In Transit

Photo by Stephen Swintek/Getty Images

When taking a short trip or a long journey we all put so much effort into what we are packing and not so much effort into what we will be wearing while in transit.  I recently got home from a fabulous trip to Washington DC to visit loved ones. Great Town! I always favor air travel as my preferred mode of transportation but this time I took the bus.  For anyone who has ever driven to DC from New York you know it is a long trip.  I had a lot of time to think.  So I looked around and realized that most everyone looked like a slob.  So what advice is there to give in terms of

TRAVEL WEAR

When it comes to trains, planes, and automobiles the rules are always the same.  Just because you are traveling does not mean you can dress like an idiot.  People are still going to see you.  And like I always say by the laws of the universe the worse you look the more likely it is you will run into your boss, ex, or current crush.  Hey, maybe the good-looking flight attendant will wind up being the person of your dreams, hello first impressions!  You can always tell the sharp dressed men who are on a business trip.  They often have to dress up because they have a hot-shot business meeting to attend as soon as they arrive at their destination.  I am not saying you need to put on a suit and tie every time you get on the subway or take a scenic train ride to upstate New York, but you can not look like you just rolled out of bed and covered your greasy hair up with a hat for travel.  There was a guy like this on my bus ride down to DC.  I wanted to say, “Bro, this is a 4 hour bus ride not an overnight ride in a sleeper car on the Orient express, get out of your pajamas!”  Like I always say find a middle ground.  It is important to be comfortable but that does not give you permission to look like hell.  Here are a few extra but essential tips:

1. Always dress in layers, not a million sloppy hoodies but sweater, collared shirt blazer type layers

2. If it is summer and you are wearing sandals of some kind, carry a pair of socks, they always pump up the air conditioning during travel and your toes will freeze.

3. Never under any circumstance can you wear a track suit

4. Make sure your travel bag is sophisticated and chic.  That means no high school duffel bags, no old ass back packs, and absolutely no garbage bags.  Nothing kills a nice look more than a poor accessory.

5. If you are traveling with any expensive jewelry keep it on your person or do not bring it.  If you are wearing it or have it in a pouch in your pocket then it is less likely to get lost or damaged.

6. It is ok to travel with a neck pillow as an accessory; it is not ok to whip out one of those corny ones with a panda bear attached to it, I don’t care who bought it for you!

7. Always bring a sexy yet functional scarf of some kind.  You never know when it may have to double as a blanket, a pillow or a force field against the fat man hacking up a lung sitting beside you. Gross!

Photo Credit: http://menshealth.com

8. Don’t forget your sunglasses.  Whether your journey is long or short your eyes may look beat by the end.  Cover them up and you’ll look super fresh.

9. Fanny packs on men= NEVER EVER ALLOWED!

Quick Aside:  No travel ensemble is complete without your own headphones and a sleep mask.  With all the crying kids and flourescent lighting these days you are a fool to travel without either one.

Check out these links! Bose Headphones   and     Sleep Masks

“Dress up your sportswear and dress down your formal wear.”
– Luciano Barbera

2012 in Review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,500 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 4 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

Gifts that Keep on Giving

Well, it is that time of year again.  I am the biggest ba humbug on the planet.  As mentioned in a previous post I can’t stand holidays.  But on the contrary I love giving gifts.  I like to think of myself as a gift whisperer.  Some people don’t possess the gift of great gift giving. And when it comes to gifts for men or men buying gifts there is always a challenge. Maybe you are a man getting your dad, brother, uncle, boss, best friend, or lover a gift.  Or perhaps you need to advise someone on what gift to get for a man close to you.  Either way the holidays are a good time to get guys…

FASHIONABLE GIFTS

First let me go over which items should never be given as a gift for a man.

• Sunglasses- men must make sure they look right themselves. See former blog post titled “Shades”
• Anything too personal- which means clothes from the waist down. Unless the guy is so clueless then in that case: dare to do it but be conservative, don’t go get a chilled out guy an expensive pair of jeans with a lightning bolt on the crotch.
• Cologne- This is a personal choice every man has to make for himself, I don’t care if you get him the hottest new scent and he tells you he loves it, I promise it will either collect dust or be re-gifted.
• Cheap Crap- Nothing is worse than a cheap gift, you are better off saying you couldn’t swing a gift for everyone this year than insulting someone with a gift you had to put on K-Mart lay away.
• A fancy overcoat, he should have one already and that’s a different post.  If he doesn’t own one then he has big problems and isn’t a grown up.
• Anything red or green/holiday colors.  People will know your Aunt Hildegard got this festive gift for you and put it under a tree not to mention these colors limit the times of year they can be worn.

