Monthly Accessories: Bow Ties – Part 2

In this month’s monthly accessories i will be finishing off the series on bow ties. Part 1 was an introduction to bow ties and the different types such as the skinny, standard and cocktail bow ties.  In part 2 we will be shifting gears a bit.  We will be talking about self tie vs. pre tie and how to tie a self tie bow tie.  Finally we will be talking about (drumroll please)………..wooden bow ties!!!! Yes, you read that right!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the left is a self-tie bow tie and on the right is a pre-tied bow tie.  Personally i prefer the self tie because it’s not rigid, it has character and you can alway put a spin on it.  On the other hand, the pre-tied bow tie all look the same and tied the same but when you tie a bow tie yourself you have free reign on how you want it to look.  Another twist to bow ties are wooden bow ties!!!! They are awesome because it’s unlike anything i have seen before and they are different.

They are so cool that even Mike Conley Jr. wore them after an NBA game.  In a few years a lot of people are going to be wearing them so if you can afford them….i suggest you get one at woodenbowties.com

The Big Easy

Travel is one of my greatest passions and ever so often i get to fulfill that passion.  I was fortunate enough to go on a short vacay with the wonderful Mrs to New Orleans a.k.a the Big Easy.  The city has amazing history, great food and very much alive at night.  Fresh off the plane we went out to Jackson Square by the River walk

Hanging out by the River walk was so relaxing.  There were musicians playing music while we just starred out into the Mississippi river.  Behind us was the St. Louis Cathedral.

Hollywood has a strong presence in New Orleans.  Celebs such as Brad Pitt, Matthew McConaughey and John Goodman make this vibrant city their home.  Can you guess who’s home this is below ?

If you said Sandra Bullock…..your right!  Our tour guide said she does not spend a lot of time there but locals love her.  I saw other homes in the city that just captured my attention such as the ones below.  Without asking i knew there was a story behind these homes.  There was rich history and style that was a part of their architecture.

New Orleans has a lot of French influences particularly in their food.   This influence makes the food one step above all others.  You have to try the famous Gumbo (Gumbo Shop), Muffaletta (Cafe Maspero) and Beignette (Cafe Du Monde).

During the short time we were there, the tomato festival was going on.  I was able to capture the character and essence of that festival in the picture below.

When it was all said and done, we just hung out at the Louisiana Supreme court step and sipped our cafe au lait right before we left.

Pop That Collar

 

I get a lot of questions about shirt collars and what kind of tie, if any should be worn with them.  I came across this and i thought it would be the best way to answer those questions.  I picked three types of collars to review and the one thing they all had in common was – occasion.  Any of these collars will suffice for any occasion.  As you can see….there is a wide variety of collars that range from spread collars to contrast collars.  My personal favorite is the club collars because it gives me that unique look.  It’s unlike anything you see out there so it makes you stand out.  This type of collar is good for all occasions but it looks best when wearing it with a skinny tie or slim tie. Thanks to GQ for the image.

 

The second type of collar that i like is the pinned type.  I like it because it puts the knot of your tie in front and center, the pin accentuates your tie. This can also be worn for any occasion. Try wearing it with a regular tie……it looks much better.

 

 

The final collar that i like is the mandarin collar.  You obviously can’t wear it with any tie so buttoning it down might not be a bad idea.  I would not wear it for a job interview but any other occasion will do.

 

 

My favorite place to get these types of collars is TMLEWIN

 

Here are the links for those collars

Club /Round

Pinned

Mandarin/Tunic

MICRO-FASHION

One of the reasons I enjoy fashion is its ability to transcend age, sex or socio-economic status.  It’s an art, where there is flexibility to do what you want and if you don’t like what you see…..create your own.  I decided to branch out from my normal posts and do something different – Micro Fashion.  I had the pleasure of working with two of my favorite little guys this week and it was fun!!!  Check out the pictures!!!

 

J (with bow tie) and N (with jacket) had a blast! These two are best friends so you can imagine the amount of fun they had doing this.  All in all J’s dad (@stylinmode) and I had a blast doing this!

