Which Tie Knots are In and which are.....Knot.

The world of fashion and the tips, trends and information that goes along with it are purely subjective. What makes sense to one person will sometimes make sense to the next and sometimes it wont. However, there are those times when following a few simple rules can help you out dramatically. So far, The Modern Gentleman's blog has maybe hit on one or two of those types of situations that call for rules. Well, here is another one. Tie Knots: What they are, how to tie 'em and when to wear 'em. Whether you choose to believe me or not is entirely up to you but I can tell you that not only do tie width's come in and out of style but tie knots do as well. I figured this was appropriate seeing as how my last fashion-minded post dealt with shirt collar care (GQ followed suit-ha-and just ran a feature with Drake talking all about shirt collars).

It is safe to say that there are at least twelve to fifteen different tie knots in existence. However, since most of those are completely irrelevant I am going to focus on three that many credible sources have determined to be the most popular..and I agree. The three I am referring to are the four in hand, the half windsor, the windsor.

Four-in-hand: This is the classic knot. This one is going to get you through pretty much any situation that you can think of. While some believe that this knot works better with wider ties featuring a heavy fabric, I wear this knot with all different types of tie widths. I will say though, because the knot itself tends to be long and slender, a heavier fabric is important. Otherwise you will compromise the body of the tie knot and it wont really stand up with what your wearing.




The Half-Windsor: A milder version of the Windsor (probably goes without saying). This is more assertive tie knot. Its going to be a little bit bolder than the four in hand knot and might project more confidence...at least as much as a tie knot can project confidence. As one might assume, this knot has been considered a bit more conservative of recent (which I agree with) and would definitely be appropriate in business. In my personal opinion, I don't believe this knot is as versatile due to the fact that it doesn't have a stylish look to it. Its kind of just bold. A lighter weight fabric is going to work best with this knot due to its already large size.



The Windsor: The Grand-daddy of these three tie knots (both in size and because it makes me think of someone much older) is the Windsor. If you don't want to go bold than I would avoid this knot. Your likely to see Donald Trump or Jay-Z sporting this one. You need to wear a spread collar with this tie and not a traditional button down collar or any others that frame the tie knot a little more tightly. Your going to need all the room you can get with this one. Also, you need a slightly longer tie to pull of this look because a lot of it is going to get tied up (sorry, that's the second pun of this piece) in the massive knot your working on.

Rules For Man-Jewels

Happy Monday everyone, I hope your week has started out how you hoped it would. This past weekend while I was out around town I saw a fellow bar patron sporting a pretty ridiculous look and it got me thinking about a few things. The look I am referring to? About five bracelets on one wrist, a necklace, a large cuff on the other wrist and more than a couple of rings. I am all for jewelry as long as it is tastefully done. For instance, a watch is great and every gentleman should have a nice, go to time piece. I have stated that many times before. Even a bracelet, one bracelet, is o.k. if its a classic sterling silver or gold or any other precious metal but that's about it. Now, exception to the rule? If you wear jewelry that has personal meaning to you. I wear a necklace that I was given when I turned 21 and my brother wears the exact same necklace that he received when he was 21. The difference is that it is personal and I keep it that way. I wear it under my shirt or undershirt, I don't wear it on the outside of my clothes. I also wear one silver ring that I was given as a present and it is a simple silver band. There is no conceivable reason that a man should feel the need to wear more jewelry than his girlfriend. A watch, or one metal bracelet, or even one thin leather bracelet is o.k. but leave it at that. I am not trying to hinder your personal sense of style, just giving it some guidance. Less is more on this one guys.

AVOID EVERY PIECE OF JEWELRY THAT IS PICTURED BELOW

AVOID EVERY PIECE OF JEWELRY THAT IS PICTURED ABOVE

Saturday Style Note: Get Layered

I cant believe Iam already writing another installment of the "Saturday Style Note", this week has absolutely flown by. I was a little light on the posts this week partly because I have been extremely busy with some events that were all planned for the same week, and partly because I really just wanted to leave up the V-Day gift guide because its useful and I have been getting alot of positive feedback from it. Anyways, things have slowed down a little bit and I finally have time to sit down and get back at it, right in time for the style note. What I want to put out there today is layering. I don't know about you, but even down in Atlanta we got a few days of warm weather (60's) and then BAM back down into the 40's and 30's.I also know the Northeast was/is supposed to get a record breaking snow storm this weekend. Here I thought it was time to break out the style notes for what to pick up for spring but I guess I jumped the gun. The picture that is below is a great example of how you should be layering. Iam not talking about the frat look where you wear three different polo's or anything ridiculous like that.