One thing men get year after year is either gloves or a wallet.  These are nice gifts but tread carefully before giving them.  Find out if these are items a guy really needs.  Maybe go with a cashmere scarf instead.  Men always look like a million dollars in them but usually will not buy one for them self.  It is definitely a gift that keeps on giving.

A few more fashion friendly suggestions:

1. Appropriate workout clothes or cold weather gear for running. This way the gift receiver doesn’t look like Rocky chasing a chicken when he is out jogging in his high school sweats. Also, it will motivate to exercise if he doesn’t already.
2. A Puma gym bag, because stuffing your sneaks and/or racquet in your briefcase until after work is not cute.
3. An appropriate brief case is an excellent gift as well because a man going to work in his suit and back pack from his study abroad program is also not cute…ever.
4. Ties, belts, and cufflinks are the type of gifts that men (who wear suits) can’t get enough off.  Just stick to simple, sleek and sexy design as to not impose your taste on anyone.

Check out a few more fun ideas by clicking on the below links

Ernest Alexander Flask Set

Shaving kits from The Art of Shaving

The Working Man’s Hygiene Kit

Coach Gloves

Elliot Dopp Kit _ Men always need these bags

Artsy Cufflinks

Cashmere Burberry Scarf– a little pricey but worth every penny

Pocket Squares– You can purchase less expensive ones at a department store but I love Mr. Porter

Unique Umbrellas

Super fun eyeglass holder

Turkish Bathrobe – ahhh Heaven!

A masculine apron by Hedley & Bennett (every man I know cooks these days and all the best chefs are men. )

Just keep in mind when shopping for a gift for a man, get them something they want not something they need. Don’t condone their bad habits by for example getting them a video game, and electronics are always a cold cop-out of a gift.  And if you can get something that they will like but would never get for themself, you truly will get bonus points.

Happy Shopping & Ba Humbug!

Underwear or Outerwear

Everywhere I go I take mental notes about what men are wearing.  Today I had a blast at the U.S. Open and was bombarded with a plethora of material.  Most everyone looked the best they could considering the scorching heat.  Although I am someone who is usually rather decisive there is still one question I continue to ask myself time and time again.  As I witnessed many men doing today I wonder; Is it OK or a fashion faux pas when men wear…

UNDERSHIRTS AS SHIRTS

My initial instincts tell me no.  However, after further examination I feel that men wearing white undershirts as shirts are allowed under very specific conditions.  I hope that it goes without saying that this look is very casual, never to be worn at night, on a date, or anywhere of major importance.  At the same time, if you are going to rock the “white undershirt as your shirt” look you have to be physically fit.  I do not mean to be cruel but if you are out of shape or overweight and you try and sport this style, it will only make you look worse.  Please note that white undershirts are extremely sensitive and subject to pit stains.  If the shirt is white and the arms pits are looking a little too run down it is time to toss that shirt in the trash.  Before the weather cools down give this look a try.  If you feel and look as cool as James Dean then you are one of the few who can get away with wearing underwear as outerwear, just don’t lie to yourself as it is not for every man.

Quick Aside: Check out this recent New York Times article about Men, Shopping & Fashion.

One or the Other

Photo Credit: PhotoBucket.com by aisfashionstudents

As we wind down the hazy, hot, and humid days of summer, I look back on all the good times and all the foolish fashion choices.  With much dismay I shake my head and am amazed every time I see a guy wearing…

SOCKS WITH SANDALS

Really spicy olives are my guilty pleasure and on a hot summer night I enjoy a scoop or two of pistachio ice cream.  I love socks and I love sandals but olives and ice cream belong together just as much as socks and sandals.   For those of you reading who are actively making this mistake, please cease doing so immediately, it’s not too late.  One of my ex boyfriends hated showing his feet in public, even on the hottest days he refused to wear sandals.  Looking back now, I applaud him for being wise enough to know better than to wear socks with sandals.  And truth be told, some girls are not into guys exposing their feet.  I never understood why, but I have heard this from many women.

For a quick recap/math lesson: Socks + Sandals = never ever allowed.  It is one or the other folks.  If you are going to wear socks, you are going to wear closed toe shoes.  If you want to wear comfortable summer shoes but are afraid of a chill, invest in a nice pair of boat shoes or loafers from ALDO or Banana Republic.   Trust me they are, as one of my wisest and best dressed male friends often says, “Worth every penny.”

Quick Aside:  If you are someone who thinks that wearing socks with sandals during the colder months makes up for the fact that you are wearing sandals during the wrong season, well, you may be beyond help.