Willravel

Well, after seeing a few threads flaot by hinting at this, I decided to take it upon myslef to open up a suggestion/question/discussion thread about men's style. We can discuss anything from clothing to furnature to machismo.

This isn't about men being pretty, this is about men being able to discern good from bad.

Note: some, if not all, of my suggestions and info will come from Men's Health Magazine (or my personal experience), as I persoanlly have close ties to the staff of that magazine and read the thing like it's going out of style. Heh.

From a MEn's Health article on Casual Ware
Men's Health usually writes to the 27 and up crowd. You've been warned. If you're under 27 (and over 18 of course), it's fine to do the oddly faded jeans, chinos (the grown up word for way to say 'a coarse twilled cotton fabric used for uniforms and sometimes work or sports clothes', see chinos at Banana Republic), some polo shirts, t shirts, comfortable cross training shoes, and boxers. Everything else will fall into place thanks to a gf or work.

Carno

I hope to God that I never think it's cool or even okay to wear loafers.

Master_Shake

I'd visit a style forum. The style components were my favourite part of GQ and Esquire before they turned into crap.

Shall we all list our most hated fashions? Or our favourite styles?

I have to work in a semi-formal environment and I've taken to wearing dark vests. I think it adds a nice contrast to the jacket, shirt and tie. I don't generally wear the same colour as the jacket (not a three piece suit) but it's always in the same colour group of course. For example, today I have a dark-olive/green suit with a light tan shirt and dark-patterned tie. I threw on a charcoal vest and I think it really adds something to whole look.

One of my favourite vest combinations is a dark suit, dark shirt and tie with a dark-violet vest. I think it works.

__________________
-------------
You know something, I don't think the sun even... exists... in this place. 'Cause I've been up for hours, and hours, and hours, and the night never ends here.

ShaniFaye

I would like to read something like this

oh and.....men in loafers are sexy!!!!

__________________
I want the diabetic plan that comes with rollover carbs. I dont like the unused one expiring at midnite!!

asaris

Great thread idea!

__________________
"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."

"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

Willravel

There are still decent sources of men's style out there that aren't 'queer eye' (those guys are far from experts on their various fields, and they don't do much but stereotype homosexuals). You just gotta look a bit harder. I, too, am dissapointed in the way that GQ and Esquire shifted in the Maxim direction.

This is for all things style. It's an open forum. If you love it or hate it or want to know more about it or educate about it....go for it.

Sounds good to me. Any info on your brands?

martinguerre

i'm pretty well an Express junkie...best thing i like is that they have a wide variety of colors for their dress shirts.

Combine with jeans (white, green, lighter patterns), khakis (white, blue, darks) or grey slacks... and it's pretty hard to fail.

A little more casual... Old navy makes good layering t-shirts, get some greys, whites, blacks, and a few colors that work well for you. open dress shirt, jeans or slacks.

a few good pairs of pants go a long way...have some variety in the colors of khaki you use, some grey slacks, and dark jeans that can work with dress shirts.

save most of your variety for shirts, sweaters, and ties. Frankly, it's 95% of what people look at.

__________________
For God so loved creation, that God sent God's only Son that whosoever believed should not perish, but have everlasting life.

-John 3:16

meembo

Cool thread! I've always needed a lot of help in this area. I can admit that! I can't contribute much, but I'll be looking for the tips for the guy who needs to be nudged out of blue jeans.

__________________
less I say, smarter I am

Rlyss

I think I'm a godamn failure in this, right now I'm in Converse sneakers, faded jeans, a hawiian shirt and a grandfather cardigan drinking red wine out of the bottle.

I like to think I can get stylish when the time is right but since it's 2am on Tuesday morning I wouldn't think it's too important.

Still, I think this is going to be a great thread and I hope by the weekend I'll have something more stylish to contribute

skier

I'm a big fan of block colours with subtle patterns or unobstrusive designs. They give a clean first impression but still show some flair.

As always though, the right outfit for the right occasion. They way you dress will reflect the way others treat you based on their stereotypes.

