January 2007

Men of Style: The MisShapes

As members of the MisShapes, Geordon Nicol and Greg Krelenstein are two of the most influential people in NYC nightlife. But with a new style guide in the works for MTV Books and a legion of downtown hipsters emulating their mod-meets-punk look, these guys might just be on their way to becoming bona fide style icons.

Style Lesson: The boys favor young, upstart designers like Obesity and Speed, Benjamin Cho, and Brian Lichtenberg. Look for sleeveless hoodies, vests, and tank tops to show off your scrawny arms. Trade in that gawdy bling for simple chains with odd shaped pendants like bats, butcher knives, and bones. Black and white are your colors, but if you need something more in your palette stick with faded, washed out shades. Ground it all with a pair of Chelsea boots and the skinniest peg-leg jeans you can find.

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Every Friday is “Causal Friday” at the office. To many of you that may mean pulling out your khaki shorts, flip flops, your favorite t-shirt and that old baseball hat.

Whoa.

Back the corporate train up. It is imperative that you grasp the concept of continuous impressionism, meaning you’re never NOT under the spot light.  In the dog-eat-dog world of Corporate America, there is always someone assessing your work…and your clothes.

Please, kind sirs, leave your flip flops, pajama pants, track pants, hoodies, and cross trainers in the shoe box, in the drawer, in the closet, on the coat rack, and on the bedside. There is a time and a place for them; the office is NOT it.

The key is to doing “causal” is taking your dressy looks down a level, while maintaining that neat, I-want-the-corner-office, appearance. That means forsaking your t-shirts and trying an oxford button-up shirt (avoiding exuberant patterns) less the tie tucked in to a pair of less dressy slacks or khakis and a clean, scuff-free loafer (with a belt to match). During the warmer months, a short sleeve button-up shirt is acceptable.

So what about jeans? If you can say “yes” to the following questions…

1) Do they fit correctly (i.e. not too long, not to short, not to tight, not too loose)?

2) Are they hole and rip free? (Your undies should not be visible to the office admin…even if they WOULD appreciate it.)

3) Does the jean have a darker wash? (Please—for the sake of all that is fashion—no stone wash jeans. Save them for your 80’s costume parties.)

4) Are they either straight leg or boot cut? (Don’t you dare touch a pair of tapered or pleated jeans. As a matter of fact, don’t even look at them.)

…then by all means, wear the denim, and while polos may be acceptable—and can be pulled off successfully given the right material—as a general rule, the office deserves more. Other pant options: khakis, Dockers, corduroys aka cords, and linen slacks.

In all, consider where you’re working and who you’re seeing on a regular basis. Be consistent. You’ve been dressing like a star all week. Don’t loose points because you dressed a little too casually for Causal Friday. Be informed. Know what is and isn’t acceptable in your workplace. Of course each office has its own rules, but so do you.

And remember….give me the first you. Not the second someone else.

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