Men's Fashion

[bigglesworth]

So, onto the actual questions - if I asked the barber/hairdresser to cut all my hair short apart from the fringe, do you think it would look okay or just ridiculous? I recall "reverse-mullet" as being a legit style, but I think it's usually worn by females.

The 'buzzcut sides, long on top' look (a la Macklemore) is ridiculously trendy at the moment. Unless you meant merely short hair rather than clipped? Not sure about that one.

[Wednesday]

You're in KY, you get a pass on the flannel for now. Also, safety razors, when stored in a glass of mineral oil, basically never dull. They only ever do because oxidation in the wet shower.

[Shro]

So, onto the actual questions - if I asked the barber/hairdresser to cut all my hair short apart from the fringe, do you think it would look okay or just ridiculous? I recall "reverse-mullet" as being a legit style, but I think it's usually worn by females.

The 'buzzcut sides, long on top' look (a la Macklemore) is ridiculously trendy at the moment. Unless you meant merely short hair rather than clipped? Not sure about that one.

It's called a slicked back undercut. GIS that shit.

[Patrik3]

It's called a slicked back undercut. GIS that shit.

Yeah, I searched it and it looks pretty similar to what I was expecting. Going to a friend's party tomorrow so if I feel crazy enough today I might get it cut like that. The way I asked for it done at the barber's last time, though, was "Short back and sides, and none off at the front". (I had hair that was about half the length it is now, and it looked pretty cool...)

Also, Wednesday, thankyou so much for the really detailed post about dyeing. I never knew it would be so complicated to get it done right - I'm not exactly loaded with cash right now, so I was hoping to get the cut AND the dye done for £30 tops, but now I'm seeing that it'd probably be over £100... I was thinking of getting it done at a training salon at my local college, but I checked the website today and unfortunately they've already broken up for summer.

I do have quite dark brown hair, so that means it would be harder to bleach it properly and to get a 'true' colour, but the dye would then stay in for longer, right?

I am a little put off by how expensive it could be, and I'm not totally sure on what colour I would want, so I'll probably get the crazy haircut first, and then think about colour once I'm sure I'm comfortable with stage 1.

Although... what about... is "extensions" the right word? i.e. coloured hair that you somehow affix to the rest of your hair instead of dyeing it... is that any easier to do, and still look good?

[bluebambue]

IME extensions only really work if you have a lot of hair to hide where it attaches. Not an expert though.

[Shro]

Extensions are also super expensive - probably more expensive than the dye job. The process of putting in the extensions is very time consuming and tedious. People can easily spend upwards of a grand on extensions/weaves.

[Wednesday]

Extensions are also super expensive - probably more expensive than the dye job. The process of putting in the extensions is very time consuming and tedious. People can easily spend upwards of a grand on extensions/weaves.

This. A lot of women I've spoken to called it an "investment". That is how expensive we are talking.

[Dark567]

This. A lot of women I've spoken to called it an "investment". That is how expensive we are talking.

I think one of the largest marketing tricks in the world is calling a consumable(and your extensions will not last all that long) an investment(see also: cars).

[Jorpho]

Until now I had thought hair extensions were temporary things to be added and removed as needed. Are you just supposed to leave them in place until they decay?

Wouldn't a wig generally be a better option?

[Shro]

This. A lot of women I've spoken to called it an "investment". That is how expensive we are talking.

I think one of the largest marketing trickses in the world is calling a consumable(and your extensions will not last all that long) an investment(see also: cars).

Beauty products/services are a big expenditure in women's lives. Some of them consider it an investment to attract or keep the desired sex interested. Not to mention that more attractive women are treated in many senses, better (humans tend to have a what is beautiful is good perception bias¹), and that translates to an edge in either a professional or dating environment.

¹ http://pss.sagepub.com/content/23/10/1112.abstract

Until now I had thought hair extensions were temporary things to be added and removed as needed. Are you just supposed to leave them in place until they decay?

Wouldn't a wig generally be a better option?

The purpose of extensions is to look a little bit more natural than a wig, as it uses the existing hair as a base, instead of it all being artificial. Extensions are usually put a little underneath the hair, to make the hair appear longer and fuller, while the wearer has their natural hair on top; the part of the hair that usually undergoes the most scrutiny.

[Wednesday]

Natural hair extensions are also available, and they are much less expensive than natural hair wigs.

[Shro]

Natural hair extensions are also available, and they are much less expensive than natural hair wigs.

