Reddit mentions: The best fashion history books

No problem friend, I basically only wrote this reply, after I saw the way you replied to the other comments - you seemed genuine about making a change to a better dressed man, and for me, dressing good is a form of good manners. Good job on the decision, it will be the one of the best you took in your life!

To your question: Yes, indeed. A business casual wardrobe is about versatility. If you purchase garments who can work together, you always have many more outfit potentials.

It is why I recommend most of all:
A few light blue shirts
A few white shirts
A black shirt
A button down oxford collar in white/pale blue
A striped shirt.
Grey chinos
Blue chinos (The ones you are wearing in the photo are a super well fit for you)
Dark blue jeans
A gray sweater
A navy sweater
A brown pair of oxfords
A black pair of oxfords

• When you have these items, and you continue to build on your wardrobe, these things are great to have:
  Brown pair of double monk strap shoes
  A navy blazer, I recommend hopsack weaving for casual style
  A navy/charcoal suit, slim fit, notched lapels - I recommend suitsupply
  Chinos in tan, olive, white
  
  
  Basically friend, you just need to make sure that things fit you. If you are not a perfect height for your trousers, get them altered. If your shirt sleeves are too long, get them altered. This will indeed cost you some extra bucks on all purchases, but it is the best investment any man can make in dressing.
  
  Another thing which is crucial to remember. Building a great wardrobe takes time. It is not something you just get in a minute, you need to work on it and get inspired. As you start wearing these clothes, and you get compliments leading to confidence, perhaps you start taking some more "risky" clothing choices. Personally, I wear a tie 5/7 days a week, even when I am not at work - For me, a tie is my art. I am very italian dressed, but it is a whole world different than typical American or British dress.
  
  Check out these channels:
  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmRfQHc3U4fV1-i8Ry1HmtA - Real Men Real Style. This guy is all about business casual. Many informative videos.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaMconsulting/featured - AlphaM. This guy has a channel which covers any "man" aspects, however, there are tons of good style videos aswell. This guy has a series where he turns people with "bad" style into great style. It is called "The Alpha M project" Watch those, as he take people shopping and talks about importance of fit and versatility.
  
  https://www.youtube.com/user/thegentlemansgazette
  Sven from Gentleman's Gazette, is deeply focused on men's style. Business casual is not his expertise, but he surely make some nice videos if you are into tailored construction, tie knotting etc.
  
  Lastly, I can recommend the book named "The art of permanent fashion" http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449
  
  this is a wonderful book with many thoughts of style, with great photos of the style icons through the years. Much information on basically everything in men's style.
  
  

I'm not SCA either, I'm an English early medieval re-enactor, but dodgy shoes seem to be a constant in all forms of recreational medievalism. I've been making shoes and other period leatherwork for about 15 years. A good shoemaker will always be popular, but personally I only make them for family and a couple of close friends, because they are about my least favourite bit of leatherwork to actually do. If you enjoy shoemaking, then even if you're "half-skilled" now, you'll get enough work that you'll soon be a master cobbler.

Please bear in mind that everything below is written from the perspective of someone who thinks history ended at about 2pm on 14 October 1066, Haroldus Rex interfectus est and everything after that is just modern :).

Be prepared to waste a lot of leather, especially when you're starting out. Remember that most people have slightly different sized feet, a left shoe is not simply a mirror image of a right shoe, especially in period shoes, always get measurements/patterns for both feet. A last is not a model of a foot, it is a model of the inside of a shoe. Learn to sew really well, I always use saddle stitch but it's not essential, and knot the thread every 4-5 stitches to minimise the risk of the shoe falling apart as soon as the thread wears through, which it will. Use the best quality waxed linen thread you can get, I'd compromise on quality of leather before buying cheap thread. The leather probably doesn't need to be as thick as you think, this may just be me, but the number of shoes I've made and then realised they would have been better, and easier to make, with slightly thinner leather. A shoe that is slightly too small for comfort can often be stretched to fit by putting it on and sitting with your foot in a bowl of water for a couple of hours.

Finally, a lot of people, especially the beer and bash brigade, will tell you medieval shoes don't have enough grip and want modern soles. Don't give in to them, wet grass on a steep slope can be challenging, but apart from that I've never had any real difficulty walking, running or fighting in authentic shoes. There are special cases, such as people with disabilities or people planning on walking a very long way on modern road surfaces, but in general medieval shoes are as comfortable and effective as modern shoes. If you really want to improve the grip, hobnails or strips of leather glued on to make a tread are reasonable compromises.

Resources:

The most comprehensive online resource: http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/shoe/SHOEHOME.HTM
I printed out the entire site several years ago, and still refer to it frequently.

Two pages with shoes good for novices to make:

A nice guide to making simple early medieval shoes:
http://dineidyn.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/a-beginners-guide-to-turnshoes.pdf

Very very simple, but authentic early medieval shoes (without hurrying I can knock out a shoe in 2 hours using this method), a bit wasteful of leather but the offcuts can used for toggles, etc:
http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/authenticity/basickit/basickit15.html#frontseam

From the same site, a guide to early medieval shoe fastenings:
http://www.vikingsonline.org.uk/resources/authenticity/basickit/annex11.html
(Ignore what it says about bone/horn/wood toggles, there is virtually no evidence for them in the archaeological record. Admittedly they wouldn't survive well in the ground, but their total absence, as compared to other small items of the same materials, suggests they weren't used. The leather toggles it shows are far more likely to be authentic.)

This looks like a possibly useful Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/periodshoes/?fref=ts
I only found it while I was writing this, but it looks promising.

If you're interested in early medieval shoes this Facebook group may be useful (both for research and selling):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/624164817603195/?fref=ts

A word of warning about Facebook groups - be wary of posting to groups that are not explicitly SCA-oriented. The SCA has a very different approach to authenticity to that of most European re-enactors, and SCAdians can be subjected to very unpleasant levels of mockery and vitriol.

Printed resources:

If you're seriously interested in historical shoes, this is just about essential:
http://www.amazon.com/Archaeological-Footwear-Development-Patterns-Prehistory/dp/9089321179/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421324590&sr=1-1
Vast selection of shoes, with (very small) cutting patterns.

This is also very good, has a different selection of shoes. I would strongly recommend both books but if you have to choose this would be my second choice:
http://www.amazon.com/Stepping-Through-Time-Archaeological-Prehistoric/dp/9089320024/ref=la_B001KCUT80_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421324595&sr=1-2

Much less comprehensive, and less useful for reconstructing, but well worth a read and half the price of the other two:
http://www.amazon.com/Shoes-Pattens-Medieval-Excavations-London/dp/1843832380/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421324583&sr=1-1

How much money do you have to spend on clothes right now? Take that money and spend half of it on a good, comfortable, nice-looking pair of shoes. If you don't have hundreds of dollars, go to a second-hand store or a vintage clothing store or something, but try to buy new shoes. You can buy cheap stuff for every other article of clothing if you like, but don't skimp on the shoes; they are the most important aspect of your wardrobe. A pair of black oxfords would be versatile.

Next, get a button-down shirt (or some shirts) which fit you well in the shoulders and waist. You want your shirt to fit like a second skin. Try to find something that is long enough that you can bring the front and back together at the crotch (more or less). Check the shirt(s) for mother-of-pearl buttons, good stitching, and, if patterned, check to see if the pattern lines up from shoulder to arm. Look up the word "gusset" and try to get shirts with gussets. These are some general marks of a quality shirt. You don't need all these things, but they are signs of quality.

Trousers: make sure they look good in the butt. No frumpy ass for you; no pucker either. Length: around the ankles...no flood, no bunch up at the bottom. Try to get something simple; some nice denim goes well with a dress shirt, a blazer or sport coat and a tie.

