Style and the Man [Abridged] [Hardcover]

Alan Flusser (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 11, 2010

“If you dispense income on clothes, this book is indispensable.”
— GQ

“Alan Flusser is one of the most knowledgeable experts on men’s fashion, and has created the ultimate reference for everything you need to know about good taste, great style, and where to find it throughout the world.”
— Ralph Lauren

The classic, essential guide for men about buying fashionable and long-lasting clothes by the author of Dressing the Man.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Alan is one of the most knowledgeable experts on men's fashion, and has created the ultimate reference for everything you need to know about good taste, great style, and where to find it throughout the world." -- Ralph Lauren"Alan Flusser is knowledgeable, cultivated, and a true gentleman in every sense of the word. The clothes he created for me in "Wall Street elicited the most attention and applause of any costume design done for any of my films." -- Michael Douglas"There is a difference between having nice clothes and wearing clothes that work specifically for you. Alan Flusser gives you the insight to make the best choices for yourself."-- Bob Costas, NBC Sports"Alan Flusser writes about menswear with authority, intelligence, and a healthy dose of his unique personal style that has made him the wardrober of choice for a distinguished cadre of gentlemen worldwide. "Style and the Man"'s historical references, engaging prose, and anecdotal asides make it a great read as well."-- Philip B. Miller, chairman and chief executive officer, Saks Fifth Avenue"No one knows as much about men's clothing as Alan Flusser--he has an encyclopedic knowledge of its history combined with a modern merchant's insight into design, tailoring, and selling. Read him and absorb."-- Bill Blass

From the Back Cover

Alan Flusser believes that dressing well is something every man can readily accomplish. In this newly abridged and updated edition of Style and the Man, Flusser shares his vast knowledge of men's clothes and provides essential information for anyone interested in savvy attire. This elegantly written treatise will arm any man with a connoisseur's knowledge of the dos and don'ts of buying and wearing quality clothes and how much they should cost, from dinnerwear to casual sportswear. This book is also a veritable encyclopedia on individualizing questions about fabric, quality, and fit, as well as the appreciable and qualitative distinctions between clothes of different prices and makes. Open Style and the Man to discover:

• the difference between a $395 and a $1,000 suit
• what two words to look for on a costly dress shirt's label
• why the folds in a cummerbund should always be worn facing up

From the tuxedo to the Top-Sider, Alan Flusser explains the sartorial origins and modern applications of haberdashery. All a man has to do is tuck this book into a corner of his suitcase or back pocket, and he'll be armed with an insider's knowledge of how to guide the tailor or salesperson in fitting or choosing those clothes that will become long-term players in his maturing wardrobe and personal style.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: It Books; 1 edition (May 11, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061976156
• ISBN-13: 978-0061976155
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 0.6 x 7.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Beauty, Grooming, & Style > Men's Grooming & Style

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Introduction to Classic Men's Style October 7, 2010

By Antonio Centeno

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Length: 4:19 Mins

Summary
Alan Flusser's book "Style and the Man" is an excellent introduction to the world of menswear. In about 140 pages, he covers the foundations of menswear and for any man looking for an introductory guide this book will be hard to beat. Although it does have a few shortcomings, I can't give less than five stars to a book that costs less than two coffee's at Starbucks yet provides a lifetime of sartorial insight. The book itself is of high quality build and has simple yet clear illustrations.

Introduction - My qualifications to review this book
My name is Antonio and I founded an online custom clothier. I talk with men on a daily basis about how to dress properly and have written articles on men's style. I have owned this edition of Style and the Man for 3 months, and have owned the first edition for 10 years.

What I Love about this Book
1. Quality Content - In one sitting, a quick reader can learn the basics of menswear. Alan Flusser does an excellent job hitting on the points that need to be addressed when introducing the foundations of dressing well. His writing style is clear, understandable, and comprehensive to a degree. He doesn't use too many 50 cent words, and attempts to organize his writing in a manner that allows you to build off concepts he taught you in earlier chapters. When explaining somewhat complicated concepts, he makes sure to bring in a drawing to illustrate his point. Most importantly, I feel Alan's writings create a hunger within the curious to learn more.
2. Hardcover Build - The book is physically beautiful - the binding is crisp and clean and the text small but readable. Also the hardcover gives it a higher perceived value in terms of gift giving!
3.... Simple Black and White Images - Some people will complain about this, but I like the simplicity of the drawings as they clearly illustrate the point. There is no confusion as to what Flusser is trying to show you.
4. Value - I would have paid $40 for this book - the information is both solid and timeless. As of Fall 2010 it can be had for 1/4 this cost, an amazing bargain for those that understand the value of information.