Yeah, you thought the extensions were expensive? The wigs they use in the movies can cost like $10,000 (granted, that's probably like Galadriel's wig or something, but still)

There's another sort of extension that can pretty much cover the whole hair; the actual hair is braided tightly against the hair (like corn rows) and the fake hair is sewn or glued in.

[Wednesday]

Yeeeeeah that's why insurance companies really only cover one wig per cancer patient... they expect that you'd want a nice one, therefore made of human hair, and those things are pricey as fuck.

Corn row extensions are the most painful (or so I am told.) I've done a dreadlocked version of those, and yeah, installation blew.

[bigglesworth]

Is it just me or has the fashion of people who listen to punk rock completely merged with that of people who are skaters? When did that happen - I thought there was a whole skate rock thing, when did that end?

[SecondTalon]

1994. Where were you?

[bigglesworth]

Playing with LEGO.

[Wolby]

Speaking of slicked-back undercuts (thanks for that term! the only other thing I've heard it called is a 'queer pomp'), I have realllly been wanting to get one, but I can't figure out if it's work-appropriate! Help?

Context: I work in a law school office---it's not super formal (though it's lawyers---the spectrum is that one guy stubbornly wearing jeans to older women in pearls and skirt-suits), but my instinct is that I should be visually distinct from the average student intern.

Also I'm butch, which I fear makes it inherently harder for me to look work-appropriate, even if it makes sense to me that I can just follow the "men's rules" instead. I wear men's button-fronts to work, occasionally a tie or a sweater vest, and already have short hair. I have a single unobtrusive cartilage piercing. I don't know if it helps or hurts that I'm tall and broad shouldered and get read male as often as I get read female. I was wearing a frilly blouse one day, and I still caused a woman coming into the bathroom to yelp and rush back out to check the sign.

So what do you think? Can I get away with it? Could a guy in my position get away with it?

[SecondTalon]

So the one on the left, correct?

Should be fine. May want to check with HR about what is and is not an appropriate work hairstyle, just to be sure, but I can't see any real complaints.

[JudeMorrigan]

Ya'll have any thoughts on shoes? I'm thinking of splurging on my first pair of non-dance shoes in years. I've been wearing black Clarks slip-ons, but am considering going with something a bit higher end. The black part is pretty non-negotiable given my wardrobe though.

[bigglesworth]

Brogues are always a good choice.

[Wednesday]

It's really hard to go wrong at a Men's Warehouse if you have one nearby. They'll be able to tell you what will work with what you wear on a day-to-day basis better than we could without your description.

[ahammel]

Suspenders/braces, yay or nay? I'm thinking of getting pants with suspender buttons next time I have cause to buy a suit, but I've seen it look anywhere from 'super cool' to 'super dorky' on other fellas.

Also, if ties are not mandatory in my workplace, does wearing a tie make me a douche?

[Jorpho]

Suspenders/braces, yay or nay? I'm thinking of getting pants with suspender buttons next time I have cause to buy a suit, but I've seen it look anywhere from 'super cool' to 'super dorky' on other fellas.

Also, if ties are not mandatory in my workplace, does wearing a tie make me a douche?

There are far too many other factors at play to provide a simple answer to either of these questions. For instance, if you never plan on taking your jacket off, the presence or absence of suspenders is not particularly relevant. And if everyone else at your workplace is thoroughly dressed down, a tie would probably be a bit much.

[ahammel]

There are far too many other factors at play to provide a simple answer to either of these questions. For instance, if you never plan on taking your jacket off, the presence or absence of suspenders is not particularly relevant.

I'm not expecting a definitive answer, just asking whether people generally enjoy wearing or seeing other people wear suspenders.

And if everyone else at your workplace is thoroughly dressed down, a tie would probably be a bit much.

Dress shirts and slacks are normal, but not quite universal. Ties are uncommon, but a some people at my level wear them on occasion. I have seen anything from jeans and a t-shirt to a very expensive-looking suit. On the same guy, actually. On different days.

It's kind of a weird workplace, dress-wise, now that I think about it.

[bluebambue]

Suspenders: I think suspenders look best on builds that don't have a belly that would push them to form a non-straight line.

Tie: I say go for ties if you feel like it.

[Izawwlgood]

Suspenders are going to depend largely on your physique I'd say. BBB has it right; the suspenders will either accentuate your gut, or make your shoulders and pecs look more pronounced.

What do you do? If you're beholden to a customer and appearance matters, wearing a tie for the sake of sales or customer satisfaction seems like a no brainer, and if you want to maintain some amount of casual attire with it, wear a less formal colored or patterned shirt. I would say generally speaking, joke or gag ties are always tacky.

