Sharp Stylings #55: Study in Contrasts

We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons.  And living in a post-Mad Men world means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday, I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to appreciate and maybe even adopt.

This past week, my friend sent me a link that made me cringe. I can't bring myself to say who the subject of the link was (*cough* *cough* paul weller *cough*), but that person was wearing flip-flops, denim shorts, and a tank top... a look that has appalled me since I was a pre-Mod kid.

Now, keep in mind, in general, I like this fellow... heck I featured him as a Sharp Styling subject just last week! But in that same week, he crossed into some terrible fashion folly territory while out shopping with his kids in Los Angeles. So, I posted the above article up on the ol' Facebook Mod Male page and got enough comments to fuel this blog for another 3 months alone.

But today I just want to show how two different people have approached Summer wear.

On one hand, you have a public figure, one who has made a career utilizing a 'Mod' aesthetic. He's a multi-millionaire making his money off of his music, interviews, and clothing endorsements, including John Varvatos, Pretty Green, Fred Perry, and Ben Sherman. These companies approach Paul Weller because he's become a style icon thanks to his Mod leanings. And these companies know that if Paul Weller endorses their clothing lines, you can pretty much expect new Mod customers lining up at the doors. So, yeah, it's a bit of a let down to see the guy walking around looking like he's out of 'costume' and taking a Matthew McConaughey approach to Summer style.

On the other hand, you have this guy:

From the Mean Spirited blog.

Here's a nameless Congolese sapeur, also taking a walk with his kids on what is most likely a hot African day. This guy does not have the $$$ of the other and is not getting clothing endorsements. He's just taking the heat in stride and cruising around with his kids without a single name brand shop around him. And he's taken the time to amp up his look, regardless of his environment. I've said it before, but THIS is 'clean living under difficult circumstances.'

Look, I'm not saying you have to wear a suit 24/7, rain or incredible shine. There are ways to dress casually and still look slick in the heat. Light-weight fabrics, short sleeved polos or button-downs, seersucker, loafers, white linen, and yes, even shorts. But please, don't tell me flip-flops, denim shorts, and a tank top is the new, forward-thinking Mod look.

It's just straight lazy.

Sharp Stylings #19: Jocelyn Armel

We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons.  And living in a post-Mad Men world means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday, I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to appreciate and maybe even adopt.

A couple of weeks ago, I touched on the stylings of the Congolese sapeurs. In one of the articles, was a photo of Jocelyn Armel, standing here on the left:

According to the article, this gentleman owns a fashion boutique in Paris which is helping to push forward the dandy image of the sapeurs. Just dig on what this guy is wearing. I thought I knew how to use color in my clothes, but dang! This guy just schooled me!

First off, look at the electric blue of that suit... gorgeous, bright color that would stand out in any setting. Looks to be a 3-button jacket with slanted ticket pocket, too. Next up, the toned-down pink tie. I like my ties bright, personally, but the muted tone of his tie works perfectly to highlight the bright blue of the suit.

Now, for my favorite details of all: the pocket square and shoes! The puffy pocket square appears to have accents of a light green color which match so well with the aqua-green of this shoes... oh yeah, AQUA-GREEN SHOES!! Armel manages to bring together 3 great colors in one outfit: blue, pink, and green. Digest that for a minute...

Hmm... I'd say now's the time to start studying the color wheel!

One last bit of detail: looks like Armel's even got striped socks on and you know how I feel about those!

"...clean living under difficult circumstances."

It's the phrase coined by Pete Meaden that most Mods, I'm sure, say they live by. Some might say it's the simplest definition of 'Mod'. Yeah, I kinda like it myself. It's simple... yet open to interpretation.

When I was younger, I didn't quite understand it. What was meant by 'clean living'? Being drug-free? Being hygienically clean? Being unsloppy? Well, at the young age I was at, I chose to interpret it as being clean (as in taking showers), not sloppy, and fastidious. And I saw the 'difficult circumstances' in a financial sense.

I was a relatively poor kid who saved money to buy cheap, used clothing to have tailored to look as Moddishly hip as possible. I didn't always succeed, but that was what I saw 'Mod' as being about. I used to hear about other guys, around my age, who did have money (usually from wealthy parents) and either went out to buy the best Mod stuff possible or have it tailor-made. I didn't understand the 'difficult circumstances' people like that lived under. If you had the money, it was easy to jump into a certain look. Some of us had to work a little harder, with several mis-steps along the way, towards that end.

I saw guys like us (who didn't have their parents' wallets to supply bespoke threads) more in line with the original 1960s Mods... young guys who were willing to sacrifice what little they had for a better appearance on their own terms. For me, no matter how broke or poor I felt I was, I wanted to look my best. That was probably the biggest attraction the Mod look had (and still has) for me.

Well, thanks to some articles DJ Soft Touch posted recently, I think I've learned what real "clean living under difficult circumstances" is and it's been happening in the Congo for many years. I thought it was tough living as a poor kid in La Puente, CA knowing more about gangs than anyone should (and it wasn't much, really) but I wasn't living in a war-torn Congo.

The Sapeurs are a subculture of immaculately-dressed men in the Congo who can put most Mods to shame with how sharp they look. Despite living with little money, bare resources, and civil wars, these men manage to walk down the streets dressed in beautiful, colorful, dandified clothing as a call for and show of respect. And guess what? They're dressing this way, during the day, with no Mod all-nighters or weekenders to go to!

Photo by Antony Kaminju from bbc.co.uk

Much like Mods, they pay vast attention to detail. According to the Messy Nessy Chick blog, these details include wearing a maximum of three colors in each outfit and leaving the bottom cuff buttons undone. Also, they stress non-violence through mottos like "Let’s drop the weapons, let us work and dress elegantly." And tell me if this sounds familiar: one of the early sapeurs, Papa Wemba, a famous singer in Zaire, has been quoted as saying, "Don’t give up the clothes. It’s our religion."

Let these guys be an inspiration to you. From the cuts of their suits to the beautiful colors they put on display, these guys truly live clean under difficult circumstances! And remember... for these guys, it's just another Tuesday.

If you wanna read more on the sapeurs, here are some great links for you:
http://messynessychic.com/2011/04/05/who-is-the-dandy-man/
http://harlemworldblog.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/sapeurs-the-fashion-victims-of-congo/
http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/2008/11/stylish-sape-return-to-elegance.html
http://jonathancrisman.com/blog/?p=361
http://www.coolhunting.com/culture/gentlemen-of-ba.php

And keep an eye out for the Daniele Tamagni book, Gentlemen Of Bakongo Book: The Dandies Of Sub-Saharan Africa.