Men's Shirts - Fashion, Not Just Function

By Adam Singleton

For many, the average men's shirt is simply a garment of utility - one that is worn by men across the world for reasons of function and not necessarily fashion. But this attitude belies the hundreds of years of trends in men's shirts. From the typical collarless shirts with billowing sleeves worn by classical painters to the modern formal button-down shirt, men's shirts have captured the imaginations of both designers and ordinary men for generations. In the twentieth century in particular, a range of different shirt styles have proved popular with men of all ages.


One of the most important developments in men's shirts over the last hundred years, for example, has been the invention of the polo shirt. The polo shirt, or 'tennis shirt', was created by legendary French tennis player Rene Lacoste in 1929 as an alternative to the stiff dress shirts and ties typical of tennis attire at the time. In the 1960s, Ralph Lauren propelled the polo shirt to new heights as a prominent item in his 'Polo' collection; and since this time the polo shirt has become so popular that it is now a standard category of clothing - although it has fallen out of favour with most tennis players.

The granddad shirt has also been a long lasting trend in men's shirts in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. These collarless shirts have been popular with men in warm countries for decades and have seen a variety of incarnations throughout the years. The Nehru Jacket, for instance, is a South Asian version of the modern granddad shirt that was popularised by the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the 1950s and early 1960s, and has since been prominently worn by a number of celebrities, from the likes of Sammy Davis Jr to Steven Segal. Today's granddad shirt preys on bright colours and an ethno-bohemian vibe that appeals to a variety of men's fashion trends - from festival clothing to smart casual summer wear.

The button-down shirt has also been one of the most influential men's shirts in fashion history - but memories of how it was created tend to be somewhat hazy. Some fashion experts claim that the button-down collar shirt was invented by an American shirt manufacturer who was inspired by an English polo match, in which players had their collars clipped down to avoid flapping in the wind. Others say that button-down shirts were created in New York, when their inventor (as yet anonymous) attached his collar to his shirt with buttons in a fit of annoyance at the oncoming wind.

But whatever the origin of the button-down shirt, its impact on the men's shirt industry has been historic, as button down shirts are now worn in both formal and casual contexts. Today, short-sleeved men's shirts are often worn with skinny jeans, large belts and tailored waistcoats for a fresh and informal look that still exudes smart chic. And with men's shirts available in a variety of colours - from grey to raspberry - and in a variety of floral and striped patterns, it's clear that evolving trends in men's fashion are far from over.

Adam Singleton is an online, freelance journalist and keen amateur photographer. His portfolio, called Capquest Photography is available to view online.

Have You Ever Tried Buying Tall Men's Jeans?

By Justin Edison


I’m tall and thin, and yes, I did used to play semi-professional basketball! Since my teens, I’ve been struggling to find clothes that fit me – let alone, clothes that I like that fit me.

Tall jeans have always been a particular problem

I know I’m not alone. If you’re tall and thin – or have tried to buy clothing for someone who is tall and thin – you’ll know how difficult it is to find clothes that fit in normal retail outlets. Even the specialist stores rarely deliver the goods because the equate ‘tall’ with ‘big’. So, when jeans or trousers are long enough, they can have folds of extra fabric just where you don’t want it. They look horrible, and so do I.

Then things get even more bizarre, with some not-so-extreme inside leg measurements being particularly difficult to find. If you have an inside leg measurement between 33 and 38-inches, you may be worse off than if you’re 38-inch plus.

There’s so little choice for the tall man

We’re told so many times that modern retail is about choice – but not if you’re tall and thin. I’m sure you’ve been relieved to find a shop that stocks your size, only to find that there’s the choice of just one pair of jeans, and usually in the most boring style conceivable.

Style hardly comes into it. Where are the straight cut, boot cut and (fashionably) loose fit styles? Not to mention stonewash, dark and light denim. If you can find them in your local high street or mall, please let me know.

So where do you buy jeans for tall men?

A few years ago, I resorted to regular trips to the US, just to buy clothes. I found places that gave me some choice and style, but it was hardly convenient and had the small problem of the travel and accommodation costs, plus the stress on my credit cards as I tried to buy all the clothes I needed for the coming months.

Nowadays, though, there’s the Internet. Although most vendors still talk ‘big and tall’, there are a small number of specialists focused on the needs of tall thin men and women. At last, we have some choice of properly fitting clothes without having to make a trip abroad or find a mail order company willing to ship to Europe – and having to pay Customs charges.

At last there’s some real choice – of clothes that most people will feel really good in – without trekking halfway across the world and causing heart seizure when your credit card bill arrives!

Fed up with the clothes available on European high streets, Justin Edison set up his own Internet-based business. You can find tall men's jeans at http://www.altoclothing.com - and a whole lot more.

Men's Fashion Coordination on Solid Colored Men's Dress Shirts

By Leroy Fong

It is common to find men choosing white for their solid colored mens dress shirts. They believe that it is the easiest with other outfits as well as creating a formal appearance. There are people who feel that white dress shirts projects radiance onto mens face.

