Some men think grooming is optional. Others feel it’s less masculine to be well groomed . But a well-groomed man always looks better than his frumpy, sloppier counterpart.  “Manscaping” has been a term used to describe the grooming/hygiene habits of human males. Even the most unattractive guy can look his very best by taking care of the basics.  Here’s how you can best present yourself without having to spend money on fancy, expensive clothing. Trim. Nose, ear, neck, hair is not attractive to most people in the western hemisphere. I don’t make any claims on some indigenous group of Papa New Guinea, but most people don’t want to see your nose, ear, or neck hair.  And while you’re at it, look on top of your nose, yes, on top. I’ve seen guys with long hairs growing out from the tip of their noses. Not attractive. At all. When you look…

Every man needs a good bathing suit, especially during the summer. And if you’re at the pool, lake or beach you’re always having to change into something nicer to go to a restaurant or a walk down the street. In my mind, exchanging my boardshorts for dress shorts means I’m done having fun in the water. Now, thanks to the new hybrid boardshorts, I don’t have to change from bathing suit to street wear. While boardshorts have been a staple in men’s wear for several years and have grown in popularity, they still most worn around water. There are exceptions to the rule however, like my friend Christian, who wears them as his workout shorts. While he can pull off the boardshorts-outside-the-pool look, most guys can’t. We’d just look goofy. But then enter O’Neill to the rescue. The hybrid boardshorts are just what the name claims: a bathing suit that…

No summer wardrobe is fully complete without the perfect pair of sunglasses. Guys, the good news it that there are a lot of different styles that you could wear that are in vogue these days. There’s a resurgence for the third time of the RayBan’s Wayfarer as well as strong come back of the Aviator. But before you choose you frame, here’s a few things to consider: If you have a long face you should stay away from “droopy” frames and go with something of a more horizontal nature. While the Aviator might be making a come back, it might not be a come back for you. If you have a large head beware of frames that are too small for you. They will make your head look even bigger. If your face is round stay away from round frames. You’ll accentuate your “roundness” and will end up looking like…

As I try to prepared for tomorrow’s rapture into heaven, I naturally thought of what I wanted to wear to heaven. That’s a big question. Think about it. So I did. But according to some, we would go naked. However, if they are wrong and we did indeed make the trip wearing whatever we had on at the time of the rapture, which I heard somewhere is around 5 p.m. tomorrow, that could be embarrassing.  Trying to understand and visualize such event, I googled the rapture so I could see what it would look like. Here’s what I found: I still haven’t answered the big question: What should I wear? If we go naked, then all bets are off, including our pants and our apparel doesn’t matter. Now if we go up clothed I’m going to wear white. Think about every movie scene shot in heaven you’ve seen. What are…

Stripes have been a staple in men’s wear for decades. We wear them in suits, shirts, pants, shorts and even undergarments. But not all stripes are created equal. You should know what type of stripe works best for you and why. I see a lot of guys wearing vertical stripes when they should be wearing horizontal. Yes, there is a difference. Here’s a simple guide for guys, it works for gals as well, on how to wear stripes: Horizontal: if you are thin, or tall and want to look wider, horizontal stripes are your friend. Slender, tall frames usually look their best with a wide horizontal stripped shirts. If you are heavy or have short legs, horizontal stripes usually make you look bigger and stubbier. Big or broad guys with short legs should stay away from them. Vertical: If you are short and/or heavy, vertical stripes are good for you.…

Nothing says summer more than the right shoes. Recently, men’s casual shoes options have grow beyond flip flops and boat shoes. But if you’re going to sport some sweet summer footwear you should keep a few dos and don’ts in mind. Dos: Clean your feet. Cut your toenails. I know it’s obvious, but it needs to be said. I’ve seen some of your feet. If you’re gutsy, go a step further and have a pedicure. Your feet and those who look at it will thank you. Have more than one pair of flip flops Pair sockless dress shoes with jeans or even shorts. This is a bold move and for the fashion forward. You can’t be timid and pull this off. Have fun with bold colors Don’t: Wear your ratty flip flops to work. When in doubt don’t wear it. Wear socks with your sandals (even if you’re European, this…

The white belt has been a men’s fashion accessory for a long time. In the past, it has been paired exclusively with summer white linen pants or shorts and white shoes. However, in the recent years, it has become a trend in men’s fashion beyond polo matches or resort wear. Unfortunately some guys are violating the white belt rules. Here’s some rules to keep in mind: 1.     No white belt with black shoes 2.     No white belt with pleats (no pleats…period) 3.     No white belt with black plants 4.     No white belt if your belly covers the buckle How do you feel about the white belt?

While in Vienna last week, I couldn’t help notice the traditional Austrian Loden jacket, sometimes called a tracht coat. It’s popular in Bavaria and Austria and has been around for centuries. The coat is often made of wool, where the fibers are boiled than pressed and become water repellent called Loden wool. These days it is blended with alpaca, mohair, camel or cashmere. Loden is traditionally of dark green color with a laid down and pressed pile finish. I really liked the six buttons on the front and the streamlined collar, or, as some refer to it, “collarless.” I went ahead and bought one for the Fall. I chose the traditional navy Loden wool and cashmere with brass buttons–a thing of beauty if I say so myself.  I hate to have to wait several months before I get to wear mine, but since these jackets have been around for hundreds…

I travel a lot. A whole lot. People are always asking me how do I go for a week with just one carry on. How do you decide on what to take on a trip? While none of us want to take extra stuff, we certainly don’t want to be caught with less stuff than what we need. Over the years I have come up with a traveling fashion strategy. Pick a color palette. When I’m traveling for business, my color palette is usually black and one or two accent colors for shirts. This way I make sure that every shirt, socks and pants match each other. If you have a spill or pull a button or hole then it could ruin your one good outfit you had planed. When I go on vacation or to the tropics, I usually pick a navy or tan color scheme. Right now I’m…

You can’t have a sense of personal style without knowing who you are as a person. The fashion Friday posts often focus on a male fashion trend, that for the most part, is very subjective. The fashion gods, and I mean, gods with a very small “g,” decide what’s in and what’s not. But no matter of what the latest fashion might be, you cannot have a sense of style without having a sense of self. The more you’re set on your convictions and the more developed your world view is, the more you can create the visual part of your persona. They are both tied together. That’s the difference between people who are trendsetters and those who are fashion victims. Those who lack a deep sense of personal conviction and strong sense of self can easily fall prey to the latest fad, no matter how bad or inappropriate it…