Arxman - Style Blog http://www.arxmanstyle.com Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 20 Nov 2008 12:05:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 en Brown - the hue that represents changing seasons! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/brown-the-hue-that-represents-changing-seasons/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/brown-the-hue-that-represents-changing-seasons/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:50:03 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/brown-the-hue-that-represents-changing-seasons/ Brown - the hue that represents changing seasons!Every season brings with it a charisma unique only to it and that hails a change in our wardrobes too. Sandals are replaced by shoes; short sleeved shirts by jackets so on and so forth. But have you noticed one more change that the change of season hails? Well, the colors! Yes colors play a crucial role in representing this change. So much so that they also change the way we think and the attitude we flaunt.
The most obvious color that autumn brings to our wardrobes is brown. But brown is also one of the most understated colors in the world of contemporary men’s fashion. People overlook it thinking that this hue is ‘old fashioned’ and I am happy that this misconception is gradually fading. For all who are still unknown with the spell that colors can have on your clothing, let me tell you that no color serves to be richer and more distinguished that the color brown. It has a perennial streak responsible for its return in the arena of fashion since time immemorial.

What’s new?

The new thing with brown is that it has impressed both the consumers as well as the designers with the return of the ‘brown suit’. The last few seasons have seen some big brands like Andrew Fezza and Calvin Klein making a great number of sales. Some major reasons behind this is the fact that brown offers a very mature and a professional look without the extremity of black. Also it mixes very well with a vast array of softer tones such as ivory and stone for which otherwise finding shades to co-ordinate is a difficult task.

The styles in brown that have been catching rage are the two buttoned varieties – one with a vented back and another with flat-front pants which make for a very slim look for both the young as well as the old.

So the next time you go out shopping and become ambiguous about which color to choose for the fall/winter months, shed all your inhibitions and pick brown for it is the flavor of the season, the shade that lines contemporary fashion in modern times!

Tags: Brown, Men’s style, Autumn/fall colors, brown suits, autumn men’s collection]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/brown-the-hue-that-represents-changing-seasons/feed/ The Polo Shirt! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-polo-shirt/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-polo-shirt/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:22:30 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-polo-shirt/ The Polo Shirt!The one reason of the fact that the charisma of polo shirts is still alive is because it is worn by students, businessmen and everyone in between which means that it is a universal favorite for people spanning all age groups and professions. Let us have a look at the different ways in which you can wear this polo shirt!
There are occasions when wearing a t-shirt seems a bit too informal and it just doesn’t seem to make sense to dress it up with a collared shirt. Well, in such circumstances, polo is a wonderful substitute that brings both comfort as well as durability to your clothing. It specifically fits in well with the new concept of the business casual clothing gaining popularity with employers now a days.

There are no specific rules to wear the polo shirt. Just a few shades and combination of fabrics is all you need to know to give your self the perfect look. Ideally the polo shirt looks the best when worn to give the casual effect with a perfect pair of jeans or any other casual pants such as the corduroy. In fact polo shirt with a pair of corduroy pants makes for one of the neatest look for the fall and winter season. I have often seen women turning heads for men wearing dark thick guage chocolate corduroy lowers in combination with ivory or cream colored polo. Wear it either with snickers or loafers and you’ll be amazed at the number of admiring gazes you’ll get.

Where most popular colors in polo shirts include the blues, greens, tans and browns, the pink color has recently made a come back and is being greatly liked by both the young and those young at heart. Long sleeved polo shirts are also a good option for the older men and look best when worn in solid colors and stripes. In fact they make for a great option when it comes to gifting men with something. Many men are not aware that polo shirts also come in long sleeves.

A new wave that is seen in this genre is wearing a polo shirt with a necktie and jeans. This may come to some of you as something out of the tune but it is making a great style statement among those who flaunt a more eclectic or a relaxed attitude. For those who are interested in trying out this combination may do so with 100% cotton shirt without a button down collar. Some popular combinations include black polo’s with a white tie or lighter shades of blue matched with pink, red or white.

So here we are – with all possible combinations and styles of polo shirts that can give your wardrobe a new definition all together. So gear yourself up and get ready to have women turning their heads at you in awe!

