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Thursday, August 1, 2013

Mens Wardrobe Basics

Wardrobe: A collection of wearing apparel. Merriam Webster’s On-line Dictionary. Men’s wardrobes should have four categories of clothing in it: underwear, pants, shirts and jackets. For young men just beginning to strike out on their own, here are some of the basics you need to acquire. Underwear includes boxers or briefs, undershirts and socks. Regardless of what kind of underwear is under consideration, you need to be sure you have enough in your drawers to last two weeks, in case you have to miss doing laundry one weekend for travel. Some of the best underwear for men in terms of boxers and briefs.

The main purpose of undershirts is to absorb sweat to prevent it from showing on your outer layer of clothes. Some men wear undershirts regularly, while others do not so you may or may not need some. You will also need socks. White socks are worn with athletic shoes in casual situations and for exercise workouts, so you will need a handy stack of them available. Work socks are generally black, blue or brown, so go ahead and get at least 10 pairs total in those three colors. If you want to participate in the current trend for brightly colored socks, by all means do so, but be sure you have the basic colors to revert to once the fashion trend fades. Also, there are some days you feel like wearing lurid purple and yellow socks, and days when you do not. Plan for both types of days. With underwear taken care of, you also need to take stock of your pants selection.

Every man needs at least one to three pairs of jeans, if not more, given their versatile nature. You also should work on getting a selection of other casual pants appropriate for a work setting, such as high-end chinos and khakis. While eventually you would like a wide array to choose from, satisfy yourself right now with picking up enough to get you through the work week, if you work in an environment where they are appropriate. Bargains can be found if you’re patient and look diligently. If you work in a formal office environment, you are going to have to buy at least two or three suits as well as at least one sport coat.

By changing your shirt and tie combinations, your two or three suits will stretch through the work week. The sport coat provides additional versatility – one sports coat paired with three different pairs of pants equals three different suit-like outfits at a fraction of the cost. You also are going to need shirts. T-shirts should normally be outside yard work or playing at the lake or beach. Less formal work environments will find it perfectly acceptable for you to wear a polo shirt with casual pants. More formal work environments are going to want you to have buttoned shirts will full sleeves and button cuffs. The most basic shirt for your work wardrobe is a white cotton oxford shirt. It goes well with everything and works in all but the most casual settings. Other colors of buttoned shirts or polos will be useful at your work, also. When first starting work at a new company, stay conservative until after you have been there about a month and have a better feel for what is acceptable there. Just a few basics can give you an excellent start on your wardrobe.

Remember to buy as much quality as you can afford for the clothing you are going to wear regularly so that it will last as long as you need it to. In no time you will have a basic wardrobe that you can build on for years to come.

Men's Accessories for 2013


Men’s fashion is notoriously more stable than women’s fashion, but that doesn’t mean that change still isn’t present. Men’s fashion accessories are one area where change is happening in 2013.

1. Socks.
My husband’s dress socks are set up, by his request, in stacks – black, blue, brown. It surprised me this year when he came home with black and blue socks with triangle/diamond patterns on them, but that is just the beginning of one of the more colorful trends in men’s accessories. Men have begun to view socks in much the same way as ties – a way to have fun with vibrant colors and interesting patterns. The wave of novelty socks in 2013 is bright, and includes bright yellow, polka dots, teddy bears, skulls in pastel, and any other color combination, figure and pattern you can imagine. One department store in Texas reported to their local paper that it has seen powerful CEO’s, famous actors and even famous athletes buy some of these new, interesting socks. Try some out for yourself and see if you don’t enjoy the chance to loosen up a little bit.

2. Shoes sans socks.
Another fashion trend for summer 2013 is wearing shoes without socks. While this is a fairly natural trend given the summer heat, it does seem a bit odd when paired with the new-found fashion in brightly colored socks! However, remember that (although some people would disagree) it is never appropriate to go sockless at work in an office environment unless your company has a casual dress code or on casual Fridays.

3. Shoes.
With the exception of an increase in the popularity of stitched designs in dress shoes, men’s dress and work shoes have changed little this year, but athletic shoe makers (and users) seem to have caught the same yearning for color that sock makers have. Vibrant, colorful athletic shoes are popular with men. The retro look of canvas tennis shoes continues to stay popular as well. In fact, retro shoes of all shapes are popular this year. While reminiscent of times gone by, today’s retro shoes also have been updated with sleeker outlines and small dashes of color. In keeping with the retro trends, driving moccasins, with either ties or plain tops, and boat shoes both remain popular.

4. Ties.
Ties this year are staying slim. One new trend in ties for 2013 is a proliferation in shades of green and blue green, including emerald and turquoise. Patterned ties are popular again. Patterns seen in stores include diagonal stripes with bold colors, plaids, some of which are discrete and others of which are bold, checks and various shapes.

5. Briefs/Boxers.
New fabrics and manufacturing processes have created briefs and boxers that are better than ever before. One new trend in the brief/boxer market is the manufacture of mens shapewear, which provides comfortable briefs and boxers with certain areas enhanced with padding, both for the look they provide and for comfort. The padding in the front also provides protection far better than that provided by a jock strap or similar clothing item. This new underwear is so cutting edge that currently it can only be found on the internet.

6. Undershirts.
Undershirts are worn underneath other clothes to catch men’s sweat before it reaches the other layers of his clothing. The biggest fashion trend in men’s undershirt is the increase in shapes and styles, as well as a proliferation of high tech fabrics that help the undershirt to fulfill its basic function. It is never appropriate for your undershirt to show underneath your outer layer of clothing, so be sure that you pick a style of undershirt that will not show if your shirt is unbuttoned. Remember too that a T-shirt is not necessarily an undershirt – some undershirts may be made in T-shirt styles, but a true T-shirt meant to be worn as a regular piece of clothing will be thicker and usually look better.

7. Sunglasses.
Sunglasses are essential in the summertime to protect your eyes from the sunlight, so why not indulge in some of the most popular sunglass shapes for 2013? Popular shapes this year include the aviator sunglass, and mirrored and UV protectant sunglasses have maintained their popularity as well. Many of men’s basic clothing needs can be expensive, such as business suits. While some men’s accessories can be just as expensive, such as high-end sunglasses and men’s dress shoes, others are inexpensive and easy to change. Given the current trend towards bright colors and interesting patterns in men’s accessories, go ahead and have a little fun with them – you’ll find it is worth it.  

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