Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

This is a great book about achieving a timeless look and acquiring quality apparel. Like most men, I was never taught anything at all about color coordination or how to match patterns, let alone judge the quality of clothing. I just assumed that it was a talent that some people are simply born with. While it might be true that some people are gifted in that regard, it is also a skill that can be both taught and learned. This book is one of several that I credit for teaching me the basics of dressing well and it has been absolutely indispensable in my professional career. I only wish someone had given it to me as a graduation gift. My only gripe about this book is that Flusser skimps on some details which are made obvious only by their absence. Flusser specifically writes about the importance of color and finding one's personal colors based on the strength of your natural color (skin tone and hair). Flusser goes on to explain how, in ye olden days, men's magazines often had articles discussing and applying color theory to dress and explanations about how one can match clothing colors to personal color to create a pleasing appearance. And that's it. Although he certainly is aware of different theories of how to do these things, they are conspicuously absent from the book. That's a major failing that I hope will be corrected in later editions or by other works. That said, this book is a good gateway into the world of men's fashion that will give the reader a solid foundation for assembling a timeless and functional wardrobe with plenty of practical tips for doing so.

For a fashionably-clumsy man like myself, this book has enabled me to take a step forward and look sort of like the consultant that I am (or at least portray myself to be). The book is elegantly photographed with men of elegant dress, including classic actors such as Gary Cooper, Fred Astaire and the poster-child for perfect dress, Cary Grant. You'll also see princes and dukes dressing to keep the proper air, and see old men (Signor Barbera and Ralph Lauren) maintaining their distinguished appearances as they grey by dressing well. But this isn't merely a picture book, although any book on dressing well must lead with pictures. It contains a chapter on everything - shoes, ties, the suit, shirts, socks, business casual (13 in all, and each on a narrow subject). Matching color to your complexion, eyes and hair is a subject that many men struggle with, and he has a chapter dedicated to that. This is a formal and classic book - not one for the passing trends, although business casual is covered. Anyone who needs to be in a situation where they need to be well-dressed - businessmen for key meetings, gentlemen at weddings and perhaps most especially, job interviewers, should keep a copy of this book on their dresser.

This book is aimed at building a classic wardrobe. There is a short chapter in the back which addresses "business casual" dress, but the primary focus is on more formal business clothing such as suits, dress shirts, ties, oxford shoes, etc. For anyone who has occasion to wear a suit and tie, this book is very useful. If you don't own a suit and only wear a tie once or twice a year, then this book is likely a waste of time. Some of the most useful sections of this book are on selecting colors and clothing shapes which match your coloring and body type. This is a concept that has been around a long time, but Mr. Flusser addresses it simply and usefully without the cute and artificially complex winter-summer-spring-fall gimicks that other authors have utilized. The book focuses on quality tailoring and achieving a balanced, timeless look through high quality clothing that fits and harmonizes. This book, and Bernhard Roetzel's book, Gentleman, are probably the two best books on the subject of classic style. It is a good investment for a man who wishes to raise his style up a notch or two.

There aren't many books that give classic and trustworthy clothing advice for men, but I wish there were more. The book has made me a better dresser and it has helped me to avoid making bad purchases, but I do have a few issues to raise: * The author writes fluent prose, but sometimes it feels as though the author enjoys his quill a bit much * As others point out, the color photos are rife with error and it is inexcusable * While bespoke fashion is ideal (I own a little), most readers would be better served by some advice on how to properly fit a garment from the rack. The author gives only brief mention of this purchasing option and I got the feeling that he considers any suit not made on Saville Row to be rubbish. * I found his mention of cuff links to be cursory. Flusser admonishes that a real cuff link is jeweled on both sides, but when is the last time you ever saw this? He could have at least given some tips on selecting quality single sided cuff links, because they vary greatly in quality. I do indeed like the book, but in addition to learning about fashion I wanted to learn about how to make due without breaking the bank. In a future revision I hope the author includes some mention of practical, yet dignified, clothing choices.

This is my first "fashion" book. I used to think i understood a good fit; when the tailor at Brooks Brothers, Nordstroms, etc.. came out and just measured. WRONG. Thank you Alan Flusser. The Tailor is just the last stop in a chain of events that you didn't know existed. There is more to a good fit than taking in or letting out. This is what prompted me to finally start making changes in how I purchase my few key suites, jackets, dress pants, and dress shirts. I followed Alan's process for identifying the type of clothing best suited for my face, height, and personal style. There are of course specific terms for all the areas of focus, and you will learn them from this book. However the "coup de grace" is that he has photo's of the same attire on different people, and different attire on the same person. Fashion is a visual game. Just like a great sports announcer who can cater to the veteran player watching or the first time fan, he makes it accessible and understandable while not leaving the better informed bored. Now the big finish. Ever since I followed some of his advice, I've felt more in comfortable and confident in certain "high expectations" situations. With focus on the big items such as colors and patterns, the small stuff such as the proper reveal at the wrist/cuff under a suit jacket just sets it all off and puts you in another league. People will notice, and they won't know what you did, just that you did it right. Because the answer is no one thing, but all in combination. I highly recommend this book.

This book turned out to be much more than I expected. It has style and color advice plus history of how current western business dress evolved. The pictures are excellent illustrations of style and the fold out color suggestions by season are excellent. The book provides a valuable style guide on areas difficult for many men: such as how to match patterns and colors and what colors to avoid and why. There are instructions on how to tie a necktie. It assumes that a man wants to look good in his clothes whatever amount he spends. Many may think a book like Dressing The Man is no longer worthwhile to read. Due to the ultra relaxed clothing styles enabled by covid-19 remote work the great majority of men no longer need to dress in a coat and tie for the office. The book is dated in that it does not dedicate many pages on how to look good in jeans with fashionable torn knees. This may put off many current 18 to 30 year old men. I recommend the book for any man who wants to maximize value received with a small clothing budget. This is especially true if someone only has enough money for one suit or one sport coat. It offers clear advice on how to look well dressed to women (and perhaps their parents). This book will serve as a valuable guide when more formal styles return as fashion evolves or during the next recession when men's dress becomes more conservative.

An interesting read on how to wear it properly.

I absolutely fell in love with this book and use it as a regular reference guide. This is a book worth buying and putting on the shelf. The most recent question I answered for myself is "What is ancient madder?" You can give yourself an absolutely wonderful education with this book and learn to "see" men's clothing in truly eye-opening ways. Learn about color, proportion, texture, patterns, the history, and, most importantly, learn the traditions and then play with them yourself. Also - most importantly - learn to shop with confidence! Why does this tie cost so much more than that one? Is it French tipped or self-tipped? Learn to appreciate the little details. Learn about all the different components to a sports coat so that you can see and appreciate all the details for yourself. A quality sales person is always to be appreciated, but you will know more than most after reading this book. Have fun!

This is a handsomely produced book. It is about suit-tie dressing, which I don't hold against it as that is made clear by the cover itself. But inside it is just a list of opinions and conventions laid down like law. I'd have liked something more rational.

Alan Flusser ensina o homem a se vestir, mostra combinações possíveis, traz um dicionário extenso. Infelizmente, se perde com tipos de roupas que ninguém usa, como smokings e casacas.

Fatto bene

Es un clásico...que se quedó en ese formato. Las ilustraciones y las fotos son sinceramente viejas. Tal vez tendría que reeditarse con un lenguaje visual más contemporáneo.

This really helps separate out style from fashion.