However, there is an aspect that we need to take note in mens fashion coordination, which is the skin tone as well as the hair color of the man. Imagine a blond man with fair-colored skin tone in a white shirt.

The direction of focus will on the shirt or tie rather than his face. The white shirt is not able enhance his overall light colored skin tone.

Instead solid colored mens dress shirts against the skin tone and hair color is supposed to bring the focal point to the man’s face, not the shirt. It applies similarly to patterned dress shirts as well.

White is not the only ultimate choice for solid colored mens dress shirts, I would say blue color is the other must-have color for every mens dress shirts. It has the best blend into almost every mens skin tone and hair color.

It never seems to go wrong wearing a blue dress shirt to provide a warmer and richer overtone for any skin tone than white dress shirts.

Can all blue tones fit different skin tones and hair colors? Generally the best choice is going for medium blue and the suitable shade of medium should always bring the focus toward your face.

Men with tan or olive skin tones with contrasting hair color can afford to wear darker blue tones.

Fair skin men with dark colored hair have the best advantage in their choice of blue tones. Basically all the shades of blue are suitable for them especially the medium to dark blue tones.

Men with light colored hair and fair skin has to settle for light and soft blue hues. The overall blend between their hair and skin creates a muted contrast and the lighter blues will balance out this low contrast.

Check out our Mens Dress Shirts Store to find the most stylish and well-designed dress shirts for men.

For more reference: Mens Dress Shirts

Copyright 2005, Leroy Fong and Mens-Fashion-Tips.com

Reprinting this article is allowed provided all references and acknowledgement to the author, the website, and the URL remain intact.

Leroy Fong
Mens Fashion Tips | Mens Fashion Advice | Guide on Mens Clothing

Men's Suits - Not Just For The Office

By Andrew Regan

Suits are ideal office wear for men – and many women – because they are smart, stylish and not overly individual. This last statement may prove contentious, but it is rare to go into an office and see a suit that is not a dark shade, with a discreet pattern. This is perfectly understandable: offices are about teamwork, rather than sartorial one-upmanship. Of course, you can always discreetly compete, with the cut of your suit and the quality of the fabric, but it is usually expected that your energy and concentration will be channelled into business.

Suits are also ideal for the business world because they look good on everyone. While it can be a little worrying to see your parents or elders sporting the casual fashions of twenty-somethings, if they wear a suit then it is likely to be completely unremarkable. Equally, even a very young man applying for his first job looks reasonably presentable in a suit. If a potential boss saw him in low cut jeans and a label t-shirt then the story might be rather different.

However, do not assume that your suit’s usefulness expires away from the workplace. Men’s suits come in a marvellous array of shapes, sizes and fabrics and are perfect for playing with people’s expectations, so you can be as sensible, stylish or flamboyant as you wish. Perhaps go for the flounced dress shirt and cummerbund combination, or keep the look pared down, letting people simply admire the way your suit flatters your figure. Or pick an unusually textured fabric, perhaps velvet or tweed, unless you are going to be dancing, in which case a light-weight fabric is by far the best choice.

If you typically sport the cool and casual look at parties just think how much attention you will get by wearing a suit to the next Christmas celebration. They are the epitome of stylish dressing and you can really enjoy accessorising with silk handkerchiefs, slim ties or an old-fashioned pocket watch. Even if you only invest in one ‘party’ suit, you can make it look fresh by changing your accessories. If the office expects sensible shoes, then you can match casual sneakers with a suit just to emphasise how far from the work ethos your evening is going to be.

Suits are also great at making the most of any figure. The only item of men’s clothing that is better is a kilt, but unless you’re Scottish you’ll likely not be trying this on for size. It is always a fallacy that a round stomach is best hidden under something baggy – a well tailored suit jacket and shirt will do a much more effective job of hiding extra weight. Although of course, clothes can only achieve so much.

So, when the Christmas invitations start coming in and you’re wondering what to wear, don’t forget the stylish charms of mens suits. Leave the standard black officewear in your wardrobe and choose one that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.

Men's Fashion Tips - Matching Dress Shirts with Pin-Stripe Suits

By Leroy Fong

There are many men trying to figure out what to wear for a wedding or for work. Trying to match your dress shirts with a pin-stripe can be interesting especially trying to play with colors and patterns. There is a query from a gentlemen on how to put together his dress shirts with his pin-stripe suit.

Question:
I was hoping I could get a little advice for a wedding in February. I am a male guest at a wedding of an extended family member. My sister is in the bridal party and all I have to wear is a black micro fibre-suit with faint grey pin stripes. I was hoping I could get some advice as to what colour shirt and tie I should wear to this event. The reception is at Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Answer:
Australia should be experiencing late summer and beginning autumn during this period. Firstly, I am not someone who goes for or even advice men to try micro-fibre fabrics. As much as possible, the natural fabrics are the preferred ones for suits. Refer to Mens Suits Fabrics for more details.

For safety sake, you can try medium blue dress shirts with patterns like Gingham checks, windowpane checks, or even variegated stripes (with different gradients of blue).

