Stand Up: The Importance of Posture

Confidence and having confidence, or trying to be cool and making yourself look cool; ultimately these two factors have a big impact on how we dress and how our outfit works. But how many of you have stopped and actually thought seriously about how you are standing? And how it might be affecting the way you look.  Good posture doesn’t really figure in the average fashion routine, even though almost all of us will at some point have had the “stand up straight, shoulders back” talk from a parent or other suitable source of authority. I am equally sure that each and every one of us has then deployed the usual acknowledgement of said command and then returned almost immediately, or at least whenever practical, to our prior hunch backed stance.

It is very easy to underestimate just how important having a good posture is, even more so for those that have a keen interest in fashion and the way they dress. 

How to Get the Most Out of Your Tailor

Your relationship with your tailor is crucial:  a good one knows your physique and appreciates your worldview.  You're trusting him with your appearance in the field of sartorial battle, so to speak, so choose wisely.  And once you've got your man (or woman) get the most out of the relationship by adhering to a few general principles. 

Know what you’re after.Do you like a break in your trousers? Do you like to show a little extra cuff? These may seem like obvious points, but you’d be surprised how many guys show up for a fitting unprepared to give direction. These are decisions you learn through experience, and you shouldn’t leave them to anybody else, even the most trusted master of the needle and the thread.

Dress accordingly.If you’re having a jacket altered, wear a dress shirt you like—and that fits the way you like a shirt to fit. If you’re having pants hemmed, wear shoes you normally wear: you don’t want to be appraising a pair of tuxedo trousers while wearing your Jack Purcells. (So no, we’re not recommending you wear Converse with a tux.)

Be reasonable.Re-cutting a coat to narrow the shoulders is a serious job—the tailoring equivalent of open-heart surgery. And you shouldn’t leave either to somebody without proper expertise. A good tailor knows what’s a difficult job, admits as much, and will charge accordingly.

Do some research.When choosing somebody for basic alterations, see what other kinds of work they do. Is he used to opening button holes? If he’s surprised by something you request then he’s not the man to be asking. If you need a trusted name, ask somebody from a store you frequent who they like to use.

Cultivate your relationship.A good tailor, like a good mechanic or bartender, is an indispensable part of your life. If you like his work, tell him, and refer friends—he’ll be more willing to indulge your more nuanced requests, and he’ll get your work done sooner.  

Diet Soda Can be A Smile Killer

A recent study published in the Academy of General Dentistry, concluded that diet sodas can destroy your smile by "softening the enamel on your teeth and weaken healthy tooth structure. Doctors say: "What the diet soda lacks in sugar, it makes up for in acid. It takes seven minutes from the time you take your first sip for the acids to start eroding your teeth."


So what if you just can’t give up the the habit? The best solution is to brush your teeth immediately after drinking so the acids won’t have a chance to settle. When brushing isn’t an option, mouthwash or water is better than nothing.  Now you know!

How to Choose a Cologne

A distinct scent for a man is a necessity these days. It’s a scent-based signature that’s lingers on everything you wear, and stays in the minds of everyone you meet. It sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. You’d be surprised at the kinds of compliments you can get once you stop smelling like beer and spray-deodorant and move on to something with a little more depth.

We've put together a list of things to be on the lookout for with respect to colognes and perfumes. From the construction of fragrances, to picking and wearing cologne for yourself, this guide will have you smelling less like mom’s basement and more like a grown man.

Fragrance Construction

First, colognes and other fragrances are constructed of top notes, middle notes, and base notes. These scents interact and work together to create the complete scent that you encounter. Most perfume houses guard their recipes and the composition of their fragrances carefully, but nearly all are made up of carefully layered scents.

• Top Notes

  The top notes are the first impression that the scent will give you, usually bold scents with a touch of the ethanol that the fragrance is mixed with. Adjectives like ‘crisp’, ‘fresh’ and ‘citrusy’ are common, and powerful extracts are usually used here. The top notes will not last very long, and give way to the middle notes.

• Middle Notes

  Soft floral notes are common here, so as to lessen the harsh impact of the ethanol. Middle notes usually last less than half an hour.

• Base Notes

  Base notes are the lasting scent that a fragrance leaves on you; the least harsh of all the notes, base notes are long lasting, subtle scents. The base notes first emerge about 30 minutes to an hour after you apply, and linger until you shower or change.

These notes together create the layered, complex story that colognes tell. Does the cologne start with a blast of fresh citrus, and then give way to a smoky woodsy note? Or does it start with a jolt of lavender that transforms into vanilla? Though these complex notes are probably only going to be picked up by trained perfumers, a basic understanding of these notes can give help you distinguish a mediocre cologne from an extraordinary one.

