Giles - The gentlemans guide to cool : clothing, grooming & etiquette

THE GENTLEMANS GUIDE TO COOL:
Clothing, Grooming, Etiquette
Paul Giles

Published by Classic Author and Publishing Services Pty Ltd.

Imprint of JoJo Publishing. publishing

First published 2015

Yarras Edge

2203/80 Lorimer Street

Docklands VIC 3008

Australia

Email:

Copyright 2014 Paul Giles

All rights reserved. No part of this printed or video publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

The information, views, opinions and visuals expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the publisher. The publisher disclaims any liabilities or responsibilities whatsoever for any damages, libel or liabilities arising directly or indirectly from the contents of this publication.

JoJo Publishing

Editor: Julie Athanasiou

Designer / typesetter: Working Type Studio (www.workingtype.com.au)

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Creator: Giles, Paul Antony, author.

Title: The Gentlemans Guide to Cool : clothing, grooming & etiquette / Paul Giles.

ISBN: 9780994275585 (eBook)

Subjects: Mens clothing.

Grooming for men.

FashionSocial aspects.

Port Campbell Press

Digital edition distributed by

Port Campbell Press

www.portcampbellpress.com.au

eBook Conversion by

This book is dedicated to my mum and brothers, who raised me and guided me toward a privileged life.

C O N T E N T S

YOUR WAY, NOT THE HIGHWAY

Developing your own style

IT TAKES ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

Dressing for your body shape

TRUE COLOURS SHINING THROUGH

Choosing the right colours

ACT YOUR AGE, NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE

Dressing your age

WHEN SIZE DOES MATTER

Knowing your exact measurements

JUST GOIN TO THE SHOP

Key shopping tips

WARDROBE DNA

The 12 essential wardrobe items

IF IT SUITS YOU

Choosing the right suit

ITS ALL IN THE JEANS

Buying jeans

MR. T

Choosing the classic T-shirt

WARM AS TOAST

The coat

JACKETS 35

Sports, blazer, denim

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE

The leather jacket

IF THE SHOE FITS

Shoes

RUN FORREST, RUN

The sneaker

SOCK IT TO EM

Socks

REG GRUNDIES

The importance of underwear

DEAD HEAT

The tie & how to tie it

THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE

The pocket square & how to fold it

BELT UP TIGHT

The right belt

LAYER UPON LAYER

Layering your clothing

SCARF THEORY & KNOTS

Scarves & how to tie them

YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR HAT ON

Choosing a hat

ITS IN THE BAG, MAN

Choosing the classic, versatile bag

INVEST YOUR MONEY WISELY

Buying a wallet

TIME IS TICKING

Choosing a watch

RAISE YOUR GLASSES

The right glasses for you

THE FAMILY JEWELS

Mens jewellery

DA DRESS CODE

Dress code etiquette

FIRST DATE, CHECKMATE

Dressing for a first date

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Preparing for a night out

BUSINESS & PLEASURE

Tips for social business events

THE WEDDING PLANNER

Wedding etiquette

BUDGIES vs. BOARDIES

Speedos, shorts or boardies?

CLEANER THAN SQUEAKY

Washing tips

NO STAIN, NO PAIN

Stain removal

IRON OUT THE KINKS

Ironing tips

PACK, STACK & RACK

Storing your clothes

PACKING MY DACKS

Packing clothes

KEEP EM MEAN, CLEAN WITH A SHEEN

Clean it, store it for longevity

SMOOTH AS SILK

The perfect shave

BAD BREATH BLUES

Treating bad breath

HAIR RAISING IDEAS

Hair care

SCARY HAIRY

Removing unwanted hair

HELPING HANDS & FEET

Hand & feet care

CLEAN & DRY UP

The importance of drying yourself

FACIAL FURRING

Facial hair to suit your face

EVERYBODY SWEAT NOW

Sweating tips

WAKE UP & SMELL THE ROSES

Choosing the right scent

ALL YEAR ROUND & ROUND

Winter routine

STRANGER THAN FICTION

Grooming myths & old wives tales

YOU DA MAN

The importance of confidence

LADIES & GENTLEMEN

Being a gentleman

SCENT OF A WOMAN

Buying her a gift

ROMANCING THE STONE

Female etiquette

START AT THE END & BEGIN AT THE START

Starting & ending the day

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!

Never too late to feel good

ITS ALL IN THE PLAN STAN

Planning your time

STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW

The benefits of good posture

THE MIDAS TOUCH

Stress relief

SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE

The gentlemans handshake

THE 20 RULES

I grew up in the 1970s in East Bentleigh, then a tough working class suburb of Melbourne about 18 kilometres south east of the central business district. The men around me all made their living in factories, on building sites or working for the Government. The standard uniform for both work and play in East Bentleigh was flannelette shirts, blue singlets and Hard Yakka pants. From an early age it was instilled in me that being a man and being interested in fashion were completely contradictory. Attending secondary school at Moorabbin Tech meant having dirt under our nails, greasy hair and battle scars from school fights. Any interest in clothing, let alone any grooming routine consisting of more than velvet soap and a cut-throat razor, was seen as sissy.

By my late teens, obsessed with girls and going out on Friday nights, I quickly learned that the time I spent on my appearance through clothing and grooming practices brought great rewards. I began to observe guys from different suburbs who took the time and effort in their appearance. The clothes they wore were different; their hairstyles crafted and styled, things never seen in our neighborhood. Even the shops in their part of town were different; clothing stores and window displays with mannequins wearing colorful, tailored and modern attire. I remember riding my bike to these shops and discreetly looking from every angle and viewpoint for hours. In these parts of town the guys would wear a lemon-coloured jumper with a baby blue-coloured shirt coupled with green cords. Girls admired their every move. These guys werent called poofters for looking good and I wanted to be like them. I would happily catch the train into the city and walk for hours to look at the stores and see what was in and how outfits were put together. I would scour over every advertising campaign on route and soak up as much visual information about mens fashion as possible.

As my interest in fashion grew, I observed people in movies, music videos and magazines with great attention. I noticed men of status, respect and popularity paid attention to their clothing, appearance and physique. The movie