Check out the following books:

Dressing the Man

Gentleman: A Timeless Guide to Fashion

Esquire Handbook of Style

The Affected Provincial's Companion--this one is about fashion to an extent, but it transcends it and puts it into a decorum and lifestyle aspect. In fact, also check out Glen O'Brien's new book, How to be a Man if you're interested in a more lifestyle-oriented reason to look nice.

I honestly think the last two books would be a good start for you. Due to your description of yourself, I'd maybe start with How to be a Man. The first few paragraphs are shit, but it gets really good, especially by the time it gets to "How to be sexual". It seems like you need a much better reason to dress nicely than the reasons you've suggested. I think this book could really help you develop a better ethos regarding style, and maybe even help you with decorum (if you need help with that).

Check out this quick video for a great introduction to O'Brien.

Good luck.

edit: clarification

Alright some great brand recommendations on here, so I’ll jump in on the other questions (eg. color and style).

First of all check out Dressing the Man by Alan Flusser. It’s an absolute bible of men’s fashion, and it has fascinating and helpful advice for just about every aspect of style you’ve never thought of, with a focus on suits and formal/professional wear. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449

You mentioned 2-3 suits and that’s a perfect number to have for an all-purpose wardrobe. Navy, grey, black (edit: black is not as necessary as the others and could be swapped). Your choice whether “grey” means charcoal or light grey, they’re both great and versatile (if you feel like ever getting suit #4, get the one you didn’t get in this round). I personally recommend no pinstripes or other patterns until you’ve fully established your baseline wardrobe. If nothing else, patterns are more memorable so you can’t wear the same suit as frequently. Ditto with more interesting colors. Start with the core 3-4 colors above, then branch out.

Shirts can and should have more variety, and are obviously cheaper to buy in numerous options. While some brands have reliably higher quality shirts (ie. Brooks Bros), there’s nothing wrong with stocking up on cheap and interesting ones as well. Hell, half of my shirts were stumbled upon in thrift stores and sample sales for cheap and I get compliments all the time. Construction quality matters, but not nearly as much as for suits.

As for colors, get a set of standard single-colored shirts (white, black, blue, etc), because these will be easy to match with a wide variety of ties. Solid color shirt, solid color suit, flashy patterned tie is probably my go-to set up, and it’s very easy to rotate. As you get more comfortable with the basics, or find an item that strikes your fancy, you can play around with more complex combos. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with breaking the basic mold, and some of the best outfits happen that way, but it’s more difficult to know what works well at first, so that’s why I recommend starting with a more straightforward approach. Dressing the Man has multiple chapters on colors, patterns, and the mixing and matching thereof.

One fascinating point I remember from Dressing the Man is the idea of matching the clothes to your facial features. Not every color/pattern looks equally good/bad on different people. For example, notice the contrast of your features. If you have high contrast features (ex dark hair, light skin), you will probably look awesome with high contrast clothing (ex black suit, white shirt, striking pattern tie), and less so with low contrast clothing. However, the opposite holds true for low contrast faces (light hair, light skin, and/or light eyes). A low-contrast outfit (ex navy/grey/tan suit, blue shirt, yellow tie) will match your face well, but a high contrast outfit will make your face look washed out and bland in comparison. And in case anyone is wondering, people with dark skin fall under the “high contrast” category for these purposes, even if their skin and hair are similarly dark.

Shoes are another key element. Black pair, medium or dark brown pair, with a sleek, simple design (rather than lots of ornaments/flash) so that you can use them with all of your suits. From there feel free to experiment with some more awesome, flamboyant options that may or may not be as versatile (ex double monks or walnut Strands from Allen Edmonds). Dress boots are an interesting option too. I would much rather invest in high quality shoes and meh suit than the other way around. One, you’ll be walking on them all day so comfort matters. Two, they take a beating so durability equals money. Three, people are much more likely to notice how good/bad shoes you are than clothes in many cases, especially sartorially-minded folks. Four, the total cost of top quality shoes isn’t as high as it is for suits.

I’m sure there’s more and I may edit later, but that’s my brain dump off the top of my head! Cheers to you, snazzy future lawyer!

Okay. Here's my outside shot: The new album is called Sunflower.

It works as an album title; colorful, evocative, and bright. It matches thematically with the transformation between Reputation and the present - "I once was poison ivy, but now I'm your daisy." They grow very tall and they're blonde on top, just like Taylor. My first thought along those lines was that it might be somebody's nickname for her, so I started running with it.

The dress she wears for the first part of the video has a large sunflower (or sunflower-esque bloom) at the center of the skirt. There's a vase of them on the table in her apartment's entryway, a great easter egg. (There's also a vase of non-sunflower yellow blooms on the table near the window, underneath a painting of a cat with yellow flowers.) Later in the video, Brendon's suit is spangled with a liberal helping of them - or, if not sunflowers, then sunflower-esque yellow blooms.

As she sings "one of these things is not like the others," Taylor comes center-frame wearing a yellow suit. Apart from a couple of pocket squares and ties, the color yellow is reserved only for Taylor and Brendon throughout the video.

If this were true, it'd need more supporting evidence than just the video, and I think that exists as well. Taylor's first reveal for this new era was the Elle cover, where she was dressed in an explosively-bright yellow gown - the background of which makes the folds of the dress look like a yellow bloom. The infamous five-hole fence picture has a yellow tint and was marked with a yellow heart emoji. Even the picture she took in Australia on November 10th has her looking to the left at what might be yellow blossoms. (I'm not above going full Charlie board on this.)

I think that it becomes a perfect overall symbol of rebirth and growth. What better antidote is there to dark times than the sun?

Edit: Almost forgot one. The top book on her table under the cool chicks pictures is Cartier in the 20th Century, but I thought it was more interesting for the catchy color. She sings all about the colors of the rainbow in ME!, and these books are red, pink, and orange, in that order. The next color in the spectrum would be yellow.

Edit 2: Okay, I think I'm really onto something here. The video even starts with the butterfly trying to get through the window to Taylor, and she's been wearing them all over the place ever since the teasers started.

Edit 3: Pretty sure the flowers Brendon tries to give to Taylor are pink sunflowers.

I'm back!

Usually the info about beauty, makeup, and hairstyles, are found in fashion history books, so here a couple of general fashion history:

• Auguste Racinet. Complete Costume History, is like THE fashion history book. Published in the 19th century, includes info not only about fashion, but beauty, hairstyles, interior design, fabrics, prints, etc. If you want to buy it, take the version of the link. There is a cheaper edition, but it is smaller, and the point of this book is the amount of detail in the illustrations, so go for the big one.
  
• Pictorial Encyclopedia of Historic Costume: 1200 Full-Color Figures, by Karl Rohrbach
  
• A Pictorial History of Costume From Ancient Times to the Nineteenth Century: With Over 1900 Illustrated Costumes, Including 1000 in Full Color, by Wolfgang Bruhn & Max Tilke.
  
  Some books about beauty:
  
  
• The book Facing Beauty:  Painted Women and Cosmetic Art analyses the beauty and makeup through the eyes of art, from the Renaissance to the early 20th century.
  
• Face Paint: The History of Makeup by Lisa Eldridge, she is a makeup artists for celebrities and fashion editorials, and she has a YouTube channel with videos that are a nice complement to the book.
  
• Beauty and Cosmetics 1550–1950, by Sarah Jane Downing.
  
• If you're more like a experimentation person, take a look at The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Beauty, which ahs tutorials for hair and makeup.
  
• Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup, by Gabriela Hernández.
  
• This edition of Arqueología Mexicana (E37) is all about body modification in the prehispanic cultures: face an body paint, tattoos, ear, mouth, and nose piercings.... It is sadly not available to read online, BUT you can buy it and they send it anywhere in the world. It is a bilingual edition.
  
  Here some online resources:
  
  
• On this site there's a compilation of articles about makeup through the ages.
  