__________________
"Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim

Willravel

\
Not bad. Converse sneakers are friggin comfortable, and I love mine. I've had chuck taylors off and on for like 7 years. So long as the faded jeans are narrow waist, slightly boot cuty, they'll usually go with the converse tennis shoes. The shirty to go with the casual pants and shoes? A simple t-shirt, polo, sweatshirt, or something really relaxed and informal. This is, of course totally good for hanging out with friends at the beach or somewhere recreational, or lounging around the house. It's your house, you make the payments, dress relaxed. With that...hmmm. Hawaiian shirts usually go well with chinos or cargos, long or short, and maybe some sandals or some comfortable shoes. Trim back the chest hair if you're Robin Williams, no one wants to see that. If the Hawiian shirt is long sleve, usually roll up the sleves, unless it's cold. Who wears a hawaiian shirt when it's cold? Is that a form of denial? Cardigan is great with slacks and a good soft undershirt.

Wine out of the botttle? That's the most stylish thing I've seen yet. As long as it isn't one of those giant wine bottles (those are f**king awesome), go for it. What goes witrh 2 am? White or Red?>

Willravel

Freaking awesome. You're a credit to your gender. I'm also a fan of Express Men, a.k.a. Structure.

Good with the t-shirts. If you don't know what colors work well with you, try to match the colors in this order from most important to least: eyes, hair, skin, lips. Match first to your eye color. Your eye draws other peoples eyes, then they go to work on the rest of you. Have green eyes and light skin with redish freckles? Go with greens and olives. Have dark brown eyes and dark skin? Go with earth tones (browns, greens, tans, deep blues).

Always make sure you are comfortable in what you buy. Don't feel prtessured to go buy lowrise bootcut jeans if they're not your thing. You have options.

Willravel

Don't assume that jeans are only for kids. You can wear jeans as long as you can breath, as far as I'm concerned. The idea is to fit the jean to the situation.

From a Man's Health article
Decent jeans available from:
7 for All Mankind jeans
Nautica Jeans
Agave Jeans
Levi Jeans
Banana Republic Jeans
Armani Jeans
Diesel Jeans

jorgelito

Great thread idea Will,

Style. It's the one thing us guys dread but really need *chuckle*. Great contributions by Will and Martin so far on the clothing front.

I will add PERSONAL GROOMING:

Some of this may be redundant or you've heard it before, but go ahead, roll your eyes cause we all need to hear it again. I'm no expert, but I have gleaned from the collective wisdom of the the canon of the history of mankind and his foibles so here goes. Please feel free to "correct" me or add things etc. I like to think of the thread and TFP in general to be "open source".

Today's topic: Hair

Gentlemen, our hair runs the gamut across our gender; long, short, straight, unruly, bald. But they all share one thing in common: The need for management. No, licking your hands and slicking it back does not count. You know who you are.

1. Hair: Wash your hair and depending on type, condition too. Yep, times are a changing. I am your archetypal man's man but even I finally realized I need some effort and maintenance.

Start with a decent shampoo (I know, I recently switched from *gasp* bar soap to real shampoo). Also, no need to wash everyday, just wash the ol' hair every other time or so as not to "kill it".

You know your own hair type, and if you don't, ask your trusted barber (hairstylist for you city folk), GF or if you're really desperate, go ask mom. Then, buy an appropriate shampoo and condtioner. Spend a few minutes to READ the label and find a suitable match.

2. Extraneous hair - nose, ear, mole etc.
Yep, no two ways about it, Ya gotta snip the nose ticklers and the ear hay. Remember, you're not the one who has to look at it (and frankly, it's just better hygiene). Trust me, the opposite sex will appreciate it....really. You should invest in a nose hair trimmer - electric or ol' fashioned snub-nose scissors are fine, just go out and get one.

3. Facial care
Apparently, you're not supposed to use soap. Or the regular bar soap anways. I guess we're supposed to get facial soap. It's kinda nice actually, not so harsh. There is a whole world, some might say industry, out there of products for taking care of oneself.*awestruck*

My buddies and I used to laugh at this one kid in our group who always used facial soap etc and took care of himself. Well, we're all in our thirties now and no longer laughing at him. He looks great (and not in that girly way mind you), just well maintained and not like he scours his face with sandpaper like some of us.

4. Skin care
We took care of hair and face. Now you got to protect that mug of yours, you handsome devil. Moisturizers. Ugh. I actually said it, but you know what, it's necessary and you'll thank me for it when that hot chick/girfriend/wife or yours can't stop touching your face, rubbing it, wanting to put your mug in her boobies cause you're so smooth and soft (but not girly). Hit the moisturizer counter (hot girls there by the way, impressed that you're taking care of yourself and not afraid to do it). Find the right one for your skin type and use it regularly. Pay close attention to: dry, oily, normal, SPF, UVA, UVB. These are important.

To be continued later...

