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subject: Qulity clothes improved man's charm [print this page]

Being a fashionable guy takes a bit of doing, but it isn't as hard as you might think.

Clothing purchases are one of the first to feel the pinch when a recession arrives, and in many

households, it is the man of the house who suffers the clothing budget cut first.

This is tough luck for a nation of men who aren't known for their great dress sense in the first place.

"They really do need to be given some confidence," saysPaul Blomfield, a public relations consultant

to the fashion industry.

Blomfield is more a fan of having different outfits for daytime and weekend dressing. Different but

always stylish.

"Style is generally achieved through the way things are put together and how they fit. Also, if you

only ever buy from chain or discount stores, the fabrics will give you away - they just don't look new

enough for long enough."

Blomfield says there are plenty of ways to be clever with your fashion spend.

Office workwear doesn't have to be all suits and ties, he says.

"I have to confess I'm pretty much a jeans man these days, but I don't wear damaged, distressed or

even faded evisu jeans. My jeans are always new, crisp and shiny.

"I prefer Wrangler sharpshooters or straightshooters, because they're slimmish in the leg and not very

grungy."

Laguna beach jeans can, Blomfield says, provide the foundation for a good, practical business crossover

wardrobe. "I don't work in the office all the time. The dress in corporate offices is different, but most

of us don't work in that world and we can get away with a good sharp pair of jeans."

So jeans at work are OK when they are put together with a well- tailored shirt and a smart jacket?

"Yes. And don't forget to pay attention to your shoes. If your shoes are sharp, your shirt is slick and

well made and you have a nice jacket, then you can wear jeans in nearly any environment."

Blomfield's wardrobe does contain a "great" pair of trousers that aren't jeans, but still pay homage to

the comfort he holds dear. "I have to go to a lot of events and you have to be able to read your

event, and sometimes you just can't wear jeans."

Ad Feedback "Living in the public eye during the week means that at the weekends, I tend to wear

really shapeless, easy, comfortable stuff and only if I have to go out and party do I put on something

sharper."

A good jacket can make the wardrobe and Blomfield's advice is to invest carefully in well-made, well-

designed items, rather than succumb to the lure of a cheaper, less polished alternative.

Spring officially starts today, and while the shops are bulging with the new season's offerings,

Blomfield says those with smaller clothing budgets should resist the urge to splurge on one-season

wonders.

Instead, only items that won't date and can be worn year after year, should be bought.

Qulity clothes improved man's charm

By: chloe

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