Top-Notch Persona: Greatness Awaits

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

What Do I Think About Old-School Fashion Rules?

I've mentioned certain rules here and there, but I have yet to dedicate a post to some of the most fundamental fashion rules that many feel are outdated. While researching for this post, I was surprised by how many rules there actually were.

In today's post, I'm going to discuss seven of the most relevant and potentially applicable to men's style. If you would like to read more about these old-school rules including those applying to women's fashion, check out this blog post on the activetimes.com.

This post might be a bit longer than they usually are, so without further ado, let's get into the rules:

1. No White After Labor Day

So this rule may seem strange and archaic at first, but the more I think about it the more it makes sense. Why? Because white and other light, pastel colors just vibe better with the summer weather. In fact, my entire summer wardrobe consists of only one navy blue shirt. Everything else is much lighter.

Typically, after Labor Day the weather starts to transition into the cooler autumn temperatures - at least, it use to when the rule was established in the early 20th century, not so much anymore-- so it makes sense why you wouldn't want to wear really light colors in that kind of weather.

In the cooler weather, I like to start wearing more earthy tones, darker blues, and neutral colors such as gray, charcoal, and black. But does it mean I completely stop wearing white?

Absolutely not.

I just wear it less frequently and when I do it's probably going to be a single white piece like a shirt.

Conclusion about this rule: I think no white after Labor Day should be more of a suggestion than a rule. It makes sense to me that you wouldn't want to be wearing white or pastels every single day in the Autumn and Winter, but to completely reserve them for the summer months means that you'll be missing out on a lot of outfits and accessories in the cooler months.

2. Match Your Belt With Your Shoes

Now, this rule makes a lot more sense to me. Essentially, it says that you're suppose to wear the same color belt and shoes. For example, if you're wearing a pair of black leather Oxfords you should wear a black leather belt. Pretty simple, right?

Most of the time I adhere to this rule. The only exception is if I'm wearing a pair of shoes in a color I don't have in a belt. In that case, I wear the closest color I have. For example, when I wear my black and blue cotton sneakers, I'll wear my black belt or if I'm wearing my tan loafers, I'll wear my dark brown belt.

You'll never see me wearing a black belt with brown shoes though or vice-versa.

I think matching your belts and shoes just shows people that you pay attention to details, so when a person doesn't, I tend to think the opposite.

Conclusion: Matching your belt with your shoes is a rule that should stand. While, such as with most rules, there will be exceptions to it, but most of the time I think you should follow this one. It's the little things that really count and matching your belt with your shoes is a big one.

3. Only Wear Black Socks To Work

I actually didn't even know this was a rule, but I think it's because black is the epitome of formal colors. Black socks are definitely one of the most professional colored pairs you can wear, but I think what color socks you should wear largely depends on your outfit.

For example, if you're wearing a navy blue suit with a tan pair of dress shoes, it would make more sense to wear either a pair of navy blue or tan socks. I would always go for dress socks, but the actual color I would wear depends on my entire outfit.

Like noted above with matching your shoes and belt, matching your socks with your outfit is another small detail that makes a significant impact.

If you really don't feel like getting different colored socks, I would definitely stick with black dress socks, but if you want to get different colors, I would get dark brown, tan, navy blue, and paisley.

Definitely avoid no-show socks or novelty socks if you're going for a professional look. In addition, I would be cautious before wearing an abnormal color like yellow, pink, red, or green. When in doubt, stick with conservative colors.

The only time no-show or novelty socks are appropriate, is when you're at home or in a casual situation. I wouldn't try to make novelty socks your signature piece because you risk appearing tacky by wearing them too often.

Conclusion: While I would amend this rule slightly, I think wearing dress socks is an absolute must if you're going for a professional, classic look. If you're going for a casual look, you don't have to, and probably shouldn't, wear dress socks, but in every other case, I think a nice pair of conservative-colored dress socks looks best.

4. Avoid Mixing Patterns

You might remember from my how to properly wear patterns post that I think mixing two or even three patterns is ok as long as you know what you're doing. But there's a huge emphasis on the second part of that sentence.

