Socks are often dismissed as just something necessary. Most men take time to plan what shirt and pants to wear for the day, but just put on the first pair of socks they can grab.

Can you imagine someone wearing a nice pair of black jeans with white socks? That will really invite a second look – followed by a look of distaste. To avoid such unpleasant encounters, you must remember the golden rule – with socks, at least — the color of your socks must match or be darker than your pants.

So, if your closet is jammed with dark pants and solid colored tops, it is only right that you stock up on dark socks.

Nothing fancy here, but I wanted to write down a couple of comments about khakis as they are such an underrated pant, but one of America’s greatest contribution to style.

Khaki is a color.  Chinos are actually the type of pant most of us wear.  Most people use the terms interchangeably (like me), but you should at least know the difference. Khaki is Hindi for “dust” - pure, natural, un-enhanced earth.

As the were originally intended, chinos should have no pleats or cuffs.  Plain and simple.  However, the beauty of the chino is that you can add pleats, cuffs, and even an iron them to make a more formal look.

Supposedly soldiers returning from the Philippines after the Spanish American War around 1898 brought home with them tough, light weight pants made from Chinese cotton.  Incidentally, Chino is Spanish for Chinese.  In 1932 the military began using this inexpensive and functional pants as part of their military uniform as supplies were readily available during wartime shortages.  In 1942, the Navy approved khakis for off-duty wear and the American public finally saw their off duty sailors wearing the pants for the first time.

And the rest is history.  The khaki took off from there and now is a staple in any man’s wardrobe.

It does not take a lot to look good. Really, I promise. You just have to know what to wear and where to shop. Oops, wait. That does not sound too easy. Alright then, I change my mind – it can be a bit tricky.

First thing that you need to make sure of is to wear clothes that fit right. Make sure that the leg and sleeve lengths are of the appropriate length. If you find yourself losing or gaining some pounds here and there, don’t be afraid to move a size up or down when purchasing new clothes.

The most challenging part in men’s fashion may be on color coordinating. Don’t pick colors that clash. You would not want to look like the holidays, right? Instead pick colors that are complementary, those that blend well together.  Also take into account what season you are in.  We have a couple of other articles posted in our style advice page that should help you out.

2 days ago we talked about frames and different tints for your sunglasses.  Today we will look at the right shape to fit your face.

Choosing The Right Fit And Shape For Your Face

Your spectacle frames can make you look fun, funky, classic, sexy, intellectual or individual… It only requires careful choosing to get the perfect fit for your face to give you the image you wish to project.

Frames:

Modern frames come in a huge range of colors and shapes and are usually made of plastics or metals.

Plastic frames are colorful and durable. Most plastic frames are made of cellulose acetate or propionate. Other options like Nylon are suitable for people with allergies.

Metal frames usually have a nickel-silver core which is coated on the exterior with other materials. Stainless steel and titanium frames are available for those who are allergic. Titanium frames are also extremely light, but they need to be 100% titanium to be hypo allergenic.

If your frames tend to distort easily, try special materials like Flexon which have a “memory” that helps them retain their shape.

Fit:

Frames should cover your eyebrows and pupils should be centered at the middle of the lenses where vision is the clearest.

The bridge or the nosepiece supports most of the weight of the glasses and should sit evenly and lightly on your nose.

The temples or the side pieces of your glasses should go behind your ears comfortably without obstructing peripheral vision. Comfort cables can hook behind the ear to keep your glasses in place during strenuous activity. Library temples extend straight back and are held in place by pressure, which makes it easier to slip them on and off.

Color Co-ordination:

The color of your frame should suit your skin tone. Cool complexions have undertones of pink and blue and can carry off magenta, black, pink, blue, beige and silver.

Warm complexions have a yellow base. Earthy and autumn colors like brown, gold, maroon, peach, orange and khaki will go well with them.

Selecting A Frame To Suit Your Face:

Your frame’s shape should balance that of your face. Generally, contrasting shapes off set each other well. Pull your hair back and take a good look in the mirror to judge your face shape. Often, faces have a combination of shapes; so trial and error and a second opinion is the most reliable way to a good choice. Here’s a general guide to point the way!

1. Square Face: Has a wide forehead, broad jaw line and a square chin. The face is usually as broad as it is long.

* Choose: Round or oval frames will soften the jaw and add length to the face. The frame should have more horizontal depth than vertical and be wider than the broadest part of the face. Some weight on the top and temples set at the top of the frame will draw attention away from the jaw.

