While it’s often ungentlemanly behavior to discuss others in a bad light (and to attempt to feel superior to them by doing so), we believe that striving to be superior to your former self is worthwhile. In that spirit, today’s video is something fun and unique: a reaction to a video of ours from 3 years ago, “19 Things Men Should Never Wear!”
Video Transcript [Edited for Clarity]
You might have noticed reaction videos are really popular and so we thought about what we could do on our channel. Of course, the first question we asked was, is it really gentlemanly to talk maybe negatively about others on such a platform? There’s this great quote from Ernest Hemingway saying, “There’s no nobility in being superior to some other man. The true nobility is being superior to your previous self.” So, in that spirit, we decided to do a reaction video about a former video I filmed where things have changed.
Over time, we all grow and get better and if you look at our YouTube channel, sometimes people delete early videos. On the Gentleman’s Gazette, we decided to leave every video up to show you how we progressed from the very beginning to where we are today. So, why react to 19 Things Men Should Never Wear? Well, on the one hand, it’s a very polarizing title. On the other hand, the video is three years old, so things have changed and hopefully, I have evolved, too. And lastly, the thought behind the video originally was to create something that attracts people interested in classic men’s style and detracts people who are not interested in it.
So, without further ado, let’s have a look. “Welcome back to the Gentleman’s Gazette. In today’s video, we discuss 19 things men should never wear especially if you’re stylish or dapper.” Video hasn’t changed much or at least the intro is still the same. Maybe it’s time to redo that! “I know some of you will say, in this day and age, I can wear whatever I want and you’re quite right. Today, you can wear whatever you want at the same time, you can also inhale asbestos or you can drink water from lead pipes, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Now that we got that straight away, let’s start…” Definitely true today.
19 Things Men Should Never Wear
1. Flip Flops & Sandals
“The first thing you should never wear as a man are sandals. They look particularly bad when you combine them with socks but even on their own, there may be something that people who are really into outdoor stuff wear however if you consider…” Yeah, I’m still with that 100%.
One thing I do notice though is that our sound is much improved if you compare the sound quality back then. And now, it just sounds a lot better. And if I hear myself, now I feel like it’s me; before was just ever so slightly off. “Consider yourself stylish or if you care at all about your outward appearance “ I mean, look at my eye. It seems like my left eye, I oftentimes twitch a bit. It’s a little smaller and stuff. It’s kind of funny and my hair, you can see I’m parting it in a different way now.
“Sandals will always make you look less smart and immature. The same goes for flip-flops. Unless you’re at the pool or at the beach, a self-respecting man should never wear flip-flops in public. It’s always easy to say what not to wear but what should you wear instead?” Yeah, flip-flops. I mean, I have them. My dad is from Brazil and a lot of people wear in there and I wear them to the pool or at the beach but otherwise, I think they’re still overworn and they’re just better options out there.
“Well for summer, I think an ideal shoe are Alpargatas. They’re actually shoes that are originally from Majorca and…” I know, we’ve gotten a lot of flack for Alpargatas in the comments where people say, “Oh it is a terrible shoe. I wouldn’t be caught dead in them.” And I get it. It’s a little more out there but from a classic point of view, if you go through the old-fashioned illustrations from the 1930s, that’s what men actually did wear and I still think they’re kind of a fun summer shoe. Of course, they don’t have much structure, alternatively, maybe a pair of boat shoes will do as well.
“And they have a [straw] sole…sometimes they have some rubber added to it and then it’s fabric. Sometimes it’s woven, sometimes it’s very thin. In any case, it’s a summery shoe…” Oh man! I also got comments about my dry skin there and you’re quite right. I should have put on more lotion. “…Serves the same purpose as saddles or flip flops, yes it’s a lot more stylish. If you want to go a notch up in formality, go with perforated punch hold leather shoes, or maybe even linen because it absorbs the moisture from your feet and it looks very summery and elegant.” Yeah, linen or woven under shoes are definitely still great especially for summer because they’re just more breathable than straight like regular leather.
2. Cargo Shorts
“The second thing you should ever wear are…cargo shorts. They just make you look like a douchebag and I know some people love cargo shorts.” Obviously, you know, I’m not a fan of them and if you listen to it again, I said, “it makes you look like a douchebag.” Now, a lot of people take it as I’m calling people who wear cargo shorts, douchebags. Technically, that’s not quite right. Now, it’s a very aggressive stance and again I made this video back then to kind of attract people who like suits and detract people who wear cargo shorts. If I would do it again, I would be less harsh because after all, in this day and age, anyone can wear anything.
