Lupe Fiasco loves sportin’ scarves
I often meet guys who feel like their style needs more. . .they like the way they dress, but they want to be able to stretch their look- meaning they want to be able to wear the same outfit in different ways. Well, the best way to diversify your style is to add accessories. The most basic accessory is a belt, but that’ s more of a necessity. . .we’ll talk about belts another day.
Below are the accessories that can enhance any man’s look if worn properly, I will write about each of the accessories one or two at a time over the next few weeks:
1. Scarves
2. Ties
3. Hats
4. Suspenders/Braces
5. Shades
6. Glasses
7. Out-of-the-box accessories
Lets start with Scarves.
Pharrell tends to rock designer scarves only
at the BET Awards after party. He wore a red and white scarf
during his latest MTV performance of “A millie”
Jay-Z
Jermaine Dupri and Chris Brown
Kanye West
Kanye West
Those who want a classic and clean look should avoid that type of scarf. Focus on getting silk-type scarves that are more neutral in color and that you could possibly wear years from now. This scarf is and should be timeless in look and it’s the type I highly recommend for Urban Gentleman.
Alexis Phipher & Kanye West
You can buy these scarves anywhere and everywhere now. . .I recommend 3 places:
1.) Amazon.com – they have a great variety for great prices
2.) Mall (from GAP to Urban Outfitters)- you will be able to find the trendiest styles at your local mall.
3.) your local thrift store – shopping here allows you to be unique, if you spend the time searching you could possibly find a designer scarf for a really really really cheap price.
For in-store designer scarves: Barneys and Neiman Marcus
(scarves are often seen as either unisex or for women in the retail world, so you may have to visit the women’s accessories area to find these types scarves.)
You can now buy the EXACT scarves Lil’Wayne and Kanye West wear (plus many more) at The Urban Gentleman Store, click HERE.
J a c i n d a of The Urban Gentleman
Pharrell & Kanye looking like BFFs
Pharrell, Marc Jacobs (the LV designer), Kanye
The guys w/ Camille Miceli (LV jewelry designer )(She and Pharrell collaborate to make LV jewelry)
One of my favorite looks from the show.I really like the subtle two-tone shirt, the airy blue and sand colors really compliment each other. The jacket is cool too- really simple and clean.
To view the complete Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2009 Show visit the links below:
Part I
Part II
Kanye has alot going on in this look, but I really like the shoes and the buttons- which includes a Micheal Jackson button. Why, you may ask. . .b/c it’s different and a cool accessory that most men don’t take advantage of.
Pharrell keeps his look very casual as well, he has a b-boy prep look going on. He wears that BBC shirt and those Rayban wayfarer shades every time he gets a chance, huh?I like it though
. . . it’s always good to have certain signature looks in your style.
Who has the better casual look,
Kanye or Pharrell?
Fonzworth Bentley
As many of you know The Urban Gentleman will be covering MTV’s new show From G’s to Gents. As I said before I’m not one for foolish tv (hopefully this show isn’t), but being that the premise of the show aligns itself with UG (Urban Gentleman), I’ll be watching.
What we know thus far. . . .
(who’s always so Morehouse Fresh)
The Gentleman’s Handbook:
Chapter 2: Style
Chapter 3: Etiquette
Chapter 6: Grammer
Chapter 7: Manners
(those are the only revealed chapters so far)
(Check out my first Gs to Gents post for more information)
King James is a king of style
My top picks (in no particular order):
1. Lebron James
He’s called King James for a reason and style is definitely one.
Lebron, dude. . .you look fly
Jay-Z and Lebron in Vegas
Lebron’s casual look is really cool as he’s posing w/ Jimmy Kimmel
2. David Beckham
He’s always at the top of my best-dressed list. What can I say those Brits just have great style. Not only is he the new face of Emporio Armani, he also has a wife that’s equally as chic- Victoria Beckham.
Classic perfection in this suit
The new face of Emporio Armani. . .underwear
He really has a thing for the “one shirt tail in, one shirt tail out” look
see. . .he ‘s doing it again
David & Victoria Beckham
3. Thierry Henry
Some of you Americans may not know who he is (lol), but my international readers and true sports fans know that he is a sharp dresser. His charm and style has landed him a contract as an international “brand ambassador” for Tommy Hilfiger.
I love the suit, great color & material
An international brand ambassador for Tommy Hilifiger
A natural Urban Gentleman
In Barcelona, 2008
4. Dwayne Wade
He always shows up to award shows and events wearing the latest trends and wearing them well. And besides. . . it seems like alot of gentleman are trying to get the “Dwayne Wade look”.