In order to successfully match two patterns, you should go with something similar or that doesn't clash. For example, wearing microdots with a pinstripe suit would be fine because microdots are very subtle. It would still probably look pretty good if you wore a paisley tie because the swirling lines on the tie won't necessarily clash with the vertical stripes of the suit.

What you wouldn't want to do is wear a pinstripe suite with a floral-print shirt and a leopard-print tie. That would look incredibly tacky because the bold prints would clash against the vertical stripes.

An easier one to visualize would be wearing a shirt with horizontal stripes and pants with vertical stripes. This is just going to look off.

Conclusion: While I think patterns can be mixed and matched to a certain degree, it can be really easy to misuse patterns. Therefore, if you're not quite sure what you're doing, I would stick with one pattern at a time.

5. Don't Wear The Same Outfit Twice

I never heard of this one prior to researching for this post, and honestly, I'm having a hard time believing this was ever a rule. Or more like I can't believe it was ever a rule! I guess, people didn't want to be seen wearing the same outfit twice.

While there is something awesome about wearing an outfit for the very first time, never wearing it again seems a bit farfetched. These days, people often have interchangeable wardrobes meaning that they're going to be able to wear one shirt with several different outfits.

It's probably possible to never actually wear the same exact outfit twice especially if you're working with pocket squares, ties, tie clips, and cufflinks.

Conclusion: I think this rule was more geared toward women last century, but regardless, it is one that I don't think anyone should adhere to.

6. Tattoos and Piercings Shouldn't Be Visible

This one is mostly disregarded by businesses and most professionals. There are certain professions that require you to keep your tattoos and piercings covered, but the majority of places have no problem with showing them off.

This is the one rule I fervently support though. I don't think it looks professional at all when someone wears a nose ring or has an arm filled with tattoos.

I mean, it really depends on what kind of external style you're going for; if you have Inner-Style, no one's going to think less of you for showing off your tattoos.

Just personally, I don't like the look. My rule-of-thumb is to always limit tattoos to areas that aren't typically seen when fully dressed. I have two on my bicep, but no one would ever know that unless I was at the beach or somewhere that was appropriate to wear a tank-top.

As far as piercings go, I think the only acceptable place to have pierced for both men and women is the ear lobe. Perhaps even an eyebrow piercing won't look too over-the-top, but when people start wearing nose rings or ear gages-- especially ear gages-- I just think it's going too far.

Also, this kind of relates: I feel the same way about people who have abnormal hair color like blue, purple, yellow, or pink. It just looks incredibly tacky and inappropriate for a professional setting. I do feel this applies more to women, but if you're going to dye your hair either keep it simple or a natural color.

Conclusion: I definitely agree with this one. While getting tattoos and piercings is fine, I just think they should be covered-up while in public. Period.

7. Take Your Hat Off Inside

A lot of guys wear hats these days. Actually, men have always had a proclivity towards wearing hats. In fact, last century it was an intregal part of a man's wardrobe to have at least a couple of hats. Hats aren't an essential part of a guy's outfit anymore, but there are still a lot of men who wear hats as a signature piece.

Honestly, I've never been a big hat guy. In fact, I almost never wear hats. That's because I would rather style my hair than cover it. But if I where someone who wore hats often, I would make sure to take it off whenever I went inside. I just think it's a sign of maturity and respect.

Respect towards whom?

Respect towards customs. I really don't think anyone would be bothered by you wearing a hat inside, but to me, it shows that a guy has an understanding and appreciation of the past.

I think wearing a hat in doors is akin to wearing your shoes inside over in India. It's a matter of respect. Although, I admit taking your shoes off before entering a house is a bit more practical than taking off your hat.

Conclusion: TAKE YOUR HAT OFF INDOORS

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There are many more "rules" but these ones, I think, are the most applicable to men's style. While I definitely don't think rules are meant to be followed exactly-- at least when it comes to style-- I think they serve as a kind of guideline to help us figure out what is and isn't acceptable to wear.

So what do you think? Which classic rules do you follow and which do you disregard? Out of these seven, which seem the most reasonable to follow these days? Do you disagree with any of my conclusions? Let me know what you think!

