Thursday, April 14, 2011

The climb to the top

Okay, I promised to talk about shirts for guys.  So, here you go!

This is probably the easiest article of clothing for men.  You can wear a black or white t-shirt with a great pair of jeans and you're sexy to us ladies!  However, there are times when you need something a little more...fashionable.

**Please note, wearing a grungy t-shirt on a first date is a BIG turn-off.  So are dirty jeans.  I may have had an experience like this recently...Suffice it to say I didn't accept date #2.

Here's where the choices come in.  Shirts are where you can really personalize your style.  There are a variety of styles to choose from and you have lots of options for various occasions.  Let's look at the current fashion trends.

First, there's the classic button down.  I say 'classic' because there are several variations in this style alone.  One style is the semi-formal button down which is about as close to your suit dress shirt as you can get.  In fact, you may even wear it with your suit pants.  These shirts, when worn with those great jeans we talked about, can dress you up enough to attend a show at the theater (not movie theater), dinner at a fancy restaurant or even meeting the parents! 

Here are some examples:












The good news is that you probably already own a few of these shirts and now you've found a new use for them besides being professionally fashionable!  Just make sure you've read the blog about shoes because that will make this outfit complete.  Also, just because the shirt is untucked doesn't mean you can go without a belt.  Just a little FYI.  Personally, I prefer to see the shirt tucked in with a great belt so I can view your ass...ets!

Another popular style of shirt is the casual button down/snap front.  These come in a wide variety of styles and patterns as well but are a little more laid back than the classic button down.  Wearing a casual button down to the bar or a casual dinner is a good choice.  It's also a great idea for a first date - no matter where you go.  A good idea is to layer a t-shirt underneath - it helps with those first date issues like sweaty pits!

Here are a couple examples of the casual button down/snap front:



If button-downs are not your style of choice, you're in luck!  There are still many more styles of shirts to choose from.  For example, the classic golf shirt, or polo shirt.  These shirts have stood the test of time in the fashion world and, thankfully, have had some adjustments to keep them fashion forward.

You could go with your basic solid color polo:
The long sleeve style is always a good cold weather choice!


A striped polo is also an option.  Choose your colors wisely, though.  Not every guy can pull off pink.


Even though, as I write this, we're heading towards summer.  I want to address your cold weather options too.  First, a crew neck sweater works for just about any guy.  

This has a little extra style that always helps to catch a lady's eye.

 Pair the crew neck sweater with your "Good Idea Jeans" and you've got a great mid-winter style.

The next option is a bit iffy in my opinion.  The Turtleneck Sweater.  As you can see, Hugh Jackman can pull it off wonderfully...

However, this isn't really a free-for-all option.  If you don't have that 'come hither' look in your eye at least 90% of the time, I would stick with the crew neck sweater.  That is, unless you're hanging out at the ski lodge.  Then anything goes!

Finally, the t-shirt.  You men have it so easy!  You can just throw one on (or layer a couple) and you're ready for most anything.  However, there are a few key pointers.  First, when the edges start to fray, holes start appearing or the pit stains resemble coffee spills, do not wear it out in public (unless you're making a run to the home improvement store in the midst of constructing a fabulous shoe rack for your lady).  Second, make sure it is clean and wrinkle free if you're wearing it out in public.  Finally, spend some money and buy t-shirts made of quality material.  No, your Hanes undershirts won't cut it.  Just to show you how sexy this can be, take a look:





Some more pointers: If you're wearing it out for a night on the town, make sure it's a little fitted.  You don't want to be swimming in it but you also don't want it so tight you can barely breathe.

The wild card in this section is the V-neck.  Up until VERY recently, these shirts were reserved for the ultra-metro crew or the boys who play for the other team (and you look FABULOUS!).  Thankfully, designers have now recognized that men don't want to show off cleavage (well, not all men at least) so they've limited the dip of the V.  If you want to venture into this style, just be sure to choose one that doesn't go TOO low.  Otherwise, you may be getting more attention than you bargained for.

See? You have a lot of choices and most stores won't let you get it too wrong when it comes to shirts as they keep up with trends.  Just keep your eyes open and also keep tabs on the life of your shirts.  Investing in an iron wouldn't be a bad idea either!

What do you prefer to wear?  What's your fashion risk?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

But it's SO hard to not wear the 'ol broken in T-shirt!

About Hugh Jackman...he looks like he's making a shushing sound.

Unknown said...

You can wear the 'ol broken in T-shirt...just not on a date!

Yes, you are correct, Hugh looks like he's shushing. I prefer the 'come-hither' shush.