Male Fashion 101-Introduction

“The art of fashion is still a mystery to me. I just can’t seem to understand what people mean when they say that something goes well with something else. I know that they are talking about some sort of symmetry, but what type exactly is a fucking mystery to me. I understand that today’s world does require that one keeps up with the trends; you have to look up to date, or fashionable, to get a date or a job. So, instead of trying to figure this fashion shit out, which I probably never will, I do the most efficient thing that someone in my shoes can do, I let my girlfriend buy me whatever clothes she finds me attractive in. This is a wonderful strategy because it keeps me from looking like a mess and it makes my girlfriend happy… “-- Drvenom

I found this a few days and decided to write about it because not so long ago I was in complete darkness in the world of male fashion too.

Like most guys in a relationship, I too, depended in my girlfriend to look good in the eyes of the female population. It is a very good strategy because only a girl knows what other girls like. However, there’s a trick in all this. That is. What do you do when you no longer have a girlfriend to “show you the way”?

I was in this spot after my girlfriend and I broke up. Yes, I still had the clothes she had picked for me, but eventually they either wore out or were thrown into the garbage because they “reminded me of her“.

There I was, all by myself “with no direction home”. I tried to take the easy way out which is to think: If she liked it, then other girls will like it too. Started to wear the baggy pants she liked and shirts that kind of resembled those my ex had picked. I was happy. However, one day it hit me.

“This is not who I am. This is the image my ex designed for me”, I though to myself one night. And my “style” really didn’t make me happy anymore because, in a way, she would still be with me; and I wanted to get over her completely.

My search began dressing like I did back when I met her, which is: right after graduating from high school, and it will never end because a guy, like everything in life, has to change in order to be up to date and be interesting. No, I’m not telling you to change your image completely every time a new trend comes out. I’m just saying you need diversity in your closet.

In this series of entries I’m going to discuss a number of seemingly “small” details. These small changes will make a big difference in your appearance and in the way people perceive your personality.

As for this post, I’m going to start off with one of the most simple changes a guy can make:

Buy at least one plain v-neck shirt.

I suggest starting off with a white shirt because white goes well with everything you already have in your closet (don‘t forget that rule about clothing, and if you live in the West Coast, that other rule of “do not wear white after Labor Day“, doesn‘t apply, you can wear white all year long if you want). If then you like the shirt and the style, you can go ahead and dig into other colors like blue, grey or black etc, etc.

A good v-neck shirt is the way to go because it is affordable, will make you look good, and is versatile.

Why am I obsessed with v-neck shirts? Just think about it. For once, they are cheap. You can get a 3-shirt package for about $10 at Target. If after you try all this and you don’t like them, well, at least you didn’t “waste” that much. And if you do, you won’t have to spend “that” much in order to look your best.

I like the brand Hanes but others are good as long as they have a v-neck. Try to buy one that fits you properly (not too baggy, no “East LA” style please) oh, and don’t forget they will shrink after the first wash. Make sure you don’t get one that’s too thigh right after taking it out of the

package. They feel really baggy the first time you put them on, but they will change, a lot.

A v-neck shirt will make you look good. Think about this: What’s the first thing that comes to your head when you see a guy in a white round neck shirt and blue jeans? Right. “This guy just got out of bed and put on the first thing he found” And something as small as a v-neck shirt instead of a round neck will make that thought go from that to “This guy is hot”. The thing with v-neck shirts is that they get closer to you, but not to the point of “showing off your body” like some other shirts do. They have a youthful, athletic style, whereas round neck shirts tend to be more “bulky” and “mature“. Kind of the “Hank In King Of The Hill” style. If you have a “thick” body, they will make you look even thicker. And I don’t think you want that, do you?

V-necks are versatile. You can wear them almost anywhere if you know how to “pair” them. Regardless of your style, they will look great with any type of jeans, call them “skinny” “boot cut” or whatever comes to your mind.

Now take this “v-neck-shirt-jean” combination and add some footwear. You’ll get a more relaxed style if you put on a pair of converse shoes. Ideal

for just “kick it back” in a café or do nothing around the house. I like to use this particular combination when some of my friends are coming to my place to watch the game, but we may go out for a slice of pizza afterwards or just “whatever” (However, I don’t wear Converse, I have Ed Hardy shoes. Not the ones with glitter and shit. I like the less fancy styles).

But things do change if instead of the converse shoes, you put on something more “formal”, like motorcycle boots or other type of “grown up“ shoes. Now with this combination you can go to the movies with your girlfriend or friends and look like a “bad boy”. Or you can go to a café and just kick it back, but give a more “serious” vibe around you. With this combo you can also visit some relatives and look like you actually care of what they think about you.

In conclusion v-necks are great because they are affordable, they will make you look good, and they are versatile.

It’s been about 6 years since I had my last “real healthy” relationship and

started my journey in the world of male fashion. (but that doesn’t mean I haven’t had fun with girls)

Not everything has been glamour and great looking combinations. I have bought some nasty shit thinking it was “cool” at the time. Now that I think about it, it makes me smile. I guess I learned a lot from my mistakes. And hopefully you won’t have to learn the hard way with my help.