• Here's another cosmetics site with more resources from ancient times to the 2000s.
  
• A little bit about Victorian Makeup and beauty.
  
• A paper published on a dermatology journal, COSMETICS AND SKIN CARE PRODUCTS: A Historical Perspective, by ZoeDiana Draelos MD.
  
• Silvousplaits on YouTube reproduces historical hairstyles.
  
• Also on YouTube, Janet Stephens is my favourite with the most accurate historical hairstyles, and a ton of research behind. She does not upload so often, but you can follow her on Facebook too.
  
• If you're fluent in Spanish, you can download this paper about body modification in the prehispanic Mexico.
  
• A little bit about tattoos in Ancient Egypt.
  
• A LOT of downloadable papers about body modification in Ancient cultures.
  
  And finally, not a resource, but LBCC Historical sells beauty products from historical recipes of different centuries, but you know, without lead and stuff XD
  
  Yeah, I'm a fashion history nerd, in case you haven't noticed.

It's been referenced before, but the book Dressing the Man has as chapter on this. Basically, it says that there are two options for color coordination which are known to work well. The first is mimicking the amount of contrast between your skin and hair tones with the contrast in your clothes. For example, if you have pale skin and dark hair you can go high contrast like this. You fall somewhere in either high contrast or medium contrast, so the you can have a lot of fun. On the other hand, if you're light skinned and blonde you'll look better in less contrasting colors, like this. If you're darker skinned (black, spanish, whatever) then you can usually get away with more variations than a lighter skinned person would.

The second method of looking good with color coordination is matching colors that are found in your face and hair with the colors in your clothing. The most important color that people notice is your hair color, followed by your skin complexion, and thirdly your eye color. Matching parts of your dress with these colors is usually a safe way to go. Here is a good example of how to pull this off.

These two methods tend to work well, but obviously once you understand the basics you can experiment. I used only pictures of suits, but these principles can be extended to casual dress as well.

My several month old list: Fashion Podcasts and Interviews

-----------------

I've been collecting a few podcasts to listen to in my spare time and came across an enormous amount when searching both on /r/malefashionadvice, /r/malefashion and /r/femalefashionadvice.

I thought it'd be nice to share a few I've found which were interesting and which other people can enjoy.

I know my fashion interests can definitely skew to the boring, so if you have any more suggestions please comment below!

Podcasts & Youtube:

• Dressed podcast run by two fashion historians this weekly podcast explores the incredibly rich and complex history behind the clothes we wear.
  
  
• Stuff you Missed in History Class which is part of the HowStuffWorks podcast network has some great episodes on fashion history, Marie-Antoinette and the first fashion designer Rose Betin. Search 'fashion' for some good hits.
  
  
• The Ultimate Fashion History is run by another fashion historian who produces great original content.
  
  
• Loose Threads this fashion intelligence and analyst company also has a nice podcast which talks about power suiting to product manufacturer.
  
  
• Unravel is done by three alumni of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) graduate program who take a fresh and more modern approach to their topics. They go in-depth with their podcasts and have nice light hearted tone.
  
  
• The Talks has a wealth of good interviews with people in all walks of life, and there’s a good chunk of interviews of people in fashion. Here are a few selected ones: Tom Ford, Rick Owens, Thom Browne and Craig Green.
  
  
• Blamo! is a podcast by Jeremy Kirkland who talks to various people in the fashion world, from designers to GQ editors to street photographers. Notable episodes include: Robert Geller and Lawrence Schlossman of Four Pins fame.
  
  
• Business of Fashion has their own podcast section which takes fashion from a business perspective. The website as a whole is great. Original articles are informative and they have an indispensible Daily Digest worth going through. Site has a soft paywall.
  
  

  Others:
  

  
  

• Racked even though they have a lot of fluff articles and have to pull a lot of clickbait stunts the writers over at Racked occasionally write some really insightful articles on topics about garments, the industry or the politics of clothing and fashion.
  
  
• Google: We Wear Culture has a project centered around 'Fashion' titled "the stories behind what we wear". It has a lot of fascinating text and articles accompanied with beautiful images. They collaborate with notable several museums and brands.
  
  -----------
  
  Sources and thanks to:
  
  
• Early Morning Thursdays: Podcasts and Interviews by /u/setfiretoflames
  
• /r/AskHistorians flaired users' pages and sidebar
  
• An amazing amount of discussions and recommendations on /r/malefashionadvice, /r/malefashion and /r/femalefashionadvice
  
  -----------------------
  
  /u/setfiretoflames booklist Well Regarded Fashion Books: A Community List
  
  ----------------------
  
  Hey, want to get a nice coffee table book? Let’s make a list of some of our favorites.
  
  Note: I don’t own all of these, some are off friends’ recommendations, and some are for books that haven’t even come out yet. They are mostly in Amazon links for ease of use, but none of the links are affiliate ones (and any that are found in the thread will be removed).
  
  Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
  
  Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style
  
  Ann Demeulemeester
  
  Blue Blooded
  
  BEAMS: Beyond Tokyo
  
  The Carhartt WIP Archives
  
  Dries Van Noten 1-100
  
  Hiroshi Fujiwara: Fragment
  
  Maison Martin Margiela
  
  Margiela: The Hermès Years
  
  Martin Margiela: The Women’s Collections 1989-2009
  
  Rei Kawakubo
  
  Rick Owens
  
  Rick Owens: Furniture
  
  Take Ivy
  
  Undercover
  
  Vintage Menswear
  
  Yamamoto & Yohji
  
  Yohji Yamamoto

No problem mate, glad you're enjoying it.

Books I could recommend: Esquire released a great book called The Handbook of Style that I think offers some really solid advice. Alan Flusser's "Dressing the Man" is a great resource if you're interested in suits/dressing with a more refined, classier style.

Otherwise, fashion forms and blogs are a great resource as well. Lookbook.nu is good for street and casual fashion, The Sartorialist is great for inspiration on suiting. I also really like Street Etiquette as well.

Excellent, let me nerd out for a second about suits. Also, that documentary is a GREAT starting point. Personally, it makes me want to become a tailor, and it makes me sad that tailoring is becoming a dying breed of old people who have no younger people to take up their mantle.

---

So, before you get into the process of suit making and all of that, and the art that is tailoring. I encourage you to read up on what makes a suit, a suit. But, I'll cut it down real simply for you and leave some links so that you can read up on in depth if it suits you (hodor).

Let's start with the most basic question. What is the foundation of the suit? Strangely, the foundation of the suit, is the shoulder. The drape of your suit and the cut of your suit starts from the shoulder and moves downward. So like we always say, if it doesn't fit on the shoulder, put it back on the rack. There are tons of different types of cuts for shoulders, and how it's padding, and how the sleeve is attached to the shoulder that is all unique to each cut, although it is becoming more homogenized (Personally, I'm an italian cut kinda guy, Neapolitan in specific). How do you like your shoulders? Straight across? Narrower? No padding at all? Extreme sloping? These are the questions you should consider when bespoking your suit, or purchasing your suit in general. How do you like your shoulder to sing?

Next, lets move onto the beauty that is the lapel roll, the flower of the suit, the thing that blooms, the detail that gives your suit depth. A detail that simply resonates with the rest of your suit, don't be flat (jos. a bank), the lapel roll is a piece of art of itself, and a good dry cleaner will not press the life out of the lapel. Of course, you could just do it yourself.

So now that we have touched the outside of the suit. Let's dig a little deeper, how about the inside of the suit? Perhaps as important as the shoulder, is your canvassing. Why is it important? Because canvas is what gives your suit a shape, it's the thing that slowly molds to your body, a quality suit will slowly mold to your body and drape better and better with each wear. A suit with the proper insides need's no hanger to give it shape (put it on a hanger). It almost wears itself (ignore the fact that they are trying to sell something).

Here is some more reading on canvassing

In closing, how about some master tailors talking about their art?

