When OneKind found out that Dan Mims (founder of The Ethical Man) was a supporter of our work, we thought it would be great to have all OneKind men benefit from his animal-friendly fashion know-how this Christmas. Read his post below
The holiday season is a reminder to "be good for goodness' sake," a chance to revere the chilly-but-ecologically-vital wonders of winter weather, a great time to resolve to be even more compassionate in the coming year. It's also a time when even the most uptight among us can let loose and have some fun for an evening or two.
Of course, that doesn't mean a man should let loose with his appearance or his ethics. In fact, 'tis the season to up your game by making fashionably and morally informed choices with regard to pieces, fit, colors, and patterns -- especially if you're single, but also if you have a partner to impress. From the office party to the kids' school play after-party to the neighbor's awkward attempt at a block-tail party to the vegan family dinner and, as in my case, to the we're-Jewish-and-we've-got-spirit soiree -- there's still one simple rule to live by: It's better to over-dress than to under-dress. Others forgive -- no, they admire -- taste and style whenever it manifests, even when it isn't required or expected.
As a preamble to offering my take on strong, ethical style over the next couple of weeks, allow me to state the obvious: Unless your Xmas or New Year's party is thematically ironic, please don't wear depictions of holiday accoutrement -- trees, ornaments, menorahs, wrapped presents, elves, wreathes, confetti, etc. Not even on your underwear -- although, if you ignore my advice and wear a sleigh-ridden sweater or a mistletoed hat or pink 2011 sunglasses, nobody's going to see the reindeer prancing across your undies anyway! And I want the best for you.
So, without further ado, here is some field-tested advice to consider as you dress to impress this holiday season.
Pieces
Your first job as a good man is to do the right thing, which means using alternatives to common but cruel winter materials like wool and leather. Your second job is to look handsome as hell, which means, first and foremost, picking the right pieces.
Think holistically. Your pieces should add up to a sophisticated sum, conveying thought and understanding. A lot of that has to do with the other things we'll talk about -- fit, patterns, colors. But the first decision to make is about the kinds of things you're going to wear. If wearing a dress shirt, consider layering on top with a buttoned-up cardigan (rather than a more typical long-sleeve tee/sweater) to show off more shirt and tie, and to widen your chest. Whatever layer you choose -- cardigan, long-sleeve tee, sweater -- try pulling up your sleeves to the back of your cuffs. Your arms will look stouter and it's a great way to "dress down" while actually looking better. And of course, with your dress shirt cuffs showing, it's a great moment to wear a simple watch with faux leather strap, which adds a dash of pleasing asymmetry. [NON-WOOL PEA COATS, NON-SILK TIES & BOW TIES: THE ETHICAL MAN. COTTON CARDIGANS: TOPMAN.]
Fit
Wearing clothes that fit well screams confidence, and that's a fantastic social assist (even better than the "naughty" spiked punch at the bar). Even though we all have our individual body shapes, most of us should be optimizing towards a broadly attractive direction -- wide shoulders, trim waist, contoured legs. That's a positive way of saying what we should be trying to avoid -- the hourglass and the pear body shapes. Wearing tapered pants mitigates the former, while wearing tapered shirts beats back the latter.
You can tell when you're wearing clothes that fit well because they enhance your favorable contours and create a somewhat angular look. It's the dressing-up version of having a point of view, which, as any cocktail conversationalist knows, you should have.
Patterns
Your shirt and tie should contrast. One solid, one patterned plays it safe in the sense that you know the combo will work. And while amazing things can happen when you pair a checkered shirt with a finely dotted tie, for example, the holiday party might not be the time to try something for the first time.
An oft-overlooked consideration is that patterns also interact with fit -- or at least, the way things appear to fit. If you want to broaden your torso, wear a check or plaid dress shirt, or a horizontally striped layer over a dress shirt. It pulls the eyes to the sides, increasing your perceived width. On the other hand, if you want to look slimmer, wear a dress shirt with vertical stripes and no top layer.
Colors
It doesn't matter what time of year it is -- green and red don't go together! My favorite color palette this year is navy blue, maroon, brown, and cream/white. When picking a nice pair of slacks or even jeans (remember -- tapered!), choose midnight blue, solid black, or solid grey. Brown belt and shoes can go with the midnight blue or the grey; black belt and shoes can go with anything, though they'll go best with the grey or black. For outerwear (such as your winter pea coat), grey is an excellent choice because it goes with anything.
In Conclusion
That's it for now. I hope you'll take this advice and run with it. Most of all: Go forth and party handsomely and ethically this holiday season! Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year from The Ethical Man.