If you have any additional questions or concerns about any of the rules, either mentioned here or found elsewhere, feel free to send me a message on one of my social media pages or, better yet, leave a comment so we can all benefit from your question!

-Ryan S.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

2020 Trend Of The Year: Wearing A Mask

[[Before I get into today's post, I want to clarify something. I'm going to be talking about wearing a face mask from a stylistic perspective. I'm not going to be discussing reasons why you should or shouldn't wear one; instead I'm going to be looking at it as a potential generational trend. You've been warned.]]

When I wrote my post about wearing a mask with style back in March, I was partially kidding around. I didn't actually think masks would become trendy, but since then, I have seen many different companies trying to sell masks and dozens of people even making their own.

And here we are.

Recently, a friend mentioned how masks are going to be the "accessory of our generation," and I agree with that to a degree. I'm not sure if masks will be around for the entire decade-- I actually hope they won't-- but they surely have a place in history for 2020 and even perhaps 2021, depending on what happens in the near future with the virus.

But regardless, rather than completely reject them for being annoying, which I'm sure most people will agree they are, I think that it makes sense to look at them in a more positive, potentially beneficial way.

Now, I'm not saying that you absolutely need to get or make a fancy mask to look good while wearing them, nor do I think it will diminish your look to only wear the basic surgical mask. To be completely candid, that's the only one I have and will probably continue to use.

Whereas a mask is an accessory, what really matters is the rest of your outfit. Remember: accessories are secondary pieces meaning that they will compliment your primary pieces like your shirt, jacket, et cetera. More times than not, an accessory is not going to be the centerpiece of an outfit.

Of course, having a fancy mask will make you stand-out, so you could use this to your advantage.

If you do decide to upgrade your mask, I would apply the same rules I would for any accessory. I would keep it simple and classic, but maybe try some different cuts and material. I wouldn't wear anything tacky, which a lot of the masks I'm seeing for sale are. For instance, one I frequently see is a mask with the mouth of a cat printed on it.

Maybe if you're a teenager that would work, but for someone in their 20s or 30s, it's just going to look callow and out of place.

In terms of colors, I would get a white, black, blue, and red. I wouldn't go too overboard like I have with pocket squares, but if you have the money and desire to do so, go for it. In fact, you could actually make the mask your signature piece.

I would try to match your mask with your shirt color, just like you would do if wearing a pocket square. So a white mask with a white shirt, black mask with a black/dark colored shirt, blue mask with a blue/light colored shirt, et cetera.

You could have a lot of fun with wearing a mask. Just note that when the virus has passed, masks will likely no longer be socially acceptable to wear, or rather than standing-out in a good way, you'll stand out in a bad way.

That's why I think four masks max is the ideal number. I don't see them becoming classic pieces like pocket squares. Therefore, I wouldn't spend more than $50 USD on masks.

But again, if you have the money and want to, then go ahead!

One last thing about wearing a mask, which I find to be strangely attractive, is how much it highlights a person's eyes. It has a very mysteriously alluring appeal to me.

While I think women can take the most advantage of this factor-- by using make-up to accentuate their eyes-- I think men can also benefit from this by wearing the right outfit. Make sure to check out my initial post about wearing a mask with style to find out how exactly to do it. Hyperlink above.

Overall, I personally don't view masks as particularly stylish, at least on me, but I definitely see their potential. While I've seen a lot of basic masks, which I don't really take notice of, I've also seen some really cool looking ones like the one my friend has.

Some people have even been wearing scarves instead of masks, which I think is also really cool, especially if you're a big scarf person during the winter. In fact, if you are a scarf person I would highly recommend buying scarves instead of masks because, unlike the mask, scarves will likely always be a classic piece to wear during the winter.

But what do you think? How many masks do you own? Do you wear a scarf instead of a mask? Would you consider doing so?

Let me know in the comments!

-Ryan S.

wwww.youtube.com/channel/UCZFjEn0q_eN9Y_xa0FEk2Dg

Thursday, July 23, 2020

One Size To Fit Them All?

