MEN'S FASHION: KHAKIS

At least one pair of khaki pants has become a staple in almost every man's, woman's and child's wardrobe because they are so versatile. Khaki pants have been around for decades, originally relegated to work clothes and then in the 1960s and '70s, becoming popular for "nerds." Khaki trousers deserve better than the faint ridicule they've received. Naturally, the "I’m a man’s man guy wears them—saggy, baggy, dorky ones. But the new khakis balance comfort with style, says Nathan Laffin, senior vice president of Dockers Global Design. Simplify your wardrobe with a new pair (khakis go with almost anything), but buy smart.

For many of us, khaki pants are not always at eye level in our wardrobes.  They’re a step between dress pants and jeans, a gray area between business and pleasure.  Yet khakis are an important part of the modern man’s wardrobe, an item that can make an edgy outfit look refined and business wear look relaxed.

You can dress up khaki pants with a tie, navy blazer and/or a sweater or go extremely casual with a colored T-shirt and anything in between. What really makes or breaks the fashion statement with khaki pants are the accessories, belts, shoes and socks. Accessories are designed to complement an outfit, not detract from or overpower a garment. Never wear these accessories in black with khaki pants unless the shirt is black, because black is too harsh a color to complement the khaki color. Otherwise, choose a brown or colored belt, no wider than 1 1/2 inches with an understated

A nice, gray pair of khaki pants has a lot of wardrobe versatility.  Their color neutrality fits well with blacks, whites and other grays, but works just as well with the colored clothing staples you keep in your closet

If your workplace is on the traditional side when it comes to attire, it’s hard to own too much khaki.  Fortunately, traditional tan khaki is easy to accessorize in a manner that makes you stand out amongst your colleagues.  Many different solid-color dress shirts will work well with a color-neutral cardigan, and a gray or black fedora and scarf will raise the stakes a bit.

 A friend of mine asked me the other day what shoes could he pair with khaki pants especially at a smart casual work do; a fair question that does baffle some men. Try to avoid wearing sneakers. A casual boot or shoe is preferable. A sneaker speaks of immaturity–something you want to avoid. I’d say for a casual out of office event do feel free to try the new African print covered moccasins that local artistes are selling. Some are too flamboyant for some men but for the adventurous they do seem to add a kind of flair to the whole look. A vendor that comes to mind in Nairobi is Afri Tribal who can be found on face book.  So guys do re-look at your khakis and enjoy them as you do your denims.

men's style: inspiration part three

MEN'S STYLE: INSPIRATION PART TWO

MEN'S STYLES : INSPIRATION PART ONE

Men's Styling: The beginning

So I've finally given in to the innumerable demand to also incorporate menswear services in my portfolio.  I did my first menswear look book and it felt soooo good and I knew it was good. The client who is a very particular person also liked what I'd done.

So I've received several queries and requests from men to either update their looks or shop for them. Most of my posts here have been on women's wear as that is my natural inclination but seeing as there is a market gap and I love a good challenge, I'm taking it up. My only disclaimer I will not do those overly flamboyant feminine looks some men favour. I firmly believe that  a man should be a man with no confusion allowed.

Men can find building a basic wardrobe scary. But with easy steps, you can do it quite easily. But be careful because being preppy is quite hard to maintain

Clothes make the man. This mantra has been drilled into your head time and time again, but many of you out there are still not listening. 

 When it comes to fashion know-how, most men are

 1) too cheap,

 2) too clueless, or 

3) simply don't care (these are the men whose mommies laid their clothes out for them).

You can no longer continue walking around looking like a mess,

"I think that women recognize a man who dresses well - they can pick that guy out of the crowd. He's not necessarily dressed expensively or crazily, he's a guy who's dressed well and looks neat. If a man cares about the way he looks, it is obvious to other people that he's got something going on for himself and that he will probably be a better date."

-Stan Williams, Fashion Maven

Basically, hair is easy: don't be afraid to get haircuts, and make sure you comb it before you leave your house. Most men don't get haircuts frequently enough, which contributes to an overall sloppy look. So after you get one, ask your cutter when you should come in next, and make an appointment. (Our recommendation is once every three weeks.) I'm not a fan of dreadlocks on men but if that's your personal style ensure you get them relocked frequently to avoid the homeless man look. It's very unattractive.For men who use styling products in their hair, they are often fall victim to SFS, or Shiny Forehead Syndrome. This is when the styling product you are using in your hair gets all over your forehead leaving a shiny film. The solution is simple. Wash your forehead after you are finished styling your hair.

Unwashed or greasy hair is a huge turn-off for women, especially if the hair is long or tangled. Even if the plan is simply to throw a hat on, having unwashed hair can both feel, and smell, unpleasant. Fortunately, many companies such as Gillette are now making 2 in 1 shampoos and conditioners for men, which will easily take care of this little chore.

Two of the commonly missed areas of men's grooming are the hands and nails. Many men will condition and style their hair, shave well and then completely disregard their hands, even after a long day of work. Step one is to invest in a decent set of nail clippers. The small clippers which most women use will not do the job here – the larger version is preferable, especially for clipping toenails.Once the nails have been clipped the next step is to clean the hands. A simple soap will do for the bulk of the dirt, but one often-missed area is under a man's nails, even if they are short. Most nail clippers will come with a small tool that can be used to remove any excess dirt under the nails, just be careful not to dig too deeply. Lastly, it can again be worthwhile to apply a small amount of lotion to the hands when coming out of the shower. This will allow the lotion to penetrate the skin while it is moist and will have a longer-lasting effect

In the wild, animals are able to identify others by scent. But they also smell each other's asses to sniff said scent. The moral: be careful when selecting and applying cologne. First, don’t rely on cologne to cover up poor grooming habits, that’s not the purpose for which it was made. Cologne is supposed to be an accent, not the basis of your hygiene routine.  A man’s cologne isn’t meant to mark his territory as he roams from place to place, it should only be noticed by those in intimate proximity.

It is recommended to put cologne on pulse points such as the wrists, the base of the throat, and behind the ears as the heat produced in these areas will help activate the scent. Do not spray cologne on your clothes, as it won’t last nearly as long. Finally, don’t settle for a cheap bottle of cologne. You don’t have to go over the century mark, but investing in a quality cologne should serve you for at least couple years (storing your bottle in a dark, cool place will help prolong its lifespan).

I will be doing a series of posts on grooming for men but for now that is a basic. These days, to dress well is to stand out. People look for effortless distinction. This means clothes that fit, in the right colours and with a splash of charisma in the details.

 

The next step is getting an idea of who you are, what you want to portray to the world and your lifestyle. This will help in establishing your current style and where you want to be. Once this has been achieved hopefully with the help of a personal stylist then the next step is a wardrobe edit. I will do a different blog post on wardrobe edits and transforming a man's wardrobe on a budget.

So hopefully I've piqued your interest to call me  and we can have a discussion