Rudolph Popradi

Martin Greenfield

Multiple tailors from naples discuss their life of tailoring

And now, some books.

A menswear book, a little more for the older gents and those more intersted in history. But very much a classic book that is highly praised for being all encompassing.

How about a book that teaches you to make your own garments?


And a machiavallian approach to the suit. Maybe not as highly praised, but more reading can't hurt that much.

Let's ask some people about their thoughts on the suit and it's changes through the years.

1, 2, 3, 4.

And let's touch on the tuxedo for a bit, probably a little pretentious (especially that esquire guy), but for some reason I like watching people dress up while giving their thoughts..

And finally, a series of videos on a class about suit construction (mainly for women).

Probably doesn't entirely answer your questions, but hey, suits are awesome. If I had enough money to wear a suit everyday for every situation (james bond) I would. If you have the opportunity to apprentice under a tailor, I highly suggest it, maybe you won't become a master tailor, and you most likely will not get paid, but it would be an awesome experience to be under a master craftsman.

Casual:
Jeans: Jacob Cohen
Shirts: Emmanuel Berg, Hugo Boss
Blazers: Paul Smith, Hugo Boss
Sweaters: Emmanuel Berg (cashmere), Ralph Lauren (merino)
Pants: Hugo Boss
Jackets: Joop, Hugo Boss, Barbour, Burberry
Shoes: crocket & jones

Office/Work:
Shirts: Emmanuel Berg, Hugo Boss, but considering bespoke options
Blazers: Paul Smith, Hugo Boss
Suits: Corneliani M2M, but considering bespoke options
Pants: Hugo Boss
Coats: Joop, Burberry
Shoes: Crocket & Jones, Hugo Boss

Other stuff, like ties (rarely use them), or handkerchiefs, pretty much anything good, emmanuel berg, armani, boss, hermes.

cuff links: anything good.

Hair style: Fairly short, but with an old school cut (think Gatsby).

Note: I am 40,in decent physical shape, and due to the nature of my work, dressing well is kind of a requirement (consulting), so this looks natural on me. Oh, and live in Europe.

Edit:
I should perhaps add that I actually like male fashion in a timeless sense, and take a very hard look at the look I want to achieve (timelessness, natual, refined). For any man who wants to take their wardrobe to the "next level", I'd strongly recommend two books:

http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449

and

http://www.amazon.com/The-Suit-Machiavellian-Approach-Style/dp/0060891866

They will both give you the basics of suits, materials, etc, with references to old-school male icons... think mad men on steroids... in the style department...

but never forget, style without substance is worthless.. fashion/style is not necessarily "peacocking", but it does help in attraction of course ;)

Previously tailors’ guilds constructed all fitted, outer garments. Unfitted items, like shirts or shifts, were not regulated under this. Seamstresses in Paris were considered a free trade, for example, and could legally make things not claimed by the Tailors. This became an area of contention with the popularization of the Mantua gown in the late 17th century. While it was an outer garment, it was not fitted and tailored. Instead, the fabric was draped over the body and pinned, pleated, and tucked to the body. Tailors work from measure and pattern, so this is a very different process, giving a major argument of these being separate trades.

The guild presented by the seamstresses was limited to only making clothing for women and children, and they could not hire male workers. While sewing was not gendered at that time, many of the other trades were male dominated and this was considered an acceptable female-based career path to create. The idea was that this would keep women from trying to push their way into the Tailoring trade instead. It was a valid concern because it did happen in quite a few places, like Caen. After the creation of the Seamstresses guild in France in 1675, numerous rules were placed upon the seamstresses within the Tailoring trade, most of which were ignored over time. For example, in 1694 French seamstresses could not hire assistants other than their own children, but by 1712 that was changed.

Some of the argument for the separate guild was that it was highly restricted and competing against a well-established trade, which was not. The Tailors still very much had the upper hand. Some still had a problem with this arrangement, such as the English Tailors’ guilds who did fight back against the formation of the Mantua Makers, petitioning Parliament in 1702, but rather unsuccessfully. It may have been in part due to the frequency which the Master tailors petitioned Parliament on other topics. Between 1702 and 1720 they brought up issue with Button-sellers, the wearing of cloth and stuff buttons (wools), and importing foreign buttons, just to note some. Other tailors tried to take advantage of the female market instead, bringing them in to work and charging guild fees, but refusing to include them in any of the actual guild administration. In Caen the women pushed back and were allowed to create their own guild administration.

Interestingly enough, the separation of the sexes which kept women from truly being involved in the Tailoring trade played a big role in keeping the Mantua Makers trade alive later. Mantua gowns were thought by some to be nothing more than a fad, but they instead developed into new gown styles using the same construction methods. Their business was therefore assured and as the 18th century continued on the public perception changed, viewing the making of these types of women’s and children’s garments to be a distinctly feminine trade. Note that tailors still constructed women’s stays, riding habits, and court gowns. These all still required the process of measure and pattern. By 1760 this viewpoint of female trades had progressed enough that keeping men out of female occupations was a popular debate topic (the London Courant has an article on the topic that year). The idea of a Man Milliner or Male Mantua-maker was humorous enough to be included as a character in plays and satire.

Basically, with female seamstresses trying to push their way into the established trade of the Tailors, the best solution (for most) was to give them a restricted, watered down version for their own guild. Some thought it wouldn’t last long, others saw it as the easiest way to control the group, or at the least the lesser of two evils. In reality the women had enough ingenuity and drive to not just make their businesses succeed, but began to change the entire public perception of sewing as a gendered occupation.

Sources:

Women in Business, 1700-1850 by Nicola Jane Phillips

The Return of the Guilds by Lucassen, De Moor, and Luiten van Zanden

Women and Business Since 1500 by Béatrice Craig

The Dress of the People by John Styles

Select Documents Illustrating the History of Trade Unionism by Frank Galton

Is there anything you do consistently without thinking about it?

Is there anything you do enjoy, that you do occasionally, but you just enjoy it for the sake of doing it?

Lastly, is there something you are really attracted to, but don't do because people will judge you?

> Honestly the only way I can find enjoyment in anything is to drink a lot while I am doing it. It's the only thing I have found that turns off the constant thoughts of: "why do you even bother, you are just embarassing yourself."

Be productive when you're drinking then. I've experienced the same thing. I started drawing a little time after I tried marijuana. I tried drawing before, but that negative voice would creep into my head and I would just quit. Marijuana gave me the ability to lose my fucks. (I'm not condoning it, but it was the initial spark that got me through my post-military depression and start doing things again.)

I started out with terrible shit, but after just the ACT of putting shit out there without care for what people would think, it got easier. I kept with it, now I can draw just through the inebriated brazenness that alcohol gives me. I'm still not good, but I have a couple things that I have a tiny bit of self-pride in.

I do it for friends, I do it for a hobby. It will never be a career...but it keeps me happy. I've started a bunch of new interests since I realized I can do whatever the fuck I want: I started reading books I like, instead of the ones I think will get me a job. Early 1900s NatGeos, John Muir, classics like Aristotle, Plato...St. Thomas Aquinas, a book on the Japanese government, lol. I recently bought two books, a sewing book, and a book on fashion. I'm a guy, and very few in America expect a guy to take up sewing and fashion as a hobby...but I want to give it a try. I've always been interested in the functionality v. fashionality of the way people dress. I find a lot of fashion ridiculous, so I want to try to offer my own stuff. The books are a start.

In high school, a wise old black woman told me, "Just do it." Shortly after I got out of the military, an alcoholic sociology major with multiple businesses told me, "Just do it." After that, a deceptively smart stripper in Florida told me, "Just do it." ...sure, it might be a Nike slogan, but their advice came straight from them and they were honest about it.

Don't give a fuck whether you think you can or can't...just do it.