Tags: Shirts, Style, Men’s style, men’s shirts, Polo shirt, polo neck]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-polo-shirt/feed/ Tale of two hides! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tale-of-two-hides/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tale-of-two-hides/#comments Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:23:10 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tale-of-two-hides/ Tale of two hides!Nothing as we all know, beats the elegance and grace of leather and I have seen almost waiting for the winter months to come so that they put on their leather garbs or move out shopping the designs that’ll redefine their style quotient. If you already aware about the skins best suited for leather jackets, it’s great but if you are unaware about the basic styles and hides you should move in for, then you have landed at just the right place. Here we go!
Leather is primarily available in two basic types – the lambskin leather and the cow hide leather.

The precise difference between the two is that the lambskin leather is extremely smooth, soft and has a glossy appearance most of the times. These things become all the more apparent the moment you lay your hands on it. Whenever you go shopping to a store asking for a lambskin jacket, compare it with its cowhide leather and you’ll see the stark difference in the texture and sheen of the two. I would clearly say that and lambskin leather is anytime more elegant and give a formal air about it in comparison to others in the leather category. One thing I must mention here is that lambskin leather is substantially less rugged and hence its chances of showing damage are far more and faster than others. But if a sophisticated and dressy look is what you are shooting for, then lambskin makes for the best choice.

Cowhide, on the other hand is a more common variety of leather which is often found in most men’s jackets. The biggest advantage of cowhide is that it makes for a versatile material and carries a more matte finish, there by rendering a more casual look among all the leathers. Also cowhide leather is much more resilient to damage and can take on great deal of wear and tear.

So now that you know the pros and the cons of the two hides, you’ll never go wrong in picking the right piece for yourself. The style and the design of the jacket, however plays an important role choosing the right piece for your self so select judiciously. You can skim through a few men’s fashion magazines to know the latest styles. If that seems a constraint too, then hang around until I get to you my next article on Fall leather jackets for 2008!

Tags: Jackets, leather, men’s jackets, jackets for men, men’s leather jacket]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tale-of-two-hides/feed/ The magic of the French cuff! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-magic-of-the-french-cuff/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-magic-of-the-french-cuff/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:57:40 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-magic-of-the-french-cuff/ The magic of the French cuff!All the men delving into the world of men’s fashion would know what magic the French cuff can create in your wardrobe. The perfect spice needed to embolden your clothing is what the French cuff gives you, not to mention the enormous amount of presence it renders to your personality. And my friends, who are not aware about the spell that these cuffs can cast on your look, you need to read this for sure!

Here we go!

The French-cuffs has many roles to play but here, let’s see how you can dress up casually for a business purpose without losing the elegance that formal dressing grants you. Listed below are some combinations that you can employ to create the perfect clothing aura about you. The idea here is to wear classy dress shirts in combination with different garbs.

If you are in for a business-casual look, then tie has no role to play in it but that doesn’t mean that your clothing should not well-tailored. Never mistake the casual-business dressing for a rumpled look. It never sends a good message in business. Be sure that you portray yourself with grace and a good measure of humility.

• An icy-pink cotton button down shirt with cashmere dark navy chalk stripe mink notched lapel serves for a perfect combination to render the casually elegant air around you. You can also wear a two-buttoned single breasted peak instead of it which indeed looks extremely dressier and classy.

• Medium blue sea- island cotton French cuff with a royal blue single breasted wool suit will work wonders if well tailored. The cuffs can either be striped or solid.

• One of the must haves for the winter gear in your wardrobe is the cream colored Mongolian cashmere zip neck Sorrento sweater. Wear it with a dress shirt flaunting French cuffs in combination with a pair of warm brown wool trousers and you’ll never miss the large amount of eye balls falling on you with will admiration.

• Also a shiny black leather blazer with a bright sea-island cotton French-cuffed shirt with jazzy cufflinks, a pair of indigo blue jeans with cowboy boots will knock everyone’s socks off if you want to have a dramatic day some time.

A rule of the thumb is to be neatly dressed come what may because if it is women that you have around you then, every single detail of your will be noticed. So if you want to dress to kill, then the key lies in creating a curious interest through your clothing. The admiring stares will tell you all about how you look.

Tags: Cuff-Links, French cuffs, Men’s style, style tips]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-magic-of-the-french-cuff/feed/ The pink magic! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-magic/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-magic/#comments Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:04:42 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-magic/ The pink magic!Contrary to the belief posed by men at one point in time about pink color being a social stigma for men and that it is a luxury only meant for the women, present times are writing a different story. Today the markets are swarming with clothing lines dominated with shades of pink for all kinds of menswear, whether it be shirts, kurtas or t-shirts of all kinds. Pink has finally casted its spell and is doing wonders to the wardrobes of fashion vistas and the younger breed of men in particular.

