Mark McNairy’s New Book Tells You How To Dress

“Read (if you know how to), think (if that is possible), look at the pretty pictures, get inspired, and then go fuck yourself.”

Nope, it’s not a motivational Instagram post; it’s the foreword from iconoclastic designer Mark McNairy’s new book. Charming, right? But then what else would you expect from a designer who’s made his name on not so much breaking as gleefully ripping apart the rulebook?

Dubbed F**k Ivy and Everything Else, McNairy’s new book (published by HarperDesign) isn’t however, as its title – and author’s reputation – might suggest, a 176-page tirade. Or at least not all of it is.

Most of it is in fact a masterclass in style, a series of lessons on how to dress and act like a modern gentleman, each illustrated with a colourful picture (and some equally colourful language to boot). There’s a lot to learn here, which isn’t surprising given McNairy’s status as one of America’s foremost menswear tastemakers.

Self-taught, he has forged his reputation not only on his candour and refusal to kiss ass, but also on treating classic menswear pieces as his blank canvas, covering them in busy prints or contrast elbow patches, badges or brash slogans. His is a brand built both on deep respect for classic modes of men’s dress – from Ivy League prep to Savile Row tailoring – and a two-finger salute to the same.

Despite having no formal training, he’s so far scooped a creative directorship at J. Press, launched his own line (Mark McNairy New Amsterdam), collaborated with the likes of adidas Originals, Bass and Timberland, and in 2010 took the reins at Woolrich Woolen Mills. Which means dude knows a thing or two about getting dressed.

Here are six style lessons we learned from F**k Ivy and Everything Else:

1. You Need A Navy Blazer

It’s non-negotiable. Timeless, versatile and classically masculine, a quality navy blazer will repeatedly save your skin whether you’re scrambling for something to look smart at the office or off-duty.

2. Know The Rules, Before You Break Them

There’s a right and a wrong way to flout the rules. Take outerwear layering, for example – unthinkable a few years ago, on-trend now. Do it right and the fact that you’re wearing two jackets at the same time doesn’t look weird AF. Do it wrong, well…

3. Learn How To Tie A Bow Tie

It’s a life skill only the sorriest of men lack.

4. Wear Only One Piece Of Interesting Clothing At A Time

You’re a man, not a moodboard. Dress accordingly by using a brightly coloured or printed piece as your look’s focal point and keeping everything else in the mix a little more muted.

5. Invest In One Or Two Classic Watches

Unless you’re an avid collector, there’s no need to jump on every new model a Swiss watchmaker serves up from its age-old manufacture.

One or two quality watches that steer classic in their styling will serve you a lifetime. And maybe even your kids, too.

6. Hats Aren’t For Every Guy

You either are, or you aren’t. Don’t overstretch yourself if it means the result is Usher in a coonskin cap.

Mark McNairy Interview

Inspired by the teachings of his latest style bible, we reached out to McNairy to see what he had to say on style, flip-flops and his favourite place to grab a bite. The below is what we got back, reproduced – in the interest of authenticity – verbatim. Enjoy.

The Best Dressed Men Of Cannes Film Festival (And How To Get Their Look)

Every year, the fashion elite descend on the French Riviera for the Festival de Cannes, a celebration of cinema served with yacht-hopping parties. And with miles of red carpets to tread, the Cannes film festival plays host to some seriously stylish men.

With everyone and their agent getting tuxed up to the nines, these are the lessons to learn from the men who proved you can abide by the dress code and still flex some sartorial muscle.

Chris Pine – Hell Or High Water Premiere

Chris Pine’s grey, double-breasted suit proved the first rule of tailoring: know thy shape. Because although your tailor can fit a suit to your dimensions, you still need to pick a style that flatter what’s under it.

If you’ve got paving stones pecs of most leading men, a double-breasted jacket makes you look top heavy. But for tall and slim guys like Pine, the extra material and punchy lapels accentuate your shoulders, to add weight and width to your upper body.

Edgar Ramirez – Weinstein Company Party

You don’t always have to think outside the box when when the invite calls for a tuxedo. If, like Ramirez, you nail the fit, then a classic double-breasted tuxedo and bow tie always looks on-point.

Especially when your slim-fit trousers break just right on equally sleek patent shoes, to lengthen your legs and make you look taller, leaner, and just damn handsome.

Laurent Lafitte – Photocell

The Cannes host’s opening jokes may have shown a lack of taste, but his wardrobe was rather more a refined. If you’re looking to keep your formal ensemble casual, Lafitte’s pairing of a sharply-cut grey two-piece suit with white sneakers is worth copying.

