Shirt in or out? Men?

How is it rebellious to dress the way 70 percent of the guys do at the nearest mall? I take it you're being a little facetious, but I'm trying to make a point. Once a fashion has reached a point that characters on a sit-com have adopted it, it's no longer a personal statement of any kind to adhere to it. Of course, the latest GQ says it expects the fashion industry to next be heavily influenced by the TV show "Mad Men" and notes that American men never looked better than they did then. I am skeptical that the classic look will become mainstream, though, because I think most people will see it as too much effort, although as I said earlier, it is actually less effort to stick to the classics because then you'll never have to pay attention to "fashion." To some this may be conformity, but to me it is the ultimate sartorial rebellion because we're basically saying to fashion designers and wannabe hipsters that they're irrelevant, we don't even acknowledge their latest efforts.

 

Thanks for the Lands End suggestion, Boom.

Sears Canada sells a limited range of Lands End stuff. And now that the loonie and the US dollar are at par, I can afford to buy stuff from the States--except for the extortionary international shipping rates from these pirates at Fedex and UPS.

 

Dead on - My pet peeve is width of ties. I won't change mine reguardless of what the designers tell me.

If you want good tips on style read the monthly Glen O'brien style column in GQ. He will rarely steer you wrong.

 

I'm not sure what "classic" is?

Two button suits? Three button? Vest? No vest?

Cuffed trousers?

Pleats? No pleats?

Fedora?

Button down shirts?

Rep ties? Bow ties?

Windsor knot? Four in hand?

Navy blazer?

Grey flannels?

Some people would say Polo is classic. Some would say British U-class private men's club wannabe.

Some would say Armani is classic. Others would say, "too European".

 

I like some things I consider classic - button-down pinpoint Oxfords, wing tips, the half Windsor knot.
But I like some things that are definitly knot classic. I prefer a sack-cut jacket to a European cut, for example.

 

In the words of Potter Stewert when it comes to classic I know it when I see it.

 

Depends on the style of shirt and what you're wearing it with. And in my humble opinion, it also depends on how big your gut is.

 

21 looks great in my button downs - very classic look.

 

Yes, I think that about covers it. I would consider the sack cut -- undarted, little or no shoulder padding, three buttons but the lapel roll rendering the top button unusable -- an American classic.

 

Just curious, Frank. Since you're not a slave to the latest fashions, why do you read GQ?

 

Or you could call it retro.

It was cutting edge fashion in the 60's and was a reaction to the big boxy baggy suits of the 50's.

 

They write about lots of things besides fashion. Sports and politics and music and movies and food, even.