How to Look Like You Actually Belong At A European Airport

So first of all I must ask you to excuse the simplicity of this post as it was originally drafted on a British Airways napkin 30,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.  Secondly, I must admit I've missed all of you terribly and hope the style world failed to ferociously devour any of you during my absence.  Thirdly, Africa was absolutely incredible...but more on that later.

As you might imagine, other than the undeniable European influence within the larger urban areas of the country, Uganda offers very little in the form of inspiration for style blog posts.  However, what did manage to recharge my interior fashionista (or is it the masculine "fashionisto"?) was my time spent in London, England, both in Heathrow Airport and during my short time touring the legendary city itself.

Now ashamedly I must confess that my style-ometer was running almost completely on the opposite side of "refined" during my time in the European hub.  As a friend of mine who has been to England more times than Madonna told me, "You'll know you're in London when you look around and you're the worst dressed person in the entire country."  Now granted, I had just returned from a small village in Eastern Africa where hot showers are a luxury that last little more than 30 seconds, but looking around, I was astounded at the impeccable style of the average business man strolling through the terminal.  Conversely, I stood drenched to the bone after a painfully ignorant decision to wear canvas espadrilles and a t-shirt to the coldest, wettest island on the planet.  I therefore still find it inexplicable that the good people of Britain actually allowed me to set foot in any establishment at all without immediately calling the Bobbies to come and remove the unfortunate-looking American transient standing in their doorway.     

Rock the Euro-Casual

Luckily, if you wish to avoid such embarrassment while traveling through the Mother Land, the solution is surprisingly simple and yet unbelievably dashing. Without question, the commonality between nearly every stylish gentleman I encountered while in London was their adaptation of a classic idea--pairing a dress shirt and blazer with jeans. This look was absolutely everywhere, and it's no mystery why. Insanely simple to put together, and even simpler to personalize. So, let's break down the essentials you'll need to master this look as well as the elements every man can use to customize this staple of European cool.

1. So Where Do You Keep Your Legs? 
You've already got a go-to fitted blazer, right? Good. Now the next step is ditching the chinos and reaching for a perfectly trim pair of jeans, which absolutely make or break this look. Those shredded, wide-legged JNCOs from junior high, have no place here, or anywhere outside of a toxic waste disposal site for that matter. Your jeans should be slim, low rise, in a dark wash. But don't buy into the lie that good jeans cost a year's salary. My absolute best fitting slim jeans came from Old Navy for under $30. I know...I was surprised too.
Old Navy, Men's Premium Skinny Jeans, $39.50

2. Get To The Point

The pointed-toe dress shoe is absolutely everywhere in London and for good reason.  The streamlined profile these shoes provide is stunningly sharp and refined in the way that takes the entire look in a direction far away from that bulky-shoe, XL blazer, disheveled look of the 90s.  And if you're looking for something more comfortable to wear when you're hopping on a plane, for instance, check out some of these ridiculously cool pointed-toe sneakers from TOPMAN.
TOPMAN, Decon Summer Plimsoll, $64
 
3.  Don't Blend In Too Much
Once you've got the basics down, don't be afraid to punch it up with your own personal swagger.  Add a tie, a pocket square, a belt, a beard--whatever fits your style.  Just keep it simple.  If you start adding every accessory you can think of, you'll be cursing yourself as you sit unable to move throughout the duration of your 8-hour flight.  One of the easiest ways to punch some life into this look is to play with the color or pattern of your dress shirt.  Bright, solid colors like blue and purple can do wonders and pinstripes and plaid give you a decidedly American look.  But just in case you were wondering, floral-patterned dress shirts (like those from the 1970s) are coming back in Europe in a big way (although very slowly), so perhaps you can take the initiative and be a frontrunner in getting the trend back to the States.  Whatever you decide, rock it with that American confidence we used to be famous for.  With any luck, maybe you can make up for any damage I did last week to the global perception of American style.  Here's to hoping.

Pardon the Interruption

I'm heading off tomorrow for a couple of weeks on my second trip to Africa to teach in some local schools and orphanages.  As you may imagine, it's a bit difficult to write a blog post with your arms full of African children.  So, as it is, I trust you to fend for yourselves in the perilous world of style in my absence.

But as a parting gift, I leave you with some absolutely beautiful photography taken by a friend of mine when she was in Cote d'Ivoire, Africa a few months ago.  Her work is absolutely stunning, so please give it a look.  Other than that, God Bless you all and I'll see you soon.  Cheers.

(Click Each to See Larger)

(Click Here To See More)

Men of Inspiration: Ryan Gosling

Unfathomably lucky.  That's what you were if you, like myself, were fortunate enough to be in the dating world when the tear-jerking, passion-filled romantic epic The Notebook came to theaters.  Well...at least you were for a moment.  Because you see at first, this film was the absolute perfect date movie--guaranteed to make her bawl her eyes out upon the shoulder of the loving, tenderhearted gentleman seated beside her.  Sneak the arm around--check.  Do a couple of sweet things to prove you're every bit as charming as Noah--check.  However, it was not until weeks or months later unfortunately that you discovered that you couldn't keep it up, and while you had given yourself a pretty good romantic head start, you could never possibly live up to that bearded man-beast kissing in the rain by a majestic lake motif and would subsequently end up living in the shadow of a fictional character for the inexplicably short duration of your relationship.   

