SHIRT TALE: THE GREAT WHITE SHIRT

HOW TO BE A WHITE SHIRT CONNOISSEUR 

(OR FAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH IT)

Back when I was still a newbie in the styling business, the rules of button-downs are very cryptic for me. When choosing shirts, all I care about was if it was small, medium or large.  I definitely noticed the numbers on the tag but I didn’t speak Shirt until now. At 30, I think it’s time for us to be keen and knowledgeable on the most important piece in every man’s wardrobe:  the crisp white shirt. Forget everything else but the shirt. It can bring you places with its versatility. You should know your shirt as much as you know your wine. That’s how huge a deal  it is, big boy! We can not learn the art of choosing the perfect shirt in one purchase, but we could fake our way and pretend like we know what we're looking for when we enter a store. Besides, a perfect white dress shirts can be a real wardrobe investment and can withstand the ever-changing trends for several seasons.

It's very important to know what you're talking about if you actually KNOW what you're talking about. Get yourself familiar with the parts of the shirt so when someone tells you about the "yoke," eggs do not come in mind.

There are 3 things to remember in buying a shirt: Occasion, Fit and Quality.

OCCASION

Occasion will dictate the type of fabric and style. Casual occasions require a less formal fabric and style. Business and Formal occasions is dressier and are very technical.

Not all shirts are made alike (well in RTW, they usually do. haha.). What I'm saying is not all shirts suits every occasion. Fabric dictates the kind of shirt you need. Here are the most common type of fabrics used in shirts:

oxford fabric

The oxford is a coarse fabric that is perfect for casual wear. 

Varieties in the cloth are the plain Oxford, the Pinpoint Oxford and the more formal Royal Oxford. While these first two are more often paired with casual shirt designs like a button-down collar, the third type of Oxford cloth, "Royal Oxford", is a more versatile weave that can be paired with either business or sporty dress codes.

herringbone patern

The herringbone has small v-shaped weaving pattern which is suited for the office.

Not to be confused with the woolen herringbone which is used for pants and coats, the herringbone used for shirts are twill fabrics. The term herringbone used for shirts indicates the texture or pattern woven in such that the direction of the diagonal texture or pattern reverses every so often. Herringbone patterns come in variety of sizes and subtleties. 

broadcloth

Lastly, the broadcloth is a fine fabric that is ideal for formal events. If you’re bent on choosing only one, pick the broadcloth (which is essentially the same as Poplin). It's a tightly woven fabric with a very simple-over weave and slight sheen which makes it very dressy. Broadcloths are generally a thinner lighter fabric  broadcloth. 

Now, if you want to up the ante of your pretend-savviness and act like a sartorial snob,  find out about the thread count. Dress shirts with hight thread count are more expensive to produce and more desirable if you like your shirts silky, soft and thin. 

Thread count is often referred to with a number like 50s, 80's, 120's, 140s to 200s. These  numbers refer to the yarn size not the number of threads per inch.  

FIT

Before looking at the fit these shirts provide, it is important to look at the shapes they are designed to fit.

Although manufacturers may come up with their own terminology for dress shirt sizing, most of them adhere to the same concept of offering three shirt cuts to fit the three most common body types. Some designers offer additional options, and for men who are hard to fit, the answer may lie with one of these less commonly seen fit styles.

Before looking at the fit these shirts provide, it is important to look at the shapes they are designed to fit. Doctors and fitness experts often refer to three somatotypes, or body shapes, that describe most men's bodies; these categories are also helpful when deciding how to dress each body type. I know this will hurt, as truth often does, but at this point we need to really admit to ourselves which body type we fall in. 

Full Fit Dress Shirts

When laid flat, a full-fit dress shirt widens slightly from the base of the yoke to the hem of the shirt. This A-line silhouette is more comfortable and flattering for men who carry extra weight at the abdomen or who have a solid, stocky build. In larger sizes, these shirts typically have larger armholes to accommodate fuller arms comfortably. Many endomorphic body types will find their most comfortable fit with a full-cut dress shirt. This shape is sometimes called comfort fit or relaxed fit by some manufacturers.

