LIME Magazine - Issue1 - January 2014 Jan. 2014 | Page 38

Editorial Decisions: Boardroom vs. Bedroom Four Essential Points of Style for Men circa 2014 by Cathy Berger, Fashion Societe - 347-574-4600 Nowadays both sexes firmly count themselves as Decision-Makers. Not all 21st century norms have been overturned as more often its men commanding a boardroom while women remain with ultimate say in the bedroom. Males continue to dominate the tech and construction industries, while females are gaining ground in engineering and finance. Universally, "dressing for success" has been talked up, over, and inside out. Boardroom attire for both sexes has evolved constructively, while Victoria's Secret has caused bedroom attire to become virtually mainstream. Yet ladies alone have a unique luxury of wardrobe choice where men don't - skirts and dresses can substitute for pants! Men—metrosexuals, college students, urban guerillas and high-powered corporate execs- have one sartorial option and one alone: all pants, all the time. So it would behoove guys to get the details right, right? The secret to a proper look for any man is attention to pants in relation to shoes. Starting with the cut at the top, to the color of the fabric to the cuffs at the bottomdetails must be coordinated with the shoes. Here are 4 of the more pertinent points, because as you know, gentlemen, females are watching: 1. Jeans – look best when worn with boots or sneakers or casual loafers. The hem should cover the back heel and you should not be able to see the socks (if worn at all). 2. Chinos – best worn with edgy (not gym) sneakers and should hang quite long over your shoe. 3. Flat-front waists— wear them. Despite what you think, pleats make you look bigger and cue the world you are out-of-style. 4. What style change lies ahead for 2014? The return of cuffed slacks. "A good trouser is cut to sit properly on a shoe. Precise, clean, sharp." says Duncan Quinn, a British bespoke owner with shops in New York and Los Angeles who prefers a "turnup", which is the English term for cuff. Furthermore, Alex Young, the suiting director at NYC's Freemans Sporting Club Bespoke Studio and self-described "ambassador of cuffs," says hip men are "cuffing" up. It's not just a pointless flourish, he states, as a cuff adds weight, anchoring the hem and creating a cleaner drape. Regardless of whether you buy off-the-rack or via bespoke, note these points: A. Cuffed Suit Pants – should be worn wi