That is the question. The doctor's skin crawls every time he sees a man who has misjudged the proper way of dealing with his shirt ends.
Most men get it right when the occasion is on the more formal end of the spectrum or when there is a dress code, however loosely defined - i.e. work, weddings, etc. Where most men go wrong is when its time to hit the town and anything can, but probably shouldn't, fly. Getting the tuck or no tuck right is easy in these situations. It is more science than art. Just follow these simple rules.
1. Both tucked and untucked can fly and look good.
2. There are very few shirts off the rack that can be worn untucked. These shirts will fall an inch or two below your belt and will be slim-fitting around the waist.
3. If the shirt is any longer (if you are hesitating here, then it is too long), you must do some form of tucking.
4. Here you have the option of going for the full tuck or the front tuck (or the wayne gretzky tuck).
5.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Sunday, May 9, 2010
The $190 Blazer Project: Anderson-Little - A Near Hit
The doctor received his Anderson-Little blazer the other day and was very pleased upon first glance. The blazer was nicely arranged so as not to arrive winkled. The fabric looked nice, not top-quality, but nice; it was a little more porous than we would like but this provides added breathe-ability, which Scott Anderson assured. The problem is that the blazer is completely too short in both the arms and body, and this is the longest size available. To Anderson-Little's credit, the doctor is a tough fit (40L). Damn you lanky arms! Back to the drawing board.
Side note: for a great video on how a suit or blazer should fit, go to http://www.gq.com/video and select "How to Buy a Suit" from the right hand column.
Side note: for a great video on how a suit or blazer should fit, go to http://www.gq.com/video and select "How to Buy a Suit" from the right hand column.
The $190 Blazer Project: Take One
Diagnosis: The doctor does not currently own a male wardrobe essential - the navy blazer. Once dubbed the "male exoskeleton", the navy blazer is renowned for its versatility and classic appeal. Its rare to find piece of clothing that's perfect for weddings and more formal affairs to nights on the town and other casual outings.
The goal of the $190 blazer project is twofold. First and foremost, (surprise, surprise) is to procure a navy blazer for a total cost of under $190. Keep in mind that $190 is still a chunk of change, but the goal here is to invest in an essential item that will last a long time. Second, is to somehow customize this blazer to set it apart from the navy blazers that everyone else is wearing.
First, a look at the market...When we think navy blazer, we think iconic American brands, so let's start there.
Brooks Brothers, not surprisingly, offers a nice selection of navy blazers ranging anywhere from $420 to $900. Dr. Dapper generally like Brooks Brothers' style (tough to dethrone its position atop iconic American style) but detests (a strong word I know) the clothiers insistence on classic, boxy cuts for shirts and suits. The point being that any BB blazer would require a good deal of tailoring.
Polo's offerings are similar: a nice selection but at higher price ranges and with a slightly more fashion-forward fit.
While reading one of my favorite online fashion blogs (askAndy - http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/), I stumble across a posting from a clothier that has recently reintroduced itself into the market, Anderson-Little (http://www.andersonlittle.com/). The doctor is too young to remember, but Anderson-Little was a household name to many New Englanders throughout the post WWII era. The brand was bought out in the 1960s but is back as of 2008 offering factory direct navy blazers at a remarkably low cost of $159. I called the factory to ask a few questions (one about the jacket's vents (center) and a second about the jacket's materials (wool/poly blend for breathability)). Guess who answers the phone? None other that Scott Anderson himself. I am impressed with his knowledge and confidence in his blazers and decide to order later that day.
The goal of the $190 blazer project is twofold. First and foremost, (surprise, surprise) is to procure a navy blazer for a total cost of under $190. Keep in mind that $190 is still a chunk of change, but the goal here is to invest in an essential item that will last a long time. Second, is to somehow customize this blazer to set it apart from the navy blazers that everyone else is wearing.
First, a look at the market...When we think navy blazer, we think iconic American brands, so let's start there.
Brooks Brothers, not surprisingly, offers a nice selection of navy blazers ranging anywhere from $420 to $900. Dr. Dapper generally like Brooks Brothers' style (tough to dethrone its position atop iconic American style) but detests (a strong word I know) the clothiers insistence on classic, boxy cuts for shirts and suits. The point being that any BB blazer would require a good deal of tailoring.
Polo's offerings are similar: a nice selection but at higher price ranges and with a slightly more fashion-forward fit.
While reading one of my favorite online fashion blogs (askAndy - http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/), I stumble across a posting from a clothier that has recently reintroduced itself into the market, Anderson-Little (http://www.andersonlittle.com/). The doctor is too young to remember, but Anderson-Little was a household name to many New Englanders throughout the post WWII era. The brand was bought out in the 1960s but is back as of 2008 offering factory direct navy blazers at a remarkably low cost of $159. I called the factory to ask a few questions (one about the jacket's vents (center) and a second about the jacket's materials (wool/poly blend for breathability)). Guess who answers the phone? None other that Scott Anderson himself. I am impressed with his knowledge and confidence in his blazers and decide to order later that day.
The $190 Blazer Project: Doctor's Orders
As many of you know (or will quickly discover), dr. dapper is a young, budget-strapped, self-described fashionista. One of the challenges of dressing well is avoiding the "spend lots, look good" mentality that 99% of fashion-minded individuals fall into. There are two problems with this mentality: one, its expensive and two, spending lots hardly ever correlates with looking good. (Ever seen the wealthy businessman in the boxy, poorly-tailored suit? I thought so).
One of the doctor's goals is to dispel this "spend lots, look good" myth and while doing so, emphasize the difference between being frugal (which is encouraged) and being cheap (which is strongly discouraged). Frugality is spending smartly - understanding that certain items may require high upfront costs but will yield great returns long-term. Cheap is spending stupidly for immediate budgetary gratification; it is cutting corners and will prove sartorially disastrous in both the short-term and the long-term.
To illustrate (hopefully) some well-executed frugality, the doctor presents to you the $190 blazer project...
One of the doctor's goals is to dispel this "spend lots, look good" myth and while doing so, emphasize the difference between being frugal (which is encouraged) and being cheap (which is strongly discouraged). Frugality is spending smartly - understanding that certain items may require high upfront costs but will yield great returns long-term. Cheap is spending stupidly for immediate budgetary gratification; it is cutting corners and will prove sartorially disastrous in both the short-term and the long-term.
To illustrate (hopefully) some well-executed frugality, the doctor presents to you the $190 blazer project...
Welcome
Welcome to Dr. Dapper. This blog is about the "how" of men's fashion - the science behind the art. We all know a well-dressed man when we see him but, alas, how to become!
Dressing well does not require spending mass amounts of money or wasting mass amounts of time. Nor does it require any sort of natural gift. All we need is a little resourcefulness, a little frugality, and a little confidence.
They say dressing well is an art, but behind all good art is great science!
Dressing well does not require spending mass amounts of money or wasting mass amounts of time. Nor does it require any sort of natural gift. All we need is a little resourcefulness, a little frugality, and a little confidence.
They say dressing well is an art, but behind all good art is great science!
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