Men of Mad StyLe~

In my opinion the '50s represents the pinnacle of male elegance.  Whenever I come across old photos or even tv shows and movies that are based on this era, I'm utterly fascinated and I've been known to literally stop dead in my tracks to admire these stunning visuals.  In fact, most of today's trends for men, such as skinny ties and slim-fit suits, were made popular by men of the '50s.  Mad Men, one of my absolute favorite tv shows (if you haven't at least heard of it then I encourage you to come forth from beneath the rock you've been under and join us) does a superb job of capturing the refinement of the men of this day without it appearing contrived or costume-like.  Hair slicked back with Vitalis, 2-button suits, notch lapels and wingtip shoes are just a few of the staple components that made these men the most dashing fellas that ever lived.  When I think of the '50s I think of Frank Sanatra and Sammie Davis Jr. strutting about with a good inch of shirt cuff peaking from beneath the sleeves of their blazers, I think of men who didn't need a special occasion to wear a 3-piece suit but most of all I'm taught of a decade where the term "metrosexual" had no place because appearing unkempt just wasn't an option; the charisma these men displayed was truly magnetic!  Let these photos take you back in time and provide lifelike proof of these men who had mad style...

Sammy Davis Jr., homeboy landed the cover of GQ!  Need I say more?

actor Cary Grant (Ladies, when was the last time you were swept off your feet by a man who looked this clean?)

 Your look wasn't complete without a fedora

Style for no reason, I'm lovin' it!

We took our cue from them

Keep it Stylish, keep it Sexy and always keep it true to YOU! -UrbanGent

 

Check out "If it aint Bright, it aint Right!" under the Skincare/Hair care tab at the top of the page...

WIAWT... 6/1/11

To kick off the first day of the month in which summer officially begins, I decided to rock these cool blue socks.  Not only are they just plain dope they're also very comfy.. I'm not sure what material they're made from but whatever it is I'm lovin' it!

Keep it Stylish, keep Sexy and always keep it true to YOU! -UrbanGent

Trey Songz Stylez*

I'm utterly dumbfounded when I see celebrities dressed badly.  First off, What we, everyday folks, need to remember is just because celebrities have heaps of money doesn't mean they know what to do with it; money does not equal style.  Even when they've enlisted the help of a professional stylist, some celebrities still manage to fall flat on their faces when trying to pull of a particular look (*cough* Chris Brown and Omarion *cough*) and often end up looking like circus clowns on the run from the big top.  Just as I was about to throw up my hands and accept the fact that my famous fellas had clearly been beaten with the rod of tackiness, a young brotha named Tremaine Neverson (aka Trey Songz) broke free of being the poster boy for the corn-row-sporting, white tee-wearing R&B cliche to now being that for truely versatile and stylish masculinity.  Most of young America became familiar with Mr. Songz while he was yet in his streetwear phase, during which time it seemed he was nothing more than a byproduct of the music industry.. you know, where the record labels churn out a new teen wannabe hearthrob every 20 minutes for young, pubescent females to salivate over.  But watching this dude's transformation has been a real life coming of age story.

I often see Songz in tailored suits, waistcoats, cardigans and fitted jeans all of which make it evident that he's nolonger afraid to pay attention to his own personal tastes.  Even in his downtime or when he's performing for younger crowds, his urbanwear consists of fitted, acid-washed jeans in bold colors, v-necks, military jackets and aviators.  Style is not limited to the mere clothes on your back but rather it encompasses confidence, elegance and a can-do attitude and Songz's BET reality show Passion, Pain & Pleasure showcased his overall persona.  His business acumen was beyond impressive; his attention to detail and ability to manage his entire music team along with inking a campaign deal with Rocawear gave him even more of an air of style than I'd seen prior.  Fellas such as Mr. Songz and Ne-yo have used their top hats, suspenders and dope laceup shoes to show young men that it's possible to opt for more tailored sportswear and still preserve our sexy.  We're taking our cue from you Mr. Songz so continue to keep it gentlemanly!

 

 

Street Shot: Spring CurVe

   
The heavens decided to smile on my city today and the clouds parted, revealing sunshine that was a sight for our sore eyes and downtrodden souls.  Okay, maybe that was a bit melodramatic but after 4 days of nothing but rain and clouds the sunshine was as satisfying as water after a drought.  So I spotted this fellow during my afternoon walk through downtown Boston and his relaxed and polished-yet-unpolished look was rather cool.  I typically lean toward the well-tailored end of the sartorial spectrum but studying this dude's look is causing me to rethink things a bit.  His linen shirt, black frame glasses and high water trousers with pleats and a relaxed/slightly distressed look were channeling a London vibe with a dash of Amsterdam, without a doubt!  Not to mention his slip-on boat shoes (one of my spring/summer staples), I managed to get a much needed dose of style and sunshine all in my one hour lunch break and made it back to the office quicker than you could say "paisley or polka dot?!"

Model Watch: Diary of Sean O'pry

Since my original Model Watch post of this dude, he has clearly managed to just about cause the entire male modeling world to grind to a screeching halt and worship his smoldering blue eyes and perfectly symmetrical jaw line.  Most average (and average-looking) people may look at a face such as Mr. O'pry's and want to bind their parents' hands & feet and slowly pour hot grits on them for being genetically incapable of passing down such unfathomable good looks or they may occasionally sit and wonder what such a near-perfect-looking person is like on the inside.  Well, wonder no more!  Take a look at this self-made video diary where Sean takes us beneath the seemingly impenetrable lining of the modeling world to show us exactly what really happens right before he hits the runway and his pictures appear on the glossy pages of prestigious fashion magazines.  Plus, I had no idea he had such quick wit which this video shows; who said models didn't have brains?  Keep up all the good work li'l bro, make as much money as you can while your mug still has it's elasticity...

Fashion OVERLOAD!!

     



        Now, I'm all for the fashion-forward man because I've recently come to my senses and refuse to continue to dilute my personal sense of style simply to please those around me.  However, while eating my lunch in the cafeteria at work the other day, my ear picked up on a rather disturbing fact coming from Wendy Williams' overactive mouth as she yapped non-stop on her daytime tv show (two females at the table across from me were tuned in, ya boy wouldn't, of my own accord, sit and watch such a show); Mrs. Williams stated that a popular trend, which started with celebrities in Hollywood, is on the rise and it entails men and young boys walking around with painted fingernails! (I can almost hear both of my Grandmothers gasping from their graves)..  Fellas, there is such a thing as going too far!  Painted fingernails hold their origin with historic women, it was a fashion statement which represented a woman's desire to maintain a radiant and precisely manicured appearance, even down to the very tips of her fingers.  Cleopatra would apply brightly colored henna to her nails and common woman were only allowed to use pale colored nail polish as not to compete with royalty.  Though both male and female nobility of ancient Japan would grow their nails to extreme lengths as a sign of them not doing any manual labor, only females are known for actual fingernail painting.  Again, I'm all for men of the modern world taking risks with their look, however, I only advocate doing so within reason.  I wouldn't applaud a man sauntering through Times Square wearing a tutu simply because it's a sign of fashion risk-taking.  Let's be mindful of one thing: regardless of what attempts we make at pushing the sartorial envelope, certain trends and fashion statements will always be held firmly in the original gender from wich they derived.  No matter how pop culture may try to spin it, nail polish will ALWAYS serve as a representation of femininity and should, therefore, have no place on a man's nails.. that's the way I see it.

   Men are as welcome at a nail salon as Lady Gaga at a Baptist revival crusade