Guys, if the thought of doing these things makes you squirm, well, get over it. It's not a big deal, no one will question your manhood. As long as you don't obsess over it or spend more time on it than a girl would (LOL) then you have nothing to worry about. Taking care of ourselves is important for hygiene, appearance, and other stuff.

Last word of advice: Invest in a gentleman;s grooming kit. You can either buy a complete kit, or put together your own.
They're not expensive and very useful. A good kit should contain:
*2 nail clippers - for manicure and pedicure
*nail fail - for, well see above
*small scissors - with rounded ends - for trimming nose hairs
*razor - for shaving

larger sets may contain:
*small comb
*hair brush
*mirror

I actually have to go back to studying for my finals, BUT I will return with GROOMING Part 2 tomorrow or thereafter. Hopefully, someone can check my work to see if I'm right or completely out of my mind.

Stay sharp gentlemen, stay sharp.

Willravel

Excelent post, jorgelito. A ton fo good information there. One cannot look stylish with an afro from each ear.

There is a wonderful place between the guy who drinks beer in litres and washes his face with lava soap every few weeks, and the guy who accedentally scheduled his mancure and facial on the same day and had to reschedule his bikini wax altogether. There is a holy ground where you don't have to look like a slob, but you won't have to answer the question 'why are only some of you gay guys flamers?' (from bigoted people out there who assume that they are able to tell straight from gay, and who are more than willing to act like idiots). This is the realm of the gentelman. This is a home for straight men or gay men, whoever wants to be respected and taken seriously. This is for the guy who wants to catch peoples eye just for a second, and leave a bit of an impression when necessary. This is a normal, classy guy. That's what this is all about.

fatbob

i like sharp suits. shaped in at the waist often with slightly flared trousers with a dapper tie and scarf.
bashed up jeans and collared t-shirts.
i love wearing my kilts casually with a wooly jumper and a t-shirt and a pair of cons.
block colours are good. white socks are bad. loafers are bad too, as are sandals. hats are good but not baseball caps or 'comedy' hats unless it is a 'see-you-jimmy' hat.
grooming is good. too much aftershave is bad.
sports wear is just that.

__________________
change happens when those who don't normally speak get heard by those who don't normally listen.

KinkyKiwi

lol i know i'm a girl so i'll just peek my head in here then run for my life since this seems to be for the boys...but i had to add that men wearing obnoxious tee shirts are not sexy. they just look like highschool freshmen...

and using moisterizer and grooming your nails well isnt gay...it just looks better

__________________
Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps.
Play with each other. Play with yourselves. Just don't play with the squirrels, they bite.

maleficent

Can a female chime in here... Most women think bald is kinda sexy - -that whole grass doesn't grow on a busy street thing-- (intelligence = sexy) - combovers on the other hand - not sexy and are just silly. You aren't fooling anyone by having your part down around your ear... be proud of your bald head... We'll love you for your confidence.

Ok, back to reading...

__________________

fatbob

when/ if (hopefully if) i go bald i'll shave it all off. much better tactic than a comb over or whispy thin stuff...

__________________
change happens when those who don't normally speak get heard by those who don't normally listen.

nowthen

great idea will. and excellent contributions.

my 2 cents - details gentlemen, details. even a cheap suit can look like a million bucks if pay attention to a few finishing touches.

1) A nice tie - forget that novelty tie your mum bought you 3 years ago for christmas. it is neither cool nor amusing! you should be looking for something silk, and fairly neutral that will combine nicely with your dress shirts without visually hitting everybody in the face. ask the nice lady in the tie shop, they always know a good combination.

2) Shoes and belt - Shoes should ALWAYS be polished. even if they are $25 bargain basement, polish them well and often and people will be pushed to tell the difference from a much more expensive pair. and your belt should ALWAYS match the colour of your shoes.

3) A good watch - something dressy, but not too flashy, again if you dont have the coin to pay for a designer brand there are many cheaper makes that offer similar looks.
dont go for a diving watch unless you actually are diving instructor, or a navy SEAL.
stainless is always better than gold, unless it actually is a real rolex. and, always keep your watch clean.

nowthen

__________________

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them."

George Bernard Shaw

Willravel

Good points all. One very important rule: ONLY WEAR A KILT TO APPROPRIATE OCCASIONS, AND ONLY IF YOU ARE SCOTTISH. It's a right of every man of scottish decent or orgin, but no one else. So, Sean Connery: yes. Prince William: NO. Ewan McGregor: yes. Michael Jordan: no. You get the idea. German and other Europeans don't count, you must have scottish blood.

