Author Archives: Mike Hillman

About Mike Hillman

Mike Hillman is the founder, editor, and webmaster of Curiata.com. He was the editor of his high school and college newspapers. Mike lives in Harrisburg, Pa., with his incomparable wife, Carrie, and their dog, Beaker.

springgents

Lighten up fashion, lifestyle for spring

In the temperate climates of the Northern Hemisphere, spring has arrived. Those of us in the northeastern quadrant of the United States are still stuffing ourselves into winter coats, but the weather is sure to change eventually. When it does, the gentleman must also change his wardrobe to reflect the season.

Winter evokes darkness, heaviness, seriousness: tweed and pipes and leather bound books and rich mahogany. In spring, the gentleman throws off this weight. Spring and fall are the best times for men’s fashion. The variable and mild temperatures allow for a diversity in clothing options. Fall is all about preparing for winter, with darker earth tones and heavier fabrics, but the buzzword of spring is “light.” Everything about the gentleman’s spring appearance should hew to this theme.

Begin by packing away the chunky sweaters and wool overcoats. But don’t just venture out into 50-degree weather as if it were mid-July. Embrace a leather (or faux leather) jacket, or a slick-looking track-style zip-up. When April showers hit, grab a classic trench or harness backwoods garment technology in an urban-styled raincoat. Furthermore, no modern urban gentleman should subject himself to the rain without a manly umbrella.

At the office and high-class dinner parties, lighten up your suit as well. The Modern Urban Gentleman has covered suits extensively already, but remember a few key points. Spring is the time to wear brighter colors, so put away the blacks, navies, and dark grays; opt for light grays, medium blues, and khaki. Be bold — but not overwhelming — in shirt and tie colors and patterns. Maybe this is the year you finally try a pink shirt.

When dressing more casual, jeans are vernally appropriate, but consider relying on chinos in washed-out hues. Classic khakis are still a staple, but make sure they have a modern fit, narrow through the leg — and, of course, no pleats.

The first half of spring is still brisk, so don’t jump straight into polo shirts. Keep wearing long sleeves, especially in waffle-knit fabrics, like Henleys. A blazer or a cardigan keep things warm without weighing you down. The trend in button-downs is for more ornate patterns; let your personal style be your guide, but remember not to overload the senses by mixing more than one statement piece.

The sun’s warming rays also bring out new options for footwear. The trend of the season is suede Oxfords in all colors. Go for it, but remember to check the weather report before heading out the door; rain can cause all sorts of trouble for the delicate leather (suede care to be covered at a later date). The chukka, or desert, boot was huge last year and will be popular this spring, too.

Sometime after Easter, lose the socks in less formal settings. Going sockless is a big deal, and the Modern Urban Gentleman will offer tips as the time draws near. In the meantime, during the early part of spring, swap out the brown and black stockings for pastels and jaunty designs.

Spring is a prefect time to invest in a new pair of sunglasses that you will try not to lose before Memorial Day. Aviators are a timeless classic, but consider pairing your shades to the shape of your face. Another accessory to consider is the fashion scarf. Don’t be afraid — be a confident modern urban gentleman! It’s very European.

Your spring awakening extends beyond the clothing. Consider trimming some of the winter growth from both your head and your face. The next time you visit the barber, ask about trying a toned-down version of the Macklemore; you’ve seen it recently on Brad Pitt, David Beckham, and Justin Timberlake.

Winter is a great time to sport a mountain man beard (if your wife will allow it), and we saw plenty of them during awards season this year. But spring calls for cultivated stubble instead of wild tangles. Pick up a beard trimmer, take it in tight — and get rid of the stuff on your neck altogether.

If you are a cologne-wearing gentleman, it’s time to mix up the scent. As GQ tells us today, go for something lighter, more green or fruity, to match nature’s bounty.

The modern urban gentleman lifestyle is about more than clothing. So extend the “lighten up” philosophy to everything you do: supplement your whiskey with gin, get outside and breathe the fresh air, laugh more. Spring is also a new beginning in so many ways. Seize this opportunity to learn some new skills, such as planting a garden to provide fresh, healthy food for your family.

Spring is a time of rebirth, and if you are ready to throw off the doldrums of winter, like the Modern Urban Gentleman certainly is, let that rebirth manifest in you as well.

kooser

Hitting ‘reset’ restores vital ties to nature

The Modern Urban Gentleman is taking the urban to the wild this weekend. In what has become an annual event, a gathering of close friends will head to a cabin in the woods for a weekend of cooking, discussing, hiking, laughing, drinking, and Shadows Over Camelot-ing. It is an event to look forward to because it breaks the monotony of so-called “normal life,” for sure, but time in the wilderness also answers a call from deeper in the gentleman’s constitution.

The occasional weekend spent in nature is a necessity for a modern urban gentleman. The day-to-day reality of life introduces so many layers of artifice between the gentleman and the Homo sapiens at his core. To strip away that artifice for 48 hours is a refreshing, rejuvenating experience, offering a chance for a reset of the body and mind.

The urbanization of man is a phenomenon no more than two centuries old. The pressures of the agricultural and industrial revolutions pushed people closer together for financial sustainability. The rise of cities has sparked incredible achievements in architecture, art, business, literature, and countless other fields of human endeavor. On top of that, the vibe that defines big-city living is like a drug for many, the Modern Urban Gentleman included. Nonetheless, the human species did not evolve to live in Manhattan or Beijing. And evolution proceeds at far too slow a speed to allow humanity to have adapted to the environmental stressors of modern life.

Consider the most basic unnatural stressor introduced by modern technology: the light bulb. No one alive today remembers a world before the light bulb, but it was only the parents of our oldest great grandparents who lived in that much different time. The gentleman’s body operates on a natural cycle, the circadian rhythm, that depends on the input of external stimuli, such as the sun. For 200,000 years, less the last two centuries, the human machine has been calibrated to maximize sunlight and darkness.

Today, gentlemen are awash in the glow of artificial light at all hours: the evening television, the bedside lamp, and the smartphone game lulling us to shallow and unfulfilling sleep. The constant onslaught of light cues the brain to stay awake, awake, awake, even as the body slips into unconsciousness. The scientific evidence for the damage caused by the disruption of the circadian rhythm by artificial light is strong. We awake tired, stressed, irritable, and begin the day anew with the same disruption of the natural order.

A weekend in a cabin, while not free of artificial light, does allow for a resetting of the circadian rhythm. The early morning rays of sunshine streaming through cabin windows infuse campers with the energy to rise and light the breakfast fire. The setting sun dissipates the excitement, and campers crowd around that same fire for a hearty dinner, shared tales of bygone days, and a s’mores-induced moribundity that sends bleary-eyed ladies and gentlemen to a sound sleep.

