“Fashions fade, style is eternal.” – Yves Saint Laurent
“Vain trifles as they seem, clothes have, they say, more important offices than to merely keep us warm. They change our view of the world and the world’s view of us.” – Virginia Woolf
“Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.” – Oscar Wilde
There are countless witticisms about style and fashion. This makes sense, as the two terms are often conflated due to their similarity. We at Bespoke Unit are strongly of the opinion that while adhering to the occasional fashion trend is fine in small doses, being a man of style is far more important and will take you much farther in life. Based on the aforementioned quotes, Yves Saint Laurent and Oscar Wilde were spot on in their observations.
Style Vs. Fashion
Fashion is fleeting, style is permanent. To adhere to fashion is to buy and re-buy items as they come into and out of fashion. The contents of your closet are subject to the whims of a handful of designers every few months. Worst of all, the chances of looking at a picture of yourself “in fashion” five years down the road an thinking, “What the hell was I wearing???!!!?” go through the roof.
To be stylish, on the other hand, is to have an appreciation with the history behind what we wear. It’s to do your research (consulting this blog is a great first step!) as to why we wear what we wear and apply those lessons to your own life. It’s to understand your body type and coloring, and then combine that understanding with your personal preferences to craft your wardrobe. This wardrobe won’t be based on what some designer decides is cool for Winter 2015, but rather on what looks good on you as an individual. The best part is that these items won’t have to be replaced every year or two, and you can always flex in some “fashion” items here and there to stay current.
How To Be A Man Of Style
We suggest starting off with a capsule wardrobe (link here to capsule wardrobe article) and branching out slowly from there with your favorite colors and patterns. Read this blog and other sources to increase your knowledge. From a conceptual level, though, style is a concept that rests on three pillars: fit, color coordination, and pattern coordination. We will have articles that go further in depth with these concepts, but know that without these three elements working in your favor, it is impossible to look good.