“…they’re functional. Having items in their cargo shorts pockets make it look asymmetrical and because of that, it sends a subconscious signal to others that you’re just not as well put together and they can’t put their finger on it, but in any case, they will think less highly of you.”
3. Matching Tie & Pocket Square
“My third men’s style pet peeve is wearing a matching tie and a pocket square.” Yeah, that’s just such a terrible combo because it just shows that you tried but you just failed. “Oftentimes, they come in sets, usually in ugly shiny satin, and sometimes they’re even pre-folded pocket squares or pre-tie ties that you clip on and if you wear this, it just looks so cheap and like you don’t know what you’re doing that you’re better off skipping it altogether. Of course, wearing a tie and a pocket square makes you look dapper and you should do that…” 100% still on there. You heard me say dapper. For some strange reason, I said dapper probably 120 times. I notice it now when I watched a video and I think people came up with like a drinking game, “take a shot every time he says dapper,” so hey, make the best out of it and enjoy!
“However you should always tie your own tie and fold your own pocket squares.” Absolutely. 100%. “We have a whole series on different tie knots and how to tie them as well as how to fold pocket squares the easy way, please check them out.” Yeah, it’s not that difficult, you know. My dad didn’t teach me how to tie a tie, he just left his nut in the tie and put it back on so I learned it and I was like, “Hey let’s make some videos!” It’s simple and then once you know it, it’s like riding a bike – you won’t forget it.
4. Wearing a Suit with Short Socks
“My fourth style pet peeve is wearing a suit with short socks. No one wants to see your hairy calves and even if you shave them, it’s just not appropriate, especially in a business setting or an office setting and if you go with a suit or with long pants or trousers or dress pants, you should always have over the calf socks. If you want to learn how to combine pants with shoes and socks so you look dapper…” Yeah, I truly believe that still to this day and you can tell at the Fort Belvedere store we don’t offer any short socks, they’re all over the calf because it’s the gentleman’s choice – it’s as simple as that.
5. Neck Tie with an Unbuttoned Dress Shirt
“The fifth thing you should never wear is a necktie with a dress shirt” Yeah, top button undone… no, it just looks lazy and you’re better off just skipping a necktie altogether. “…when the top button of a dress shirt is unbuttoned. It just looks sloppy and the sole purpose of wearing a tie is to make it look more dapper and elegant, and…” On the B footage, it’s still crisp, it gets the point across, but I think today we would add more outdoor footage because it just makes it feel different, and soon, I look forward to adding more slow motion to it, which is just a really cool effect. That is not something we used to do back then.
“…you care about what you look like and you should either wear the tie and wear it properly or not at all. So if you find yourself in a situation where it’s too hot or you feel uncomfortable around your neck…” That’s right – all or nothing. Do you see my eye again? For some reason, I do that which is kind of funny because I don’t notice it when I stand here but when I see it I’m like, what am I doing? “…take off the tie, roll it up, put it in a pocket and unbutton the buttons. That looks much better.”
6. Oversized Shirt Collars
“My sixth pet peeve are shirt collars that are too big. I see them all over the place and sometimes we wear them with neckwear which leads to puckering because when you tighten your tie knot there’s too much fabric and it just leaves unsightly waves. The golden rule of thumb that you read all over the place is that you can put two fingers in your collar and it should comfortably fit. The problem with that is I’ve never found a collar where I couldn’t put two fingers in because your neck is flexible. Because of that..” Sometimes there are all these rules and they’re just plain stupid and if you actually follow them, you’re like, What is that supposed to be? Is it helpful at all? No, but people still talk about it so whenever we hear a rule, think about it, apply it, and see if it actually makes sense.
“…you should wear a collar that doesn’t leave any visible gaps when you stand still..” Oh man, can you see I got a bad shave there? You could see like hair poking out on the side so not something that you should do. “Usually if your collar is too big, you’ll find that there’s a gap in the front and it should sit snugly against your neck. That will give you a proper look and it’s just dapper.”
7. Square-Toed Shoes
“The seventh thing you should never wear are square-toed shoes. Usually, that’s what you find in lower-end shoes…” Yeah, there have been even reaction videos to this particular video because it was so polarizing and I remember one guy saying, “Well, square toe shoes are really trendy right now. It’s absolutely what you wear,” and in certain fashion circles, that is true. That being said, from a classic style point of view, these are the kind of shoes that a lot of people start out with when they want to dress up and dress better, and then, later on, they’re embarrassed that they ever wore those shoes and it’s the same is true for me. I remember having these square-toed shoes from Brazil and the brand I think was called Ferracini which was kind of Italian-inspired but it was made in Brazil and I wore those and I’m just like horrified looking at old pictures when I see those shoes.
