Dismissing Mens Fashion Myths.. Shit My Dad Says

There’s nothing wrong with my old man’s style. He does well with what he’s got, and playing to our strengths is all any of us can do. However, like most people who pick up the signals sent down from up high, he does have a few stalwart rules about fashion and style (and himself) that can never be broken. But he’s just plain wrong. And I’m going to explain why.

So without further ado, consider this the greatest hits of Shit My Dad Says: The Style Edition.

"Pleats Just Aren't Stylish Anymore”

Oh man, I hate this one. It’s a prime example of how the fashion industry can have serious side effects on the way people dress.

In actual fact, pleats serve a very specific purpose when dressing your body type. For the larger gentlemen amongst our readership, they can help accommodate the way your hips and waist become wider when you sit down. They also help your trouser drape in a cleaner, sharper line. Therefore, guys carrying a bit of timber will actually look slimmer with pleats in their trousers.

So, rather than believing everything you read as gospel, try deciding what looks best on you in the mirror first by paying attention to the proportions and lines of your body.

“Never Wear Brown In Town”

What does that EVEN mean? First of all, this one doesn’t stem directly from the fashion industry but from an old saying that was popular during the late nineteenth, early twentieth century.

Traditionally, Englishmen that worked in the city would wear black, blue and grey and, upon returning to their homes in the country at the end of the day or at the weekend, would change into the more country appropriate colour of brown. This resulted in the belief within English society that brown should not be worn in the city because it would communicate to others that you were not ready for business; dressed casual or off duty.

Sure, traditional country fabrics like tweed look better in brown and other achromatic colours, but that doesn’t mean you can’t wear them in town. Heed the words of the ever inspirational Tupac Shakur and wake up “screaming f*ck the world”! Rather than my old man, who wakes up creaking.

Final Word

In part two, we cover the subjects of navy and black, what qualifies as evening wear and what other items of clothing larger guys can wear (sorry Pops). But whilst you wait, why not get involved in the comments sectionand share some of the other preposterous theories on men’s fashion you have come across…