Off the Cuff - Carson Kressley [40]
For the record, I don’t mind a sports watch, I just recommend you don’t overly trick them out. Your watch shouldn’t be able to land the space shuttle or locate a stolen car. It’s a watch, not a LoJack.
The Fake Rolex Dilemma
When it comes to designer knockoffs, men don’t fall into as many traps as women do. But the one place in the marketplace you will find designer imitations for men is in accessories—watches, shoes, belts, and luggage.
If you’re buying a Rolex for $50 from a guy on the corner who also sells incense and windup barking dog toys, I have news for you: It’s not real. I would much rather see you buy a cool, well-engineered, great-looking Swatch for fifty bucks than have you wear a fake Rolex. It isn’t who you are, it’s pretentious, and—oh yeah—it’s illegal! If you are a Rolex kind of guy, that’s great, but buy the genuine article. Buying a fake Rolex is like having sex on the Internet. It’s not real.
The real thing costs more because it is the real thing—you’re paying for construction, classic design, and overall quality. When you buy a fake, you’re not getting any of that. I’m not going to get all PC (politically Carson) on you, but the bottom line is you get what you pay for. Even I’ve bought fakes, I confess, but they’re never worth it.
Guys should also think about the scale of their watch in ratio to the size of their wrists. You don’t want a big hunking piece of metal if you have a skinny little chicken-bone wrist. You know what they say: big wrists ... big watch. Once again, invoke the head rule: If the watch is bigger than your head, it’s too big. Actually, it should never be bigger than a half dollar.
CUFF LINKS
In the last few years, there’s been a subtle shift in men’s fashion. Because a lot of guys aren’t wearing suits—or even ties—every day, the shirt itself has now become the canvas for self-expression. Everywhere you look, you see beautiful striped woven shirts that look cool whether you wear them with dress slacks or with denim.
With great thanks to our friends across the pond, a lot of the wonderful shirts out there, from Thomas Pink to Paul Smith to moderate American designers, now have French cuffs. And American men are baffled by them. They leave the cuffs hanging all the way down to their fingertips or they roll them up. Wrong answer. By doing that, you’re not making the most of what can be a great look—all it takes is a simple investment in a great pair of cuff links. Don’t be afraid.
Adding a cuff links can really personalize your wardrobe. They can say a lot about your personality and add a lot of sass or class. They can act as a nod to a favorite hobby, a zodiac sign, whatever. They shouldn’t be too big and you should avoid being too whimsical: Teddy bears and bunny rabbits might not be the best choice for attracting a mate.
For a classic look, I love a nice sterling silver oval from Tiffany’s. If you want to do something funky or fun, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money, flea markets and secondhand stores offer an amazing array of cuff links for next to nothing. Problem solved!
SUNGLASSES
I can’t say enough about the importance of sunglasses. They protect your eyes, keep you from squinting, and prevent the need for botox in the future. And they make you look like a movie star. What more do you want? It’s the easiest fix in the book. When I put a great pair of sunglasses on somebody, it’s always transforming.
You’ve now heard me say this a million times, but when looking for sun-glasses, keep it simple. If you go crazy with sunglasses, you’ll look like Elton John or somebody from MTV’s House of Style or like you just got back from Ibiza. We don’t want that. No colored tints, either, or you’ll risk looking like Anastacia. I love her music, but it’s not the right look for most men. Bone structure. Go figure. You want classic sunglasses, like Ray-Ban Wayfarers, which Tom Cruise wore in Risky Business. Aviators also look hot on almost everybody. (Hello! Tom Cruise in Top Gun!) In fact, when in doubt, just