Back 2 the Basics: The Loafer

       No, I'm not referring to the stuffy leather shoes with the double tassel & penny insertion point at the toe that were popular from the late '70s to the early '90s.. you can breathe easy now.  Those shoes were once the universal sign of preppiness to the utmost and were anything but "relaxed."  Not anymore!  What's quite interesting about this shoe is that it actually became popular when its style & design was produced by the Spaulding company in the 1930s to look similar to the shoes worn by Norwegian farmers.  But loafers have evolved since then and have become the go-to shoe for the stylish, everyday guy who wants style & versatility without all the fuss of a lace-up.  Not only have they evolved in terms of once being most appropriate for work to now being staples at events such as outdoor wine tastings, they've stepped out from under the shadows of black & brown leather and have taken on a more sleek look in the boldest textures & color choices.  Whether you're a seasoned fashionisto who loves all things daring & dashing or just a regular guy who desires comfort without having to sacrifice style, there's a loafer for you!  What makes this shoe so cool is its versatility; it can be paired with slim/skinny jeans for a hipster look or with dress slacks when you're headed to the office on those summer work days.. there's no excuse for not having at least one pair of loafers in your shoe rotation!  Stay fly, fellas~





Ryan Gosling always evokes the charm of an old skool hollywood leading man while looking effortlessly chic.. Just be sure to lotion your ankles if you're gonna go sockless like him!

Though his tv persona irritates my very soul, Scott Disick is clearly a naturally stylish guy who pulls off velvet loafers quite well


  



<~ I, personally, don't recommend this type of loafer where the sole extends up the back of the heel because it gives the look of a house slipper

I prefer this type which consists of a basic sole that stops at the bottom of the heel ~>

                                                                                     





If you're the type of guy who can pull off loafers with tassels without channeling Bill Cosby circa 1986, go for it!

 

Keep it Stylish, keep it Sexy and always keep it true to YOU! -Mr. Hampton

STreeT ShoT

      I'm always uniquely impressed when I see younger guys wearing blazers and/or fitted shorts because its a clear sign that they're putting forth the effort to go against the status quo of their generation.  Most of today's youngsters are rockin' skinny acid washed jeans, basketball sweat shirts and snapbacks which I'm all for.  But to have the gumption to step outside of the norm and wear a more tailored look that conveys maturity while looking effortless, this speaks leaps & bounds about a person's sense of style.  I was on my way into a store when I passed this young dude sitting on a bench; I immediately complimented him on his look and then kept it moving.  His ensemble stuck in my head as I kept walking & I realized I would end up kicking myself later if I didn't snap a few quick shots of him.  No sooner than when I introduced myself and my blog was he up against the wall striking a swagged out pose lol.. I can dig it!  His look is mature while still having young, fresh elements to keep it relaxed!  Check him out...




His broken-in shirt, vintage style tie (loosened, of course) and assorted wristbands all keep his look relaxed & age appropriate

  


When wearing color it doesn't always need to look ostentatious.  His pale pink shorts add color without overpowering the rest of his ensemble




The faux-hawk & cuffed sleeves say "I'm young but I have an old skool sensibility."  I hear you bro!

Keep it Stylish, keep it Sexy and always keep it true to YOU! -Mr. Hampton



HeaD StArT!

     Warm, sunny weather is rare here in Boston therefore whenever the sun makes a warm appearance, I waste absolutely no time making the most of it!  Yesterday after church I decided to head out and enjoy the beautiful day and it was just what I needed.  I met up with a few friends and we enjoyed a nice dinner on an outdoor patio, reminisced about our adolescence (some of the stories were beyond embarrassing smh) and laughed until we were practically in pain lol.  I was in the mood to enjoy some bright colors in my ensemble while keeping the overall silhouette fairly simple: I went with a turquoise v-neck, salmon chino shorts, loafers & a few embellishments to add interest.  Sartorial Tidbit- the technique I used in my outfit is called 'color-blocking' which entails pairing together items in solid colors to create sections or "blocks" of color that compliment each other and create a bold visual.  Hope y'all like it!  Stay fly~

Keep it Stylish, keep it Sexy and always stay true to YOU! -Mr. Hampton

     Ok fellas, I'm posting this via my Blackberry because I've become obsessed with colorful trousers and I simply had to show you guys this table display I saw at H&M. Take it all in, let these vibrant hues inspire your sartorial expression this spring & summer! Pair any of these trousers with a simple slope-neck tee or a patterned tank top (the gray & khaki trousers can take a more bold colored/patterned top), a few wrist accessories and top it all off with a pair of raybans and you'll definitely look as though you're about that life! Err, that fashionable life that is lol. Keep it Fly, fellas~