There was a time when clothes were created specifically, and just, for a certain person. That is, prior to mass-production which really started at the beginning of the 20th century, clothes and style were 100% a person's own.

You didn't have to worry about going to a party and seeing someone wearing the same exact outfit you just bought because you'd be wearing the only outfit of that kind.

A huge plus to this time was that your clothes always fit perfectly because they were made for you. There was no worry about getting the wrong size like there is today.

I talked about this very briefly in my importance of proper fit post a while back, but these days it is very important to understand different sizes of clothes, and more importantly, that sizes are not universal.

What do I mean by this?

It'll be easier to explain if I give you an example:

Recently, I bought two Alfani linen-blend shirts in medium because the majority of shirts I own are that size. Nine times out of ten, I don't have to worry about clothes not fitting properly because sizing is pretty consistent for men's clothing.

However, when I got the two shirts, which still do fit well-enough, I realized that they were a bit bigger than Ralph Lauren's medium shirts. Take a look at the picture below in which I'm wearing a size medium over a size small which I bought a couple weeks after. I'd say both fit pretty-well, but the small is definitely more of a perfect fit. What do you think?

While the off-white medium shirt still pretty much fits, note the difference between the two sizes. It might only be an inch different, but that inch makes a lot of difference.

So how do you ensure that you're always getting the right size? Unfortunately, there really isn't a sure-fire way. I recommend that if you're in a store to try the piece on rather than just assume it's going to fit. It can be kind of annoying, but that's why I like sticking with one or two brands, because in that case, it's not compulsory that you try it on. Sizes across a brand tend to be pretty much the same, so if you're a Calvin Klein shirts are all large, you don't have to worry about buying a large from them that won't fit.

But if it's a new brand, like Alfani was to me, I'd really suggest spending the five minutes or so trying it on.

If you're buying something online, however, like I tend to do, I suggest trying the piece prior to removing any of the tags. That way, if it doesn't fit properly, you can just return it for the next size up or down.

Of course, there are going to be certain pieces which do in fact have one size to fit anyone. These include, hats, scarves, and ties. But for pieces like shirts, pants, sports coats, and even shoes-- all of which I would refer to as primary pieces-- one size does not necessarily fit every single time.

My theory is that certain brands create clothing for specific body sizes, not necessarily specific types of people. I mean, it makes sense considering that a lot of major brands mass-produce their clothes now. They couldn't possibly consider specific people. It's so much easier, for example, to make a piece for someone with a slim body type than someone who's x feet tall and weighs x pounds.

A perfect example of a company who tends to do this is Ralph Lauren. I actually bought a couple suits that received horrible reviews online. People said things like "the cut is strange" and that it "distorts the waste". I was actually really worried that they wouldn't fit properly.

However, I was pleasantly surprised when I got them, and I realized what the issue probably was for the people who wrote those reviews (i.e. they didn't have the right body size). Ralph Lauren suits are intended for people with slimmer physiques. I'm definitely not skinny, per se, but I have a very slim body structure. I think that's why Ralph Lauren works so well for me.

Alfani, on the other hand, may be a brand intended for people who have a slightly bigger physique, hence why their sizing is a bit big.

My best advice, as I mentioned above, is to find a brand that really works with your body type and stick with it. Sometimes getting different brands is necessary-- like there was no way I was going to spend $90 USD on a Ralph Lauren wool sweater-- so when you decide to try a different brand just be wary. I usually buy one piece and if it fits I'll buy more.

Definitely don't start by buying five shirts from a brand you aren't familiar with!

But seriously guys: although sizing can be a little confusing at times for men's clothing, we should all appreciate that we don't have to go through all the things women tend to endure while shopping for new clothes!

What do you all think though? Do you find your size varies often or is pretty much consistent like it is with me? What would you say is the brand that fits you best?

Let me know in the comments!

-Ryan S.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Enough Is Enough

It is extremely easy to continuously buy new things to enhance your style: new shirts, new sports jackets, new shoes, new accessaries, new fragrances. You must admit, there is something very alluring about the word 'new'. But how much 'new' is really necessary? I mean, when is enough really enough?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately actually; I haven't been working so money has been a bit tight, but even so, I still feel a certain enjoyment in getting something new. Of course, I can't get the things I use to when I was working before the pandemic, but I still enjoy going to Marshall's to look around.