Consider, too, the noise pollution of everyday life. Even if a gentleman does not live in an urban center, with traffic slicing along rain-soaked roads and pedestrians shouting to one another as they make their way home from the local watering hole, artificial sounds from television and microwave ovens and beeping washing machines and whirring cell phones replace the sounds of nature. The simple four walls of the gentleman’s house conspire to block the naturally calming auditory flow of Earth: birds chirping, of course, but also the subtle crunching of leaves as deer nose in the underbrush several hundred yards away, a river laps against the shore in the valley a mile below, and the wind rustles the blooming branches of a tall oak tree.

One of the most peaceful experiences the Modern Urban Gentleman has ever had was on a camping trip two years ago, rising before dawn and sitting in the utter blackness, listening and watching. In daylight, nary an animal could be found, but in the stillness of predawn, the unbroken chorus of forest whispers uncovered the overwhelming richness of fauna. The gradual, imperceptible lightening of the sky over the course of 90 minutes, from black to pink-tinged blue, was nothing short of miraculous.

Let’s not overlook the element of camaraderie engendered by a weekend cabin getaway. Humans may not have evolved to live in cities of millions, but they did evolve to be social animals. A monthly happy hour or an annual fantasy football draft only does so much to feed cravings for a band of brothers and sisters. Spending two or three days in a pack, like our long-gone ancestors, has a peculiar and wonderful effect on the soul.

The list of damaging everyday contrivances the modern urban gentleman endures goes on and on: processed foods, a sedentary lifestyle, spiritual vacuousness, astronomical illiteracy … As laid out in the introduction to this column two months ago, the modern urban gentleman “respects the earth and understands his instinctual connection to and dependence upon it.” It is a step — a long, arduous, everyday step — in our journey of self-improvement to minimize the interference between what we are and how we actually live. One simple way to be reminded of that charge is to step back for just a few days and truly experience what it is to be human.

moon

Worm Moon reigns over tonight’s sky

Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon? And what the hell is a blue corn moon?

Today is a good day to think about the moon. At 1:11 p.m. EDT, the sun and moon reached opposite points in the sky — what we call the full moon. Of course, you couldn’t tell that because, at 1 in the afternoon, the sun was up and the moon was not. But you may notice the full moon rising in this evening’s eastern sky, just after the sun sets in the west.

We think of that as the normal order of things: each evening, the sun sets and the moon rises. But in truth, that only comes close to occurring for three or four nights in a row per lunar cycle (that is, per month or so). The reality is that the moon rises somewhere around 40 to 60 minutes later each day. After two weeks or so, the moonrise catches up with the sunrise and we experience a new moon, the next due on March 30.

If you think a bit deeper about this, it makes perfect sense. Tonight, the moon will appear full because the sun is able to shine on the full surface of the moon facing the Earth. That can only happen when the moon is opposite the sun in the sky — or, more scientifically, when the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon. And even though we think of the full moon as a nightlong event, there is only one brief moment — 1:11 p.m. EDT this time — when the moon is 100 percent full; by tonight, it will already be less than full.

As the moon rises later each day, the sun, moon, and Earth move out of alignment, causing earthlings to see more and more of the unilluminated side of the moon, leading to the progressively smaller-appearing, or waning, crescent moon. About one week after full, you won’t see the moon in the evening because it won’t rise until the middle of the night, as the half-illuminated last quarter moon.

A week later, the moon will seem to disappear from the sky altogether. It will rise in the morning and be completely in shadow because it is between the Earth and sun — the new moon.

In the days that follow that, you’ll start to see the waxing crescent setting just after the sun in the western sky. By week three, the first quarter moon will rise mid-afternoon, be half-illuminated overhead at sunset, and fall below the horizon in the middle of the night. Finally, the cycle repeats with the next full moon.

In the days before hunky firefighters gracing the pages of commercially produced calendars, people looked to the moon cycles, in tandem with the length of the day, to plan their migrations, hunts, and farming. Many cultures named each full moon to reflect seasonal associations. Without trespassing too much into Lingwizardy territory, I’ll give one example: the full moon closest the spring equinox — the full moon we in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing today — has been called the Worm Moon by some peoples because it is around the time when earthworms begin to reemerge from the thawing ground. The full list of moon names is interesting; check it out here.

The lunar cycle is 29.53 days long, as compared to most of our calendar months being 30 or 31 days. As a result, there are sometimes 13 full moons in a year; by necessity, at least one month in those years will have two full moons. Many folks understand this quirk is called a blue moon. (So “once in a blue moon” isn’t all that uncommon; it happens seven times every 19 years!) The traditional definition of a blue moon is actually a bit different: it refers to the third of four full moons in a single season (as opposed to the standard one-per-month, three-per-season).

Now we can answer the great question of Pocahontas. Native Americans named the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox the Corn Moon because it is when the corn was ready to be picked; this is what we still today call the Harvest Moon. So, it stands to reason that the “blue corn moon” would be when the Corn Moon also happened to be a blue moon, right?

Unfortunately, no. For one thing, the Corn Moon, being the one closest to the autumnal equinox, could never be the third of four in the season. For another, songwriter Stephen Schwartz explained that he made up the phrase because he liked the sound of it:

In preparation for doing the lyrics to Pocahontas, I read a lot of Native American poetry. One of the phrases I came across, in a love poem, was: “I will come to you in the moon of green corn.” The phrase stuck in my head, but I didn’t think the lyric: “Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the green corn moon” really worked, because of the association of the moon and green cheese, plus the “ee” sound in it, etc. So I changed it to blue corn moon, which I thought had a nice resonance to it because of the phrase “blue moon”…

In other words, Walt Disney misled us. Next thing you know, we’ll discover not all girls can be princesses and animals don’t speak English. But thanks to this primer on lunar cycles, you’ll still be able to impress all your friends at parties.

draper

Suited gentlemen keep it square

Don Draper is a pre-modern urban gentleman. Some of his values would not measure up to today’s standards, and his suits fit him in a hybrid 1960s/2010s kind of way, but he has the clothing and swagger of a gentleman of the time. In fact, his style has been a heavy influence on men’s fashion over the past seven years, even inspiring a recurring collection at Banana Republic.

There is one very subtle detail the modern urban gentleman can and should purloin from Mr. Draper for very little cost indeed: the pocket square.

