Customer Reviews

Esquire The Handbook of Style: A Man's Guide to Looking Good

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Solid, if quite general, information on basic mens style. The writing is good, occasionally snarky, and the advice offered will still be relevant several years from now. The layout is well put together and the celebrity images run from vintage to recent. And I disagree with other reviews dismissing this range as dated. There is a certain classicism represented in the choices, and I appreciate a restraint which avoids too many trendy faces that will be forgotten in a year or two.

Unfortunately what weakens this edition from four to three stars is the omission of any color photos. One cannot properly compare dark brown and black shoes in a B&W photo. A page that purports to guide the reader in pairing shirts, trousers, and jackets is ineffectual as a grayscale reproduction. Fashion in our daily lives always exists in full color, and any book claiming to be a style guide should mirror this reality.

The publisher should correct this in future editions.

If you like to dress up, then this book is for you. It is packed with valuable advice and is fully illustrated throughout. Chapters are intuitively chosen; the book starts by discussing the finer points of buying a suit. It then goes through shirts, pants, even personal care, and ends with a chapter on building a wardrobe. Each page is filled with tips, pictures of fashion icons, and notes for investing in your clothes. I personally found the Accessories chapter to be a fun read, especially since I am a fan of vintage watches and bow ties.

Are you old enough to know what the Preppy Handbook is? If so, this is an updated and less-snobbish version of the classic. In fact, this is the new Preppy Handbook, occasionally with a similar tongue-in-cheek approach. There are several other books in the market, but none are as easy to read as this. The focus is on men's clothes in general, not just suits and formal wear as in Alan Flusser's Dressing the Man. And though brands and specialty stores are mentioned, the emphasis is on how to distinguish well-made clothes, not just where to buy them.

Unlike other fashion books that will become outdated, this is one is not about trends, but really about style. You will pass this on to your sons in the future, so do them a favor and buy them one each. Give it the day they leave for college, or as an 18th birthday present.

If you read GQ or Esquire for their buying guides, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. It would take years of subscribing to magazines to come up with all the info between the covers.

Overall, an entertaining, informative, and essential guide for any man who cares about the way he looks.

There are some books on how to dress well -- books like Russell Smith's Men's Style: The Thinking Man's Guide to Dress -- that are heavy on theory, you might say: not only how to observe the principles of timeless style, but why those principles are correct in the first place. I tend to enjoy reading those kinds of books, and was a little disappointed at first to see that this book from Esquire did not really spend a lot of time in explanations and philosophical discussion. But the more I read, the more it became clear that the man who is really interested in learning these things can pick up a lot from "The Handbook of Style." Esquire has packed a lot into this small-ish book, and most of it is quite good.

It is, as I say, a small book, and it is quite densely packed. I probably would have preferred a larger format, which would have in turn allowed for larger type, larger illustrations with clearer detail, more white space, and a layout generally more friendly to aging male eyes. But then, maybe this is intended primarily for younger men -- an audience I certainly encourage to study this book closely. The authors embrace the classic and traditional in men's style, navigating by the light from, among others, the holy trinity of Astaire, Grant, and Windsor. (Jay-Z and André 3000 are cited as modern exemplars, and while I don't follow their careers well enough to know, I'll take Esquire's word for it.)

For men in, or just out of, college or otherwise looking to define their own style -- a time when guides like this were pretty influential on me -- they or their loved ones could do much worse than to track down a copy of this book and begin studying it. There's a lot older men can take away from this too. I admit I was a little skeptical to begin with, but now I'm convinced this is one of the better utilitarian guides to come along in many years. It certainly deserves a place on many men's shelves.

Are you a man who simply wants to dress better without being mistaken for a metrosexual? If you are, this book is definitely something you can use. Divided into different bite-sized chapters, each packed with useful information and photos, the Esquire Handbook of Style is intended as an introduction to a world of classic men's style that is both elegant and masculine. While much of the material in here is recycled from various articles from Esquire magazine that you may have already read, it's great having it organized and in one place.

The focus is almost always on dressier clothing that white-collar professionals would wear to the office, as well as what to wear to the theater, restaurants, weekending, etc. We are repeatedly given the message that a modest amount of quality clothes chosen tastefully will serve us much better than a large number of cheap, trendy clothes. It's a message that many of us do need to hear over and over, because moderately-priced clothing stores often push cheaply manufactured knockoffs of current trends and leave us with the impression that unless we wear the very latest styles we look awful. The Esquire Handbook of Style takes a totally different approach, and shows not only how to determine quality in clothing before you buy, but also how versatile the basic building blocks of a man's wardrobe really are.

This is intended as a long-term reference book. Almost all the photos are of Golden Age Hollywood celebs such as Fred Astaire and Cary Grant. The binding, quality of paper, and the cover itself suggest that this is a book that you can use throughout your life. Indeed, it's so well-bound that you might mistake it for a vintage book.

I think this is a great book for recent high school grads or for college students who need to score a plum internship or first 'real' job. This is an excellent and readable book for any male making the transition from a career in which wardrobe is not an issue (such as college education, or a job in which you need to wear a uniform) to one where you are expected to present a crisp business-like appearance. I personally wish I'd had this book years ago as it would have made my adaptation to the office much easier.