I think the curse of consumerism makes it impossible to ever truly feel like we have enough. We're bombarded with ads and messages every single day telling us about a new fragrance or tempting us with pictures of accessories and clothes that we may have come across online.

With the use of data science, these companies are literally able to ruthlessly pursue us with products until we give in to temptation.

I guess the question then is really how to say enough is enough, not when.

I'm willing to bet that most of you reading this have more than enough in your closet already. I know I do. So how do you say enough is enough. How do you stop feeding into consumerism?

One thing I recommend trying is perhaps picking one or two items that don't necessarily take-up a lot of space; something like pocket squares or ties. That way, you still get something new, but you don't fill-up your closet with items you might not wear frequently.

Recently, what happened to me was, I looked in my closet and realized that it was nearly full. I realized that I don't need anymore shirts, waistcoats, or jackets because the more new ones I get, the less frequently I wear my old ones.

I realized that right now, in this moment, I don't need anything else in my closet. Enough is enough. Of course, they'll probably be a time when I upgrade some of the pieces I have which happens to everyone, but for now, I don't need anything new.

I'm kind of writing this with the hopes that that fact will be reified in my head, because as mentioned above, due to marketing and advertisements, it can be incredibly tough to not get anything new.

I think that once I do start working again I'm going to set a certain amount of money for style-related purchases into my budget. I think seeing the actual number written on paper could be incredibly helpful.

Regardless, for now I think I'm in a pretty good place. Aside from a couple fragrances I'd like to try out and review, I don't feel compelled to get anything.

So, what do you guys do to remind yourself that you don't need anything else? Do you have a budget for you style-related expenses? When do you think enough is really enough?

Let me know in the comments!

-Ryan S.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Time For A New Signature Scent?

This topic is one that I have yet to come across. Everyone talks about how to find your signature scent, but what they don't tell you is when you should change your signature scent. Believe me, when I first heard the term I, much like you probably thought, believed that a signature scent was more permanent; unfortunately, it should be temporary and here's why:

Anosmia

Anosmia is the loss of the ability to detect one or more scents. It can be an indication of many different ailments including, most recently, COVID. When I use the term though I'm referring to the temporary inability to detect of a single smell, which is often caused by overexposure to a particular scent.

This is also referred to as going nose-blind to a certain scent.

I'm sure you can become nose-blind to something for many different reasons, but as you may have guessed from the title, in this post I'm going to be discussing what to do when you go nose-blind to your signature scent. And yes, you inevitably will.

I've been wearing Dior Sauvage pretty consistently for the past five months; mostly the EDT but also the EDP and Parfum. On top of that, I've been using the moisturizer and bodywash on a daily basis. It's probably safe to say that my life has been consumed by Sauvage since nearly the beginning of the lock-down.

Recently though, I noticed that a few moments after I applied the EDT I couldn't detect it anymore. It was both strange and kind of upsetting.

The thing that is really unfortunate about going nose-blind to Sauvage-- I'm really just assuming that's what happened because there's no other reason for it-- is that I haven't even had much opportunity to wear it around other people.

But regardless, I actually do recall the same thing happening with Prada Luna Rossa Carbon when that was my signature scent and with Versace Eros when I was wearing that one pretty frequently.

And you know what? I began to go nose blind to those fragrances after about five months of wearing them as a signature scent too!

Twice-- perhaps a coincidence, but thrice-- seems more like a pattern.

For that reason, I would say it is probably ideal to switch-up your signature scent every 5 to 6 months.

But then the question is what do you do when you're trying to find a new signature scent?

Simple. You just start the entire process again looking for something else you'll love.

It's actually much easier to find your second or third signature scent because you likely know a lot more about fragrances than when you were looking for your first one.

I remember when I started out all I knew was what influencers online where telling me. That's why I started with Dolce and Gabbana The One, because literally everyone was saying that was the perfect beginners fragrance.

