Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress

Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress
by Russell Smith

Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress
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Book Summary Information

Author: Russell Smith
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-04-03
ISBN: 0312361653
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books

Book Reviews of Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress

Book Review: Can I at least take the exam?
Summary: 5 Stars

Before reading this book, I would have flattered myself that I belonged in what Russell Smith calls the "Advanced Class" -- men who know enough about the basics of men's style to be able to bend the rules a little in order to display more personality, yet not transgress the bounds of elegance, masculinity, and taste. Having read Mr. Smith's entertaining, intelligent, and opinionated book, though, now I'm not so sure. After all, one of the author's standing jokes is about men who wear double-breasted green suits. I have one in my closet, not far from shirts with button-down collars and/or monograms on the sleeve, all of which he dislikes. He believes fedoras (which I've recently taken to) are usually a bad idea, and cowboy boots (I own two pairs -- I'm from Texas), always one.

So while the author might not grade my style too highly, I am happy to give his a high grade indeed. "Men's Style" is a very well-written and argued book. It makes the case for taking style and how you present yourself seriously (which in fact is one of the best and most useful things about this book, since so many men do not seem to agree), while maintaining the sense of humor and eye for the personal that keeps the well-dressed man from coming off as soulless and corporate. It's a very fine line to walk, but "Men's Style" maintains this balance better than any such primer I've come across in some time.

Like those other guides, "Men's Style" goes into detail on fabrics for suits and shirts, how to polish your shoes, what tie knots to wear when, and all the other things books like this need to cover. But as I've said, this one stands apart not only for the author's distinctive prose, but also because he fits all these things into a confident and articulate intellectual case for not being afraid to take aesthetics seriously. Because this book is more opinionated than most of those other guides (I particularly liked his reminder that "button-down shirt" refers to a certain type of collar, not to shirts that button down the front, which are known as ... "shirts"), you'll probably find more to disagree with here than you would in, say, something by Alan Flusser. But as either an introductory guide or a refresher course for true members of the Advanced Class, "Men's Style" deserves to take its place in the fraternity of the best writing on men's clothing.

Summary of Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress

Guys don't wear wolf pelts anymore, but not much else has changed in the world of men's clothes: the right suit, or tie, or shirt, or shoes still projects mystery, erotic potential, and power. And to negotiate these hurdles with style and confidence, Men's Style is indispensable---a valuable source of practical advice for how to dress in a world of conflicting fashion imperatives, and a witty guide to the history, trends, codes, and conventions of men's attire.
 
In chapters and amusing sidebars on shoes, suits, shirts and ties, formal and casual wear, underwear and swimsuits, cufflinks and watches, coats, hats, and scarves, Russell Smith steers a confident course between the twin hazards of blandness and vulgarity to articulate a philosophy of dress that can take you anywhere.
 
Here you'll find the rules for looking the part at the office, a formal function, or the hippest party---and learn when you can toss those rules aside. And you'll find level answers to all of your questions. What color suit should a man buy first? Should socks match the belt, pants, or shoes? What tuxedos are always in, and which aren't ever? And what's required of ambiguous social situations like "dress casual" and "black-tie optional"? The answers are here, in a book that's full of trivia, history, and guidance---finally, the perfect guide for brothers, fathers, sons, and selves.

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