While this is intended for the benifit of men, women are more than welcome to join in our reindeer games. A lot of the best grroming tips come from the other side of those lacking the y chromosome.

Yes! Good advise. If your hair is beginning to move on to greener pastures, don't be afraid to go short, really short. Make absolutely sure that you don't do it yourself, as it should still be slightly longer on top, and shorter on the sides. A good barber should be able to taylor the cut to your head. Don't be afraid to grab som magazine clippings of Bruce Willis or someone who actually makes bald look cool. Warning, if you arew really white and are going bald, it may not be the best idea to go TOTALLY bald (people might see you and think 'hmmm, that guy reminds me of American History X'). If you do decide it's time to go bowling ball style, do not ggrow a thin m,ustache and speak in a german accent.

Good info.

1) I always like to have two ties per shirt that are perfect matches, and that each of those two can be matched up eclectically with other two other shirts when you want to stand out a bit. If you can form a collection of shirts and ties that all are matchable, you can have a lot of looks to throw out there for less $$. Remember to go quality with ties, even if your shirt is from a 94% off clearence sale at goodwill. Also, for those of you with significant others, make sure your ties each have a slight smell of your cologne or aftershave. If you have the hint of your smell on your ties, they become like a part of you. It also makes the tie an excelent tool in bed.

2) Don't just match color with shoes, but try as hard as you can to mathc material and appearance. If you have smooth looking kenneth coles, go with another kenneth cole belt made from the same type of leather. Fabric belts are okay with loafers or sandals or flip flops. Don't wear dress belts with jeans. That's not cool. Since jeans are informal and have a matte finish, your belt should, too. Go big buckle and low shine with jeans.

3) With enough money at your disposal, you should have a watch that goes with the shoes and belts, but we aren't all millionares. For dressy occasions that involve a suit and above, go with the black leather strap with a stainless or silver head and maybe a grey or black face. The colors should go with your suit no matter the color (unless it's pink, but that's a different conversation). For every day nice looking- go with a stainless strap, 50-100 meter water resistence, and again, go with black, grey, or white for the face. If you have the $$ only purchase a watch from an authorized dealer at a reputable jewelry store. And get a warranty. The good ones will cover buckle-to-buckle repairs for 2 years. AND ALWAY BE ON TIME!!! Call (303) 499-7111 to synchronize your watch with the U.S. Atomic Clock. If your clock is off, you are not a gentelman.

CandleInTheDark

Awesome thread and information, but it'll be a cold day in hell when I start to moisturize.

__________________
Where there is doubt there is freedom.

la petite moi

Ewwww, I hate loafers!

The best look on a man is clothing that is well-fitted (and by that, I don't mean super tight or anything).

Willravel

Well if it were cold and you were in hell, it might be a good time to moisturize.

When I 'moisturize', all I'm doing is putting on spf-15 sunscreen (Neotrogena Oil-free Moisture SPF-15). Every morning after rinsing off my face really quick, I put on a little bit of oil free spf-15. It doesn't make you break out, it keeps your skin kinda smooth, and it prevents too much sun exposure. Dermatonogists reccomend wearing at least spf 15-30 every day, every month, every year.

dirtyrascal7

over the years i've collected about every color there is... except for some pastel colors that i'd never wear. i love these shirts because they can be casual or formal and they are quite durable as well. the only bad thing about having a lot of them is the time it takes to iron them all, haha.

but as much as i love those shirts, banana is definitely my favorite store. it's dangerous for me to walk in one without my girlfriend with me to keep me in check because i'm almost sure to come out with at least $150 worth of stuff.

jeans are the hardest thing for me to shop for... especially now that everyone is going with the 'dirty wash' or 'pre-destroyed' look. i'm very picky about the color/texture of my jeans, not to mention the fit. i recently went shopping for a new pair of jeans because my old favorite pair of abercrombie's began to fall apart (like usual)... it took me 3 days to find some that i liked.

my one fashion rule is that it has to be comfortable... if it's not comfortable, i don't care how good it looks, i won't buy it.

Willravel

I just realized I don't own a yellow shirt. Beyond that, I'm in the same boat.

I'm with you there. Banan Republic.com is in my bookmarks bar. I once actually spent something like $400 in one day there.

