Self Improvement for the Everyday Male

Some Simple Things

2010-03-18T01:47:00.004-04:00

Dear Gentlemen,

I've taken so long to finally update this thing, my apologies. Internet connection in my university is absolutely horrible and blogspot is even blocked in mainland China. I purchased a personal VPN from Witopia which helps me access youtube, facebook, and this blog. If you're ever in China or any other country that blocks any sites, Witopia is pretty reliable in helping you surpass the "Great Firewall of China" In the last post, I mentioned how horrible the manners here were of the Chinese people. It's not their fault however, they simply aren't acquainted with many Western ideals and etiquette. What is acceptable in the States, may not be acceptable here and vice versa. There are definitely some things that need to be rid of, really disgusting and unacceptable things and I thought I'd just go over some things that may seem like common sense to many in the West, but unknown to tons of people here.

1.) Spitting

This was the first thing I noticed. When I got off my plane from Incheon, Korea and arrived in Hangzhou, China I waited at the terminal for my dad's friend to pick me up. While I was waiting there a middle aged woman (probably in her 40's) was walking by and spit a giant glob just a few feet from me. Disgusting. I don't think I've ever seen a female spit like that EVER in the U.S. This wasn't the only instance either. If you walk around China, you'll notice people literally spitting everywhere no matter what sex or age you are. Another woman who was riding a bike past me "hawked" up a big one and spat it at my feet and then pedaled away...amazing. If you absolutely need to spit something out, do it in private somewhere like a bathroom or somewhere you won't absolutely disgust the people around you. It's not a good look at all and will most likely turn off everyone who witnesses you doing it. I couldn't help but think of this scene:

2.) Kleenex and Tissues

Its rained here everyday for 3 weeks and just recently has been getting a bit sunnier. Tons of people are sick and blowing their nose into tissues. No problem with that but what I noticed, both natives and foreigners, is that after they blow their nose into the tissue they open it up and look it at and then throw it away....? I've actually seen quite a few people in the states do this as well and it is a really nasty habit. There is absolutely no need to see what is left in the tissue, once its used just throw it away..please.

3.) Family Style Restaurants

Have any of you ever eaten with a bunch of people at a Chinese rotating table? Something like this:

Well here in China, when my friends and I go out to eat some Chinese food we are almost always seated at something like this. This is a family style dinner, where everyone shares each dish that comes out. We ordered maybe 2 meat dishes, 2 fish dishes, some vegetables, and tons of rice. I was with with around 8 people, 3 other Americans and the others were from the UK, Kenya, Congo, Austria, and Italy. I was really annoyed at the fact that 2 of the 3 Americans completely devoured the meat dishes before even giving a chance to the other's. It seemed like it was a race to see who could eat all the meat as fast as they could. I kind of made eye contact with the other foreigners who were equally appalled at the fact that the first dish only made it to 2 people on the table. I was embarrassed and wanted to say something to them but was told not to by one of my Italian friends. Point: When you're eating at a restaurant, especially a family style restaurant, offer or serve other's a portion of the dish before devouring 90% of it on your own. This happened again and again and many of us just go to eat in smaller groups now...bah!

4.) Soups - Eat them with a spoon please

Every time I go to eat, I hear loud slurping...everywhere. People slurping food from their dish, soups from bowls, people even slurping their drinks. It's not very nice to hear every 3 seconds. Now I know probably nobody in China may read this blog however this is just a reminder for those of you that do follow this site. Please do not slurp while you eat. If you order a soup like dish at a restaurant, you can finish the soup easily with a spoon without making a racket. There should never be a reason for you to hold the soup up to your face (the natives hold everything, even their food plates to their mouth and just inhale everything on it) and slurp up what's left in it.

I'm sure there are some other things that crossed my mind that I wanted to write about but that seems to be all for now. It's almost been a month already since I've been here, I'm still being culture shocked everyday but I have really grown to love this place and I know for sure that China will become even more of an amazing country in time. Here are some photo's of some places I've been to so far, just to share with you guys.

Night Market in Hangzhou

Shanghai Circus

Shanghai

Closing Words: There are so many pictures I've taken since I've been here. The ones posted were only a few of them. China is a really amazing place, if you get an opportunity to ever visit this country, do not hesitate! Travelling is honestly one thing I want to keep on doing for the rest of my life, exploring other parts of the world really opens up your eyes and expands your mind to so many things. I hope all of you keep the simple things in mind when you are out eating with your friends or with other people. I believe we should always be aware of others and as often as possible try and put them before ourselves. I've said this time and time again but the more you give, the more you will receive. More pictures/videos to come!

Greetings from Hangzhou, China

2010-03-05T03:17:00.000-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

Ni hao! I have landed safely in Hangzhou, China and already I've been experiencing so many life changing things. Not being able to speak the language is a huge detriment and I am forced to constantly travel with a companion who can translate for me. I've registered at Zhejiang University and just received internet connection a few days ago(took over a week). Unfortunately the Chinese government blocks sites like Facebook, Youtube, and yes even Blogspot, which is why I couldn't update for such a long period of time. After meeting tons of people from over 12 countries, one of my friends allowed me to use her "internet proxy" which is now allowing me to write in this blog and what will continue to allow me to keep it running through the next year.

The manners of the natives here in China are absolutely horrid haha. The country itself isn't very acquainted with western etiquettes that we view as common sense. I feel there is a need to cover the basics in manners and will do so in the next post. I'm very excited to be given an opportunity to live in such a different and interesting environment and am greatly looking forward to what I will be learning and in turn sharing with all of you. As mentioned before, I plan on using more personal photos and video footage with future updates. Many sites are limited and quite a hassle to go through with the proxy service but I will update as often as I can. This will be all for now, the next posting will come very shortly so until then keep safe, warm, and check back often for more postings. Cheers!

Quick Updates Before My Move

2010-02-16T15:57:00.006-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

How has everyone been doing? The snow is coming down very hard right now and there's something very peaceful and pleasing watching how steadily everything turns to a nice shade of white. I hope all of you guys had a lovely Valentine's Day either with your lady friend or a night out with the guys. I spent quite a nice evening out in the city with my girlfriend. We visited "The Garage" an antiques and vintage item open market that I've read quite a bit about, and then checked out the Barney's warehouse mega-sale right afterwards. Neither of us found anything great, just saw a bunch of crazy shoppers (especially at Barney's). Men were trying on pants out in the open and women were trying on tops with their breasts exposed; they didn't seem to care! Sad to say, I will be leaving the States and moving to China exactly a week from today. The day is finally coming and a plethora of emotions are running in and out of my mind. Feelings of sadness, excitement, and nervousness have been eating me alive but deep down I know this move will be a great experience and truly a memorable chapter in my life which I am ready to begin.

This is going to be my last update from my small desk in northern New Jersey and the next one will be from another small desk but in Hangzhou, China! (Any readers have experience here or in Shanghai?). I've been getting quite a few emails about my APC's and how they've progressed since my "Raw Denim" post so I thought I'd share a few snaps of how they look right now.

Day 1 6 Months

12 Months - First Soak

14 Months

15 Months - Just washed these again a few days ago

As you can see, they've gotten considerably lighter in the past month. I'm pretty pleased with how their are turning out. Again if you have any questions of sizing, washing, or anything else feel free to comment or email me.

I recently wrote about Scott's leather goods and wanted to give a small update on that post as well. I took some better pictures(the last ones weren't too clear in my opinion) of my leather belt and how it has been aging, again I'll do a quick picture summary of their progression:

Bought New

Now over a year old

Again, very pleased with how this belt is turning out. Quality is really great on these...Scott read my posting and being the nice guy he is offered to make me some great bracelets for FREE! What a nice guy...

The one of the left was his own design and the one on the right is a replica of the 3Sixteen Dual strapped leather bracelet. He even treated it with some nice aging oil, stay tuned for updates on how that begins to age during my stay in China.

I also purchased a Vado HD pocket camcorder recently to document my experiences overseas. I'm planning on utilizing more media, both videos and photo's, and maybe share some more personal experiences with you guys in the future.