After that though, it became a lot easier because I knew what I really liked about The One-- primarily being the vanilla sweet component-- which led me to my next three signature scents.

So just remember, going nose-blind to your signature scent is inevitable and will happen regardless of what else you do, so consider switching your signature scent every five to six months. Unless of course you don't mind if you can't smell your fragrance. If it doesn't bother you I guess you could wear in permanently.

What do you all think? How often do you change your signature scent? How long does it normally take you to go nose-blind to a fragrance?

Let me know in the comments!

-Ryan S.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Another Reason Not To Buy Into Hype...

It is extremely easy to buy based-off of hype you've heard from friends or influencers when it comes to fragrances. People use large sweeping terms like "king" or "beast" to make a fragrance seem like something everyone should get.

For example, Creed Aventus. Now that's one I'm really glad I didn't buy based-off of what everyone else was saying because it just seems lackluster to me; definitely not the "king" or a "beast".

I'd be lying though if I said I never bought a fragrance based-off of what I've heard. I only did it once, but that one time reminded me how foolish it is to feed into hype.

What fragrance did I buy, you're probably wondering?

None other than:

Versace Dylan Blue 100 ml ($95 USD)

Now, you might be thinking, "what are you talking about? You recommended Dylan Blue as a great beginners fragrance in your signature scent post," but here me out: I absolutely adore this fragrance, however, much like with Aventus, it doesn't perform well for me.

Unlike Aventus though, which I've only worn a handful of times, I have used nearly 50ml of Dylan Blue, so I feel like I can talk with more certainty about it then with the former. In fact, I'm wearing it as I write this in order to give you real time feedback.

The scent is truly breath-taking. At the top there's water notes, fig leaf, grapefruit, and bergamot, in the middle we have violet leaf, pepper, and ambroxan, and at the bottom there's saffron, incense, tonka bean, and musk. It is such a unique, captivating fragrance. I can absolutely understand what the hype is all about.

But alas, regardless of how much I like the scent, what really matters to me is how long a particular fragrance lasts and how well it performs, and for me, Versace Dylan Blue just isn't that good. I get a solid six hours, which is decent, but it is pretty much a skin scent for the duration of the time. It's virtually undetectable.

Come to think of it, I could probably make a list of disappointing fragrances that smell great but perform poorly on my skin-- perhaps I will sometime in the near future-- but my point is this: every fragrance reacts differently for people depending one their skin composition. I know I've said this before at least once, but allow me to reiterate:

You should never buy ANYTHING based on hype alone.

The only time I will ever blind buy a fragrance is after I have done extensive research into it and spent time comparing it to fragrances I own.

For instance, if a fragrance has cedarwood in it, I can be pretty sure that it will work well on me because I know other fragrances I have with cedarwood last a long time.

Unfortunately, when I bought Dylan Blue, I had only watched some reviews and knew it worked well for others. I didn't do my research.

It was 100% my fault, but I just want to help you not make the same mistake. The one positive to my situation was that I bought Dylan Blue as part of a gift set for $95, so at least I also got the shower gel and cool box to store things in.

But I see guys on social media asking which niche fragrance they should blind buy, and it always kind of shocks me. Like why would anyone spend $200 or more on a fragrance they haven't even tried? That is beyond ridiculous, in my opinion, asinine even.

But, what do you all think about buying based-off of hype? Is it a definite no for you or are there certain criteria that needs to be met before blind-buying, like there is for me?

Also, what do you think about Versace Dylan Blue? Is it one that you have to overspray to get to perform well?

Let me know in the comments, and tell me what you think about a list of disappointing fragrances that smell great. That could be fun!

-Ryan S.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

"Woman Love When...": The Truth About The Claim

I don't know the exact percentile, but I'd probably say 40% of most posts involve something along the lines of "women love when..." or "top 10 ___ women love". I'm sure you know what I mean. The thing that has always bothered me about such claims is that the influencers making them are mostly men, and ergo, they don't seem as credible.

Now, I know some guys, like Alpha M, actually do their research by reading things pertaining to the subject like articles in Cosmopolitan, but the majority of guys don't seem to have a foundation for their claims. They seem to just say it because they know it'll get them views.

