First impressions count & girls don’t want to interview

Summer was a great girl with luscious, long, black locks, a quick smile and a fun, bubbly personality.

When Tom first saw her he was intrigued by her sharp mind, gentleness and genuine joy. He too wasn’t a bad specimen, with a kind heart, a shy smile, great guns, and quick wit.

They’d met through mutual friends and they quickly became part of the same crowd, hanging out at barbeques, dinners and beach parties.

Overtime Tom became increasingly enchanted with Summer and her great personality. He started vying for her attention in the hopes of scoring a date but each time she’d laugh him off gently. She’d smile easily at him, and chat and laugh but he just could not get her interested in him in anything other than being a casual pal. Worse still, he could tell she never gave him a thought after they parted company each time.

Then came the day their friends hosted drinks after work. Tom sauntered into the bar in a beautifully tailored, form fitting D&G suit and … Summer nearly passed out. The ‘Tom’ standing before wasn’t the slouchy baggy pants, oversized T, Nike tottin’ homeboy she knew. He looked like a smart, successful and confident man and in one moment, she too was enchanted.

Months later, after they were engaged, Summer let him in on what had changed her mind about him – his new-to-her, elegant style had made her consider that he was a man worth taking seriously.

True Story!

Tom learnt a powerful lesson – what you wear and how you wear it leaves others with a very strong impression of who you are. Your style is tied very closely to your identity and more than that, to your image. Tom burnt his oversized jeans and Ts and bought shares in D&G.

Style is for real men, not posers.

Right now all over this planet, decisions are being made on who to promote, who to date, who to hire and who to fire; with a strong emphasis on the overall impression that the subject leaves on the decision maker.

Although ‘MENSTYLEPOWER’ does not in anyway promote image over character, we do encourage gentlemen all over the world to take the time to think about how they are perceived – what does your image say about you? Are you Shabby? Flabby? Crabby? Or Sexy? Seriously, ask yourself the question and if you can’t honestly answer it, ask a chic – your sister, girlfriend or gal pal.

Do you get compliments on your style often? Do you enjoy the feeling that comes from being told you look good? Or do you only get that feeling on Sundays at church, or at funerals, when you drag out your only suit?

Your image strongly determines your career path, your personal happiness and your self-confidence. It’s elemental, right?

The problem is, many men simply don’t know what to wear or how to wear it.

This what you’re going to learn from us: Style involves understanding how to wear clothes that suit you. One guy can throw on a pair of jeans and T-shirt and looks great, while another guy can wear a T-shirt and jeans and look horrible.

Most men don’t suit most high-fashion trends so DON’T wear it simply because it walked down of a runway in Milan. There are quirky men who can carry off ‘quirk’, but most men can’t.

Alternatively, the homeboy look – oversized, really sloppy pants hanging off a man’s waist – gives the impression the man is just as sloppy in his private life.

The tight, bum squeezer is also a no-no! Others won’t easily trust you’re comfortable with yourself (and your sexuality) if you’re constantly mincing around in overtight trousers and jeans.

When you’re trying too hard it doesn’t work. When you’re trying too hard or not at all, it shows!

MENSTYLEPOWER focuses on helping you make a great first and lasting impression that’s unique to YOU – individuality rules and reigns in our world!

MENSTYLEPOWER will give you the confidence to try something new because looking good is not complicated – if you have a few simple, key, modern and yet comfortable and elegant wardrobe items.

And because we believe that style is also about character MENSTYLEPOWER discusses the importance of character, integrity and chivalry as attributes of the stylish man.

Take the ride with us and become the coolest YOU in town.

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.

Vampires and their Hair

Quite unknown and obviously youthful, Kristen and Robert have exposed their real-life relationship which obviously has developed from their silver screen tension. Clearly Robert Pattinson is the heart-throb of nearly every teenage girl on the planet. And included in this group are Gen X and Baby-boomers who are happy to reminisce on such days when innocence of a first love flourished. Robbie has by-passed the Hollywood code of conduct and rule book, to draw in his co-star with chivalry, gentlemanship and respect. Wow – those are words not used nearly enough in the media these days, but the question remains…are they here to stay or are we going to have another Rihanna and Chris Brown saga?

Pattinson is to me, very uncomfortable in real life. He’s shy, awkward and with his angular face washed of the Vampire makeup of the alluring character Edward Cullen, the dangerous predator disappears and the true person remains. Feeling comfortable in your own skin must be one of the most difficult life lessons, and yet many of us blokes don’t get it until we’re starting to get that salt and pepper look on top and we give in. Oh well, youth has eluded me so I may as well just accept my look. Yes! Do that! But do it now.

The Vamprish style has always been controlled by black. Black isn’t a colour, it’s a shade. So it will sit well on anyone. Because the pupils of our eyes are complimented and the composition of this shade brings focus to the face. The timeless look of this style is in the fusion of loose fitting jeans, ties, vests and tailored jackets. Absolutely no jewellery. The best palette is charcoal, grey, deep blue, black, metallic and white. And as for the hair – that ‘just got out of bed’ look is the go.