Traditional Fit Dress Shirts

When a shirt is labeled traditional fit, it has side seams that are straight or only slightly tapered at the waist. Some manufacturers taper the waist more than others, so it is wise to try on the shirt or pay close attention to waist measurements when buying a shirt with a traditional fit. Many traditional fit shirts feature box pleats at the base of the yoke for more comfortable movement. This silhouette may also be called a straight fit, classic fit, or natural fit.

Slim Fit Dress Shirts

A dress shirt with a slim fit has marked tapering at the waist and may also have a yoke that is narrower from shoulder to shoulder. It is meant to fit a slimmer body comfortably and closely. Slim fit dress shirts almost always have pleating at the yoke and darts at the waist for a more tailored fit at the waistline. When laid flat, this shirt's sides curve inward noticeably.

Athletic Fit Dress Shirts

Cut with a broader yoke and larger armholes to fit a more muscular physique, athletic fit men's dress shirts have a fitted, tapered waist that differentiates them from full-cut dress shirts with the same neck size and sleeve length. Although not all manufacturers carry this fit, those that do are worth finding for men with mesomorphic body types or muscular physiques.

Tailored Fit Dress Shirts

Tailored fit, a commonly used term that overlaps with both slim fit and traditional fit, often refers to a shirt that has a yoke of standard width and a moderately tapered waist. It falls somewhere between a traditional fit and a slim fit shirt, but it is not as wedge-shaped as an athletic fit shirt. Like the tailored fit, the modern fit also falls between a slim fit and a traditional fit dress shirt. An increasingly common term, vintage fit refers to a shirt that has the slim-cut shirt's narrow waist and smaller 

Measure at the chest just below the arms, across the shoulders, and at the natural waistline to get an idea of the underlying body structure. Choose a preliminary fit based on these measurements, but be open to other possibilities; some endomorphs find that a traditional fit is more comfortable, and some slim mesomorphs prefer a slim-cut shirt to the athletic fit that they might otherwise choose.

Many men find that having a range of dress shirts in different fits suits them better than adhering to a single cut. For an occasion that requires lengthy periods of sitting such as a board meeting or long flight, a man might opt for a roomier fit at the waist than he normally would. A cocktail party might call for a slimmer and more body-conscious fit. If he's attending a wedding reception or bachelor party, a man wearing a shirt with an athletic fit will find dancing and raising his arms for a toast 

Men's dress shirts are usually sold with two sizes listed: neck diameter and sleeve length.

These two measurements are key to the overall fit of the garment. If you do not know your measurements, stores usually keep a tape measure. Ask for their assistance.

Do not be intimidated by the numbers on the tag where S,M,L usually appear. They work for our best.

The following tables represent manufacturers' typical sizing, but these sizes may vary from maker to maker. When possible, look for shirts that are measured in inches rather than assigned a letter or word denoting their size for a more accurate fit.

Shirt Size	Neck Size	Sleeve Length
Small	14 - 14 ½	32 - 33
Medium	15 - 15 ½	32 - 33
Large	16 - 16 ½	34 - 35
X-Large	17 - 17 ½	34 - 35
XX-Large	18 - 18 ½	35 - 36

Try it on. A well-fitted dress shirt's collar should button comfortably and leave room for two fingers between the neck and the collar.

Sleeves should be long enough that the yoke does not buckle or pull the tail of the shirt out of the waistband when the arms are extended straight forward at chest height.

Sleeve length is usually listed on manufacturers' labels for shirts, and the right sleeve length is key to getting a proper fit. Men's dress shirts have either French cuffs or barrel cuffs. 

Barrel cuffs (aka standard cuffs) attach with buttons stitched to the shirt and require no cufflinks.

Button cuffs may have a single button or may be adjustable, with two buttons side-by-side. Some have two buttonholes and two vertical buttons- a more formal option often called the “barrel cuff.” Button cuffs may also have a small button on the sleeve, between the cuff and the end of the cuff opening, intended to prevent the area from opening and exposing the gentleman’s wrist.