You definitely don't need all of them. I did some research (aka Amazon preview and I tried to find youtube reviews/review with pictures), so there is no total dud.

I think Make-up Masterclass, Makeup Manual, Makeup Makeovers in 5, 10, 15 Minutes, Makeup Makeovers Beauty Bible and Plastic Surgery Without the Surgery The Miracle of Makeup Techniques share a similar and more "natural beauty enhanced" aesthetic and are kind of repetitive.

The Kevyn Aucoin book is great, it covers all of the basics, has lots of "classic" looks and even though it was released in 1997 it's still pretty accurate. Just two things: a) New formulas, especially waterless foundation and poured blushes (and other powders), were invented recently and are therefor not mentioned, so keep that in mind when you read the book. b) His (I think) 3 book share content, so don't buy all of them without intensive research. Unfortunately I haven't figured out yet, how much and what kind of material they share. But if someday I do, I may buy another one.

The Yasmin Heinzs book is very interesting, but more on the high fashion/editorial side and afaik just available in German.

The Nars book is, well, different and more on the coffee table book side. Here you can find a tiny preview. It doesn't fokus on basics/tecniques, more on the overall result, so I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner. Every look is photographed in front of the same grey background and is retouched very little/not at all. You have two photos: The bare faced model on the right page and the finished result on the left. Between the pages is a clear sheet with product placement references. From time to time some pages with product-specific instructions are inserted (an example of these is included in the preview). The looks themselves are typically Nars: Some times minimal, some times bolder, but never heavy or cakey. And all of the models have beautiful skin, but are otherwise on the diverse side (with two males (one with a 4-to-7-day-beard), which are on the more dramatic side).

For young people, certain things just look like you’re trying too damn hard: bowties, pocket squares, French cuffs, white collars on a colored shirt, suspenders, wide-spread collars, vested suit (sometimes), etc.

It’s easy to blame other people, but your clothes are prompting their reaction. I don’t know you and I don’t know the way you dress. But perhaps you should think about trying to be more subtle: buying nice clothes that aren’t at all ostentatious. Don’t wear bowties if, when you wear one, people make comments.

In my opinion, the majority of advice on MFA will make a high school or college students look good for other high school or college students. If I wore my pants below my natural waste or if I wore wingtips or a bow tie, the men at my work would think I was an immature, insecure, hipster douche bag. There is nothing wrong with those things, but dress to your audience. Being stylish, being able to express your own, personal style, within the bounds of what’s acceptable to your peers is a true and worthy challenge. An artist is limited by the artistic media he chooses to work with. So to, you are limited by your lifestyle, income, peer group, profession, region, etc. Strive to be stylish and express yourself within you lifestyle’s bounds. Then you will look good without looking like you’re wearing a costume to try to look good.

If following the advice on this forum is getting criticism, I’d like to suggest some alternative sources for advice:

http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344004043&sr=8-1&keywords=allan+flusser

http://www.amazon.com/Clothes-Man-Principles-Fine-Dress/dp/0394546237/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344004043&sr=8-2&keywords=allan+flusser

http://www.amazon.com/GENTLEMAN-TIMELESS-GUIDE-FASHION-Ullmann/dp/3833152702/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b

http://www.amazon.com/The-Suit-Machiavellian-Approach-Style/dp/0060891866/ref=pd_sim_b_7 (especially the chapter for “young” persons)

http://www.amazon.com/Elegance-Menswear-G-Bruce-Boyer/dp/0393304388/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344004086&sr=1-1&keywords=bruce+boyer

http://www.amazon.com/Eminently-Suitable-G-Bruce-Boyer/dp/0393028771/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344004086&sr=1-3&keywords=bruce+boyer

Your library should have these, as they are menswear “classics.” The books are well-written and, though older than something like “Esquire The Handbook of Style,” the advice is better. How to dress well is a timeless art.

AOTD: Cost-wise, probably too much. My focus has been on shoes but I'll sometimes purchase some more expensive pieces of clothing.

GD: Found Handmade Shoes for Men at Half Price Books so I went ahead and bought it. Should be a fun reader for those easy days! Also just received the Viberg x Notre Coffee Pack boots that I ordered from the 25% off sale. The cxl is beautiful and the finishing is on point except for a little bit of weird stitching connecting the tongue to the vamp. They fill the brown boot niche of my wardrobe but I'm not sure if they're special enough (to me) to keep so I'll be consulting the SO in the next few days. My body is telling me yes but my brain is telling me to save some $$$.

There is only one legitimate Supreme piece on Amazon: the Supreme Hardcover Book by James Jebbia. 35% Off Too. Got mine a while back; highly recommend it, definitely an interesting book that provides a lot of Supreme history and definitely worth your money. Keep This Lowkey haha

Don't buy anything else off of amazon in relation to Supreme. They even have fake stickers there lol.

I think this book on interior design could be cool, or even this book, which details the history of makeup. I'm sure she'd love that one.

I think having an interest in makeup is fine, and as long as she feels confident and isn't hurting anyone, I don't think you need to worry :)

Since she's studying interior design, I'm sure she needs a portfolio. She might really like a nice portfolio book for showing off her work.

Okay!

I do not do very much with ancient clothing, so I have fewer recommendations there. I'm a big fan of Aphrodite's Tortoise: The Veiled Woman of Ancient Greece by Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, which I used to write a substantial answer on ancient veiling. It's extremely detailed on the subject of what evidence there is in artwork and in texts about the custom of veiling and about the different types of veils themselves. (I think I found it on Academia.edu, full disclosure.) Another I've referenced here is Body, Dress, and Identity in Ancient Greece, by
Mireille M. Lee. It treats on all aspects of ancient Greek fashion, from pieces of clothing to hairstyles to views on body hair, and I find it quite readable.

I find that basically all academic writing on nineteenth century dress takes place in journals like Dress, Costume, and Textile History - books tend to be more focused on sewing or on gorgeous catalogue photos. The Corset: A Cultural History by Valerie Steele is an exception, a really good discussion of not just the history of corseting but the history of how society has regarded the corsets themselves and the women who wore/wear them, from the constant fear of vain and seductive tightlacing to marketing strategies used by post-industrial manufacturers. Joan Severa's Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900 is also a detailed exploration of men's and women's dress during the Victorian era (the only thing I quibble with is Severa's frequent use of judgey language when discussing corsetry of the 1840s and 1850s). Both of these are useful for understanding the everyday dress of working women.

In the twentieth century, the concept of "working women" changes, so it's harder to pin down exactly how to address it ... Dress Casual: How College Students Redefined American Style by Deirdre Clemente is vital, imo, to understanding the casualization of dress in the mid-twentieth century (which has knock-on effects on women who worked). Making War, Making Women: Femininity and Duty on the American Home Front, 1941-1945 by Melissa McEuen is a fascinating study on how women took on more a public role in the workforce during the war years, and were also expected to maintain their appearances to an unprecedented degree.

Outside of fashion, you might be interested in "Just a Housewife": The Rise and Fall of Domesticity in America by Glenna Matthews. This deals with the changes in the way that housewifely skills were seen in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries - how they went from expected drudgery that you passed off if you could, to something seen as real work that required skill and practice, and back to unfulfilling drudge work that was avoided by increased consumption of ready-made goods.

Much more outside of your specific topics, but Pink and Blue: Telling the Boys from the Girls in America by Jo Paoletti is just a really good read. As a Millennial, I have a hard time imagining a world without intense gender color-coding for children, and learning about just how recent it is for the coding to exist, let alone be so intense, is very cool. (My favorite color is blue. When I was a little kid, my male friend would always tell me it couldn't be, because blue was for boys.)

