Fashion stereotypes we need to get rid of

Fashion is a rather capricious woman. It changes very quickly, at the same time leaving a remarkable record of itself. In course of time fashion gets rid of some perpetuated stereotypes, which were so popular and unbreakable before. It’s high time we got rid of them and felt freer in our choice and desires.

One of such stereotypes or “fashion rules” is “No white after Labor Day”. Originally, mostly shoes were here meant, because in nasty weather it is more appropriate to wear shoes in dark colors. But trying to follow this stereotype, we all turn into a mass of dark, unfashionable creatures, who by no means stand out from this herd. You may easily change the situation by wearing light colors in autumn and in winter. Why dressing as if for the funeral? We want to look our best not only in summer – we want to remain ourselves in winter too! So leave your fears behind and express yourself!!!

Another stereotype is as follows: your belt and your shoes should be of the same color! Actually, they shouldn’t be of the same color – the most important thing is that they should go well with each other. I mean here colors of the same family, like brown, orange and green. Moreover, if all your clothes are of the same color, you are likely to look very dull and not at all interesting.

You shouldn’t be afraid of combining patterns as well. But you should be rather careful here! If you do it in a wrong way, you’ll look ridiculous. The best variant is to combine the patterns of your shirt and your tie. There are some rules you are to follow: the colors in both patterns should be in the same tone (belong to the same family of colors) and one pattern should be more subtle than the other.

Do not be afraid of adding some classic accessories to your image. As they say, everything new is simply well forgotten old. So do not refuse to wear cufflinks, especially when they come in such a rich variety of forms, shapes and prices accordingly!

In a nutshell, I advice you to wear what you like and in what you feel comfortable. All these old-fashioned rules are not working any longer. Today’s fashion is much more democratic and lax, it enables you to express your individuality the way you (and not somebody else) see it!

Men’s overcoats for winter 2007-2008

You want to look elegant and stylish in all situations, don’t you? If yes (otherwise you are not reading this) have a look at the modern collection of overcoats for winter 2007-2008. Wearing these coats, you are sure to look your best in all situations and will be ready for all kinds of events.

Kenneth Cole Reaction dress coat

This coat will do all right for both: office and corporate parties, if you wear a suit under it, or for unofficial situations with your favorite sweater. Being neither short nor long, neither avant garde nor conservative it will serve you many years, because it is really very convenient.

Zegna wool overcoat

Wearing this winter overcoat from Zegna, you are sure to feel very comfortable and convenient. The three-button closure enables you to be buttoned up without feeling cramped, and the strong shoulder line allows the coat to drape over you instead of fall around you. Besides, its gray tone enables you to pair it with different color of your suits and add your personality something of enigma.

John Varvatos Star USA coat

This winter coat is sure to emphasize your advantages due to its three-button closure, notch lapel, killer drape and the strongly tapered line under the arm down to the hip. In this overcoat you’ll always feel younger.

London Fog Piermont overcoat

If you are a real inveterate traveler or it’s the specific character of your job, that demands lots of business trips, this is the best offer for you! The all-weather material with zip-out lining adds this all-season coat the kind of versatility we are looking for in clothes these days.

Brooks Brothers Balmacaan coat

This tweed winter overcoat will never go out of fashion. Generous cut of the shoulders and arm holes that keep your suit jacket free of wrinkles, leather buttons make this coat a real gem of this season.

A good modern stylish overcoat creates your style and put the last dot in your appearance. Don’t neglect this excellent opportunity to say something more about yourself by means of clothes you wear!

Do not let sweat be in the way of your style!

Fashion is a real art and not everybody possesses this very art. For some one it is a real torture to go shopping and choose clothing corresponding to his lifestyle, work and figure. Especially, if this person has some peculiarities, which should be taken into account while buying clothes. For instance, if you sweat much, you should give preference to certain fabrics, which will enable your skin breath and which will make you feel more comfortable.