What I do not Like
1. Very few updates from the 1st Edition - I loved the first edition that Alan published in 1996. It was much larger, with 2/3 the book being about where to shop and the details pertaining to dozens of men's stores around the world. Unfortunately this dated the book, and drew many complaints. The 2010 edition is this same book, with 2/3 the 1998 version cut out, and with the remaining 1/3 "updated". However, this update seems to have resulted in less than 5% of the content changing. Even the introduction is almost exactly the same! Granted the information is timeless.....but I was hoping for more.
2. Organization could be improved - At 140 pages, this book needs a bit more sectioning in the table of contents and deserves an index. With both of these being defunct, this book is not the easiest to navigate.
3. If you own first edition, not worth the upgrade - There is no new material, 95% of the content is the same from the 1st edition and the few changes are cosmetic.

Final Recommendation
5 out of 5 Stars. Although it has a major fault in not being a big improvement from the first edition, its value price and breadth make it an unbeatable value for any man who does not own the first volume. I recommend buying this book. Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Abridged version of "Dressing the Man" May 4, 2011

By CS

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

"Style & the Man" is basically an abridged version of "Dressing the Man." If you already own "Dressing the Man," there won't be any new information here.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding guide updated and reissued May 11, 2010

By Chris Hogan

Format:Hardcover

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of Style & The Man and have to say, it's good to have Mr. Flusser back on the bookshelf. More than any other menswear writer, he understands what it takes to dress well at a personal level. Genuine style is what matters and that kind of style is a very personal thing. Your skin tone, hair color, eye color, face shape, body type and even your neck height, all play a part in finding the colors, patterns and styles that work for you. Are you short or tall, heavy or trim? Once you understand your own profile, you know what to look for when you go out to hit the stores. Flusser has spent his life figuring this stuff out and dressing some of the sharpest guys to walk down any street. There is a reason Ralph Lauren says he's one of the most knowledgeable experts on men's fashion.

The book is an updated take on the first half of the original Style & The Man - an outstanding book on its own. He's removed the extensive shopping guide that comprised the original book's second half. But that's OK because what we are left with is a straightforward guide on dressing well, fully updated for life in 2010. It's a trim, easily portable volume of 137 pages that's packed with great advice.

So many of these style "guide books" are just generic shopping guides filled with bland advice like where to buy a gray suit and get a big watch. Slim suits might be in right now, but you look bad in one, it's irrelevant. Flusser points out that dressing well is a skill that can be taught, and with the price of fine clothing only going up, men need to take charge of their wardrobes.... He discuses what to look for with shirts, shoes and neck wear; explains the importance of a suit's shoulders fitting properly, why lapel width matters or what you get with a custom suit and why it's usually worth the money. Did you know that good foot wear and a hand rolled pocket square can make any outfit look better; do you know why? This is the practical yet elusive advice that makes a real difference.

Get this book and use it. Actually, get this book and read it because there are not a whole lot of pictures. This is a book that tells you how to dress well, dress for your body and personal style. You'll learn what to look for when you shop, how to wear your clothes and how to pull it all together with panache. Glossy pics of designer outfits may be cool, but they can't do all that. An excellent Father's Day gift. Read more ›

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A Handbook, not a Tomb July 11, 2010

By C. Cutting

Format:Hardcover

This version is a very utilitarian handbook on how the major aspects of a gentleman's formal wardrobe should be tailored and fit. It is little else.

Taken for what it is, the book is fairly useful and does what many style books do not by suggesting alternatives for an identical man. To clarify, Flusser writes that many aspects of a gentleman's tailoring should be tailored to his facial appearance--skin, hair, et cetera--and his body shape--tall, portly, et cetera. This is best summarized in the many type-specific lists that conclude chapters and serve as even quicker references (and are perhaps the best value in the book). However, for a light skinned, gray haired, portly man (hypothetically), he sometimes intentionally makes contradictory recommendations. This is interesting, and again done on purpose, but lacks some depth because there is seldom explanation for the options. How can a tall man look ideal in both single-breasted three button and double-breasted, 6x2 suits?

Honestly, I was expecting more in some form or another. Flusser is among rarified air in today's men's style world, so I am in no position to question his pronouncements. But, I would like more explanation and more obvious thought put into the directives I am given here. Alternatively, more illustrations or information on fabric, weave, and such--the book really does only address cut and color. Something. However, that perhaps goes beyond the point of the book, which is to serve as a quick reference to Alan Flusser's style, not as a guidebook for creating your own or as a stand-alone project or one for the uneducated in the ways of fashion.

I will certainly purchase another Flusser, Dressing the Man, but will probably not look back to this book very often....

If this is what you're looking for, you will be well pleased. If not, you should look elsewhere. Read more ›