MEN’S FASHION & STYLE
The Mercedes Man
By Gabor
Everything we do and everything we own tells a story to those around us. This doesn’t just apply to our own appearance, but can expand depending on our age and status. We buy a house at some point, and furnish it so that we feel comfortable in it. We find a place for the trophies and experiences we have collected over the years, and thus give the building something of our own character. The same can be applied to a device that for many people is first the object of desire and finally the fulfillment of a dream. We’re talking about a car, the car one has perhaps wanted to drive all of one’s life, because it suits the owner so well. I was lucky enough to make the acquaintance of a truly special person, who was also the owner of a very special car. The German painter and artist Christian Piccenini (1968-2020) was not only very attached to his car, a blue 1985 Mercedes Benz 300 SE S-Class, but he also processed it countless times in his art.
The Mercedes brand always made a huge impression on the young painter, which led to him buying a 300 SE car for the first time, after a brain tumor diagnosis at a young age. Many years and experiences later, he wanted to relive that feeling of freedom again and bought the blue Mercedes that would not only accompany him for the rest of his life but also became one of his trademarks. The infamous S class was a spontaneous purchase for his birthday, but it should pay off because although the car has now been driven for over 300,000 kilometers, it is still on the roads of Germany (in summer and winter) and is still in great condition! Anyone who has ever driven in such a car will appreciate the comfort offered by the long design, the luxurious seats, fine leather and wood trim inside and the nostalgic charm of only being able to listen to the radio and tapes. Maybe it’s just a feeling, but as soon as you get in, you can sense of the car’s quality,
and you have the impression that this generation of Mercedes cars is still… built to last! There is no vibration, the doors close smoothly, the engine is barely audible under the hood, and you are literally soaring on the road. The car suited the gentle painter too well, who always appreciated a little decadence in his appearances and even though he cared a lot about the old-timer, he was never too afraid to drive the car even in bad weather. This story is an ideal example of how an inanimate object can be incorporated by someone so that it becomes an extension of their own personal life story and personality. Christiano’s Mercedes 300 SE is a true reflection of a man and his machine.
S T Y L E
by Henry Gabor
For me clothing and style is really a reflection of how I feel in the moment I wear it. That’s why there is quite a big variety in my daily outfits. When buying clothes one of the most important parts to me is the quality. When you get a nice sports jacket or coat made of good material it can last your whole life. When I don’t like to wear something anymore I just put it in the wardrobe until I feel like it again. Recently I started wearing a jacket again that I have not worn in years. Of course the same goes for accessories like chains, rings, cufflinks or even shades. It’s a great feeling putting something on that you have not worn in a while. What also fascinates me is the long story behind certain pieces I got vintage. It’s not only great to know for yourself, you also have a great story to tell. This and the uniqueness of vintage clothing is why many of my clothes are vintage or pre-owned.
One of my absolute favorite designers is the legend himself Gianni Versace. I got quite a nice collection of vintage Versace over the years and I am always looking for new unique pieces. It’s not only the timeless elegance but also the outstanding quality and effortless class that made me love the old Versace so much. When going for a look with a tie and I really wanting it to stand out there is no better choice than a vintage Gianni silk tie in my opinion.
I use to combine vintage with new, hat with durag, suit with some big chains, and classic with modern. There are no rules to it when you feel something. If you put something on and it feels like you can achieve anything wearing this look, you will achieve even more then you can imagine. Fashion is fun and I would never tell anyone what is right or wrong. You gotta find it out for yourself.
PROPERLY DRESSED
BY EMMETT WILLIAMS
When it comes to developing a personal style what one wants, especially if you are a young man is to develop your wardrobe so you can compete in the workplace for any position or socially. Choosing garments of good quality, materials, classic patterns and color-schemes that allow you to be prepared to go anywhere. I am going to be building this page and hopefully someone will come onboard and contribute in the future. I like fashion that fits. By saying this I mean I buy items that work with my taste and rarely if ever go out of style. You don’t need a $1000.00 suit, now if I had it to blow on fashion I would, but the average guy just needs to build his wardrobe to be prepared for any an all events that pop up. What everybody needs is a tailored suit, once you wear one, you’ll be hooked forever. And frankly for a grand you can own five decent suits.
Items you will always need for a job interview, clubbing, and fitting in to the environment you live in instead of sticking out and looking like you obviously aren’t from here, or worse don’t belong here. So here’s a list of some items that will get you through most of your life, until you need a tux of course. A decent leather jacket or coat, a navy blue suit or dark grey to black for job interviews, as many ties as you can manage to break up the fact that you don’t have a dozen suits, solid tie colors in black, blues, at least one red but not too red one, club ties if you do board meetings, if you interview with a female boss, take some fashion risks but don’t get crazy, no checks, stripes or polka dots, but a purple, deep pink, yellow could help you stand out, a nice pair of leather boots, to increase your height, no tinted pimpy eye-wear until after you’re hired. No gangster flowers in your lapel, if you bring a hat, carry it in, because if you wear it in, you may forget to take it off, and then have unkempt hair.
Jon Matsols is from Sweden and is shown in proper dress for a man reflecting his lifestyle, age and status. Jon is depicted in clothing articles of timeless traditional looks.
Leather shoes, in Black, burgundy will work with almost any color suit if you need to budget. If you are chronically late become a loafer wearer, it saves time. Don’t smoke or drink alcohol before the interview. Add a pack of gum to your wardrobe. You need to know if they are potentially anti-smoking, or anti-drink before you get comfortable.
No political magazines, or biblical reading material unless interviewing at a church. I would still skip it. A couple of nice caps, a baseball cap even if you don’t like baseball, for company picnic or other dress down events. A nice hat and a decent raincoat. Look like you fit into the joint if it’s corporate or just plain stuffy, also a not too expensive briefcase, even if you just carry your lunch in it. An umbrella, small cheap and handy, just to be prepared at all times, keep it in that briefcase.
A reasonable inoffensive cologne. Blue Jeans, and Black Jeans. Dress socks. Gloves. Handkerchief for top notch white collar environment, a couple of nice dress shirts in White and pale Blue or Grey if you do TV for any reason a tuxedo shirt, cuff links, cummerbund and a tux as soon as you can manage it. Hell is having to buy a suit in a moments notice, just because you get it off-the-rack doesn’t mean it has to look that way, so tailoring…just do it. And I can almost guarantee you that you will not get through life without somebody you know dying or getting married so the absolute minimum is get yourself a dark suit and have it tailored, it’s interesting though that both of those occasions require the same fashion article, just saying.
-EM