(Photograph by photoblogger Tommy Ton)
As I always advocate, simplicity is key. A white ribbed Henley, under a classic button down shirt with a button down collar and a vest thrown on top. The gentleman in this photo pulls off the "understated cool" that the M.G. blog references often. Go to your closet and look at the simple, understated pieces that you have and then start to combine them and see what you get. Its like mixing up a new cocktail, sometimes you get it right and sometimes you have to swap ingredients. The most important part for me is that each individual piece needs to be simple enough to blend with other items, but nice enough to wear by itself if you wanted to. Follow that rule and layering will be a breeze for you....who knew looking good meant you could stay warm at the same time.

Upgrade Your Gear: Take Care of Your Shoes, Your Wallet Will Love You

If your anything like I am then you know that shoes make or break your attire for a day. Ever see a guy walking down the street in a suit wearing New Balance sneakers? That combo goes together as well as Orange juice in your cereal, its just wrong. My Father once told me that shoes were the only thing that could make a thousand dollar suit look like a fifty dollar suit so make sure you get 'em right. Pretty good advice in my opinion. So, if you want to make sure your always on your shoe game its important to know how to care for them. Before I started actively caring for my dress shoes and even some of my sneakers I would burn through them like crazy. Hells worn down, laces frayed, discoloration, the whole bit. You don't want your shoes to look like they came from the Salvation Army (unless the thrift store thing is your bag and in that case, this doesn't apply to you). Here are some quick tips to help you take care of your shoes so your suit (or whatever you are wearing) doesn't depreciate in appearance....plus, the better you take care of your shoes, the longer they last, and you can keep some extra cash in your pocket. Nothing wrong with that right?

1. Wait 24 hours in between wear: Yes, don't wear the same pair of shoes on back to back days. At least don't make a regular habit of it anyways. Think about it. We don't "wash" shoes like we wash our other items of clothing. Can you imagine what a shirt would look like if you just wore it every day all day? The fabric would soak up your natural oils and dirt and pick up any grime that you encountered outside. Well, like I said you don't wash your shoes and they encounter alot of way-worse items on the ground then the rest of your clothes. So give em a break.You have to let the sweat and oil they absorb dry out or else they will age quickly.

2. Shoe Tree: You may have seen one of these in your Dad's closet or even grandfathers closet...well so what? They know what they are doing then. When you put your shoes back in the closet throw a shoe tree in to help them retain their shape while they recoup from heavy wear. This will eliminate any unnecessary indentations that wont come out, unsightly creases, ect...Also, use one of these if you have to pack your shoes in a suit case. You don't want them to get crushed.

3. Shoe Horn: This item is geared exclusively to your nice dress shoes that may be a little bit more firm around the ankle. You don't want to crush the backs of your shoes so get a shoe horn to allow your heel to slide easily into the shoe. Again, keeping the form nice.

4. General Fabric Care: The following is a guideline for how to clean and care for your different types of shoes. This particular list comes from Kiwi and you will find it is pretty much the same as any other guide line. Kiwi has been around since 1906 and many trust their products. (click on kiwi to get directed to their site).

Leather
1.Dirt and other debris can easily embed into leather. Therefore, your leather shoes or boots need to be cleaned before you start polishing. KIWI Shoe Brushes and Wipes can easily be used to remove excess dirt and debris.
2.To polish your shoes effectively, always remove the shoelaces from your shoe before you start polishing your shoes. This is the best way to get to clean the tongue of the shoe and avoid staining the laces.
3.For best results using shoe polishes or creams, first apply the shoe polish or cream evenly to leather shoes and boots with a brush or soft cloth. Once the polish has properly dried, simply buff to a brilliant shine using a natural bristle brush. Note that it is important to use a separate brush and cloth for applying and buffing different colored shoes.
4.If you prefer a more convenient alternative there are instant shine liquids. Simply remove excess dirt and then apply the liquid evenly to your shoes. The formulation restores color and dries to an instant shine - without the need to buff.
5.Use KIWI Protector products to help waterproof your shoes thoroughly to protect them from common stains caused by water, mud, dust, snow or salt.
6.Store leather shoes using a shoe tree, this will help retain the shape of the leather. If you can’t use a shoe tree (e.g. for strappy shoes), stuff the toe cap with newspaper or tissue. Never store or dry leather shoes near direct heat.

