Off the Cuff - Carson Kressley [0]
Title Page
Copyright Page
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 - Shoes BAD SHOES, YOU LOSE, OR A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CLOG
CHAPTER 2 - Underthings UNERWEAR, T SHIRTS, AND NAUGHTY SILK TEDDIES. JUST KIDDING
CHAPTER 3 - The Devil Wears Pleated Khakis THE WIDE WORLD OF PANTS, SHORTS, ...
CHAPTER 4 - Chest Wear That’s Best Wear SHIRTS AND SWEATERS, BABY
CHAPTER 5 - Everyone Looks Good in a Suit, Period SUITS, BLAZERS, TIES, AND ...
CHAPTER 6 - It’s a Wrap JACKETS, SCARVES, GLOVES, AND HATS
CHAPTER 7 - Accessories LAST THING ON, FIRST THING NOTICED
CHAPTER 8 - The Eighties Called, They Want Your Hair Back SKIN, HAIR AND ...
CHAPTER 9 - WHO WEARS WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW
CHAPTER 10 - Let’s Make Fashion Happen, People! FINDING INSPIRATION . . . AND ...
EPILOGUE
Published by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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Published by Dutton, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
First printing, September 2004
Copyright © 2004 by Carson Kressley
All rights reserved
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA has been applied for eISBN : 978-1-101-49558-2 Set in Dante Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without prior written permission of bothe the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Pleas purchase only the authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. You support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is printed on acid-free paper. < ∞ symbol goes in a circle> http://us.penguingroup.com INTRODUCTION SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME, MEN HAVE HAD TROUBLE FIGURING OUT WHAT TO WEAR. IT BEGAN, WELL, IT BEGAN IN THE VERY BEGINNING. SETTING: Garden of Eden We hear Eve shouting from stage left. EVE Adam, you’re wearing that fig leaf ... again? Are you kidding me? That is so tired! And so, fashion was born. And here we are, all these years later, and straight men still have no idea what to wear. Over the last couple of years, I’ve spent a lot of time in the closets of straight America. Now I’ve been in the closet myself for a while, but it was never that scary, people. I’m serious. It’s a mad, mad world out there. There are more athletic jerseys than there are men. Polyester is threatening to take over the world. Men actually think they look good in mock turtlenecks and pleated khakis. So while someone else is looking out for the rain forests, I’ve got to look out for wardrobes across the land. How did we get into this tragic situation? Well, it wasn’t always like this. Not that long ago, the world was a much simpler place because fashion was very regimented. There was specific clothing for certain things. Most men had uniforms for work, whether it was an actual uniform or a suit and tie, and sportswear for things like hunting and skiing. Like cavemen teaching their sons to hunt bison and make fire, it was a rite of passage for fathers to take their sons to Brooks Brothers to buy their first blue blazer. Fathers taught sons how to tie ties and pick suits and shoes. And then somewhere along the line—when those pesky cellphones and the Internet became popular?—we became a very mobile society and all those conformities fell by the