The pocket square is an all-too-often forgotten accessory to the gentleman’s suit. Many men do not even realize the suit jacket pocket is a pocket; the suit is most often sold with the pocket sewn shut, and it is up to the consumer to take a seam ripper to it. And just like pants with belt loops require a belt, a suit jacket pocket dictates a pocket square.

(Another item to correct for the record right from the start: a pocket square and a handkerchief are not the same thing. The gentleman generally keeps his bodily fluids to himself.)

Much like the necktie, the pocket square is an outlet for personal creativity. That doesn’t mean it comes without guidelines, however. Always remember that each style choice is an extension of the image the wearer wishes to project at that moment in time. That image is reflected in the color, pattern, fold, reveal, and fabric of the pocket square.

Color and pattern

The newly minted gentleman may hear a play-it-safe “rule of thumb”: match the pocket square to the tie. Yes, but no. To match is not to duplicate. The local department store sells a downright atrocity, the tie and pocket square set, that more often than not pushes two lackluster items cut from the same cloth. Just as you wouldn’t wear a denim shirt with jeans of the same wash, this is not what is meant by “matching.” It looks bad even on Beckham.

To match, instead, means to complement. The Modern Urban Gentleman often bases the primary color of his pocket square not on the primary color of the tie, but of the shirt, and matches the accent color of the square to the tie (example 1; example 2ish).

The same don’t-duplicate rule applies to the pattern. Pair a solid tie with a paisley square, or even microdots with polkas. Keep in mind that the shirt color and pattern also factor into the equation. Balance the conservatism of one or two with the flair of the other: If the shirt is a 2 on the flashiness scale and the tie is a 3, the square can be a 7. Don’t be boring, but don’t overwhelm with a mishmash of hues and designs.

Also match the square to the setting. As mentioned above, style is a projection of self. If the gentleman is attending an event where he shan’t speak above a whisper, his clothes should match that volume. Going to the opening of a modern art gallery? Indulge your wildest Etsy fantasies.

The fold

The setting also determines the way a gentleman folds his pocket square. There are any number of online tutorials that teach how to complete any of the many fold options. Explore and learn.

The most conservative and traditional way to fold a pocket square is the Draper-style square fold. The style reflects Draper’s staid manner, and will communicate the same message for any gentleman. Some even place an index card inside the square to give it a crisp, fastidious shape. This fold is a safe bet for a job interview or any other meeting of gravity.

Another traditional fold is favored by Roger Sterling: a square with two, three, even four peaks. Much like Sterling himself, the peaked fold is ostentatious, even a bit affected, and is not endorsed by the Modern Urban Gentleman.

A third option is a modified square fold — a devil-may-care, purposefully messy, but smart-looking choice. Follow the same folding rules as for the crisp square, but intentionally leave the corners and sides uneven to project the same rough-hewn attitude. This fold works best for a heavier material with some texture. The modified square is the Modern Urban Gentleman’s staple fold.

The “puff” fold is also casual, yet more traditional than the modified square. It’s a favorite of Prince Charles, as well as magicians the world over. Lay the pocket square flat, gather fabric from the middle in one hand, and with the other hand, twist and flip the rest of the square up behind the puff. The puff fold looks great in a New Year’s Eve tuxedo and is perfect for laid-back parties. Just be careful to avoid falling into clown territory.

Final details

Once the pocket square is folded, the gentleman must find the right amount of “reveal.” Draper allows the slightest sliver of square to peek above his pocket. The Modern Urban Gentleman advocates about a half an inch in business settings, and up to two inches as the sun sets.

A note on fabric: silk is, as with neckties, the most common fabric of a pocket square. It is also the most formal and should be the exclusive choice of the gentleman in a tuxedo. Linen and cotton pocket squares are also available and are acceptable in less formal situations, so long as they are clearly distinguishable from a handkerchief.

Just five years ago, pocket squares were nigh impossible to find in a store. Thankfully, the tide has shifted. Choose wisely and economically: unlike a suit or even some neckties, a pocket square is not a long-term investment — though it should last quite some time. Spend no more than $40, such as on this Paul Stuart tipped cotton, which will contrast nicely on a dark suit. For the bulk of the gentleman’s pocket square collection, the Modern Urban Gentleman again refers readers to The Knottery ($6 to $18) and The Tie Bar (most $8 to $10).

The key to the pocket square is to hit the right note for the setting. The Modern Urban Gentleman is a member of a martial arts association. One of the senior members of the organization subtly projects his elan in the way he wears his pocket square: Before training, when the situation calls for seriousness and focus, the man arrives with a crisply folded square cloth in his jacket pocket; as he walks out the door at the end of the day, ready to enjoy steak, Scotch, and fellowship, his pocket square is an elegant puff of confidence.

Gentlemen: emulate this man.

dogfish

United across time, cultures by Ancient Ales

A gentleman drinks.* A gentleman is discerning in what and how he drinks, for alcohol is art — from the method of its crafting, to the appreciation of its consumption, to the ideas released under its influence.

A gentleman is well-versed in beer, wine, and spirits, and cultivates an appreciation for each offering. A glass of Scotch, neat, is intimidating to the budding gentleman, but he is tenacious and determined to find the flavors and complexities that have bonded gentlemen over whiskey for centuries. (This column will address that most holy spirit in full on another day.)

Today, the Modern Urban Gentleman turns his focus to the deep historic ties the gentleman has with the hop-infused, fermented starch beverage known as beer. It may surprise some to learn that distilled spirits — gin, whiskey, vodka, brandy, tequila, et al — are an invention of a post-Caesar world: the earliest traces of distillation can be found in first century Greece. Indeed, the production of wine, beer, mead, and other fermented and brewed products, is rooted much deeper in human history.

The Modern Urban Gentleman leaves the historic perspective on wine to his most able colleague. Wine’s dear cousin, beer, has a story just as long and equally tied to the evolution of human culture. It is the gentleman’s duty to be a part of this link from past to present, to understand and to appreciate how the common thread of each sip of beer ties him to the cultures and concepts that have defined humanity.

The ongoing home brew movement is Gentleman to its core, and the Modern Urban Gentleman applauds those who invest themselves in this rich tradition. The godfather of home brewing, the man who took craft brewing mainstream, Sam Calagione, thrives on upending a beer industry that had fallen victim to mass production and watering down of flavors, and he does so to the benefit of gentlemen like us.

Calagione’s brewery, located in Milton, Del., is rekindling our connection to our ancient alcoholic roots. Since 1999, Dogfish Head Brewery has been researching, reconstructing, and releasing examples of prehistoric beverages to recapture the spirit of those times. In the days before purity laws and byzantine tax structures, there was no need to draw a line between a pale ale and a hefeweizen, a lager and an ale, even a beer and a wine. At a time when all alcoholic beverages were small-batch home brews or fermentations, the only applicable rules for these drinks was that they should be made to taste good and to create a slightly altered state of consciousness.

