Not A Picnic Table

Shirt: Target
Pants: Tommy Hilfiger
Shoes: Target



Gingham is a Spring and Summer staple for guys and gals. The best part-- you can wear it casually, dress it up a bit, or even wear it with a suit (J. Crew is all over that trend).
And guys, with tons of color options, you're bound to find one that you'll actually want to wear.

Don't be afraid of gingham.

Style Consultation: Gabe

Here's a quick "personal stylist" post on how I helped my friend Gabe go from "blah" to a well-dressed gentleman!

Gabe's style is laid back-- he prefers wearing t-shirts (or the occasional polo or button up) and jeans. His footwear of choice was a pair of running shoes. However, he did say he was up for a little change, so we brought out a little more of his casual-preppy side and worked with it. Here's his "before" picture...



First we began with his closet... or lack thereof. Gabe does have a nice walk-in closet, but used his futon to "display" his clothing. We went though everything and sorted out all of his old graphic tees and ill-fitting pants and shorts. We were left with very little to work with, which meant he needed new essentials to his wardrobe!



Gabe's budget was around $200, but we ended up going over his budget by about $70 (Target can get expensive). Since he needed to start fresh with his closet, we focused on the essentials that he could mix and match with everything he purchased that day, as well as with new pieces he would incorporate into his wardrobe in the future.

Some of the basics:
- Classic oxford
- Other various button-up shirts
- A couple great fitting polos
- Light and dark khaki pants
- A pair of dark, slim-straight jeans
- A brown belt
- New casual/work shoes

And here's some of the outfits he put together for us afterwards with a few of the new pieces!



As you can see, any of these pieces can be mixed and matched together to create various outfits that can go from the (business casual) office to hanging out with friends on a Friday night.

When the weather starts getting a little chillier, Gabe will be back when we help him with his Fall and Winter wardrobe, which is one of my favorite seasons to work with!

A big thanks to Gabe for allowing me to style him! :)

Upcoming

LLC Man has gone off to a slow start, but here's a glimpse of what lies ahead! First, I'm kicking off a men's style series on brights. Yes, guys, you can wear bright colors in the Spring and Summer, you've just gotta learn how to do it right!





Also, look out for a post on fitting men's pants-- an often overlooked aspect. I'll show you the different fits and styles and how to figure out what works for you.




Last (but not least), we're covering men's casual shoes! You won't want to resort to your tennis shoes anymore after that post!




For updates, be sure to follow @LongLiveClassy on Twitter (an LLC Man Twitter will be available soon), as well as follow us on Google Friend Connect. You don't want to miss out!

Hello there! Nice to meet you!

I have always had a thing for men's fashion. There's just something about the tailored suits, the crisp shirts, and the simple accessories that gets to me.

Even though I've come across quite a few men's style blogs, I still feel that men's fashion is highly underrated and has plenty of unexplored territory.

One thing I've noticed-- the lack of practical men's fashion. You always see one or the other: Sloppy and trendy, or too "high fashion" and impractical for the average man.

Thus, Long Live Classy: MAN Edition was born. We cater to the average man. The man who wants to look good, but not too over-the-top. The man who appreciates quality clothes, but within a decent price range. The man who just needs a little help with his closet, but doesn't need a fancy stylist.

That's what we're here for.

Hesitant to follow? It's completely understandable that guys don't want style advice from a woman's perspective. But trust me guys, I know what you like. I know how you think. I understand how you feel about what you wear. And while you'll often find me on my personal style blog, Long Live Classy, I'm here to help, with the assistance of my lovely other half, Nick, who's an average guy, just like you.

So whether you're a guy that wants to update his wardrobe the practical way or a lovely lady looking to help your guy out, you've come to the right place.

And so, it begins.

Long Live Classy: Man Edition.
Practical Style for the Practical Man.