For ties, you can choose single colored like dark blue to stand out from the medium blue shirt. If you are adventurous, going for small polka dot (with wide space between the dots) would allow the possibility of playing three different patterns against each other.

Find the best dress shirts for men at our Men's Dress Shirts Store

Copyright 2007, Leroy Fong and Mens-Fashion-Tips.com

Reprinting this article is allowed provided all references and acknowledgment to the author, the website, and the URL remain intact.

Leroy Fong
Mens Fashion Tips-Guide on Men's Fashion

Tips For Men's Clothing

By Victor Epand

So many guys have no idea how to dress, so kudos to you for taking the initiative! Being shy can be tough, but you can get yourself out of your shell a bit simply by dressing confidently.

You are 100% correct about everything fashionable not working for everyone. I don't think you should go down the "trendy" route per say. Go for classic cuts that flatter your body type. Some basics you should start with: a pair of dark-wash straight-leg jeans, a pair of black dress pants, tan dress pants, dark colored button-up shirts, a nice fitted sweater (NO, not the tight turtleneck ones--opt for a looser version), and some everyday shoes like brown dress boots.

When you walk into a store, look around before you do anything else. If you look at clothes and think: these aren't for me, then move on. American eagle is a great store for basics that are a little more casual. They have nice khaki pants and jeans, and a few fun buttons up shirts. Express Men's is another store I recommend. There, you will find dressier stuff, like black and tan dress pants, and some dressier tops.

Don't be afraid to ask sales people for help--that's their job and you will probably save them the boredom of standing around with nothing to do. First, look around the entire store. If you find something you might like, try it on, or ask a sales person if they think it would work well for you, and what to wear with it. They will be glad to help, I promise.

And the most important rule is to try everything on! Make sure that it fits properly before you buy it (ask a trusted friend or a salesperson).

For basic everyday wear, I always love guys in nice fitting jeans (not too short or too tight and something with a dark wash). Steer clear of really light wash Levis. They are not flattering on anyone. For dressier pants, a nice khaki pant is always good. For these, it is worth it to spend a little money because you will get more wear out of them. So they should fit really well.

You can actually find nice ones at the gap or men's express. For casual-wear, t shirts are always good. I'm a fan of the ones that have a bit of a vintage feel. Just make sure that the shirt is fitted. Most guys buy shirts way too big and the end result is that they look sloppy. It shouldn't be ridiculously skin-tight, but it should lay against the skin a bit. For dressier shirts, I LOVE express for men. I promise they aren't paying me to tell you this, but that store is great for guys.

They have really nice button up shirts for $25 and they fit really well, because they have a bit of stretch in them. They have so many different colors. Do yourself a favor and stay away from pink and purple. Not many guys can pull it off and it's too tricky. Go for a blue shirt to match your eyes. Probably any darker color would go well with your hair...dark green, burgundy, etc. So those are all the basics. Get yourself a good pair of jeans, a nice pair of khakis, a few fitted t-shirts, and a couple button down shirts and you should be good to go.

Victor Epand is an expert fashion consultant at http://www.LingerieDress.com/. Visit us when you want the best prices, styles, fashions, and fits of all types of lingerie. We carry a super selection of everyday, as well as bridal and specialty items.

Interview With Clothing Expert - Andy Gilchrist on how Men Should Dress

By Adwin Ang


Conversation between Adwin Ang & Andy Gilchrist Good day everyone and Welcome to our Interview with Andy Gilchrist!

Adwin:
Hi Andy, first of all I would like to thank you for taking some time off from your busy schedule for this online interview. I have read the materials from your CD; you bet they are highly informative products. Especially you use charts and picture to illustrate. Also it is a very good and fast reference guide.
My first question is Andy, what have made you decide to come up with a website's that focus on men's fashion?

Andy:
It was an extension of my natural and long time interest in men's clothing. I started out at the monitor of a men's fashion Forum that was connected to Men's Health magazine and liked the idea. I then decided to write a book on men's clothes, (The Encyclopaedia of Men's Clothes) which took me two years, and the website was a vehicle to sell the book.

Adwin:
I have read and saw the huge number of topics which you covered on menswear both on your website and CD Rom e-Book "The Encyclopaedia of Men's Clothes", the information really amaze me on what I have missed out all these years.
Where or how did you develop your fashion sense? Any special training or courses one need to take?

Andy:
Some of it came from my father, who living in the middle of Kansas (USA) and doing oil exploration work. But he was always interested in men's fashion and the quality of the various brands of shoes, suits, shirts, etc. And honestly I think it somewhat out of insecurity!! Not being born the best looking guy in the world (don't argue!) I realized that image and looks was important and that I needed to make myself look as good in public as possible.

Adwin:
It occurred to me men in my country aren't really dress to impress or know their dressing sense but dress according to what they think is suitable for the occasion.
For example: Some men would wear a polo-shirt or jeans for Wedding dinner. They find it more comfortable which is obviously

Where can we obtain the information on latest trends in men's fashion? Any websites which are your favourites?