* Avoid: square, narrow styles and ones that emphasize the bottom rim.

2. Round Face: Fairly short with few angles; broad forehead, full cheeks and rounded chin. The breadth and width of the face will be equal.

* Choose: Angular, upswept styles with color or decoration at the temples to draw attention to the upper part of the face and add length. Metal frames with adjustable nose pads are ideal as they will stop lenses from pressing on the full cheeks. Frames should be wider than they are deep.

* Avoid: Overly square, round, or large frames which will add to the roundness.

3. Oval Face: Balanced and proportionate, with the forehead slightly wider than the chin, high cheek bones and small features. This is considered the ideal shape and many different styles will suit this face, so you can afford to be adventurous!

* Choose: Small geometric shapes which are in proportion to the face.

* Avoid: Low swooping temples or large styles that will unbalance or overwhelm the features.

4. Oblong Face: The length of the face is longer than it is wide with a long cheek line and nose.

* Choose: Frames that break the length of the face and give it width. Frames should have vertical depth. Try round, deep or low triangular frames. Strong horizontal lines and decorative temples will add width. A low bridge will help to shorten the nose. Curved frames will help soften the angular nature of this face.

* Avoid: Angular frames and small square shapes that emphasize the length of the face.

5. Heart Shaped Face: Broader at the forehead, tapering to a pointed chin and small mouth.

* Choose: Low triangular shapes like aviators and butterfly frames. Very light colors, rimless glasses and frames with rounded tops and squared bottoms will help to reduce the width of the top half of the face. Low temples will add balance.

* Avoid: Frames which are wider or heavier at the top.

6. Triangular Face: Comparatively narrow forehead and eye line, with a broader jaw.

* Choose: Frames with heavy detailing on the top half. Square, straight top aviators and semi-rimless glasses will help to fill out the top half of the face.

* Avoid: Low temple styles and bottom heavy or small, narrow frames.

Other Features To Consider:

1. Hair:

* For graying hair, avoid silver colored frames. Try brown toned ones instead.

* If you are balding, it makes your face look longer. A strong brow bar will draw attention away from a large forehead.

* Facial hair requires a light frame for balance. Square bottomed frames pair well with a round beard.

* Thick eyebrows require thin frames.

2. Eyes:

* A thick or dark bridge will draw widely spaced eyes closer together. For close set eyes, using a thin, clear bridge will make them seem wider.

3. Nose:

* A low set bridge will make a long nose look shorter, while high temples draw the eye up and away from the nose. A high bridge will make a short nose look longer.

Caring For Your Shades:

Do:

Use both hands to hold the temples, mid way on either side, when you put on or remove your glasses. This will keep them aligned and in shape for longer.

Moisten eye glasses before wiping clean. Warm running water and a drop of mild liquid soap will help remove surface dirt and smears. Wipe dry with a soft paper towel. Spray cleansers are also available at eye care stores.

Use Micro-fiber cloth for wiping. It traps dust and lifts it from the lens. Be careful to machine wash the cloth weekly to remove the dust it holds, or it will scratch your lenses. Do not use any fabric conditioners or softeners while cleaning micro-fiber cloth since it leaves residues.

Ask your optician to apply a special fixing solution on the tiny screws in the frames to keep them from falling out.

Keep glasses inside their protective case when not in use so they do not get scratched, bent, or crushed.

Don’t!

Never use household cleansing agents like alcohol, ammonia, acetone, harsh detergents and such to clean your frames or lenses.

The chlorine in swimming pool water could ruin your glasses.

Never wipe your glasses when they are dry.

Excessive heat will damage both your lenses as well as the frame, so leaving your glasses on the dash board or in the glove compartment of your car is a big no, no!

I’m going to begin a multi-part post on sunglasses.  Yes, a bit late for the summer season, but its better late than never.  So enjoy today’s installment.

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Sunglasses: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

Whether you wear them to correct vision problems, protect your eyes from sunlight or to disguise yourself, sunglasses are a surefire way to change the way you look. Choose the right size, shape and color and they will not only serve the purpose of protection and correction, but bring out your inner celebrity look. Choose the wrong one and you could look, well, like a stereotypical dork.

Sunglasses have a very practical purpose. They are not just fashion statements. Sunlight damages the eyes and the damage is cumulative. It should be stated for those who don’t know that UV-A and UV-B rays cause cataracts and macular degeneration — a leading cause of blindness in older people.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, inexpensive drugstore shades are as likely to give you the same quality of protection as designer brands. To be effective, lenses should block both UVA and UVB rays.