Choosing a breathe-easy wardrobe begins with understanding what fabrics to use for a solid foundation. You should be looking for those fabrics that are considered “breathable.” Breathable fabrics are those that are composed of unique fibers able to transport moisture from one side to the other. So, as the body sweats, the fabrics allow the moisture to move outside the garment.
The best variants in this category are cotton and wool. These two breathable fabrics, woven from natural fibers, will always be your best bets. Luckily, both cotton and wool come in a variety of blends that offer wonderful foundational pieces on which to build a breathe-easy wardrobe. Buy 100% cotton undershirts, pima cotton sweaters in the fall, and linen shirts and pants in the summer. If this problem is familiar to you, give preference to 100% cotton, pima cotton, seersucker, linen, 100% wool, merino, and cashmere.

There are also some fabrics, which are out of the question for the guys with heavy perspiration problems. Here we refer some cotton and wool blends: corduroy and flannel respectively. Silk is another natural fiber that should be avoided. Though considered breathable, silk can’t withstand constant moisture, which means that a guy who sweats a lot is going to need to wring out his shirt several times a day. Synthetic fibers won’t do as well. Polyester, polyblends, nylon, and acetate don’t possess the necessary characteristics that allow fabric to breathe, so profuse “sweaters” don’t want to be caught in them. Even worse, these synthetic fabrics, because of their stifling properties, will compound your problem and can make you sweat even more. So you’d better avoid such fabrics as corduroy, flannel, silk, polyester, polyester blends, nylon, and acetate.

Color may also hide your problem or at least make it less noticeable. On this issue, it’s safe to say things are black and white - almost. Black and white are near-absolute color values, so they don’t show sweat marks as readily. Thus, guys who sweat a lot want to shop for black, navy and pure white as these colors easily disguise sweat marks. And for variety’s sake, patterns also provide great camouflage for profuse sweating. Consisting of varying shades, patterned fabrics appear textured and variegated, which means sweat stains are harder to identify. On the other hand, light colors like grey, green and light blue shouldn’t be included into your wardrobe. They change there color at the first sight of moisture, thus will betray you on the spur of the moment. You’d better wear clothes of black, dark navy, dark hues of any color, white, and any sort of pattern.

If you know how to choose your clothes and mask your problem, you should also know how to get rid of antiperspirant stains and sweat stains. The first problem is easy to avoid letting your antiperspirant dry before putting on your shirt. For salvation the second problem, there exist several ways, used by many people. You have to try some of them and see which one work in your case. Simply soak garments in cold water before washing. If that’s not enough, try adding a ¼ cup of white vinegar into a cold water wash; dry your clothes in the sun, which will help bleach stains out naturally. Besides, drying your clothes on the warm-hot cycle will only cause the stains to turn darker and set in deeper. Of course, before you do anything, be sure to read the care instructions on the label as to prevent damage of a more serious nature.

The information given above will be of good avail for both: heavy sweaters and other guys who sweat from time to time (I mean some big dates or other important events). Thus you’ll feel more self-confident and will not allow sweat interfere in your life!

Facial Hairstyle – your own accessory

Facial hair is a natural phenomenon for men, but it is important to know what suits you personally, what kind you should have on order to look fresh and young or manly and older depending upon the situation.

Clean shave will never go out of fashion. It adds your face more youth, freshness and self-confidence. Besides, your girl-friend will be always FOR this kind of shave and will be able to kiss you without a feeling of kissing a porcupine!

Here's the facial hairstyle at the extreme opposite of the clean shave: the full beard. Keep your beard trimmed and neat by using clippers or an electric razor. If you don't have to shave every day, it does not mean you can neglect caring and tending for your beard. You can experiment with your beard, but don’t overreact and don’t look like a Biblical character or a goat (sorry!).

It may also look very sexy when men have some stubble as if at the end of the day. To maintain this facial hairstyle you should shave each couple of days, depending on how quickly your facial hair grows. Mind, that it doesn’t suit everybody, so first see whether you like it and then ask for an opinion of a person you trust.

Another facial hairstyle: the goatee. It also must be maintained, and may be stylish only in that case when you care for it regularly and maintain it thoroughly.Make sure that the goatee remains neat and trimmed, otherwise you’ll look ridiculous.

Mustache is out of date already. Even those people who were never expected to get rid of it, have chosen to have their upper lip bare. Perhaps it will return into the first charts, but so far don’t wear moustache!

Sideburns add a nice touch to a man's face, but again, make sure to keep them short and trimmed. To achieve this, an electric razor would be most effective.