Andy:
Unlike women's clothing, most men's clothing (even for the most formal occasions) are intricately comfortable. Women are always searching for comfortable shoes, while men would not stand (pardon the pun) for shoes that didn't fit well and feel good.
There is also a world wide cultural (or sexual) mind set that men are not suppose to dress well. They are "supposed" to be unkempt, rugged individuals. But if you study every male animal species you note that the male is the more colourful!

It's good to keep up on the current trends, but not necessarily to go crazy for each fad that comes along. The value of men's clothing is that they change fashion rarely since the styles have been evolving down through a 100 years to something that fits men's body types, activities and makes most men look great. Look at formalwear - every man looks exceptionally handsome in the classic (no frills, no updates, no changes) basic tuxedo. The "acceptable" colors for business (Navy or grey suit, white or blue shirt, etc.) compliment most gentlemen's skin, hair and eye colors.

Adwin:
You mention about the "Rule of Seven" a few times in your Men's clothes Encyclopedia. What exactly must we watch out on the '7 rules'?

Andy:
Just to restate that there is a "Rule of Seven" in women's fashion that applies to men as well. The "rule" states that there should be no more than seven points of interest on your body at any one time!

The theory is that too much visual stimulation detracts from the total look.
Points of interest could be a watch, pocket square, bright tie, blazer buttons, braces, belt buckle, cuff links, fashion glasses, facial hair, vest, anything that could draw attention to that item.

So if you're wearing an exceptional pair of cufflinks you don't want to overpower them by adding too many other visual excitement. When others are visually overloaded they tend to repel you. The mistake when you have too many points of interest is that the look is loud, busy and discordant (not harmonic). Too many patterns make you look like a clown.

Adwin:
The section which I find it most interesting is on casual wear.” DON’T BE A CASUAL CASUALTY!" which you mention alot of people have misunderstood the meaning of casual dressing. I do agree and myself have always misunderstood it at the long.
What are the different types of casual wear and how should we wear to address the word "Casual wear" on our invitation card?

Andy:
Part of the problem is that the person sending out the invitation has no idea what the classifications of dress are and thus confuses the guests. There are 5 classifications of dressy and 5 classifications of casual and they all depend on the occasion. It's easy to get them all mixed up.

Adwin:
Ehm...Andy, as you know I am running a blog site on cuff links. My next question is in general how should we match our cuff links to the type of cuff shirts we wear, in terms of shirts and cuffs material?

Andy:
You can coordinate cuff links by colour with the rest of your ensemble for that harmonic impression.
You may want to coordinate the metal colour with your watch and ring, so that everything, for example, is gold, but that’s not really necessary. Many watches contain both silver and gold and colour mixing is not scorned. Traditionally gold was appropriate for day, and silver for evening, but with the advent of a more casual approach both are interchangeable. Silver goes with blue, black or grey, and gold is best with earth tones.

Adwin:
About cuff links care, how should we store them to prevent scratches and should we clean them often for cuff links made of stainless steel?

Andy:
Store your cuff links in a felt lined jewellery case or use any other method that keeps the links from coming in contact with each other to prevent scratching.
If you don’t have a jewellery case just keep them in the felt lined box they were packed in when you purchased them. Of if they didn’t come in a box (where did you say you got these cuff links?) try storing them in a soft cloth in a drawer.

Adwin:
As you know, there are many type of cuff links in the market. For a person who intend to buy his first pair of cuff links what should he look out for? Is there such a thing as the main categories of cuff types?

Andy:
STYLES of CUFF LINKS:(from most elegant to least dressy)

Double-faced are links with two identical faces attached with a metal link. You push one face through the “button” holes of the cuff. These are the dressiest.Chain links -- A chain attaches the double-faced links. Snap on are made up of two separate pieces that snap together.

Push-through -- This style has a bulbous or globular end opposite the showy side, which is pushed through the cuff holes. Also see Silk Knots below.

Hinged back -- This type has a bar, which can be aligned perpendicular to the link then opened parallel, after it’s pushed though the cuff, to secure the link in place.

Stirrup are cufflinks that wrap around the shirt cuff. Some consider these garish.

Silk knots have two knots linked together with and made of silk; one of the knots is pushed through the cuff hole to hold the cuff together. Silk knots are the least dressy style.

Adwin:
I have seen a few men's cosmetics store in Singapore but might be catering to a small group of people. But seems to me men nowadays are more concern of the way they dress themselves and they are more willing to spend on accessories.
Do you think men's fashion wear will continue to be more popular for the next 5 years or so?

Andy:
Absolutely. Men are realizing the importance to their daily lives of looking good. A good impression helps with business, love life, family and all relationships (getting through airport security!!) There will be a boom in men's cosmetics, quality and classic clothing (some with new high tech fabrics) and a greater willingness to spend money on items that make us look good.

Adwin :
Andy, having been in the men's fashion industry for many years, what are the common problems that are face by men nowadays in term of their dressing?

