ACCESSORIES: IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS…
June 19, 2008 – 3:01 am
Just because it’s summer does not mean that a man shouldn’t look pulled together and polished. Accessories are the key to a sophisticated look. And they can also be an outfits undoing. What we know is this; women judge other women by their purses and their shoes. The first thing I notice about a man (other than his face, butt and pecs) is his shoes. Then his watch.
Let’s talk the essential men’s accessories; Watches. Shoes. Bags/totes. Sunglasses. Fragrance.
It is so important for a man to wear a good watch. That doesn’t mean you must break the bank. When in doubt go big, go stainless. A good stainless watch from Timex to Tag Heuer to Rolex, can be worn sporty or dressed up. In the past few seasons companies like Diesel and Red Monkey have been doing funky watches in metal and leather. They each boast large even 60s/70s looking faces which read a bit hip and high-tech. Speaking of high-tech, if you are looking for something a little whimsical try a Casio G-Shock. I own two, one in baby blue and one in black. They are solar powered, feature 48-city world time, LED light, and a countdown timer.
Summer is a tough season for shoes. Most guys toss on a pair of Havaianas and blast out the door. If you must wear flip flops (which I view as giving up unless you are at the beach) please get a pedicure. And a foot and toe wax. There are few things worse than crusty, callused heels, overgrown toenails and hair on the tops of a man’s feet and toes. Most importantly nothing is sexier than well-groomed feet. For summer go with a pair of slip-on sneakers. Not Vans, especially if you are over 18. Why not try classics from Izod or Sperry? Or go high-end chic with Marc by Marc Jacobs and Bottega Veneta or hip and trendy and yes, silver woven, by Boss Orange. Another super stylish option is to go old-school and try nylon Nike Cortese or Puma Anjans in a great color like dark red or baby blue with black. These work with everything from jeans to chinos to trousers to a suit. For anything else in summer don’t stray from the basics. Suede brogues work. So do bucks and if you must wear hard shoes go classic with round-toed lace-ups or oxfords.
The man purse. No we don’t refer to it as that! Every guy has to have a tote of some sort to carry their lives in. Summer is hard because with less layers; i.e. blazers or jackets, you have less pockets. Now you can go all-out-over-the-top-genius-glam and do the $65,000 crocodile-leather attache from Gucci. Okay who can do that? Or you can do the Prada black satchel bag with brown leather straps (LOVE!). It’s $2,120 and lovely. The most utilitarian of all the bags is the messenger. Jack Spade makes a fantastic one. It’s nylon so it’s sturdy, has lots of pockets on the inside and is perfect to use to tote your laptop.
One must-have summer essential is a hot pair of sunglasses. Sunglasses, shades, specs, whatever you call them, you must have a pair. Actually you need a couple. Finding the right pair is easy. First look at the shape of your face. Round faces should stay away from too round. Look for styles that are angular or rectangle. A square face consists of a strong jaw, a broad forehead and wide cheekbones. Look for styles that will give the face some definition like round or oval. 2 good rules of thumb when looking for shades? Sunglasses should be in proportion to the size of your face. Small face, small glasses. Large face? Larger sunglasses are best. The second rule is the frame shape should contrast the shape of the face.
You can never go wrong with aviators. Almost any face can carry this classic shape. Try Michael by Michael Kors or the Italia Independent black plastic aviators with a keyhole detail.
I consider fragrance an accessory. You put it on and it adds that extra special something to an outfit. Every man should have a signature scent. He should also change it up seasonally. For summer you definitely want to go lighter than a musky fall/winter scent. A summer scent should be fresh. No one wants to smell like everyone else so stay away from anything Calvin Klein or Ralph Lauren and don’t even think about going old school like Grey Flannel or Lagerfeld. Spend some time at the fragrance bar and look for new. Gendarme Sky is a great new scent. It has notes of sweet lime, green lemon, magnolia flower and Asian pepper oil. It’s sexy without being too musky. My personal favorite summer scent is Cereus #4. With a zest of crisp green apple it has a unique blend of citrus while papyrus rounds out the body of the fragrance. Another great scent to try is Bulgari Aqua Pour Homme Marine. It has hints of grapefruit and white cedar. It’s light and fresh, almost an afterthought which is just what you want a scent to be. Cologne shouldn’t announce your arrival nor linger after you are gone.
So that’s it men. It’s all about the extras. The things that set you apart from everyone else. True style is taking a look, adding to it and making it your own.
M*
Sofia Coppola - The queen of the cool girls. Marc’s best gal pal is a talented filmmaker, Hollywood royalty & mixes vintage, designer & new labels unlike anyone else. She is year in & year out one of the world’s most stylish women.
