Washignton City Paper Cover Story

yeah it was probably a bad time to ask considering i'm at fashion school right now…um.

you guys are taking this all way too literally- there are ways to take those looks posted above and make them more appropriate for older guys. like said, staple pieces.
(and by the way, i have only once in my life ever dated someone who was actually the same age as me, so no, this is not what i want a 17 year old boy to look like).


if you take some of the dior homme looks i posted earlier and subtract the suspenders, hats, sunglasses and other accessories, you are left with a slim fitting polo and a slim fitting pair of pants. this look is ageless, timeless, and crisp. now add your choice of shoes (my personal favorites being of course your oldest pair of chucks), and you have a solid outfit.

polos are not my personal favorite item of menswear, but they can be a very nice wardrobe staple and they can work quite well depending on the context.

You have to be sure of the jeans you pick….you don't want a mammel toe….not cool! Cheap Monday jeans are too tight. You don't need to feel like you can't breathe.

there are times where i am glad i don't live in dc and just show up for shows!

Originally posted by distance:
there are times where i am glad i don't live in dc and just show up for shows!

men's fashion here is pretty bad. ha.
and i'm the girl at work that critiques what everyone is wearing.

Originally posted by miss pretentious:

Originally posted by distance:
there are times where i am glad i don't live in dc and just show up for shows!

men's fashion here is pretty bad. ha.
and i'm the girl at work that critiques what everyone is wearing.

that's easy to say when we can't see you!!!!

Originally posted by bull930:

Originally posted by miss pretentious:

Originally posted by distance:
there are times where i am glad i don't live in dc and just show up for shows!

men's fashion here is pretty bad. ha.
and i'm the girl at work that critiques what everyone is wearing.

that's easy to say when we can't see you!!!!

what's easy to say? it's true. dc isn't known for high fashion, which is pretty well known.
besides, enough people here have seen me - whatever that has to do with anything.

Originally posted by miss pretentious:
it's true. dc isn't known for high fashion, which is pretty well known.

IMO, boston is definitely worse than DC. in beantown, it is all about sportwear for the man-on-the-street. even new IT/biotech money doesn't know how to dress itself any other way than through A&F.

Originally posted by miss pretentious:

Originally posted by distance:
there are times where i am glad i don't live in dc and just show up for shows!

men's fashion here is pretty bad. ha.
and i'm the girl at work that critiques what everyone is wearing.

i'm in the club of not caring about fashion at all. i mean i don't want to look like i'm homeless or anything, but i'm not willing to throw a lot of money at clothes (i look more for functionality) and i don't chase trends.

at times i hate living down here (Richmond) because i have to drive 2 hours to go to most anything interesting – and while there is drama here, i avoid most of it by being anti-social – but i don't have to deal with a lot of the nova/dc stuff. pros and cons i guess.

overall, though, i should probably get out more.
… of course i'd have nothing to do with this cra because i don't go to bars other than for shows.

Originally posted by you be betty: yeah it was probably a bad time to ask considering i'm at fashion school right now…um.

which school?

Originally posted by miss pretentious:

Originally posted by bull930:

Originally posted by miss pretentious:

Originally posted by distance:
there are times where i am glad i don't live in dc and just show up for shows!

men's fashion here is pretty bad. ha.
and i'm the girl at work that critiques what everyone is wearing.

that's easy to say when we can't see you!!!!

what's easy to say? it's true. dc isn't known for high fashion, which is pretty well known.
besides, enough people here have seen me - whatever that has to do with anything.

maybe to some you might not be as fashionable as you think!!!

you have to care about clothes because they make a first impression. It says alot about you. It could say you are lazy or a scumbag. You want it to say you're upbeat and positive and care about something.

Originally posted by D.:

Originally posted by you be betty: yeah it was probably a bad time to ask considering i'm at fashion school right now…um.

which school?

RISD

Originally posted by bull930:

maybe to some you might not be as fashionable as you think!!!

you have to care about clothes because they make a first impression. It says alot about you. It could say you are lazy or a scumbag. You want it to say you're upbeat and positive and care about something.

___________________________________

Thats horrible. I agree, that in some cases, dress makes a first impression. But in most cases, people who go around judging people based on fashion are scumbags themselves. You know damn well that you know people who are positive and care about things but don't have the best fashion sense.

