Nordstrom Guide To Men’s Style
By Tom Julian with foreword by Pete Nordstrom
Chronicle Books, $19.95, 526 pages
The idea that packaging and presentation is everything may seem to be a bit of an exaggeration to you, but there’s no discounting the fact that substance, while really the most important, is practically nothing without it. Nowadays, we generally accept this notion to be self-evident in everything, including men’s fashion.
Consider the possible consequences to you: the right clothes can turn an interview into a job, a lunch meeting into a deal, maybe even a blind date into marriage. These may be one-time shots, but the trick is in creating an impressive wardrobe that not only looks great, but also looks great on you, in order to make all these and more happen every single day, and all the time.
Tom Julian’s Nordstrom Guide To Men’s Style is the definitive handbook for dressing well, and it teaches you all those tricks-painlessly. It’s easy-to-use system helps men identify their personal style, and shows how to incorporate that style in suits, sport coats, trousers, shirts, and tuxedos. With a solid endorsement from Pete Nordstrom, author Tom Julian demystifies the terms, rules, and logic used by menswear insiders. This way, you can choose the right fabrics and patterns, select appropriate cuts and accessories, find the best fit, create your own personalized look, and assemble the perfect wardrobe for your lifestyle. You’ll also find essential technical advice from Nordstrom tailors, packing tricks for travel, and an emergency stain-removal and care guide. And as if that were not enough, there’s a section that features additional helpful resources, and not to forget, an easy guide on how to shop with Nordstorm’s online, phone-in and in-store services. So, there is hope after all–you can dress up well, that is, if you can afford it. But then again, can you really afford not to?
Reading through this glossy guide, if you believe that vanity is women’s domain, you are in for a big surprise. Tom Julian’s Nordstrom Guide To Men’s Style, which is touted as containing “everything you need to know about the essential elements of men’s clothing,” will change your mind. The way with which the book illustrates, deconstructs and delineates the details and vagaries of men’s fashion, proves women cannot seriously take sole claim to vanity. Men, too, (and no matter how much it is denied, perhaps even earnestly), are just as vain. The difference of course is that men simply don’t fuss, making it less obvious. And for what it’s worth, this book has your name on it.
Reviewed by Dominique James