Closing Words: I know there wasn't any good content in this post to read. It also seems like my writing in this post seems a bit all over the place and incoherent. Sorry for that but even when I was updating with this post just so many things were running through my mind at the same time. I'll be gone for a year to a country where I don't know anyone, don't speak more than a couple words of the language, and be placed in an environment completely different than the east coast of the United States. (I heard they block Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook in mainland China...wow). Anyways it's been great starting this blog here, but I think my move will be influence how I write and also the content of the blog so that should be a really great change that I am looking forward to. Until next time, stay warm, healthy, and safe and charge all of life's challenges head on! I'm really going to try and make the most of the absolute most of my life in China, cheers to all!

The Gentlemen: A 24/7 Job

2010-02-03T16:00:00.012-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

It was nice to see some more comments in the last post, I even got a few emails about my belt and my APC's. For anyone that was curious, the leather belt was not treated with any oils or anything. It's probably a good idea to oil it to keep the leather healthy but it isn't quite necessary for it to start aging well. Anyways, I read a ton of blogs and websites on the daily and came across more than one mentioning of the word "gentleman". It seems as if there is slow resurgence of the mid 20th century "gentleman" persona these days. People are wearing suits and ties more than ever, males are noticeably paying more attention to their grooming habits, and men seem to be striving to be the most well learned, well dressed, and politely mannered Renaissance man they can be. It's pretty exciting that all of this is happening now, maybe our generation still has a shot at redeeming ourselves from the "never gone through any hardship been spoon-fed all the luxuries in life" era to establishing ourselves as a period in time where we looked great and behaved like true gentlemen: well mannered, educated, and clean cut. It's nice to hear this word thrown around more often other than this blog and I wanted to point some things out that all of us can start doing/working on to really "Improve ourselves on the inside and out".

Mannerisms and Etiquette

The Dinner Table - Your table manners can speak volumes, yes volumes about what type of person you are and how you were raised. If you don't think people notice, trust me, they DO.

1.) How To Use a Fork and Knife - I kind of get turned off a bit when I see someone who really has no idea how to handle their utensils at the dinner table, especially at a formal event or a nice restaurant. Chances are you're going to be using a knife and fork to cut that tasty piece of meat, so here's how to hold it correctly. (This is for right handed readers, if you're left handed just switch!) The fork goes in your left and the knife goes in your right. Your right hand is dominant, so it should do all the cutting and all the left hand has to do is hold whatever you are cutting in place. Your index fingers should be pointed out and aligned with the utensils like this:

It should never seem like you are holding a dagger of some sort ready to stab your steak or start hacking away it. If you haven't been holding your utensils like the picture above, well now you know. Work on this the next few times you eat out and it'll become habit within no time.

2.) Bread, Bite Size, Butter - I was at a top-notch Italian restaurant over the holidays with my graduating college class. We all gathered to see each other for the first time in a while so we decided to go somewhere pretty nice and enjoy a nice meal together. Everyone was hungry and as soon as the bread came out everyone began to dig in. Now I couldn't help but notice how a couple of my friends ate their bread. No I wasn't intentionally trying to check to see how people ate or anything but it was just that obvious how unappealing it was!

Case #1: Each slice of bread was pretty big as in it would take the average person about 10 bites to finish it. One particular friend of mine buttered the entire piece at once and began eating it like it was a slice of New York style Pizza....!!! (Yea the very large ones). If some of you are thinking "it's just bread, isn't that how you're supposed to eat it?" you are horribly mistaken my friend. Instead, grab the slice just like everyone else does and place it on your plate. Then with your hands (yes you can use your hands) you simply rip off a bite size piece, butter it, and place it in your mouth and chew away. That's how you do it.

Case #2: This particular friend got the bite size part down, but failed at the buttering part. How? Here's how: The butter came in 3 different dishes for the entire table to share. She had her bite size piece in hand but decided to slam DUNK it in the butter dish, leaving tons of crumbs behind in the butter...!!! Instead, you should use your knife and take a small but sufficient amount from the dish and place it on your plate for you to use. That's how you do it.

< --- Not a good look at all...

3.) Wear Your Napkin - Yep, either tuck it into your shirt (yes it's acceptable) or simply place it on your lap (what I like to do). This will prevent you from getting any annoying stains on your outfit (white especially) and save you some embarrassment if you're on a date or an important gathering. Now I prefer to keep the napkin on my lap because once the napkin does have some stains on it from your food, you don't want to constantly expose them to the people around you. If you want to wipe your mouth, do it, but return it to your lap so it's not out there in the open during the entire meal!

4.) Pull Out - I'm talking about her chair guys..when you're on a date little things like pulling out her chair may seem a bit on the cheesy side but it isn't at all. It'll actually score you some points showing her how much of a gentlemen you can be. It's little things like this that'll make her take notice and will definitely do more good than harm.

Other Things to Keep In Mind

1.) Grooming - Being well groomed should definitely be a top priority for any gentleman. Nobody likes to see a dirty looking man or even be anywhere near a smelly one. Why wouldn't you want to look and smell your best at all times is my question.

Shower - Take a quick shower before getting ready for a night out. You can take a 5 minute shower and it can really rid of any body odors that may be lingering around from the entire day.

Brushing Teeth - I try and brush my teeth after every meal, keyword: try. Again investing only a few minutes to do so will surely prevent you from ever scaring away somebody with your breath. Carry a pack of gum or mints around as well, they could come in handy.

Shaving - I use an electric shaver right before heading out to run some errands or to meet a buddy of mine for a quick beer or two but this won't suffice for long nights out. Shaving with a razor will give you a MUCH closer and cleaner look, and again people will notice. If you like to keep a mustache or a beard of some sort, definitely keep that trimmed and clean looking as well like this:

Image taken from The Sartorialist

2.) Strive to Learn - People get surprised and say "Oh I actually learned something today" as if that's a rare occurrence. You should be learning many things each and everyday of your lives. It doesn't have to be things of utmost significance but you should be expanding your knowledge and mind with as much information as you can. Stay current with the news, know what's going on around you and around the world. Know what the weather is going to be like for the day or for the week. (You can prepare outfits accordingly, I hate getting stuck in rainstorms with any of my suede shoes). Read a book, a blog, a newspaper, or a magazine. There's tons of things out there to learn and why not indulge yourself in as much as you can. Knowledge is POWER.

3.) Obey the Golden Rule - If you don't know it, here it is: Do unto other's as you would like them to do unto you. I'm trying to base my life around this simple rule. You don't have to be religious or anything to apply this idea to your personal life. You don't have to necessarily go out of your way to help people all the time but if it's something as little as holding the door for someone or even blessing them after a sneeze then why not? This might at least get a "thank you" or even a smile out of them. If things go really well then maybe you can spark up a nice conversation and who knows what that can lead to? Try following the golden rule and you'll begin to notice that the people you encounter will reciprocate your behavior to the people around them. Love and kindness is contagious.

4.) Your Attire - Never go under-dressed to any event. If anything, it's ok to be slightly over-dressed. You don't want to be the only guy wearing a basic tee, a pair of jeans, and some running shoes amidst a sea of dress shirts and ties. On the other hand, it wouldn't be bad at all to be the most dressed up person in the room, you'll look sharper than the rest of the guys and that should grab you some positive attention. Another thing, don't wear anything wrinkled or stained in the slightest. Even a clean Hanes t-shirt will look better than a wrinkled up Ralph Lauren dress shirt.

5.) Accessorize - If your feeling a bit on the lazy side before heading out, no need to do your hair or wear a shirt and tie. Go out in a t-shirt and a pair of khaki's but pay more attention to the details. Those newspaper boy hats, fedora's, and top hats are very in right now and can transform a basic look into a pretty stylish one. You can also try some leather or beaded bracelets or necklaces, anything that will up your fit from a basic tee/jean look to something more. Try something new, take some risks. There aren't any rules for what you decide to wear.

