VERITAS | Men's Style Blog

Real Men Wear Pink

I was shopping with a friend a while back, helping him out with his summer wardrobe. Spending the afternoon extolling the virtues of the pink button-front shirt with all the fervent passion I can muster from the depths of my being, I still couldn't get him to go for it. He, like many guys, associated pink with femininity: "Guys don't wear pink!" he insisted. Failing at convincing him to color, I then tried to entice him at least to pattern - to gingham - to which he blurted finitely, "Picnic table." Eventually, I got him to walk away with something close to pink: Lilac - in a micro gingham. It was a tough sell, a small coup, but I hear he actually fancies the shirt now. Perhaps next summer he'll graduate to the realm of pink proper and delight in its rosy glow. Moral of the story: Men should listen to women for a lot things concerning life, and when it comes to style, they should listen to me.

C'mon, fellas. Just because you wear pink doesn't emasculate you. In fact, I believe that pink is a color that only real men with genuine depth and unshakable conviction in his manhood can truly maximize on. It says that you're thoroughly secure with who you are, that you view the expression of your gentleness, sensitivity, and fearless sensuality as an enhancement to your (hu)man-ness. Pink is what separates men from boys. Boys - immature and brute - are afraid of pink; men - worldly, complex, intelligent, strong and sensual - invite and embrace pink. Boys have one night stands; men have love affairs, even if it's for a single magical night. That's what pink shirts say to me, anyway. Oh, and a hint of chest hair emerging from the silky pink curtain of a 170s two-ply Egyptian cotton dress shirt, coyly spread open by an unbuttoned collar ... oooh ... let ... me ... stop.

(Gaining composure ... clears throat ... Ahem!) Pink shirts look great year-round, but its defining moment is in spring, and especially summer. It's offers freshness amidst the oppressive, or rather - sultry - heat and humidity. It's gentle and refined, and depending on the type of shirt, adds elegance or playfulness to anything it pairs with. And even if you don't care for, or even understand, my waxing poetic over a stinking pink shirt, the bottom line is, it's just a great article of clothing you shouldn't be without! In fact, remember how much I've been gushing over the navy blazer? Well, think of the pink shirt as the yang to the navy blazer's yin. Add a pink button-front shirt under the navy jacket, and you've got the freshest, handsomest, totally irresistible color combo for spring/summer. The two unites to form an indestructible fashion whole.

So like my aforementioned friend, if you're still one of those guys that can't come correct with pink at the moment, better luck next year. But why not buy a couple of pink shirts now while they're on summer clearance so you can save some dough AND practice wearing them in your basement for a few months with all the doors locked? Hopefully by next year you'll emerge from your bunker on the dawn of spring, transformed as the harbinger of high style and reason. Don't worry though, groundhogs got nothing on you. Pink shirts not only separate men from boys - apparently it does the same for groundhogs.

That said, how about learning how to work them pink shirts? Stay tuned for the next post coming up in a couple of days, where I'll put together a few capsule looks revolving around the alluring pink shirt. See you then.

[Shirts by, appropriately, Thomas Pink. Hover over image for style and price info.]

In Summery

These guys look pretty sharp the way they are in their cotton jacket, pants, suit, and everything else. You'll certainly look first-rate dressed this way to work (although the guy in the left can button up the shirt and tighten up the knot for that) and to many social events happening this summer, including the gazillions of weddings that line your iCal from June to August.

But as smart as these guys look, do you find yourself getting a little bored from sporting - or at least seeing - these same ensembles all throughout spring? Now that we're well into summer, want something a bit more summery to heat up your style?

The best way to take these looks from good to smashing with minimal effort is through intelligent accessorizing. Leave the navy jacket, chinos, khaki suit, and light-colored solid shirt on - they'll last you well through Memorial Day and beyond. But by switching up the tie, stuffy shoes, and adding some smokin' shades, you'll easily transform a reliably decent spring/summer look to a more festive, exciting summertime attire that you can enjoy for work and play.

Try this brilliant upgrade to an upcoming summer wedding (preferably outdoors), and you may very well one-up the groom (Unless of course, you're the groom, in which case you'll one-up yourself - now is that such a horrible thing?). Just make sure you're not fairer than the bride, and you're good to go.

Tie One On in Patterned Cotton: Put away the silks and solid numbers for now and get happy with cotton! Either woven or knit, make it a pattern!