Sunglasses should transmit only 15 to 35% of the available light. If you can see your eyes through the lenses in a mirror, they may be too light. If you wear contacts, use sunglasses as well; contact lenses that claim to be UV-absorbing have not yet been proven to do so.

Glasses should fit close to your face with lenses large enough to cover the entire eye area. Wrap-around lenses give extra protection.

Optically precise and distortion-free lenses help prevent eyestrain and fatigue. Don’t take it for granted that high prices mean good optical clarity. A simple check is to turn your head while looking through the glasses at a pole or a tree — a pole that appears to waver indicates a minor distortion.

Different Types Of Lenses And Coatings:

Plastic lenses are popular as they are lighter, thinner and more impact resistant than glass. However, they scratch easily.

Glass lenses are thicker, heavier and more fragile. But they provide the clearest vision and are more scratch resistant.

Aspheric lenses are lightweight and thin. So if you have thick glasses, these will make a big difference.

Photo-chromatic lenses automatically change from light to dark in bright light, which is convenient for people who can’t switch from regular glasses to sunglasses. But they don’t turn as dark as sunglasses inside a car, since the windshield blocks some of the light rays that make them darken. They may also turn darker indoors than you really want them to.

Polarized lenses minimize glare by filtering horizontal light. They do not protect against UV rays, unless specially coated.

Anti-reflective coating can reduce reflected glare and blurred images which is useful for night driving, but the lenses are difficult to keep clean.

Mirror-coated lens have a thin metallic coating that reflects light away from your eyes but they won’t give you full UV protection.

Scratch resist coatings are available and highly recommended for plastic lenses.

Tomorrow we will cover different types of tints and colors.

Casual Fridays give an opportunity to break away from the usual work clothes. It gives us a chance to express ourselves in the office environment. However, you can land in a fashion pitfall if you dress too casual or outdated for these days.

One way of looking good without really appearing tawdry or overdressed is to wear jeans to the office. A dark pair of jeans gives a relaxed but professional look. Jeans look good when paired with a polo shirt, sweaters or blazers and also go well with a wide range of footwear.

When wearing jeans to work, just remember the clothes you wear, even on casual Fridays, projects your image.  If they have holes are ripped and distressed (no matter how popular the style) your co-workers will look at what you are wearing and respond accordingly.  There are many options in the jeans market and if fit finding a good fit id difficult remember that we can help  you with men’s custom jeans.

With the right pair of jeans, you can look cool and smart without trying too hard.

How many times have we been told to check our shoes before we go out  ?  Your shoes will be checked out by others too.  The thing is, shoes are often the first to catch a woman’s attention. If she likes them, she proceeds with the rest of your look. Otherwise, the shoes will make the first and final say.

Good shoes don’t come cheap. However, good shoes do not only make you look like the man worthy of every woman’s second (and third, and fourth…) look, but can last longer than most of the items in your wardrobe.  Thus, it makes perfect sense to reasonably invest in a pair that you can use in the several special occasions in your adult life.

Zelli shoes are a great place to start……….So, shall we start shopping?

Often, we skip on the little things and focus only on what is obvious. These little things, however, can stare us straight in the eye, telling us how wrong we were in not giving them the right amount of attention.

Some of the items that we often overlook but make a huge impact on our overall style are socks and belts. Whoever said that wearing socks with sandals is okay? Whoever said that it’s alright not to wear a belt when your pants fit you well? I bet that would be the same person who said that wearing a brown belt with black pants is fashionable.

In truth, the small details are what define our fashion sense, and usually, it’s just either we have it or we don’t.

Color coordinating may be one of men’s biggest fashion concerns. While women almost always try to experiment with colors, we find most men playing it safe.

We always see men wearing black, brown, white and blue to keep their overall look smart.  Well, safe can be good. But is it exciting? You know the answer.

Men’s fashion has evolved that we have seen some men explore different colors and patterns, and look absolutely great in them. Obviously, this has not worked for everyone, although there’s no reason it should not.

The key to looking great with colors is finding which ones fit your skin tone. It is actually a personal thing, so it is best not to focus on comparing with others (although a little of it may help). Just remember that it does not matter if you’re dark-skinned, medium-toned, or pale-skinned. What matters is finding the appropriate colors for your complexion.

Looks like my goal of going live by July 1st is going to happen.  The only problem…..its one year later than i wanted.

Oh well - that kind of stuff sometimes happens in development.

Another few days of debugging and i’ll be in good shape to post.  All of the items still are not available, but we are getting closer.