The only downside I can see to this book is that the accessories chapter is much too brief. This is unfortunate because it isn't entirely clear why you would want to learn to knot several different styles for neckties, what materials or stitching are best for neckties, etc. It could simply be that the editors regard the rules regarding neckwear to be much looser than the rules regarding shirts and jackets, but its all too easy for men to slip into the habit of ruining an otherwise great look with a hideously garish (and often over-priced) tie. I would have liked to see more about this, as well as options regarding the appropriateness of lapel pins and pocket watches.

Unlike the metrosexuals of last decade, advocating trendy looks to put the average dude at level with the European cutting-edge, the Handbook of Style turns an eye to the past to find a uniquely American style: timeless looks that will still look great and fit great for the next fifty years. Thankfully, this book couldn't have arrived sooner, as interest in Traditional Men's Clothing seems to be at an all-time high: the Don Draper and the Ivy League (Ed Helms in the Office) looks are high on the fashion radar, and "urban lumberjacks"--full bearded hipsters in wool and twill--occupy every downtown block between the two coasts.

The book, by Esquire's editors breaks down the American male wardrobe into it's essentials, at least for those who work a white collar job or are in a creative profession. As men, we have it pretty easy, as our uniforms and office attire aren't expected to change drastically from year to year. This book advocates buying some high quality wardrobe essentials that are good for year round wear (navy suit, charcoal suit, black cap-toed shoes, and brown wingtips) plus recommendations for the spring and summer and fall and winter. You get a history of the cultural origins of our various jackets and trousers, plus a gallery of famous men and the garments they made popular.

I only became interested in dressing better in the past year, finding that a lot of the clothes that got me through my college years and even my internship aren't quite making the cut when it comes to presenting myself as an adult, and a professional. I'm a young man (23) and when I put on a wool blazer and flat front trousers my girlfriend (soon to be wife) tells me I look great. If this is what I'm supposed to be wearing into my old age, I hope I continue to look my best and hear the same thing from my significant other.

I really appreciate the no-nonsense approach the editors took to this guide, stressing the philosophy that a personal style takes years to develop. Also, this is a guide to style that is broad, and not specific to any subculture. Deck shoes are good if you're into yachting, but aren't essential to EVERY men, only the preppiest among us. My two grievances with the book are the suggestion that every guy looks great in a black turtleneck (maybe I'm still too young) and that Paul Newman is absent as one of the style icons.

I am a complete sucker for an impeccably dressed man and unlike most people I know, I quite enjoy the British sensibilities and broo-ha-ha that comes along with men's fashion.
I bought this book, as a gift for a friend and I spent an entire day reviewing it myself and I was utterly absorbed from beginning to end.
Not only is this book simple, clearly illustrated and thorough, but it is extremely relevant to today's world.
It has sections devoted to all essentials in a man's wardrobe, each section is highly detailed. Fo eg: Trousers: from the styles of trousers, to folding a trouser, to ironing a trouser, to the kinds of creases, buttons, material, do's and dont's...this little handbook is a must have for every young man.
A great graduation present.

This book contain a great deal of helpful, accurate information that can be used by any male buying, storing and caring for his clothes. I found the history of each garment very interesting, and the tips on what to look for in terms of quality, fit, details, etc. are worth the price of the book alone.

However, for a book called a "handbook of style", I thought it was actually very limited. Overall, by following the rules from the book - and yes, the book is very rule-based - you won't go wrong at the office, at the dinner party thrown by your boss, or that polo match. The book also makes it clear you will impress women (gays need not apply or, it seems, anyone who doesn't have or aspire to have their social life revolve around a country club). If that's what your life is like then this book will meet your needs superbly.

If, however, you're looking guidance on creating a style that's a little more adventurous, look elsewhere. For example, want to know if what Prada sent down the runway might work for your style and body type? You're out of luck - the book won't give you broad principles that you can adapt to a more individual style. Especially when it comes to more casual styles, the book doesn't go beyond the world of chinos, v-neck and crew neck sweaters, jeans and other few basics.

Great book for what it is, not for what it's titled.

Yes the pics are B&W. But what is way more important is the advice is correct and very adept. And it goes MUCH deeper that other books (lookin at you Details) that only scratch the surface with window dressing. This one takes you into garment terms and history when relevant and the evolution of style. It also gives advice consistent with the pictures - something you cant say about the Details book which contradicts itself while using pictures recycled from the magazine.

If you are not clueless and looking for a good guide book that will expand your knowledge base that much more while being an interesting read look no further.

This small book is jam-packed with valuable information regarding men's stylings and fashion. The size lends well to a portable reference book, while the density of info makes it well for the personal library. The variety of topics covered is exhaustive, with included details on form and functions. Compared to other style books, I would say this has the most longevity. The only problem I had with it was the pictures are all black and white, and tiny. Details referred from the text are lost in the small photos. But still, highly recommended.

I'm not a big fan of the magazine (I prefer GQ) but with the sharpness and flair of this book it actually surprises me that it came from Esquire.

This is the perfect guide book for anybody in the professional world or just a mature person that decided to stop dressing like a teen or like the cast of the Jersey Shore. You do not have to be a beginner to be able to appreciate the style tips, list of recommended companies, and ancient rules that you can choose to follow or like many of the greats - break.

One of my favorite dimensions of the book is the list of products and directions on how to use them to better care for your wardrobe. There is an endless list of ways on expanding the life of the most important parts of your wardrobe. It may seem tedious but it really does work and saves you tons of money in the long run.

Overall this is a very organized guide which makes it very useful to reference whenever you need to look back on certain tips.