Though I must not say the pink is liked only by the younger brass; it has found its place in the closets of the older men as well and today stands as one of the major option of solid colors chosen for formal wear.

My last write-up spoke about pink used as a base color and in this article I’ll be talking about how pink forms a beautiful combination when used as an accent color. Shades of pink when mixed with autumn colors such as chocolate browns or a very light gold spells high end style and fashion statement most men dreamt of. One thing that men must first imprint in their mind before wearing pink color is that they should be confident enough to flaunt it with élan or else they’ll end up looking sissy. A fine combination for a necktie will be a chocolate brown woven silk tie with distinctive pink stripes matched with a medium blue cotton shirt, or even a pink contrast collar if the tie is also offering alternating white stripes.

If you want to delve in higher realm of fashion then, a baby pink dress shirt matched with a mocha colored garment will look extremely dapper and elegant on you.

Pink’s strength as an accent color lies in its ability to infuse the garment with a more playful and unorthodox edge. Pink has always been uncommon among men up until quite recently and it is this element of the unexpected that plays perfectly in the ultimate goal of creating a stylish, memorable image.

Tags: Pink, fashion tips, style tips, Pink shirts, pink ties, pink t-shirts]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-magic/feed/ Ties that should find their way to your closet! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/ties-that-should-find-their-way-to-your-closet/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/ties-that-should-find-their-way-to-your-closet/#comments Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:10:53 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/ties-that-should-find-their-way-to-your-closet/ Ties that should find their way to your closet!Tie like I last said forms a centerpiece of a man’s wardrobe. Whether it be a suit or just a shirt, what really accentuates the look of your garment is the tie. In my last article I spoke about details like the quality and color schemes that one must keep in mind, before buying a tie. I have often seen it to be one of most under rated piece in a wardrobe with men putting least emphasis on it. It is only when you choose and wear the right piece and see what difference it can make to your attire, do you understand that a tie is as important a garment as is your shirt, pant or the coat.

Now the final question lies in selecting a tie with a right pattern. Yes, designs play an imperative role in deciding the look of the tie and your choice of a pattern that goes best with your shirt makes all the difference. Some of the most common options available are either the solid colors, striped, geometric patterns or the paisleys.

Solid
The solid patterns are considered to be typically conservative, though they are most utilitarian and are look great when paired with striped shirts with an intend to create contrast. However, the brighter neons are becoming most popular among the younger brass with many finding it too plain or staid for them.

Stripes
Stripes offer a great advantage they can flaunt more than one color. They may either come in a combination of two or many shades in varied combinations. What plays a key role are the myriad accent colors that allow for versatility when coordinating with shirts and suits. If not the accent, you can always match your shirt it its primary base color. Stripes are preferably the safest choice as it gives a huge palate for a lot of choice and plays an imperative role in pulling the entire ensemble together in a cohesive fashion.

Paisleys
Not very popular in the 90’s paisleys are back with a lot of designers flaunting them in their creations. They make for a unique look and works the best when worn with a formal attire. Silk ties with paisleys make a great style statement as the designs in itself has a great imperial impression on the smooth woven fabric.

Geometric
By nature geometric patterns are considered to be far more conservative than the rest of the patterns and usually worn by the matured brass. However the ones with bright hues have gained immense popularity in recent times.

How that we know all about the distinction that the ties can bring to our attire, let me tell you that the personality of the person plays a key role in deciding what pattern, color or construction would suit him. The most important thing is to wear your confidence which is what breaks the real ice!