Lose the tie and accessorise with some wayfarers for a Mediterranean air, regardless of your locale.

Mark Ronson – Chopard Party

Even if you’re DJing a jewellery brand’s Cannes party, there’s nothing wrong with peacocking. Mr Ronson deftly rides this season’s 1970s trend with a wide-lapelled velvet tux, in a blue that reflects flashbulbs just right.

Worn with a bow tie, this look would quickly veer into weird uncle territory. So opt for an open collar and printed shirt to keep the right side of fancy dress.

Ryan Gosling – The Nice Guys Photo-Call

It’s no revelation that Ryan Gosling knows his way around a red carpet, but his Cannes looks are a masterclass in dressing up in warmer weather.

By all means keep it classic when it comes to the suit, but feel free to pop a few shirt buttons for a more casual take on suited and booted. Then stand next to a guy who borrowed Jeremy Clarkson’s wardrobe, to make your getup look even sharper.

Adam Driver – Paterson Premiere

For a black tie event, the dress code can mean exactly that. A form-fitting fit suit will always see you right, but like Driver, you can avoid looking like you’re off to a funeral by offsetting formal attire with a casual shoe.

The suede wallabee has made a resurgence over the past few seasons, so don’t be afraid to switch out a lace-up Oxford or Derby for something a little more relaxed.

What Tom Hiddleston Can Teach You About Tailoring

All bets are off – literally. Earlier this month bookies suspended betting on actor Tom Hiddleston succeeding Daniel Craig as the new James Bond. And it’s not hard to see why – there’s not a guy in the game who wears a suit quite like him, not even Craig.

Since bursting onto screens as vengeful goth-god Loki in the Thor and Avengers film franchises, Hiddleston has gone on to renounce the all-black-errthang costumes synonymous with the role to tackle some more sartorially-accomplished characters, like Jonathan Pine in spy thriller mini-series The Night Manager and Laing in the recent film adaptation of J.G Ballard’s dystopian classic High-Rise, to name but two.

But it’s not just Hiddleston’s on-screen suiting game that’s on-point. The Cambridge alum turns out unfailingly dapper when off-duty, too. Here, we hone in on his top-performing tailoring tricks to show you five things the man-who-might-be-Bond can teach you about suiting up.

1. Summer Suiting Is A Game Of Tones

The time has come to turn your back on black, grey and navy, and try a bolder suit instead. This season, do as Hiddleston does and sidestep tailoring’s tried-and-trusted palette for a head-turning shot of cobalt or royal blue instead.

It’s not that you won’t look good in suiting’s classic colours, but rather that – because they’re classic – you’re never going to be the only guy wearing a suit in black, grey or navy. A brighter blue style, cut in a slim or skinny fit, makes for a sure-fire hit that’s punchier, more vibrant and more summer-appropriate than safer shades.

Wear it as a direct substitute for your trusty navy two-piece, layering a white dress shirt underneath, and teaming with a black tie and Oxford lace-ups. Essentially, this look puts a contemporary spin on the outfit you’ve been wearing to weddings for years – in a way that won’t get you banned from being in the photos.

2. Untie, Unbutton, Unbeatable

For the aspiring bon vivants out there, Hiddleston demonstrates how nothing helps a man cut a more effortlessly rakish figure than pulling on an expertly tailored suit… and forgetting your tie. (On purpose.)

Done right, donning a suit sans tie suggests a sort of carefree approach to formal dressing that is a) badass, and b) creates the impression you’ve left your yacht in a bit of a hurry to make the premiere on time.

Leaving the top few buttons undone only adds to the air tie’s air of elegance, and contrasts nicely with the structure of tailoring, softening and relaxing your look for the summer months.

The addition of a matching waistcoat maintains the smart-casual balance, ensuring Hiddleston’s tielessness doesn’t tip into bankers-gone-boozing territory.

3. Divide And Conquer

That Hiddleston knows his way around a slim-fit suit goes without saying. But what’s also worth commending is the actor’s separates savvy. Sure, a suit worn as intended works – but mix and match your tailoring and you’ve got a whole new set of sartorial possibilities. Not to mention better cost per wear.

Here – contrasting one suit’s light grey jacket against the black trousers of another – Hiddleston offers a masterclass in making your formalwear go the extra mile. Tap his nous, and not only can you create a third suit out of two you currently own, you’ll also mark yourself apart as a man who knows exactly what he’s doing in the wardrobe department.

If you plan on making like Hiddleston, then keep the rest of your look (shoes, shirt, accessories) pared-back, so as not to pull the spotlight off your first-class tailoring contrast.

