Best Jeans for Men

Distressed, ripped, tattooed or all-dark and sleek – jeans are now very OK, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, in the office and out of it, as everyday wear in men’s clothing. They’re so ‘in’, that Yves Saint Laurent even once commented that, “I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity – all I hope for in my clothes.”

When it comes to jeans dudes, you don’t have to go super-tight, but at the same time, don’t be afraid of going to a tighter cut than what you might normally feel comfortable in. Slim tapered jeans look great on most men, but if you’re not game, a straight leg or boot cut will function just as well.

Jeans are accentuated best by the shoes you wear (see examples in the image gallery below) and by the top you choose to match the jeans with.

In summer, a simple tee will do, and in winter, try layering – wear a white tee or singlet, a jean shirt (open) and a dark biker leather jacket also open worn over the jean shirt – HOT!

When it comes to designer jean labels, True Religion, Levi, Rock & Republic, Diesel, even JAG, all offer edgy, progressive design inspired by rock & roll and bikers with an emphasis on modern silhouettes and sleek fits. And if you hadn’t thunk it already, the denim industry is a trillion dollar heavyweight that has a finger in every fashion label – and the ad campaigns for denim go through the roof – both in originality and price, as denim marketers try to catch your attention.

Ignore the hype and look for the best deals possible: You can get great specials on jeans (particularly at the end of a season), but without a special, a really good pair can be found for around $140 or so if you shop cleverly. This is not unreasonable, a good pair of jeans should last you a long time if taken care of properly.

Here’s a breakdown of the best jeans styles around and a bit of info on what you should pick for you!

Straight and Loose Fit

Straight jeans are cut the same width from thigh to hip and seem to suit most men, especially those a little heavier all round. Straight jeans also suit the older gentleman because they tend to be more classic and traditional but please, please gents DO NOT TUCK your shirts into your jeans unless you have a waist to die for. Big tums accentuated by tucked in shirts are not flattering at all; instead try a dark, untucked shirt with a u-shaped silhouette to make you look slim.

Loose fit jeans have more room on the bottom and thigh by about an inch. They have a tapered leg but it is a bit looser than the classic cut. Loose or relaxed fit jeans are the most popular for men because they generally feel more relaxed and they allow men to move more and be active.

Boot Cut

Western jeans are a similar fit to classic jeans because they have a slim fitting bottom and thigh, but instead of a normal leg they have a boot leg cut which simply means the jeans are tighter around the bottom of the leg.

Slim

‘Slim fit’ is exactly that – slimming and tapered all the way down from thigh to heel. Suited to the slimmer and muscled man.

Tight & Skinny

A trend that’s been around for a while (and that doesn’t look to be going away that quickly either) is the ’skinny jean’ – a blood constricting fit, cut throughout the leg. Tight jeans are particularly popular with teenagers and young adult males. This generation is currently in the midst of a jeans revolution. Skinny jeans are a part of the younger generation’s culture and way of expressing themselves and making their own fashion standards.

Carrot Jeans

Carrot jeans are for the brave. The very, very strong and courageous. This new, and growing trend made for the trend mad youth market is suited to the daring male fashionista.  Apparently a brainchild of the Levi Corporation, the style was “inspired by the Tokyo’s underground subcultures and (is) a fresh attitude to an otherwise tired and drab denim world”. As the name suggests the jeans are baggy around the thighs – sometimes excessively roomy a la harem pants – and taper down to a narrow ankle. Not for me folks, not for me, but if you’re game, please rock the carrot by all means!

And finally, here’s a sneak peek at Mangano’s new denim for men ad campaign. HOT!

The Westwood Homeless

Right so this must be the new way designers are showing off their ranges, because if you put all this stuff together for your daily outfit, you’d be looked upon as some homeless duff. Right? So, in viewing these pictures, you can see that the consumer would more than likely say, “Ok, I love the belt on that look, and maybe the shoes on this look” but all in all, is it a piece-meal collection or one peppered with utter genius?

“Last night the press release for Westwood’s menswear collection, for Milan Fashion Week, declared: “Perhaps the oddest of heroes to emerge this season, Vivienne Westwood found inspiration in the roving vagrant whose daily get-up is a battle gear for the harsh weather conditions . . . Quilted bombers and snug hoodies also work well in keeping the vagrant warm.” Yes. The homeless.