The Dogfish Head Ancient Ales series revives that genre-bending strategy, and the result is an entirely new set of flavors for our modern palettes. The seven concoctions available today are a veritable road trip across the ancient world. Each is derived from archaeological evidence uncovered at millennia-old settlement sites. The flavor profiles can seem, at first glance, off-putting. But the gentleman knows that discovery is only accomplished through adventure. Do not hesitate to try these brews:

  • Midas Touch is the original Ancient Ale, and it is an easy-to-find, year-round offering in the eastern United States. The excavation of the tomb of King Midas in Turkey uncovered drinking vessels showing evidence of honey, white muscat grapes, and saffron. This has been reanimated as a “sweet-yet-dry” offering reminiscent of a beer/Chardonnay hybrid.

  • The oldest known fermented beverage in history is a beer from China. Over 9,000 years ago, enterprising villagers in Jiahu mixed fermenting rice, honey, and fruit; today, Chateau Jiahu is available in limited quantities to anyone in Dogfish’s coverage area. The beverage contains orange blossom honey, muscat grape juice, barley malt, and hawthorn fruit, all brought together with sake yeast. This is truly an Ancient Ale.

  • Theobroma means “food of the gods” and is the genus of the cacao plant. This makes complete sense, and what makes even more sense is to combine the food of the gods with the drink from heaven as well. With a recipe rooted in indigenous Honduras, the brew contains Aztec cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, honey, annatto, and gets an incredible, pleasing heat from the surprising addition of chilies. Theobroma is also a much lighter beer than any other “chocolate” offering on the shelves.

  • It’s a safe bet most gentlemen have never sampled a beer from a recipe written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Ta Henket offers a chance to change that. The centuries-old prescription, including hearth-baked bread and Middle Eastern herbs, is fermented with a yeast strain captured in a petri dish in present-day Cairo. Anyone who avoids hoppy beers will be pleased with this tasty treat.

  • The history of Italy is inextricably linked with the one of god’s great gifts: wine. But Birra Etrusca Bronze proves that beer has been brewed in Europe’s boot for nearly 3,000 years. This beer is specifically taken from a tomb of the Etruscan civilization, an area now centered on Tuscany. Among its distinct ingredients are an heirloom Italian wheat, Italian chestnut honey, Ethiopian myrrh resin, and Delaware wildflower honey. Dogfish fermented its Birra Etrusca in bronze, while two Italian brewers are producing the same beer with wood and terra cotta.

  • It has become commonplace to find beer infused with or influenced by coffee, but Dogfish has incorporated that other hot beverage sipped the world over. The blueprint for Sah’tea goes back “only” to ninth-century Finland. Sah’tea comes from rye wort caramelized over heated river rocks, fermented with a German weizen yeast, and flavored with wild Finnish juniper berries and black tea.

  • The newest offering in the series is Kvasir, a mélange of wheat, cranberries, myrica gale, yarrow, honey, birch syrup, and a trademark of ancient and modern Nordic lands: lingonberries. Kvasir is a “toasty red winter wheat” with a pleasing pungency lent by the berries. Consider that this is the beer of a Danish upper-class dancer or priestess and the red-blooded gentleman must understand the appeal.

Dogfish Head truly plumbed the depths of the human experience not just by bringing these ingredients together, but also by incorporating the very methods used by our ancestors. Drinking these beers is an experience like no other: breathe the brisk Nordic air, feel the tart berry juice in the mouth, smell the North African and West Asian herbs, and taste the rich tapestry of flavors thanks to the efforts of the men and women at Dogfish Head Brewery.

Yet it would perhaps seem ironic that the Modern Urban Gentleman would bestow its blessing upon a company such as Dogfish Head. Indeed, the culture among the employees and masterminds of the business is decidedly anti-suit-and-tie. The company motto, after all, is “Off-centered ales for off-centered people.” But the Dogfish ethos of passion, innovation, tradition, and expression is a perfect reflection of the template for the modern urban gentleman.

Gentlemen of the U.S. East Coast, or gentlemen traveling there: Experience the Dogfish culture for yourself. The brewery offers free tours of its Milton facility that include four samples from its bar (book early), where an incredible wealth of knowledge and passion is on display in each employee. Then take a trip to the ocean and stop by the Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where the food is excellent, the music is live, and a few experimental beers are always on tap.

Dogfish Head is, of course, not alone in revolutionizing the brewing world. But its commitment to learning from history makes it a perfect entry point for gentlemen looking to join the community of drinkers that binds all mankind.

* — The art of drinking balances enjoyment and self-control. In that vein, there is one and only one acceptable reason not to drink, and that is when a gentleman knows that his self-control will not allow him to imbibe responsibly. Those who are working to overcome a substance abuse problem are exemplars of self-control and afforded all the respect of a gentleman.

Before we part ways this week, the Modern Urban Gentleman would be remiss if he did not make a brief comment on the men’s fashion of the Academy Awards (due in no part to the prodding of a certain feminist). GQ named Bradley Cooper its best-dressed man of the night, and the Modern Urban Gentleman won’t knock the choice, but he would go in a different direction.

For two years running, the best dressed man at the Oscars has been Daniel Day-Lewis. Last year, he wore a midnight blue tuxedo as he accepted the Best Actor award for his role in Lincoln; this year, he presented Best Actress to Cate Blanchett in a classic shawl collar black tux with a killer patterned pocket square. The actor defines what it means to be a modern urban gentleman.

Another actor who pulls off black-tie flawlessly is Christoph Waltz. He does nothing special with his tuxedos; he just nails the size and fit and carries himself like someone who belongs on any red carpet. He looked great winning an award last year, and kept it up as a presenter this year.

The Modern Urban Gentleman will present a full-length primer on tuxedos in the future. Stay tuned.

the-oscars

Curiata.com chooses Best Picture winner

The 86th Academy Awards will be presented Sunday, March 2, 2014. We here at Curiata.com have assembled a panel of five “experts” who have watched the Best Picture nominees, found their personal favorites, and considered which is likely to be awarded the final prize of the night. Read through their thoughts, weigh in with your own view, and tune in Sunday night to see who knows the Academy best.

