AllExperts Question: What Makes Good Fashion
This question came to me from www.allexperts.com and I wish to share this with the rest of you:
Question:
I understand that "beauty" and what "looks good" canpossibly remain in the realm philosophical, artistic and scientificexploration forever; but what (if any) are the basic ground rules forbeauty in men's fashion? I'm just beginning to be able to grow into myown sense of fashion, but I'm looking to fine tune it. Are the rulesever changing with trends or are there things that always ring true? Thank you for your time and expert opinion.
This was my answer:
What a GREAT question. It's good toknow there are people out there, especially men, that can ask questionsabout the world around them. This is how we, as a society, grow andlearn. Many people have this, "I don't care what anyone thinks aboutme," and walk around oblivious. "Fashion" sounds feminine and that isnot true.
How you look effects EVERYTHING (and I am nottalking about just what you are wearing) - it effects how you speak toothers, how others treat you, and a host of other things. How youpresent yourself to the world, in my opinion, shows how much yourespect yourself and others.
What may have been fashionable once("Miami Vice" suits) would not look nice today - hence that wonderfulword "trends". I will spare you the specifics, but colours aredictated five years out. Dupont controls most of the yarns whichsupplies the factories, which in turn, creates the fabric. Thedesigners twice a year go to Paris and Milan to purchase the fabricsthey are going to use for their collections (even if designers createtheir own fabrics, they have to use the yarn presented to them).
Thenthe media works with the designers AND retailers to keep things moving- it's a huge wheel. It's wild isn't it? So yes, trends are ALWAYSchanging; they are cycles.
Okay, that is one side of yourquestion. "Beauty is relative" holds true, but you do want to keepabreast of what is fashionable so you can stay current with yourtastes. THAT being said, I don't feel you should look like someoneelse dressed you. I feel you should be your own fashion designer atyour own level, put together items that make a statement of who you are.
Thesecond part of your question, "are there things that always ring true"? The answer is, yes, there are things that always ring true.
Ihave in my library tons of books on the history of fashion. From asfar back as the Egyptians and Greeks, throughout history three keywords have always held true: Silhouette, Proportion, and Fit.
Silhouette
Ifyou were to sit in front of a mirror with a shirt and trousers andoutline your body, that would be the silhouette. If you were wearing ashoulder pads, you would see that something doesn't look right.
Proportion
Howdoes the shirt look with the jacket? If you have a baggy shirt with atight jacket, that obviously wouldn't look right. I would placefabrics, colours, and patterns here as well. If you are wearing aplaid jacket with a striped trouser, that wouldn't look so good.
Fit
Howdoes the shirt fit your body? Are your pants too short? The fit isimportant because if you are short and a little "rotund" a tight shirtwill make you look bigger (and shorter). If you are tall and a skinnybuild, the same look will make you look lanky.
Now how do youtake all this information out into the world to make sure you arecurrent? For example, men's suits have undergone a huge transformationfrom a 1920s look to a tighter, "Mad Men" 1950s look. Suits I had justtwo years ago do not look right today. Pleats are out, flat front isin.
This is where you have to go out there and educateyourself, grab a GQ Magazine or see what some of the actors are wearingto their premieres. It does NOT cost a lot of money, you only need afew key items, like a sweater, a couple of pairs of trousers, a fewshirts, etc.
Your "fine tuning", Thomas, is going to be likedriving a car around town and constantly trying to hear your station. Fashion is constantly changing and you will always be updating - thething is the more you are conscious of it, the better you will get. Itwill eventually become second nature to you.
I want to make sure I answered your question properly. So if you have anything that needs clarifying, please let me know.
If you want to see some of the other questions on allexperts: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Men-s-Clothing-2310/
Question:
I understand that "beauty" and what "looks good" canpossibly remain in the realm philosophical, artistic and scientificexploration forever; but what (if any) are the basic ground rules forbeauty in men's fashion? I'm just beginning to be able to grow into myown sense of fashion, but I'm looking to fine tune it. Are the rulesever changing with trends or are there things that always ring true? Thank you for your time and expert opinion.
This was my answer:
What a GREAT question. It's good toknow there are people out there, especially men, that can ask questionsabout the world around them. This is how we, as a society, grow andlearn. Many people have this, "I don't care what anyone thinks aboutme," and walk around oblivious. "Fashion" sounds feminine and that isnot true.
How you look effects EVERYTHING (and I am nottalking about just what you are wearing) - it effects how you speak toothers, how others treat you, and a host of other things. How youpresent yourself to the world, in my opinion, shows how much yourespect yourself and others.
What may have been fashionable once("Miami Vice" suits) would not look nice today - hence that wonderfulword "trends". I will spare you the specifics, but colours aredictated five years out. Dupont controls most of the yarns whichsupplies the factories, which in turn, creates the fabric. Thedesigners twice a year go to Paris and Milan to purchase the fabricsthey are going to use for their collections (even if designers createtheir own fabrics, they have to use the yarn presented to them).
Thenthe media works with the designers AND retailers to keep things moving- it's a huge wheel. It's wild isn't it? So yes, trends are ALWAYSchanging; they are cycles.
Okay, that is one side of yourquestion. "Beauty is relative" holds true, but you do want to keepabreast of what is fashionable so you can stay current with yourtastes. THAT being said, I don't feel you should look like someoneelse dressed you. I feel you should be your own fashion designer atyour own level, put together items that make a statement of who you are.
Thesecond part of your question, "are there things that always ring true"? The answer is, yes, there are things that always ring true.
Ihave in my library tons of books on the history of fashion. From asfar back as the Egyptians and Greeks, throughout history three keywords have always held true: Silhouette, Proportion, and Fit.
Silhouette
Ifyou were to sit in front of a mirror with a shirt and trousers andoutline your body, that would be the silhouette. If you were wearing ashoulder pads, you would see that something doesn't look right.
Proportion
Howdoes the shirt look with the jacket? If you have a baggy shirt with atight jacket, that obviously wouldn't look right. I would placefabrics, colours, and patterns here as well. If you are wearing aplaid jacket with a striped trouser, that wouldn't look so good.
Fit
Howdoes the shirt fit your body? Are your pants too short? The fit isimportant because if you are short and a little "rotund" a tight shirtwill make you look bigger (and shorter). If you are tall and a skinnybuild, the same look will make you look lanky.
Now how do youtake all this information out into the world to make sure you arecurrent? For example, men's suits have undergone a huge transformationfrom a 1920s look to a tighter, "Mad Men" 1950s look. Suits I had justtwo years ago do not look right today. Pleats are out, flat front isin.
This is where you have to go out there and educateyourself, grab a GQ Magazine or see what some of the actors are wearingto their premieres. It does NOT cost a lot of money, you only need afew key items, like a sweater, a couple of pairs of trousers, a fewshirts, etc.
Your "fine tuning", Thomas, is going to be likedriving a car around town and constantly trying to hear your station. Fashion is constantly changing and you will always be updating - thething is the more you are conscious of it, the better you will get. Itwill eventually become second nature to you.
I want to make sure I answered your question properly. So if you have anything that needs clarifying, please let me know.
If you want to see some of the other questions on allexperts: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Men-s-Clothing-2310/
Posted by George Zaharoff at 20 March 2010, 8:23 PM 
Categories: AllExperts Question
Tags: silhouette mens fashion womens what fit good beauty proportion makes taste look style
Categories: AllExperts Question
Tags: silhouette mens fashion womens what fit good beauty proportion makes taste look style
Comments