Lighten Up Your Step: White-soled lace-ups hit the perfect balance between lightweight and heavy, casual and formal, without compromising even a micro-millimeter on comfort and high style.

Work Your Mojo: Ray-Ban may have developed the first aviator sunglasses, but Tom Ford, being Tom Ford, makes it sizzling hot. It's over three times the price of Ray-Ban, but trust me - you'll get your sexy back ten-fold. Ray-Ban may be a tried-and-true classic, but the discriminating gentleman of wicked summertime sophistication wears Tom Ford Eyewear Cyrille aviators.

[Hover over images for brand, price, and photo credits where available.]

Navy Blazer, Part II: Work It Good

By now you know that the navy blazer is the item to have for summer dressing.

But then what? How do you make it work? What shirts, pants, shoes, belts - and in what colors - do you wear with that amazing navy jacket without looking like you belong to an alma mater or maritime association?

If these burning questions leave you sleepless at night, here are some tips on how to work that glorious navy jacket.

Basic - Solid and Sensational
Collared shirts in solid pale shades such as white, blue, pink, grey, lilac, mint and peach beautifully compliment navy. Wearing a tie? Break up the excess solid by introducing texture, such as a tone-on-tone patterned tie (topmost image) or a solid knit one - double points for patterned knit ties. Want a little more sleek? Go for the monochromatic look with a navy shirt, but undo the top button and ditch the tie - you want to partake in sophisticated ease, solid but well-ventilated - not like you got painted over with navy. For more causal days, knit pullovers in a crew or V in solid or heathered hues look right. Be sure it's the grown-up kind in fine cashmere, silk, or cotton - not the ones you wear to the gym.

Intermediate - Open to Possibilities
Patterned shirts in graphic stripes and checks in small to smallish-medium sizes on white backgrounds look modern, crisp and sharp. Prints aren't for everyone, but if you're a print man, a multi-colored, festive burst of color - chosen tastefully - will provide a playful pop of freshness ideal for summer. Here, you do the opposite of breaking up the monotony of solids (see "Basic"): You now tone down the patterns by wearing a dark, solid tie or a close-to-solid one - in which case a solid knit tie works here just as well. Try knit pullovers in brighter, more eye-catching solids, or in neutral/softer shades accented with tipping. For more visual interest, go for fine knits in thin-to-medium stripes.

Advanced - More is More
Layer pattern-upon-pattern-upon-texture-upon-color-upon-contrast. This one's a bold move, so tread carefully. As not to overdo it, which is very easy to do, designate only one or two bold elements (above, the tie and collar) and let the rest recede - although this patterned shirt is colorful, it's still soft and fine compared to the highly graphic tie. Knit tops are striking, in bold stripes or color blocks. At this level, it's about showmanship, displaying confidence and style - and knee-deep in dandy territory.

A sliver of solid pocket square (by square I mean square) adds final finesse to any of the above options.

Pants: Well-fitting pants in flat front, with straight legs on the slim or slightly tapered side is most current, with a slight break at the hem. If you're one for being in the fashion moment, show a flash of ankle. Colors in white, khaki, and grey are great choices. Jeans can run the gamut from super dark to white to washed/broken-in (see image of the guy with the baseball bat from the post "Spring Colors"). However, show some respect for the jacket and steer clear from too broken-in/distressed jeans, where there's rips and holes - reserve that for panhandling on Venice Beach.

Shoes and Belts: Generally, you want your shoe and belt colors to coordinate. They don't have to be a perfect match (that's boring anyway), but should complement each other. Depending on the occasion, your preference or mood, lace-ups and brogues, loafers and driving shoes, classic sneakers such as Stan Smiths and Jack Purcells are at your disposal. If you're into prep, or boats, there's always the Topsider, which has made a huge comeback lately. You don't need special belts for summer, but ones made from cloth or braided leather are especially appropriate for summer.

Navy with brown shoes and belts are a gorgeous combo - and you already know that. But you may be wondering: What about black shoes and belts with navy? Most people have come to think that black can never be friends with navy, but you know what? Done right, navy-and-black is one bad-ass duo. So how do you do it?

