Nature Knows Best

I read a lifestyle writer in a major broadsheet telling men that colored jeans are the IT thing and that men should not be afraid to wear them. I couldn’t disagree more.

I mean, I know a lot of the big-name designers are reviving colored jeans on their runways, but doesn’t mean we should all start looking like members of Menudo. For those of you not old enough to know who they are, Menudo launched Ricky Martin’s career. Think Latino Backstreet Boys in the 80’s.

My point here is that men’s and women’s fashion and style should not crossover to the each other. The difference is necessary to ironically create fashion harmony between both genders.

A good way to think about this is to look at nature. If you think in terms of plants, I like to think of men as leafy plants; those with no brightly colored flowers, but where the accents come from leaves with varying shades of the same color family (not necessarily green).

These plants do not call out attention but they hold their own in terms of how they complete a landscape. They provide the backdrop for the stars of the garden – those plants with brightly colored flowers – women.

We men have to accept our role as our girlfriend’s or wife’s perfect fashion accessory. We shouldn’t dress to call attention to ourselves, but rather to help bring out the beauty of the women around us.

For me, the best example of this principle in action is how Ashton Kutcher dresses when he’s with his (cougar) wife, Demi Moore. If you Google images of this couple you will find that, in the pictures that they are together, Demi is the clear standout; husband Ashton is careful to pick the right outfit to help make sure this is achieved while managing look good and stylish on his own.

Often, men who dress like they are the “flowers’, do get the attention they crave for, but not necessarily the right kind. How do you avoid this? Well, stay away from loud and busy prints and avoid bright colors.

Don’t get me wrong… I am not against wearing color per se. In fact, I’m all for expanding your shirt selection to items that are not blue, white, black or gray. However, the thing to remember is to stick to hues that are more subdued. For instance, it is perfectly fine to wear a pink shirt, but fuchsia is a whole different story.

If you want to try something different for your pants, do not experiment with color. Stick with the trusted shades of blue, black, gray, and brown; white, for me, is even a hit-or-miss kind of color for pants. Rather, look at pattern (e.g. plaid, pinstriped, etc.) and/or fabric (e.g. linen, corduroy, etc.).

Now if you’re trying out for, say, American Idol, and know deep in your heart that you can’t sing and that the only way you will get some air time is to stand out in the crowd, then by all means, be a freaking bouquet!