Kenneth Cole Video Style Guide

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?)