Kenneth Cole Video Style Guide – The Big Meeting
KennethCole.com just launched a new video style guide that will give us the public, suggestions on what to wear for a variety of occasions. Kenneth Cole is easily one of the more style-forward affordable brands on the market. So the notion of getting picks from their line and their style experts, well, it honestly got some of us a little excited.
The first installment includes their suggestions for what to wear to a big meeting at work. Perfect. Their athletic cut, almost natural shoulder suits are some of the best out there for under $400. Get lucky on Overstock.com and you could snag one for as little as $150.
So I clicked the button, the video began to roll, and after two minutes it was over. And honestly, I was left scratching my head thinking: “What the hell was that?”
Seems like they all could use a little practice. But it’s their first one. They’ll get better. Here’s our take…
What they Got RIGHT:
The Portfolio – Roma Flap Over $328.00
Kenneth Cole makes some great looking business cases. Black, simple, silver hardware. Expensive, but perfect.
The Shoes – Mister Man Oxfords – $255.00
No stitching on the toe makes it modern. Good shine but NOT patent leather makes it stand out. Pricey.
The Watch – Chronograph – $150.00
Black strap to match the shoes, bright white face. Chronograph gives it character. Inexpensive.
The Shirt – Solid Slim Fit – $59.50
Slim fit with a bit of stretch. Semi Spread color. Classic White. That’s precisely what you want.
The Belt – Xtreme Reversible – $45.00
Simple buckle, leather matches the shoes. Nothing wrong with that.
Business Card Case – Just in Case – $35.00
You NEED to have a business card case. Keep the corners of your cards sharp.
What they Got WRONG:
The Suit – NO: Black – $198 Jacket & $98.00 Pants | YES: Gray –$198 Jacket & $98.00 Pants
Black? It’s not a funeral. And you’re probably not trying out for “Reservoir Dogs 2.” Yes a black suit is what most guys reach for when they’re buying their first suit. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. Look at the gray jacket right next to it. Much classier. A Navy Blue is even better. Black can look dirty brown under a lot of lighting, and it’s also boring. You also can’t wear a black or mainly gray tie with a black suit… or… well… maybe you can try…
The Tie – NO: Colorblock Stripe – $49.50 | YES: Solid Satin – $49.50
Yep. They tried. The Kenneth Cole brand can sometimes… try a little too hard. This gray color block tie is a perfect example of that. The stripes are all over the place. Not just kinda varying in thickness, but drastically, hugely, annoyingly varying in thickness. The tie is a total mess. And when paired with a black suit it’ll shove you in a world of monochrome. Keep your ties plain, pin dot, or with some well placed stripes. See the tie on the right? Also by Kenneth Cole. Stick with a tie like that and you’ll look like a guy who has some experience dressing with class. Chose the tie on the left which is just trying a little too hard to be edgy, and you’ll end up looking like a dude who’d rather be wearing his favorite No Fear t-shirt. And no I don’t know if they still make those.
Too harsh? Maybe. Just the humble opinion of one Affordable Men’s Style website. I am already looking forward to their next installment, and everything really is open for debate. Except for that awful tie.
(your thoughts?)