French cuffs are the most formal option, yet are perfectly appropriate for daily wear in many industries such as finance. The French cuff is a double cuff, folded back and fastened with cufflinks to create a distinctive and distinguished appearance. Cufflinks must always be worn – though there are more subtle options available, such as fabric knots – so the gentleman must be prepared to keep a reasonable selection on hand.

TIPS

• ·         Cuffs should not ride up the forearm when the arms are raised overhead or out to the sides in a T shape.
• ·         When the arms are at the wearer's sides, the sleeves should not have more than an inch of fabric that bunches at the cuff, nor should the edge of the cuff travel to the back of the hand.

The back of the shirt may have pleats at the base of the yoke and vertical darts, sewn folds of fabric to adjust the garment's fit, at the waist.

In front, some shirts have a placket, a vertical length of fabric into which the button-holes are stitched, and others do not.

Plain-fronted shirts have a single fold of fabric on one side of the row of buttons when the shirt is buttoned; placket-fronted shirts have a fold on either side of the button row.

QUALITY

This image pretty much sums up the things you have to look for in a white shirt to ensure the best quality. 

Now where to get the best dress shirts in town? That's worthy of another post. :)

http://propercloth.com/dress-shirt-fabrics

http://www.ebay.com/gds/what-are-the-different-types-of-mens-dress-shirt-fits/27618/g.html

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/04/12/understanding-the-dress-shirt-custom-shirt-

giveaway/

GOOD READ: The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle

Once THE punk royal couple, Mclaren with ex-wife, Vivien Westwood

By MALCOLM McLAREN

Published: September 18, 2005

Music is inextricably linked with fashion. History shows that rock 'n' roll was born in 1947, at the time of Christian Dior's New Look. Unwanted and banned in the 40's, it was forced to go underground. But the moment rock 'n' roll started to cut its teeth on popular culture was the moment when every James Dean look-alike danced with an adolescent girl dressed head to toe in crinoline skirts and padded bras: the Hollywood High version of the New Look. That look, meanwhile, found a rival in the birth of pret-a-porter by Dior's successor, Yves Saint Laurent. It was the dawn of the 60's, and youth stopped imitating its elders and took on an identity of its own, taking over and changing fashion forever.

Since then, we've seen every rock-'n'-roll look strut down the runway: from the velvet-collared, lean, hungry, desperate Teddy boys; to the back-combed, beehived, turtlenecked mods; to the deconstructed, nihilistic, black-vinyl punks; to the tawdry, Spandex-clad glam rockers; to the torn, wasted, antifashion grunge tribes. Rock 'n' roll has been exploited to death by a zillion couture houses. Perhaps rightly so. The original designers are long dead, and no longer part of our everyday references. Their successors treat fashion in a merely decorative sense without any subtext. This doesn't make for news. In fact, the ugliest and most unfashionable ideas are always the most irresistible to the creative elite. They have no desire to be inspired by established thoughts and received opinion. What they want is simply to demonstrate their sexual prowess.A rock star once meant a rebel outlaw -- someone who represented the look of the music. The rules of cool. To dress up, to mess up! To be young, sexy assassins. To sing: ''I am an anti-Christ/I am an anarchist/Your future dream is a shopping scheme.'' But the fashion industry has bought and sold this look too many times. Having poured so much water on its wine, it has finally rendered it innocuous by putting an expensive price tag on it and plastering it with logos. Having been messed, abused, raped and finally left for dead, rock 'n' roll's look has run out of (gasp!) edge. It is now nothing more than a reflection of pop culture's boredom with itself. How can we go on redressing the same corpse?

Easy! Everyone today is their own curator who can pick and mix the icons they worship. Sid Vicious, David Bowie, Marc Bolan. It's all part of a culture we can relate to and in effect, now own. In this new world, shopping and entertainment merge. And the satisfaction we get from dressing like a rock-'n'-roll rebel will last for as long as it is still fashionable. For everyone knows that, once a look wanes, the passion it once stirred seems inexplicable. To understand this is to understand fashion and all those who create and consume it.

