We’ve come a long way in the past 100 years. We have seen technological advancements like the computer, the mobile phone (and its successor – the smartphone), the world wide web, and sliced bread. These are all pretty great advancements and have morphed the way our world works for the better, but there are some days that I toss and turn at night thinking about how fashion may be going downhill.
In 1917, the way men dressed was much different; going out meant looking good. In the day and age of the men’s romper (yep, it’s a real thing), I think we could take a page or two from the style book of our male predecessors. Here are three ways I think we can learn from them.
- Dress up to go out (or at least change out of your sweatpants). In the early 1900s, leaving the house meant donning a suit and looking sharp. I think this attitude shows a respect for yourself and a respect for others that we have lost today. I am not saying that you need to wear a 3 piece suit everytime you go to the grocery store, but wearing something more than your workout clothes when you leave the house shows that you care about how you present yourself to world. We all need to dress like a slob now and again – trust me, I get it – but let’s try to make that the exception and not the rule.
- Own at least one nice suit. In the Edwardian age, it was commonplace to have your regular suit and then at least one nice suit. While it is not common to wear a suit everyday in our time period, I think that every man should have at least one suit that he can bring out for special occasions. Hey, you can even wear that thing when nobody else is. Nobody is ever going to judge you for being a bit overdressed – they will probably just be jealous of your swag. You can’t ever go wrong with a well-fitted suit
- Have a classy accessory. Ok, so maybe you would get some weird looks if you were wearing a silk bowler hat everywhere you go, but you can grow your style points significantly if you acquire a nice statement watch or have a signature pair of cufflinks.
The fellas of the 1900s were some classy chaps. I think that is something to aspire to. You don’t have to dress just like them to learn a few style tips. Incorporate these three tips into your wardrobe and you will be well on your way to gentleman-hood. (I’m pretty sure I just made up that word, but I think I got my point across.)
Until next month, Tally ho!
Questions? Let me know.