All this repetition is making The Donald sleepy!

These guys should've switched ties in the limo.

Remember that like the gorgeous celebrities themselves, dressing too is all an illusion. While a bow-tie may be classic it’s not the best choice for guy with a shorter or stockier frame. A long silk tie is a better choice, as it helps to lengthen and thin the torso.

1. The Basic Staple – Cole Haan Adrian Chelsea

Served with – Clean lines, versatility and classic styling.

Delicious paired alongside  - Straight or slim cut chinos, denim of any wash, or wool slacks.

2. The Rocker – Harely Davidson Hustin Waterproof

Served with – Metal hardware, side zip for easy pull on/off, and a side of badass.

Delicious paired alongside – Dark wash and distressed denim.

Allergy warning - Do not wear with sport themed clothing, windbreakers, or dad jeans.

3. The Techie Trainer – Asolo Asimut Gore-Tex Suede

Served with – Plenty of heal cushion and casual comfort.

Delicious paired alongside – Well cut chinos, lighter and medium wash denim.

Allergy warning – Pleated khakis, gym socks, dress pants.

4. The Executive – Cole Haan Air Winslow Cap Toe

Served with – Traditional business stylings, classic cap toe, extra tread to stay upright when slippery (or running from angry shareholders).

Delicious paired alongside – Suiting or dress slacks.

Allergy warning – Do not wear with casual denim.

Go Gore-Tex – You don’t have to be James Bond to benefit from some high tech action in your in footwear. Gore-Tex is a thin, man-made membrane that when used as a lining in shoes and boots makes them impenetrable by water yet allows for air to flow out. Since it’s so thin, this Fort Knox protection doesn’t come at the cost of destroying a sleek shoe’s line. Now this may not help you disarm a bomb or win at high stakes poker against a one-eyed villain, but it will ensure that your feet stay comfy and dry in the wettest weather without suffering a case of elephantiasis shoe. Brands like Ecco and Johnston & Murphy are a couple of the shoemakers that carry Gore-Tex lined footwear.

Water resistant vs. water proof – What’s the difference? Well if you live in a place known for torrential conditions it’s the difference between wet socks and dry socks. We could go into all the scientific mumbo-jumbo about how the two differ but instead you can think of Batman as waterproof and Robin as water resistant, when you get into deep water which of the two would trust more to get the job done?

Rubber soles with grip – It used to be that beautifully crafted men’s footwear always had a leather sole. Great in concept but once the streets start icing over you’ll be spending more time with your face on the pavement than you did during your last trip to Vegas. So if you like the idea of staying stylish and upright this winter, opt for shoes with a rubber sole instead. Cole Haan does a masterful job of blending classic and modern dress shoe uppers with streamlined, sturdy, and gripping rubber soles. It’s a winning union of form and function and a wonderful reminder that man no longer has to choose between style or comfort.

The Tasker gets its FTW rating for 3 reasons:

Versatility - With a full suit or sport coat and slacks these look like beautifully crafted dress shoes. With a nice pair of denim and sweater they take on a new life as a sexy boot for day or night. 

Uniqueness – Too many times the concept of uniqueness is marred by flashy or tacky details; this is not so with the Tasker. From the working brass buckles, to the beautifully dyed trim edge, to the subtle medallion toe; kudos to the designer for creating a distinct yet timeless classic.

Quality Materials & Assembly - A worthy investment because not only do these boots have aesthetic longevity, they’re also crafted to last season after season.

So you’ve been invited to an event and the invitation reads “Dress To Impress”.  Hmmm, sometimes you’re impressed that you remembered pants that day, so does that count?

Here’s some helpful guidelines to dispel the mystery.  Starting with the shoes and working our way up, here’s what should (and shouldn’t) be on your body.

Shoes - Obviously no gym sneakers.  Sketchers, while ok for casual parties are a bit low brow for a stylin crowd.  That doesn’t mean you have to break out those uncomfortable dress shoes, plenty of in between options like a slip on, driving moc, or streamline street shoe.  Extra bonus points if you opt out of black.  Style isn’t about matching, it’s about coordinating- color shoes add excitement to traditional color schemes and look great with denim.  You don’t have to go out full technicolor either, a grey or color accented shoe can also step up your overall look. 

Pants – Most clubs and party venues now welcome jeans- not dad jeans, well cut, unripped (unless you’re with the band) modern wash jeans.  If you prefer a trouser, flat front only.  Again, go beyond black, like a taupe with subtle print of glen plaid or window pane can coordinate with almost anything.  Lightweight wool or linen for a summer event will keep you cool as the room fills up.  Keep the socks in line with the color of your pants, remember the ankle is an extension of the leg.  You can also go for a creative print, but avoid silly novelties like cartoon characters.

Shirting -  If you are only wearing a dress shirt make sure you nail the fit.  Being swallowed by your shirt doesn’t showcase you in a power position. French cuff shirts with links always add some elegance.  Wearing it without a tie? If you’re going to wear a undershirt, make sure it’s a V-neck so the collar doesn’t so the top doesn’t stick out from the unbuttoned collar, we may love accessories but an underachievers ascot is never where it’s at. 