I hope these changes will help you as much as they helped me, and you won’t have to depend on your girlfriend to look your best. One more thing, if you end up digging this “white v-neck shirt” style, don’t wait for it to get yellowish before buying another.

I’m going to write more about men’s fashion later (shoes, formal shirts, pants, accessories, etc, etc) or at least try to. But if you don’t think I have a good sense of fashion or think that I’m just nuts, you can go and check www.askmen.com and see what the experts in male fashion say.

It is a free online portal designed for men.

It feels good to look good

About a year ago I started to care a little more for my apparience. Why? I don't really know, I guess I started to have fun "going shoping" and stuff like that.

It all started about two summers ago when by chance I found at the Fallas Paredes (my old favorite store in Downtown) a pair of jeans that kind of look good. They were a little thigh around my butt, and they were a little baggy in the botton part of the legs, like cowboy jeans (of course, bad quality since I paid about $4 each).

At work they would make fun of me because they said I was wearing girl jeans because mine weren't like 4 sizes bigger and baggy to the point where you couldn't see my butt.

And one day we were doing a job over to an appartment building where the manager is gay. It was the first time I was there, and I can remember clearly what happened.

We showed up and I was wearing the cheap cowboy jeans and a white v neck shirt that was thigh to my body. The guy looked at me and smiled. I knew he liked what he had seen. Too bad for him I'm not gay. But it is always good to know someone thinks you look good.

Eventually the jeans wore off and had to get new ones, but by then I wanted something a little easier to find since apparently that find at the Fallas Paredes had been a "once-in-a-lifetime" thing. So I searched for jeans that would look something like that but were easier to find.

One day at the mall I found these Levi's Jeans 527 in special. I tried one on, and without thinking I got 3. All of different color, however, all of them were dark denim(sp?) since I think dark looks more sophisticated than lighter denim.

Some months went by, and I was at the clinic getting a HIV test wearing my beloved 527 jeans. The guy who took the test was gay and very well dressed (unlike the manager at the appartment building). I made a few jokes and managed to get a laugh out of him. And he then commented he loved my jeans, and I answered "Me too, they make my ass look great". He laughed again.

I was happy he had complemented my jeans because it actually means they look really good because he was very well dressed. He asked me where I've gotten them. I gave him the website where he could buy them for less and he thanked me.

By this time I had gotten the habit of shoping for specials in "fancy" stores (they might not be that fancy, but for a guy who had bough his clothing at the Fallas Paredes for most of his life, it was a big change) I started to visit stores like Aeropostale (sp?), Heritage, Forever 21, and Hollister. Of course, I would look for specials, I'm not going to pay $40 for a stupid shirt. Although some times I would buy something "expensive" if I really liked it, like this cool jacket.

So one day I finally took the offer my friend G had made some months before. I finally agreed to let him cut my hair. He works in a fancy salon in Beverly Hills, and I had not taken his invitation because I though he was going to make me get gayly hair cuts. When he was cutting my hair (all using the scissors, not the machine thing like they do in most $8 hair cut places) he mentioned I would look good in something called at fauxhack(sp?). So I went for it.

He then gave this new hair products I had never heard of. The first one was "Mess Up Osis+" by Schwarzkopf. That made my hair look dry, but I liked it because it was easy to use.

Some months went by again, by this time I was one of his "regulars", of course, he cuts my hair for free, I'm not going to pay $45 dollars for a haircut. And about 2 or 3 weeks ago he gave me this new hair product "G-Force Osis+", also by Schwarzkopf along with a "Bumble and bumble" tonic lotion. He said it would make my hair look better. At first when he put it on after cutting my hair I didnt like it, but he told me to just "give it a try" for a week.

The next day I was at the gym, and I had finished my work out and I had gotten dressed in the lockerroom. I was about to leave when I remember to spray the lotion, because he told me you have to use the gel only once every morning, and put the lotion every 6 or so hours to "reactivate" the gel. After quickly spraying the lotion into my hair, a guy who I hadn't noticed asked me what it was. I told him it was a hair lotion, he asked me if he could see it. I gave the bottle to him, and looked at it. By the way, the guy looked gay too.

He gave the bottle back and said my hair looked nice. And proceded to give me "that look" of "I like what I'm seeing", but I dont know if he was thinking of my hair or me. It doesn't really matter because it boosted my ego ever so high. As of today, I love my hair lotion and gel more than anything. Long gone are the days of where all my hair needs were met by a $5 La Bella hair gel, with the number 10 on it (extra super hold)

Just yesterday afternoon, when I was waiting for my friend to pick me up to get the scooter from the mechanic outside my building, a lady from apartment 38 came in, and told me she liked my shoes. I was wearing a pair of Ed Hardy tennis shoes. I have access to them, but I don't really like to use them because most of the ones I have have very bright graphics and look gay even when the guy who gives them to me says they are for men.

I just used them yesterday because it was really hot, and I didn't want to put my boots on. So, that's something also worth mentioning.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post, and if after reading all this, you think I'm a shallow douchebag, then fuck you, this is my blog and I can write the shit I want.

I'm not that shallow, it is just that now I like to wear a little more "fancy" stuff. I'm still your regular guy who gets his tacos at the "lonchera"