A change in facial hair is a great way to change your look. You can experiment with different facial hair styles and be creative. It’s up to you to choose the “pattern” you want to “wear” on your face. If you find the way it looks like OK, it’s fine.

You shave almost every day. There is a number of different opportunities to change your appearance while experimenting with your facial hairstyles. Remember, whichever style you choose, you need to maintain the neatness and length of the hair. Besides, mind your occupation, because some facial hairstyles will not be appropriate for certain professions. And all the rest is down to your creativity, desire to stand out from the herd and looking for your own style.

Modern trends 2008: one-button suits

The fashion of 2008 opens new and sometimes unexpected possibilities for men, providing them with new approaches to already existing things. This season brings one-button suits into fashion. Simple and elegant, one button suits leave three- and even two-button suits behind. But it is to be noted, that this kind of suits is not appropriate for office. They are the best variant, when your pinstripes or tuxedo won’t do. But don’t be afraid of trying them on. The proof of pudding is in the eating, that’s why you cannot say that a thing doesn’t suit you if you have never tried it on.

Zegna
This black one-button suit can be pared with different accessories and shirts of any color. Each cuff has got 4 buttons, thus adding the whole suit a bit more formal flair, but the slope of the lapel and cut of the sleeve are clearly modern. This Zegna will do all right with a collared dress shirt and a thin tie.

Ted Baker
This brown, pinstriped Ted Baker suit is an irreplaceable thing in your after-five wardrobe. It is very practical and quite affordable. The side vents and notch lapel have something of an English style, but the extreme drop of the jacket opening and the only button on each cuff prove you that this suit is created for night business. Wearing it with a blue or white dress shirt you’ll feel self confident and very stylish in any room you enter that evening!

Richard James
Due to its cut, the Richard James suit is so sleek that you may never want to wear anything else. The secret of this pleasant feeling is in the details of the cut of the sleeves and the stalwart stance of the shoulder. On the sleeves the fabric narrows at the elbow and flares slightly at the cuff, thus reminding us of Yves Saint-Laurent's style in the 1970s. As they say, everything new is simply well forgotten old.

Theory
Wearing this one-button suit jacket you are sure to feel more personal freedom and self-confidence than in any other. Go ahead with wearing Theory with a sharply pressed white dress shirt with the collar open and the button closed. In this suit you will not help being noticed, so if you want this, have it!

If you really want to stand out from the herd and are looking for excellent means of expressing your individuality, modern trends 2008 give you such an opportunity. One-button suits are an adequate substitution for two-button suits and tuxedos on formal nights.

Some rules from socks etiquette

If you think, that socks don’t deserve your attention, you are mistaken. As well as one fly in the ointment, wrong socks can spoil the whole impression of you even if you are dressed for one million dollars.
What you should know about choosing right socks in this very article…

Wear dress socks with dress shoes!
The choice of your socks should not be limited to color! It’s not enough to buy black socks for any occasion. Socks as well as other parts of wardrobe may be classical and athletic. Thus, it does make difference which pair of socks you wear. If you wear dress shoes, your socks should be made of the finer, thinner material, without ribbons or other patterns. They’ll be easier to slip in to your shoes and any attention focused on your foot area is sure to remain centered on your swish shoes instead of your socks.

Choose the color of your socks in accordance with the color of your pants!
If you are going in black pants, black socks will do all right, the same about brown, grey and blue ones.
The reason why it is important is simple. If you have to put off your shoes, you won't blush because of an awful combination your grey pants and red socks form!

Wear white socks for sports only!
If you are going to the gym or for a run, white socks are ok, but they become a real taboo for dress clothes! If you are wearing a suit, a tuxedo or ordinary jeans, you are to wear only black socks. Otherwise you’ll look ridiculous.

Avoid looking ridiculous while folding or rolling your socks!
Do you want to present your hairy legs in public view? I wouldn’t dare! Especially if you are in the office or somewhere else in business. Even if you are handsome, stylish, but your socks are rolled (!!!) nothing will save you from being laughed at!
Don’t behave like a child experimenting with your socks!