Either that or they base it on some outdated study involving a handful of people.

But basically, their claims don't seem credible for the most part.

But, after all, it is the internet, so you have to expect a ton of baseless claims and "truths," but just like with promising that a fragrance will get you many compliments, it really isn't fair to their followers when they say women absolutely love something.

I don't know. Perhaps I'm being overly critical, but it just seems asinine to me to hear bunch of guys presume what women love. I'd like to think their claims are based on something, but I would like to actually know what their sources are. I think this would make these popular influencers seem a lot more credible.

So, you've probably guessed I tend to skip any video pertaining to the idea of what women want for the most part. There's one exception. If I'm going to watch something about what women like, I'm going to watch a female influencer talk about it. It just makes more sense to me.

For example, pretty much the only person I watch talk about fragrances anymore-- at least insofar as it pertains to fragrances women like-- is Demi Rawling. You know why? Because she can say that, as a woman, "I think this fragrance is super sexy." She can say that she knows, based on the opinions of her friends, that a fragrance smells great on a guy. Essentially, she has way more ethos than any male influencer who says the same thing.

Therefore, if she says a particular fragrance is super attractive to women, I'm going to be 1000% more likely to believe her.

I know that things are the way they are in the communities and are not likely to change anytime soon, but I really, sincerely hope that this trend of presuming what women like fades out. In my opinion, it's just dumb and it makes influencers seem pompous.

All I can tell you right now is just to be wary when you come across such a video because, chances are, these guys are just trying to hook you into watching their stuff. I wouldn't discredit it by any means-- in fact, many fragrances Demi recommends align with what other guys are saying-- but I wouldn't take it as the absolute truth.

And I certainly wouldn't buy anything based on the claim that women find whatever attractive.

But what do you guys think? Am I being too critical or do you think it makes sense?

Let me know what you think in the comments, so we can all benefit from your feedback!

-Ryan S.

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Becoming A "Sell-Out"?

Becoming a "sell-out" is a term I've heard a lot throughout my life. I've heard it used in many different contexts to describe many different people, but essentially what I take it to mean is when someone gives-up their Inner-Style and starts making content solely for the sponsors/people with money.

Unfortunately, there are myriads of influencers now who seem to have sacrificed their inner-style-- that is, who they are-- just to make more money. While making a lot of money is a good thing and a goal most of us likely have, losing your identity in the process is not.

In today's post, I'm going to explain how I feel when someone does indeed "sell-out," and tell you whether or not I think I would do the same.

Whenever anyone starts a new business or brand I imagine there's a certain sense of excitement; the excitement of what might happen and who one might encounter on the journey. I believe everyone starts a brand because they believe in something. Yea, money usually tends to be a reason, but it's not the core reason, at least not at first.

When I started this brand in March, my sole reason for doing so was to share my vast array of knowledge about style and fragrances with the rest of the world. That's still my primary reason.

Personally, I know how tough it is if you don't like how you look. I was diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder when I was 15, and probably hated how I looked until I was 23. BDD is such a debilitating disorder because, such as is the case with any psychological disorder, no one else can really understand what’s going on inside your head.

So even though I looked like an average teenager to most people, I was looking in the mirror and seeing a demon.

And to make matters worse, because BDD is primarily an issue with women, being a young guy with it was incredibly isolating.

Fortunately, I've since overcome most of my issues, and now generally really like what I see when I look in the mirror. I'd be lying though if I said there weren't still moments I get overly critical of my appearance.

My point is this: I couldn't in a million years imagine creating a brand focused on helping people look and feel their best, knowing how tough and painful it can be not to, and then suddenly deciding to change topics because Walmart is offering me a hearty sponsorship.

That's why it hurts me so much when I see other people "selling-out". I'm sure they started with noble intentions or for the right reasons, but somewhere along the line they became corrupted by money and fame.

To me, it seems "selling-out" is the easy way to make it big.

I mean, of course it is. Instead of making money slowly over time through their own personal endeavors, the person relinquishes their brand's identity and is given a large sum of money by a big business or corporation.