“…under a hundred dollars and they’re just plain ugly and they showed everyone..” Even better, right? Here, you have exotic skin and shiny parts. Yeah, terrible. Like also these curved up shoes in the front with a square toe. Aah, it pains me. “…a bit around you that you have no clue about dressing well. When I grew up in Germany there was a company named Lloyd’s and they sold tons of ugly shoes and they were actually…” They’re still around and they’re still d*mn ugly. “…a little more expensive so people consider them to be quality dress shoes and for that reason, that style was perpetuated.” I haven’t lived in Germany for 11 years but every once in a while, I still get a comment from people saying, “Yep, still the case. Lloyd’s still producing crappy looking shoes.”
“There are good companies out there that offer a nice round toe or if you want something a little more square go with a chisel toe that’s very elegant.” Yeah, now you find the almond toe and everything, and even this last it’s very classic I can still work exactly like that today, and uh look at those socks, I happen to wear them today.
8. Tennis Socks
“My eighth style pet peeve are tennis socks. Unless you’re at the gym there’s really no reason you should ever wear them. Wearing white tiny socks with brogues or with long pants or even with shorts in a public setting that is not the gym makes you look like a peasant.” Here again, “make you look like a peasant.” The idea was there probably not that many peasants anymore around that would be offended by that saying and it’s kind of tongue-in-cheek and was supposed to be funny.
I hope most people are not offended by it. At the same time, I can see that if you wear tennis socks and you don’t wear them at the gym, you must think, “Wow what an arrogant pr*ck, judging me and my character by the type of socks I wear,” and again I would probably say it less harshly in this day and age. Not just this day and age, but today, because I found that it’s better to bring people to dress up by being inclusive and not just rejecting what they do and just say, “Hey you know whatever works for you. This is what we do.” I talk about what is positive and what we strive for, not about the things we don’t do or not like that much.
9. Windsor Tie Knot
“The ninth thing you should never wear is the Windsor tie knot. I know it’s one of the most popular tie knots around because it’s symmetrical…” Funny, the camera wasn’t really in focus. I don’t know why, probably because it was like an HD video. Yeah, Windsor tie knots are still very popular and still not the ideal tie knot, I think, in most situations.
“Cheap, shiny ties and it makes you look like a used car salesman or…” There was another one where I just used the stereotype of the used car salesman and I’m sure I offended some salesmen or used car salesmen, which yeah I think in general when you look at a group of people and you stereotype and say, “Hey, this is what they were and this is what they do,” there’s always an exception to rule. Even like from a cultural standpoint, right. You could say well in Germany people think there’s lots of drafts and drafts make you sick and in the US people don’t think that and while that may be generally true for maybe 80-85 or maybe even 90 or more percent of the population, there’s always an exception to the rule and we have to keep that in mind and by just flat out saying used car salesmen are poorly dressed with Windsor knots and shiny ties, it’s just not true.
“Insurance salesman that is just very sleazy and not very competent…” Same thing here with an insurance salesman. I remember having a conversation with an insurance salesman who was upset by it and I apologized and said, “Look, I would have not said that again but thank you for pointing it out,” and actually we’re able to have a good conversation afterward and establish the mutual level of respect. “and instead I suggest you look into the many different highlights that are out there including the half Windsor that look much better in my opinion and are much better suited to an elegant gentleman.”
10. Satin Silk Ties
“The 10th thing you should never wear are satin silk ties especially not for day wear. Maybe if you want something for the evening where you want a little bit of shine, I could see that but most of those ties you get at Walmart or a cheaper outlet like Men’s Wearhouse, Jos A Bank…” Yeah, traditional neckties and shiny silk are kind of the lowest quality step in men’s ties, unless you get a high-quality silk satin for an evening necktie but then again you’re probably better off wearing a satin black bow tie which is the number one bestseller for black evening bow ties because it sparkles nicely especially in the knot area, but for regular neckties especially if you wear them during the day, skip satin all together or anything else that is shiny; sometimes they’ve nylon or polyester parts.