If you prefer a T-shirt or a knit make sure these pieces are refined rather than loud.  Graphic Ts aka Jersey Shore are the fabric equivalent of jaundice, looks good on no one.  Unless your T-Shirt is hand crafted like a Murcielago, add some more interest to your look with another layer.  Tailored vest, lightweight cashmere v-neck or masculine (not Mr. Rogers) cardigan, or… 

Sport coat – A modern, Italian cut sport coat is the easiest, most instant way to dress up and dignifiy what you’re wearing.  Looks just as stellar over a well selected T or dress shirt, with jeans or with slacks.  And, provides you extra storage for your smart phone, wallet, and James Bond USB stick into poison dart key chain.  

Accessories – Accessories pull your look together and are the finishing elements that make women want to touch you, and guys secretly jealous that they didn’t think of wearing that too.  As with everything else on your body, only wear the accessories that you feel confident in.  A neatly folded pocket square in your sport coat pocket,  a well woven straw fedora, a tie or for some more youthful edge, embellished bow tie, are just a few accessory options. Remember your belt does not need match your shoes, as noted earlier, it’s about coordination not matching.

When it’s all put together your natural swagger should be as noticeable as a Vuvuzela in a library.  If all of this sounds scary and confusing, stop hyperventilating.  Show up, order a Kettle One martini, mingle, and be your most comfortable self.  Besides, confidence is the sexiest accessory.

Spring weather can be more fickle than your hot but crazy ex-girlfriend who broke up and reunited with you on a weekly basis.

A smart accessory that will help take you from chilly to warm in comfort and style is a lightweight (sometimes called spring-weight) scarf.  They come in a variety of fabrics from silk to muslin and in any color/print your heart desires.  You can tie lightweight scarves in the same traditional ways as your heavier winter ones.  Or, try this tucked alternative which looks chic under a jacket, vest, knit, or button down shirt. It’s easy and I promise that if you do it correctly, you will get compliments.  

Drape the scarf around your neck as you normally would, cross the ends to make a V shape across your chest and then tuck the ends underneath your top layer. Done.

If you choose to rock this look with a button down shirt rather than a jacket or vest, make sure the scarf is thin enough so it doesn’t look like you have a mountain of chest hair trying to break through your shirt (think: alien baby).

Over an espresso con panna this past weekend, a girlfriend confessed her fight or flight response to her date. In hushed tones she whispered that they had made it back to her place when he prematurely disrobed and revealed, not the classic boxer brief or trunk, but a fluorescent smiley face print thong.

After the lengthy intervals of laughter subsided, I wondered, “Where does a guy get a dayglo men’s thong in our increasingly stylish, yet still puritanically- influenced city of Boston?”  The answer was as close as the Marshall’s on Boylston street.  I took photos pretending to ignore the sales associates’ glare.  Now, while I’ve seen bad underwear on the racks before, it never occurred to me that they actually left the store with someone.  I always figured underwear like that ended up getting recycled into sponges or melted down into a Snuggie.  But clearly men out there are buying them, so just in case you ever wonder if you should expand your skivvies style, do not under any circumstances try these.

The last thing women want to find out about you at that oh-so-fragile, tender moment - the unveiling of your stylish attire- is that your stairway to heaven leads straight to Tacky Town.

Trend #1: No Rules.

It used to be the case that specific clothing items were “in” or “out” of fashion with everything supposed to be worn a particular way, and being in style meant following those rules.  Some men prefer easy-to-follow rules, sensing that fashion freedom will create too much room for error (incidentally, that’s where an image consultant comes in handy).  But now fashion, especially casual menswear, has gone the way of the individual - just like a BK Whopper, you can have it your way.  Now, this doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly look good in anything and everything (very few men actually look good in pleated pants), and there are still dated items, like the super square toe dress shoe of the 90′s. However, the old rules of not wearing black with brown, no white after Labor Day, matchy-matchy belt and shoes combinations, etc. are gone baby gone.  This embracing of individuality means that when you make choices about clothes, pay the most attention to how you feel wearing them and whether or not they flatter your physique and are appropriate for your lifestyle, and least about what is ”in”.

Trend #2: No Excuses.

“But they’re comfortable!”  The 3 words men most frequently utter while I’m clearing their closet of Dad jeans and over-sized freebie T-shirts (and they wonder why the spark in their marriage or dating life is gone).  Back in the day, it used to be that comfort and style were elements rarely combined in the same garment. Let’s use men’s shoes as an example. Think of the countless men opting for bulky athletic sneakers to wear with their jeans because they think it’s the only casual comfortable shoe available to them.  But designers have known for some time now that people want both form and function; just because we’re not at the office doesn’t mean we have to devolve into frumpy, undesirable blobs.  Now, no matter what the activity – professional, social, or sporty – there is an easily attainable, attractive option to the purely functional and fugly predecessor.  Even L.L. Bean, king of plaid flannel cabin wear, is launching a stylish, casual clothing line: reinforcing that other than laziness, there is no excuse to look like a schleb.