Newspaper Boy Cap Straw Woven Fedora

Closing Words: There's a lot more one can work on than just what I mentioned but those were just some things I personally wanted to improve. I really think every male out there should strive to be the best they can be in terms of looks, attitude, and just a true gentlemen that people will love just being around. Here's a short little clip of Fonzworth Bentley, one of the dudes in media who really evoked gentlemen-like styles into the mainstream, talking about a few things that I found pretty interesting and somewhat educational.

Leather Goods: Better With Age

2010-01-27T13:04:00.005-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

I've been pretty busy getting ready for my move to China so sorry for the lack of updates. Spending time with my close ones is really all I want to do with my remaining time in the States, but that doesn't simply mean I can just ignore this blog! Just this morning, I was admiring how much my A.P.C. New Standards had faded even more since my post on Raw Denim. (I'll make another denim evolution post on them in the future). Seeing how they completely change its look and become more aesthetically pleasing over time depending on your lifestyle is something I find pretty cool. As I was about to fold them up and place them in my drawer, I removed my leather belt that has been with the A.P.C.'s since the beginning and noticed how well the leather on it aged over the past two or so years. I actually purchased this thick leather belt in somewhat of a "raw" state as well; it was freshly made of horsehide and stiff as a rock when I first received it. I remember I couldn't even get the buckle to fasten to the middle hole without using a little extra strength to do it. What began as a very inflexible and light brown piece of horsehide slowly evolved into a much softer, and a beautiful golden-brown colored belt that has been through just as much beating as any pair of jeans I own.

I was looking for a relatively thick and sturdy leather belt to use for at least a year or so and had heard of an individual by the forum name "Unlucky" who produced leather pieces by hand. I came upon a thread on Styleforum.net (A forum I frequent) titled "Horshide Wallets and Belt's" and clicked it and that's when I first saw some pictures of what amazing leather products this guy was making. I messaged him asking if he could make me a belt that was over 2 inches in width out of the thickest leather he owned. He replied the same day with several options of thickness, a cowhide or horsehide option, as well as four unique buckles that I was allowed to choose from. I told him what I wanted and within a week the belt was ready! He sent pictures of the final product to me before accepting payment and by the following week this is what I received:

First Thoughts: WOW. The sturdiness and quality of the product was exactly what I had hoped for. I was a little intimidated with how stiff and ungiving it was at first but after a few weeks of wear it became very manageable. I was considering dropping almost $145 on a similar belt by Sugar Cane but thank God I didn't because this belt cost me only $40! I've been using it for so long and it's characteristics have only gotten more interesting since. Here are some detailed shots:

Excuse the dust.

The edges are are beginning to rough up a bit to give it a bit of character. It kind of reminds me of how some RRL leather goods look except my belt aged like this over time naturally rather than having these characteristics when you first buy it like some RRL goodies. I don't know what it is about me aging my own denim or leather belt that I enjoy so much, I guess it's the fact that nobody else in the world has exactly the same pair or same belt as I do. It's probably just that feeling of exclusivity that I like so much. Here are some other examples of his work:

1.) Amazing Small Messenger - Black Oil Tan w/ Brand 2.) Leather Wallet w/ Leather Braid

1.) Awesome leather Belt 2.) Leather Messenger (Not oiled)

Closing Words: I just really like having things of great quality (Particularly leather, denim, and suede products). Leather goods will surely last you for a while, I'm already on almost my 3rd year with my belt and I still feel like I can use it for another 3 years without a problem. It's also just nice to support an individually owned business very much like buying from your local athletic's store instead of a Modell's, or you're favorite pizzeria instead of the Dominoes, etc. In many cases it also turns out that the equipment or food is actually better than the big chain stores and I really believe that's the case with Unlucky's(His name is Scott by the way) products. If you're interested to see some of his customers reviews/testimonies you can check them out in the original thread I mentioned above here. If you have any questions you can also contact him at: S_Willis@rocketmail.com He's gotten pretty popular and very busy since then so if he doesn't answer you right away, give him some time. Or you can email me with any questions and I can Private Message him directly!

Haiti EarthQuake Relief

2010-01-13T20:11:00.003-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

I'm sure most of you have heard about the recent earthquake that has struck the country of Haiti. There are an estimated 100,000 deaths already and some are expecting it to more than triple as the days go on. The earthquake at a 7.0, was the biggest earthquake that struck Haiti in over 200 years. This tragedy may not affect us all the way in the States however I believe everyone in this world does have a responsibility to at least help in some way or another.

You can text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross relief for Haiti. More information can be found at the Newsroom page here.

Pics from CNN.com

Everything is destroyed.

Reports say there are stacks of bodies piled up on every street corner.

Such a sad, tragic event. If there is anything else you guys can add feel free to email me anything or write in the comment box and I will update the post with any new information regarding ways to help. Pray for Haiti.

Scarves - A Winter Necessity

2010-01-08T16:50:00.005-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

Hope 2010 is going good for all of you guys so far; it's still the beginning but I already know this year will surely be a good one. I didn't get many gifts at all for my birthday/Christmas but I did receive an awesome hand knit scarf from my girlfriend which I really have begun to use as an everyday accessory. I often thought it would be a bit of a hassle to put on, take off, and constantly hold on to a scarf when going places but there are a lot of great things about them that supersede me just being upright lazy. Within the past couple of years scarves have become more abundant in terms of different textures, lengths, and styles. I know it's been cold for a while and a post about scarves may seem a bit late but I feel there are definitely a few more months of cold weather ahead of us. In this post I'm going to talk about some great looking and affordable scarves that should keep you warm and also go over a few different ways to wear them. I've noticed that even when I wear a bunch of layers, a cold gust of wind can enter through the neck hole of my sweater and make my entire body freeze. Wearing a scarf will prevent this from ever happening and not to mention serve as a stylish accessory to highlight to your outfit.

Striped Wool Scarves

I'm seeing a lot of the scarf selections this season utilizing stripes as the main design. The combination of different colors on the scarf can really accent some of the other pieces you are wearing.

Pretty obvious this particular scarf is from Polo Ralph Lauren. The black, grey, and white should be able to go with pretty much anything in your wardrobe. The red Polo logo is also a nice little detail. At $52, I'd consider this a lower mid-range priced scarf. Polo has also made classic pieces with timeless designs, this could be worn for much longer than 1 winter.

Uniqlo University Scarves - These really stood out to me in the accessories section while browsing through the Soho store a few weeks ago. They offer more than 1 combination of different colors, each one could match almost any color you'd ever wear. Priced at $19.50 you could scoop up all of them however I think having 3-4 of the same style could be kind of cheesy. The maroon and navy color combo was easily my favorite one, might have to go back and purchase one the next time I'm there.

Print Knit Scarves

You've probably seen this Cowichan print on winter beanies, sweaters, and even ties. Very Native Americanesque type of design but it is very "in" right now. This particular scarf is offered by GAP and is very moderately priced at $40. GAP has been surprising me with their latest collections and more modern fits, definitely won't be sleeping on what they're going to offer in their Spring/Summer line.

Solid Cashmere Scarves

If you prefer solid colored scarves and the wool is a bit too rough for your skin then you can never go wrong with a simple cashmere scarf. You could find nice ones that are very decently priced at retailers like Macy's, which have their Club Room ones currently on sale for $50.99 (You can get them here). Jos A. Bank, also a a popular brand in men's apparel, is offering their version which is also on sale for $48.00 (Priced down from $120 and available here).

Chunky Knit Scarves

Chunky knit everything seems like the new hype these days. Brands ranging from H & M to Engineered Garments are all offering their own versions of chunky knit items in their past seasons releases. The knit scarf in the pictures above are pretty much what the one I received looks like. I really like the thickness of the knit scarf compared to a cashmere one and getting one with a nice length to it allows you to style your scarf in so many different ways. I also own the very popular Burberry patterned scarf but I haven't even thought of wearing that one anymore. Definitely love how subtle yet stylish my knit one looks on me and it's definitely become my go-to one.

