I once attended an Awards ceremony and was photographed far more than my male companion. He later mused that he believed it was because “women get to wear stunning gowns, while men are restricted by the standard tuxedo, so women are bound to be photographed more.”
Zac Efron in a John Varvatos Suit via http://justjared.buzznet.com
After soothing his bruised ego, I began to consider whether women really were more fortunate for having such an array of choice, or if men were truly the blessed ones as they do not need to concern themselves with buying or borrowing a different couture dress for every awards ceremony.
Hugo Boss
As a man, you can spend $1500 on a suit, the favorites being Hugo Boss, John Varvatos and Dolce & Gabbana. You can wear that same suit again and again, perhaps occasionally spicing it up with a new pair of shiny shoes, sparkling cuff links or an eye-catching waistcoat. Considering I have been known to spend over $100,000 on a dress, and then some on jewels, it made me seriously consider:
Dolce & Gabbana
If I only had to spend $2000 on my awards ceremony attire, I would have saved millions of dollars by now. This is clearly why I follow a career in fashion and not finance. I am truly on the fence as to how I would feel having only one special suit. Naturally after ensuring that it fits perfectly, I have imagined all the amazing ties I would wish to try and what my signature look would be.
To get inside the mind of the men who frequent the red carpet, I interviewed several friends, all of whom being actors or in the film industry in some way, have walked the walk many times, and I was most surprised by the diversity of the responses I received.
Johnny Depp via http://www.fadedyouthblog.com
It was clear that most actors under the age of 30 had no understanding of what the classic handkerchief was actually used for. Just to be clear, the silk handkerchief that is often seen poking out of the left breast pocket, was originally carried by a gentleman to hand to a lady if she began to cry; for wiping the lone tear from her made up face at a wedding, for when she cried during a romantic movie or for when emotions got the better of her during an acceptance speech (perhaps even her own).
The Handkerchief Gary Cooper
The handkerchief is not for your own usage, nor is it meant to catch a sneeze… Modern men have too often been known to feel awkward when a girl starts to cry, particularly in public, yet if they had a pretty piece of cloth to hand to their lady on such an occasion, I guarantee they would feel a hundred feet tall and very useful indeed. Furthermore, it is not an outdated look. On the contrary, I find it a sexy and stylish touch for a gentleman’s suit. You might not be Johnny Depp, but you will be a step closer style wise, if you have a silky cream triangle popping out of your top pocket. Add a classic pocket watch and chain to your look and you have dramatically set yourself apart from the standard tuxedo.
I am also partial to a sensual silk scarf around a man’s neckline. It reminds me of a charismatic Jon Voight. Many young actors do not see the point of the silk scarf, or believe it to look pretentious, yet they were the same boys who said they would love to walk the carpet with Angelina Jolie. Ironic that the first man to do so was in fact, Jon Voight.
Jon Voight andAngelina Jolie
Kirsten Lea in Armani Privé at the Oscar Awards
On the positive side, it was refreshing to hear how men are beginning to factor beauty treatments into their preparation ritual with far more regularity than I have known before. From facials to tanning treatments to manicures and visiting the barber salon for a haircut and a professional shave, this certainly decreases the gap from the average 30 to 40 minutes it takes a man to get ready to the several hours it takes most women.