How strange it must be for Mick Jagger to sit at Hedi Slimane's show for Dior Homme and watch his naive look-alikes march down the catwalk as if they'd been born onstage in what look like his old clothes -- what he used to wear back in the day, but now produced with the Dior label and matching price tag. Stranger still to see Riley Keough, with the same face as her grandfather Elvis, plastered across magazines and billboards, modeling for Dior. We've come a long way since the 50's, when teenagers and rock 'n' roll co-opted Dior. Christian Dior, in fact, was born exactly 100 years ago.

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/18/style/tmagazine/TM1896189.html?_r=1&

HOME INTERIORS: CAMOUFLAGE SOFA

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from cococo home

The secret to becoming an instant Kanye West is to get this sofa. Not only this makes a cool kiddult addition in your bachelor's pad, it also looks like Kim Kardashian in head to toe camou! Haha. Seriously though, camouflage print gave this classic - usually in beaten up brown leather,   watchamacallit sofa a masculine twist.  Although, i've always dreamt of a black leather sofa set, i won't mind having this one. Makes me wanna hit secondhand furniture shop to get some vinatge-y sofa and have it re-upholstered in camou print any moment now.

SHIRT TALES: CASUAL BUTTON-DOWNS

Choosing the perfect casual button-down is really a matter of personal taste. There may be guidelines in choosing the right prints that flatters your body type or colors that matches your skin tone but in the end we buy whatever appeals to us or matches our personal style. Truthfully, the thought of me wearing long-sleeves is a bit discomforting and I've never really looked for button-down long-sleeves this serious before. I find them boring but I'm glad that I found what i found at mr. porter. I'm surprised that there are other delightful colors out there but I'm not ready for colors (during the day) just yet. Colors? For daywear? How predictable! I've always liked Grunge . Any references to it like army greens, leopard prints and blacks (lots of it) appeals to me more.

chambray shirt from 

Dolce & Gabbana

a wardrobe staple! (probably not of the same brand)

graphic prints

Jil Sander; Givenchy; Neil Barrett

never thought it could be this fun

 prints

Levi's Vinatge Clothing; Saint Laurent; undercover

a bit crazy but i see them worn nicely under jackets

army

Beams Plus; Alexander McQueen;Woolrich

all from mrporter.com

SHIRT TALES 1: CASUAL BUTTON-DOWNS

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING YOUR CASUAL SHIRTS

                                   

Growing up in a tropical country like the Philippines, T-shirt may be the best fashion invention of all time. The comfort and versatility it offers made it everyone’s favorite article of clothing. Many of us wear t-shirts to work, to clubs and I even see some wear them to weddings (despite indicated dress codes) so it’s no surprise that the concept of button-down or “long-sleeves,” as it is popularly called here, is vague.

The term long sleeves is always associated with formal wear. Semi-formal dress codes are commonly (mis)interpreted as long sleeves paired with pants (slacks or jeans), sans blazers.

What many of us wasn’t taught about is that: long sleeves can be casual, too.
Before I/we get totally confused, my fellow Pinoys, let me clear some terminologies: What we were raised to know as the “long sleeves” or “long-sleeved shirt,” is known in the West as the “button-down” or, simply, the “shirt” (other than t-shirts). Button-down, however, is another misused term. Button-down, technically, refers to a long-sleeved shirt with collars that are each secured down to the front panel of the shirt by… a button! Some articles and shopping sites wrongly refer to button-downs as button-fronts - those collared (even without fastening buttons)  long-sleeved shirts with buttons down the front.

For the purpose of this article and succeeding articles of this blog, we will refer to button-downs as those shirts with buttons on their collar tips, and button fronts as long sleeves (or short-sleeves) without buttons on their collars tips.

Button-fronts are our best alternative to t-shirts in casual dressing upon reaching the dreaded 3-0  as it may exudes professionalism and maturity, depending on the choice of fabric and print. It’s versatile, comfortable and very relaxed. It can also be worn with chinos, jeans, and shorts or with an under-shirt.