Ways to Tie Your Scarf

Now that you have some sort of idea on what kind of scarf you want to purchase the next step is deciding on how to wear it. I've worn my scarf in different ways depending on what I was wearing each day and all are very easy to do. Here are some different ways(images were borrowed from GQ magazine):

Simple Wrap Around

Scarf : Banana Republic $58

The easiest one to do, the wrap around. Simply place the scarf around your neck. Take one end and throw it over the opposite shoulder and bring it back down. It doesn't have to be perfectly even on each side as pictured above, I think anything too perfect looking is actually a bit weird and unnatural.

Simple One Knot Tie

Scarf: Prada $295

Another simply but great way to tie your scarf. Start off the same was as the wrap around with the scarf around your neck. Loop one end under the other and pull one side through the hole and adjust until you reach your desired length.

Slipknot

This will shorten the length of the tie considerably but it's still a great look especially if you want to show off your other layers. Touch both ends of the scarf before putting it around your neck. Then take both ends and slide it through the loop and pull.

Closing Thoughts: Wearing a scarf is awesome. It really adds something different to your outfit and most importantly it will keep you warm during this brutal weather. As you can see, you don't need to spend a lot these days to get a great quality and stylish scarf. There's definitely going to be at least 2-3 more months of scarf wearing weather so if you don't have a nice one to wear, now is the perfect time to get one. Almost all the online stores I've looked at in the past week had all their winter accessories on sale, some marked down up to 75% (and that includes gloves and winter hats as well). The 3 mentioned above are pretty much the most basic ways to tie a scarf but they definitely look great. I'm sure many of you can think of your own more creative ways, don't be afraid to experiment on your own!

2010: Be the Man You Want To Be

2009-12-31T10:03:00.006-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

December 31st, the last day of 2009; how has your year been? Personally this year has been full of memories both up and down but I feel like I've matured a great deal and only look forward to entering the first decade since the millennium. (Has it really been 10 years already?!)

I attended church last Sunday and the Pastor was talking about a television show on TLC about Flight 1549, the emergency landing of a passenger aircraft filled with 155 people on the Hudson River. Now if you don't recall this incident (which made news everywhere by the way) was nothing short of a miracle. All the engines had died and everyone aboard was expecting to die but the pilot somehow maneuvered the plane and landed it safely on the water. They interviewed a few people and one man was asked what he was thinking as the plane was going down and he replied with this: "When the engines had died off, we were just kind of gliding. We were just quiet, there was an eerie slience and we all turned to eachother and we all knew it in each others faces. this was it. We're dead, we're gonna die. And then so many things rushed through my head and I realized this is it, this is the moment. I'm going to die now. One question that rushed to my head was this, "Oh my God, my life is gonna end today at this moment, Am I the man I always wanted to be be? Am I the man I imagined I would be when I died?" His answer was "No". I wasn't the man I wanted to be and I started getting angry. NO NO NO. I had not done so many things I wanted to do, I had not traveled to all the countries I wanted to explore, I had not said 'goodbye' to everyone I loved. I started getting furious. I wasn't ready to die because I wasn't yet the man I wanted to be". After hearing his reply, I began to ask myself the exact same question, Am I the Man I Want To Be? If I was to die at this moment, would I be happy with the type of person I have become? My answer was also "No". There are so many things I envision when I think about my future, I really think the rest of my life will be filled with amazing experiences that I am very eager to encounter.

2010 is only a day away and I'm sure some of you have pledged to change some part of your lives with New Years resolutions and what not but I am encouraging you all to really make 2010 an amazing year. Try and become the man you want to be. Improve yourself on the inside and out into someone that you want to become. I'm going to just talk about some the things I want to work on in the upcoming year.

1.) Posture

I wanted to start off with something small but what I think to be very important: Posture. Having bad posture is noticeable to everyone you encounter. Having a hunched back and lurched shoulders aren't really signs of a confident man. In fact, it gives off impressions that you are an introverted, maybe even a nervous type of person. Contrarily, having great posture will completely change how you present yourself to others. Sit up straight. Stand straight. Look confident in how you walk, talk, and look. Always be conscious of this throughout the day and work on it. Within a few months, maybe even sooner, you will notice some improvement and trust me you feel that much better.

Compare each picture and see how much of a difference good posture can make!

2.) Excercise

I've talked about this in a previous post so I won't elaborate too much. I must admit I've slacked off quite a bit within the past couple of months. This year, I'm really going to try to hit the gym as often as I can. Not only will you feel better after a workout, but you will be healthier, stronger, more confident, and all your clothes will fit better too. It's a win/win situation. This is definitely one of the things at the top of my list.

3.) read, Read, READ

My mom has been telling me to this for years and the thing is I DO read, but it's mostly other blogs, magazines, or the news. This year I want to indulge myself in more novels and books. Reading will not only expand your knowledge/mind on an array of topics but it will also make you a better writer and more articulate as well. Make a list of books you want to read and dedicate an hour or so in the morning or at night. There are so many things that I want to learn and read about. I really think that it is way more advantageous to know something, than to not know something. Knowledge really does equal power and it doesn't hurt to know more than the person next to you!

4.) Community Service & Volunteer Work

Definitely one area where I find myself lacking in. I recently read an article about the overall happiest state during the recession and that was Utah. Why Utah you might ask? Well one thing the author discovered was that Utah residents overall dedicate more hours to community service and volunteer work than any other state in the U.S. That's right, even with the recession at their front door they are still sacrificing time to help other's and it's shown that not only does it affect the needy but also improves their quality of life as well. I've also talked about this in a previous post but when you help other's it feels very rewarding and could actually do more good for you in the long run. You don't have to do community work everyday but I encourage everyone to dedicate at least 1 day out of the month to help a local organization, church, community center, charity, anything you think needs help. You'll enjoy it, meet a bunch of great people, and partake in actually affecting your surroundings in a positive way. Trust me it'll feel good.

5.) Take Care of your Clothes and They Will Take Care of YOU

Deep down inside, we're all a bunch of dudes. And dudes tend to get lazy and just throw clothes around after wearing them. Well guess what, it's time for change. Actually taking care of your clothing (especially your pricey pieces) will make them last longer and save you more money in the long run. If you aren't going to wash a dress shirt or a pair of jeans after wearing them, hang them in your closet! Don't leave them on the floor to collect dust and get all wrinkled. This will actually save you a lot of cleaning later on and you'll always be able to pull out your favorite piece to wear out when you're in a rush. Iron your dress shirts! Wearing a crisp shirt will do wonders for how you look. A stiff collar and cuffs will make a huge difference so after you do your laundry, iron your dress shirts (takes like 5 minutes a shirt not even) and hang them up in your closet and they'll be good to go. I also recommend some sort of shoe rack to keep your shoe collection all tidied up!

6.) "There's No Reason for Plan B, because it distracts you from Plan A"

We have the power the shape the paths of our lives. I came across this 10 minute video after reading through Jkissi's (fellow hypebeast forum member) blog and the my outlook on life has completely changed. Everyone who is reading this post MUST MUST MUST watch this video. Favorite it, bookmark it, keep it in your archives. I've probably seen this video more than a dozen times, you won't regret it.

Closing Words: Make 2010 YOUR year. Really become the man you want to be. You can't just build a great wall just because you want it, you have to lay each brick as perfectly as you can, one by one everyday and eventually you will have the greatest wall ever built. 2010 is going to be a big year for me, I'm going to be moving to Guangzhou, China for a year studying Mandarin, exploring a foreign land, and hopefully experiencing as much as I can throughout my stay there. Tons of mixed emotions from being nervous, scared, excited, and eager. As for ForGentlemen, expect bigger things! I've been emailed about some possible collaborations on articles and other projects that may be in the works in the future. I'll try and update this blog as often as I can until I leave for China in late February. From there I plan on updating with more personal things I.E. things that I'm experiencing there, maybe some personal photographs, and video footage. I'm really excited on how much more this blog can become. Thanks to all the readers of 2009, I really hope you all have a safe and great New Year. Cheers to all!

Happy Holidays To Everyone!

