I recently read an interesting article that noted even in these challenging financial times, the sales of high end handbags – timeless and iconic styles rendered in exotic skins like crocodile – are in fact quite strong and by some accounts, growing. Buying LongAccording to industry analysts – and fairly clear to most people with…
Tag: Wardrobe/Clothing
Let It Roll
Recently, an OTC reader posed to me the following question: I’d like to ask your opinion on something — do rolled-up/cuffed pants make legs look longer, or shorter? I’m 5′ 7″ and started rolling up the bottom of my jeans/pants to look like a cuff, but was told it made my legs look shorter. (All…
OTC Recommends: Smart Turnout
Every now and then I come across a company that is truly unique and catches my eye. It could be the products or marketing approach. Sometimes it’s their buzz factor or ability to hit the market with the right thing at the right time. In the case of Smart Turnout, it started with a watch…
Candidates & Couture
I thought you all might find this interesting; today, DNR ran a story delving into the American presidential candidates’ and their wardrobes. It is not so much a critique of their sartorial choices as it is an exploration of how their personal styles affect perceptions, the media and the fashion industry. It’s no surprise that…
Well Suited for the World Stage
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a column concerning my decidedly negative opinion of London Mayor Boris Johnson’s appearance at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. I found his ill fitting suit, untucked shirt and generally sloppy appearance both confusing and disappointing. I received a host of responses; a number of them from…
Election Report: McCain’s Wardrobe in Need of a Good Tailor
Many of you may remember Alan Au from an article I posted back in April on style options for shorter men. Au and his father Jimmy, run Jimmy Au’s for Men 5’8” and Under; a leader in providing tailored clothing to shorter men. Over at The Huffington Post Alan posted a great critical analysis of…
Menswear on the Move – Part 2
As we discussed in part one, the New York menswear market is in the midst of renaissance of sorts. But it’s not just luxury brands that are focusing more on the men in their lives; mid market brands are making a statement in the Big Apple too. J.Crew, a favorite everyday brand of Off The…
Style Guide: The Elusive In-Between
Some while back, my fellow MensFlair columnist Simon Crompton and I traded thoughts on the in-between look; that particular style which falls somewhere in the midst of formal and casual. He commented that Americans probably do this a little better than the English. I retorted that I know more than my share of fellow Americans…
The Curse of Smart Casual
A few weeks ago, a reader posed what turned out to be a somewhat complicated question; “what do I wear,” he asked, “to a wedding where the dress code is “smart casual”? In most cases, a wedding is one of those events which is fairly easy to dress for. In the summer, a well tailored…
Style Guide: To Cuff or Not To Cuff
Recently, I had an interesting question posed to me by one of my readers. He had purchased a pair of pleated trousers at Brooks Brothers and it was recommended that he have them hemmed with cuffs. His wife, who is German, objected to this approach and cited her and her European friends’ opinion that stylish…