Men Makeover: Honey, take care of your look!
He loves shapeless trousers, hoodies and can’t let go of his (very, very) old boat shoes. How do you make him understand that style is essential?
The urban hipster might be going into his thirteenth month in fashion enthusiasm or wasting away precious dollars on an expensive haircut in the barber shop. But it’s not something you want in your own household. If this is what it takes to work the beautiful gentleman look, then most women still prefer their men with shaggy hair who are content with their minimal dressing: African safari-themed shirts, skinny jeans, a sweater whose colour is too close to his complexion... There is research, in fact, in this non-narcissist, mass anti-style man. His clothes are relics, travel souvenirs, even war uniforms (you might have even seen a Pif Gadget shirt in his drawer once). We’re sure you can’t imagine forcing him out of his ways, but you could be having an eye sore and just wished he had a good look in mind.
OPERATION FASHION POLICE
She, who loves challenges as seen on TV will enjoy an exercise like this: make a left pile for work uniforms (dress shirts) or anything that has ten copies of similar items. On the right, pile the weekend outfits - comfortable, ethnic, flashy - which are probably everything but sexy. Bring a garbage bag. Reassure him, no, you’re not about to throw his stuff out but instead sort, choose, and give up the ones that shouldn’t stay. If he threatens to call his friends while you insist, let him know there’s a difference between looking relaxed and wearing gaudy horrors that make his buddies laugh. The waste bag might be full while he grits his teeth, but now you can finally reveal his full potential.
MISSION MAKEOVER
He dislikes shopping. But you have to try before buying, hence the importance of the entire activity. If need be, promise him a present if he decides to go without resistance: maybe a new case for his iPad.
Identify a potential item: slim with a little bit of an athletic vibe that lends itself well to a dandy style. In a shop, well-approved by fashion stylists, you show him scruffy jeans, chocolate or aubergine tones to black chinos. You could also point him a printed shirt that doesn’t look too offensive (like his previous ones). If he looks good in it then you can say goodbye to the man from the Stone Age.
His verdict upon seeing himself in the mirror: "It's good for the beach.” Don’t immediately ask him to remove everything, but instead offer him something else, something with a whimsical DNA that can echo yours: a sweatshirt tie, indigo jeans, a silk scarf (you’re probably breathing better already). Alas, it's still the beach that comes to mind. With fingers to temples, you have an idea: head to a tropical destination like Sao Paulo, with a cross-genre jacket like Love Boat and gray pants in a tropical wool fabric, like the ones that should remain on the side of the southern hemisphere. Optional details: a pre-knotted bow tie. He’ll have nothing to do but plunge head first into the range. He might hesitate, but he doesn’t complain. Miracle!
The OBJECTIVE: "SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT"
We’ve all been there - losing count of the number of times we’ve tried to do this makeover for him. You have to admit: a sweater in organic cotton, a "safe haven", but too beige for his taste, so much so that he might even say there’s not enough orange. Those purple sneakers were a little overpriced, but at least he prefers them over his old boat shoes. A neoprene sweater with the inscription "Minet" (French slang for ‘sweetheart’) incites malicious intent, but is purposeful. This time you leave the temple of fashion with good shopping, slim pants, versatile shirts, approved accessories. The reminder of an electronic bracelet cap might have crossed your mind. It's castrating. You once saw him freewheeling with bags filled with bermudas, glasses, a sandwich and spare flip flops. It sounds funny, yes, but definitely not when you were leaving on your honeymoon. You can say goodbye to THAT man!
Valérie Rodrigue and Nur Syazana H.