Of course, in the candy-colored world of Vivienne Westwood, homeless people are all young with great bodies, high cheekbones and flawless skin, and they all have super-styled hair and brightlycolored clothes. And sometimes they’ll walk around in big goofy hats or even teddy bear heads!

Darlings, you just can’t write about it! Well….I just did.

SO – we all know that inspiration comes to artists in various forms, but for a high level designer such as Vivienne Westwood to be inspired by the homeless means there has been a scary increase in percentage of these forgotten people. So if that is the case, and she is riding the dusty coattails of these people; then every piece sold from the collection, should have a percentage donated to the homeless. Our belief is if the influential are going to take something from the homeless who have nothing, then something should be given back. Agree?

2009; The year that was, well almost.

As you ponder NYE disasters and adorably futile resolutions…(but hey, they sounded good at the time), take a moment to reflect with the Stylemeisters on the year that was like a rabbit staring into headlights. I’d like to think that we were eating cointreau dipped carrots at the time, but I’d be lying. We’ll catch you at the gym, next week.

Life is life, as we will possibly sigh when we reflect on our personal journeys of 2009. Will next year be better? Will it be much of the same, will we get it? Or will we just move along with the tide? This year for some has been an absolute disaster and for others total bliss. But life is not without her disappointments or victories. We’re hoping there have been more victories than disappointments.

Our Style E-book is filled with reasons why we all need a little help with our personal style. Not all of us are born with the ability to match colours, or shapes and styles. Believe me, I’ve seen some freakin’ disasters! Our E-book is a thorough read, covering styling tips for the absolute essentials in a man’s wardrobe and is accompanied with the importance of dressing from the inside out. And we’re not talking about the ever-popular Calvin Klein’s. We’re talking about how you speak, how you sharpen your decision making, your accountability, your attitude, your self-preservation and your problem solving. Believe it or not fellas, women will be able to sniff this out like choosing the right perfume for her at the Jo Malone or Chanel counter! It is almost instant when she senses something that’s not quite right…for her. So if you’ve got love on the calendar for 2010, or you have that gorgeous gal in your sights already; best you get to our E-book www.menstylepower.com

We  at our Style HQ are passionate about searching deep within the male spirit to bring you to a profound realisation of what YOUR life is about. Men are more prone to depression, anxiety and fear these days due to the instability of the workplace, and their lack of belonging and fear of failure. We seek answers for you and have case studied people, books, situations and have talked to a lot of men and women who are at a cross road in life regarding their personal style and what they are attracting and what they’re Not.

Style is a key attraction to what you want in life, and we want the best for you! Dress sharp, feel good, brush your teeth.

Happy new year. We’ll be seeing you soon.

Brace Yourself!

Nothing is amusing or frivolous when it comes to Style. Fashion on the other hand, being a very different concept, allows the ‘fashionistas’ to frolic and dance through materials, designs, carrot top jeans, fluros and more (while I’m somewhat snickering on my sleeve over being told by a trend setter that carrot top jeans were here to stay – not!) but back to Style; no, there’s nothing amusing. It’s a serious business fellas. Because it is the outward and very public expression of YOU.

Now, if you’re in a panic during this financial crisis over the cost of designer and high quality items, then fear not. Because focusing on Style allows you to stand quite still, while Fashion creates a drunken mess, Style cleans up on integrity and class.

So accessories. Braces to the Brits, suspenders to the Americans and Caps to the Aussies…we all have a very distinct signature piece per country. The Stylemeisters suggest that you have a good look at the signature piece that you want to bring into your Style. For example -  John Galliano is very ‘pirate orientated’ and Karl Lagerfeld holds his trusting fan. You cannot separate the one from the other. So gents, start your engine in this crisis and lend an ear to what is comfortable and familiar and like second skin to YOU.