Originally posted by PigIron:

Originally posted by bull930:

maybe to some you might not be as fashionable as you think!!!

you have to care about clothes because they make a first impression. It says alot about you. It could say you are lazy or a scumbag. You want it to say you're upbeat and positive and care about something.

___________________________________

Thats horrible. I agree, that in some cases, dress makes a first impression. But in most cases, people who go around judging people based on fashion are scumbags themselves. You know damn well that you know people who are positive and care about things but don't have the best fashion sense.

can you do me a favor and take a deep breath…..now, all I am saying is that it is a first impression. at a certain point fashion goes out of the door. you are not friends with people because of how they dress( if you are you need a reality check!!!),but because you like them as people regardless of exterior issues.

Originally posted by vansmack:
Here's a simple tip Pig, that will surely get you noticed by the ladies. You'll take a little heat from the guys, but it's just jealousy. Trust me.

Buy a white belt. Not one with studs or holes, just a regular width, simple white leather belt. Wear it with your jeans and a shorter t-shirt or vintage looking short sleeve button down that is slightly covering your belt but not too much so that when you reach for a drink, your belt is exposed. Trust me. I wear mine all the time and I don't go a week without a girl pointing it out and complimenting it.

It says stylish and bold, but is subtle enough to make you feel comfortable wearing it.

Be sure not to make the shirt to short…..we don't want to see the flabby chest. I can't understand when guys wear shirts too small…..if you're suppose to wear an XL don't try to squeeze into a L….it shows your out of shape and shows that pot belly!

Originally posted by you be betty:
you guys are taking this all way too literally- there are ways to take those looks posted above and make them more appropriate for older guys…

this is true, of course…it seems no one is really expected to wear runway looks on the street…it's just a place to showcase concepts & elements that can be adapted into everyday

however, 30-something, earnest HS teacher is not going to know this…if he's like my husband, he will take many things very literally indeed…

this is where things like "What not to wear" and "10 years younger" can be helpful

Originally posted by you be betty:
You're still wrong.
If you don't like polos that's fine, it's your personal style. But really, they CAN be worn if you aren't a preppy asshole. You can wear a slim fitting polo with slim fitting pants and huge, colorful hi top nike dunks for example and look great.

That guy from Voxtrot looks good in what he is wearing and that's why I posted it. Fits him well.

These looks from Dior Homme are quite nice…
<img src="http://men.style.com/slideshows/mens/fashionshows/S2005MEN/CDMEN/RUNWAY/00041m.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://men.style.com/slideshows/mens/fashionshows/S2006MEN/CDMEN/RUNWAY/00330m.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://men.style.com/slideshows/mens/fashionshows/S2006MEN/CDMEN/RUNWAY/00520m.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://men.style.com/slideshows/mens/fashionshows/S2006MEN/CDMEN/RUNWAY/00540m.jpg" alt=" - " />

In the 1st look the pants are cool and the shoes(the rest is a mismatch)

In the 2nd look, the pants are highwaters and the rest is a mess.

In the 3rd it is the same.

And in the 4th it is truly a hot mess!!!

I could go and spend my money elsewear….K-mart has better! A couple of thousand goes a long way for what you can get for pennies!

now add your choice of shoes (my personal favorites being of course your oldest pair of chucks [/QB]

Sorry but hello to the no on chucks!

Originally posted by you be betty:

Originally posted by D.:

Originally posted by you be betty: yeah it was probably a bad time to ask considering i'm at fashion school right now…um.

which school?

RISD

I thought you were in HS in Bethesda…I think I missed something…

I think the point is that those guys are complete tools, and they'd be so even if they were wearing Wilco shirts rather than Polo shirts.

The clothing does not an asshole make, and in my experience it's not a reliable way to judge what someone will be like.

Whoever mentioned Brightest Young Things also hit the nail on the head… exactly the same combination of "we're so cool" 'tude with lack of actual coolness…

For the record, I'm 33 with the body of the guys in first set of pictures betty posted that proved my point that polos are bad fashion. I'm constantly carded going to bars, going six feet plus, around 145 pounds, 30 inch waist with a baby face. When I shave, which is rare these days so I can look older, I can pass for early 20's, so I don't consider fashion dead to me yet, unlike the other 30+ year olds on the board. Plus, I don't live in conservative DC - fashion is very alive in SF.

Lastly, I never joke about the white belt. It's a chick magnet. If your boys are going to beat you up, it just proves my point - you're going to get noticed wearing it and that's all you want. If up to your mind to take care of the rest.