Chapter I

It's not that I am opposed to all and every excess. I don't believe that flamboyance - what some would call vulgarity - is always unmanly. The opposite of cool is not vulgar; it is bland. Bland is the enemy of style. The ocasional bit of vulgarity can be charming.

No, the enemy is the blight of athletic wear for comfort in mall parking lots and in restaurants; it is bright blue fleece jogging jackets and kayaking sandals, pleated khaki shorts and T-shirts with faded concert advertisements on them...

If you must feel altruistic about everything you do, think of your appearance as a gift to others. A pleasant aspect shows respect for people around you. You are not a superficial man: you are making the world a more beautiful place. It will be, like art, at once pleasurable and intellectual. It will be like Shostakovich.

- Russell Smith, Men's Style

In Those Jeans

While it may be true that shoes are the first thing most notice and the roots to which an outfit stems, pants not chosen well can easily diminish any and all value of a great pair of shoes.

The moral: the pants should always fit well.


A.P.C. New Cure Jeans

Shades of Greige Red Checkered Button-up

Vintage Knit Cable Cardigan