In the meantime, we’re loving the reintroduction of braces. It was considered a while ago that braces were unnecessary and outdated, but thanks to a few savvy designers, they are back. And they’re looking good.
The braces are no longer humbly a mere functional item concealed behind a jacket or blazer. They are bolder and more eye-brow raising than ever. And we like it that way. Braces may have been closely associated with clowns but they were never seen on fools. Braces these days have changed shape as you’ll see in our image. Non-conforming and loud, they do not whisper timidly anymore. So when buying a savvy pair, avoid one thing – Donald Duck figures and the Disney family.

I’m a Pant’s Man – fit em’ well please!

There is soooo much out there on the www, that it’s a given you’re going to miss something. So the Stylemeisters beat their chests when they come across such a find.

Bonobos is fashion ‘man-speak’ at its best, and if you know your world animals (and not just think you’re one in the bedroom) you’ll know that the Bonobos is one of the most amazing creatures on Earth, a peace loving, communal living, and (yes, we know!) sexually promiscuous Great Ape that possesses nearly all of modern man’s better traits. The polo & trouser Bonobos company know that these beautiful creatures are in danger so they donate money with every sale and new customer that buys their product.

Bonobos employ intelligent, empathetic people who provide exceptional customer service, free shipping, easy returns, and overall a fantastic experience. No Markups, No Sales Pitches. Why? Because they hate shopping too. They also dislike bad service, retail music that is too loud, and dressing rooms that are too small. Worst of all, the Ninjas at Bonobos hate losing time shopping when you could be doing better things like – beating your chest like a Bonobos! So now, you can experience the ease of online shopping on ‘your time buddy!’.

So who are these ninjas, the stylemeisters ask…
Bonobos was created in 2007 by Brian Spaly and Andy Dunn while they were roommates at Business School. As legend has it, Brian began altering pants for himself using a girlfriend’s sewing machine until Brian and Andy’s friends liked the pants so much that they demanded pairs of their own. They started Bonobos to solve a simple problem: men’s pants just don’t fit well. They’re either too tight to be comfortable or too baggy to look good. By innovating in a few key areas, we’ve developed a fit that looks and feels great for a wide variety of men.

We love em!

Sport & Fashion Combo…

It’s not often you come across a ’sportswear’ label that has successfully infiltrated the men’s ‘fashion’ world. When we say that, we mean they have dominated two categories in the garment business. You’d sit and ponder wouldn’t you, to whom it it would be to achieve this. The German’s – with their attention to detail & magnificient engineering? The Italian’s – with their undoubtable skill in tailoring? The American’s with the likes of Nike who are cross-pollinating with uber-cool streetwear collections? Or would it be an inconspicuous label from Sweden? J.Lindeberg. This stunning brand’s apparel is truly second to none, with the company’s main collection being progressive golf and ski wear. With all the noise in the sportwear industry, and of course the compeition to win the race, this magical line of tailored sportswear and suiting seems to just sit back and watch life go by, with a big smile on its face. And what does J.Lindeberg stand for? Elegant but not traditional. Bohemian but not snobbish. Arty but not intellectual. Youthful but not young. So as you scroll through the pages of www.jlindeberg.com – keep in mind that smile, that sits on the face of the brand as it watches the world go buy, probably with a cigar in hand. We like it!

Stunner-Esque Shades

Coming out of the fog and concrete jungle of LA is a meticulously designed sunglass label called Dita. Not only stunningly hand-made in Japan, the high grade materials of this masculine design lets the frame compliment the features of the wearer. The founders, who were friends since grade school, have a love for design and photography so it’s a powerful combination for this stylish vintage inspired eyewear to take ground in the sunglasses market.

A selection of gradient lenses gives you a seductive peak as to who the wearer is glancing at. Gray, tortoise, burn brown and black are favourites of this polarized stunner-esque eyewear and the frame sits powerfully on your dial with its straight-across bridge design.

The frames are titanium and you have a very cool selection of the hardware/divots choosing either antique silver or 12K gold plated. And no need to worry about that red dot on either side of your snoz when removing the sunnies ever so slowly; the nose is rubber padded as to eliminate this embarrassing aftermath. Send in your script and Dita will fit the lenses for you. What great service!

Anatomy of a Man: The British Gent

Daniel Craig: Never Shaken, Never Stirred.