“…Sure you’ve seen those ties in multicolors and they’re just so plain ugly.” That’s funny because I didn’t catch a problem in the review. If I look at these madras ties, for example, they’re cool; I’d wear them. The paisley is a little bold but still wearable, I think. The stripes blue and pink tie is little out there but there are a whole lot worse ties out there than you can see here that’s describes as wrong so I would definitely put a different picture in there. “I can’t even find words for it. Instead, go with a tie that is silk, maybe wool, maybe cashmere, maybe some texture” Yep, these are nice ties, madder ties, grenadine ties, wool tie, all good. “If it’s all silk, go maybe with a jacket weave or a print, look for something more matte that is timeless.”
“It will stand the test of time and it will make you look dapper. Case in point, the tie I’m wearing here right now is vintage, but I can still wear it because it’s not shiny, I’ve had it for years. it’s probably 50 years old but I can still wear it because it’s not shiny, it’s a classic small paisley pattern and it just always looks dapper.” Dapper, man!
11. Sports Sunglasses
“My eleventh style pet peeves are sports sunglasses. Yes, you know what I’m talking about, those mirrored sunglasses that you maybe wear when you’re outdoors in the woods and you have a physical activity…” I mean the only thing worse than that, in my opinion, are probably those sunglass covers that you wear with your regular glasses, which I’ve never seen anywhere outside the US but yeah it always pains me when I see that. I feel sorry for people who wear that and think they look great. “Usually they’re mirrored sometimes they have…” and again, that’s just my point of view. They may look at me and think, Wow what a buffoon. He looks like he’s out of this world. Right? So we’re all having our very personal angle. I have the angle of the classic style and we’re all subjective in our own ways.
“…Rainbow colors, they’re just not something you should ever wear with a formal wardrobe in public. Instead, go with classic sunglasses that have stood the test of time such as maybe a pair of aviators, maybe Wayfarers, or maybe you want to be like Steve Mcqueen–the king of cool…” Yeah, king of cool- Steve Mcqueen Persols. If you want to check out that Is it worth it video, head over here.
12. Grown Men Wearing Jerseys in Public
“My 12th pet peeve is when grown men wear jerseys in public. By that, I mean sports jerseys that you usually only wear if you go to a sporting event and you want to support your team. Otherwise, they’re wholly inappropriate and just always make you look very immature. Instead, go with any other kinds of shirts you can find but a jersey is just bad.” Very true. Same opinion today, hasn’t changed.
13. Slogan T-Shirts
“In the same vein, [consider] slogan t-shirts. They just make you look like a 13-year-old boy who wants to express himself but doesn’t know quite how and it’s not just immature..” Chris, our cameraman now, may be wondering, because sometimes he wears these slogan t-shirts–so, hey, Chris! It’s all still good. I’m not offended by it! But I think it’s probably not the best way to present yourself. “…but it makes people laugh about you and that you actually wear this shirt. I have stuff where men actually wear t-shirts that say Douchebag or Haters Will Always Hate and while that may be the case, it’s just better to not wear it plain in bold colors on your shirt but to rather talk to people in person.”
14. Regular Necktie for Black Tie Events
“My 14th style pet peeve is when men wear regular neckties for Black Tie events. You see it on the red carpet, in Hollywood…” Hollywood, man! We used to do these kinds of Black Tie roundups for Hollywood and I stopped doing them because it was just too depressing at times. “…but every year around the Oscars and it’s just plain wrong. This is a formal dress code and it looks like you don’t know what you’re doing.”
We have this Black Tie pocket guide that we wrote but we also have what is probably the world’s most extensive guide on Black Tie, including the entire history. So, if you want to learn stuff about Black Tie, we got it all out there. It’s all free information, so head over there and knock yourself out. “I also created a video about how to find the right black bow tie for your tuxedo…” I think we even have more bow ties now than we used to have at that time so I probably have to make a new video, or maybe Preston will or maybe Kyle. We’ll see!
15. A Belt with A Vest
“The 15th thing you should never wear is a belt with a vest. A vest should be either worn…” I still see that one all the time especially with big buckles that are peeking out from underneath the waistcoat. Yes, you can wear it of course but why if you don’t have to? “…with just side adjusters or suspenders because a belt will create a gap between your waistband or your pants and your vest and it just looks unsightly.” with the Hermes H buckle belt, too!
“You should also never have a tie that peeks out underneath of it or maybe a shirt that pokes underneath of it when the vest is too short and the rise is too low because that simply shows that you don’t know what you’re doing.” Apart from that, it also accentuates your crotch area and you want people to look into your face and into your eyes not to your midsection down there. And the other thing I noticed is that we had all these like plain jump cuts, I think our editing has gotten a lot better so it’s really fun to see these old videos and how far we’ve come.