STreeT ShoTz

This passed weekend Boston experienced record breaking warm temperatures so a friend of mine called me and suggested that we hit the streets for some sun and shopping (of course ya boy is always down to shop!).  Warm weather is a luxury we don't often experience prior to early-mid June here in the northeast therefore Boston's fashionistos waste no time enjoying the warmth while clad in their sportiest gear!  Knowing this I kept my eyes open for guys who's looks weren't over the top but still maintained their cool factors and the below fella was the epitome of this.  His look was laid-back in every sense of the word and the minimalism was right on beat with the tone of spring/summer!  Being stylish doesn't have to entail having the absolute brightest/loudest ensemble in the room, but rather its about being strategic about the pieces you mix & match to create an interesting look.  Prior to snapping his pics, this dude asked me "can I smile?" A guy who has fun with his style & aint afraid to show it?  This is definitely someone who you'd wanna take your summer style cue from!

His relaxed fit striped shirt reminds me of a similar shirt I picked up at a thrift shop last year.  Now I see why I liked his so much!

Pairing lace-ups with shorts is becoming a popular trend!  The key is to opt for shoes that have a broken-in look rather than ones which look sleek & brand new; this will keep your overall look relaxed & laid back

Keep your accessories simple when going for a relaxed look; a distressed necklace/medallion & a few wristbands will suffice

Keep it Stylish, keep it Sexy and always keep it true to YOU! -Mr. Hampton

  

BoLD ChOicE

    I must say I had a blast taking the topic of color and going in-depth in my previous post!  Quite honestly, I learned a lot, myself, while researching the science of color and the detail that's involved when attempting to create a cohesive, color-inspired look.  Not only do I want to simply explain the nuts & bolts of color combination, but I want you guys to actually see more of the vivid items that make up a daring wardrobe that would put the sun to shame!  Now that you've graduated from the color wheel (last post) its time to experience the fun of actually putting together a great ensemble that takes risks!  When it comes to us, fellas, incorporating bold colors into our looks, the magic is in the details... ie. a dashing pair of shoes, a uniquely-colored bag or bracelets & other embellishments.  Let's consider this to be the wrap-up of our lesson in the colors of spring/summer...

• When you want to keep your look more on the laid back & casual side, adding something as simple as a unique bag and cool wristbands stacked one on top of the other until you lose count can get the job done in no time! 

   Notice how the 3 beaded bracelets on this guy's wrist add a subtle splash of both color and cool~ 

Step it UP before stepping Out!

European men have long known the secret to rockin' a bold colored shoe but its about time that we, American fellas, quit letting them have all of the fun! 

A pair of loafers is the easiest way to add both style and comfort to any summertime look.  Remember to keep your shirt & trousers fairly neutral when wearing a bold shoe; you don't want to risk looking like a Prince impersonator!

 I don't care WHAT y'all may say about this boot, I think its HOT!  Paired with dark, skinny flat-front khakis and a tailored trench coat, I could stand directly beside George Clooney on the red carpet and the reporters will go "there's Willie and, umm, what's that other guy's name??" Yeah, they'll make you look just that good!   

Be Bold!  Be Strong!

Don't shy away from patterns.  Pieces that feature both color and an interesting pattern are what I like to call win-win pieces!  The only way to set yourself apart from the usual Abercrombie clad guy that we so often see on the streets of Boston is to opt for items that make a statement!

~The Complete Look~

Here are a few examples that incorporate the different elements of a bold, colorful look all tied into one cohesive look!



A shirt with an interesting pattern, cool wristbands mismatched & piled high all come together & create a look that's daring but not the least bit over-the-top.  Interesting fact: this shirt Kanye is wearing was actually made for women but he's clearly succeeded at pulling it off!  See how much fun one can have with fashion?!


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• I, personally, like this particular look because it uses bold stripes to create a somewhat futuristic appeal while keeping the overall silhouette simple.  Since the shirt is pretty bold on its own, pair it with simple skinny yet interesting wristbands and finish it off with a pair of all-white Converses. 

                                      





Theophilus London, indie rapper/songwriter/producer who has been featured in GQ for his unique style sensibility, and also whom I've admired for some time.  Look at this interesting combination: a gray & turquoise patterned blazer, red jeans, black & white sneakers and a snap-back cap... Look at how well these seemingly unrelated colors come together & compliment each other beautifully.  Taking risks can have a great payoff!  



CoLoR Me GoooooD!