Never Shaken, Never stirred. The British Gent is the epitomy of cool, calm and collected. He can take it between the eyes and still keep his reserve, with a slightly cocked eyebrow to let you know he’s got 1001 sarcastic thoughts running through his nonchalant and self-contained brain.

The Refined British Chap has been celebrated and revered for thousands of years culminating in the super sleuth himself, James Bond, the ultimate purveyor of cool. But he’s a recent addition to the long tradition of Brit gents with an upper lip of remarkable stiffness.

The British Gent is found in a bespoke suit from Saville Row by day, and then he slips (yes slips!) into an exquisitely cut tuxedo when night falls. His shoes are always polished to a blinding finish, his shirts are crisp, white and utilitarian and his bow-tie just so (and never ever ever of the elastic band variety).

He’s also annoyingly polite; he doesn’t like to upset others by pouring his feelings for all to see. He’s reluctant to display emotion in the face of extreme misfortune, or even extreme good fortune. That is his first bastion in the maintenance of British cool.

Proof of Concept:  At the Battle of Waterloo Lord Fordyce of Crote had the misfortune to be struck by a cannon ball that severed his left leg below the knee. He turned to the Duke of Wellington and said “Gad Sir! My leg’s off. That’s going to make it damn tricky to play cricket.” Goes to show, the British Gent would rather lose a limb, than go on a limb to reveal his Achilles’ heel.

Now, now, the idea of a Gentleman is not just a Western concept. “Jūnzǐ” (君子) is a term crucial to classical Confucianism that meant “son of a ruler”, “prince” or “noble”, the ideal of a “gentleman”, “proper man”, “exemplary person”, or “perfect man” who “combines the qualities of saint, scholar, and gentleman” A hereditary elitism was bound up with the concept, and gentlemen were expected to act as moral guides to the rest of society. They were to: cultivate themselves morally; participate in the correct performance of ritual; show filial piety and loyalty where these are due; and cultivate humaneness.

At Style101forMen we’re all for “Jūnzǐ”. Keep an eye out for our soon to be released ‘STYLE POWER’ book and module series; where we explore in detail how YOU can tap into your Gent Muscle, wield enormous authority and gain the utmost respect … by being a gentleman. And a very cool one at that!

Oscar G doesn’t wear skinny jeans. Oscar G is a real man.

Woopsie!

Oscar G doesn’t wear skinny jeans. Oscar G is a real man.

When Oscar G (a friend of the StyleMeister) posted the following status on Facebook today “ I don’t wear skinny jeans’” he didn’t expect the mad rush of responses. In just an hour, the man had 45 comments of all them giving the man a big nod.

It seems that although we argue endlessly about the ethics of nuclear war, squabble about who killed Michael Jackson and trade blows on Iraq, there’s one thing we all (all?) unanimously agree on – tight, bum squeeze denim is a definite no-no!

See, the bum squeezer only looks great on anorexic female models and some normal chics. The minute real men try and floss in tight jeans they look like human popsicles – their guts and nether parts are suddenly thrown into relief and wait for it … we all begin to question just how comfortable they are with themselves, (and their sexuality) if they’re constantly mincing around in skeletal jeans and tight trousers.

When you’re trying too hard to fit it all in, it doesn’t work and it shows!

So unless you’re a ditsy Zac Efron, The Jonas Bros, an alien from outer space, Robin Hood or an all American baseball player whose being paid millions to wear them, puhleeeesssse avoid the bum squeezer!

Skinny jeans don’t live here gents because Style 101 for Men is for real men … not posers!

God bless simplicity!

Essence of Cool

One thing really gets my boat a float, and that is when something works without any effort. Guys, what you see here is a perfect example of that. Style should be effortless. And we all can see when someone is trying TOO hard. And we usually judge them harshly. Hmmmm, bowing your head a little?

So, what’s really got me pumped is this everyday shot of a punter attending this year’s Milan Fashion Week. Relaxed slim line jeans with matching detailed thread marrying in powerfully with his distressed boots. A simple fine cotton T, with a sex symbol fading as a statement. This worn with a leather jacket, again distressed and slightly ‘edgy’ is a rock star effort! We love it.

Smooth and effortless

And see here, the runway look from Burberry Prorsum, effortless. Like Dean Martin.