Edward Cullen, who?  I'm talking about the real relationship killer--Ryan Gosling.  And while my wife will tell you I've chosen Ryan as this post's Man of Inspiration because I was once told I looked like the dashing heartthrob by a near-sighted, college freshman girl, my actual reason for choosing Mr. Gosling is simple: the man is absolutely unstoppable.  With over a dozen films under his belt, ranging from box office giants like Remember the Titans and Fracture to greats such as Blue Valentine and Lars and the Real Girl, which provide him with some serious indie cred, Gosling has become one of our generation's best leading men at barely 30 years old.  Add to that, his eery, folk indie band Dead Man's Bones and his uncanny ability to grace the best dressed list of any awards show in the universe with his impeccable style and you truly begin to see why I've had a completely heterosexual Man Crush on this guy for a great while.

But with all that said, let's break down one of my absolute favorite looks from the epically suave Mr. Gosling, pictured here with his Blue Valentine co-star Michelle Williams:

1.  The Rugged, Wicked Cool Leather Jacket
If you've got the cash, invest in a quality leather bomber jacket that'll last long enough to pass on to your grand kids.  Gosling masters the look here by pairing it with a much more "dressed-up" ensemble rather than the usual AC/DC shirt and chaps.  If you're like me and it's perhaps a bit out of the budget range, you can also go with the much less expensive, and still very cool beat-to-heck jean jacket in a dark wash like this one from Levi's. 

2.  The Endlessly Versatile Cardigan 

Take a note from Ryan with his mastery of layering.  A simple, classic cardigan in gray can take you from a brisk morning to a more formal evening under your favorite blazer or, in this case, your best bad boy jacket.  It's an absolute essential for the gentleman's closet and you can find them nearly everywhere, like this one from Urban Outfitters.
Urban Outfitters, Hawkings McGill Classic Cardigan, $39

3. The Scarf
Without a doubt, Gosling's scarf is what makes this look exceptional.  While many men would surely steer clear of one this....elegant, the confident cool and rugged good-looks of the dapper Crazy Stupid Love star somehow lets him pull it off with unbelievable swagger.  But if you're a little apprehensive, try a more "manly" (although less punchy) option.

4. The Kicks

*Consulted Source: The GQ Eye

Although you can't see it in the above picture, I have full confidence that Gosling is sporting some extremely sharp kicks--since previous evidence has often proven such a hunch. (see left)  As a master of style, Gosling understands that a man's shoes can skyrocket a look from humdrum to wickedly sharp instantly.  In the picture to the left, Gosling is seen sporting some historic shoe accessories straight out the 1800s (spats)* with the same modern jacket and slim trousers as the picture above.  Don't be afraid to draw inspiration from the unique styles of past eras.  As Gosling shows, channeling the gentlemanly spirits of generations past gives you a brilliantly cool style that'll be the envy of every guy out there still trying to figure out where he went wrong in taking his high school girlfriend to see The Notebook.  

Stacy Adams, Men's Madison Cap-Toe Spat Boot, $116
Or the cheat: White Spats - Adult Size, $16

The Rain In Spain: Part I

Anonymous asked: What are the core, basic, essential, elements that make a gentleman a gentleman? More inherent than purchased.

This, dear readers, is an excellent question...and yet, simultaneously, a nightmare to answer.  And while I'm not entirely sure, I believe its elusiveness may derive from the fact that it single-handedly summarizes the entire purpose of this blog--which of late (to my shocking revelation) may have began to focus on a single area of gentlemanly "style" disproportionately to the others.  And although I certainly agree fully with the words of the legendary William Shakespeare when he said, "The apparel oft proclaims the man," the modern gentleman is exponentially more than the mere shards of fabric he chooses to wrap around his body.  Mannerisms, honor, courage, swagger--these are the marks of the refined, civilized man on which no price tag may be pinned.  

And so it is, with great questions, must come great attempts at plausible responses--and quite frankly, this type of questions commands more than a mere few dozen words and Google pictures to do it justice.  Thus, I would like to answer this question more comprehensively through a mini-series of posts in which the essentials to gentlemanly character are presented in a more detailed, step-by-step manner--much like a coaching of sorts in the ways of civilized people.  It is therefore without further ramblings, my fair gentlemen, that I present the first two essentials for gentlemanly character:

1. The Confident Stride That Suits Any Occasion  

One of the absolute first things people notice about a man is his demeanor--his posture, his expression, all working together to form an undeniable glimpse into the character behind the mask.  For a gentleman, this is extremely important.  If your posture makes you appear as a passable member of an African baboon colony with the added bonus of a demeanor to match those still furious at nature for bestowing them with bright red bottoms, you might need some work.  Take a note from the king of gentlemen--James Bond in this clip from the film, Die Another Day:

While this movie as a whole was far from the crowning achievement of the British spy's franchise, I specifically love this scene because every time I see it, I'm reminded of my grandmother's words (who was sitting next to me in the theatre) when the dashing Mr. Brosnan strides into the hotel lobby:

"Goodness Gracious, how can he still look so dang sexy even when he's dressed like a homeless man?"

 Take it from my nanny...it's all about the swagger.

2.  A Gentleman Always Makes an Entrance

The key to the gentlemanly entrance?  Effortless cool, sharply dressed, inexplicably knowledgeable, and irresistibly mysterious.  But if you're like me and you've still got some room for exponential expansion in one or four of these areas, don't panic.  It's the charisma that counts.  Whatever you do, DO NOT be the guy in the corner of the room glued to his pathetically unimpressive smart phone eying anything with more curves than a pear with a look of insatiable hunger.  Instead, be the guy who talks to anybody and everybody, but never too much. Be the man who offers to pull out a chair for a lady and is keen enough to spend more of his time gleaning from the wisdom of the elder gentlemen in the room than standing idly around with the arrogant, self-important 20-year-olds by the punch table.  Act the gentleman.  Before you know it, you'll be the IT guy at every function imagenable.

Check back soon for more!  Cheers.