    I'm constantly encouraging you guys to incorporate color into your wardrobe especially since the warmer and more sunny months are upon us, but I recently had a friend of mine ask me "where do I start??"  Since we, men, have a seemingly natural tendency to gravitate to darker & less ostentatious colors, we have to make more of an effort to go against the grain.  When my friend expressed that his dilemma is knowing which colors to combine when putting together a complete look I initially told him to take chances and trust his instincts, but shortly after giving him this response I realized not all guys have the instinctive ability to recognize or create great color combinations.  Now, I 'll admit that undertaking this task of breaking down the science of color combinations was no easy one considering that I've been blessed with a natural eye for great style and have always been able to simply recognize a dope colorful ensemble upon first glance but, for you guys, I took on this task with vigor!  Let's have a brief but informative science lesson, shall we?  Oh, and it'd behoove you to stay awake because daydreaming or falling asleep, as some of you may do during your science classes at school, will result in you missing out on gaining the fundamentals of color & risking your ensemble being completely off balance.  Let's begin...

The Basics

When brainstorming ideas for creating an interesting look that tells a cool color story, a great way to lay a foundation in your mind is by imagining all the different colors that exist and a color wheel is the perfect visual tool to illustrate all of the many colors that exist:

Every possible color you could ever think of including in your wardrobe can be seen in this one simple wheel (so I guess our kindergarten teachers knew what they were doing when they kept this wheel hung in their classrooms, who'da thought?!)

Now, we, men, tend to stick to the more basic colors (ie. red, blue, yellow and green) which actually makes things much easier, especially when you're a guy whose just getting his feet wet in the vast sea of color.  Focusing on these basic colors will help you develop, over time, a keen eye for color because it pushes the remaining 8 shades in the wheel into the background thus causing you to feel less overwhelmed.  See, starting off isn't as difficult as some of you may have thought!  Now you can breathe... Let's continue...


Harmony

It takes a seasoned fashionisto to take garments in crazy colors, put them together and create an unconventional yet amazing look that the average person never would've dreamed of creating.  Remember, if you're just starting out you'd want to keep things simple.  Now the fun begins!  So you've more than likely chosen a garment in one of the four basic colors I previously mentioned and you're attempting to add in some other items & accessories to create a full look, let's go to the color wheel for some ideas for accent colors:

The color that is directly across from the color of the garment you're going to wear is its complimentary color which means its the ideal color to create a harmonious pair.  For example: if you are planning to wear a pair of navy blue slacks, a yellow shirt would be the best color to pair them with (on the color wheel blue is directly across from yellow).  Or if you're a guy who has a taste for something a bit more bold, orange and a slightly lighter shade of blue would be a knockout pair!



The 'POP!'

    By now you've found your main garment, chosen an accent color, now comes the opportunity to have a li'l fun!  Adding in cool accessories is the perfect way to add interest (or "pop" as its called in the fashion world) to your look so why not think outside the box and throw in some unique items that'll give people a reason to truly appreciate your ensemble?!  We, men, have a very limited amount of choices in terms of accessories therefore we really have to make the ones we choose count.  No matter what genre of style you're going with on a particular occasion, there's always room to add accessories to amp up your look... 

 

Business:      
                                                                         

A navy suit doesn't have to be bland & ordinary; toss in a solid color pocket square (a white cotton one folded into a square also works fine), a sleek watch with leather straps and yellow socks (complimentary color) will transform this classic suit.



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Casual/Sporty:
   

 As I've said in previous posts, you want to have one item be the main focal point while the rest of your look remains fairly subdued and less bold overall.  For example, when wearing something as bold as a fire engine red blazer you'd definately want to build around it and incorporate maybe a black or brown beaded necklace and/or wristbands, light faded jeans, and a pale turquoise tee (complimentary color) underneath.
    

(Kanye's grey tee works great
as well because its a muted tone
which is a nice contrast to the
bold red)

Last but not Least: The Foundation

      Let's recap: you've selected your main garment, chosen complimentary pieces and threw in a few accessories for flare.  Now all you need to do is finish it off with the right shoes; sounds simple, right?  Shoes are the simplest part of your wardrobe, especially when it comes to more dressy/formal attire yet I constantly see guys getting it horribly wrong.  To eliminate any further confusion I'm going to let you in on a few li'l secrets that are the rules of thumb for your shoe game: 

• Black pants/suit- black shoes & belt (dressy attire: your belt & shoes should always match)
• Navy, Grey or khaki suit/pants- brown shoes (black shoes also work well with gray)
• Sporty/street-inspired attire- Most of the time just go for it!  Take chances with funky colors to really make a statement!  Today's streetwear has a nostalgic look; its all about bright colors that are reminiscent of the '80s & early '90s.  Note: as I previously mentioned, when wearing bright colors try to keep the rest of your look balanced (including your shoes).  If you wear a bold colored shoe, let that be the focal point thus building the rest of your look around that.  When wearing bold colored shirt & trousers, keep your shoes a bit more subdued.  Balance not clashing! 

Keep it Stylish, keep it Sexy and always keep it true to YOU! -Mr. Hampton