Style Guide: Composition

This style guide uses rules on composition to show you how to dress like a fucking man. The problem with most style blogs is they are intent on making you look like a peacock with a technicolored dream coat on; here we’re more about evolution, not revolution.




Oxford Street 28/01

Rules 

5. Two fingers are always better than one. Take two fingers and see if they slide in nice and comfortably. Clearly I am taking here about your collar. Do the top buttons up, and see if two fingers fit in easily. Do this, or choke to death when you put a tie on. If you can get three fingers in it is clearly unpleasant.

37. The bottom of your jacket should be level with the end of your arms. This is your visual middle. Raise or lower it too much and your proportions, and you, will look weird.

44. Big feet need structure. Look for toe caps, brogues and more structured shapes or you’ll look like you have clown feet.

I fucking love matey boy's look here. He is not pushing any boundaries, he’s not changing the world, it’s just a really fucking accessible, smart look. But your not here for pastiche, bland, smoke blown up each others arse opinion, you’re here for something a little more substantial.

The trick here is the different fabrics. The jacket and jeans have a rough texture, the rest is smooth. This means the overall look is balanced between smart and casual. It helps that the jeans are well fitted: no sag in the arse, slight break at the bottom and a rich colour. The jacket is a good fit: bit of collar, bit of cuff, and the jumper and tie give the whole look a finished smart feel.

Style Guide: Colour and Composition

This style guide uses rules on colour and composition to show you how to dress like a fucking man. Details, colour, shape, details, colour, shape, details, colour, shape, details, colour, shape, I’ll keep going on about it till you fucking listen.

 

Covent Garden 28/01

Rules

22. Layer. This should tie in with your colour palette and pattern selection. If you’re a 'differ' layer contrasting colours, if you’re a similar, build up a rich palette. This gives you an extra dimension to your look.

42. No Trainers. You are not a fucking B boy, if you are, run along now, there’s nothing here for you to see.

9. Up at the back, down at the front. If there is excess baggage around your ass it will do one of two things: it will make you look like you’ve shit yourself; or women will not see your ass, and will assume you’ve shit yourself. The added advantage of this rule is that it also shows off your junk. Trust me on this one, they are looking.

Like we do always, lets start with colour: his face is pale, his hair colour is dark, he is a 'differ'. He should wear contrasting colours, the colours should be warm. Like a fucking man, he's done that and succeeded in looking composed. By linking warm colours throughout (belt to shoes to trousers, all warm browns; the red in the scarf to the hat; the rich blue base; all these colours layered together make the whole look appear even warmer, including his face colour) the clothes are making him look actually part of his outfit.

Now onto the details: the heavy patterned scarf adds some fun and stops him looking stuffy, the hat, to a certain degree does this too, but it was fucking cold, so he may be just keeping his ears warm. I will not be drawn into posting pictures of people who look cool, but are in fact actually cold. We’re men, not idiots. And finally, he’s got a bit of a round face and a bit of a belly, but you hadn’t noticed that had you? The slouchy ‘knot’ and apparent V created by his scarf, the long tails of the scarf and the low open cut of the jacket, all give the impression of length and accentuate the vertical, which balances the shape of his face.

Style Guide: Menswear Details

This style guide uses rules on menswear details to show you how to dress like a fucking man. A shirt's a shirt, trousers are trousers and jeans are jeans; the secret is knowing that’s a load of bollocks, men’s style is all about subtle detail.



Covent Garden 28/01 


Rules 


28. Know the power of double breasted. The two rows of buttons will have a slimming effect, as the eye will read this as the silhouette, not your bulbous gut. 


47. Satchels are better than rucksacks. You’re not hiking or homeless. 


43. No Baseball caps. Only Americans and Baseball players should ever wear these. If I see you wearing one, you better be able to recite the words to the seventh inning stretch. 

He looks like he knows his claret from his beaujolais, he’s probably sabred the top off a bottle champagne in the last 24hrs, and more than likely, he’s got an opinion on the best way to gut and de-bone a Milliband brother; basically, he’s a lot more interesting than you look in your baggy jeans, printed tee and trainers. 


I’m not going to lie, he does look a bit like a smug posh twat, but he does show great alternatives to baseball caps, backpacks and single breasted jackets. Women’s fashion is all about overt, grand gestures; men's fashion is all about the understated detail. Here are three great details that elevate the mundane to the interesting, and lets face it we’d all like to be seen to be a little more interesting.