2009-12-25T11:00:00.002-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

Just wanted to wish everyone a happy holidays. 2009 is rapidly approaching it's end and we should all try to make the most of the remaining days and prepare ourselves for the upcoming new year. December 25th is actually my Birthday as well and I turned a very young(but feel very old) age of 23 today. I'll be updating once more(with a real post!) before the New Year arrives so stay tuned for that. I heard a story about an acquaintances mother who passed away after falling from a ladder trying to hang up a Christmas decoration. I was utterly in shock, that certainly must have been such a terrifying and horrible experience for the family during what is supposed to be such a joyous and family oriented time. None of us should take the time we have with our closest ones for granted at any time. I truly hope that all of you have a great holiday. No matter what you celebrate always spread love and remember that the act of giving will be repaid to you ten-fold! Stay warm, keep healthy, and have a great time this weekend everyone. Cheers!

Spreading Positivity - Addictive, Contagious, & Rewarding

2009-12-10T17:16:00.006-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

As we enter the last month of the year, the temperature has dipped tremendously and the east coast was blessed with our first snowfall of the winter. The holidays are coming up which means there will be tons of celebration with your family and friends. Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and many other holidays around this time all revolve around the common theme of giving. Now most of the postings on ForGentlemen have been solely about improving oneself to better oneself on the inside and out. But there are ways to become more gentleman like than simply doing things for yourself, and that's by doing things for others. Sure holding a door open for someone or carrying something heavy for an elder might be followed with a "Oh what a gentleman!" remark but I'd like to encourage everyone (including myself) to become better men by simply doing more and more for OTHERS.

I was G-Chatting with my girlfriend this morning and she linked me this website GivesMeHope.com or GMH. Now I, like most people loved visiting the F.M.L (F*ck My Life) website reading about all the misfortunes of all these people and how funny some of them were. It gave me a good laugh but at the end that's all it gave me: a good laugh. GivesMeHope.com is the complete opposite; it consists of tiny blurbs about all these acts of kindness done by people around the world and how it gave them hope or inspiration to do the same to others. I started reading them one by one and I was hooked. I think I read around 5 pages of good deeds and there were just so many things that inspired me to WANT to become a BETTER person, not through my clothing, not through my knowledge on things, but to improve myself through other people. Here are some GMH moments that really motivated me.

- My 24 year old neighbor is in the military. He has a wife and 2 year old son. He has cancer in both kidneys. He is said to have 6 months to live. Instead of staying home with his wife and child, he has gone back to Iraq to die. He's doing this so his wife will get all the possible benefits from his death. His sacrifice, selflessness, and love GMH

- Today, my grandmother died. I took a walk to try and calm down but ended up sitting on a park bench crying. Someone tapped me on the shoulder and a man handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. He said, "I walked past here earlier and you were crying, so I got you these flowers", and walked away. Kind strangers like him GMH

- There's a really beautiful freshman in our school who a mentally challenged sophomore boy has a huge crush on. She got asked by at least 10 people to the winter formal dance, but she decided to go with the mentally challenged boy. Beautiful girls who are also beautiful inside GMH.

- One Christmas season I worked at Wal-Mart in the jewelry department. A little boy about 10 yrs old came up to the register with a $40 jewelry box he said was for his mom. As I rang up the total, he pulled out 3 gift cards with his name on them. Instead of buying something for himself with his gift cards, he spent them on his mom! His thoughtfulness GMH!!

- Last night, over the phone, my friend told me he was considering suicide. I didn't know what else to do, so I sent him the link to GMH. He texted me this morning saying that he stayed up all night reading every post, and that he could never leave a world that contained such beauty. GMH

Closing Words: Gentlemen, each and every one of us is blessed to be given ONE life to live. How do you want to live it? How do you want people to think of you? Being known as the most stylish, or trendiest is by no means a bad thing at all but to be known as the guy who was honestly just an overall kind person will affect others in a much more impacting, positive, and inspirational way. Have you ever done a good deed for someone and felt really good about it? This feeling should be and needs to be felt on a more regular basis and once you start doing things for others, they will notice and reciprocate your actions unto others as well. The next time you see someone who needs help, help them. Think of the bigger picture. I wonder from time to time that when I am old and on my death bed that when I look back on my life will I be proud of how I lived? Did I really impact this world during my stay here in a positive way? How will people remember me? I really think by transforming our lives in a way to help others, will actually help us personally 10x more. I think our entire outlook on life will be better and it will really be evident in how we dress, act, and handle ourselves in this world. I'm sure all of you have heard the saying "Be all that you can be", I couldn't agree with this anymore.

Style Inspirations

2009-11-28T18:56:00.012-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, (for the American readers at least). It's been too long since the last posting and I wanted to update this blog with new content at least once a week. I was walking around Soho this afternoon to check out if there was anything left from Black Friday the day before but of course anything decent and in my size (Medium) were long gone and I left for home with nothing. Every time I walk through streets of Soho however, I am always amazed at all the great outfits I see all around me. New York City is filled with so many creative, and stylish individuals from all around the world and I always find something that inspires me to try wearing something I normally wouldn't. I believe fashion revolves around inspiration, whether it be from other people, through art, one's environment, whatever it may be. I browse through quite a few fashion forums and online magazine pages and always save any outfits that I am fond of. There's been such a gaining popularity for "WDYWT - What Did You Wear Today" threads on so many websites for one to find inspiration from what people are wearing around the world. For this posting, I'm just going to share some of my favorite fits I've gathered throughout the past couple of years. I'm sure you'll love many of them as well.

I recently browsed through J-Crew's new line and found so many fits that I really liked. I'm really impressed by their stuff each season.

Fit #1: This is the first look that really caught my attention. What I really liked about this fit is how well the suit fits this dude. This is a navy wool suit that J.Crew will be offering and it fits like this right off the rack. Yep, no hemming or tailoring needed! The second thing I noticed was the chambray shirt under the jacket. Chambray is a denim like quality shirt and it's been the fabric of the season. J. Crew's version retails at around $98 but I recently bought a very nice one from Land's End's Canvas line (also a new line introduced recently) for $25 shipped! There was a promotion going on at the time but the shirt retails for $32.50, you can purchase that as a replacement for the J.Crew version here.

Fit #2: First thing I noticed was how many layers this dude was wearing and how well all the colors came together on this fit. He's wearing 3 layers at least and he still doesn't appear to be bulky looking at all. The dark grey jacket, navy cardigan, and patterned shirt make it a more casual outfit but it very stylish enough to wear out to almost any social event (not formal ones obviously). His shoes: brown wingtips. Wingtip shoes may remind you of your grandfather however they have gained great popularity within the past couple of years and now even brands like J.Crew have them available as part of their shoe collection. I'm still looking for a more affordable pair but a pair of these shoes are definitely on my "To Buy" list.

Like everyone, my fashion tastes are constantly transforming and I've definitely been wanting to expand the number of suits I have in my wardrobe. I don't remember exactly where I found this picture but after seeing it for the first time in a while, I know why I saved it. A checkered patterned suit probably won't be something I'll be buying anytime soon but if I do happen to come upon a nice priced and more importantly nice fitting one then I might have to just bite the bullet. It's always been a general fashion rule: If you wear checkered pattern on one thing, then there shouldn't be any checkers on another....but his tie goes so well with the entire suit. Many times, fashion is about breaking the rules and trying something new.

This is Emma Watson for Burberry's new winter line. If you don't know who Emma Watson is, she's the little girl from the Harry Potter movie series playing Hermione (sp?). Style inspiration's don't only have to come from male's. After seeing this picture, I really gave thought into looking for a nice khaki colored trench to wear and I started researching over the net to find one that I would like. I've seen tons of fits with males wearing trench coats but this picture really stood out to me and inspired me to go out of my way to look for one to add to my wardrobe. I really can't believe how old and mature this girl looks in these pictures, big ups to Hermione haha.