Suede & Nubuck
1.Your suede shoes deserve special attention. Make sure they are cleaned and waterproofed regularly.
2.If your suede shoes get wet, stuff them with newspaper while they dry to keep their shape.
3.Always allow them to dry naturally and never put them near direct heat.
4.Suede and nubuck shoes will look their best when brushed. You can use KIWI Suede and Nubuck brushes and cleaning blocks for this purpose.

Sport shoes
1.To extend the life of active or outdoor shoes (golf shoes, football or hiking boots), make sure you polish and waterproof them regularly.
2.Before polishing, first knock off the loose mud and allow your boots to dry naturally.
3.Use KIWI Fresh Force® shoe freshener with its unique up-side down, dual spray applicator, to control shoe and sneaker odor and to enjoy all day freshness and confidence

These are just a few quick tips to help you care for your shoes better and I hope you find them helpful. If you have any additional tips or hints on this topic leave a comment, it can benefit all who read.

Dont Get Stranded by a Tech-Dependence

This weekend was alot of fun and pretty busy, Iam hoping yours was the same. Actually, at one point, I was having a little to much fun at a great bar in the Highlands called Noche. The drinks were great, the company was great, (music was just ok) and everything was cool until SPLASH, phone ruined in the bathroom. Ill keep it short and spare you the details but I will just say that texting and zipping up after a few beers and a few Jamesons can be a little tough. (Hey it was a friends birthday we were living it up-dont judge me haha). Needless to say, the phone is ruined and I have been technologically stranded but I plan to make the most of it. Alot of the short articles I write are tips, advice, and my ideas of what a gentleman needs to have. Well, in the pursuit of finding some good out of my current situation I have realilzed the importance of a good contact book. Others may call it an address book, black book or anything like that. Anyways, you never know when your phone is going to cease to exist but that doesnt mean that your life can cease to exist. You need important contact information whether for business or pleasure and a gentleman (or any adult) shouldnt make excuses-they should be prepared. Losing my phone has made me realize that not relying on technology and having a good old fashioned leather boud adress book in top shelf of my desk is priceless. All of your contacts right there in hard copy form so when disaster strikes you can move on with your daily life-Plus, I hate getting those facebook groups about once a day for "I lost my phone, I need numbers!". My advice: every gentleman should have a back up plan, go out and get a quality adress book and slowly copy your contacts from your blackberry to your book over the course of a week. Sometimes you just cant beat paper,pen and a dry drawer..far far away from the bar (ha).

Saturday Stlye Note: A new but regular addition to the MG Blog

(Photograph above by Tommy Ton, featured on GQ's style section)
(Photograph above by Tommy Ton featured on GQ's style section)

I think Men have a responsibility to not be trendy. There is a large differnece between being stylish and being trendy. I feel that (this is strickly my opinion) a gentleman is someone who always looks good, put together, but most importantly, timeless. There are few pieces of mens-wear that have withstood the tests of time and there is a reason for that. You cant go wrong when you wear them. Heres a quick list of some of those items:
*tie
*blazer
*wing tip shoes
*tailored dress shirt
*cuff links
*plain white v-neck t-shirt
ect...
Iam not saying that different variations of these items dont go in and out of style but its not the item itself. Its the fabric, the color, the fit and so on and so forth. Anyways, in my opion a man can achieve true style by utilizing timeless items in subtle ways. For instance, if your worried that the items that Iam talking about are to stuffy or formal then play with them in unique ways. A tailored dress shirt with the top couple of buttons undon, dark denim with the cuffs rolled slightly (sloppily), and an un-structured slim fit blazer with a pocket square reads as both stylish and timeless. Or lose the blazer roll your sleeves up slightly but add a slim tie. If you want to go more casual than that its just as easy but do it in a timeless subtle way. Slim fit trousers (not jeans) with a white, slightly v-neck t-shirt (made with a heavier fabric than your typical undershirt) and a pair of plain ankle high Jack Purcell sneakers (or a casual dress shoe)does the trick. The idea is to have a good fit and something that is mature and made of quality materials. You can look great with only a little effort.
I plan on regularly posting items that I have purchased that fall into this category to keep you updated on some of the great finds I have come across and how to pair them accordingly. Look up a picture of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, James Dean, and tell me there isnt a "timeless" or "impossible" cool about them.

