So you wanna be a suit guy
February 3, 2006 | 12:00am
Clooney and Pitt both look dapper as hell. Theyre suit guys. Diddy and Kanye work it out. Theyre suit guys, too. In between setups, our uncannily precocious model, wearing Louis Claparols, turns to me and says, "I look like Tim Yap." Yep buddy, you do; but thats a good thing. Yaps a suit guy, apparently you are, too.
If youve found yourself saying that the barong is your preferred mode of dress, because its so light and breezy, odds are youre not a suit guy. And if you claim that piña brings out your exotic Filipino looks, you may very well be a barong guy. I, myself, make my living wearing gusot mayamans every day, but hey, even Rizal wore suits, bowler hat and all.
All Im saying is consider your options. Throw on a nice jacket, put on some clean trousers, but skip the tie. Youre not that much of a suit guy just yet.
Here, gentlemen, is the erstwhile barong guys guide to being a suit guy:
1. You have to wear a formal suit to a formal occasion.
Listen, I dont care who you are, you dont wear True Religions to a wedding, or to any similarly important occasion. Be respectful enough to read the invite, or at least ask, and then be respectful enough to dress accordingly.
Bear in mind, however, that "black tie optional" doesnt have to mean borrowing your daddys suit.
Randy Ortiz (0917-8126953) for example, will have you looking all nice and spiffy, assuring you that no one will be calling you daddy (unless thats your thing, of course). Mr. Ortiz, largely held as the tailor for mens suits, makes them by the book the crisp, clean book that is. He lent us a blue-black number that had half of us saying "Its blue!" and the other half well, you get what Im saying. Unmistakably masculine, cut slim and with that not-quite-but-almost-there Rat Pack sheen, this is what you wear to your best friends wedding. Throw on the pink shirt (now who says only Jude Law can wear pink?), but be sure to display some cuff Mr. Ortiz took great care with flower detail might as well show off, which might prove a problem, seeing as his jackets stitching, giving off that handmade look, might catch everyones attention first.
It goes without saying that bespoke (thats custom made to you) beats off-the-rack, any day and twice on wedding day. Vents, no vents, American or English or Italian shoulder, tapered pants? These are all a matter of preference, of course. Id suggest meeting with your tailor and discussing your options.
In any case, be gracious enough to not hog all the attention. A wedding is a womans most special day; you wouldnt want to make it all about Mr. Ortiz, would you?
2. Black is not a color.
Seriously, it isnt. Its the absence of color.
Smart-ass science lesson aside, black is not necessarily a color for weddings (although acceptable for funerals and evenings). Most cultures (i.e., Chinese) frown upon black. As in, you show up at their gig in a black-suit, white-shirt black-tie combo, and you will see frowns.
Beatles-style show band performance, definite yes. Pulp Fiction Jules or Vince audition, double yes. The So-Go nuptials, nope.
3. So bust out them colors!
Fine, blue is a color, and a safe one at that. Navy, and for that matter, gray, have always been classic.
Thing is, classic can be boring. Periwinkle blue, now thats a color. Military gray, now thats a color. Take those and throw in some Joey Samson (0918-9592541) modern styling, then you have something, well, else.
Mr. Samson, for one, took that old school 70s blue (think Michael Kelso and what hed wear prom night), preppied it up with a sweater over a tux shirt, and voila! Worn with a chain, its retro kitschy cool, perfect for that office dress-up party, where your look will trump everyone elses rockin lame-ass gear Travolta-style.
And then theres Mr. Samsons gray number. Part matador-esque with the ruffling of his cropped bolero-style throw over, part hard-ass officer with his jackets shoulder detail, this look will trump anyone wearing anything else (assuming, of course, that youre not at a tux-only affair).
If you really wanna trump everyone at the party, find a pretty girl feeling cold, and offer her your Joey Samson jacket. For that matter, find any reason to take your jacket off. The tripped-out lining only adds to the modern edge.
4. If youve got the balls, razor thin is in.
When GQ hailed Hedi Slimane one of its Men of the Year, the fine gents lauded his sharp suits, which you may be familiar with if youre a fan of Beck or the Killers or Franz Ferdinand.
Let me break it down for you. Theres Alfie skinny, and then theres rock-star skinny. Louis Claparols ( 530-9811) falls into the latter category.
Worn impeccably rumpled, the dirtier the better, over your most decadent tee, the one unfastenable strap thrown precariously over the lapels only adds to Mr. Claparols inmates-running-the-asylum lunacy. I mean, youve got to be crazy to wear your stuff that tight. (Old joke: Whats the similarity between a cheap hotel and tight pants? They both got no ballroom.)