While the button-down shirt has made a name for itself in the workplace, the casual button-down shirt has recently become a popular phenomenon for outside the workplace and works as well as button-fronts.

Button-downs and button-fronts come in variety of fabric combinations. The best bets are the softest (cotton) and wrinkle-free ones, of course. Prices vary depending on the quality of the fabric. I say, it is wise to invest on some pieces, especially if it’s the type you can use a lot of times.

I searched the web and compiled various articles to come up with the simplest guide we could use before we hit the stores.  

Askmen.com observes that. "for many of us, choosing a shirt is just like selecting a pair of running shoes, jeans or even a T-shirt. We either like it or we don't, and it's usually the price that dictates whether we'll buy it or not." But since what we are trying to build a sharp wardrobe of better outfits, consider the following guidelines:

QUALITY

Designer brands aren't always synonymous with quality, but for the most part, if a brand name has been around long enough, then odds are that the quality is at par.

Brand name or not, a quality shirt should be made of the finest quality fabrics. Look for 100% cotton and other fine natural fabrics. Delicate stitching also says a lot about the quality of a shirt. A fine quality shirt should have solid yet discreet stitching around the seams and buttons. Manufacturers often try to cut corners by using insufficient or cheap thread. Also, make sure to look out for the smaller details. Cuffs and collars are the most important details of any man's shirt. A shirt that boasts nice cuffs and a well-designed collar is usually of higher quality. As well, a shirt with cufflinks and a heavily starched collar is often seen as more formal than one without the aforementioned extras. For more precise proportions, measure your neck size right below your Adam's apple with measuring tape.

TYPE OF COLLAR

Choosing the shirt's collar is an important step in the selection process. Your collar should sit evenly on your neck, without choking you. As a rule of thumb, you should be able to slip in your fattest finger without feeling choked.

The most common types of collars available in the market right now are forward point collars, spread collars and button down collars (see chart below). Interestingly, as menswear industry continue to flourish, there's a great revival of looks that have long been out of fashion. Designers have shown on the runways some extremely short collars over the past two years. The club collar, with its abbreviated, rounded shape, is back."The overall slimming down of the menswear silhouette calls for smaller collars. Designers and retailers also have been pushing clothes that fall somewhere in between work wear and casual wear, and adding more collar options along the way." 
The upside: Men have more ways to communicate personal style through their shirts than color and pattern. 
The downside: Men who want to choose the appropriate collar for everyday or special-occasion events may need a scorecard.

And here's how to find the right collar to match your face shape:

Generally, a higher collar that is not too wide will complement a narrow face, while one with a lower collar will help exaggerate the length of the neck, and therefore complement a wider face.

Generally, a higher collar that is not too wide will complement a narrow face, while one with a lower collar will help exaggerate the length of the neck, and therefore complement a wider face.

STYLE

Cuts, Hems and Yokes

The cut and design of a button down shirt varies. Oxford button downs, as the more casual look, can come with or without pleats, darts or yokes. If an Oxford is cut with pleats and shirt tails, it is intended to be worn with a suit or sport jacket. If the hem is rounded, the shirt can also be worn casually and untucked. Oxford shirts will have pleating in the back, but hidden button downs can be either pleated or not. Since they are casual, button down shirts can have a tailored or tapered waist.(e-how)"

Cuffs

The most common cuff type for casual shirts is the Barrel cuff.

This is your everyday shirt cuff. It features a couple of buttons so you can adjust the fit of the cuff 

(other cuff styles will be discussed lengthily in another blogpost).

Pockets

Pockets tend to have a more casual look, although you may find one, finely tailored chest pocket on dress shirts with both point and spread collars. Shirts that feature bulky pockets with flaps or multiple pockets are casual shirts.

Dress shirt fabric

Look for cottons and cotton blends for the best look and most comfortable fit. 

FIT
A shirt that doesn’t fit correctly will still look sloppy regardless of how well-made it is. The first step in choosing your size is measuring your neck and sleeve length. 