[ahammel]

I'm a fairly skinny type. Maybe I'll give the suspenders a try.

What do you do?

Research. I haven't got any customers unless you count The Public, and I don't interact with them in any way, except when the peer in through the windows. I just like wearing a tie sometimes, is all.

I would say generally speaking, joke or gag ties are always tacky.

Naturally

[eran_rathan]

There are far too many other factors at play to provide a simple answer to either of these questions. For instance, if you never plan on taking your jacket off, the presence or absence of suspenders is not particularly relevant.

I'm not expecting a definitive answer, just asking whether people generally enjoy wearing or seeing other people wear suspenders.

And if everyone else at your workplace is thoroughly dressed down, a tie would probably be a bit much.

Dress shirts and slacks are normal, but not quite universal. Ties are uncommon, but a some people at my level wear them on occasion. I have seen anything from jeans and a t-shirt to a very expensive-looking suit. On the same guy, actually. On different days.

It's kind of a weird workplace, dress-wise, now that I think about it.

My workplace is similar - jeans and t-shirt for fieldwork, business-casual for in the office, suits for 'talking to lawyers days'. I really enjoy wearing suspenders.

[bigglesworth]

This topic will never cease to be funny for Brits. It's even funnier than "fanny" because it's more subtle.

[Izawwlgood]

Research. I haven't got any customers unless you count The Public, and I don't interact with them in any way, except when the peer in through the windows. I just like wearing a tie sometimes, is all.

I say mimic your boss, or wear a piece above. If you're doing wetwork, not wanting to ruin clothing is more than reasonable.

[Shro]

Suspenders can be quite om nom nomable.

Different looks with suspenders: Really old school: tweed trousers, newsboy cap. Punk rocker: tight levis, white shirt with the sleeves folded up, doc martens skinny black suspenders. Preppy/nerdy boy: suspenders with some sort of plaid and/or a bow tie. And always the fancy pants dressy look.

[ahammel]

Thanks for the advice, all!

I say mimic your boss, or wear a piece above. If you're doing wetwork, not wanting to ruin clothing is more than reasonable.

Nah, bioinformatics. I got out of the wet lab in grad school. My thumb gets tired.

This topic will never cease to be funny for Brits. It's even funnier than "fanny" because it's more subtle.

You'll notice I provided a translation for the benefit of my transatlantic friends.

Although I note that the traditional Irish song Waxie's Dargle uses both forms: 'braces' to rhyme with 'races' and 'suspenders' to rhyme with 'lenders'. (Racism warning, should you go looking for the lyrics.)

[Carlington]

[...]
Punk rocker: tight levis, white shirt with the sleeves folded up, doc martens skinny black suspenders.
[...]

Aha, I knew there was a reason I lurked here!
To elaborate on this, I'm looking to graduate from the "T-shirt over jeans tucked into docs" look, but I'm really not sure how. Bearing in mind that I'm concerned with everyday wear, and I don't have a job that requires any sort of even vaguely professional attire (read: I'm a damned punk-rockin' hippie uni student with crazy-ass hair, consarnit!) - what sorts of things would you recommend?

((EDIT: "To elaborate on this", not "Yo, elaborate on this."))

[bluebambue]

I found a photo reference.

I don't have any tips on actually pulling the look off in real life.

Source of picture, which does have some words of wisdom: http://laymansfashion.com/329/how-to-we ... s-for-men/

[Wednesday]

Dude C is the only one I'd take seriously if he asked me out on a date, FWIW. I seriously love the skinny jeans and doc martins thing though, so.... not sure why you'd change that in the first place.

[bluebambue]

I concur that dude C is the best there.

[Carlington]

I am also noticing that dudes A and B are both wearing singlets with suspenders, which seems ill-advised.

[ahammel]

No love for Japanese teenager and angsty-droog?

[Carlington]

I feel as though teenager's suspenders are not staying on properly and droog's are too wide. That said, I don't know how I feel yet about "untucked tee under suspenders".

[Shro]

I think the key here is skinny suspenders. And the underlayer being something like a henley or a plain white T with sleeves. Even if you want to show off your well muscled arms/forearms, wear sleeves that are slightly longer, and roll them up! There is something intensely sexy about a rolled up sleeve. This look goes very well with the slicked back undercut hairstyle. The leather wrap bracelet on dude three is a nice touch.

The suspenders look without a shirt is also acceptable. (the nomable link in my previous post)