Customer Reviews

The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

While its true that most offices have gone casual these days, this is a book that should still be in every gentleman's library. To be without this knowledge is to be at a grave disadvantage -- Even if your intent is to break the rules, you'll need to understand them first.

The great thing about this book is that it covers the history, origin and derivation of classic men's style, allowing the reader to not only understand the grand traditions, but to approach modern style with a new awareness (read: power) and appreciation.

I absolutely loved this book -- In fact, I wish I'd read it before I ever entered the business world, as it certainly would have saved me a great deal of time and money, not to mention an awkward wardrobe of costly and seldom-worn garments.

If you're interested not only in what to wear and how to wear it, but curious as to where it came from in the first place, this is the book for you.

This book sticks pretty close to its avowed topic -- classic men's clothing. You won't find discussions of jeans and tee shirts in here, for instance. But you will find tons of great information on picking out quality "classic" clothing. That doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to find business casual clothes if you read this book, but it definitely leans more towards the dressy side of things.

The only real problem with the book is the lack of photos. They do a better job than some other books (I finally figured out the difference between herringbone and houndstooth!) but they don't have quite enough to help explain all of the many things they talk about. Just a few more photos could have pushed this book into the five star territory.

This little book struck me as nothing more than the Cliffs Notes for the far more thorough and informed books by Alan Flusser and G. Bruce Boyer (both of whom are listed in the bibliography). In fact, I identified passages lifted almost verbatim from Flusser's works. As such, this book might function as a quick reference guide, but if you want real knowledge and insight into men's style, look to Flusser and Boyer.

This book is the best of the books out there explaining the rules of dress for a man. It describes the traditional way of dress. Obviously, today people tend to dress very casually, but even if you don't wear a suit all the time this book is useful. You will understand how one is supposed to dress. If you choose to bend the rules to make a style point, you will know what you are doing. If a situation arises when you have to dress traditionally, after reading this book you will know just what to do. I dress casually most of the time, but now I know what to do if I choose not to (at work, at a wedding, at a gala affair, etc.). After reading the book, you will start to notice the way men dress in a new light. This is knowledge that every man should have

What a great gift item for almost everybody - men including sons, dads, grandfathers, or business associates and don't forget women such as wives, girlfriends, and daughters who end up dressing their significant others! The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing is an invaluable reference book for me or anyone who wishes to be knowledgeable about timeless classic men's wear. I had a great time reading it from cover to cover in one sitting and I couldn't put it down - it's written in such an easy and unassuming style. It is both a history book on men's clothing and a practical book for today when you really want to wear appropriate clothes for an occasion. The book speaks both to those living within a tight budget (me) - I can now identify quality on my own in retail stores or thrift shops - and to those for which money is not an issue. It may sound stodgy that the book gives you knowledge amounting to hundreds of years of combined history from the most prestigious of clothiers, but I feel that it definitely adds to my appreciation of what people are wearing today and what I would like to wear - even if it's not classic. I guess it's analogous to learning psychology in college: with that knowledge, one can more easily define oneself and other people. With information from this book, you now can identify your own and other people's styles more clearly - and its fun. I feel like I've had easy-going conversations with the most knowledgeable of conservative clothing retailers and I can walk into any store with more confidence. A must read!

Have to jump in here. I loved this book, precisely because it doesn't just tell men what to wear. Style isn't about being told exactly what to wear. Style is understanding what clothes say about a man and how to look good! Any book that tells you exactly what to wear is going to be stale in one year. This is the book that lays out the whys!

This book is not an exhaustive 10 volume work on the history of men's tailored clothing, but it doesn't purport to be one. It accomplishes what it sets out to do, very well. With clear and concise writing, and tidbits of information from acknowledged experts (the likes of representatives from J.M. Weston and Turnbull & Asser), this book serves as an excellent primer on choosing high quality and classic tailored clothing.

After reading other reviews of this book, I requested it for the 2006 holidays and received it. I have read it cover to cover and am highly pleased overall. I offer the following plusses and minuses:

+ This book's advice is direct and concise without losing completeness. In a short paperback, the authors give advice on suits, sport coats, shirts, socks, shoes, outerwear, accessories, business casual, and personal style.

+ Closely related, the authors offer salient historical details without lapsing into narration of major style arcs through the evolution of menswear. The rest of their writing offers advice and rules. Lest you be frightened by rules, know that the authors presents rules that you should follow first, understand second, and break creatively third.

+ The authors present opinions of many fine men's clothiers, including Burberry, J. Press, and more.

- There are precious few photographs in this volume, and most photos are of poor reproduction quality. The next best are the drawings and sketches that, while competent to good, do not substitute for photography of men's style icons.

The other indispensable title for a menswear library is "Dressing the Man" by Flusser. It solves the minus above and is the perfect companion to this title.

For the small price of this paperback, you cannot go wrong in adding it to your cart.

Great book and a must have for any man that has even the slightest interest in what he is wearing (whether an expert or not). The book is written in question and answer form with the topics ranging from neckwear / collars to shoes. An excellent place to start if a man is interested on dressing better (or if one is already experienced with menswear)

The book goes into depth on all aspects of men's clothing and is a great resource. It leans towards traditional wear (one won't find a discussion on premium denim / hip hop styles / mixing denim jeans with sport coats) but this book still covers the basics. And, if one doesn't know the basics of style, one can't be advanced, no matter what style of clothing one wears.

There are no pics, just drawings (which worked fine for me). All of the drawings accurately described the topic being discussed.

However, if one wants a truely beautiful book with illustrations and a very deep, rich history of men's clothing, Flusser's "Dressing the Man" is the way to go.

this isnt what it seems - while there is a bunch of stuff on the types of clothes in the world, it doesn't tell you what to wear to work. my husband liked maximum style much more.