16. Backpacks
“I think only schoolboys should wear backpacks otherwise there’s no place for them in public unless you go hiking or to an expedition where that’s kind of the only practical thing to carry.” Yeah, I mean the black backpack that you saw there, it is actually our backpack. It’s like a camera backpack for when we go on a location shoot and it just has to be practical and we have to have all our lenses in there, our laptop and all of our gear and cables and whatnot. So for those purposes, yes a backpack is fine.
If you go to the office, for example, I still think a more stylish and classic option is to skip the backpack. I know people have said, “Well the problem with bags is that you just have to weight on one shoulder versus a backpack is better for your back because it balances the weight,” So, I trust you that you know what works for you and what doesn’t but if you just look at it from a classic style perspective, especially those nylon backpacks are just terrible.
“Otherwise, with backpacks, it’s very easy to hit people without even noticing it which is not just rude but just not polite. At the same time, it makes you look like a schoolboy and you rather want to look like a grown man so get a leather satchel instead, a briefcase, maybe…” The first one we showed there actually, it looks terrible. It has this kind of weird look. Let’s watch this again here…oh yeah. Now, do not get that one. That looks really ugly. It has these ZAMAC buckles and I don’t know, maybe I reviewed it, or we just missed that. This is not a picture I would put in there. Yes, it’s leather but just because it’s leather doesn’t make it look nice.
17. Ties That Are Way Too Long
“My 17th style pet peeve are men who wear ties that are way too long. The problem is they come underneath your jacket and if you don’t wear a jacket, they even accentuate your [crotch], which is just not where you want people to look at. Ideally, they look at your face and not at your crotch.” Funny, I just said it before in the waistcoat context so you can see it hasn’t changed! It’s still true.
“Now, I get it; a lot of ties are too long and especially if you’re a shorter guy, it’s very hard to find a tie that actually works for you because otherwise you have to have this gigantic tie knot with your tiny head and it just looks goofy. So instead, buy ties in the right length for you. I think we’re one of the only stores that offer the entire threefold classic neckwear range…” Funny that this picture was shown because yes, we sell ties in our three-fold collection that are made for short men, for regular length ties, and long ties. These are knit ties and we don’t have them in multiple different lengths.
Now, if you don’t have the money to spend on a tie, you can also check for vintage ties because oftentimes they were shorter because men just wore ties shorter than they’re typically worn today. So if you’re a shorter guy and you don’t have a big tie budget, that’s the way to go for you. I can tell the editor here did not know what three-fold ties were even though the categories really say what they are and the reviewer didn’t catch it. I think we have a much better process in place now where we get things right but ultimately we’re humans, we make mistakes, and we accept that.
18. Large Armholes
“My 18th pet peeve are large armholes in a suit or a jacket. Not only do they make you look like a football player but they’re also uncomfortable and they restrict your movement. Instead, go with smaller armholes. I suggest watching our series on How A Suit Should Fit so you get it right.” Yeah, perfect. Still holds true today!
19. Big Wristwatches
“The 19th thing you should never wear as a self-respecting man are big, gaudy wristwatches that just scream for attention. I know they’re really popular these days but…” That picture here got a lot of reactions. People are like, “Oh, Vacheron Constantin is a fantastic brand…shut up, you don’t know what you’re talking about,” and the point we’re trying to make was, skip big wristwatches even though you may spend them on Patek Philippe or whatever it is. Just try to get a wristwatch that is right for your wrist size and I think, we put together an entire guide about that.
I think the general trend right now is to just get bigger and bigger wristwatches and to wear them as a status symbol, just to show that you make a lot of money or they’re that you’re very successful and especially Rolex is one like that. But yes, I fully understand that this watch is a high-end watch, if you look at it it is beautiful but if it’s too big and too chunky, I still think I wouldn’t wear it. “A smaller watch is just more sophisticated especially if it’s slimmer and it serves the same purpose, and it’s just a hallmark of an elegant gentleman.”
Outfit Rundown
“In today’s video, I’m wearing a custom-made three-piece suit…” Oh yes, this was a custom suit and I say “custom” because that’s a term that’s widely used today and this one came from a company by the name of Tom James. They offered to make me a suit and I think it’s a really large company that has salespeople all over the place that come to your office and measure you and just get you a suit and they have different price ranges. I think on top is their Oxxford price range which sells for several thousand dollars.
This one was a lower price range but it was still a very nice Holland & Sherry fabric and I wanted a different silhouette that’s why I got these kinds of pleated backs with the peak lapels. It’s kind of vintage-inspired. I wanted a three-piece suit, the vest had limited options in terms of the buttons that’s why you see that unusual, I think it’s just three buttons there but I got a shawl collar lapel which I liked but in the back, they really had issues with my sloping shoulder and the pleats, so they actually kind of limited the pleats so the range of movement isn’t great. Definitely lots of room for improvement with that suit.