Andy:
The casual dressing era was welcomed by many men but then it became apparent that putting all those elements together properly wasn't so easy. Certainly not as easy as putting a suit (one element) together with a shirt, tie, and shoe and a belt that matched. It's more difficult to dress in casual mode and look good.

Adwin:
Coming back to the topic of cuff links, do you have any resources to recommend where readers here can draw information from?

Andy:
There must be a good history or a book on cuff links out there. If not, Adwin, let's write one!

Adwin:
From our last email exchanged, you are launching your a set of cuff links, do you intend to go into customisation cuff links for the Online community? How can they reach you?

Andy:
SmartTurnout, in the UK, in the UK, One of the sponsor's on AskAndyAboutclothes.com agreed to design a pair of chain style (double faced) cuff links with the Ask Andy hanger on one side and some nice blue tone stripes on the other. (so you could wear the ask Andy side out for Ask Andy get-together events and the other side out for day to day wear. I should have some news (photos, prices) very soon.

Adwin:Once again, thank you, Andy!, for sharing with us your knowledge on clothing’s and await to see more of your exciting tips and cuffs launches. Take care and have a nice day!

Andy: Thank you Adwin! Really good thoughtful questions. Good luck on the great website you've started on cufflinks. I really like the layout and the information there is excellent.

Adwin Ang have been in the IT industry for about 9 years and currently started his own blog in providing cuff links resources for cuff links lovers.He runs a monthly newsletter which deliever highly informative resources and tips to his subscriber. Visit his blog at http://mycufflinks.blogspot.com.

Shopping For Men's Designer Suits

By Gregg Hall

“Two thousand dollars for one suit? Are you crazy? I don’t have that kind of money to spend on one suit! Yes, I am well aware of the quality and that it is well worth every penny. I just can’t justify spending that much on one garment. Oh... but I sure would love to have an Armani.”

Rest assured that if you hear yourself in the above comments, you’re not alone. Countless businessmen would love to have fancy designer suits, but their budget doesn’t allow for it; champagne tastes on a beer budget … understood! There’s a way you can get one or more of these suits without costing you an arm and a leg. If you could buy one for anywhere from $15 to $300, and it wasn’t stolen goods, would you? Read on.

Definitions about what makes a man’s suit a “Designer” item vary. One eBay seller’s definition is “any brand of pre-owned suit that has sold on online auctions for $300 or more.” The definition continues, “See for yourself. Do a search on completed auctions for MEN’S SUITS. Sort High to Low in price and see what brands repeatedly come up.”

Here are some of the brand names classified as “designer”: Acquaviva, Barberini, Baroni,Belvedere, Brioni, Canali, Charvet, David Eden, Dolce & Gabbana, Enrico Venturi, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi, Gene Meyer, Gianni Manzoni, Gionfriddo, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Hugo Boss, Leonardo Valenti, Luciano Carreli, Natazzi, Nino Bertini, Otello, Prada, Rossetti, Trussardi, and Versace.

Where are you going to find these suits? If you want to pay under $20, you will need to start hunting at all the thrift/second hand stores. Yes, you will indeed find them there, but you need to search. If you don’t mind paying a little more, try going directly to eBay.

If you opt to hunt for your suit, here are a few simply tips for thrift stores. Don’t expect these wonderfully made designer suits to jump out at you. And don’t expect to find a boatload of them all in one place. It is truly a matter of treasure hunting.

Thrift stores, estate sales, storage unit auctions and garage sales will be your best hunting ground. Not to discourage you, but it won’t be uncommon for you to look through 100+ suits until you might find one “good” one. The good news is that after you have a little experience under your belt, you will be able to whip through an entire rack of suits in mere minutes.

You will be able to quickly tell just by the look and feel of the garment, which ones are quality. Take your list of "designers" with you and become familiar with the brands you want.

Hint: You will probably need to have a circuit of approximately 10-12 second hard stores that you frequent, hoping to hit the mother load. If you’re intrigued in the quest, shop a minimum of once a week at each locale! Your efforts will eventually pay off. If this is more work that you care to spend on finding a suit, try eBay.

Gregg Hall in a marketing consultant with over 12 years experience consulting to online businesses. He recommends NameBrandClothingStore.com for name brand clothing

Top 7 Men's Clothing Stores

By William Brister

Following is a list of online shops and websites compiled for the fashion conscious male of the 21st century.

Bluefly Men’s Clothing
Is the leading online retailer of designer brands, fashion trends and superior value. It is the ultimate fashion store for the fashion conscious man with trendy designs, latest cuts and designer labels that include Prada, Gucci, Cole Haan, Zegna, Ted Baker and many more. From blazers to belts, cashmere to cufflinks, briefcases to bathrobes, there is every item that a man could possible want.

Brooks Brothers
An American icon, two centuries old, it continues to uphold the same traditions and values, always making, dealing and offering merchandise of the finest quality ever. Besides the casual and business collections, their special departments have so much to offer from country, big and tall as well as formal wear.