Picking A Scent

When picking a scent, one of the first things to consider is personal style and image. Try a few different scents and figure out what impression each one gives, and if it’s true to your own style. It’s also wise to go out and smell various colognes, write down your first impressions and top three, and then return on another occasion. Your sense of smell is easily overwhelmed at the perfume counter, and a break is essential to discerning what scents have a lasting impression on you over time.

Stores keep tester cards for you to blast with cologne so you can get a sample without leaving the store smelling like you fell into a vat of the stuff. Similarly, many places keep coffee beans around, as coffee acts as a palette refresher – a sort of reset button for your nose.

Once you’ve found a few you like, test them on your own skin. This is an important step, as colognes interact with your sweat, your body heat, and your individual body chemistry. There’s no telling how any single cologne might smell while you’re wearing it.

 Wearing Your New Scent

One of the most common problems with men and cologne is an utter cluelessness when it comes to how to apply it. Stick to the following tips and you’ll be fine:

• The wrist and neck are ‘pulse points’ where your body generates the most heat, and the cologne will emanate outward from your body.
• Cologne worn on the chest is kept away from the air, and will linger throughout the day and night.
• Don’t hit yourself again if you can’t smell it. That’s the idea. It’s only supposed to be noticeable once you get up close and personal. Your sense of smell is weakest after waking up, so be careful with overzealous application.
• Give yourself a quick refresher in the late afternoon if your cologne is fading and you think it’s going to be a long night. One spray ought to do it.
• Don’t wear a powerfully scented deodorant with your cologne. Conflicting scents or unexpected interactions can smell unpleasant.
• In the summertime, the combination of heat and sweat greatly amplifies the smell of your cologne; apply sparingly on those hot days.

Advanced Colognes & Fragrances

• As you get more confident, you’re going to want to keep more than one fragrance. One for the office, one for nights out, one for special occasions.
• Particularly sensitive noses will be able to pick out individual scents and be able to layer fragrances on top of their existing colognes. Scents like vanilla and cinnamon layer well.

Things To Watch Out For

• Overwhelming base notes: Overpowering scents are undesirable. A too-strong base note is going to stick with you the rest of the day and annoy you (and your date) until you shower.
• Powerful deodorants: There’s no telling how your new cologne might interact with your existing antiperspirant or deodorant. If that new bottle of cologne mixes badly with your Old Spice, consider switching to an unscented deodorant.
• Patchouli: Common in colognes with a woody scent, patchouli base notes can transform and smell similar to camphor. If you’re testing something with this note, give it a few hours and see how it smells then.

Deodorant: Keep it Subtle

Deodorant is supposed to fight odor, not act as your primary fragrance.

Do you honestly want to smell like everyone else in the locker room? Or on a date… Do you really want that  lasting impression you leave to  be the smell of your “sport” speed stick?
Thought so!


Well here are a few subtle and unscented deodorants that get the job done, but leave the lasting impressions to you and maybe a great smelling cologne.

• Tom’s of Maine Deodorants
• Crystal Body Deodorant for Men 
• Degree Invisible Stick – Cool Rush

How to Fold a Pocket Square

Business Wear: The Tie

An interesting piece of knowledge: there are eighty-five ways to knot a necktie. As good fortune would have it, a gentleman only requires one-a tight, dimpled Four-In-Hand. Versatile enough to pair with most dress shirt collars, its quick & simple execution minimizes time-consuming fussiness in the mirror. Go dark and go simple. Solids and stripes are classic options in navy, burgundy, red, gray, and even purple. Silk neckties are a given, but selections in wool, cotton, and even linen can be smart seasonal choices.

Business Wear: The Shirt

A sophisticated gentleman can expertly extract high mileage out of just white and blue dress shirts. So, don’t be deterred by the seemingly scarce color options. Besides your basic solid selections, stripes & checks offer a plethora of choices. A straight point, semi-spread, or button-down collar is all a gentleman needs. French cuffs may be a little much for now, so barrel cuffs will be just fine.

Business Wear: The Suit

If you all would be so kind, visualize a 5-button chalk-striped suit. Next, visualize a trash receptacle. Now, visualize that 5-button disaster going into that trash receptacle. That is all. To be quite frank, it would appear that men of color have been subconsciously indoctrinated to questionable  suit selection ever since their introduction to a lime-green Easter suit. The gaudiness ends now. Your corporate uniform: 2 or 3 button single breasted wool suit in navy or charcoal with a notch lapel. Flat front trousers for lean silhouette, or pleats to accommodate a few pounds in the waistline. Faint, and we mean faint, pinstripes optional.