“…which is special in the sense that it has a peak lapel and an action back; it’s a combination you find very rarely because half belts are more formal and usually a notched lapel would be the right lapel for this kind of a suit.” Yeah, you could see there that the person behind the camera didn’t quite catch that my vest in the front wasn’t lying flat properly, that’s why it looks so weird there. Normally it doesn’t look that weird but again I think now that’s something we would catch simply because we’re more aware, we have better processes in place.
“However, I intentionally went for it because I knew the rule and I wanted to break it. I did that because it’s kind of a city suit style that I’ve seen in a magazine from the 1930s and I just wanted to recreate that style and feel.” We should have added the 1930s picture but yeah, it’s in fact something that I was inspired by one of these old magazines.
“It’s quite unusual in the sense that it has a shawl collar…” Now, you can see the vest is in a better spot. “But it’s made for daywear, which means there’s not a deep cut out, but just like a regular cutout.” Definitely some wrinkles there in the back showing that it’s too tight and not a perfect custom vest but I like the same fabric back. “The self-fabric back and the lining only on the inside, which is something you only see custom, usually.”
“The pants have inward-facing pleats because of my big thighs. I like to have some cuffs because they pull the pants down because of the weight and the shirt I’m wearing is a white fine herringbone shirt from Siniscalchi…” Yeah, I still wear pants with pleats and some people are like, “Oh my God you look like a grandpa and no one wears those anymore today,” and again, we like the classic style you know something I can wear today three years from now, 10 years from now, it just suits my style. I’m not going with the fashion and what’s trendy now but maybe out of style tomorrow.
“…with a club collar. The tie is vintage, I found it at a thrift store for a few bucks…” I still have that shirt. Still a great shirt and at one angle there, you saw my tie knot being loose. Shouldn’t have been in there but hey, “…it’s very old but it’s still very nice and it goes well with the yellow lining of my suit. The fabric is from Holland & Sherry, it looks like a blue pin dot but upon closer inspection…” still a great fabric. “…blue, light blue and a black that creates a pindot pattern…” The problem is even though the fabric is fantastic it was a custom suit. Since the fit isn’t a hundred percent, I just don’t wear it as often. “that effect and they’re very nice that the color changes with light.” There are very few things in terms of fit that are 100% but there’s definitely more room for improvement than just 10% of this suit.
“If you pay attention to details, you’ll see that usually, I have the bottom button on my single-breasted vests undone. However, this vest has only three buttons so leaving the bottom one undone would be disproportional.” Man, this is a really long outfit rundown! I think we make them a lot snappier these days.
“The pocket square is from Fort Belvedere and it picks up the yellow tones but it adds some orange, some purple, just to break up the entire look and make it harmonious. The cufflinks I’m wearing are also vintage; it’s an octagonal shape with cloisonne enamel which means it’s enamel that you can actually see through. The enamel creates a very nice effect especially if you have light that falls on it as you can see…” Again, super long but I still like the color combination with the yellow and everything, the pocket square all looks neat. “…the colors of yellow and blue go well with my suit and my tie. The same vein are my socks which are Shadow Stripe socks from Fort Belvedere in navy blue and yellow, and while it’s not the same color as my suit, the two-tone effect really helps to tie everything together.”
“The shoes I’m wearing are single monk straps with brogue on them and a wingtip. They have less broguing than a regular full brogue, they’re made by Crockett and Jones from their higher-end bench grade. The buckles of my shoe are silver which matches my sterling silver ring which has a lapis stone which is a nice blue with very few inclusions and it matches my cufflinks…” Yeah, you can see the ring is not in focus there. Today we’d get that better. “…as well as well as the blue tones overall. That way everything is tied together and it still has an accent in the form of my tie, my shirt…”
Man, you can really see, take a look at my hairline there and take a look at it now. I’m definitely thinning out up here. Yeah, getting older I guess! “…as well as a pocket square. It just looks dapper, classic, and timeless…” Dapper! “I know this video may be too extreme for some but sometimes, you have to take a stance and I firmly believe in that and if you enjoyed this video or if you want to learn more about classic men style please sign up to our free email newsletter and we teach you how things evolved, why to wear them, why not to wear them, and you can take it from there and do whatever you want.”