"Dont Mistake My Pocket-Square As Weakness"

Just a quick thought today. Earlier, I was walking in downtown Atlanta wearing a simple black blazer, white shirt, and a pocket square. I noticed that people were staring at it as if they had never seen one before, or just had no clue what a piece of fabric was doing in my jacket pocket.Now, I feel that this story may be unique to Atlanta. If I were walking down a street in New York sporting a pocked square that would be average. I would actually probably blend in. However, Atlanta is a little bit different than that. What this quick story ultimately got me thinking about was the fact that so many guys think that dressing well means that they are soft. Or that only women should care about how they dress. Whats really funny is that the same guys who feel this way are the same guys who will wear Christian Audigier and Ed Hardy. Yea, because sparkly lions on your shirt is way more masculine than a slim tie/shirt and a nice pair of jeans. Oh and speaking of jeans, yours have rhinestones on them.....very manly of you. All I am saying is that guys need to stop being afraid of looking nice. Its a respect thing, for yourself and others. Who knows it might even help your game out this weekend.....unless you plan on "fist pumping" in the club all weekend..

Everyday Items Every Man Should Have

The other day I joined a good friend for lunch to catch up on what has been going on in each others lives. All together the lunch was pretty standard and it was an enjoyable break from the normal day to day grind. However, as we were closing out our lunch and walking to the door my friend stopped to sneeze and pulled out a handkerchief. I immediately took notice of the simple piece of fabric and said, "How long have you been carrying that around?" His answer was simple and straight to the point, "I always have". The reason I bring this up is because it is such a small accessory but yet it was so strange to see someone in their mid to late twenties using one. It got me thinking though about the things that used to be standard for every man to carry. Back when it was customary for every gentleman to carry a handkerchief it was simply second nature to have one. In the same way that we would never walk out of our houses without our blackberry's or ipods there were certain things that a man never left home without. The kicker is that they always had a purpose and I was amazed at how effortlessly my friend (a product of the eighties) kept one and used one. A man should always have what he needs to conduct himself in the right way and he should never have such items as simply for show. For instance, my grandfather always has carried a very small pocket knife in his front trouser pocket. Its so second nature to him that I am sure he forgets its there but it never fails, whenever I have been around him there has been a need to use it and he pulls it out effortlessly and puts it back away as if everyone carries such equipment. My point is that so many of us younger guys have forgotten the "code" of what it takes to make sure you are always put together. Here's a quick list of the things that I think every man should be carrying on him.

1. Handkerchief. No one wants your germs and no one wants to see your nose running. Use one and don't display it. Keep it subtle.
2. Quality pen. Simple enough. You need to sign a document, write a phone number down, make a quick note to yourself. Its a simple item that can make a pretty bold statement about you and your taste.
3. Small pill box. A man should never be "whiny". Keep a small pill box on you or in your briefcase or messenger bag. Have a headache? Don't complain about it, do something. Keep some Advil in there and maybe some heartburn meds. Especially if your headed straight to work or any other plans straight from a long night out.
4. Quality watch. Not every situation allows you to pull out your phone to check the time. Its a great fashion statement and its useful. Your standing on the corner and a beautiful woman asks you for the time....don't fumble in your pockets for your phone. Effortlessly pull your sleeve back and give a quick response. Plus, you never know who you might impress with your choice of watch. These things can make a difference.
5. A sleek wallet and always keep some cash on hand. To many times I have made the mistake of not having cash for a valet or to split a check with a friend. A simple leather wallet of high quality will do the trick and a twenty on hand at all times is a good standard to follow.