Don’t forget to buy new socks at least once in 6 months!
I would never write about it, if I never saw such a situation, when men wear socks with holes!!! This is more than one can manage!!! Find time and go and buy a couple of new pairs of socks for people don’t consider you to be as poor as church mouse, unable to buy new socks!

Patterned socks are only for home wear!
If you are fond of animated and patterned socks, you can wear them all right, but only at home! Don’t risk going out in them! One should know the measure and rules of self-expression in order not to overreact!

Don’t forget to put off your socks before having sex!
It’s a real trifle for us, but women usually are furious when see a man in their bed unwilling to put the socks off. It’s not that difficult to do that, is it? Moreover, you’ll get everything you need and even more afterwards! So don’t be lazy and have a rule to get rid of your socks before going to bed, especially to a woman’s bed!!!

Avoid wearing socks with shorts!
Another silly mistake is wearing socks with shorts. Inevitably, you’ll have to roll, fold or scrunch up your socks when you wear them with shorts. However, rolling and folding socks also violates the rules of socks etiquette. Second, wearing socks with shorts visually makes your leg half shorter. If your body type is short and athletic-looking to begin with, wearing socks with shorts definitely won’t do your appearance any favors. If still you don’t want to go around wearing shoes without socks, invest in a few pairs of ankle socks that are not overly visible when you wear them with your sneakers.

Some things you should keep in mind in order not to become the fashion victim 2008

Men as well as women try to keep in step with fashion and add new fashionable elements to their wardrobe. Unfortunately, we may easily become victims of the fashion if try to have the cake and eat it too. As it turns out it is not enough just to buy the thing of the last fashion, it should suit your body, your style and image. How not to lay it thick while dealing with the trends 2008 we’ll discuss right now.

Bright and striking colors are not the latest fashion any longer. Shoes, bags and other garment trimmings will change for a plastic-looking edge. It’s called patent leather, and as far as bright colors go, while it looks great on women, it very rarely looks good on men. If you still do not want to lag behind, try a thin, patent leather belt, but stay away from luminous patent leather footwear.

The style of 80s remains popular notwithstanding its disastrous look. Have you seen men in your city wearing skinny jeans and oversized pullovers? If you did, it was nothing else but a piece of 80s style. If you don’t want to look like a boy in your father’s pullover, stay apart from this trend!

Be careful with metallic craze! Especially with bronze and gold! These colors and styles are better for women and almost never correspond to the man’s appearance. Any large piece of clothing like a coat or sweater are likely to look outdated in the following season, and accessories like belts or shoes are usually very odd on men in these two colors. If you want to add a bit of bling to your ensembles, metallic clothing is not the best choice you could make. You’d better give preference to smaller, well-chosen articles such as fancy cuff links, a watch or a piece of nice jewelry.

Long sweaters are the latest fashion trend 2008 for women. But men should avoid choosing them; otherwise they’ll look rather womanly or simply funny. Mind, that sweaters for men should be no longer than hip length, or ever so slightly past this body point. Besides, your blazer should be as long as or a little longer than your sweater, which means that a long sweater won’t be very compatible with the rest of your wardrobe.

Do not hurry to choose clothes with furry collars or trimmings. Again, what is great for women is not always acceptable for men. Mind it. Those with a club-scene style who allowed themselves to be experimental in their clothing choices and are very confident in their masculinity might be able to get away with this style, but everyone else should consider this a supreme trend to avoid in 2008.

Silky satin is as popular this season as never before. It may be observed in shirts, suits, long and short coats. The main thing is not to go too far. Imagine a man all in silk, looking like a present in gift wrapping. If you can’t do without a piece of silk in your wardrobe, concentrate it on some details, like a tie or a shirt. Thus, you’ll attract attention without striking somebody’s eyes.

Coming back to 80s style, futuristic sunglasses are again popular. These are usually the shiny, mirrored ones that are rimless and wide across the top. Before buying a pair of such sunglasses, mind that in the whole season you’ll get only several (!) occasions to wear them, because they really won’t do for everyday wear. Bur nevertheless you can get a pair of them de bene esse.

I hope, that now having noticed some of the described things in the shop you’ll consider all pros and cons of having this thing and won’t look ridiculous wearing the clothes of the latest fashion!