Sunday, July 01, 2012

CASUAL MENSWEAR: a guide

A guy friend asked me for some advice a week ago on how to dress up. (His identity is withheld upon request.) :-bd so there! Even though I have tons of homework and stuff to prepare for interviews and auditions, ayan na. =)) whatever. I'm happy to do this for you :))

Ok some key points!

  • DON'T WEAR SLIPPERS WHEN YOU GO OUT. EVER. IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD. SWEAR.
  • If you are super thin *ahem ahem AHAAHHAHA*, do not wear super skin-tight jeans. You will make girls feel bad. =)) lolz. However, skinny jeans with some breathing space are acceptable. :)
  • Unlike women's fashion, menswear silhouettes are relatively limited. It's always bottoms + shirt + jacket/blazer(optional). Sooo it's harder to make your outfits more diverse. I suggest you play with:

    *COLOR - either multicolored or analogous. 
   With multicolored, learn how to mix colors that go together. Avoid wearing pieces that contrast with each other. But if you want some contrast, make sure to wear a 3rd color and the contrasting pieces should be of different color temperature - that is if the pants are dark red, opt to wear a blazer with a light shade of green + a white shirt. That would make the outfit more pleasing to the eye. If you really wanna learn how to mix colors, read about Kecleon Color Theory. Very helpful! 
   Also, avoid mixing too many colors! Have a color scheme of 2-3 dominant colors. :)
   Analogous is when the colors are close to each other. They are adjacent on the color wheel. Example, red and yellow, blue and purple, etc.

    *ACCENTS - They are a great way to make any outfit less boring. For instance, you're wearing a white shirt and equally white pants. Opt to wear brown shoes, brown belt and a brown vest. So the effect is like... white but with a touch of brown. :-bd

     *PRINTS - prints are nice!! They are not anti-masculine!!! =)) Nautical stripes, pinstripes, plaid, herringbone, houndstooth, etc.!

     *TEXTURE - I see a lot of dudes wear cotton shirt + denim jeans. CAN WE HAVE MORE VARIETY PLS??? liiike leather material, shiny smooth cotton, knitwear, etc! Basta not always t-shirt cotton and denim , my goodness. =))

     *ACCESSORIES - If you want the shirt + jeans silhouette, at least wear a scarf. Or a vest. Or a hat. Or a tie. Or suspenders. A pop of creativity naman. :))

     *LAYERS - Your add-ons. :) Jackets can range from jersey jackets, sports, hoodies, etc. Sweaters. Casual blazers / club jackets. Long sleeved button-down shirt + V-neck shirt. Collared shirt + sweater. etc.

      *THEMES - mix em! 8D It's so interesting to see inconsistency. Like..
casual + formal
sporty + casual 
rocker + formal 
sporty + formal

    *MISCELLANEOUS - Do stuff like.... roll up sleeves, unbutton shirt, tucked-in shirt, button this, loosen that, etc.
  • Blazers add a huge dose of COOLNEZZ. Pair with nice fitting shirts/turtleneck, slim jeans, loafers/oxfords/combat boots.
  • Vary your shoes. Don't always wear Chucks/sneakers. :)
  • You might say.. OH NO. THE PHILIPPINES IS SO HOT BECAUSE OF WONG :> SO I DON'T REALLY WANT TO LAYER THAT MUCH. BLAH BLAH. Oh no indeed. The silhouettes are already limited, the climate limits it further. What to do?? Pay attention to detail, mainly color, print, texture, other unique details. Sooo when you select the shirt + jeans silhouette, it won't be so boring. :)
  • You might say.. OH NO. I ONLY HAVE SHIRT AND JEANS IN MY CLOSET. .............. @$$^%&*(*&^%$&* SHOP!!!!
  • Gone were the days where guys only wear denim jeans. There is a bigger variety for bottoms now! 8D IN DIFFERENT COLORS! 8D 
  • The fit is very important! Even if you wear super nice clothes, if they don't fit nor look good on you, USELESS. But if the fit is nice but it looks like a basahan.....UGLEH!! 
  • Confidence is also key. You have to be able to wear the clothes.. and not let the clothes wear you. Notice the guys in the photos. They got swag, yo.

EXAMPLES
Blue + khaki
Blazer + button-down shirt + shorts + hat + shoes
notice the pinstripes and how the blazer matches with the shirt

Gray on gray with eye catching red accent

color blocking

rocker + formal + casual

Layering + accessories

Layering with sweaters


Common silhouettes

2-tone outfit

So there. I hope this helps you with your dilemma. Although I'm not quite sure why you asked me to teach you what I know, considering that you have to wear uniform.. HAHAHA whatevs. I hope that you at least understand it and all my terminologies. =)) hehehe

****photos are not mine.

1 comments:

AnnCathrineOng said...

I THINK I KNOW WHO THIS "GUY" IS....I THINK...

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