Well, Abercrombies are famous for falling apart fast. I just lost a pair of indigo low rise boot cut jeans a few eeeks ago I had from winter of 2003. My replacement 'old' jeans are Express indigos I've had since Structure turned into Express.

That is the bottom line. If you aren't comfortable wearing it, unless you'll lose your job or SO over it, don't worry about it. Go for comfort, and then style.

skier

Just like to add that you can get fashionable, sharp clothes at cheap prices. Although BR, abercrombie, jack fraser have really nice clothes, you can purchase very similar outfits (or in some cases exactly the same) at bargain places like winners etc. for a fraction of the price.

It's something I found out the hard way when I learned money is a little tighter when you're a student. There's nothing quite like wondering if the pants you bought are edible because you spent your grocery budget on them that month.

__________________
"Asking a bomb squad if an old bomb is still "real" is not the best thing to do if you want to save it." - denim

fatbob

a good designer for shirts and ties that are mid priced is Paul Smith. not too sure if you can get his stuff in the US but over here it is worth looking out.

agreed about needing to be scottish to wear a kilt but not about needing the right occasion. for me the right occasion is just whenever i feel like it, i often wear a kilt when i'm just out and about...

__________________
change happens when those who don't normally speak get heard by those who don't normally listen.

Willravel

Well, the average poster isn't in Edinburgh. If you're in the UK, then there are different rules for kilts. If you live in L.A., you don't wear a kilt to the movies. They won't allow kilts in many restaurants or at work. In America, it's usually okay to wear them to weddings, funerals, or in an epic battle against the English. Don't forget the blue paint. And for God's sake don't go commando in public unless you want to be caught.

fatbob

lol seriously you are not allowed to wear a kilt in restaurants!? that seems a bit daft!

__________________
change happens when those who don't normally speak get heard by those who don't normally listen.

Willravel

I, a man of scottish decent (I'm about 1/4 scottish), tried to wear a kilt to a restaurant before going to my cousins wedding. I believe I was in Fresno, and we were trying to find a decent restaurant that wasn't called 'Denny's' or 'McDonalds'. We happened upon what seemed like a pretty decent place and we (I think we were a party of 9 or 10) went in to be seated. They took one look at me and, after rolling up their tongues and closing their mouths, asked if I had brought pants. I was confused, as I'm sure you were reading my post. I asked if there was a rule against wearing a kilt, and informed them that I was in fact earing boxers underneith. They said there was no rule, but they didn't have a rule against fighting either. Apparently the kilt rule is covered by the unbrella of the 'we reserve the right to refuse service' rule. Dismaied, I went and changed into a pair of slacks I had back at the hotel. I've tried it at several restaurants, even very nice upper class ones downtown. Same result almost all of the time. The only time I was allowed to wear a kilt at a restaurant was at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. They were quite nice (realyl good food and great staffing). I think I even got a whistle. I'd say if you really really want to wear a kilt to a restaurant in the US, call ahead.

alec

what i sport:

suit wise: brooks brothers & calvin klein suits, ties - brooks brothers & tiffany's

casual ware: a&f / polo jeans -- fit me really well since im tall and skinny

shirts: fcuk (not just the teenage t shirts), armani shirts, le tigre, polo sport, and lacoste polo shirts....

and nothing can beat a good novelty t shirt.... seriously, i have a couple good ones, from my 'jim morrison: american poet' to 'treat me like the slut i am' to a koby bryant, colorado prison league shirt...

shoes: loafers are amazing, but you have to wear socks with them, im sorry. im not some obnoxious prick vacationing on the vineyard so i dont have the luxury of buying a new pair everytime my feet stink them up. lets not forget about sneakers though, if youre young like me and still wear khaki shorts from time to time, you have to have a good pair of sneakers, so i try to go upper end nike or classic kswiss/adidas. and, recommendations on good shorts: tennis/boat shorts -- all white and sometimes see-through, i dont know what it is about them but theyre mad comfortable and look hot.

re: watch -- if there's anything you want to spend a lot of money on (in my opinion), next to a good suit, its a banging watch (aka above 500 dollars).



ok, one quick annoying question too -- for whatever reason, me, dress pants, and socks never seem to match -- what the shit is going on here?

Willravel

Psst...over here. If you want to know the secrets of sockless life, listen carefully. ODOR-EATERS foot poweder! If you have a pair of loafers, walking shoes, sneakers, sandals, or leather flip flops that you need to keep dry in order to preserve the smell, you need some good old fashioned oder absorbing foot powder. Most powerders can absorb between 90-110% of its weight in sweat. So long as you can keep your feet dry, socks are unnecessary with those shoes. I've had a pair of leather flip flops that are something like 4 years old. They still smell like leather. You don't have to be a bitch to your socks.