Only the Brave

I’m sensing a magnificent movement that is about to arrive on the shores of every man’s hometown. And it’s being driven by the consumer’s heart. Now, I’m not going to go all soppy on you and fall into a blubbering mess and cry ‘it’s finally here!’, but the ‘tone of voice’ that keeps popping up when I am researching new trends is starting to form a pattern of clouds in the sky….spelling out – Chivalry.

To be honest this makes my heart pound just a little bit harder and my biceps seem to nostalgically remember a muscle memory of centuries past when I most likely held a sword and screamed a line out of BraveHeart. But what’s happening is men (and women – believe it boys!) realise that Fashion is not art, it’s porn and Style is king….literally. But we’re not talking about a physical style here. It’s spiritual and emotional. A ‘code’ of conduct that is starting to weave its way into every fibre of cloth and human matter because somewhere along the way, we’ve had enough.

I’m a big believer in entrepreneurs. They pioneer through mangroves and cut a new path that gives a boost to the economy and a livelihood to families. When these entrepreneurs have a company value system that embraces ethics and their CEO/founder lives it, we are one happy family. Renzo Russo, CEO/ Founder of Diesel, and Richard Branson (we all know who he is) are two of my favourites, because they walk the talk.

Renzo is talking about ‘only the brave’. The mantra is plastered on everything from tight T-shirts to the lobby of Diesel’s deliciously industrial corporate offices. And perhaps constantly being reminded of these three little words is exactly what keeps Rosso running. He’s investing in up and coming designers and expanding into new industries like restaurants and furniture.

Branson, well, do we need to say more? It’s a name to which we all feel we’re personally acquainted to as he’s sooooo personal himself and he cares for people. What gets him out of bed everyday is he wants to find a new way to give people a good time. A hero!

So you see….there is a change of focus. Men are moving towards five archetypes that have been lost in the dark ages for a long time now. The Hero, The Warrior, The Priest, The King and The Hunter. Why? Because as corporations fail us, and society’s greed claims us, a rise to the human spirit is what’s driving us. Men have a natural code to protect and fight for what he believes in. It’s in his blood stream. So gents, dress like you mean business, and I mean ‘business’!

The Stylemeisters talk about all 5 male archetypes in their e-book.

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!

Confidence to look good!

It's time to find the best YOU!

Clothes make the man. We say it over and over in our E-book. If you don’t believe me, take a close look at the women who stare you up and down when you walk through the street. A-huh, they are checking you out. And since the first impression is your external architectural style-map (because they haven’t had a moment to sit down and listen to your incredible take on world politics) this is what you’ll be judged on. Or think back to that pang of jealousy you felt the last time you were sitting in a pub with some mates, downing a Leffe Blond Belgium Beer (now that’s a nice one) and you saw an impeccably dressed guy walk into the pub and immediately command the attention of the room. Your jealousy was scoffing sentences in your head like, ‘humph, so what he looks like Brad Pitt with his Armani suit on. It’s probably fake. Who cares, I don’t. I’ve got $1mill in the bank and I’m driving a Maserati. Twit, if he thinks he can walk in here as if he owns the place’. Ha – I’m laughing as ten years ago I probably did that! But back to the topic at hand. You want to be that guy! You want to command the attention of the room. You want to have every head turn to you when you walk adorning your Prada suit. Right?!

We have created an E-book that we’re pretty chuffed about because it’s covering so many topic to bring the best man out in YOU. When you’re not sure what to ditch in your wardrobe, or what pieces to invest in for your new ‘look’, then we have the most classic, and edgy tips for you. We know that women have been driving and dominating the fashion scene for decades, and now, more than ever (in this time of instant gratification), we need clarity and simplicity. Don’t get dismayed with advertisements screaming ‘buy me, buy me’…we know you’re confused. So we went to work, late nights, sleepless nights (Well that was Style-meister) to help you out. You don’t need to blow your savings budget to upgrade your wardrobe. Take it one step at a time. We know when you feel good about your appearance, you’ll naturally project confidence.

Pull your socks up!

We all make fashion errors now and again, but some fashion mistakes made by men are never forgotten. Back in the late 18th century to make a mistake in fashion was almost unforgivable, and those who witnessed your mistake did not want to be seen with you, so they would not invite you out on their next occasion. They saw it as a lack of knowledge and to dress badly was evidence that you were ignorant towards social graces. We may have more liberty today to wear clothing as a form of expression than acceptance, but we are still judged harshly for our fashion faux pas.

Now a man’s finances may inhibit him from buying something that he really wants, but that should not affect his dress sense or grooming skills. The one title that a man does not escape from is that of a shabby ho-bo.

A big no-no in fashion for me is wearing “Socks with Sandals”… Scrolling through my catalogue of fashion images I came across a very high-end designer who is determined to avenge the socks with sandals look. Unless you’re living in Italy and the rest of your garment is Versace I don’t think you can pull this one off. I understand that when it is chilly outside we all dream of the warmth of the summer sun, but wearing socks with sandals doesn’t make the seasons change any faster. If you want to wear sandals this badly, move to the Bahamas. In fact, the Stylemeister is there right now sipping on a little pina-colada. Hey dude!

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!