TIPS AND TRICKS FOR LOOKING YOUR BEST IN THE NEW YEAR.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR LOOKING YOUR BEST IN THE NEW YEAR.
STYLE PHILE
Dylan & Son tailor and dapper dresser Dylan Chong shares his sartorial commandments.
IN A NUTSHELL: My personal style is about balance and proportion.
SUBTLY DOES IT: The key to the Dylan & Son aesthetic is subtlety. It’s the small details – like a slightly lower gorge – that make someone go, “Ahhh, that’s nice, although I can’t pinpoint what it is that appeals to me.”
ESCHEW EXTRAS: I’m a minimalist, and I don’t accessorise at all. The exception is braces, but they are for function rather than aesthetics.
LOSE THE SAUSAGE CASINGS: My pet peeve is tight clothes. You shouldn’t see the shape of your bicep through your shirt when you bend your arm.
WEEKENDS ≠ SLOPPY: Given our climate, I think it’s fine to be in shorts and a T-shirt. The key is to not look sloppy. I’m almost always in tailored shorts on my days off. I wear them with polos, OCBDs (oxford-cloth button-down shirts), linen popovers, camp-collar shirts, or an oversized T-shirt. If it’s cool enough, I throw on a safari overshirt or unstructured jacket.
LIFE AIN’T FAIR: Tailoring can disguise flaws and accentuate strengths. However, there is a reason why clothes look so good on mannequins: The measurements are balanced and proportionate. The truth is that if you have a 36-31-37 (in inches) chest-waist-hip measurement, it will be much easier to make you look good.
FIT ISN’T ALWAYS FAB: The most challenging guys to dress are those who are extremely athletic and heavily built. Photos of athletes in tailored clothes almost always show seam-bursting suits and skinny trousers. The silhouette often resembles an unbalanced inverted triangle.
LIVE LARGE: Guys who are very overweight can be difficult to dress. But there are examples of extra-large guys wearing tailored clothing to great effect. I follow @sartorial_en_plus on Instagram – he is a great example of someone who understands his body type and embraces it.
HOW I KEEP IN SHAPE: I used to play basketball on a weekly basis. However, a “career-ending ” knee injury forced me to give up my NBA dreams. I have been slim my whole life, which is a blessing when it comes to clothes. Nowadays, I just run about 4km to 5km a week to keep fit.
LIVE AND LEARN: My style has evolved over time. Scroll down to the very-early @dylanandson photos on Instagram and you’ll find countless fashion faux pas moments.
ASK A STYLIST
Jerome Aswathi fields the tough questions.
SHOULD I GO SOCKLESS?
Wearing cropped trousers and going without socks is a popular look now, but in our weather, wear hidden socks. Otherwise, never remove your foot from your shoe in public.
IS IT A FAUX PAS FOR MEN’S NIPPLES TO SHOW THROUGH THEIR SHIRTS?
It depends on how dark the nipples are. If they look like two black stains on clean fabric I would advise against it. Wear a darker-coloured shirt, or an undershirt.
SHOULD MEN EVER WEAR MAKEUP?
Celebrities and models are groomed with makeup before public appearances – usually to cover up blemishes, even the skin tone, and conceal dark eye circles. If cosmetics can brighten our look, why not?
