's area certainly has become more of a focus for us in the men's world," said Randy Heil, the fashion director of Macy's San Francisco. Mr. Heil, who was hired two years ago expressly to build the young men's category, added: "We do believe young men's is a large customer base and we're spending a lot of time, effort and money to attract that customer."

The store has broadened its selection of urban labels like Enyce and Ecko and surfwear labels like Hurley and Quicksilver, and dressier club wear, brands like CK Calvin Klein Jeans.

Scoop, the popular New York-based chain of young women's boutiques, opened its first men's shop in Miami this year and plans to add a men's store on the Upper East Side of Manhattan next month. Uzi Ben-Avraham, a co-owner, plans to stock labels like Helmut Lang and Paul Smith alongside Pepe Jeans and Levis, aiming the selection at a fashion-conscious clientele.

They are shoppers like Chris Colon, 29, who browsed the Fifth Avenue store of H&M, the cheap chic chain from Sweden, last Friday with no particular goal in mind. Mr. Colon, who works in the operations department at Salomon Smith Barney, and wore a salmon pink shirt from Banana Republic, finds clothes shopping both relaxing and gratifying. "I like to treat myself," he said. "You work hard so you want to enjoy what you have."

A fan of Latin music and hip-hop, he also buys CD's, but finds himself shopping more often for clothes, at least once a week, usually during lunch hour. "It's a good way to get out of the office," he said.

Several yards away, Tod Michael, 20, an actor who recently moved to New York from Portland, Ore., considered a denim newsboy cap and sleeveless gray wool sweater. "For me shopping is recreation," said Mr. Michael, who was dressed in a pleat-front black linen shirt from Structure and boot-cut pants. "I like to buy fun things, not basic things I already have."

Young men are dressing these days with a new refinement and style-consciousness, retailers say. "For a while they were all caught up in the casualization of America trend — T-shirts and khakis and five-pocket jeans," Mr. Lundgren said. "Today they are dressing up, responding to a great deal of fashion that has been injected into the business."

Indeed, at stores like H&M youthful customers are gravitating toward the exotic or unusual. The store says its Moroccan-style denim men's tunics offered last May sold out within a month.

Few younger men need to be prodded to shop, dressing and spending on their own steam. "Guys have always shared a pack look, like girls," said Ms. Corlett, the retail consultant. "The difference now is that the guys are dressing themselves and not sending mom out to `buy me this or that.' "

Their alacrity stems from having grown up in households where mothers work, Ms. Corlett said. "These moms tend to leave $50 on the counter and say, `Get your own jeans for the dance Friday night.' "

Many men no longer find clothes-shopping stigmatizing. The younger ones, especially, are "liberated from the fear that shopping will brand them as insufficiently masculine," said Michael Weiss, president of the Limited brand's new Express for Men stores. He added that starting at the age of 14, "boys are coming to the realization that it's O.K. to cry at a movie and maybe to buy a pink shirt."

Express for Men, formerly known as Structure, has seized on this shift in attitude as a business opportunity, balancing its inventory of casual styles with $90 jeans, $300 suits and $600 shearling maxicoats.

"Young men are interested in looking cool and they are where the growth is," Mr. Weiss said. "A lot of guys have had enough of that sloppy, beat up collegiate look, the clothing equivalent of beer."

He might have been thinking of Thomas McGlynn, 19, who strolled into the Roosevelt Field Mall's men's Express and made a beeline for a wall of gem-tone stretch cotton shirts. A devout reader of magazines like Maxim and Gourmet, Mr. McGlynn drops about $150 a month on clothes from stores like Kenneth Cole and Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan, and on grooming products like Aveda hair balms.

Michael Gerbovnka, a 27-year-old finance manager for a cosmetics company, lives in Hoboken, N.J., but shops in Manhattan on his lunch hour. At H&M, he inspected a pair of $50 dark-washed, sand-caked jeans. "I've gotten into trendier clothes," Mr. Gerbovnka said. He was heading for the door, when a stack of T-shirts stopped him in his tracks. "When I find just the right dark one to wear with my jeans, then I'll be set to go."



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