Haha I can't help but laugh every time I see this picture. This little kid is dressed so well and has more swag than half the adults I see on the streets! This picture is from probably one of the most famous fashion blogs (and also one of my favorite sites to visit daily) The Sartorialist. The people at The Sartorialist really expanded the WDYWT craze, I'm always inspired by so many outfits posted on there so check that out whenever you can. Anyways, back to the outfit. This is the most casual outfit I posted so far and it's one of my favorites. I really like the striped long sleeve shirt and the Converse Chuck Taylor shoes but I think what makes this outfit stand out is the old fashioned straw hat and how well the jeans fit this little dude. I'd love to wear something like this during the spring, I don't know if I'd be able to pull this off as well as this guy though..

Closing Thoughts: There are more than just people that can inspire your fashion choices. There are so many figures in history, pieces in art, and even sounds in music that can affect how you portray yourself on the outside. I don't believe in copying everything to the tee about how another person may express themselves but one who takes something from another and somehow makes it their own in some way, should be what all of us should strive to do. The next time you walk outside, be more aware of your surroundings, pay attention to what people in your environment are wearing, listening to, or looking at. There's always something to learn from other males, females, and maybe even some kids.

Quick Tips On Self Improvement Pt. 1

2009-11-16T14:36:00.006-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

All of my posts have been revolving about men's fashion but there are just so many ways for a gentleman to improve himself other than what he looks like on the outside. I'm going to go over a few things that I think all of us(especially myself) can work on day to day to help us become a confident, more educated, and improved individual.

1.) Stay Current With the News

There's nothing more unattractive than speaking with someone who just has no idea. Things are happening around us, and around the world every second of our lives. Sure it's impossible to be knowledgeable about every little thing but it's great to know about at least the major things that are going on. If you're like me, than you're on the internet for the majority of the day. Even with hours surfing the web, sometimes reading the news doesn't cross my mind at all. I've come up with a great solution to help me stay current: Setting my homepage to CNN.com. Yep, as soon as I double click my browser I'm led to this site and simply browse the day's headlines. If there are any topics that I find interesting, with one click I'm able to read the entire article. You'd be surprised at how many interesting things you can learn by doing this everyday. I probably spend around 20-30 minutes reading the news like this to start my mornings and then I begin surfing through other websites (favorite blogs, forums, facebook, etc). If you don't like CNN there are tons of other news websites (I also like the New York Times) that provide great information all for free. You won't regret making this a habit! Whenever you meet someone new or just catch up with friends, it's always great to talk about everyday things and be the guy who has a clue to what's happening in the world around them.

2.) Develop Your Voice

Having a squeaky, high pitched voice isn't too attractive but having a nice, deep voice will not only be recognized by your peers but will also evoke a sense of confidence as well. The fact is that not everyone has a deep voice like Clint Eastwood or Sean Connery however there are ways to develop and train your voice to definitely sound a bit deeper. Every individual has a vocal range, from your lowest to your highest tones. If you find yourself speaking to others on the higher end of your range, than you can start practicing to speak more on the lower end of it. You won't sound unnatural or seem as if you're trying too hard because there certainly are times where you probably have spoken in your deeper voice at one time or another. The trick is to utilize this "deeper voice" and try and make it your everyday one. The earlier you start, the faster your voice will develop and sooner or later you'll notice that people will be much more open to what you have to say.

3.) Don't Get Wasted In Public

It's never pleasant seeing a guy puking his brains out, or a girl passed out on the couch of some lounge but I'm sure it's happened to some of us at least once in our lives. In a social setting like a bar/restaurant/club there are always opportunities to potentially meet great people. For example: Your friend invited you to a social gathering at a nice lounge where you could meet a lot of new women. You get to the party well groomed, and dressed in your nicest outfit, ready to start mingling. Everything starts off great; You've met a bunch of great people but have some interest in this one particular girl that catches your attention more than the others. But you start pounding drink after drink and an hour or so later you're in the bathroom with your buddy waiting outside with a cup of water and some paper towels. The next morning you wake up, feeling hungover as ever, not remembering what you said or how you acted towards the girl you were into. Sounds like it would've been better if you hadn't gone out at all! It's not about who can drink the most anymore like the high school/college days. Instead you should pace yourself, converse more, and develop a nice buzz just enough to make sure you both are having fun without having to worry about saying or doing something stupid. This applies to meeting anyone, not only girls. So the next time you're out in a social scene, control yourself, you definitely don't want to be remembered as the guy who couldn't hold his liquor.

4.) Make Exercising A Habit

This is one of the most important ways to improve yourself both on the inside and out. It's hard to consistently exercise but once you develop the discipline to include even a light workout several times a week you'll love it. Not only will you look better in (and out) of your clothes it will keep your overall health in good shape and also develop a confidence like no other. You don't have to work out for hours a day to start seeing results. I recommend getting one of those pull-up bars that can attach to the frame of your bedroom door. Whenever I see this thing I just crank out a few pull-ups as I enter or leave my room throughout the entire day. I also keep a set of dumbbells in the corner of my room, next to my dresser and do sets of those whenever I can throughout the day. Exercising will really transform you into a stronger, healthier, and more confident man. It'll be hard being consistent with this in the beginning, but once you and others start noticing results, it'll become very addicting.

5.) Surround Yourself With Positivity

It's no surprise you and your friends probably talk very similarly, enjoy the same music, and like doing the same activities. That's because the people you surround yourself with will to some degree influence who you are. With that being said, the more positive people you are around, the more positive potential you have to work with. If you're hanging out with people who just like to chill all day, play video games all night, or get drunk and party all the time, you're probably going end up joining them. Now imagine hanging around people who are very eager to learn new things, to exercise, or driven to improve themselves, again you're probably going to end up joining them. Hang around people who are successful and they will only motivate you to become the same.

Closing Words: This is only Part 1 of many parts I'm going to write about that can be nice little tips for all of us to keep in mind. When thinking of many of these things, they were mainly areas that I personally wanted to improve on. There is so much room for each and every one of us to grow, the sky should is the limit as to what we are capable of learning or becoming. Set realistic goals and once you reach them, set even more. Each one of us are given one chance at life to make ourselves great, why not "be all that you can be"?

Me and My Raws

2009-11-10T12:01:00.012-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

I've been thinking about what to write for my next post for the past few days and it dawned upon me as I gave my jeans it's 3rd wash in a little over a year, that's right a year. Now many of you might think it's crazy and even disgusting to wash a pair of pants only a couple times a year but for those of you who know about raw (or dry) selvedge denim, you'd probably give me a pat on the back for sticking it out for so long. For this post, I'm going to give some background info on what raw denim is, how to care for them, and my experiences with my favorite article of clothing: blue jeans.

What is Raw Selvedge Denim?

"Raw" or "Dry" refers to denim fabrics that have not been washed at all after being dyed in production, it is in its "raw" state. The "selvedge" part refers to denim that was made on old style shuttle looms. Selvedge denim is desirable because the edge can't fray like lower grade jeans that have seperate wefts. Shuttle looming is a more time consuming process that produces denim of with a tighter weave, resulting in heavier weight fabric that is built to last.

Example of selvedge stitching

Most people buy jeans that have been washed many times to already have a worn in and faded looking pair to wear. However there has been a tremendous growth in raw denim wearers in the past several years and its slowly emerging into mainstream fashion. As opposed to the washed pairs of jeans you see most people wearing, raw denim will fade according to what the owner does in them on a day to day basis. These jeans come stiff as cardboard, are very hard to move in at first, and the indigo will also bleed onto any shoes you wear. So why wear anything that seems so uncomfortable you may ask? To own a one of a kind pair of jeans, that will fade according to what you do in your everyday life.

Washing Your Raws

When I tell people that my pair of jeans hasn't touched water in over a year they think it's absurd. The reason for this is because with every wash or soak you give your jeans, indigo will be lost and your jeans will become lighter and lighter. Without any heavy wear on them, washing them "prematurely" will just make them soft and eventually make them seem like any other pair of jeans you could buy at the mall. After a few months of wear, you'll start noticing creases all over which will stand out even more after a wash. So hold out as long as you can!