I look forward to hearing your feed back.

Follow me on

Instagram: @sharp_N_Dapper

Twitter: @sharp_N_Dapper

You can also follow my equally stylish friend – J’s dad on Instagram @stylinmode

 

N

Jacket – JCPenny

Shirt – Old Navy

Shorts – JCPenny

Belt – Thrift Store

Shoes – Kohl’s

 

 

J

Shirt – H&M (similar)

Shorts – H&M

Belt  – H&M (similar)

Shoes – Thrift Store

Bow tie – Thrift Store

Sock – H&M

 

Monthly Accessories: Suspenders

This month’s look at accessories focuses on suspenders and yes!! Men still wear them 😃

Enjoy!!!!

 

 

 

On the high end for suspenders check out Nordstrom

On the low end, check out amazon

Suspenders – Thrift Store

Shirt – Thrift Store

Bow tie – TMLewin (similar)

Pants – Macy’s (similar)

Shoes – Zara (similar)

Spring Must Have

As we move further into spring, there are some “Must Have” items that help you put your ensemble together easily.  These items can be combined with multiple outfits and give you flexibility with your look.   Below are essential spring clothing that can get you going: 

 

Henley Shirts are popular right now because they are spring appropriate but also comfortable.  H&M has some really great ones that are affordable (See link)

 

Have to give Credit to GQ for this look.  You need a slim fit jacket for the spring because it has that cool factor that you need.  it also works when you’re going for a casual or formal look. Express has some that work well with the Henley shirts.  Those can get pricey but look at it like an investment.  Other options are thrift stores.  Express always has a sale going on so just wait or find a coupon. (See link )

 

 

Casual check shirts are also in season.  The shirt gives you a casual look and they come in a variety of colors.   H&M has these also and they are affordable. (See link)

 Converse shoes are very classic and vintage.  10 years from now they will still be cool.  Combine that with a simple t-shirt and shorts…..and you’re good to go. (See link)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A night Out

So you have been invited to party and its a formal event but you don’t know where to even begin. Fear not, i have a few pointers.  You want to look your best without standing out.  You want to be formal but also comfortable so i suggest you lose the tie.  By doing that you get to be relaxed, loose and ready to have some fun.

The second thing i suggest is get a blazer, jacket or sports coat……preferably in blue or any other color .  If you don’t have any and you don’t want to buy one, wear what you have as long as the colors or lack thereof – match. Your pants should be toned down. You can do a cream, beige or brown pants.

 

As you can see the pink shirt complements the blue jacket and the pocket square stands out.  For good measure, i got  the loafers to match the jacket.  Only for good measure….you don’t have to do that.  Black loafers will do just fine or better yet brown loafers with a brown belt.  Now you good to ……..

 

Jacket – Macy’s

Pocket Square – Nordstrom Rack

Shirt – Nordrom Rack

Pants – Thrift Store

Shoes – Thrift Store

Spring Trends – Shorts

One of my favorite spring trends are shorts.  They are comfortable yet easy to style and they come in different COLORS!  Here are a few of my favorite looks:

 

 

Here is my take on the look:

A light sweater can be worn with shorts.  If it’s a night on the town and you feel under dressed, replace the sweater with a simple t-shirt and add a jacket to the mix and you’re cool, calm and collected.

If you’re out and about during the day, a polo shirt will suffice.  Matter of fact, you’re covered at night as well.  Say you’re going to handle business, run errands or a picnic – you’re good to go.  I don’t have a picture of me wearing a polo shirt but let your imagination run wild…….visualize it and wear it with confidence.

 

 

 

Shorts (both colors) – Kohl’s

T-Shirt – H&M

Sweater – Express (similar)

Jacket – Zara

Shoes – Zara

 

 

Spring is Here!!