Wearing Navy-and-Black: First, in order to wear black shoes and belts with navy, having other black or blackish elements that link back to them help - this allows the eyes to move around the black parts instead of focusing on the one or two areas. Wearing a light shirt with dark jeans or pants is one option, although I don't recommend wearing black pants unless you know what you're doing. Another is to wear a black-and-white patterned shirt or sweater. If you wear a tie, wear a black one. Worn together with the navy jacket, white or grey pants work better with black shoes and accessories than khakis and other warm colors. You can see some examples of these techniques in the photos above and easily picture them with black shoes and belts.

A caveat: Successful navy-and-black dressing comes with a contingency - confidence. If you don't think you've got it yet, you have plenty to work on with navy-and-brown. Once you've masted that, you can slowly build up to the force that's navy-and-black. No rush. Just enjoy looking splendid every step of the way.

Navy Blazer, Part I: Give Up the Gold

As mentioned on the previous post, the navy sport jacket is the most versatile article of clothing to top off much of anything you wear in warm seasons. Not as serious as black, brighter navy shades feel vibrant, cool and crisp for hot days and nights, while darker navy exudes the gravitas that you may miss from wearing black, but with a bit more life blown into it.

Again, if you find yourself unable to deviate from black, start out with a deep, inky navy that looks dark navy during the day and almost black at night - consider it as training wheels before you advance to a true navy, which should clearly be more blue-cast than black. But even if you never get past this gorgeous shade of midnight, it doesn't matter - you're still wearing navy, and a deep, rich one at that.

No navy blazer talk would be complete without the gold button discussion. I wouldn't completely dismiss them, but they are definitely conventional. It could be argued that it's a classic, but unless you work for the GOP or run within/work in a very conservative and/or exclusive setting, the look will come across out-of-date and boring for most guys who want to show some personality and modernity. Unless you can somehow work it subversively as a fashion statement, it wouldn't fly - and most guys don't have enough fashion savvy to pull it off in this way, anyway. In defense of the gold button though, I would say that the guy below looks handsome and presentable, but from a style and originality perspective, all he's getting from me at best is..."Meh."

If you absolutely love those metal buttons, the only thing I can suggest is to make the switch from shiny gold to matte brass or nickel. Better yet, if you like the look and fit of your navy blazer and can part with the gold buttons, get them replaced with plastic or corozo buttons in a matching shade of navy -  you'll feel like you have a brand new jacket.

Now that you've got a rockin' navy blazer in order, up next: How to work it, and work it good!

Sucker-Proof Blazer

One item you should have equipped in your summer wardrobe arsenal is the cotton blazer, and the best point-of-entry into the world of cotton sport jackets is the navy blazer. Here's a beautiful, modern, innovative version of navy cotton via a summertime classic - the seersucker jacket.

If you've had a curiosity for seersucker, but weren't sure how to - or if you even can - pull off the classic blue-and-white striation that you normally see around and in stores, let this jacket forever extinguish your doubts. Instead of the characteristic blue-and-white stripes of the conventional seersucker variety, this one - by Calvin Klein Collection - is woven in navy-and black, instantly transforming a fabric that induces many questions to one that demands unquestionable chic.

This blazer brims over with smart versatility. First, because the striped colors are tonal instead of in contrast, the fabric has the look of what's called "solid-non-solid," meaning that it looks almost solid, but has a duo-tone surface interest. Additionally, the traditional puckered weave of the seersucker adds another element of texture, rendering much visual interest without need for extra noise or graphic distractions. Second, being both navy and black, the jacket straddles between both color realms, making it even more versatile in sporting over almost anything you wear. During the day, it will look deep navy; at night it will look almost black. Third, it's cut lean and modern in a 2-button style that will take you anywhere and to any occasion, short of a black tie affair.

At $795, it's a stretch on most wallets. But a jacket like this doesn't come around often, and once it's gone, you may never encounter another quite like it. With proper care and wear, the jacket will continue to pay forward in high style, function, and originality for years to come, long after it's paid its sticker price.

But what I'm really hoping for is that the design studios at more affordable labels are smart enough to catch onto this and roll out their versions of this ultra cool, ultra smart seersucker blazer. Unfortunately, if they start development now and it does come to market, you'll see it no earlier than Summer 2011.

So if you find something similar already out there in a price point you can work with, please go ahead and grab it, pay for it, and walk out the store in it - you'd be a sucker not to.

[Photo: Paul Maffi for Details]