Personal Experiences with Raw Denim

My first experience with raw denim was almost 5 years ago. I had spent a little over $120 on a pair of Nudie Slim Jims that I bought online and wore them everyday for about 6 months. They faded pretty quickly but I didn't like how they were more boot cut towards the leg opening and sold them right after. For the next 2 years I rotated brands from Samurai, to A.P.C., to Flathead, to Dior and more and before I knew it I had around 6 pairs of raws in my rotation! After realizing how stupid this was (I'd never get enough wear in any of these to start noticing any fading) I sold them all and stuck with 2 pairs. My A.P.C. New Standards(Current pair) and my SExI04's(next project).

A.P.C New Standards - Retail: $155 + tax

True Waist Size: 32

Bought a size 29 (APC denim is known to stretch heavily).

Day 1 Very Stiff and Very Dark 6 Months In - Lots of creases, some indigo loss

First wash at 12 months. And I've been washing them now every few weeks. I love how they turned out.

Some repairs on the inside leg:

I'm not going to wear these everyday anymore since I'm pretty happy at how they look at the moment. They'll see wear here and there but for now I'm going to start working on my next pair of raws.

Self Edge x Imperial 04's Retail: $310

True Waist: 32

Tagged size: 30

Closing Words: Raw denim isn't for everyone but if you're looking to create a unique pair of faded jeans in your own way I would def. suggest buying a pair. The dark denim color they first possess is also a great look on its own but once they start fading you'll want to wear them more and more. It's pretty interesting to see how they evolve over time. My A.P.C's have gone all over New York City and New Jersey, have been beat up in clubs, bars, college house parties, and also through hiking trails, camping trips, and boat cruises around the Hudson. $155 is not by any means a cheap pair of jeans but when you are wearing them 5 days a week+ for a couple of years, it's a great investment. Raw Selvedge denim has become more mainstream these days and you can find a cheap starter pair at Gap, Uniqlo, and a bunch of other stores for under $100. I recommend investing at least a bill on your first pair. When it comes to raw denim, you really get what you pay for. If you have any questions of raw denim brands, fits, or sizing info just leave a comment or shoot me an email. Thanks for reading and thanks again for the support.

Big Ups to BillionsofCurrency.com

And also check out my brother's myspace, lots of really great beats : myspace.com/kvnkimmusic

Recent Purchases #1

2009-11-05T16:48:00.004-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

The feedback so far has been overwhelming for me. My stat counter reads over 650 unique visitors in past couple of days, I've been getting a lot of great emails and feedback about the blog and it's all great motivation for me to keep this thing running and start posting more and more.

In my last entry, I mentioned that I would be updating every now and so my recent purchases...So let's get right into it! Here's a few things I picked up within the last couple of weeks:

Uniqlo Skinny Fit Cords. Price: $39.50

Corduroy pants are the perfect replacement for my light-weight cotton trousers I loved wearing in the summertime. I had purchased a pair of Topman skinny fit Cords last year but the fit was a bit too slim for my liking. The fit on these however are absolutely perfect; I believe they are based off their very popular T-000 (Skinny Fit-Tapered) model. With the weather turning colder each day, I believe I'll start wearing these as much as I can (I'm actually going to go back and pick up a couple more pairs in different colors!) They are unbelievably comfortable and the texture seems perfect for the Fall/Winter. Also priced at slightly under $40, you cannot go wrong with these. I sized up 1 size on them and couldn't be any happier at how they fit and feel. I definitely recommend picking up a pair of these, you won't be disappointed.

Clarks Black Suede Desert Boots Price: $84.50

My first posting included some information about these boots. The desert boot is my favorite pair of shoes I own and I just needed them in another color way. The suede material looks great in the Fall and how these shoes are able to match with my entire wardrobe makes it an obvious choice to wear whenever I leave the house. I ordered this pair from Endless.com and received them the next day with their free overnight shipping policy! They also offer the "Cash Back" option when you go through their website using the Bing search engine. The % cash back offered differs everyday, anywhere form 1-30% so be aware of that if you decide to order a pair.

Uniqlo Heat Tech Long Sleeves/ Long Johns Price: $10.50 Each

These were actually my favorite recent pickup. I usually get cold pretty easily and would try and layer as much as I can during the winter times to keep myself warm. Uniqlo Heat Tech saved my life. I bought my first pair of these last winter and they literally helped me survive until the Spring season. These are great for wearing under your everyday clothes, whether you go on an outing or stay at home and bum all day. Not only are these super comfortable, they will retain as much heat as possible under your clothes to keep your entire body warm. Sure wearing these alone might make you look like a joke but they're fine when they're covered up with pants and a warm top. They introduced Heat Tech socks as well this season, when I go to pickup some more Cords, I'm gonna grab a couple pairs of the socks as well(My feet are freezing as I write this). These should make great gifts for the family during the holidays and they'll only cost you $21 for the set!

You can see my reflection in the 2nd pic haha

Here's what it says on the back:

1.) Heat Generation : When HEATTECH absorbs body moisture, the movement of tiny droplets actually generates heat to keep you warm

2.) Heat Retention: Air pockets between the fibers retain both body warmth and the warmth generated by HEATTECH's moisture absorption.

3.) Odor Control (What!): A special antibacterial agent in HEATTECH helps to minimize odors.

4.) Stretchable Comfort : HEATTECH stretches to give you a perfect fit and maximize comfort.

5.) Quick Dry : HEATTECH fabric wicks away and quickly dries moisture. Perspiration dries up instantly, so the fabric remains dry and refreshing.

6.) Anti-Static: The fiber also reduces discomfort from static electricity, especially when putting on and taking off the garment.

7.) Non-Deforming : Highly resilient and durable, HEATTECH maintains its shape even after repeated washing.

It does all this for $10 bucks?!?

Closing Words: As I talked about before, to minimalize spending you should only buy things you know you will wear, and all of these are pieces I will need and love to wear this season. I didn't spend too much and got 5 great items that'll keep my shopping addiction quelled at least for a little bit. If you don't live near a Uniqlo, you can call their Soho store at: (917) 237 - 8800 and complete a phone order.

Thanks for reading and start posting some comments guys! Thanks for the past comments and I really enjoy reading/responding to all your emails. Cheers

Look and Feel Better..Spend LESS!

2009-11-02T09:21:00.010-05:00

Dear Gentlemen,

First off, my apologies for taking some time to write another posting. I'm sure the past Halloween week/weekend was a bit hectic for you guys as well but the holiday is officially over now! My father was visiting from Los Angeles over the weekend and had been wanting to check out the Uniqlo store in Soho for quite some time. The interior of the store is pretty amazing, with very high ceilings, great displays, and an array of colorful pieces all neatly folded and stacked sky high.

2nd Floor, Uniqlo Soho

As I was browsing their new winter collection, I couldn't help but notice all the people around me purchasing what seemed like hundreds and hundreds of dollars of clothing. Now if you know anything about Uniqlo, its become a favorite of mine because of its great assortment, decent quality, and most of all its affordability. All these people seemed to be "impulse buying" which means that they would just purchase things on the spot without giving it much thought. Now I know most, if not all of you guys are all on some type of budget due to the economy so I thought I'd give some quick tips on shopping and fashion to help you look great without putting a huge dent in your wallet.

Shopping Tips for Gentlemen On a Budget!

1.) Don't Love It? Don't Buy It! - That's right! No need to purchase anything you have mediocre feelings towards. Only buy items you know you will definitely wear. Over the past year, I've tidied up my closet a great deal by only spending money on pieces that I absolutely loved. Having a smaller wardrobe filled with great items is much better than having a huge collection of things you may never even wear. The phrase "it's about quality, not quantity" couldn't be more true. I also save a lot of time picking out what to wear before an outing because I already know what I will choose will look, feel, and fit great. So the next time you pick up something to buy make sure it's something you will surely enjoy!