My story and my reasons for starting are my own. Whether I make a lot of money or not, my story is going to stay intact. Who I am as a person means a lot more to me than getting paid by a big company to promote a crappy product or service.

Going back to my post on Inner-Style, I think this is why empathy is such an important trait to have. I believe caring and supporting your fans-- i.e. the people who read and watch your material-- is astronomically more important than making a ton of money by losing focus of who you are and what your audience perhaps needs.

The reason influencers are called influencers is because they're suppose to inspire people to change or to better themselves.

However, the sad truth is that many of such people seem to eventually forget that, and instead focus more on themselves.

So would I ever consider becoming a "sell-out"?

Yes...

Just kidding.

Haven't you been reading my post?

Of course, I would never sell-out. It's probably much easier for me to say that now than to say it later when confronted by a sponsorship opportunity I don't believe in later on, but I know that I am not the kind of person to relinquish my identity to or for anyone else.

People who know me personally know that better than anyone.

But what do you all think about the topic? How do you feel about people who "sell-out"? Can you understand why they do it?

Let me know what you think in the comments!

-Ryan S.

P.S. I appreciate everyone who's been reading, watching, and sharing my material! Make sure to like my Facebook page and follow me on Instagram.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Dior Homme 2011 Revisited

Ok, so this post probably seems a bit weird considering I wrote my review less than two weeks ago. I think the fundamental issue with my review is that I wrote it after only wearing Dior Homme 2011 a couple of times; i.e. I didn't really give it enough of a chance.

So this post isn't so much me revisiting the original Dior Homme, rather, it is my actual real experience wearing it.

You know it's a legit review when I take a selfie with the bottle.

Pretty much everything I said about its performance and projection is the same. One thing I did notice was that it leaves a super nice silage which earns this one some points. It is extremely seductive and alluring. I could literally see this one drawing people closer to you.

The biggest issue with what I said in my review was that it isn't a distinctly masculine fragrance, which initially, I thought was a bad thing. It's definitely lacking the ruggedness of Dior Sauvage, which is probably what caused me to label is as primarily a unisex fragrance, but it has a certain sexual allure that Sauvage doesn't have.

Or I should say a different kind of allure because Sauvage is definitely sexy, don't get me wrong.

But there's something special about the original Dior Homme, and I think it's the fact that it isn't uber masculine. You're not going to smell like a "bro" wearing this. You're not going to smell like a "playboy". You're not going to smell like you're trying to attract girls with your fragrance.

You're just going to attract them.

I'll tell you what you will smell like wearing the original Dior Homme: like a confident, refined gentleman who doesn't need to smell overtly masculine to appear masculine, if that makes sense. I would call this the pink of mens' fragrances.

In fact, recently, someone in a fragrance group I'm in on Facebook summed-up the essence of Dior Homme 2011 quite nicely:

It was in response to a thread asking which is more masculine, the original Dior Homme or D&G The One. He said, and I'm paraphrasing, that you have to be the man to wear Dior Homme whereas D&G The One makes you a man.

This really resonated with me because, as you recall from my live video last Sunday, The One really was my gateway fragrance which you could say made me a man or at least a man interested in wearing fragrance!

That's why I think it'd be appropriate to compare it to the color pink, which is typically only worn by guys who are 100% confident in themselves. Those who, in essence, already know they're the man.

So, in my review I prematurely gave Dior Homme 2011 a 7.5/10, which was .5 less than I gave Dior Homme 2020, but after really wearing it and seeing how well it actually does, I'm changing my rating to a 9/10. It is right up there with the Sauvage line, but like I said, it's for different reasons. Not only is the projection and silage on this one really good, but the scent is going to make you stand out and perhaps even draw people closer.

I'm going to continue to wear this one and probably do a live video discussion about it sometime in the near future.

The lesson I learned from this one is this though:

Don't judge a fragrance after one or two wears. Really give it some time. Learn to appreciate the composition of the fragrance before you render a verdict.

Moving forward, any reviews I do will be at least a week after getting a fragrance. No more quick reviews. That way I can give you my genuine insight into the fragrance the first time.

-Ryan S.