Dressing for the summer

Summer has his Australia already. Even though technically its spring, its October and we had a 37-degree day, which would usually lead to men wearing short-shorts, thongs and a tank-top. I don’t mind the tank-top from time to time since If you have the body for it then by all means wear it, I just feel it should be reserved for two occasions: If your in the beach or if your working out. With that being said, here are some tips to be a well dressed for that oh so hot summer season.

• ·      Keep Clean

A man is well-groomed, well-dressed, does not smell like absolute ass and does not look like dirt. A man realizes that even though perspiring is inevitable, does not mean he has to smell like he showered with onions. Shower twice a day and make sure to use antiperspirant. Never wear stained clothing, people will notice even though you believe people won’t notice. Invest in nose clippers, refrain from looking like a lumberjack and trim off the back hair for goodness sake. To quickly sum this up, keep clean young man.

• ·      Keep it light

Lighten it up men. And by that I mean light coloured clothing and fabrics with breathable weaves and natural fabrics like cotton. Loosen up a bit by wearing some loose stuff but that does not mean you should wear 3 sizes larger than your actual body size. Now dark colours do not reflect light but they actually absorb it thus making you hotter (temperature wise). On a really sunny day, white long sleeved cotton shirt looks much cooler than black polyester t-shirts.

• ·      Keep it understated

We men wear quality clothing that have cuts and patterns that compliment the figure and the attitude. Our clothing never detracts from ladies in our company. We follow the unstated but are there anyway dress codes and shows up in accordance to enjoy the company around him. Try not to wear short shorts or swimming trunks to the evening events (if there is a swimming pool or your near a beach… fine). Be remembered for your dress sense and friendly conversation (and your package if you get lucky.) Do not be remember for being the over-dressed one or the under-dressed hippie.

• ·      Bring a change of clothes

It is always useful to bring an extra shirt with you to enable that you will look your best as the day unfolds. Especially if you did any physical activity to what you previously wore and if you keep it on you start to feel dirty and smelly. Nothing like a new set of clothes. It’ll keep you fresh and it’ll reinvigorate you for the rest of the day.

• ·      Bring a handkerchief

Yes a handkerchief. Not for nose though. The handkerchief does a better job of cleaning of sweat than your shirt sleeve ever will. And it will keep the sweat off your face. For more on handkerchief’s and why it necessary to carry them with you, read this article: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2009/03/26/every-man-should-carry-a-handkerchief/

Those are just few of my tips. Keep it clean, light and understated. Bring a some extra clothes and bring a handkerchief. Now let’s explore some ideal clothing to wear during the summer. I like to try and venture away from the T-shirt because it feels too casual. But if you do, make sure it is 100% cotton and make sure it is a quality designer T-shirt. Now on to the ideal stuff.

• ·      Short-sleeved Polo Shirts

This item goes back to the fields of sport where it’s moisture and style has made it the sentimental choice of gentleman athletes. It is now the standard choice for men dressed in summer casual. Even though it is widely accepted and highly effective, it should not be abused. If you are a uni student, keep it once a week. If not reserve it for casual events on the weekends. There is more range and freedom with colours and patterns when it comes to this kind of a shirt. It is one of the few exceptions where a man can wear bright and bold colours and not be accused of drawing too much attention.

• ·      Long sleeve dress shirt

Not the always a first choice in 37 degree plus hot weather, it is however a more formal option and often the choice for work. When wearing it by day, select a light and colour and to avoid always choosing the simple white, consider lightly patterned fabric that suggests individuality. A long sleeved shirt rolled up to the mid-forearm or beyond is a very stylish look and is preferred by many over the short sleeve button-ups. This is actually more dressier than a short sleeve because it presents the option of unrolling sleeves.

• ·      Undershirt

Why an undershirt you ask. Well first this must be 100% cotton. And why because this protects the outer layer from sweat and fabric staining antiperspirants. Make sure you have an undershirt. If you don’t, like I said before bring an extra shirt to change into.

Now to the lower body stuff. First let’s explore Jeans and Chinos as they pertain to hot weather wear.

• ·      Denim Jeans

Blue jeans are not a first choice when it comes to what to wear on a day exceeding 40 degress. Even though I wear Jeans all the time anyway does not mean you need to do that. With no vents and can trap in hear and cause excessive sweating. The only exception is something very lightweight denim that has been washed extensively

• ·      Chinos.

The better choice than jeans. They have a looser weave that allows more air to flow between the fabric and the legs. Chinos are a must have throughout the hot summer.