Paul Fredrick
Paul Fredrick’s designs a classic collection of men’s fashion apparel of the finest fabrics and includes dress shirts, tailored clothing, sportswear and accessories. Known for their style and comfort, these fashion garments not only sport exceptional value but continue to wear well through the continuously changing fashion cycles

International Male
A company in existence for the last twenty-five years especially focuses on the fashion conscious male. They cater to individual tastes whether it is exciting or eclectic, straight laced or button down and create designs with more than just a distinctive look – fashionable and trendy. Not only are the clothes and accessories sensible, but stylish as well. The International Male website offers you a productive and efficient online shopping experience.

Vintagetrends
Men’s personality is largely reflected through the clothes they wear, whether it is dapper, dashing or distinctive, they express their individuality through style. Vintagetrends recognizes this and has gone on to become the leading web-based distributor of vintage, military, designer clothing and accessories. Men’s vintage clothing is as unique as it is bold. It is known for its high quality in fashion apparels sourced from across the globe.

Thomas Pink
It is one of the best online shops offering luxury shirts, ties, cufflinks and accessories made from the finest materials. Thomas Pink is synonymous with classic British shirt making and London’s Jermyn Street heritage. From business to casual, slim fit to tailored, Thomas Pink showcases a selection of various styles.

Casual Male
With an innovative comfort technology adapted in their clothing style, Casual Male has earned a lofty reputation for their fashion apparels especially for bigger sizes. It is largest specialty retailer for bigger and taller men and offers great styles, designer comfort and huge selections.

William Brister - http://www.menswear.tv - A guide to male style.

Where to Find Men's Tall Clothing

By Krista Mayne

Is it possible to wear stylish clothing when you are tall? Does that mean that you are stuck with wearing only one type of jeans - namely western? Well, over the last few years, the men’s tall clothing department has expanded greatly and retailers are finally catering to this market. Many stylish name brands such as Ralph Lauren, Polo, and Tommy Bahama have added a huge assortment of men’s tall clothing. So where does one find tall clothing?

1. The first option is tall specialty catalogs. There are many big and tall men’s catalogs on the market now.

2. Some finer department stores now have special big and tall departments. These are usually found somewhere towards the back of the stores, often in a corner. Although they are hard to find, they are worth the trip.

3. The Internet is exploding with men’s tall clothing in tall niche-type stores. Everything you could possible need is available online- whether it be men’s casual tall clothing to men’s designer tall clothing.

4. Custom tall clothing stores are a great option- as you can get clothing to fit your exact measurements. The Internet has custom men’s tall clothing in jeans, chinos, dress shirts, casual shirts and suits. You may also visit a local tailor to have custom clothing made for you.

When it comes to shopping, tall men may have to search a little longer than the rest of the population. The good news is, that men’s tall clothing finally exists and the choices are growing more every season

Men's Fashion Coordination: Colors and Pattern Matching


It is common for most men to face dilemma in mens fashion coordination. Our typical questions are:

How to match colors for mens dress shirts and mens dress pants?
How to coordinate checks with stripes?
What are the colors suitable between my suits and ties?
Are the colors and patterns matching my suits and ties?
These questions kept popping up because men generally has a poorer power of visualization than women. Men can not imagine the way things look like based on the colors and patterns through imagination. So there is a strong reliance for pictures to provide guidance for men's dressing.

Therefore, I will attempt to address these concerns and provide the fundamental information necessary to achieve the best coordination. When we look at color coordination, there are two aspects to focus on: Coordinating mens clothing against our complexion and creating color harmony between different hues and shades.

For dealing with colors involving our complexion, we would not want to wear colors that brings out the negative aspect of our complexion. For example, if you are very fair with light colored hair, then you should not be wearing pale colored shirts like yellow or white that will wash out your facial complexion further. Instead choose earthy colors to warm up the face with vibrancy.
Color combination between clothing would require the understanding of hues and tones. It is the similarity and contrasting criteria of hues and tones that brings the harmony when combining these colors. We must learn how to use the vivid colors against the dull and light colors to accentuate different parts of your men's clothing. It catches attention and yet not steal the focus away from your face.

For mixing pattern, there is coordination between pattern of same design and patterns of different designs. The ultimate challenge is mixing three or four patterns together but not looking ridiculous at all. The fundamental art of working with patterns is the understanding of scales and sizes of patterns so that you can merge them together without creating tension or strong clashing vibration.

Overall, the aim of coordination for colors and patterns is to achieve naturalness as well as bringing out the best blend that brightens up the man’s overall look.

In order to learn the art of achieving the best coordination, we would have to play around with our clothing to realize the concept. Thereafter, mixing and matching colors and patterns would just come as a natural flow in you. It is through the consistent trial and error that we build up our knowledge of what goes with what and how we can best coordinate them.

Plus Size Men's Clothing - How To Look Great & Look Slimmer Instantly Part 1

By Kelly Price

If you choose carefully with men’s plus size clothing you can give the impression of knocking off half a stone instantly by simply being careful with the type of clothes you wear.

Men’s plus size clothing can look great, you just need to know how to dress correctly and here some tips to look great.

1. Horizontal Stripes Are A No!

Vertical stripes are a yes.

