GQ advice we all ignore

[1911 Man]

I was perusing GQ the other day, and saw this article. I read it out of curiosity, in my mind GQ is way to pretentious, modernized, and arrogant for any one to take it seriously. Click on the link, "Find the right one", and look at the slide show.

http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_7212

This was my favorite part, which I laughingly told my wife I was in violation on several counts.

GQ: How to Buy a Leather Jacket
How Not to Buy a Leather Jacket

• You are not Indiana Jones; leave the distressed brown leather bomber jacket to Harrison Ford.

• And on that note, those World War II tobacco-brown replica bombardier jackets? Absolutely not.

• No patches.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

and just what is wrong with looking like Indy & wearing brown leather?

 

[scotrace]

A sort of snarky swipe at Classic Style by GQ?

 

[Senicko_Spain]

I knew I didn't read that rag for a reason. What a bunch of bollocks. What makes them the all knowing authority on fashion? I've lived in Europe on and off for 25 years, Italy, Germany, Spain and I have seen very few people dress like those dolts in GQ. Gimmie-a-break :eusa_doh: :eusa_doh:

 

[1911 Man]

Exactly my point.

A little over 15 years ago, I saw my first GQ magazine, and was amazed at how good the clothes looked. It was everything I aspired to be. I remember an article and picture spread in a 1993 issue that specifically gave several examples of jackets and gear that emulated Dr. Jones. Now I pick up an issue, and it looks like a freak convention. The clothes are usually so outlandish and gaudy, I wonder if it should rename itself "Pimps Quarterly". For the record, I am an Indy gear fan. I have the Wested Indy jacket AND a seal brown (very similar to tobacco colored) Aero A2. You can see the collar of my Wested in my avatar.

Personally, I love the distressed brown leather jacket. I think it looks good, and that's what matters. My wife likes it, so even better.

 

[1911 Man]

I also get a small sense of enjoyment thumbing my nose at the GQ types. I am happy with my appearance, and too old to care what anyone else thinks. I like looking nice for me, so I am going to do it in the way that appeals most to me.

 

[Hawk_Eye]

Thats the main difference between "fashion" and "style". Those crappy thin leather wannabe biker jackets will be obsolete when fashion chooses another look, but the "tobacco brown bombardier jackets" will continue to endure for years. The A-2 has survived the last 60 years, I'm sure it can do another 60 without breaking a sweat.

 

[AlanC]

The problem with GQ is that it's a fashion magazine that openly contradicts itself year to year, sometimes issue to issue. Eventually there will be an article showing a repro A-2 and telling you that's exactly the jacket you should have.

Of the men's fashion magazines the best is Menswear. Although they do show things that no normal person would ever wear, they also show classic style pieces.

 

[Charlie Noodles]

I don't much care for those. At least they vouch for high arm-holes.

 

[Sertsa]

I saw that article a few days ago. But I decided to not pay much attention to GQ because, if I did, I'd wind up trying to look like this:

Or:

Or:

And I'd feel like a clown, especially since I haven't been 19 in a long time. Or worse yet, a clown who didn't realize he was a clown.

 

[jschare]

I'm a police detective. If I saw any of those people walking down the street I'd certainly think they had escaped from the psych ward and I'd take them back to the hospital!!!

 

[Black Prince]

I can accept that GQ is essentially about fashion rather than style - fine, there's a place for both. My own bugbear is that whenever there's a piece on leather jackets, it invariably includes a line about making a purchase which will "last a lifetime" and get better with wear. That's certainly the case with classic styles in good quality hide but those thin, soft, shrunken-looking things are going to a) date within a few years, and b) fall apart in response to rain and even average wear-and-tear. They patently won't last anywhere near a lifetime.

Looking through their selection, the only one I'd agree on is the Belstaff Panther, a design which has stood the test of time (I have a Panther and a Trialmaster and love them both). Of course, now Belstaff's an Italian-owned fashion house, I expect its GQification is ongoing...

 

[adamjaskie]

The first two are definitely a lot worse than the last picture, IMO.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Unreal! lol
Do they make those in men's sizes??? Apparently, as long as only one guy out of the entire population can be convinced to buy that stuff and wear it in public, someone will make it. I'm in the wrong line of business,...:eusa_doh:

 

[Senicko_Spain]

Is that last picture a homeless guy? Wow!lol

 

[SGT Rocket]

I must agree

Exactly my point.

A little over 15 years ago, I saw my first GQ magazine, and was amazed at how good the clothes looked. It was everything I aspired to be. I remember an article and picture spread in a 1993 issue that specifically gave several examples of jackets and gear that emulated Dr. Jones. Now I pick up an issue, and it looks like a freak convention. The clothes are usually so outlandish and gaudy, I wonder if it should rename itself "Pimps Quarterly". For the record, I am an Indy gear fan. I have the Wested Indy jacket AND a seal brown (very similar to tobacco colored) Aero A2. You can see the collar of my Wested in my avatar.

Personally, I love the distressed brown leather jacket. I think it looks good, and that's what matters. My wife likes it, so even better.

I could not have said it better. GQ obviously wants to keep changing what they think is fashionable so that you buy more stuff from their advertisers.

fftopic: Now, I hope I don't get in trouble saying this but, all those models in GQ (the guys anyway) look a little, well, sissy. By this I mean, shorts with dark socks and dress shoes. Now, if they looked like an Irish Golfer from the 1920's that would be great. But the guy I saw looked like, well, some 30 year old man trying to look like a 6 year school boy going to church in what his mom though was cute. Is that some sort of weird fetish?

Now, not that there is anything wrong with looking like a sissy, but I wouldn't hire any of those guys to put in a fence for me, do my accounting, or cut my hair. Why? Reason being is that they look like all they do all day is watch TV and starve themselves.

My G-d, shouldn't the managers of GQ pay those guys a fair wage so they can eat???? I think being a model would suck! Give me a Guinness, an old hat, and a Kobe steak.

 

[1911 Man]

That reminds me, I need to post these.

My Aero and my Wested

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Fashion is just all about money and egotism.
Reminds me of the old story, "The Emperor's New Clothes" lol

 

[Sefton]

As was already mentioned:they got the high cut armhole part right (could the editors be lurking around the lounge..ha!). I think that they also got it right about the shoulders not hanging off and the whole fit being trim rather like the (real/authentic) A-2's that they proceed to warn against. As for having a jacket that's easy to wear I prefer getting mine worn in the old fashioned way: I just wear the **** of them!

 

[Sertsa]

1911 Man - Those are really nice, and they're tempting my decision not to buy a new leather jacket until I can get another size smaller, even if sockless, ankle-chained GQ readers would laugh at me.