If you are interested, there are many books on the history of fashion. Online source like Business of Fashion is an excellent publication on anything and everything fashion news related. You can also go on to the designer section of Vogue and you will find brief history on different designers. NYT's Fashion section would occasionally have great interviews and articles on fashion influencers. But books will always be your best bet. Here are some if you are interested (A, B, C)

PSA: you can get better information about color, proportionality and exceptions to rules like this in Alan Flusser's Dressing The Man. The content of this article is nearly identical, but adds the "contrast scale" as a number concept, but the book adds a lot of detail the article lacks. I read this recently and enjoyed it.

Emphasizing the face, color contrast, and shirts and suits to compliment body size and shape are better covered there. Link if you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449

First, Make her a free site with wordpress that you can port over to her chosen domain name and spruce up as she likes. Put some pictures up of things she's made that she's proud of, and make a nice landing page for it. Make it explicitly clear that she can have you change anything. For example, dummy text that says, "This is just waiting for tdwtya'swife's orders"

Next, you make a sandwich out of white bread and cucumbers with the seeds cut out (you can pick anything for the sandwich I just picked cucumbers because they are relatively clean and you can wrap it day of without them getting too gross as long as the seeds aren't there to make it soggy).

Then you wrap a note in tin foil inside the sandwich with the domain name of the site you built that says "I'm better at blogs than sandwiches, but I'll be able to help with both once you teach me how"

Wrap the whole sandwich in tin foil. then wrap it with a bow voila

---

or if you want something more tradition and you know her taste get her a few yards of fabric and a book with ideas/inspiration. Something like; https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Definitive-History-Costume-Style/dp/0756698359/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482277969&sr=8-1&keywords=fashion but that sort of thing depends a lot on what she likes.

http://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Shoes-Men-L%C3%81zl%C3%93-Vass/dp/3848003686

It kind of looks like your typical coffee table book, but it's amazing. Super well-researched information on nearly every aspect of shoes and shoemaking, with beautiful pictures.

Well, I knew about three, but since no one recommended any, here they are!

• Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup by Gabriela Hernandez
  
  
• HISTORY OF COMPACTS AND COSMETICS: From Victorian Times to the Present Day by Madeleine Marsh - the author of this book talked about the history of makeup in two of Lisa Eldridge's videos, and it was incredibly interesting! ( Video1 Video 2 )
  
  
• Fashions in Makeup: From Ancient to Modern Times
  by Richard Corson
  
  All of these are on my wishlist, but I hoped to add some cool other books that I hadn't heard of. :)

I grew up on Disney as my Mom worked at the Disney store when I was young; as well as being within driving distance to Disney Land when I was really young, we would go frequently.

After I started collecting watches and I read Cult Watches where they talk about the old Ingersoll "Character Watches" and specifically the Mickey Mouse watch, I knew I needed to pick one up.

After doing some research, I found the exact style I wanted, which turned out to be the less rare Bradley make, but in the rarer "Fat Boy with large hands" model. This is actually the version worn by Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code (however; not the "large hands").

I found one on eBay and $27 later, it was mine. Came in the mail today and I couldn't be happier and makes me laugh when I look at my wrist.

Great quote from the book:

>"Pulling back the sleeve of his jacket he checked his watch - a vintage, collector's edition Mickey Mouse wristwatch that had been a gift from his parents on his tenth birthday. Although its juvenile dial often drew odd looks, Langdon never owned any other watch ; Disney animation had been his first introduction to the magic of form and color and Mickey now served as Langdon's daily reminder to stay young at heart ....

>'Interesting watch' Sophie said."
(The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown, 2003)

Just bought and started reading Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style. Previously, I read (and enjoyed) Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion.

I'm an American businessman in my late 20's. I want to be creative and forward-thinking but also professional with my fashion choices. I like to have fun with my clothes while still being respectable.

Any book recommendations?

Huh?! She was the most pleasant and well measured of everyone when questioning Comey. My boyfriend and I even commented on how she was being super super nice compared to everyone before she began questioning. I'm sure she knows the shit she'd get for being any more insistent; she's looking potentially at a presidential run after all.

Anyway.

You know where the word hysterical comes from? The root word for uterus, hystera. The Greeks thought there was a purely physical cause for emotional unrest, but that it was linked exclusively to the uterus. The Greeks were (and still are to a degree though much, much less so) also a predominantly patriarchal culture and, in ancient times, required women to wear veils covering their faces and otherwise be escorted by men on the streets to do simple tasks such as grocery shopping. If you didn't wear a veil, then it was assumed you were a prostitute and you were socially shamed thusly.

"He shows that the veil was a conscious extension of the house and was often referred to as 'tegidion', literally 'a little roof'. Veiling was thus an ingenious compromise; it allowed women to circulate in public while maintaining the ideal of a house-bound existence."
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Aphrodites-Tortoise-Veiled-Ancient-Greece/dp/0954384539

Cool. So we are now pulling from a culture from thousands of years ago to inform our conception of a woman? You know what? If they had used any other word (maybe assertive for example), then I wouldn't have ascribed this intent.

Fuck the GOP.

Most of the information you'll find about historical fashions online are meant to help to recreate the garments. The most popular periods to recreate tend to be those that are tied to re-enactment groups. For the 1650s, you won't find much; however, just a decade earlier was the English Civil War for which there are a lot of re-enactment groups like this one. Since it's only a decade off, members of the group may have some stuff online that may help you. Here is a good blog to get you started.

In the meantime; here are some books that will help:

17th C Women's Dress Patterns: part 1

17th C Women's Dress Patterns: part 2

17th & 18th C Fashion in Detail

Glasgow Museums 17th C Costume

Just to get started. I personally own pretty much all of these. You notice a fashion shift in the 17th C starting around the mid 1620s and continuing well until 1680s. That isn't to say you could wear the same style garment throughout that time period - just that what is worn from that point couldn't be mistaken for the century before or after. Similar to in the 20th C, no one would blink about a just below the knee skirt from the 1920s on.

A book I just got for my birthday talks about how to dress very well. Even though the author uses formal attire for explaining how to dress, he also talks about how shirt shape, color and pattern create a favorable or unfavorable look for someone. The same goes for pants and even hats. So I would say that you should study your body type and skin tone before you go out buying expensive clothing.

Also, if you know someone with an eye for good fashion and is supportive, get them to come out to the stores with you and give their honest opinions.

Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

I have a book called The Dress of the People by John Styles that’s super informative. I got it through my local library.

https://www.amazon.com/Dress-People-Everyday-Fashion-Eighteenth-Century/dp/0300121199/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=the+dress+of+the+people&qid=1570843221&sprefix=the+dress+of+the+peop&sr=8-1

You may also check out Colonial Williamsburg’s website or The School of Historical Dress.

If you narrow your focus to a geographical area it will make things easier on you (France, The UK, the Colonies, etc.).

Also you can ask a librarian at your local library to help you (many libraries allow you to do this via email as well). Just make sure it’s an actual library and not a clerk. You can ask for the reference desk and say you need help with research for school if you’re not sure.

I saw Women in Clothes recommended in this sub, so I checked it out from my local library. I loved it so much I bought it! It's really fun to hear very different perspectives on how other women think about and wear clothes, and the format is super fun--short essays, photo galleries, interviews, even a few poems.