Carrie Hillman
(Reviews: Philomena)

Favorite nominee: Two movies from among the nine Best Picture nominees really appealed to me. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed Her, given the oversimplified description of “guy falls in love with his cell phone” that became ingrained in our cultural consciousness. What I found instead was a nuanced outlook on the nature of love that gave insight into the hopes, happiness, and disappointments of both parties in a relationship, even when one is the artificial manifestation of our collective human experience. But my favorite film of the bunch, the one that delighted me the most while challenging my gut reactions, was Philomena. My review of the film gives a more thorough examination of my reactions to the movie, but the takeaway for me was that I had a good time watching a good movie.

Likely winner: On the flip side of that coin, the best movie of the year was not particularly fun to watch. That’s not to say I wasn’t immersed in the movie and captivated by the performances, but what I gained from watching the film was something deeper, something more lasting than enjoyment. 12 Years a Slave is a masterful, important work of art that illustrates a chapter of American history that must be told and retold to each new generation. The work of Ejiofor, Nyong’o, Fassbender, McQueen, and the rest of the team deserves the honor it will receive from the Academy.

Charissa Jelliff
(Reviews: Dallas Buyers Club, Her)

Favorite nominee: I tend to be drawn to films that are heavily character-driven; if I can’t identify with or feel sympathy for the main characters, I sometimes can’t enjoy the film quite as much. This year’s Best Picture nominees created a lot of great characters, but I think if I had to choose a favorite it would be Philomena. I loved the contrast between the protagonists, Philomena and Martin; I loved the little moments such as Philomena discovering Big Momma’s House, or the breakfast buffet, or Philomena knocking on Martin’s hotel room door late at night to thank him. I also loved the theme of forgiveness in this story. I’m not sure I could have forgiven those nuns had I been in Philomena’s shoes, but even after all they had done to her, that fact that she held onto her faith made a powerful statement. Plus, Judi Dench was absolutely fantastic as Philomena. I’ve become accustomed to seeing Dench play strong, confident women, and it was a change of pace to see her as Philomena, but she brought the character to life beautifully. Of all the Best Picture nominees, I think this is one that everyone should see and from which everyone could learn an important lesson.

Likely winner: Each of the nine nominees has its strengths, but I feel only 12 Years a Slave was able to fully integrate some brilliant uses of cinematography with an entire cast whose performances were all top-notch. I was really impressed with the direction of the film: each shot was composed so carefully and nothing was wasted; the filmmakers really used everything at their disposal to great effect. The one shot that stands out in my mind is when Northup is left hanging for what seems like hours, struggling to keep his footing in the mud. Using a long shot and holding it for such an extended, uncomfortable period of time really emphasized and evoked Northup’s struggle-not just in that moment, but throughout the entire time he spent as a slave. Chiwetal Eijofor’s performance in this film was raw and powerful. I would love to see him win Best Actor for this film; however, he’s going to have some stiff competition from Matthew McConaughey. While there were aspects of each of the nominees that I loved, 12 Years a Slave is the only one I feel has all the qualities that make it deserving of being the Best Picture.

Gabe Spece
(Reviews: American Hustle, Nebraska)

Favorite nominee: Can we be honest that this is a subpar year for Best Picture nominees? Sure, they’re all pretty good, but how many of them approach genuine greatness? Unfortunately, not many. But the one that gets the closest is Alexander Payne’s haunting Nebraska, and for that reason, it deserves the golden statue. As I said in my review last week, this film is about longing and times forgotten (both figuratively and, unfortunately, literally), built around a superb, authentic screenplay by Bob Nelson and a career-capping performance from Bruce Dern. For some, the film is too slow and too melancholy, but for me, it struck all the right chords. The chances of Nebraska winning Best Picture are long, but something tells me this movie is used to being the underdog.

Likely winner: I liked 12 Years a Slave quite a bit, and of course I should preface that with a note about how it’s impossible to ever really “like” a movie that so relentlessly, brutally, and honestly portrays the horrors of slavery. But as a film, 12 Years is a stunning achievement. Director Steve McQueen provides an unflinching look at the trials and tribulations of Solomon Northup, a free man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery for the aforementioned amount of time. Working in the film’s favor for a Best Picture win is the average-strength playing field of fellow nominees, and more importantly, a subject matter that is ripe for Oscar voters to cast their vote. Gravity is more impressive technically, and Dallas Buyers Club tugs at the heart strings just as hard. But come Sunday night, nothing will stand in the way of 12 Years a Slave claiming the top spot.

Kevin Hillman
(Reviews: Captain Phillips, 12 Years a Slave)

Favorite nominee: When it comes time to choose a Best Picture winner, I feel the honor should go to a movie that is going to endure for years. Last year, that movie was Lincoln, which of course lost to Hollywood’s vanity piece, Argo. A film about how Hollywood saved people? Give those guys every award we have. This year, I fear a similar outcome, though I am more hopeful. 12 Years a Slave was not only the best of the nominees, but is a movie which is sure to endure across the generations. It may not win for Best Director or the Best Actor awards, but in terms of the best all-around movie-one that makes you think, feel, and learn — 12 Years is the clear winner.

Likely winner: Knowing how Hollywood awards work, however, I don’t believe 12 Years will win. The likely winner, in my estimation, will be Dallas Buyers Club. Dallas isn’t a better movie, though it is definitely my choice for second-best. But it strokes the egos of Academy members to honor this story, one that the voters who inhabited the epicenters of the HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 1980s lived through. Will Dallas Buyers Club endure? Likely not on the level of 12 Years or American Hustle, but it is a really good movie that will deserve the recognition.

Mike Hillman
(Reviews: Gravity, The Wolf of Wall Street)

Favorite nominee: The Best Picture award should not be given to the most enjoyable movie of the year; it should be given to the best. Nonetheless, some nominees (recently for me: Black Swan, Midnight in Paris) cast a spell over audiences even if they aren’t the best of that particular year. Of this crop, though, no Best Picture nominee enchanted me and made me fall in love. Some came close, namely Nebraska and Her, but I don’t think I will ever watch any of these nine films again. In the absence of having a sentimental attachment, I am compelled to root for the movie I think was the all-around best, and one stood head-and-shoulders above the crowd: 12 Years a Slave.

Likely winner: As I expressed in my review of Gravity, most films that receive a Best Picture nomination only excel in one particular area. I appreciated the technical accomplishments of Gravity and the acting of Dallas Buyers Club. Philomena succeeded without excelling in several areas, including great acting and a challenging story. But only one film brought all the elements together nearly flawlessly. The Academy and I don’t always see things the same way, but my sense is that we will agree this year. 12 Years a Slave is the unquestionable Best Picture of the year.

Curiata.com

Favorite nominee: The ladies love Philomena, and the guys are split between Nebraska and 12 Years a Slave.

