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DISCLAIMER: I’ll keep saying that this site is not for men, but if men choose to be here, come at your own discretion because this point of view is surely bias and if I could guess, I’d say only 10%-15% of my readers are of the male race. I do appreciate it! Anyway, here is some exciting news, in the last 3 months my site reached over 4.3 millions views! WHAT??!!! I’ll have to hire an SEO specialists to break down what all this means because I have no clue how my site is searched or found. There is an analytics tab in the admin view, but I don’t ever touch those settings. All I know to do is write, add pictures, include links that earn me commission, and make my site look presentable.
Speaking of presentable….
The styles I like on men have definitely evolved over the years. When I was in my late teens, early 20s I liked the flash mixed with a little ruggedness. Think DMX and Roc-a-Fella circa 1998. I grew up in during the hype of the underground mixtape era in the northeast, and that’s what the main 80s/90s fashion looked like - white wifebeaters or white tees, jean jackets, baggy jeans, and Timberland boots. In the winter, we wore the marshmallow coats or Starter jackets. I don’t know what the style was around that time in the south (since I leave here now) but, this was the look for us in my area.
The change in my taste parallels with the elevation I have in my own life. I am no longer a retail associate working at the mall or an entry-level customer service representative making less than 55k a year hoping for something different to happen. I am around people/men who are in higher levels of business or who are more grounded in their every day interests and who don’t sit around waiting for things to happen, they make it happen. One of my good guy friends is learning how to make and sell pipes, and he’s getting pretty good at it. Another guy friend is starting a logistics company. I’m around men who talk about stocks, real estate, business start-ups, politics, social issues, and travel which are all also my current interests. I’m still down for a crazy night on the town and foolish activities, but it’s just not as often or only on special occasions. My different girlfriend groups all have their own sense of style for men. Some like the all rugged look and others like the clean suites and ties. I am somewhere in the middle. — Be comfortable, be casual, be natural, but also be decent.
Nowadays, I like men who like to dress business casual or similar to Harvard professors - dark denim, collar shirt, and may be a good sport coat/blazer. And it’s something about a man in a turtleneck or a thin cashmere sweater 👀😍. I notice details too, the watch he wears, the shoes, the socks, and any jewelry. I don’t fare well with ripped jeans, tight pants, and no socks with dress shoes. Nor do I admire bright colors or loud patterns. I shop at places like J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Ralph Lauren for my everyday clothes, so I like men in that style range. (My outfit today is straight from the Ralph Lauren catalog. I buy men’s sweaters because I' like the fit better. It’s the same with sweatpants, I pull from the men’s section.) And I LOVE A LONG WOOL/PEA COAT! Although. I’ll still turn my neck for a fresh Timberland boot and dark wash jeans, it’s still a signature style for the northeast, it just has to fit the man right.
Toxic Envy Boutique: Search “Dreya” Dress
Here’s my breakdown of looks I think are so appealing on men:
Spring/Summer
Light color slacks or Dark denim
Plain fitted t-shirt or light button up collar shirt
Casual sneakers or boat shoes
Blazer or sport coat
Baseball cap, paperboy hat or fedora
Fall/Winter
Plain sweater, turtleneck, or button up shirt
Dark denim or dark slacks
Casual sneakers or boots
Long wool coat with a scarf
Fedora
I don’t know when I started doing it, but I look at the clothes before I look at the man. I think it is because I am very meticulous with how I step out that I scan what men consider being presentable. In middle school I went through a Tommy Hilfiger phase, 75% of my closet was T.H. and it helped that my aunt worked for the man. One of my guy friends in Georgia is always asking me to come out and help him to shopping for a new wardrobe. I think I told you guys in a previous post that this website used to give style tips, I don’t do that anymore but, I do share my fashion looks from time to time. Image is important to me, so is making a good impression. Yes, I can get distracted by what a man wears. I’m naturally observant and I’ll notice if he wears certain colors or types of garments often. I like a man who takes pride in his appearance, who doesn't just throw anything on before he leaves the house. I like a man who takes care of himself internally and externally.