I picked up a copy of Cult Watches for pretty cheap on Amazon, and it might fit what you're looking for. It gives a brief history of 30 or so iconic watches (many of which you'd expect, i.e. the Submariner, Royal Oak, Accutron, Reverso, etc., and some that you wouldn't, i.e. Swatches, the Mickey Mouse watch). It was a fun read, and if you're in to design history, you'd probably really enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.ca/Fashions-Makeup-Ancient-Modern-Times/dp/0720611954/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411425865&sr=1-1&keywords=history+of+makeup http://www.amazon.ca/History-Make-up-Maggie-Angeloglou/dp/0289796970/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411425865&sr=1-3&keywords=history+of+makeup http://www.amazon.ca/Fashionable-History-Make-up-Body-Decoration/dp/0431183384/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411425865&sr=1-5&keywords=history+of+makeup

http://www.amazon.ca/Classic-Beauty-Hernandez-Gabriela-November/dp/B00C7GBEMS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411425865&sr=1-2&keywords=history+of+makeup

I found these searching 'history of makeup' and look like the could help. There were several others as well which might be better. If amazon.com doesn't have them like amazon.can does you could check bookstores or eBay by searching for their actual titles instead. Looking closer I realize they're not exactly cheap, checking for cheaper ones on eBay might help with that, I find eBay can be a lot cheaper than amazon sometimes

On another note, there is a fascinating book called [Women in Clothes] (http://www.amazon.com/Women-Clothes-Sheila-Heti/dp/0399166564) that tackles a lot of similar questions.

Onward!

>>What do you remember your family wearing during your childhood? Did this change into your teenage years?

>>How did your family feel about the way you dressed as a child or teen? Were your clothing choices ever a source of tension?

As a child, I didn't have much say in what I wore. But through middle school/high school, I remember there being a lot of tension about wanting to buy/wear the same branded clothing as everyone else and not getting to do so. I grew up in a suburb in the late 90s/early 2000s, so it was all about the obnoxiously branded clothing from Limited Too, AF, American Eagle, etc.

A lot of these brands were extremely expensive, and my family never wanted to buy that stuff for obvious reasons. When I went off to college, I lost quite a bit of weight, started taking care of my appearance, and started dressing in a more "provocative" fashion (at least by the standards of my immigrant Indian family), and there were always (and continue to be!) arguments about my dresses being too short or me revealing too much cleavage (even when it really wasn't that bad by my own standards.) I think they get nervous when I look overly done up or overtly attractive. I find their fixation on me looking as frumpy as is socially acceptable quite strange.

>>Where did your family buy most of their clothing? Did you go on shopping trips with them?

My parents are Indian immigrants, which influenced a lot of their ideas about "Western" clothing. My mother isn't necessarily the most fashionable woman when it comes to American/Western-style clothing. She's very conservative and set in her ways when it comes to fashion, so she always bought conservative clothes for me from large department stores or from mall stores, even as a kid. Indian fashion is a totally different story, though - her eye for color, cut, and overall style in a Indian clothing is fantastic. If I go shopping for Indian clothes, I always take her with me, because she knows exactly what to get. Western clothing was another story, especially when I was younger. Mall trips were always difficult because I didn't have the frame needed to wear a lot of the clothes that the so-called "popular" kids were wearing, and my Mom was absolutely not in favor of me dressing that way.

My dad is drawn to nice, tailored shirts and business wear for the daytime. When he's not at work, he's also pretty standard "Dad"-like in his fashion choices -- his standard non-work uniform is a Hawaiian shirt with khakis. (LOL) Interestingly, he has very good taste in jewelry.

>>Did you wear hand-me-downs from older relatives? Did you get to choose which hand-me-downs?
How did/does your family dress relative to their community? Was your family's clothing or style ever a source of embarrassment for you?

My sister and I steal each other's jewelry/clothes/etc all the time. Growing up, I would feel self-conscious and shy if we were wearing Indian clothes in public, but these days, my mom loves wearing long Indian tunics and pants underneath. It suits her, and as an adult, I'm less pushy/concerned about what other people are wearing. My grandmother pretty much lives in Kanchipuram silk sarees, which I think are beautiful.

Overall, as a child/teen, I never enjoyed shopping because I had little control over what I could wear, and I had well-intentioned but not-so-savvy parents who didn't really get the point of being fashionable by American cultural standards or what that meant. Now that I'm slightly older, I can wear what I like, but whenever I go home, my clothing choices are a constant source of tension and consternation, so I try to dress a little more modestly in front of my family to avoid that tension (which still comes up since it's never really modest enough).

You're criticism isn't wrong. But there's a definite thinking behind it.

It;s about them trying to promote an intentional "otherness" to white people. It's meant to feel exotic. There's an extremely good book about this that gives WAY more context if you are interested: https://www.amazon.com/Ametora-Japan-Saved-American-Style/dp/0465059732

For what it's worth, the models on their site are Japanese, and they also are big on "Staff Snaps" which involves photos of store staff (who are almost all Japanese) wearing the same clothes that are in the look book. Every item of clothing on their site is accompanied by Staff Snaps.


I hope you bother reading this comment. I know it's buried pretty far down the thread.

The book you're looking for is called Stepping Through Time. You'll likely need to do some scaling and adjusting, but it will definitely get you on the right path. Good luck!

I did a search in my local library system's catalog, and found that they have a couple copies of this book, which is Western focused but claims to have some info about other countries as well. Since it's expensive, I would suggest seeing if your library has any copies, or ask your library's reference desk where to find books on beauty and makeup so you can browse that section. If you're a university student, you'll probably have access to more options with an academic focus. Fashion books might have information as well and seem to be more abundant.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/185149829X is the one I got. It has a wealth of beautiful high res pictures and goes into great detail about the history and mechanics of watches.

The Wristwatch Handbook : A Comprehensive guide to wristwatches.

By a well known watch expert, bit of a labour of love for him. Very detailed and wide ranging, and high quality photos too.

Link here , I'm sure yiu can find it on US Amazon too. Recommended.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wristwatch-Handbook-Comprehensive-Mechanical-Wristwatches/dp/185149829X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499804322&sr=1-2&keywords=wristwatch+book

If your goal is to look fashionable, then just wear what colors are in.

If your goal is to look good, then you absolutely want to coordinate your outfit around the colors and shapes that flatter you. Just like a jacket in the wrong fit can make you look fat, a shirt in the wrong color can make you look pale. If you care about fit, you should care about color.

Entire books have been written on the subject.

As a makeup enthusiast, something I've always thought would be cool to own is makeup books (perhaps I should note that I also like books). I imagine that they would be useful for reading about techniques and drawing inspiration. I've never seen them in person myself, but I have heard good things about the Nars book and the Kevin Aucoin book on youtube before.

Edit: formatting

It says something Cartier which is a jewelry brand..

Edit : it looks like this

Not sure what it could mean though

Second edit :
The book is about :

“Presents a meticulously selected overview of Cartier's contribution to 20th-century design and culture. Drawing extensively from the rich holdings of the Cartier Collection and Archive and the expertise of Cartier Heritage, it features not only a sumptuous array of rings, bracelets, necklace, and tiaras, but also cocktail and smoking accessories, mystery clocks, and lavish gifts exchanged by movie stars and maharajas, all created by Cartier's ateliers in Paris, London, and New York...”

We know she loves Elizabeth Taylor?

Last winter I bought Icons of Men's Style by Josh Sims, who is a freelance style blogger who has written for several big magazines. It's more of a coffee table book, but it's absolutely fantastic. Note that it's not so much about the gradual change of fashion as it is looking at the popularization of pieces that we consider to be timeless.

I read a lot of fiction, mostly sci-fi/fantasy. I also enjoy reading about menswear/fashion. Books by Bruce Boyer, Alan Flusser, etc.

I mentioned it below, but I just finished reading Ametora. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Japanese culture and fashion.

Ah, yes, I forgot that birds moult. But in my defense, it's not the same kind of thing as reptilian skin shedding.

And yes, the evolution of feathers is quite interesting. Thor Hanson's book does a fine job of outlining the journey from filaments to full specialized feathers.

This is more than I could have ever asked for. Thank you very much. By the way, any good books which you would recommend to learn more about shoes?

I was planning on checking this book out.

(You're actually the most comprehensive post I've found so far, StyleForum and all other sites don't really pull up anything on them.)

That's pretty sweet.

I have a French book about cats in Japan on my coffee table.