• ·      Shorts

Shorts are strictly casual-wear. Many view shorts as children’s wear or suitable only when worn for sport. For a strong first impression, always think twice when wearing shorts. With that said, they are not going anywhere. Keep the shorts simple. The simpler it is the dressier it will look. On one end we have the cargo shorts with oversized pockets best reserved for the young man. On the other is the sleek dress shorts made for golfing. Always wear them with t-shirts and sandals. NEVER pair them up with a blazer.

On to the footwear!

• ·      Sandals

The oldest form of footwear known to man is the sandal. It is very informal however and should be worn accordingly. Keep the plastic flip-clops in the pool and the beach. Wear your leather filp-flops however at beach parties and for that casual summer get-together with friends. Make sure to keep them toenails clipped clean as well. And NEVER wear socks with them. The most universally considered fashion faux pas is the socks with sandals. It just completely defeats the purpose of wearing them in the first place.

• ·      Italian Loafers & Moccasins

Now were talking here. Designed for the hot climate, the thin subtle leather is very comfortable despite the heat. Be careful since this type of footwear is susceptible to damage from elements. And be wise when considering where to wear them in a certain occasion but it is perfect with dress slacks.

• ·      Boat shoes

These shoes serve a practical purpose. They however escaped their natural boundaries years ago and are not a classic piece of summer footwear. Due in large part to the variety in colour and because they can be worn sockless.

So there you go. My tips on what to wear during the summer. For hats, the most stylish I can suggest Panama hats. They are the way to go.

Four Male fashion crimes.

I am guy who these days pays close attention to what I wear. I like to look good and for those of you that say they don’t care how they look, your lying to yourself. If you don’t care well then I hope looking like garbage does you well. In my time I have committed some really bad fashion crimes and I am from a suburb where fashion crimes are committed left, right and center. I am 100% certain that at least one of the crimes in this list we are all guilty of. So in this daily take, here is my list of the five worst fashion crimes.

1. Saggy pants

When I went through my hip-hop phase I’ve been guilty of this. Sagging your pants low enough and making sure that a little snippet of your dick ain’t showing up. Thankfully after a slap in the face, reading many GQ magazines and watching the awesome one Barney Stinson (also with some maturity) I got out of it and have never done this ever. It looks low-class and it makes you look like a damn hobo. I mean are you that poor that you can not even afford a damn belt? It ain’t that hard. There is nothing cool about sagging your pants low. By doing that your basically screaming out “my ass wants it! Give me your hardest!” Or maybe your the ghetto and you need to hold a gun to bust a cap on some bitches. So unless your in the hood there should absolutely no reason to sag your pants.

2. Inappropriate dressing

I would love to wear a suit everyday of the week. But I am a 20 year old uni student and wearing and unless a formal occasion is taking place, there should be no reason to turn up to my lectures and classes in a suit. I mean why the hell would you wear a suit to places like Bondi or Manly beach. And why the hell do people around here look like there going to the beach but are just fooling around like idiots as usual. Even though I hate the generic t-shirt pants crap for summer, it’s appropriate for the occasion. If your going out to the beach wear beach clothes, if your going to a formal occasion suit up, if your just going out… get a ben sherman shirt and some slim fit pants. The point: Dress for the appropriate occasion.

3. Lad fashion

Now for anyone reading this that does not live in Australia. Lads are basically the scum of Australia and the equivalent of rednecks. Not only is there knowledge and comprehension of the English language is bad since the only thing that basically come out of their mouth is “Fuck” (probably never had a fuck anyway), not only is there general knowledge shit, not only do they smell like shit, but they look like shit. I mean we are talking about teenage dumb-asses with rat-tails a generic hat, a polo and some short-shorts or track pants. Unless you wanna dress like one for Halloween and just make fun of the whole lad culture, never ever ever ever and I mean ever resort to this shit. It looks like trash and is the most looked down upon thing in the country. Even hobos have more respect than these idiots.

4. T-Shirts and Pants that is too long or short

Always try something on before buying it. Well there a couple things worse than this but this, but anything that is too long or short looks pretty bad. In terms of T-Shirts, if it is too long then you might have to stuck it in and when it is too short well you’ll be showing plenty of skin (unless you wanna show it off you man-slut). And as for pants, dress pants need to end at the shoe’s heel and normal pants can be worn at the bottom of your heel. If we can see your socks while walking and if we can see more than a couple of inches of them when you sit down, then it is too short or too long.

So there you go, the four male fashion crimes. Avoid these at all costs and you should be fine. If you are guilty for any of these then fix it asap. If your guilty for all of it then please consult a doctor.