Feature Fashion: Traditionalism
With Victoria Beckham now living in the United States, her posh influence has spread to the American web pages of Style.com. However, in light of the traditional holiday season, it is wise to stray from Posh. Although her advice resonates with that of the best, including Tom Ford, Stefano Pilati, and Mr. Armani, much debate has resolved one everlasting principle in the canons of style: men know men best. Pilati, the current chief of design at Yves Saint
Laurent, connects with Ford and Armani on a level
that transcends Beckham’s insights.Vicky proposes,
“…A man always has to look clean, to start.”
Stefano Piliati is looking for an old Ferrari
and a return to classic gentlemanly trimmings.
Posh says, “Boys don’t have nearly as much fun with fashion as girls do.” Even so, in “The Moment,” The New York Time’s Style Magazine and Blog, I see Pilati (pictured above) smiling when asked about style: “It’s all about how curious you are about, like, constantly observing beautiful things.” Stefano’s style and his “fun with fashion” is about a cultivation of aesthetically significant ideals. Pilati and Ford seem to agree that while details are of the utmost importance in showing style, they also agree on the basics.
Both spurn jackets that are ill-fitting. Pilati simply says “Don’t wear jackets with big shoulders if your shoulders are small. Don’t dress like a kid if you’re old… the biggest mistake you can make when dressing is to pretend you’re someone else.” Similarly, Ford reinforces the 1818 mindset of Brooks Brothers and welds it with style.
On clashing and patterns, Ford coolly explained “don’t think about it too much—just throw it together.”
Details in design: During a live performance of his 2002 album It Had to Be You… The Great American Songbook, Rod Stewart, before performing one of the last songs, takes off his jacket and in his London accident laughs, “It’s time to show off me diamonds!” Rolling the sleeves of his black button down, his right hand shown with a bracelet made completely of diamonds. While Tom Ford might make exceptions for rock stars, normally a man’s jewelry “[has] to be small and simple. Cary Grant always wore a simple gold bracelet with his watch, and I think that was very chic.” Pilati took a page from Thom Browne’s book in saying that the lower legs are some of the most underappreciated and beautiful parts of a person. He insists that us guys make sure our pants aren’t too long.
Pilati, given only a short interview by Style.com, chose to include more about “observing beautiful things.” For most, Rhythm and Blues may serve as a soundtrack in case a lady agrees to come inside after a date. Alternatively, Pilati says that most important about the genre is that “R&B music is very sensual. It teaches men and women how to communicate sexually—all of a sudden he’s talking about his feelings and she’s talking about her feelings and then, well… it’s taught me a lot.” R&B’s visceral aspect is the kernel of Pilati’s creed.
As for the male role in the new term “recessionista:” Stefano advises, “I don’t want to tell you that money will help you with women. I don’t want to tell you that money will help you with anything. I guess I’ll just say that it allows for a lot.” Posh spice nods her head in agreement.
Rhythm and Blues that Pilati must have been talking about: D’Angelo- Untitled
Source: Style.com
Pilati Photo:WireImage
Rod Stewart photo: http://blogs.phillyburbs.com/news/bct/stewart-clay-and-friends-hit-ac-casinos/
-VJB III, MWF
Inspired by KT