Dwayne rockin the “country/cowboy” look
At the Jay-Z/MJB Tour Kick-off in Miami, 2008
Dwayne loves those Tom Ford aviators
At his 26th birthday bash, 2008
Will Demps – he’s most women’s picture of perfection and his fashion sense has allowed him to snag Hollywood hotties like R&B singer Letoya Luckett.
Tom Brady – he dresses how I expect and want athletes to dress- stylish & clean. I’m sure his girlfriend, supermodel Gisele, gives him plenty of fashion tips.
Alex Rodriguez – he has a really classic style that has made him a GQ favorite.
Terrell Owens – some say cocky athletes always have great style. . .hmmm, I don’t know about that, but T.O definitely does.
Reggie Bush – he’s actually one of the best dressed men in the NFL, he dresses up & down almost flawlessly. He has the complete Urban Gentleman look, he just doesn’t have the UG swagger or class quite yet. . .but I’m sure he’ll get there soon.
The best way to choose a cologne is to go into a mall and try on different scents. This is the best way because colognes smell differently on different people- and it’s important to know if the cologne mixes well with your body scent. If you don’t have time to go into the store and pick out one or if you’re buying cologne as a gift, I’m going to make it easier for you. . .
List of the Best Men’s Colognes:
- Unforgivable by. Sean John
*This is surprisingly my top pick. For some reason it’s a cologne that I automatically wanted to not like. But every other time that I compliment a man on his cologne he says it’s “Unforgivable”. . . that risqué ad that Diddy has seems to hold truth.
- Dolce & Gabbanna
[Classic D&G, The One, Light Blue]
- Burberry:
Burberry Brit for a bold smell
Burberry Summer for a lighter smell.
- Must de Cartier Pour HommeMen with a “taste for expensive things” seem to fancy this cologne.
- Issey Miyake
*This another one that I seem to compliment, but this only smells good on certain men. It’s very important to only lightly use this cologne b/c it can easily become overwhelming.
- Creed
Some men swear by this cologne, they say it really attracts women.
2. Aqva Bvlgari
3. Cool Waters by Davidoff
4. Hugo by Hugo Boss
5. PI by Givenchy
6. Calvin Klein: Euphoria & Eternity Summer
BEST place to smell/test cologne: Nordstrom – they have the best collection of high-end colognes and they have the most helpful attendants.
BEST place to buy cologne: Macys – they always have sales, and they almost always give away extra gifts with their cologne purchases
BEST online store to buy cologne: eBay – they have almost every fragrance for the lowest price on the internet.
*Tip: In between smelling colognes make sure you smell coffee beans. Why? Because coffee refreshes your sense of smell. Most high-end stores, like Nordstrom, will have small glasses full of coffee beans next to the colognes.
Pharrell Williams has a $67,000 purple/pink crocodile Hermes bag
When men first began carrying bags that were traditionally worn by women people laughed- they laughed loud and they laughed hard. But with some of manliest men and top style gurus strutting . . . I mean walking around with these bags you have to ask yourself- is it really THAT bad? Some people think that the "man-bag" portrays 1 of 2 things: you're self-absorbed or you like men. I'm thinking that stigma is changing. The list of of men who rock "murses" grows everyday: Pharrell, David Beckham, Lupe Fiasco, Tom Brady, Seal, Kanye West, Ryan Reynolds, and Terrence Howard just to name a few.
David Beckham w/ a leather brown Prada bag
Terrence Howard w/ his black patent & leather crocodile
Lupe Fiasco and his red Goyard bag
Seal w/ a black leather murse
Tom Brady w/ an army fatigue murse
“Don’t call it a murse,” says PHARRELL, pulling out his second look from the gargantuan purple croc HERMES tote, which he has accessorized with another JACOB key chain, this one covered in yellow diamonds to match the bag’s gold hard-ware.
“It’s not a man purse. It’s my travel bag.”
PHARRELL says style is… "about who you are, where you’re going, what’s comfortable…It’s your attitude that makes it hot.”
“It’s not that I’m necessarily proud of being a nerd,” says PHARRELL. “It’s who I am.”
Pharrell is truly stuntin' with his 2 Hermes murses,he's so proud!
I think he's an advocate for the murses, he'll probably start a non-profit in support of men carrying bags that look like purses. . . (I'm just playin')
So how do you feel about murses & man-bags?