Secondly, decide whether you’d prefer the Regular or Slim Fit. A regular fit is looser around the waist while the Tailored Fit comes in and fits more snugly.

While Slim Fit is the trend nowadays, it does not help everyone. Mostly, men with leaner body types often find that regular fit dresses have extra fabric billowing in the back. Slim fit allow for a slimmer waist In regular fit suits, small figure types can look lost in a sea of fabric.

In choosing the proper sleeves length, rest your arms to your sides, your sleeves should end where your thumbs begin. Finally, if you're planning on tucking in your shirt, make sure it's long enough because having to re-tuck it into your pants all day long can become quite annoying. On the other hand, if you're planning on letting your shirt hang out, make sure it doesn't hang too low.

VERSATILITY

Last but not least, you should choose a shirt for its versatility. If you're on a limited budget, stay away from odd colors and patterns. Instead, opt for solid colors such as plain whites, blacks and grays; they're classics and can easily be matched with the rest of your wardrobe.

However, as a t-shirt substitute, I strongly suggest that you leave a room for creativity in choosing your casual shirt to keep your look interesting and exciting. Choose prints that are in trend, color combinations that compliments the whole wardrobe and look for subtle details that you want to define your style.

Hopefully, this simple screening process will help you find good quality, versatile and detail-oriented shirts that will keep you looking sharp for a long time.

Each collar type has its own character; the way it looks depends on how and what you'll be wearing it with. Most importantly, you should feel comfortable with the look and feel of the particular collar.

On a more general level, a shirt should fit nicely around your shoulders and back. You should feel comfortable while stretching forward and avoid feeling as though your shirt is going to rip off your back.

Sources:

http://www.josbank.com/menswear/shop/ContentView?langId=-1&storeId=11001&catalogId=10050&contentKey=SHIRTDETAILS

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-slim-fit-clothing.htm

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324468104578250150034142598.html http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_60/96b_fashion_advice.html#ixzz2SC98Dz6p
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_60/96b_fashion_advice.html

http://www.casualpower.com/business_casual_tips/six_categories.html

http://www.esquire.com/style/best-shirt-collars-0209#slide-1

http://www.ehow.com/info_8055487_types-button-down-shirts.html

DIRTY30THIRTY STYLE ICON: XAVIER DE ROSNAY

4 STEPS IN BUILDING A NEW WARDROBE

The thing about being 30 is that we are neither too young nor too old. When it comes to dressing up, we tend to oversee our actual age and act (and dress) the age we feel like. I think it’s okay up to a certain point. But when we start to feel like we have to start acting according to our age, show a higher level of maturity, demand respect, or play the game with the grown-ups, a proper decorum is expected. We have to dress the part!

If you are easily affected by impressions and perceptions, then you have to start to worry on how you look.

I know, I know, some of you will go on saying your I-am-what-I-am-and-I-can-wear-whatever-I-like speech but I think, by now, we should have established who we are and at the same time reside on the fact that first impressions last.  “Countless communication studies have shown a man’s visual appearance is initially more powerful than what he says; ignore your wardrobe at your own risk.”

I think, that the real dilemma here is not the fear of looking like a competent person.  Men are naturally stubborn to dress beyond their comfort zone. I have styled regular men a number of times and most of them are half-hearted to let go of their baggy pants and loose t-shirts. While it is true that our personal style should not be undervalued,  let’s face it, at 30, we are expected to act and dress according to a certain standard. So in order to marry personal style from your 20-something bygone decade with your matured 30-something self, I thought of 4 guidelines to help men my age in starting/fixing/improvng their own wardrobe.

1.       Identify your style.

If at 20, you ‘ve experimented with looks and styles, at 30 you should have found the one and modified it to how it best suits you.

At 20, I also experimented with several looks.  I loved dressing up in different characters which kind of messed  up my wardrobe causing a severe case of style schizophrenia. My daily style hop from  grungy skater to trashy metal to DIY’d punk. I would also channel Japanese street style most of the time, and on special (dressier) occasions, I would look like a post-raver clubkid. With all these party going on in my closet, I noticed I was drawn more into the edgy statement-pieces. I also have quite a number of basic black pieces which remains my base as I layer (if the weather would allow me to). My style have aIways been with youth subculture references and I intend to keep some as much as aging allows me to. Our personal style when worn consistently gives us our signature look and creates our personal identity. Take note of this factor as we create our personal uniform.

