Mind the Gap

Photo taken by Carmen Andino

On any given day I take several rides on the subway.  It is by far and away where I do my best people watching and fashion criticizing.  Today I was on and off a few times, uptown, downtown and back home again: always minding the gap as diligently instructed.  Lately, not just today, I have noticed what I think is a fairly newer mess of a trend.

SHORT PANTS or HIGH HEM PANTS

I do not mean long shorts or Capri pants/pedal pushers/3/4 length, or clam diggers for men( that is an entire other story of wrong doing). But pants that are just too short with a huge a gap between the shoe and the hem.  I know in this day in age socks are sexy and all the rage, but I am sorry you can not wear short pants to show off your socks, I do not care how cute they are. Stop flashing those ankles bro!  In fact, people will not even notice your socks, they are just going to whisper behind you back, “What is with that guy’s pants, why are they so short, he needs a good tailor.”  Do you really want to be the guy people are talking about in this manner?  Seriously, pants that are hemmed too short are a nightmare for you and everyone who has to look at them.  Do not let your mom or whatever other amateur you have on call hem them.  Shell out the extra money to have your pants tailored correctly.  You can walk

Photo Taken by Carmen Andino

into just about any dry cleaners and ask for the alteration.  Hems speak volumes about a man.  If they are too short you look like an uptight mess who can’t even handle getting himself and his wardrobe to a decent tailor.  If they are too long then you just seem like a lazy bum who does not know how to shop for the correct size pants.  Whether you wear jeans, Chinos, corduroys, dress/suit pants or what have you, make sure the hem touches the middle of your shoe please.  When I was growing up you would be associated with Steve Urkel if you had your socks showing with a high hem…If you were a 90’s kid you know what I mean, if you don’t then just trust me you do not want that nerd look.  Cover those ankles, short pants are not cute and rather emasculating.

“‘Tis hell to a man of spirit to be contradicted by his tailor.”
– Richard Garnett

Un-Tucked

Oftentimes when I am pointing out a no-no within men’s fashion there are exceptions.  There are, as we all know, exceptions to every rule.  But with today’s topic that is not the case.  One of my favorite aspects of wintertime is men looking fabulous in sweaters.  We all love them. (the sexy sweaters I mean ;-))  Sweaters are often thick enough to cover up the flaws of our body we are desperately trying to hide.  However, under no circumstance can a man look good wearing a

TUCKED IN SWEATER

Gross!  I mean you may as well tie it around your waist! (please see my January 15^th post titled “Coat Check” to read about how I feel about men who tie jackets, coats, or shirts of any kind around their waists…Nerd Alert!)  In fact tucking in your sweater is not only a major nerd alert, but pretty much makes a man undateable and if you are not dateable your are definitely not going to get play of any kind in the near future.  Men do not tuck their socks into their pants do they?  So why on earth would a man ever tuck in his sweater?  Some may think that tucking in a sweater looks more neat and tidy.  Bravo to those men who do not want to look like a sloppy mess.  Those people who feel that a tucked in sweater is the cleaner look would be wrong; it just makes men look uptight and like their mother still dresses them every morning.  Most all shirts on men need to be tucked in but sweaters are an entirely different animal.  They need to be left un-tucked.  If for whatever reason you feel a sweater needs to be tucked in because it is too long, then get a new sweater don’t commit fashion suicide.  Sweaters should rest right over your belt line.  If you are overweight, tucking in your sweater will make you look worse, if you are super fit and want to show off your hot bod as much as possible then just don’t wear a sweater wear a fitted shirt.  Tucking in a sweater is a lot like putting ketchup on chateaubriand… you are ruining a perfectly wonderful thing.

Quick Aside:  Some old timers and maybe a few golf players may feel that at one time men tucking in their sweaters was “the look”  And maybe it was.  (See image on upper right.)  But now men tucking in their sweaters is just disgusting  and no longer en vogue!

“When I started in fashion, I had already adopted the sailor-striped sweater as my uniform; that way, I wouldn’t have to drive myself crazy trying to figure out what to wear.”

~Jean Paul Gaultier