 

Spring time is here yay!!!!! So it’s no longer freezing, the sun is out but it gets cool at night so you need that transition piece for the changing weather.  Spring time is full of both outdoor and indoor activities.  There are picnics, BBQ (Noyas Wings) baseball, NBA playoffs, etc……  Say you decide you’re going for a daytime ball game or BBQ, you need something light and comfortable hence the T-shirt and jeans

As the weather cools off at night, put on a light jacket that compliments what you’re already wearing and voila!! You’re ready for the NBA playoffs with the wonderful Mrs!!

 

At these games you never know who you’re going to run into……..in my case it was Dominic Rhodes, the super bowl winning running back of the Indianapolis colts!!

 

Enjoy the spring!!

T-Shirt – H&M

Jeans – Trift Store

Jacket – Zara

Boots- Kenneth Cole

Watch – Diesel (vintage)

The Art of the Vest

The vest for me is a safety net.  I usually have those days when i don’t feel like wearing a suit or blazer but i still want to keep that formal look.  The looks says you’re serious, you’re professional but you’re not up tight.  It says you’re willing to get down and dirty and get the job done.  The vest over the past year has been in and out but it has not lost it’s luster.  It’s a classic look, it’s timeless and it’s all about how you style it.  

Have i mentioned that the vest is very versatile? You can wear it formally or casually with a pair of jeans if your out on the town. Roll up your sleeves, get a tie or bow tie that says i took out time to get dressed but i also want to have some fun.

Vests are also made in different materials and the denim vest is my personal favorite.  Picture wearing it with a pair of khakis, loose the tie, add a pocket square and your ready for dinner or better yet, salsa dancing.

 

 

Monthly Accessories: Bow Ties

Every month i will be showcasing different accessories for men.  These accessories help spruce up what could otherwise be a boring ensemble.  It allows for a breakaway from the daily monotony of “shirts” & “pants”.  What seems to be coming back is the bow tie.  I like it because it gives a different look to what you’re wearing.  Who better to introduce us to the world of accessories than my friend, Sami-LA (StylinMode).  With his help we will be looking into the world of accessories.

 

The skinny bow ties are very classic, it gives you a slimmer look.  It takes the attention away from your mid section and focuses it on the neck area.

Another type of bow tie is the standard/regular bow tie.  Those come in different colors and textures, you can wear them with just about anything: Jeans, formal shirts, casual shirts or even denim (see my post on Denim).

Then there is the formal/dinner or cocktail bow ties.  These are my favorites because of the material. They are usually velvet and to be honest……its just plain cool.  Then there is the big bow tie.  Its bigger than the regular/standard bow tie.  Its a different look and if you wear one……you stand out.

 

Mix and Match

Suits can get pretty expensive especially if it’s a good one. You can work your way around it by mixing and matching and still keeping a good look.  It’s hard to mix and match a black jacket with black pants because they have different materials and different shades of the same color.  So what might look black indoors might look like navy blue outdoors.  I usually just combine two different colors that compliment each other.

 

 

 

Pink and blue always look good together so what the heck…….try it!!  Black is a neutral color so the jacket,shoes and belt conform. You could also take off the jacket or not even wear it.  If the blue pants are too bold….you could tone it down with grey pants.  At the end of the day, you have to be confident and comfortable in what you’re wearing.

Jacket – Express – “Old” (similar)

Shirt – TMLewin

Tie – Tommy Hilfiger – “Old” (similar)

Pants – Macy’s (similar)

Shoes – Kenneth Cole – “Old” (similar)

Denim With Colors

Blue denim shirts are not as restrictive as you think……….matter of fact, they are quite the opposite.  Think of the denim as a blank canvas, add colorful accessories to compliment it and you’re good to go.  Those accessories come in the form of bow ties,hats or even a waist coat.  If you’re bold, add colorful pants.  If you’re not there yet, stick to what your comfortable in.

 

 

Shirt – Kohls (similar H&M)

Pants – Express (similar H&M)

Shoes – Zara

Bow Tie – TMLewin (similar The Tie Bar)

Hat –  ℅ a friend