Wear this and youll find yourself equally at home at that crazy party where everyones bound to jump drunk into the pool.
If youve found yourself saying that the barong is your preferred mode of dress, because its so light and breezy, odds are youre not a suit guy. And if you claim that piña brings out your exotic Filipino looks, you may very well be a barong guy. I, myself, make my living wearing gusot mayamans every day, but hey, even Rizal wore suits, bowler hat and all.
All Im saying is consider your options. Throw on a nice jacket, put on some clean trousers, but skip the tie. Youre not that much of a suit guy just yet.
Here, gentlemen, is the erstwhile barong guys guide to being a suit guy:
1. You have to wear a formal suit to a formal occasion.
Listen, I dont care who you are, you dont wear True Religions to a wedding, or to any similarly important occasion. Be respectful enough to read the invite, or at least ask, and then be respectful enough to dress accordingly.
Bear in mind, however, that "black tie optional" doesnt have to mean borrowing your daddys suit.
Randy Ortiz (0917-8126953) for example, will have you looking all nice and spiffy, assuring you that no one will be calling you daddy (unless thats your thing, of course). Mr. Ortiz, largely held as the tailor for mens suits, makes them by the book the crisp, clean book that is. He lent us a blue-black number that had half of us saying "Its blue!" and the other half well, you get what Im saying. Unmistakably masculine, cut slim and with that not-quite-but-almost-there Rat Pack sheen, this is what you wear to your best friends wedding. Throw on the pink shirt (now who says only Jude Law can wear pink?), but be sure to display some cuff Mr. Ortiz took great care with flower detail might as well show off, which might prove a problem, seeing as his jackets stitching, giving off that handmade look, might catch everyones attention first.
It goes without saying that bespoke (thats custom made to you) beats off-the-rack, any day and twice on wedding day. Vents, no vents, American or English or Italian shoulder, tapered pants? These are all a matter of preference, of course. Id suggest meeting with your tailor and discussing your options.
In any case, be gracious enough to not hog all the attention. A wedding is a womans most special day; you wouldnt want to make it all about Mr. Ortiz, would you?
2. Black is not a color.
Seriously, it isnt. Its the absence of color.
Smart-ass science lesson aside, black is not necessarily a color for weddings (although acceptable for funerals and evenings). Most cultures (i.e., Chinese) frown upon black. As in, you show up at their gig in a black-suit, white-shirt black-tie combo, and you will see frowns.
Beatles-style show band performance, definite yes. Pulp Fiction Jules or Vince audition, double yes. The So-Go nuptials, nope.
3. So bust out them colors!
Fine, blue is a color, and a safe one at that. Navy, and for that matter, gray, have always been classic.
Thing is, classic can be boring. Periwinkle blue, now thats a color. Military gray, now thats a color. Take those and throw in some Joey Samson (0918-9592541) modern styling, then you have something, well, else.
Mr. Samson, for one, took that old school 70s blue (think Michael Kelso and what hed wear prom night), preppied it up with a sweater over a tux shirt, and voila! Worn with a chain, its retro kitschy cool, perfect for that office dress-up party, where your look will trump everyone elses rockin lame-ass gear Travolta-style.
And then theres Mr. Samsons gray number. Part matador-esque with the ruffling of his cropped bolero-style throw over, part hard-ass officer with his jackets shoulder detail, this look will trump anyone wearing anything else (assuming, of course, that youre not at a tux-only affair).
If you really wanna trump everyone at the party, find a pretty girl feeling cold, and offer her your Joey Samson jacket. For that matter, find any reason to take your jacket off. The tripped-out lining only adds to the modern edge.
4. If youve got the balls, razor thin is in.
When GQ hailed Hedi Slimane one of its Men of the Year, the fine gents lauded his sharp suits, which you may be familiar with if youre a fan of Beck or the Killers or Franz Ferdinand.
Let me break it down for you. Theres Alfie skinny, and then theres rock-star skinny. Louis Claparols ( 530-9811) falls into the latter category.
Worn impeccably rumpled, the dirtier the better, over your most decadent tee, the one unfastenable strap thrown precariously over the lapels only adds to Mr. Claparols inmates-running-the-asylum lunacy. I mean, youve got to be crazy to wear your stuff that tight. (Old joke: Whats the similarity between a cheap hotel and tight pants? They both got no ballroom.)
Wear this and youll find yourself equally at home at that crazy party where everyones bound to jump drunk into the pool.
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