Tags: Ties, Tie, Style, fashion tips, style tips, men’s tie, tie patterns, tie designs]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/ties-that-should-find-their-way-to-your-closet/feed/ Save yourself from these fashion blunders! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/save-yourself-from-these-fashion-blunders/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/save-yourself-from-these-fashion-blunders/#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:17:31 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/save-yourself-from-these-fashion-blunders/ Save yourself from these fashion blunders!Imagine yourself moving out of your home, all dressed and robed like clotheshorse extremely confident about making a lasting impression on the onlookers like no other. So you move out and see a damsel walking past you. And before you could gather yourself, you see that she smirks funnily at you and walks away as if she just saw a clown. All your confidence comes shattering down and you end up wondering that where exactly did you lose.
Well, my dear friend, this kind of situation is not new to you. Many men like you confront the same only to get saddened in the end. This happens because most of us are not aware about some wardrobe rules that we need to keep in mind while putting the garbs we so happily do. The first thing is every thing nice need not be worn in the same attire. Let me tell you some such fashion blunders so that you know that you don’t have to repeat if you find similarity with any of these.

Here we go!

Trousers!
The biggest thing you need to keep in mind while wearing trousers is that they should be long enough to cover your socks. If you think that wearing trousers above your ankle length look cool, you are highly mistaken. It in fact gives an impression that you are wearing a borrowed pair with the length a bit too less for you. Also when you cross your legs, your socks should be covering your shins perfectly. Pants are long enough if they have a slight break in the front.

Besides, pleats should never be neglected while getting your trousers stitched if you are towards the healthier side. Don’t think pleats are a traditional form and are non functional so to say. Pleats help you to sit down comfortably and cuffs add weight to your seat allowing for proper drape.

Belts!
What makes even the most handsome and smart looking men look funny and let me say ‘insecure’ is that they wear both belts and braces (suspenders) together. Hence never wear both of them together.

Socks!
This rule of thumb might be known to many but since I still see in many a formal meeting I attend, I would like to mention it. The socks you wear should always match your trousers. What amuses me is I often see men wearing socks matching their shoes. So friends, keep a note of it from now on to avoid doing this.

So here we are! These are some very common wardrobe malfunctions I have often found even the most educated and smart men making. And now that you know it, I’m sure you’ll keep all of it in your mind the next time you dress for an occasion. You bet, this time you’ll make a real impression!

Tags: style tips, dressing tips, Wardrobe malfunctions, fashion blunders, tips for dressing]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/save-yourself-from-these-fashion-blunders/feed/ The pink mania! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-mania/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-mania/#comments Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:41:48 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-mania/ The pink mania!Pink is back and this time it is here to stay. The last five years have seen myriad shades of pink dominating the men’s garments with great vigor. Where at one point in time, it may be considered a tender hue meant only for the ladies, today this shade has even the tough guys wearing it with élan. It has attained its historical position once again with men flocking to buy pink not just once but many times over. This is so because right from the ever so romantic baby pink to its louder version, the pink color has gained prominence in a big big way.

Pink as a base color!

Present times have seen various shades of pink as the band se color for shirts, pocket squares as well as neckties. Its most common version being the baby pink used in contrast in the contrast collared shirt alongside corporate blue. Besides, pink polos and t-shirts are yet another line of clothing that have gained prominence in the markets and are immensely being liked by the male consumers. The fine proof of the fact is the range flaunted by top brands like Lacoste, Etro and Calvin Klein to name a few.

Myriad tone of soft pink makes for a highly formal approach and unlike the popular belief, it adds a great deal of zing in one’s personality. In this regard, men with dark complexions particularly look good in baby pink along with fresh pink that look very complimentary on most men in general.

Shades of baby pink have particularly become exceedingly popular among the younger crowd who look simply dapper when they wear it with jeans. Where some are seen wearing it on formal occasions, the strawberry tinge shirt also makes for a popular casual line and looks great when worn with an attire flaunting a casual footwear and sir an air of confidence.

A vibrant pink, particularly a shade of neon is recently seen hitting the shelves and markets post sale reviews say that people found it to be a genuine standout and are simply loving it.

Thus we see that the world has finally come out of its conservative shell and is trying new things. But one thing about carrying this color on your shoulders is that it speaks volumes about your confidence as a person and that is what looks impressive about men wearing pink!

Tags: Pink, pink shirt, pink t-shirt, pink color shirts]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/the-pink-mania/feed/ TATTOO CULTURES http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tattoo-cultures/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tattoo-cultures/#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:33:40 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tattoo-cultures/ TATTOO CULTURESTattoos have been in trend from a long time in different regions and now it is common to see people with tattoos around the world, but these tattoos have a history and are originally from different cultures and tradition. Now day’s tattoos are part of fashion but it actually had significance in culture and was followed as tradition .Many communities of people still follow them strictly. Some of the most popular tattoo tradition belongs to Japan and Mexican culture and Yakuza Japanese tattoos.