2.) Timeless Classics - There are the many items in a Gentleman's wardrobe that simply will not go out of style. These are pieces that can stay in your closet for years and still not look outdated. For these classics, finding something of nice quality is definitely worth the few extra bucks. They'll feel better, look better, last much longer and guess what, you won't have to worry about it going out of style! In this case, spending more initially might save you tons in the long run. You'd be surprised at how many classic items there are in a Gentleman's closet, in this post I'll go over just 3 of them. (I'll probably dedicate a post in the future to this topic alone so stay tuned for a more detailed assessment!)

a.) A White Button Down Shirt - This shirt can be worn on any occasion. Invest in a high quality, perfect fitting one and it'll never let you down!

b.) Ties - Wearing ties have become trendier than ever. Over the past couple of years I've acquired quite a few ties that I've been able to wear to formal and also very casual events. Sure the skinny tie is in but your tie collection should definitely include regular width ties as well. Wearing a tie along with your everyday button up shirt will make you stand out just a bit more and I recommend having at least a couple of nice ones to choose from. Again, these won't ever go out of style so it'd be smart to invest in some nice ones.

c.) Plain White Tee's - Who doesn't wear one? Over the years, I've looked for the perfect fitting plain white tee and tried brands from Hanes to Uniqlo, but my favorite basic tee is from Kirkland. I bought a 6-Pack of these as Costco for $20 and couldn't have been happier. The quality on these shirts are superb, the cotton is very thick and most of all I love how it fits slim and long. These still feel great and retain their shape after several washes too unlike other shirts where the cotton fibers seem to break down and change form. This is actually the only white T-shirt I wear, I have a bunch of them and they only come out to a couple bucks each! Here's how they look like:

3.) Sales Rack? Find Gems! - There are nice things on the sale rack, you just have to look. Every time I go shopping, the first place I check is the sale's rack because I usually find at least 1 item worth purchasing that is marked down anywhere from 10%-75%+ off! Another helpful tip is to talk to the workers there, they can tell you exactly when certain things go on sale so you can be the first to choose from these discounted items before all the sizes are out. On many occasion's I've become very friendly with the salesmen at the store and they have given me a bunch of coupons and some even offered to let me use their employee discount!

4.) Hit Up Those Outlets! - You don't always have to go to the retail stores to shop, most of the in-store items are often available at the outlet stores at a discounted price. Another plus is that these outlets also have in stock great pieces from past seasons that aren't available at the retailers anymore. There have always been nice things that I simply couldn't afford or purchase at the time of their release that I found at the outlets for much, much cheaper. I definitely recommend hitting up your local outlet from time to time.

5.) Sample Sales - Tons of brands offer sample sales at the end of each season where you can find their collection at highly discounted prices. Although most of these sales are in stores, there have been a rise in online sample sales throughout the past couple of years. My favorite sale site is Gilt Groupe. This company provides sample sales on more than 1 brand EACH DAY for you to choose from. They also provide a calendar for what to expect throughout the week which makes it easy to plan shopping ahead. They always offer a variety of great brands (Burberry, J. Lindberg , Ralph Lauren, etc). Check out their site here. This website is invite only so if you need an invite just send an email to ForAllGentlemen@Gmail.com and I'll be happy to send you an invite. Invite your friends as well and receive a $25 bonus to your next purchase!

Closing Words: There are really tons of ways to make yourself look great without spending a whole lot. I've gotten tons of compliments on things I've worn that were purchased on sale from places like Uniqlo or even The Gap. It's just about how you put together all these individual pieces to make you look different from the guy next to you. Also, I just want to reiterate how comforting it's been to minimalize my wardrobe. It gets less messy, it's easier to pick out things, and every piece looks great and feels great. I encourage you all to get rid of things you'll never wear, you can donate them or even sell them on Ebay and make a few extra bucks. I'm sure the economy has negatively affected us all in some way or another, but how we portray ourselves through fashion and style should not be deterred!

I'm also going to start updating a "Recent Purchases" topic in the future so stay tuned for that and more. Thanks for all the encouraging words guys, reading your friendly emails and comments really motivates me to write these posts. I really encourage any form of discussion in the "comments" section and again, any questions/concerns please send them to: ForAllGentlemen@Gmail.com. Cheers!

Cold Weather...Bring It ON!

2009-10-20T15:51:00.011-04:00

Dear Gentlemen,

Yes the template for this blog is very basic and I am working on that trust me. I didn't even plan on writing the first post but I wanted to get this thing started and was just eager to write some content for you guys to enjoy (hopefully).

So, it's quite obvious that the weather is starting to get pretty chilly (at least in Northern New Jersey) and it's time to start purchasing gear to battle the cold weather. Fall/Winter is great because there are so many things to wear from your feet to your head that'll keep you warm and make you look great at the same time. There are so many brands that offer amazing boots, scarves, gloves, and jackets out there but I'm going to focus on items that are simply the best bang for the buck. For Fall/Winter 09' people have turned to more rugged and heavy duty pieces that will help you survive even the coldest days to come. Today's post will focus mainly on footwear for the upcoming seasons.

Footwear - Invest in a nice pair of Boots!

Time to say bye to your Vans Authentics and Chuck Taylor's. You might be able to wear those for another few weeks but they'll be stashed in your closet until next year once the snow starts falling. Having cold feet really really sucks, so it's time to keep them warm and in style. Here's some brands that offer great quality and construction, very stylish looks, and decently priced to help you survive this winter.

Red Wing Boots

No surprise here. Red Wing has been a classic work boot for over a century and is known for their tough construction and great quality. For the past couple of years, they've certainly gained more popularity and more people have begun to start wearing them for more stylish purposes. These shoes generally price at around $200 (more or less) but I've seen them on Ebay and forum marketplaces for much less. (Around $150ish) . Here's a pic of them being worn by fellow Hypebeast.com member 20Hundred (Check out his awesome blog)

L.L. Bean Duck Boots

A cheaper boot that will surely be able to withstand wet weathers is the L.L. Bean duck boot. These boots have also been around for quite some time and have been worn simply because they are able to combat any rainy/snowy weather but these like the Red Wings have slowly began to gain popularity amongst fashionable individuals over the past few years. These great boots retail at $94 and are worth every dollar. Super comfortable and the nice leather and rubber toe cap will keep your feet dry no matter how much it is raining/snowing. Here's a fit picture from a New Yorker and also a clearer picture of the actual boot:

Clarks Desert Boots

Now, not every single day of this remaining year is going to be full of rain or snow; there are certainly going to be dry days as well. For days like these, I love wearing my Clarks Desert Boots. The Desert Boot is a boot model that has risen to mainstream fashion for quite some time now but that doesn't mean they still aren't a great pair of shoes! Either dark leather or the suede ones (I prefer my suede pair) will look great with any jeans/jacket combo. You should still be able to find a pair of these for around $75, but because of their popularity, some retailers have boosted the price over a $100. There are also cheaper alternatives that you can find a pair of Desert Boots at, J. Crew and Banana Republic offer their own versions of the desert boot that look just as great as the original Clarks model. Here's a picture from Esquire that shows both the leather and suede versions in different colors:

Closing words: While these boots may be old news to some of you out there, there are certainly many that have never even attempted to add a fall/winter boot to their shoe collection. I know for a fact that there are many people who are wondering if they could even pull of any of these. My advice: Just go for it! You won't regret it. Once you start to break these in more not only will they look better with some signs of aging but the more comfortable they get on your feet, the more comfortable you'll look in them, guaranteed.

Any questions/comments feel free to post them!

2009-10-15T16:26:00.010-04:00

This is officially the first posting on ForGentlemen. To give you an idea of what kind of content to expect, this site will be focusing on self improvement for males to attract other's around you and ultimately to make yourself a more educated, well-mannered, and fashionable gentleman. Here's a list of just SOME of the topics that will be discussed:

Look Your Best All Day, Everyday

Shopping on a Budget

Change the World Around You (Community/Volunteer work)

How To's : Things Every Man Should Know How To Do

What's In and What's Out for 09'/10'

To introduce the main writer of this blog, my name is TK and all the information shared here are things I have learned, experienced, or read about through other sources. I am extremely excited to deliver quality posts for everyone to enjoy. I'm always eager to learn new things and to meet new people so feel free to comment or send me an email at ForAllGentlemen@Gmail.Com

Thanks for looking!

-TK