Why?

Because they draw the eyes downwards, making your silhouette longer and making you look slimmer.

Formally, Pinstripe suits are the perfect, especially paired with a crisp black dress

For casual wear, try to find dark corduroys with slim stripes are also a good option

If you are wearing vertical stripes its fine and if you are not, it’s no stripes at all with this fashion tip.

2. Go Single Breasted

Single breasted jackets always look slimmer than double breasted that focus the eyes at the centre.

Also be careful about the vents at the back of your jacket on.

Stay away from blazers and jackets that are double-vented as this cut will draw attention to your bottom.

Stick to single-vented jackets or jackets without any vents and keep in mind your jacket should always cover your bottom.

3. Watch the Fit

Make sure your wear clothes that fit and you buy the size you are, rather than the size you would like to be.

Tight clothing will make you look ridiculous and show every bulge in more graphic detail.

On the other hand, many men believe baggy clothing will hide their bulges, if their to baggy they will simply make you look much bigger.

The secret to looking slimmer is to choose clothes that are not to tight not to baggy and allow you to feel comfortable and move properly.

4. Go Monochrome

A shirt and trousers in two contrasting colors will draw attention right to the centre where the join is which is your stomach!

Avoid this and go for two similar colors that don’t highlight your middle. For example Black trousers yellow top is a no Dark blue jumper and black trousers is a yes.

In plus size men’s clothing you do not want to draw attention to your middle. Finally, black is the ultimate color for slimming. If you decide to dress in black make sure you add a splash of color to break up your look

5. Don’t Wear High Neck Jumpers

In men’s plus size clothing high roll or turtle neck jumpers are a no at all costs it will simply make your neck look fatter and give the illusion of a shorter person

V-neck round necks and T-shirts are all good.

These draw the eyes down giving the impression of a sleeker silhouette also, it will give you the illusion of having a longer neck which if you have double chin or large neck will make you look slimmer.

6. Always Use A Belt

A belt will hold your waistline and make it appear slimmer and make sure your trousers hang correctly.

Conversely don’t tighten your belt to hard so you can’t breathe! Your belly will them overhang.

7. Don’t Follow Fashion Blindly

With men’s plus size clothing don’t try and follow fashions simply because you think you should, they wont always suit.

Instead develop your own personal style that makes you look good. The above are just a few tips for wearing men’s plus size clothing and we will discuss more in articles in this series.

Men's Clothing Suit Styles

By Victor Epand

Suit jackets certainly can be worn with other things, but you're right, you do have to be careful. Can you let me know your husband's age and size? The last thing I want to do is recommend unsuitable attire!

Also, have you checked with a tailor that the pants cannot be altered? Most suit pants can be either let out or taken in by up to 1 3/4 inches if done properly, and of course the hems can be altered to suit length as well.

Ok, the dark blue subtle pinstripe, this is where the importance of your husband's age comes in! I would recommend using this for an informal/formal look and teaming it with a smart pair of jeans, and a formal work shirt.

Matching this jacket with a pair of formal pants will be nigh on impossible, but matching it with jeans and going for a casual yet still smart look is easily done. What you have to do is think about the accessories. As I said, a nice oxford shirt in either a pale blue or white, along with a pair of smart jeans and then a black belt and black shoes, either plain oxfords or perhaps a pair of suede loafers even.

For the glen plaid, this can be matched into something more formal and worn almost as you would a sports jacket. Pants will have to be dark, plain and pleated. I would recommend dark navy pants, and brown shoes and belt. In terms of shirt and tie, you can't go far wrong with a white shirt, and then a tie that brings out a bit of the color in the glen plaid, so a tie with a hint of red in would go nicely.

If you are looking for a more western interpretation, then you can find suits with a mandarin influence, or perhaps a Nehru style suit which fuses Indian themes within the suit style. I would avoid the white shirt/black tie routine, it'll either make you look like you're going to a funeral, or going to carry out a hit on someone!

What you need for interviews is something safe, but also nice and smart. You can't go too far wrong with a pastel blue (not a navy blue, more of a sky blue) cotton shirt with tie that has gold/yellow/blue in it. Alternatively a lilac shirt with a tie that has a combination of purple/blue in it works well.

A general rule of thumb that I advise is that the darker the shirt, the lighter the tie color to lift it. The opposite of that works too, i.e. if you're wearing a very light shirt, then a heavier colored tie is good.

I say go ahead and buy the suit. It sounds like a winner. There are always a lot of questions asking whether or not a double breasted suit is hip and I say it can be. It's a classic look that will never go out of style - although, sometimes the look is more "in fashion" than others. However, because this suit is a classic it tends to look better on men and not young men or teens.

Victor Epand is an expert fashion consultant at http://www.LingerieDress.com/. Visit us when you want the best prices, styles, fashions, and fits of all types of lingerie. We carry a super selection of everyday, as well as bridal and specialty items.

