Part VI: Masculine Elegance

Do you know who Steve McQueen is, by chance? I know I can't hear you, but a simple Google search returns images of close-fitting clothing, (too?) short shorts, chest hair, a sailor uniform (okay, that’s a movie costume, but roll with me)… 

Hey, man, if you ask me (not actual me; detached hypothetical me), all that sounds kind of… 

Oh, I don’t know… 

Gay? 

Granted, I purposefully omitted some of the King of Cool’s trademark accessories: hot rod (of either two- or four-wheel variety), hot jacket (of the leather or suede variety), hot broad (of the blonde or brunette variety), etc., but with that said, some of the descriptors heteronormative-leaning people would use to describe any flamboyant homosexual gentleman, I just used to describe (arguably) the coolest person that ever lived. This is where “masculine elegance” comes in. 

For variation's sake, let's switch over to another modestly-proportioned old white guy (contrary to popular belief, some of the most stylish people that ever lived didn’t have the physique to match): Ralph Lifschitz, aka Ralph Lauren. 

Now, if you grabbed my Gitman Bros. Vintage poplin buttondown by the collar (please don’t), threw me in an alley with a gun to my head (again; please don’t) and said “Describe Ralph Lauren’s entire life’s work, personal and professional, in one word or you’re going to die against this brick wall,” I would scream in hypothetical terror “ELEGANCE! PLEASE DON’T KILL ME!” Elegance is not how dainty you look, or how crisp everything is inside and out; elegance is the product of three things: quality, fit, and confidence. Quality is up to you: you choose where you buy your clothing, and assume the risk of buying something you won’t be able to wear in a year for whatever reason along with it. If you are within the realm, fit should not be an issue (although I still believe 80% of all dudes don’t know how their clothes should actually fit, but that’s for another semester-long course at another time); buy what fits. The rest is up to you! If  you buy a quality garment that fits you in all the right spots, there is no chance you will be worried about your confidence levels, and the je ne sais quoi of it all is how high your head is. I truly believe, that with all this considered, the most stylish thing any dude can be is comfortable. And no, that does not mean sweats, a t-shirt and the North Face Windwall you’ve had since your bar mitzvah, Jared. Comfort like this comes from studying what works for you, what brands do and don’t fit, and most of all, not having to worry about your outfit, because what’s most important is what you do in your clothes that defines who you are.

Thank you.