Likely winner: Curiata.com predicts, by a 4-to-1 tally, that 12 Years a Slave will take home the trophy.

gravity

Gravity fun to watch, but thin on story

Since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expanded the Best Picture category to allow between five and 10 nominees beginning with the awards that honored films released in 2009, a predictable pattern seems to have emerged. Slots are reserved for different classifications of films: the crowd-pleaser, the avant garde, the historical drama, the female-driven triumph, the performance piece, the Hollywood self-congratulation, and more. This year, Gravity was nominated in what I like to call the Avatar slot: a stunning showcase of technological marvel.

Like James Cameron’s CGI-fest of four years ago, Gravity demonstrates the state of the art of movie-making. The cinematographers, graphic artists, sound technicians, and other visual and audio masters of the movies flex their muscles to demonstrate the farthest reaches of what today’s technology can display on our screen and what, a decade from now, will be the standard in any well-produced film. This is necessary, this is welcomed, and this is marvelous.

However, to win Best Picture, a film must typically achieve success outside of the narrow set of characteristics that defines the “slot” through which it earned a nomination: artistic direction combined with powerful acting, for example, or a compelling historical narrative brought to life by performances that rattle the audience. Unfortunately for Alfonso Cuarón and company, Gravity does not break out of its pigeonhole.

Gravity is visually stunning; this has been covered extensively, and by more capable hands, elsewhere. It should and will take home the Oscar for Cinematography, as well as many of the technical awards. And the film does offer more than just breathtaking views of space and the planet rotating below.

The movie is expertly paced, keeping the viewer on the proverbial edge of his seat from start to finish. Telling the story in near-real-time is intriguing and does not feel gimmicky, as it might in less capable hands. The science is generally sound — at least sound enough that the viewer can reasonably suspend disbelief for the duration of the movie with few exceptions (navigation by fire extinguisher?).

And Sandra Bullock does a superb job with the script and range of character she is given. But that compliment leads directly into the discussion of what the film lacks.

Readers may have noticed that, more than halfway through this review, I have not even mentioned the plot of Gravity. That’s because there isn’t much to say: Bullock’s Ryan Stone is a scientist working in space. Debris hits the spacecraft she is stationed on and all other outposts in nearby orbit. People die; Stone is left alone to find her way back to Earth. Straightforward and sparse.

The paper-thin plot comes across as an afterthought to the visual presentation of the film, and that is not the only shortfall; the characterization is also woefully inadequate. The attempt to humanize Stone with a contrived back story falls flat. Only one other character, Commander Matt Kowalski (George Clooney), appears on-screen, and Clooney either succeeded immeasurably in creating an obnoxious, aloof, unlikable space cowboy or, what seems more likely, did not deliver a strong performance in what should have been a simple role (which is easy for a non-actor to say, I’m sure).

Contrary to what you may believe if you’ve read my previous review of The Wolf of Wall Street, I don’t hate movies that are designed to be fun or escapist; I quite enjoyed Gravity. I wish I had seen it in October, before the crush of Oscars season, to enjoy and evaluate it in the way it was designed to be consumed. In fact, I’ve given lip service to the visual effects of Gravity, but I must say I would likely have been more impressed had I seen the film in a theater. (As it was, I watched it at home, on demand.)

I also did not see the 3D version, which would have left yet another impression, I’m sure. (I appreciate that Cuarón has said he did not want the 3D aspects to be a gimmick, but I still got that impression, even in 2D, early in the movie.) I hope Gravity will see a wide re-release after the Academy Awards, so that those like me who skipped seeing it on the big screen the first time around will have a second chance. I would urge anyone in that boat to take advantage of the opportunity.

In the end, though, this delightful film cannot be a serious contender for Best Picture. No matter whether it is viewed in 2D or 3D, Gravity is successful in only one dimension, and that just won’t be enough.

wolf

Wolf of Wall Street rotten apple of Oscars barrel

Martin Scorsese has made some great films. His 2006 Best Director Academy Award for The Departed was long overdue. Unfairly for moviegoers and fellow moviemakers alike, though, each new film attached to Scorsese’s name seems to be automatically entered into the Best Picture conversation. His latest, The Wolf of Wall Street, should have no place in that discussion.

The film is a big-budget exhibition of the excesses and pitfalls of unrestrained capitalism. Leonardo DiCaprio leads the cast in the role of Jordan Belfort, a brash stock trader who remorselessly swindled clients out of millions of dollars throughout the better part of the 1990s. Belfort immersed himself in greed, drugs, prostitutes, and ego before attracting the attention of the FBI for the illegality of his dealings.

The Wolf of Wall Street is a story told in two acts: the rise and the fall. The depiction of the rise has drawn the attention of any number of commenters for its strong language and graphic representation of drug use and womanizing. Some fret that these portrayals are a glorification of the lifestyle, and I must admit that I found myself using the word “cocksucker” much more frequently than usual in the hours after I finished watching the movie. But it will become clear to anyone who can endure all three hours of this film that these exorbitances are played out on-screen to illustrate the disconnect between Belfort’s outward enjoyment of life and the private turmoil he endures.

Sound trite? It is, as is every theme of the movie.

Greed is bad. Drugs are bad. Orgies with hookers ruin marriages. None of this is earth-shattering, and all of it has been portrayed on film before — and, in many cases, it has been done better. (DiCaprio’s Belfort even references Gordon Gekko, explicitly closing the circuit between the two preeminent Wall Street films.) Wolf is flashy and adrenaline-fueled, but that should not be enough to warrant consideration by the Academy.

Even Belfort’s fall is unsatisfying. It will not take away from the viewer’s enjoyment of the movie to reveal that the feds eventually catch up with the scheme; this is an obvious part of the basic storytelling arc. Unfortunately, what could be an intriguing cat-and-mouse game plays out in an uninspired series of events that takes us on a superficial tour of the European banking system. Sure, we get to see Jean Dujardin and a few more naked women, but these elements add no depth to the story or characters.

If there is one refreshing fact about The Wolf of Wall Street, it is that it has no contrived “reformation,” feel-good ending. Belfort, who himself appears in the penultimate scene of the movie, is still a prick; he has moved on to a life of “motivational” speaking, which is an inevitability that DiCaprio, to his credit, teased out of Belfort’s personality from his first speech to the assembled employees of Stratton Oakmont.

Unfortunately, this reality means that if you paid to see this movie, not only did you waste your money, but you also financed Belfort’s ongoing predatory deception. The man has made nearly $1.8 million from the publication of his book and the sale of its movie rights. Half of that income is required to be paid in restitution for Belfort’s crimes, but federal prosecutors claim he has paid out only $243,000 in the past four years.