2.       Create a personal uniform.

At 30, you probably identified which items in your closet you use more often than any of the others. It could be that pants that slims and elongates your leg, or a shirt with that slim collar detail that you love , or perhaps that blazer that gets you a lot of compliments from wearing.  If you look and feel good in it, then it must be working, right? So why wear anything else?  

Narrow down your wardrobe options with the items that best fits you. Consider, however the work environment and the lifestyle you choose to have.  Add variety in the guise of color, details, theme or brand. Begin defining separate wardrobes based on your needs, and keep a handful of crossover pieces to bridge the gaps.

Creating a personal uniform has a lot of advantages- mostly for convenience. It makes dressing time faster and relieves you the stress of what to wear every morning. It also makes shopping easy, choosing only items that will go well with your other clothes. To keep your wardrobe interesting add or choose items with touches of your preferred personal style. As in my case, buttondowns with subtly studded collars may take the place of a studded leather choker. 

(How to Create A Personal Uniform deserves another blogpost, so stay close.)

3.       Refine.

The point of dressing up your age is to show competence at first glance. Whichever  style you decide to carry on, keep everything refined.  Achieving a refined look involves sharp editing of your wardrobe. Always keep in mind that less is more. If rocker style interests you as well, keep it details subtle.  A classic biker jacket over a plain gray shirt and dark jeans may look more age appropriate than wearing a studded biker jacket , cut-off shirts, torn jeans and piles of chain accessories. We can still enjoy the rad look as long as we keep it controlled.   

Another secret to refinement is to streamline your wardrobe and eliminate everything loud. (Aw! That hurts!)  It took me a painful while to pack away my statement pieces. Though I know, that sometime in the future, those studded denim jackets I DIY’d will come in handy, it is in my best interest that we part ways for now. Streamlining your wardrobe eliminating everything that is unnecessary will help you start fresh. It will help you realize items that you may (or may not) need. Perhaps a rockstar-ish watch (instead of spiked armbands) to pair with your crisp white shirt + jeans , or a skull print Alexander McQueen pocket square to go with your gray blazer. Refinement also extends to grooming. If you once rocked long pony-tailed hair, maybe it’s time to pay your barber a visit now that your hair is receding.  Keep everything simple and the details subtle.  Show that your taste, appearance and manner has improved.

4. Upgrade.

Let’s pretend for a second that all our hardwork for the last 10 years are for a better and comfortable life. Let’s pretend that we’ve achieved improvement in our life compared to bumming out infront of TV eating chips and smoking from bong. When entering the third decade in life, it would not hurt to treat yourself the littlest luxury you can afford. It helps other people’s perception towards us if we ante our wardrobe a notch.

Brands and prices are of importance at this point. And so is quality. Though it is true that style cannot be bought, you should be able to at least afford higher priced items than what your 20-year old self used to buy.

We know Levi’s is the standard of cool in denimwear, but adding some brands like A.P.C. or 7 For All Mankind in the mix  increases style quotient. While Topman offers affordable, trendy and fast fashion for boys, investing on a pricier high-quality tweed blazer from Neil Barret may be a better choice. And while Sperrys works in men of any age, grabbing yourself a real Italian leather shoes will clearly separate men like you from the boys.  

It is perhaps the right time to own investment pieces like watches, belts, shoes, bags and coats. Since they’re  expensive, you don’t have to own a lot. They also come in handy when closing deals, attending  parties or meeting prospective dates.

Rememeber, that when in doubt, always  dress a half-step more crisply than everyone else, regardless of the situation.

Sources:

http://www.gillikin.org/2012/04/the-experts-speak-style-for-a-30-something/

http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_600/609_dress-your-age-30s.html

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/04/16/how-to-build-a-manly-wardrobe-1/