For All You Dudes......
..…For our "How to Look Hot," keep reading. This one's for you xo
On the subway to the studio this morning, we noticed a trend amongst the bros commuting with us. A surprising number of men were wearing this kind of athletic office wear to go to the office. It’s like a new uniform consisting of these stretchy, yucky fabric trousers that are way too tight around the ankles and also accentuate the bollocks region way too much. We found a pair online, and honestly, just look at the photo they have on the website. It’s pornographic.
On top is always a way-too-tight shirt, under a Patagonia bro vest with their company’s logo—something they either got on their first day or while on some work retreat to build unity and trust. Or it’s a synthetic tracksuit-type top with their college or favorite sports team’s logo. And it’s all just a bit too tight. Oh, and they’re always wearing work shoes that look like a hybrid between loafers and running sneakers and schlepping enormous, unwieldy, heavy-looking bag(s). It just doesn’t look or feel all that professional.
Listen, we get it. Everything, including offices, is much more casual these days, and the athleisure look is still having its moment. Of course, this is happening with women too; they’re all over the West Village in all athleisure with their camel hooves out.
Yes, I’ve noticed a lot of Lululemon camel hooves, especially when I get my latte from Plantshed.
But today, we came into the studio and couldn’t stop talking about this. I am always interested in how people, especially men, form an image of how they want to look or what they think they should look like. Is it from Instagram? Is it from their peers? Their family? Their boss? So often, we model ourselves after our friend group or the community that surrounds us. Maybe everyone’s boss wears these pants? Who knows. But, I’ve never wanted to look like X or Y. I’ve always just wanted to look like me and be comfortable, and I think ultimately this is what these guys would say too……..maybe.
Or perhaps fitting in is what’s comfortable???
So today, we wanted to share a few things we’ve learned from 25 years in business—about knowing your size, how clothes should fit, and the importance of fabric selection—so hopefully, our next ride on the subway will feature a little less.…..bulge. (Though honestly, I’ll be sad to see it go.)
Believe it or not, lad (lad being the British version of bro) has been a huge source of inspiration for me. There’s a huge dose of lad in the way we design, and I have a little bit of lad in me too. I’ve been obsessed with the lads growing up in England, and now I’m fascinated with the boys and the bros in New York, especially the ones playing basketball across from the studio, with their baggy shirts and shorts. I love observing all of the lads or bros and what they wear every day. So, I think we can give good advice and could inspire men who come here to perhaps loosen up……literally and stylistically.
When you ask any guy what his waist size is, he’ll tell you he’s two sizes smaller than he is. Women are the same way, but I think women know their true size and lie, but I think men really don’t know. And to be fair to everyone, a size 36 at Ralph isn’t the same as a size 36 at Comme or Dries. Fit is hard to figure out and is a really personal thing; we respect that.
When we first started Duckie Brown, we always had a problem with waist measurements. So one day, I went up to Barney’s third floor (back in the good old days) and measured the waist on every single pair of trousers from every designer on the floor—from Dolce & Gabbana to Prada to Burberry. Every 32-inch waist trouser measured differently. Some were as small as 30 inches, others as big as 36 inches, reinforcing my previous thought about men not knowing their actual waist size. So yeah, it’s hard to figure out.
But over these 25 years, I have noticed that many of our male customers don’t actually know their waist size, and more often than not, it’s much bigger than they think—and it’s OK to have a bigger waist. It’s kind of hot. Most men also don’t wear their trousers at their true waist, and it's rare for men to want high-waisted trousers. So maybe we need to do away with the word and the area of measurement because it all implies the wrong thing. We’ve noticed that everyone ends up wearing their trousers at least three inches below their waist or at their hip, so maybe that’s the area we should really be measuring and designing for.
But that’s always the next debate, where the trousers should sit or where they feel comfortable having them sit. There’s this fear, almost, that when guys are wearing something that falls a bit lower than they’re used to, that their pants will fall off, but unless you have no ass, which if you have a bigger waist is usually not the case, they’re going to stay up just fine. And if it does feel like you’re in between sizes, get them tailored or put a belt on…...but please do the belt one notch less than where you instinctively want to go.
The way your trousers fit through the leg, down to your ankles, and over the tops of your shoes is really important too. When your trousers are too slim down the leg and too tight at the ankle, it throws everything off.
We have many bro-ish clients—they’re not 100% bros, but they're 90% there—but that remaining 10% is open to wearing something new, including what we make. And every time we put them in a pair of bigger trousers, they look and feel so great.
Something to also notice is the puddle where your trousers and shoes meet. This is partially preference. We know men who like a big puddle of fabric, some who only want a small break, and some, like me, who like a bit shorter to show some sock and ankle. It’s all up to the person’s preference, but inseam is something to take note of the next time you try on trousers.
When it comes to fabric, this stretchy, technical fabric should be exclusive to the gym and maybe an errand or two afterward. That’s it. How and why this fabric or way of dressing has bled over into office wear is CA-RAAAY-ZEE.
Well, I think it’s because this material seems better to sweat in. And this technical fabric may be moisture-wicking, but it’s probably also making you hotter, and not hotter in a good way. We just looked up the material for those Lululemon pants pictured above, and it’s called “Warpstreme,” and it’s made of 53% Elastomultiester and 47% Recycled Polyester. What?????? If you needed one more reason not to get them or give them away, one of our bro-insiders also says the fabric washes terribly and smells horrible…….are we surprised?????
Since it's summer, always go with 100% cotton. Yes, it’s going to be hot on the subway, but clothes should be made out of natural fibers, and cotton in the summer is the best bet. They’ll breathe better on a hot day, and if you wear the proper size, your shirt or pants won’t stick so badly when you eventually start sweating.
This all goes for shirts, too. Everything we’ve observed lately is just slightly too tight. I’m not sure if it’s because people think tight looks smart or makes them look slimmer, or if they’re mixing up “tight” and “tailored.” To be clear, tight is not tailored, but I think many people err on the side of tight, thinking it gives them a sharper, more professional look.
But in reality, everyone ends up looking like a stuffed sausage. Don’t get me wrong, if you have an amazing body, tight may be the way to go. But I always feel like if you’ve got it, it’s better not to flaunt it. That’s how I feel about those Lululemon pants and the bulge. It’s great you have it, but let that be a pleasant surprise for someone else……
So what to wear instead????? When you go shopping, remember what we’ve mentioned above and always think classic, not modern. To make things easier, we also have some suggestions…...
For work-appropriate trousers: Check out these chinos or these from Ralph Lauren.
For a beautiful work shirt: Everyone should invest in a few nice dress shirts. We personally think Charvet is the way to go……and go for the pastel pink instead of the standard blue stripes or checker print that everyone wears. And keep it easy—you shouldn’t feel like you’ve poured yourself into your shirt. You need to move.
To replace that free vest or jacket: Try this jacket in one size up, or get this vest (the only acceptable vest, really). And stop feeling obligated to wear something with a logo on it because it was free. But, if you do feel compelled to wear a logo, keep it to a baseball cap…..and it can be the logo of your favorite deli, too.
To replace those hybrid work-running shoes: When in doubt, Clark Wallebees. But we also think Bottega Veneta generally has beautiful men's shoes, but when in doubt, always the Wallebees. If you need something more formal, get black leather Wallebees or buy a pair of these.
And while we are at it, drop the Axe body spray, or what ever that deodorant shit is that smells so loud.
xoxoxo,
The Duckies
PS: Next week, we are previewing the Duckie Brown 50% off sale, which starts May 29th.