I know some people that would probably choke themselves laughing if they knew that I authored this review. The reason - well - not to state the obvious, but I havent been generally regarded as the quintessential fashion icon.if you will. to put it in rather eloquent terms. In my teenage years(ugh, I already feel like I’m reaching my prime), all I can remember is wearing glasses that just about filled my face. and a mouth full of steel braces. When I got out of high school and into college, I had these bursts of inspiration - the urge to belong - the desire to be IN - but god only knows my valiant attempts to jump into the fashion bandwagon were starting to seem like a lost cause.
Unwilling to resign myself to my fashion’unconsciousness’, after some soul searching - I decided it was time to keep up with the joneses. Inspired by my sudden burst of enthusiasm, I decked myself up in what seemed like’cool gear’ and began strutting around like some kind of thug gangsta. Gone were the glasses(replaced by subtle contacts) and gone were the steel teeth(at least I didnt look like the Jaws shark anymore). But there was just a small problem. I was 25 and the people that inspired me were no more than 18 years old. And the last time I checked, Fubu, Quicksilver, oversized baggy pants with half my boxers showing and Nike shoes weren’t exactly’my’ kind of deal, if you know what I mean. A couple of gold teeth, a lowrider with chrome rims and Dr Dre blasting through a sub in my car was all it would have taken for me to complete the package.
I really had to do something drastic, cause I felt I was quickly becoming fashionably UNFASHIONABLE. So with the help of some good friends, I began the search for my own fashion identity. The search was long. The search was hard. But finally it worked. I found myself settling into my own fashion niche that I knew was me - all the way. And don’t worry I’m no narcissist, I just regard myself the most fashionable guy in the world.
With this prologue, I’ve either got your attention or you’ve skipped over to the next review. For those of you who still want to go ahead and read the rest of this review, I will, without further ado, go right to the’Ryder’s choice’ of 5 most fashionable accessories that maketh a man.
- GAP
This store is where I get most of my threads. From all my jeans to a couple of denim jackets to some really nice T shirts and pullovers, I’ve found that Gap always has the fit that I’m looking for. I don’t really hit the baggy oversized scene anymore, (I’ve gotten over my Fubu days) - now I’m trying out a subtler version of the’That 70’s show’ look. But I’m no Ashton Kucher. Close but not quite. Just kidding. Anyway if you’re looking for some good casual wear for pretty much any occasion(other than black tie) Gap’s got some good stuff for you.
- TOMMY HILFIGER
Ok, I’m sure I’m going to catch some heat on this one. Tommy is a racist, blah, blah, blah. first off from what I hear, the whole Oprah episode where he allegedly made racist comments about his clothing line.is the figment of someone’s overdriven imagination. I, for one, see absolutely no harm in wearing Tommy Hilfiger.I like the red and blue ensemble to begin with. and I think Tommy jeans are pretty radically styled. I also hear that Tommy Girl is one of the most preferred perfumes to give your girlfriend on Valentine’s day. So if you have no qualms about looking good or pleasing your woman, Tommy’s got some good stuff for you.
- GIORGIO ARMANI’S AQUA DI GIO
On to colognes, this is by far one of my favorite colognes. How do I measure the quality of the cologne? Among other things, it is how many female heads I am able to turn when I walk into a room full of people.(God I sound so damn conceited). But seriously Aqua Di Gio is a subtle smelling cologne that lasts longer than most of its contemporaries. It’s got a musky scent and unlike a lot of other colognes doesnt fade away when you’re in a smoke filled environment. The smell lasts and it’s good.
- PROLINE SHIRTS
For those of you who havent heard about this one, Proline is one of India’s biggest casual shirt clothing lines. Proline has some great stuff that is amazingly good quality at a very affordable price. I have a checked shirt by Proline(the oldest one I own) that is about 8 years old. It still looks good as new and I still get complimented every single time I wear it. It also falls nicely into my collection of retro 70’s stuff.
And last but by no means whatsoever the least:
- DOC MARTENS
The last word in great looking casual leather shoes and boots. I have been a Doc Martens shoe fanatic for over 10 years now and only recently I acquired a pair of my own. These are great to wear, very comfortable and they go with absolutely anything be it formal or casual. The fit is great - and they always keep me a whole 2 inches above the ground the whole time(so I can fool people into thinking I’m almost 5’11.if they only knew).
Well there you go. That’s the five I give my five stars to. I don’t intend this to be any kind of fashion advice to anyone, this is strictly my choice. Fashion is a very personal characteristic - even though it is derived in large part by watching trends - but at the end it’s what you like that will bring out the real you.
Happy accessorizing, fellow fashion freaks!