Japanese tattoo tradition goes back to the days of shogun. Highly visible Tattoos generally in the form of a black ring around the arm were used in Japan for marking the criminals to distinguish them from the rest of the population. As the number of crimes use to increase by the criminal higher number of rings were added to the arm.

These people were usually discriminated from others so they started hanging out together eventually forming the organized groups typically mafia style and were known as ‘’yakuza.’’. Later in Japan tattoos became the symbol of yakuza.

Members use to proudly have tattoos as a symbol of status and dedication. Yakuza tattoos had later evolved in beautiful multicolored masterpiece and were made almost on full body. Now days having contemporary Japanese tattoos are becoming popular among youngsters. Yakuza style tattoo takes hundreds of hour and the process is even painful. If you wish to have Japanese yakuza style tattoo you must better contact them before visit.

Yakuza tattoo designs are much elaborated covering arms and legs almost complete torso. Dragons is the most popular design other wise flowers, mountains, landscapes, turbulent seascapes, abstract designs and most importantly gang insignia are the typical yakuza style tattoos.

Tattoos in Mexican culture came into existence in early 1300s. It started as an ornamental body decoration among Mexican native tribes and also to terrify enemy.

There are different types of tattoos in Mexican culture based on different aspect, for example heritage, religious, political, social etc.

Mexicans are generally people of very strong belief and getting influenced of the religion they usually go for tattoos showing Christ, some saint, cross virgin marry etc. Heritage pride tattoos are of different types like Aztec pride- this includes the design showing sun, sun god, symbols of sacrifice particularly to Aztec dagger, and especially astrological symbols.

Chilango pride – Chilango means person from Mexico City. People from Mexico City are very proud of there Mexican and Spanish roots .there Tattoos usually shows sun god of Mexico, legend of eagle and snake. But we can say that Aztec influence on the Mexican culture is very strong.

Patriotism is another cause of such tattoos because Mexican flag also depicts eagle and snake legend.

Tags: trend, Japan tattoos, Mexican culture, yakuza]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/tattoo-cultures/feed/ Most popular fashion flaws! http://www.arxmanstyle.com/most-popular-fashion-flaws/ http://www.arxmanstyle.com/most-popular-fashion-flaws/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:35:39 +0000 James Coolridge http://www.arxmanstyle.com/most-popular-fashion-flaws/ Most popular fashion flaws!Do you think that your appearance is extremely important for you to have an influence over the others? Well, some among us may disagree and think their qualities and communication skills is what matters and is indeed true but gentlemen, here’s an evaluation that will prove to be an eye opener for you. First of all, let me tell you that your appearance is absolutely an important feature when it comes to impressing anyone from your boss to your girlfriend or your client.

Alright now here’s a result of a scientific research about the human brain. It says that people who don’t know us make an impression about us within 30 seconds of them seeing us. Yes amusing it may sound but behavioral scientists also say that there’s an order in which unknown people make an impression about us which is as follows:

The skin, color, sex, age, height, body language, appearance, direct eye contact and the last position is occupied by your communication skills. And all of this happens within 30 seconds at a sub conscious level.

And 80% of people decide about the individual you are on the basis of your clothes. Thus my reason of telling all this to you is that we can employ this information to bring about certain changes in your style of dressing or ensure that our image is not buried in the dumps just because we’ve made a faux pas we are not even aware about.

Let’s have a look at some common ones!
If you are a professional and want to be known like one then please do not ever wear a short sleeve shirt with a tie. Until you aspire to be a fast food manager or you have to wear it as a part of your uniform, don’t even think of wearing it.

The shoes! These are one of the most evaluated parts of a man’s wardrobe. Nothing’s worse than a man in trousers wearing sports shoes beneath. Or a man in suit wearing floaters. Friends, every apparel needs to be worn with a specific style of shoe so please sift through a couple of good fashion magazines if you have no clue about it. You should only wear lace-up or buckle up shoes with dress pants or suits.

There are many more in the list but the space seems a bit constrained. So keep reading the entire series which I intend to dedicate to these common faux pas I usually see men making all the time!

Tags: Faux Pas, fashion tips, style tips, wardrobe tips, wardrobe blunders]]> http://www.arxmanstyle.com/most-popular-fashion-flaws/feed/