4. Bringing Back Black Tie

On the red carpet, Hiddleston favours the traditional peak lapel, which nowadays – on paper at least – feels slightly old-fashioned compared to the slicker line of a single-button, shawl lapel jacket. But, here, he puts the peak into (best) practice, opting for a two-button style cut close to the body, complete with contrast silk lapels.

There’s also a waistcoat (as is Hiddleston’s wont) – something most of us skip over when trussing up in a tux, but a detail that can take your ensemble from passable to pap-worthy. Wearing a waistcoat means the only area of your shirt that’s visible is an arresting V shape which gives your frame real presence. Plus there’s no billowing fabric poking out around your waistline.

Keep your neckwear old-school, too. That means no pre-tied bow ties or metallic neck ties, but a classic black bow tie you tie yourself instead. Confused as to how to make it happen? Let YouTube’s legion of video tutorials be your guide. (And remember to tie before you start popping bottles and impairing your motor skills.)

5. Earn Your (Pin)stripes

Hiddleston has ridden the crest of the pinstripe comeback like few others, demonstrating how this classic suiting motif has long been overdue a revival. Although once a Prohibition gangster/Wall Street favourite, the pinstripe has shed its less savoury connotations to reassert its position as a genuinely smart option for guys in search of an alternative to plain or checked tailoring.

This is still power dressing, but not as you know it. Where once mobsters and stockbrokers bore stripes garishly etched into larger-than-life suits, Hiddleston offers a more modern take with subtle lines and sharp silhouettes. Worn without a tie here, he proves just how contemporary this business standby can look.

For extra points, follow Hiddleston’s lead and make sure that your shoes complement your suit’s stripes. Maybe don’t button your jacket’s bottom button, though. (Error.)

Final Word

Will you be tapping Hiddleston’s tailoring moves? Or does this man’s suiting not meet your standards?

Why Is ‘Sustainability’ Such A Dirty Word?

Last month, two garment factories burned to the ground in Bangladesh and China, claiming the lives of at least 12 workers. The latest in a long line of tragedies, these fires are the result of poor working conditions in often structurally unsound, overcrowded factories – factories where workers earning as little as £25 per month toil relentlessly to churn out trend-driven clothing and accessories which, all too often, end up in landfill just months after they’re unwrapped.

Fashion’s colossal impact both on the environment and human lives is why some designers are choosing to turn the tide. Spurred on by the harrowing effects of the fast-fashion model, a growing number of brands are making changes to their process to slow the fashion cycle.

There are, however, misconceptions; that sustainable brands’ wares are made from (and look like) recycled bin bags or lack the unbridled creativity of less socially and environmentally conscious brands. But, as designers like Ada + Nik are proving, that’s far from the truth.

Founded in 2013, the London label fuses a Goth sensibility with Greco-Roman influences, which roughly translates as slick, punky all-black looks. Far from the hemp-led aesthetic that’s often unfairly attributed to sustainable brands, their modernist collections are made locally from by-product materials and are testament to the fact that it’s possible to create clothing that doesn’t sacrifice style for sustainability.

We caught up with Ada + Nik co-founder, Ada Zanditon, to talk clothes-swapping, eco-friendly tech and why designers should ditch the ‘all or nothing’ approach.

Ada Zanditon Interview

FashionBeans: When designing for Ada + Nik, how do you think about your brand’s sustainability?
Ada Zanditon: For us, designing always begins with the concept. I think people get confused and think that the final look of your product and [its sustainability] are linked, whereas in reality they aren’t.

When we’re designing, we come up with a concept about who our intended man is. So there’ll be a punk influence; there’ll be a rebel influence; there’ll be the influence of warriors and gladiators. It’s about exploring our ideas. We [talk] about the form and the silhouette, and we’ll base designs around words like ‘tension’ or ‘architecture’.

The sustainable part is in the nuts and bolts of everything. That element comes from the production process, the fabric-sourcing. So you can have an incredible-looking jacket that’s sustainable, but it has nothing to do with the way it looks.

A common misconception is that making things in a conscious way is more difficult, but the process of sourcing materials and transporting them is always challenging. If you think about it, using local manufacturing may cost a bit more, but it means it’s all designed and made in the same postcode. I think that’s a really important

Do you think the definition of ‘sustainable fashion’ is too narrow?
The definition can be too narrow, not in terms of what is available but in terms of awareness around sustainable fashion and how sustainable fashion is portrayed.

I do think though, that this is beginning to change. I don’t think we should be communicating about sustainability as if it is a trend – it is instead how the industry should operate going forward and the negative stereotype around the aesthetics of sustainable fashion need to be shaken off.

