Men’s Style by Russell Smith – Book Review
Sartorial style writers tend to have a charming prose style. This is certainly the case with Russell Smith, author of Men’s Style: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Dress. His book is full of interesting and entertaining anecdotes, paragraphs, and sentences, but he never seems to try too hard. He is able to explain the technical aspects of fine clothing while writing in plain English, easier said than done.
The only problem with any style guide is that, ultimately, style is a matter of personal taste and the rules become more subjective as you gain experience. Russell doesn’t deny it, but he’s also firm in his convictions. Personally, I would much rather read a book like this, even if I disagree with most of the author’s prescriptions and proscriptions, than a book full of bland relativism (“Leisure suits aren’t my thing, but wear them if you want to.”) “. want.” How useful would that be?).
The style rules are meant to make dressing less confusing, as “it helps to know the rules, especially if you’re new to this whole game and don’t trust your own taste.” Fred Astaire may be able to pull off an outfit that would leave you or me looking like a costumed ape, not because he’s handsome (he’s not), but because he’s a pro. He can break the rules because he knows the rules and he knows the loopholes.
The book is a good introduction to the masculine style, especially the traditional and somewhat formal style. It shows you how clothes can make you feel sexy and great. It shows you how to dress for different occasions. It’s also a fun read. But if you’re looking for advice on, say, how to choose the best color shirt for your skin tone or how to dress for your body type, you might want something more practical and technical.
The book has wide margins, which allow for citations, illustrations, and sidebars to frame the page. The illustrations, by the excellently named Edwin Fotheringham, are a nice addition and help to illustrate the author’s point: a chapter on casual attire features a man dressed in a paisley casual suit with a gold chain. The caption: “Casual clothing is probably the weakest point of contemporary man.” Point done.
This is a great gift for a man interested in style, or at least sleeping with women. (If he’s interested in sleeping with men, he’ll still find it entertaining.) If you have a spouse, sibling, or friend who makes abysmal fashion decisions, consider giving them this book as an introduction to the style. I’ve combined this book with an old Fred Astaire or Carey Grant picture book, just to point out how important good style can be.