Overall Review
Alright. Overall, I can see why this is probably the video that has the most dislikes but at the end of the day, it still has more likes than dislikes but it was a very kind of polarizing video that got people to react, and maybe because of that, it’s still popular and youtube recommends it because they realize that people just react to it and a reaction is maybe better than no reaction.
Now, from a gentlemanly point of view, that’s certainly a little too extreme and if I’d film it again, I would be a little softer in the words, a little more accepting, and open but at the core, the suggestions I made would still hold true today and to finish the video off, let’s go with another quote, this time, from Oliver Cromwell, “He who stops getting better has stopped being good.” I firmly believe that.
Thank you. An amusing video, with a gentlemanly level of repentance!
Glad you liked it Ian!
I agree with everything in that video except the bit about sandals – the sandals you showed are particularly unappealing, but there are many other types, and in the summer they’re fine for house-wear: better than slippers, anything is better than trainers, and at least as good as shoes or deck-shoes. I don’t think you covered my pet hate, which is trousers with too low a rise that just sit irritatingly on your hip bones: I should be much obliged if you would campaign against these..
I second that. They make plenty of different sandals, good leather ones even, for men. On a hot day when dressed casually in shorts (I definitely wouldn’t wear them with long trousers, not even casual jeans) and polo shirt/casual short sleeved button down shirt, a good pair of leather sandals look quite smart. In many ways they’re better for your feet than enclosed shoes as they allow them to breath more.
Thongs definitely limit for the beach or pool or brief trips outside for something quick to slip on. Eg. To collect the mail or take out the rubbish – on a hot day at home, I try to go barefoot as often as possible to allow my feet to breath.
Following Robert’s lead about and adding my own pet hates to add to the list:
1. Ripped jeans – some argue jeans and gentlemen don’t mix except for farm labourers. I think neat not distressed jeans in indigo or black like Kyle wears are fine, good even, as casual wear; I can’t stand seeing huge holes at the knees or higher.
2. Shorts with socks other than no-show socks – just looks plain awful
Hello Raphael, Don’t worry,we all get better sooner or later. In your case it was sooner which is a good thing. so keep on going. One day you will get there as a “pro” hopefully before the years catch up to you. Thanks for memories !! As “Bob Hope” would say!!
Thank you, Richard!
Great stuff! I agree with ou on everything except one. I lived in England for four years. In the country, when fishing or shooting one who was properly dressed wore a tattersall patterned shirt with (usually) a knit necktie, corduroy trousers, and tweed jacket. Footwear usually wellies or high top brogues. The necktie was tied in a Windsor knot. Other than these circumstances another knot was de riguerur. Best Bill
Thanks for sharing, William!
I understand the ethics of “civility” however, I agree, no need to apologize for previous remarks for one simple reason… they were true, damn funny, and even those of us that found ourselves the point of reticule (“black tie”), it does one good to laugh at one’s self. That’s how we improve and as you said, we are human and we make mistakes…There really is genuine humor in that and especially nowadays, we need to recall a sense of humor.
Thank you! We’re glad that you appreciate our old video. :)
I’d gladly wear that VC watch with any outfit. Send me one please!
Another terrific video, as was the original. Your outfit in this new video is great. Everything works well together. Although I agree with everything you said, I confess that I wear my shirt unbuttoned with a tie sometimes in summer and flip-flops (we call them jandals) a little more than you would. My country is simply warmer than Minnesota.
Agreed with other posters here; the first one was just fine with no apologies necessary. It’s always interesting to go back to old work and compare to where you currently are. Along with all the other things, someone seriously needs to make a public service announcement about the fad of wearing pajamas in public needing to end as soon as possible. Oh, and take your damn hat off in restaurants. At the other end of things, if a guy is going to wear a batwing collar with Black Tie, for the love of all that is holy, don’t wear a pre-tied bowtie (I’ve seen it way too many times).
I will, however, say that the full Windsor does occasionally have merit in some situations (certain collar, tie, and neck combinations). Fortunately, for the other 99.5% of situations, there is a plethora of other knots that can be chosen. Knowing a variety of tie knots should be in the skillset of every gentleman. Personally, I prefer a Nicky or Pratt most of the time, and sometimes a Kent for my knits and grossa grenadines. I’m not above a Kelvin or Prince Albert (the knot, not the piercing), however.
