Off the Cuff - Carson Kressley [3]
I still don’t claim to be the world’s foremost expert on fashion—shocking, I know. But I have had a unique opportunity to get a real education in clothes. I have an inherent ability to say, “That won’t look good on you” and “This will look great on you.” You may be a software engineer or a waiter or an insurance salesman. There are tax accountants who know every single law and loophole, God bless them. I know all the tricks of the fashion trade. That’s my job.
One day in 2002, I was doing a catalog shoot in the Florida Keys, when one of the photo producers said she’d heard something on the radio about this new TV show that was looking for all these gay professionals with different areas of expertise. The only thing I knew was that it was being done by Bravo. At that point, I thought Bravo was a nonstick cooking spray. I was like, “Hmmm. I think I have some Bravo from when I made muffins last . . .” Fast forward two years, and now I’ve made a new career of helping clueless straight men dress better.
Which brings me to this book. This book is an easy, step-by-step guide to help you know what to wear and when, what to get rid of, and how you can shop—whether it’s at Neiman Marcus or T.J.Maxx—with the confidence to know what you’re looking for. Men’s style books tend to be dry and stuffy and serious. I won’t go there. You don’t need to know who the Glen in Glen plaid is and why he’s so fond of this plaid of his. You don’t need to know the history of tweed. You just need to know what looks good on you, what makes you feel good, and what helps you get from point A to point B.
I wrote this book for straight men who need it and for the women who love them, but, lest we not forget, also for my gay brethren. Because we all know that bad taste does not discriminate. I don’t care if you’re gay, straight, or bi, just get some good clothes for God’s sake.
Let’s get one thing out of the way, shall we? There’s nothing wrong with caring about how you look and dress. It’s not at all superficial. To me, that’s like saying it’s superficial to care about having clean underwear. Or taking care of your teeth. Or going to the doctor. It’s just what you should do.
A lot of straight men have been afraid to care too much about how they looked, for fear that they’d be perceived as being gay. But now everyone wants to be a metrosexual. Gay is good! We live at a time when the average straight guy has permission to ask questions that he normally felt uncomfortable asking, like, “Does my butt look big in these pants?” and “Are these pleats okay?” (No, by the way) and “Should I get a manicure or highlights?” Questions that guys never would have uttered, they’re now asking me at the TGI Friday’s in LAX airport. In front of their wives, no less! Times have changed. And I am personally writing you a permission slip to your principal or supervisor or whomever to look good and feel good.
You do have to tread that fine line, though. It is superficial to think that if your teeth are whiter and your shirt fits better, you’ll be happier. Those things might give you that extra little bit of confidence that will inspire you to achieve. A little taste of looking good can be very inspirational. Suddenly you want to be better the next day, and the next, for the rest of your life. Looking good is just the first step in empowering yourself. And further down the line, everything comes together in a package where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s like my career in math in elementary school: 2 + 2 = 5. Oh my God, I feel just like Tony Robbins.
By the way, looking good has nothing to do with how much money you spend or what designer labels you wear.