Outfit of the Week

6.7.12
Inspiration: Jacques Cousteau
What: H&M navy striped t shirt, Uniqlo blue cotton suit, Dr. Marten's blue lace ups and Gucci blue leather briefcase
Why It's My Favorite: I grew up watching Jacques Cousteau and his underwater adventures on TV. He sounded like Pepe La Pew come to life. But he gave me up chasing pussycats for fish in the middle of the ocean. Jacques helped to enlighten me to the fact that he actually worked outside of an office. The boat was his office. The fish were his co-workers. And he did it with so much joy.

This favorite childhood memory inspired me to dress like my favorite sailor. Since I was having such a difficult and busy week at work, which continues through this week, I was reminded of Monsieur Cousteau. The thought of him happily filming his underwater friends--Ariel, Sebastian, Flounder, Triton--made reminded me to focus on the joy I do find in my line of work. Surely it wasn't always always smooth sailing for Captain Jacques and he rode the waves just like I have to with my busy job. If I keep at it, maybe my crabby mood will turn to a delicious lobster. 

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RG3000: Our Generation's Steve McQueen?

As guys, we're always drawn to modeling our sense of style based on other men who we respect and want to emulate. It's human nature to Xerox copy something we see other guys are doing/wearing and then appropriating it to make it our own.

Currently, I'm in an Ellen Degeneres mode = Collared shirts + khakis + Lesbian studies + classic Nike Cortez shoes

Last year, I was full on Jay-Z x P. Diddy mode = Black tees + Nike high tops + NY Yankees hats x Bling

So even though I've decided to explore my Sapphic sense of style this year, a la Ellen,  I realize that Ryan Gosling may just be the male counterpart to Ellen D's casual but polished style I wanted to take on this year. Let's look at the facts:

1. His pajama ensemble says "hey, this is what I look like when I get out of bed." I want to look like that.

2. "I'm going to go through airport security with leather gloves on and sunglasses. I'm badass. I dare you to frisk me."

3. His put together look screams "The red carpet is my office."

But when Ryan Gosling's style is compared to someone like Steve McQueen, Ryan is too polished and choreographed. It's not like he told me that while drinking a PBR shooting pool at a Dive bar in the Lower East Side, it's just the general feeling I get when I look at his outfits when he's out in the literal public eye. But I guess with today's information age, a movie star always has to look good 24/7. No one's popping out of the bushes outside my building trying to take a bad picture of me. 

So cheers on you Ryan Gosling. You are a style icon for a new generation. That's why you're RG3000.

YES: Find your own style icon that's accessible without being too much of a departure from what you're comfortable with. It will be obvious.

NO: Just because your dad did it, doesn't make it right. It just makes it a hereditary disease.

MAYBE: You create your own path and develop a new way to dress. Just make sure it fits.

They're WATCHING You

 

A watch is a man's only acceptable piece of jewelry that he can be judged by...aside from a wedding ring. But rings aren't decorative. They serve the purpose of telling marriage hungry single women whether of not the guy is available. At least they're supposed to ward off horny single women, but there's always going to be a Tiger Woods or Johnathan Edwards who attract women who look at a man's wedding ring like Golem on Mount Doom. PRECIOUS!

But men are still required to wear rings to at least prevent affairs from happening. Good luck men.

Watches on the other hand are obsolete with the advent of a cell phone society where everyone is face down into their smartphone at every moment possible. But men are obsessed with their watches in the same way women are obsessed with the cut, color and clarity of their diamond ring. Even when women don't get married, they are still invested in getting their bling on in some way. The watch is a man's only way to get his bling on. 

Ever noticed how often you see guys who roll up their sleeves so that their wrist candy can get some exposure time? 

If we take the adage of spending two months salary on a wedding ring, then why can't a guy spend two months salary on his own personal bling. The rule of thumb is a leather wrist band is perfect for work. A pilot's watch the size of a dollar coin and as heavy as a $20 coin is good for weekends and rubber watches are for sport. But it's all about what you like. Obviously there are watches that you invest in because they become heirlooms and collectibles. There are watches which are just for fun. And there are watches because they are just really f-ing cool.

The same way women have 3 C's in selecting a diamond, men should follow FMC:

Face: Size and dial style (i.e. roman numerals vs sticks or dots)
Movement: Quarts, hand winding or automatic
Cost: How much do you want to spend

It's your time to shine. Strap it on, roll up your sleeves and get to work.

YES: Invest on a watch you can afford. Don't get cray-cray.

NO: A fake watch will never look real, feel real or last as long as the real thing.

MAYBE: You can buy a cheaper watch for every day or the gym and save the nicer watch for events.