Nothing beats comfortable shorts and sneakers. NOTHING!

Alrighty then. When you say 'match' are you talking about color, shape, style? If you're going for color, look for complimentary colors. Let's say you have a pair of nice black slacks (black slacks go with every body chapse and skin color). So what socks go with this? It depends on three things: Shirt, shoes, and skin color. If you have black slacks, and black shoes, go with black socks, the darker the better. With grey slacks, look to shits, shoes, and skin color. If you're wearing a white shirt and black shoes, you need a grey or black sock. If you go grey, make sure it is a grey that falls between the color of the pants and the color of the shoes. Most often, socks should be a battlefield between the shoes and pants, so the color should reflect that. So when does skin color enter into the equasion? If you are going buisness casual, and you want the sockless look, you should have a pair of tanish, cream, or brown socks that matches your skin color. Let's say you have khaki pants with a light colored polo and loafers. Unless you want to go sockless, you'll need to be wearing a skin-complimentary color.

If you have specific pants you want to get reccomendations on, feeel free to take a digital pic of them and post them for direct and specific reccomendations.

alec

im pretty fucking white honestly.

but yah, i for the most part have my own personal style down except for socks. i never feel like i get them right.

i mean, i wear my loafers to work for the most part, or with jeans on casual nights out. so i dont have the opportunity to go sockless much -- but where could i pick up a good pair of 'sockless' loafers for summer nights?

astrahl

My husband dresses really well now. We were both kinda athletic grunge for a long time. I started becoming more career focused and therefore more interested in a good appearance.

TLC's What Not To Wear (one of my favorite shows) often has men that they re-educate on fashion and I have noticed, since we have been watching, my husband is dressing great (not metro)!

They teach people how to layer, how to wear patterns or not, the types of clothing shapes that work on a particular body type, grooming, makeup (for the ladies).

__________________
Maybe it was over when she chucked me out the Rover at full speed.
Maybe Maybe...
~a-Ha

Willravel

It's okay to go sockless with jeans. It's okay to go sockless with khakis. So long as it's a really relaxed dress feel, you can feel free to leave the socks in the top drawer next to the dime sack you've had since you were a sophmore.

For those who are wondering, a loafer is a type of step-in shoe with an upper resembling a moccasin but with a broad, flat heel. It's actually a trademark, but you don't need to capitolize it. Where to buy? I've found a few. Banana Republc has come nice [ULR=http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/visual_index/visual_index.htm?cs_catalog=BR%5FSpring2%5F3%5F2005&cs_category=901002]loafers[/URL] if you have some change to throw around.

CandleInTheDark

Alright, now I (think) have some questions:

I'm 5'6". Yeah I'm short. That isn't my problem. I'm also stocky (176lbs and only getting bigger! Yay!). That isn't a problem either. I just want to avoid dressing in a way that makes me seem shorter. Or something like that...?

I'm also more of an outdoors guy (hunting, hiking, getting in the snow, Indiana jones-ish without the hat) so I'd like a style that reflects that without looking like a grungy redneck (though I will keep my leather and blaze orange caps ). Any tips and suggestions?

Thanks fellas.

__________________
Where there is doubt there is freedom.

KinkyKiwi

lol i'll poke in again...for getting really great designer gear for less then teh stores... http://www.bluefly.com/ ..i've become addicted to that site and they have really cute guys clothes as well..

oh and btw..for the guy that was all anti skin care...women like men with smooth soft skin...we can snuggle cheek to cheek and not get either the sandpaper effect or pricked...EVERYONE should use the 3 step system...wash (for normal skin a cream based soapless cleanser is best), tone (one without any alcohol!!), and moisterize (a good oil free non-scented one that is "non comodegenic" and has a pretty simple list of ingredients)

__________________
Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps.
Play with each other. Play with yourselves. Just don't play with the squirrels, they bite.

CandleInTheDark

You'll quickly find I don't care what women like.

__________________
Where there is doubt there is freedom.

KinkyKiwi

umm okay then..i'm pretty sure other guys like it as well...

oh and your supposed to do teh 3 steps 2 times a day..when you wake up and when you go to sleep

__________________
Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps.
Play with each other. Play with yourselves. Just don't play with the squirrels, they bite.