Oh, I don’t know about protesting about pyjamas in public :) I personally wouldn’t wear them in public any more than I would sweatpants. In saying this, though, at least most pyjamas cover up more than so many outfits considered day clothes, especially if worn with a dressing gown. Case in point: I’ve seen other men in the supermarket wearing a pair of baggy shorts, maybe a pair of thongs on his feet, but otherwise well…nothing else. Or some wearing those muscle shirts or wife beaters; no, they didn’t come from the gym or at least I don’t think so given they had thongs on their feet with some bare foot. Not to mention women who wear those little frayed Daisy Dukes, also either bare foot or only wearing thongs on their feet, that are so short they look as if they’ve shrunk in the wash.
Okay, you’ve got me there. Jammies beat those barely-there shirts that some dudes insist on wearing. And I agree that many do not look like they just came from the gym (where there are usually showers and lockers to keep proper attire, btw). I’ve seen some pretty sad physiques in those things.
As far as girls in Daisy Dukes go, there’s a time and a place for such things, and hopefully they’ve got the figure to pull it off (and like the previously mentioned attire, not all of them make the grade)!
But yes, pajamas and fuzzy slippers (while quite crude to wear in public) are a major step up from these! It’s sad that conversation about proper attire has to sink to these depths, but all things sartorial seem to have taken a nose dive outside of the classy halls of the likes of GG.
Yes, I know what you mean about everything sartorial outside GG taking a nose dive. The part about pyjamas and slippers was intended for something a bit light hearted. It’s a nod to something a female relative who jokes they’re ready to go out (still dressed in their pyjamas) to wind other family members up; as I said as much as I’d never do it myself and like you, think they’re crude to wear in public yet I couldn’t help but smile when she pointed out basically what I’ve said above about how at least they cover up more than so many of your average sloppy day clothes.
With the comment about girls and Daisy Dukes, if we’re talking about the beach/swimming pool or at home then sure. For me it’s not so much about the figure; the same way that ‘barely there’ muscle shirts and shorts and low slung pants make guys look cheap and sloppy, I feel the same way about Daisy Dukes and ‘barely there’ shorts on women. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it but the soap opera ‘Home and Away’ is popular in Australia. If not, Google ‘Sophie Dillman Home and Away’ or ‘Ziggy Astoni Home and Away,’ The costume people tend to dress most of the females < 40 in tiny barely there shorts but Ziggy in particular has gotten a bad rap on the H&A Facebook page for the length (or lack of length) of her shorts with some going as far as to say she may as well just wear her underwear.
The United States of America has become a nation of ill-clad people. The economy notwithstanding, there are few these days who seem to know what it means to dress with dignity and self respect. Anything goes and it’s disgusting. Tattoos, piercings, a boorish pig of a President (TRUMP!) this country has some serious issues with the people having been led down the road of nasty permissiveness. Sven Raphael is an oddity who is living in the past, yet more power to him. His devotion to the lost art of grooming, and dressing with elegance, is an anchronistic testament that you can preach to the deaf and still make a living from it.
I’ll largely admit to the first of your sentences being unfortunately true. As for the rest of it, I’ll partake of the better part of valor known as discretion and not allow my calm to be damaged. The short version is shove it.
Good point on the tie knots, Hal! We also made several guides on how to do some of them. :)
Dear Mr Schneider,
May I say how much I enjoy your articles which, with one or two exceptions are applicable on bothh sides of the Atlantic. The exception to the above being- belt with waistcoat (vest); when worn in formal black tie wear, despite the waistcoat I would regard it as inadvisable to wear a kilt without a belt. With such gear I would also regard it as the exception to the rule regarding the bottom button on a waistcoat – it should be done in this unique circumstance. Wearing a crest on a signet or otherwise sporting arms to which one is not entitled- in Scotland this is a criminal offence, whilst in the rest of the UK though it is rarely enforced it remains unlawful- the same is true of every Commonwealth realm without its own heraldic authority. ‘Brown in town’- it is an almost unpardonable solecism to wear brown in the Metropolis- ranking with smoking a cigar with its band on, or the passing port to the right, or worse acting as an acquaintance of the Bishop of Norwich!
I have had to give a little avuncular but angry counseling to medical students who showed up for clinicals wearing PJ bottoms with T-shirts and white coats! By the way, in my post I forgot to add while in the field wear either a tweed flat cap or a deerstalker without ear flaps a la Sherlock Holmes. Best Bill
Hi Raphael, I can tell you about the clip on sun glasses, not only in the USA, they were also used here over in Switzerland, I guess from the 1960s into the early 1980s. I even had them in the time before contact lenses.
both amusing and interesting; I was nodding along with several points especially the scourge that are backpacks in urban settings
I really enjoyed the video where are you reviewed the things that you should never wear and then you critiqued the video years later.