I am surely in the minority here, but I have never been a fan of DiCaprio’s acting. The first hour of Wolf does nothing to change my opinion that DiCaprio’s range is usually limited to portraying Leonardo DiCaprio. By hour two, though, he does disappear into the character of Belfort, and his Quaalude trip to the country club is an entertaining bit. Still, DiCaprio, with his Best Actor nomination, seems to get the same nod and wink from the Academy bouncers as Scorsese does.

Jonah Hill is entertaining as Belfort’s sidekick, Donnie Azoff, and relative newcomer Margot Robbie has no trouble sharing the screen with the veteran DiCaprio, her on-screen husband. The most enjoyable performance, however, is the all-too-brief appearance of a gaunt Matthew McConaughey, obviously pulling double duty between this and the role for which he will win Best Actor.

My treatment of The Wolf of Wall Street has been harsh, which is not to say the film is a bad one. Were it an hour shorter, it might well be a fun, escapist distraction, along the lines of American Hustle (a fine film, but another that does not deserve a Best Picture nod). But in comparing the movie to masterful works of art like 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyers Club, and Her — and we must, because the Academy has deemed them peers — Wolf falls woefully short.

ties

Tying one on the gentlemanly way

The humble necktie is not so humble after all. It has, for the centuries since its inception as the cravat, signified membership in a particular group. Today, that group is the pantheon of gentlemen.

There are, of course, several variations of the necktie, from the ascot to the bolo; the former is of no concern to modern man, and the latter is suited to a very special type indeed. The bow tie has shed its stuffy image and warrants an entire column of its own at some point in the future. The Modern Urban Gentleman will spend the majority of his time in the traditional necktie, worn by the elite of society at least since President Benjamin Harrison in 1895, and is that which we will address today.

The Modern Urban Gentleman understands that simply wearing a necktie does not place him in an esteemed class. But having a bit of knowledge about that most important men’s accessory can.

Sizing the tie

There are two main concerns in finding a tie of the correct size, and each has been alluded to in previous entries on the suit: length and width.

Most any tie can be adjusted to the proper length, as this is mainly a function of how the gentleman ties the garment. The end result should be that the bottom tip of the tie slightly overlaps the top of the belt. This can, of course, lead to minutes upon minutes of frustrated retying in front of the mirror, but the payoff is worth it. Even 3,139 career rushing yards does not allow for this look.

Neckties generally fall between two and four inches in width, and the gentleman can choose the width that matches his style, provided he follows one rule: The width of the tie shall be equal to the width of the suit jacket’s lapels. This rule is one of proportion and creating a unified image, and that principle extends throughout the entire outfit. The skinny tie is a-OK as long as the knot is tight, the suit is cut slim, and the lapels are narrow; the Michael Irvin tie is just as fine, provided the gentleman in the suit has the muscle mass to fill it out, employs the full Windsor (more on that later), and sports lapels licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Matching the tie

The necktie is the palette of the gentleman’s style. Fly your flag here, but be mindful of the image it projects and the package of which it is a component. It should, in fact, tie the gentleman’s outfit together. Consider the pattern, colors, and fabric in relation to the rest of the outfit, as well as the season of the year.

The classic power tie is the repp tie, associated with Ivy Leaguers and other prep-types for decades. Have one in your repertoire, but experiment with other patterns and solids. Just remember to choose either the tie or the shirt, not both, to make a statement. Generally, pair a patterned tie with a solid shirt, or vice versa. If both items are patterned, vary the scheme: dots on the tie, stripes on the shirt.

For a period of time, roughly coincidental to the peak of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? fad, the rule of thumb was to match the color of the necktie to the color of the shirt. This looks fine, but can become monotonous. Instead, work with colors that complement each other (note: not in this sense), such as a green and silver tie with a yellow shirt in the springtime, or a brown knit tie with a medium blue shirt in the fall.

The classic necktie is made of silk. Silk is a wonderful, if expensive, fabric. Silk ties will comprise the bulk of the gentleman’s collection. But consider other options, including cotton and linen. The knitted cotton tie is especially popular now, and is a great choice for winter, paired with a tweed suit.

The Modern Urban Gentleman cannot advise the wearing of Beatles, dollar-bill, rubber-ducky, or other novelty ties.

Tying the tie

A gentleman never lets this happen.

What?

There are as many ways to tie a tie as there are ways to craft a simile. Stick to one of three: the four-in-hand, the half Windsor, and the full Windsor. The Modern Urban Gentleman has always found “How to Tie a Tie” graphics like the one at right entirely vexing. Seek out videos for your edification instead; some are recommended below.

The four-in-hand creates the tightest, smallest knot, and is therefore ideal for skinny ties. It happens to be the knot the Modern Urban Gentleman learned to earn his Bear Badge and used exclusively for the next 19 years. The basic strategy for tying this knot is: around twice, up from behind, down through. In the absence of a decent video portrayal, try this guide.

The Modern Urban Gentleman’s go-to knot, and the most versatile of the lot, is the half Windsor. This knot is triangular and symmetrical; it offers bulk and weight without being overstated. To tie the half Windsor: around once, down from the front, around again, up from behind, down through. Got that? Watch this video.

The full, or double, Windsor gets its name from the Duke of Windsor: the man who loved women more than he loved being King of England. The full Windsor is large and requires a spread collar. Wear this knot with the same chutzpah as Prince Edward. The Modern Urban Gentleman has never had occasion to sport this one, so rely on this gentleman to teach you its secrets.

Once the knot is tied, be sure to tuck the tail end through the loop provided to keep everything in line; the choice of adding a tie bar or tie tack is a topic for another day.

Untying and storing the tie

An array of ties can amount to a hefty investment (though it does not need to be; see below), and the gentleman protects his investments. The necktie, like the suit, is a work of craftsmanship. Misuse can cause the entire endeavor to, quite literally, unravel.

The gravest necktie sin, committed by nearly every man who has ever constricted his throat with fabric, is to remove the tie by grasping the knot and yanking. Doing so will mangle the structure of the necktie, introducing permanent waves in the fabric, as well as pull at the thread that holds the tie together along the backside of the tie. Instead, loosen the tie just enough so that it can be untied in the reverse manner in which it was tied. Make this a habit.

It is permissible to loosen the tie and pull it over your head, still tied, only if it is to be immediately draped around the neck of an intimate companion. However, proper untying of the tie is of utmost importance immediately upon retiring from any consequent activity.