Check Your Vision: Envision Your Future

When was the last time you had your vision checked? I don't mean an eye exam.


Your vision is altogether different. It's not what you see with your eyes. It's what you "see" for yourself in the future. It's how you envision your life unfolding.

And it's just as important as your eyesight—if not more so.  Ray Charles had a bold vision for his life—and he made it happen!

Without a vision, you're meandering through your days without direction or purpose.

Without a vision, you're more likely to be stymied by the road bumps of each day.

Without a vision, you're just living. Maybe.

I'm sure you have goals. Almost everyone does. You might want to get a raise or a promotion. You may want to buy a new car or a home.  

Those are great goals. But they're not a vision. A vision is much more; it's bigger than a mere achievement.  

A vision articulates the impact you want to have on others. And it might take a lifetime to achieve.  

Having a vision is vital to your survival, to your revival. And your journey—your way out and up—just might be an inspiration to others. To people you don't even know.

Almost everyone has 20/20 eyesight. Even most of us who have always opened our eyes each morning and seen nothing but a fuzzy mess can see clearly with eyeglasses or laser surgery.

But you don't need a doctor to fix poor vision. There's no medical procedure needed to see beyond the fuzzy mess of today.

Check your own vision. Then correct it. Create it. Live it.

Multi-tasking a Blazer

From time-to-time we can all stand to make a wardrobe just a little more interesting.  Here are a couple of thoughts in accomplishing just that.  Try pairing the blazer with a bright pant, say, red or blue, for an easy statement-making look. Add a lightweight knit in a solid color or stripe, like this one, for $19.95 (H&M). And if you're feeling really bold, you can pull off the nautical trend with a tee, like this one for $12.95 (H&M), available in blue, red, or green. Or just wear any old shirt — pretty much any one will work. Except a polo shirt. Never a polo under a blazer.  
 

The Art of Face-to-Face Conversation

In today's tech-driven world far too many of us have forgotten the basics of being able to strike up a decent conversation with a "real" person.  Sure we have lots of "friends" and "connections" on facebook and other social networks, but real one-on-one interaction is lacking.

Mastering the art of real life conversation will not only score you more invitations, but could lead to solid career moves. So leave that Blackberry or Iphone home and get to talking.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Check your body language and facial expressions before you introduce yourself.  Exude confidence in your posture and don’t forget to smile.

2. Have some “factoids” and interesting tidbits to strike up a conversation. For example, “Lindsey Lohan may surprise us one day.  Or “I’ve been thinking a lot lately about where my next travel destination will be.” People are generally more inclined to engage in conversations about general topics that they may be able to relate to.

3. Make a proclamation to start a conversation. One line I have used successfully: “I decided to have a BlackBerry-free day to give my brain a techno break and get back to simple pleasures, like good face-to-face conversation.”

4. Always consider the other person by talking in “digestible bits” rather than in long and rambling sentences. In the words of Milton Wright, author of the 1936 classic The Art of Conversation, “a monologue is not a conversation.”

5. Steer away from hot button topics like religion and politics unless you can communicate a very centrist position.

6. If the conversation was a good one, offer to follow up with the person via Facebook or LinkedIn. Try to get together within a month for breakfast or lunch. Save cocktail dates (where you can let down your guard) for friends, spouses, and significant others.

Choosing The Right Shirt

With shirts, it's all about fit and variety.

The number-one rule: a good fit is paramount. More often than not, your shirt will be flying solo without a jacket, tie or sweater, so give adventurous colors or patterns a shot. Lots of guys favor button-down collars—they're guaranteed to stay neat throughout the day. When it comes to polos, choose a refined one over something super casual.

One of our favorite secret weapons? Wrinkle-free shirts. The best ones come out of the dryer looking like they came straight from the cleaners.

Get noticed, Stand out

It can be hard to get noticed sometimes. With more and more competition in the workforce, coupled with easier access to low-cost, high-style clothing, standing out with a “power suit” just doesn’t cut it anymore. The sharp-dressed man gets noticed amongst the crowd because he is different.

Today, what the uber-gentlemen is not just well-dressed – lots of people are well-dressed nowadays – but impeccably well-dressed with an element of flair.

From a lively pocket square, to a vintage lapel pin, to a pair of bold frames, these guys are experts at mixing classic cuts with modern touches to create looks that are all their own.