Men's Clothing

By Damian Sofsian

Traditionally, the word fashion is only applied to women. This is because the fashion industry focuses much of its attention to women's fashion and for good reason. Women are perceived to be the ?shoppers? of the world, and they are also perceived to be the ones who give a lot of thought to their clothing, making them the perfect market for fashion designers. On the other hand, men?s fashion do not get that much attention, because it is perceived that men do not put much though on the clothes they wear. However, this does not mean that men do not experience fashion problems that women experience, which include the difficulties that taller and shorter men experience in looking for good fitting clothes.

For shorter and taller men, the main problem is to find good fitting clothes because most of the clothes that are available in the market cater to the ?average? body size of men. Given this difficulty, the only option for some of these men is to have custom made clothes from tailors, which can be very expensive. For short men, a very good source for good fitting clothes are specialty stores on the Internet that cater to the body types of shorter men. One good example of this kind of store online is Short Sizes, Inc., which specializes in clothes designed for shorter men since the 1970?s.

For taller men, the same problem applies, because they also experience problems in finding good fitting clothes. Fortunately, the Internet is also a good source of good retail stores that sell clothes that are designed for taller men. One of the better sites that sell these clothes is King Size Direct, which not only offer clothes for tall men but for big men as well.

Men also experience some of the same fashion problems that women go through, especially for taller and shorter men. This is because just like short or tall women, short and tall men also find it difficult to find good fitting clothes. Fortunately, in the same way that there are a number of sources of clothes that cater to short and tall women, the same also goes for men, a good example of which is the Internet.

Men's Formal Wear - How To Dress With Style

By Kelly Price

When looking at men’s formal wear you need to follow some simple basic guidelines to get an instant classic look which projects a sense of style.

Getting the right look with men’s formal wear is not difficult, if you follow the image guidelines below.

Your suit

In men’s formal wear let’s start with choosing a formal suit.

1. Style

Changes, but you can't go wrong with a single-breasted, solid color suit in black, grey or navy blue and always remember a single-breasted suit will make you look slimmer and sleeker in appearance.

In men’s formal wear a stylish suit can conjure up a number of images, all of them positive.

A suit can make you look powerful, mature, conservative, or sexy. Remember, most women love men in suits!

2. Fabrics and Patterns

Wool is always a safe option when buying a suit. It looks good and wears well.

Worsted wools are lightweight for spring and summer. Gabardine wools are heavier for winter. Wool Crepes are lightweight with softer finishes. Flannel wools are heaviest. Patterns for interview suits are limited to solids, stripes (pinstripe, chalk stripe, beaded-stripe, multistripe), Glen plaids, and checks (hounds-tooth, windowpane, and herringbone).

Picking The Right Shirt

Generally men with narrow faces can choose collars that are wider, to help broaden their faces; conversely, men with wider faces should choose collars that are narrower, to help lengthen their faces.

Ties

Suits come in basic styles and colors, but ties let you show your individuality within a formal look.

If you want to make a bold statement wear a patterned tie with a patterned shirt, make sure that the color schemes are the same and that the patterns go in the same direction.

Finally, don’t forget the Length: It should hit the top of your belt buckle and the deal width of ties is between 3 and 4 inches.

Men’s Formal Wear Combining Tie’s Shirts & Suits

When choosing a jacket-shirt-and-tie trio, match its level of color contrast to your personal colouring.

Your colouring consists of your complexion and hair color.

If you're coloring is high-contrast i.e. dark hair and light skin, or vice versa--your jacket, tie, and shirt combo should be high contrast, too. But if your hair-hide contrast is softer and lighter i.e. you're blond or gray-haired with pale skin, or dark-skinned with dark hair--you should go for lower-contrast clothes.

Two different scales For Balance When you're combining two like patterns in the jacket-shirt-tie triangle, they should be of different gauges.

If your suit has pinstripes 3/4 inch apart, your tie should have significantly broader or thinner bands. If your suit is a striped one (with lines more than an inch apart), your shirt's stripes should be narrower and closer together.

If you wear two different designs within the lapel triangle--say, a checked shirt and a striped tie, or a striped suit and repeating-medallion tie--they should be different scales in size If your shirt has a narrow stripe, your tie needs a wider stripe i.e. pair large with small.

De Emphasize

Choose clothes that de-emphasize your extremes.

If you're short, look for strong vertical elements: pinstriped suits, two-button jackets. If you're very thin, choose a jacket with wider shoulders. If you have a heavier build then Wear darker colors and go monotone from top to bottom.

Watches

The first thing to look for in a man's watch is a large face, as these designs are generally accepted by everyone as looking stylish.

Get a nice belt

Don't forget your belt you want quality, a good quality belt doesn’t have to be expensive and is money well spent.

Your belt color should be coordinated with your footwear - black with black, brown with brown.

Shoes

Black is the traditional safe color for work but Brown or ox blood colors can also look stylish.

You can also use a variety of styles including loafers, wingtips, round-toe, or the trendier pointy-tipped shoe.

Shoes are no place to economize on quality. For men, shoes are the final detail and are one of the areas all women notice.

FREE Image and Style Guides

Men’s formal wear can really make a great impression if worn in the right way.

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