Filed under: Fashionable persons, Gossip Girl, Menswear, Shopping, Style Guides
If I were a guy, I would probably wish to be like Chuck Bass. As I like to think fashion is in my blood rather than just in my… female parts, I would probably be a fashionable enough guy to watch Gossip Girl with my girlfriend – pretending it was only to make her happy, but secretly try to work out what makes said Bass a gentleman of such impeccable style.
After a couple of seasons of GG, I would have seen a lot of different sides to Chuck, and thus also excellent examples of suitable attire for different occasions. Still, there are some basic guidelines that stylist Eric Daman seem to follow no matter what, just to make sure Chuck is still, well, Chuck (a small digression: notice how when you say “Chuck” a lot, it suddenly starts to sound really weird? If I were a guy, I hope my name would have been something along the lines of Jonatan – as in that wonderful book. Right, now back to Chuck).
The most important message seems to be pay attention to details. Sure, a guy could rebel against conventions and wear something like this, this or this, but for most guys out there that would probably be pushing it a bit too far. You see, the great thing about Chuck’s style is precisely that even though it’s utterly stylish and creative to boot, it’s still wearable. Good examples of interesting details could be an unusual collar; unexpected use of colour, either by subtle accessories or by donning a whole suit in an attention-seeking colour; or cuts and shapes that deviate just enough from the run-of-the-mill attire to make it more unique. If I were a guy, these items would be right on top of my to-buy-list because of their clever details:
Every guy should own a blazer – and the dark trimmings on this one keeps it from looking like all the other blazers out there.
A double row of buttons easily transforms a simple t-shirt into something more intriguing. I also like that the buttons go further down than what’s common with button-ups.
Chuck seems to wear brogues a lot, and for good reason – they can update any look from simply “okay” to “wow” (but wearing more trendy sneakers with a rather traditional kind of suit can also look great).
This vest does not only offer an (often much-needed) splash of colour, but it also has an eye-catching back.
Paying attention to details is not only useful when it comes to clothing, but also concerning accessories. Now, I know a lot of guys are practically allergic to accessories, but it doesn’t have to be a huge deal. Most of them are functional as well as decorative, and there’s nothing wrong with showing that you have a personality either.
I’ve always preferred bow ties to the ordinary kind (and Chuck seems to agree, by the way!). A light grey bow tie with a white shirt… in my opinion, there is nothing better.
Braces would be a classic if combined with a shirt and a bow tie, but a male me would probably just wear them with a plain white t-shirt. And not just for special occasions, but for regular Mondays and Thursdays.
If I could change one thing about the guys at my school, it’s those plastic shopping bags they use to carry around their music equipment. No, it doesn’t look cool in a James Dean-I-don’t-care kind of way, it just looks sloppy. The male me would own a messenger bag or satchel in a neutral colour that goes with absolutely everything.
Guys – never underestimate the power of a hat. I have yet to find a girl who doesn’t get weak in the knees just by the thought of a hat-wearing man. This trilby is perfect for that relaxed, everyday look, whereas…
… nothing beats a top hat for special occasions (and the higher, the better, if you ask me).
If you are not a tech geek who keeps track of his schedule with a cellphone of some sort, a moleskine weekly planner will make sure you remember important appointments. While being late might be considered fashionable, forgetting something entirely is quite unforgivable.
For the brave ones out there, you can now find Chuck-inspired attire in many highstreet shops, Topman being the front runner. I was mysteriously attracted to their brightly coloured suits (sooo Chuck!)…
… and scarves (which we all know is Chuck’s trademark accessory).
Still, the most important thing to being a stylish guy – and I can’t stress this enough – is how you act. If I were a guy, I would…
♣ … make sure I smelled good. The easiest thing in the world to do, but still so many guys underestimate this it is practically ridiculous. Bring a friend (preferably a female one) if you need help to choose – I guarantee she will feel flattered for at least a month.
♣ … have good manners. You only have to remember the three most basic things: say “please” and “thank you”, and open doors for the gals. If you really want to make an impression, every girl (except my weird sister Cookie, it seems) will be charmed by receiving flowers (unless she is insanely allergic to that specific kind, that is – just do a tiny bit of research to make sure), and a compliment can completely make someones day.
♣ … do something with my life, so I wasn’t just a pretty face. Read a book, watch a movie, learn something. Even Chuck himself would be boring if he wasn’t such a brilliant bastard.
In my limited, small-town experience, menswear always seemed a bit boring. Most shops would carry subtle variations of basically the same pieces of clothing, and male accessories were usually non-existent, or limited to black sweatbands for workout and an anonymous tie for formal events. A few brave ones attempted earrings of various sparkly materials, or pointed boots in, say, red leather, but to me the result usually looked forced and a little half-hearted (though they did earn half a point for making an effort, at least).
My opinion of menswear as a tad boring remained the same – even though I only became more and more interested in fashion as I grew up – until the one day I finally gave in to public pressure and started watching Gossip Girl. Sure, the intrigues can be mildly interesting, and some of Blair’s dresses had me drooling for hours, but what fascinated me the most was love-him-or-hate-him Chuck Bass. Oh, and not the character himself (most of the time, at least – I am only human!). What caught my attention was his wardrobe.
As I introduced Gossip Girl to my younger sister, we would repeatedly turn to each other during an episode and exclaim: “How can a guy wear that and not look ridiculous/feminine?” For those of you who have yet to dive into the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite, let me inform you that silk robes, brightly coloured suits, hair that definitely took more than 30 seconds to style, shirts in various pastel shades and a blazer with sparkles have been involved. During the show there have been lots of attempts to get under Chuck’s skin, but I couldn’t help but wonder about the secrets to his impeccable style.
As I am mature enough to realize that GG is, in fact, a TV show and not reality, I decided to find out who should really get the credit for Chuck’s fashion sense – the stylist for the show. Cue Wikipedia and Google. The show’s stylist is named Eric Daman, and I found some very interesting quotes of his about our favourite bad boy:
After watching both seasons twice now, I think I might have cracked a few of Damans strategies for dressing the mysterious Bass – and I indend to tell you about them in my next post. Well, a girl can’t sit in front of a computer all day, can she?
PS: THIS post is also about Chuck’s style, in a way, if you are interested in the subject…