While you might not have access to the scores of designer duds some guys do, it is still possible to add a dose of personality to a simple look. It’s not about making your outfits speak louder, it’s about having them speak in your own voice. 

Whether you work in a cubicle, a corner office, or a 

construction site, it is always possible to dress with style and personality.

Changes to Make This Spring

By Winston Chapman

One of my favorite sayings is "Nothing changes until you do."

Here are five ideas to get started in becoming more productive this spring.

1.Take time to plan. Without a plan, you’re stuck with good intentions that you can’t execute. If you have extra time over spring break, do some personal reflection and goal setting. Think about one behavior at a time. What would you like to change about nutrition? Write it down. Continue this until you have a list of changes that have been on your mind.

Be consistent. Don’t think about how far you have to go, think about what you will do today to work on that change. For example: I will eat two whole fruits a day. I will not snack in front of the TV or computer.

2. Clean out your cabinets. Spring says “let's clean up” for some reason. Why not take a day to really get your cabinets in order? Pull everything out and assess. Do you have a lot of packaged, heavily processed foods or snacks? What nourishing foods can you add to your pantry?  Healthy items include: nuts, fresh and dried fruit, dried and canned beans, whole grains (whole wheat pasta, cous cous, brown rice), canned salmon and tuna, tomato sauce, onions, garlic, salt-free dried herbs and spices.



3. Visit a running or sporting goods store. The problem with exercising is we tend to assume it is something to suffer through. You don’t have to do any exercise that feels uncomfortable. Exercise is not punishment.  Maybe you would have fun jogging in a pool, rollerblading, or just simply walking after work. Take stock of your fitness equipment. 

Don’t assume you have to squeeze yourself into spandex or workout clothes. Find at least one outfit that makes you look and feel good.


4. Make a “don’t do” list. There’s never enough time in the day to prepare meals and exercise. If this is you, there’s too much on your plate. Period.  It’s not a race to see how 

much you can squeeze into your calendar. There will always be things to do. Why not spend some time making your first-ever “don’t do” list? All you need to do is think about 

what you are currently doing that eats up time in your day. Are you spending too much screen time – TV and computer? Volunteering too much? Pulling more than your fair 

share in the family? It’s time to delegate and get some help.




5. Love yourself. Most people would probably read this and say, “well of course I love myself.” But if you really think about it, we're our own worst critics, especially when we 

know we need to change. We judge ourselves by so many things each day – what we weigh, what we put in our mouths, if we were too lazy to exercise, we’re not _____ 

enough. The reality is, the better you feel about yourself, the more positive you are, the more successful you will be. Write down three things about yourself you love, ask 

others what they love most about you, and then write down three negative things you will no longer tell yourself.


When you want to change habits, it can be hard just figuring out where to start. That’s what’s so powerful about “Nothing changes until you do.”  It shows that change starts within.  It also says that you already have what you need to change. You don’t need to wait for someone to solve your problems. You can change your own life. 


START NOW!

What to Buy on a Budget

What to buy on a budget: “Riviera Club and Highland are new men's lines that are well-priced.”

Beyond the boutiques

Not everyone (ourselves included!) wants to throw down hundred-dollar bills on every item. Here are our recommendations on some springtime alternatives that won't break the bank.

Chinos: Look to Dockers, where the once-billowy pants that fill your dad's closet have slimmed down and have a price point to match. Our favorite menswear blogs are going nuts for the brand's new SF Tapered line — you can get them in khaki, but something tells us Refuge Green will turn a few more heads. www.dockers.com

Shirts: With pants like these, you'll need shirts to match. After ogling Band of Outsiders' latest option, pick up one from J. Crew's madras line, which comes in five eye-popping colorways. In stores and online at www.jcrew.com

Shoes: There are dozens of white sneakers on the market, but it's impossible to go wrong with and tough to go cheaper than Converse's Jack Purcells, a summer staple that only gets better with age. For a more dressed-up look, Urban Outfitters has a $58 take on suede bucks, an option that'll impress at the office or on the street (and save you about $300 compared to the rightfully gushed-over Mark McNairy versions that brought the style back in the first place). In stores and online at www.urbanoutfitters.com

Suiting: While you'll have to forgive us for not spilling all our thrift-store secrets, here are a few of our regular haunts: Los Feliz Goodwill, a seemingly endless source of jackets and blazers; It's a Wrap, perhaps L.A.'s best bet for half-off or better suits from Hugo Boss and other name brands; and Everything's Jake, a “Mad Men” watcher's dream with vintage pieces from the '40s through '60s.