DRESSING THE MAN FOR A HOLIDAY PARTY…OR ELSE

By Tashia Rahl

Take for instance, the traditional holiday party at a friend’s house. I know, I know – America’s boys wear jeans, khakis, or grey slacks.

HO HUM… What a perfect time for men to expand their image and reveal their inner attraction via their exterior appearance. How I appreciate our male clientele that allow “experimenting”…in the end, they are inevitably so happy they did. (If it helps -REMIND THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN THAT THIS PROCESS IS TO IMPROVE THEIR SEX LIFE – works every time.)

TO BEGIN:

Male ‘beauty’ products simply make their appearance more ALIVE!! 1ST: a light facial scrub. 2ND a rich moisturizer to soften leathery skin. 3RD..a self bronzer – just a nickel size – we’re seeking some youth, not an orange grove. 4TH lip balm – nothing is less handsome than dried up raisin lips – who wants to kiss that? 5TH. A little hair gel – think Tom Brady – this may be for giving hair some spunk, or for taming unruly eyebrows. And last, a small amount of a fresh scent. Heavy cologne is nauseating; especially when it sticks to everyone they hug. Think light and airy. Green Irish Tweed from Creed is a good example – it’s masculine, warm, yet light.

THE CLOTHING:

The shirt…it’s cold out, so let’s layer. For the young hearted [actual age does not apply] we love a vintage tee under a long sleeve oxford under a suede motorcycle jacket. For the more relaxed, a long sleeve fitted thermal hoodie under a constructed blazer. For the more conservative, a polo under a fitted zip neck cashmere. Examples of designers I select often include Junk Food, Michael Kors, Theory, purple label Ralph Lauren, black label Boss, John Varvatos, and J Crew. The clothes are soft, light but structured, fitted, and draped well around all openings. Handsome.

There are other options besides the jeans – we frequently buy 5 pocket ‘jeans’ in off-white and charcoal grey. But if we do produce ensembles with denim we pair with crisp white super-fitted woven shirts and belts that meet the individuals taste. We select khakis that have a lower rise and a more tapered leg. We choose corduroys a lot in the cold season and pair with a colorful l/s shirt under a fitted v-neck sweater. Suits do not have to be paired with a shirt and tie; they can be worn with a dressy polo or light weight cashmere knit. Please get the word out: So that you know, boys: “OUT IS OUT”!! Wearing your woven shirt un-tucked is –and has been – out of style for three years now. Belts are hot. They do not have to be high end designer (although it never hurts- no female I know wouldn’t notice). A Pistol belt is always a cool choice – albeit more casual, of course. They are sold at Army surplus stores or American Eagle.

Accessorize.

Besides the belt, the most glamorous of men’s accessories is the watch. An ultra-thin chronograph is typically a preferred selection. [Audemars Piguet makes some great examples.] Not many are able to afford them, but it’s good to be in the know… Some prefer a sportier version, Techno Marine for instance. Either way, a watch is a life-time investment and should be passed down through generations.

Less glamorous, but far more important, the shoes. Bottom line: if the shoes are “off”, the entire look is destroyed. The wrong shoe can age a person more than the lines on his face or the grey in his hair. It’s not even about looking old, it’s more of how a man sees himself. It sounds odd but shoe choices represent how you feel about yourself – your dignity. How to choose? We determine selections based on personality. The athlete typically goes with a suede boot [desert boots from Ferragamo or Cole Haan or Wallabees from Clarks or Jil Sander] the more studious or relaxed business men tend to chose driving loafers [Tods], the more active almost unanimously select designer sneakers (John Varvatos, Addidas, Ferragamo), musicians almost always buy converse [we persuade them into leather versions or similar styles – canvas is for kids], the more adventurous seem to choose either hiking boots (Ralph Lauren collection or Timberland) or flip flops (Ferragamo, To Boot, Paul Smith).

The purpose of this article is to remind men that they represent their “other half” [you].

Tashia Rahl, Senior Fashion Stylist and owner of the HLN company, inc * image management and fashion styling for men women and children *www.theHLNcompany.com ~ consults > 561.573.9003

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