Properly storing the tie is nearly as important as properly removing it. Hanging a necktie from, for example, a clothes hanger allows the cumulative effects of gravity to lengthen the tie in uneven and unflattering ways. Opt instead to loosely roll the tie and store it horizontally, perhaps in a cedar tie box such as this one. The Modern Urban Gentleman must admit his own deficiencies in this practice and will gratefully accept a tie box as a gift from any loyal reader.

Buying the tie

The department store offers a wide variety of serviceable-if-overpriced and poor-quality-but-affordable neckties. Purchase these in a pinch. But for well-made, well-priced ties, turn to the Internet.

The Tie Bar has become the darling of men’s fashion, and for good reason. Endorsed by GQ, collaborated with by Dwyane Wade and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, The Tie Bar offers hundreds of ties, sortable by every factor highlighted in this column, at prices that will induce a double-take: 100% woven silk for $15. Buy several, and explore the site’s offerings of pocket squares and other accessories.

For knit ties, The Knottery cannot be beat. The collections are limited and sell out quickly, so get on the mailing list and keep the credit card handy. The Knottery’s ties, which also include wool ties handmade in Brooklyn, are generally priced in the $35 to $40 range, but are currently selling for $20 to $30. Like The Tie Bar, The Knottery offers more than just ties.

 

There you have it. Never again fall victim to a too-short tie or a case of mismatched proportions.

Thanks again for joining The Modern Urban Gentleman as we discuss men’s fashion. Of course, being a gentleman isn’t just about clothing, so come back next week for a taste of something … off-centered.

goodpants

If the suit fits, the gentleman impresses

Welcome back, gentlemen. Today, we continue the conversation about the most important piece of clothing in the gentleman’s closet: the suit. Take a moment to review last week’s introduction, and then let’s discuss:

How to wear a suit

Wearing a suit seems simple enough, but there are some details the gentleman attends to, demonstrating his command of the outfit and allowing for his personal style to shine. Suits are specifically designed to flatter the male figure, but this magic only works when the suit is chosen wisely and worn correctly. There are two main factors that determine the visual effect of the suit: cut and fit.

“Cut” refers to the way the tailor has cut the fabric to drape on the body. Cut has a rather direct correlation to price because the cut is a reflection of the skill and care of the tailor, as well as how specifically targeted the suit is to a certain body type. The lower-priced suits in many men’s departments are cut to fit as many men with as little alteration as possible. The result for the would-be-stylish gentleman is a box-shaped, oversized, lifeless garment.

Notice how the jacket tapers from shoulder to waist.
Notice how the jacket tapers from shoulder to waist.

The truth is that nearly every man in America wears a suit that is cut too big for his body. Comfort has come to be equated with looseness. Yet loose clothing looks bad, and looking bad destroys confidence. A man without confidence is a man without comfort. The gentleman must redefine the way he thinks about comfort.

The Modern Urban Gentleman understands that not all gentleman are built the same. Nonetheless, a slimmer cut will flatter many gentlemen who would not expect themselves to fall into the “slim” category. The ideal jacket cut will taper slightly from the shoulders through the torso; the perfect pant will hug, not squeeze, the thigh without restricting motion, and will hang from the knee without flaring.

Once the gentleman has tried on several cuts of suit, he turns his attention to fit. In finding the right fit for a suit jacket, focus on three things. First, the shoulders of the jacket should end at the point of the gentleman’s shoulder. Too often, the suit shoulders extend beyond the silhouette of the body, creating the box effect.

Second, button the jacket. The gentleman should be able to slide his hand between this sternum and the jacket — no more, no less. Too loose: the jacket will hang sloppily; too tight, the fabric will be pinched, creating a seam across the waist.

Finally, the gentleman should stand tall and let his arms hang at his side. His fingers should naturally curl up under the tails of the jacket. This length corresponds to a jacket that just covers the rear, allowing the back vents (you may have two vents, or one center vent) to fall just so when seated. The correct jacket length also enhances the “window” of the shirt and tie, and allows the buttons to close over the bottom of the tie and belt.

The fit of the suit pants is a peeve of this Modern Urban Gentleman. Most men understand that pants are sized according to waist and inseam, but most men are egregiously lying to themselves about their true dimensions.

Believe me when I say the Modern Urban Gentleman understands how psychologically difficult it can be to admit the waist is a 36, not a 34. But also trust me when I say that wearing the right size makes the gentleman look thinner than squeezing into too-small pants does. The muffin top is not exclusive to women, and feeling bound up all day will ameliorate many of the swagger effects of wearing a suit.

Another sticking point for many men is the inclination to wear suit pants in the same way they wear jeans: around the hips. Let’s be clear: casual wear should sit around the hips; I am not asking anyone to change their ways on that point. But suit pants sit higher. This is non-negotiable, and may alter the size of pants you buy. The jacket and pants work in tandem, and pants that sit too low create a ripple effect, both up and down the body, that destroys the entire package. The gentleman’s pants sit above the hips, loosely enough not to bind, but snugly enough that a belt is unnecessary (though one should always be worn).

Finally, most visually jarring of all men’s fashion faux pas: the pooling pant leg. The fabric of the pant leg should never be allowed to gather and lay on the top of the shoe. When the gentleman stands, his pant leg should brush the shoe; when he sits, the pant leg should expose several inches of the stylish sock beneath (a topic for another day).

A gentleman never lets this happen.
A gentleman never lets this happen.

Beyond cut and fit, the gentlemen must be aware of one key point in order to maximize the visual appeal of the suit. Most suit jackets on American men have two or three buttons to fasten the suit over the abdomen. It may come as a surprise to many, but these buttons are functional, not merely decoration. When a gentleman is standing, his suit jacket is buttoned; when he sits, it is unbuttoned.

The buttoned suit jacket streamlines the upper body and blends it seamlessly into the overall effect of the suit. A closed jacket is also practical; it keeps the necktie in place, especially on a windy day. The buttoned jacket also provides a bit of cover for a necktie that is not tied to the perfect length (the tip of the tie resting just over the top edge of the belt buckle, but more on that in another column). An open jacket draws the eye to any unsightly cushioning around the midsection; the necktie, perched on the shelf of the beer belly, only exaggerates the effect.

 

And there you have it, gentlemen: the basics of the suit. As the gentleman’s budget grows, he can begin to consider more luxurious details, such as hand-stitching, full-canvas lining, and thread count. But for now, suit shopping shall no longer cause undue consternation.

In the coming weeks, the Modern Urban Gentleman will discuss the other elements, including the shirt, tie, pocket square, and more, that will complete the look. But don’t waste any time before getting to your neighborhood suit shop.

And remember: no pleats.