Laszlo Vass' book could be another good one.

hypebeast did some decent articles uraharajuku Japanese retail expierience
David Marx of the Site [Neojapanisme] (http://neojaponisme.com/) has some good articles on his site probably more archival as well as a great book on Japanese americana Ametora

I just finished reading the book "Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style" Link

Also watched "Dior and I" for the second time the other day. It's on netflix, pretty good.

I haven't finished it, but I got a copy of Ametora from my sister, and I really like it. It sheds light on the role of Japanese fashion in the world today, which I think is quite interesting.

Women in Clothes is great for reading about different women's styles and fashion journeys. A lot of the book is in interview format with really interesting questions about personal style.

Real fashion is timeless, just like when you see a man wearing a nice fitted suit in the 1950s he looks baller. Get a real book on fashion and learn it, like "Dressing The Man" https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449

All this streetwear stuff is a gimmick. Gimmicks and fads are short lived, REAL fashion is timeless.

I got Women in Clothes as a Christmas, gift, and have enjoyed it so far. It gives a lot of different perspectives on fashion and style, more lifestyle-related than specific fashion advice.

This is a good coffee table book, I enjoyed it


Fashion

For books?

The Wristwatch Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Mechanical Wristwatches https://www.amazon.com/dp/185149829X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cfYvyb57KNM20

Probably the best reference for understand watches.

For watchmaking and understanding the art...

Watchmaking https://www.amazon.com/dp/0856677043/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_FmYvybRK27DGS

Dressing the Man actually has a good section on how colors complement or hide your complexion. For some (myself, for example), bold and contrasting colors work out really well. Like you, I prefer blue suits (though I have several suits).

Depending on the OP's complexion, charcoal might be a better look but it's really just a preference thing, as you alluded to.

This might interest you. It has more of a historic approach to fashion but it's a good starting point.

I asked for a copy of Dressing The Man. I heard about it here and hope it's good.

My mom's in a different timezone. I'll be giving her a call later today.

GD: My copy of Handmade Shoes For Men arrived. The essential coffee table book for fine footwear enthusiasts.

You'll love this one (:
https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Definitive-History-Costume-Style/dp/0756698359/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481972547&sr=8-2&keywords=history+of+clothing

My style definitely could not be described as "preppy" but I have a copy of Take Ivy on my coffee table, because it's just cool.

If you can find it, the book Take Ivy (http://www.amazon.com/Take-Ivy-Shosuke-Ishizu/dp/1576875504) has lots photos of amazing 1960s Ivy League style.

Not sure if you'd still consider this streetwear, but Take Ivy is a very interesting Japanese photo book of 1960's Ivy League style.

https://www.amazon.com/Take-Ivy-Shosuke-Ishizu/dp/1576875504

I'm in a similar situation. I ended up purchasing a few fashion design textbooks.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0875967175/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609010019/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1576875504/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

actually only the center one is a textbook, the other two are construction techniques and basically an Ivy inspo. I own all of these and enjoy them all in different ways.

It’s not comprehensive, and I can’t think of one real consistent option, but the Rizzoli book might be a good place to start.

If you're Canadian, out of stock though
Supreme https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0847833119/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_PDcEwb0NT64D9

This book is fantastic.

This isn't makeup itself, but the book Face Paint by Lisa Eldridge is absolutely phenomenal. It's a very thorough and highly visual history of makeup, from medieval times through the present day. Sounds like it's right up your Secret Santa's alley!

Just got this book a few weeks ago. Haven't had a chance to go through it much yet but from the reviews and first glance it looks solid

The Wristwatch Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Mechanical Wristwatches https://www.amazon.com/dp/185149829X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nyJSCb6EGRSH6

Maybe http://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449/

thesartorialist is good for inspiration, they cover NY, Paris & Milan.

Also try styleforum, they are all over this. There are members there that seem to wear nothing but Kiton & Boroni.

Flusser's books have long been respected.

This guy I used to kinda know "wrote the book" on this phenomenon.

Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style

http://www.amazon.com/Ametora-Japan-Saved-American-Style/dp/0465059732 (not an affiliate link)

This is a nice book on the history of fashion and is reasonably priced.

I think this post's title was just kind of misleading—the article's actual title doesn't specify anything about jeans/denim. And it seems like the article is basically a quick summary of the book that's listed on the side of the page.

There's that book everyone got off to like a month ago. Don't remember the name though.

Edit: Here it is

if you say so just because of the t-shirt you might be mistaken.
EDIT: You0re definitely right about the continent though: http://www.amazon.com/Take-Ivy-Shosuke-Ishizu/dp/1576875504

It looks incredibly similar to Cambridge, UK, nut it may well be Princeton.

Dressing the Man is quite comprehensive.

Just to have a real comment in here, Lapham's is often borderline academic in their research policies and you would do well to read this article. You can only learn so much from reading Reddit.

Also, its author literally wrote the book on the penetration of Ivy League Style into Japanese culture.

Actually, according to the rules of men's fashion as propounded by Alan Flusser, mixing stripes of different directions is fine if the widths of the stripes are significantly different, which is the case here.


Still, I think he could use a splash of color.

I see this one recommended all the time.

Amazon for you prime boys: https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-James-Jebbia/dp/0847833119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478738623&sr=8-1&keywords=rizzoli+supreme

Dressing the man? see https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485821062&sr=8-1&keywords=dressing+the+man

https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-James-Jebbia/dp/0847833119

Check it out, been my coffee table staple for a minute.

Take Ivy

Also, Michael Fassbender in X-men: First Class is really sharply dressed.

Icons of Men's Style

In stock on Amazon for $30.

Here it is for $16 cheaper

/u/thebrandonbond found it on amazon for 16 dollars cheaper

$31.52

How many of you here have read or own 'Handmade Shoes For Men by Lazlo Vass? I find myself going through it every few months.

Not a rep but yea https://www.amazon.com/Supreme-James-Jebbia/dp/0847833119

Cars

Photography

Comic Books 1, 2

Apple

LEGO's

American Football

PostSecret

Video Games

Vinyl

Warhol

Outdoors

Star Wars

Motorcycles

The Dark Knight

Paris

Interior Design

World Atlas

Banksy

Wes Anderson

Tribal Cultures

Playboy

Girls

Libraries

The Cosmos

The Beetles

Travel

Preppy

Steve McQueen

The Moon

Handmade Shoes for Men goes through all that.

Apparently it was featured in Take Ivy, which was published in 1965 in Japan as a fashion guide for "Ivy Style"

You should buy this book - https://www.amazon.com/Handmade-Shoes-Men-L%C3%A1szl%C3%B3-Vass/dp/3848003686

It will answer all of your questions to start.

Take Ivy. A look at the preppy image of the 1960s.

Buy yourself a copy of Dressing the Man: The Art of Permanent Style

Using bedsheet as a backdrop. This guys is a keeper. Go get him girls.

Hope this helps

http://www.amazon.com/Supreme-James-Jebbia/dp/0847833119

It's this book: https://www.amazon.com/Cartier-20th-Century-Margaret-Young-S%C3%A1nchez/dp/0865653119

You can read this - https://www.amazon.com/Ametora-Japan-Saved-American-Style/dp/0465059732

Reading "Handmade Shoes for Men" should be a start, at least to know the shoe making process.

Take Ivy is classic.

You can't type "Supreme Book" into Amazon?

http://www.amazon.com/Supreme-James-Jebbia/dp/0847833119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462745589&sr=8-1&keywords=supreme+book

Dressing the Man

No, really. Buy it.

> Any idea the price range on Alan flusser?

I have no clue however he is an authority on how to choose clothing based on your individual characteristics. This book of his explains what he means:

https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449

> Also, any thoughts on balani custom clothiers?

I am not familiar with them.

No black. Black is only for funerals. He needs charcoal or navy blue.

I recommend this book to every man:

https://www.amazon.com/Dressing-Man-Mastering-Permanent-Fashion/dp/0060191449