Can you tell us a bit about your ‘narrative jacket’?
It [a leather jacket with a built-in Narrative Clip camera] was an Ekocycle collaboration that was sold in Harrods.

To create it, we used a material that was made from recycled plastic bottles, then combined that with our leather. It transpired that this recycled textile was showerproof and wind-resistant. It also featured this fine herringbone pattern, so it was a cool technical fabric that just happened to be made using post-consumer waste.

Then, there was the camera clipped onto it, so it was our first piece of wearable tech. For us, it ticked all the boxes of what we were about and the results were positive – the jacket sold out.

It’s been said that there’s a lack of, for want of a better word, sex in sustainability. Why do you think that is?
In actual fact, there are some really cool designers using sustainable materials and local manufacturing, but because there’s so many ‘sustainable’ brands that match a certain aesthetic, designers don’t want to label themselves as such.

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We’ve never said Ada + Nik’s tagline is its sustainable approach; as a design duo we celebrate our ideas, because that’s what we should be talking about. Nik and I have always said that it’s the year 2016 so, naturally, we should be doing this sustainably just like anyone in any other field should be trying to operate sustainably.

When you look at the state of the environment, how could you think anything different? I think Nik and I have proved through our intelligent designs that sustainably-made menswear can be highly desirable.

Do you think men are starting to shop more consciously?
I’ve found that men still look at the designer and want to know the story behind the product, but there’s an undeniable link to functionality in menswear. No matter how avant-garde a design is, there has to be an ergonomic element, and that’s why the influence of sportswear is so prominent in contemporary fashion, because the emphasis is on technical details.

Finally, what advice would you give to those that claim their shopping budget prices them out of sustainable fashion?
It’s like Vivienne Westwood always says – “buy less, buy better”. I like the way she puts it, not only because she’s an icon but because it’s so matter of fact.

When I was younger, we would swap clothing or customise it if we got bored. Nowadays, people don’t dispose of things because they’re falling apart, they dispose of something because they want the next trend. All these things eventually end up landfill, just like a normal plastic bag – the difference is that these garments don’t biodegrade.

We only have one Earth to live on, and we need to remember that.

Style Profile: The Weeknd

As Canada’s biggest export since maple syrup (sorry Drake), The Weeknd (real name Abęl Makkonen Tesfaye) has already won 2016, racking up an Academy Award nomination, eight Billboard awards and two Grammys. Not to mention another full studio album and hook-ups with the likes of Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey and Eminem.

But The Weeknd’s victories aren’t confined to the recording studio – his style’s winning too. In a world of 2 Chainzs and Nicki Minajs, rap’s rising stars often buckle under the pressure to wear their success – you know, fat chains, diamond grills and Versace, Versace, Versace – all of which are swag in their own right but not, over 20 years since their inception, what you’d describe as trendsetting.

The Weeknd counters all the Young Money excess as a graduate of the less-is-more school, teaching us that looks can be contemporary without gimmicks or heavy branding.

Hip-pop style is easier to execute than you might think. Here, we unpick The Weeknd’s go-to moves.

Carpet Bomber

The Weeknd loves bomber jackets. In fact, he might even love them more than Kanye loves Kanye. (Who are we kidding…)

Testament to this military staple’s versatility, The Weeknd has deployed a bomber at events from the MTV VMAs to a live performance on Saturday Night Live. There’ve been black and sand-coloured MA1s, repurposed NBA merchandise and Gucci-esque embroidered designs – each very much its own style but all united in their oversized, boxy fit.

Yes, you’re right, with capacious jackets like these, it’s very easy to start looking like that man made of tyres, but The Weeknd knows what’s up – taking care to team his chunky outerwear with pieces that fit closer.

Full Camo Jacket

He might be more au fait with penning chart-topping hits than trench warfare, but The Weeknd still knows his way around a camo jacket.

His aren’t any old military surplus styles either. Wise to the fact that the trend for traditional woodland camo has peaked (again), The Weeknd riffs on the theme – drawing on desert camo and abstract variations to keep his look contemporary.

He puts it front and centre, too, each time surrounding his statement camo jacket with comparatively sober pieces – black or navy separates, or pieces in a slightly different shade of green for a tonal take – producing an overall effect that’s more A Bathing Ape than Action Man.

On That All-Black Tip

Like his contemporaries, The Weeknd knows the power of an all-black outfit. Endlessly versatile and unerringly cool, wearing this classic colour head-to-toe requires little in the way of effort, but delivers big on results.

Standing at a modest 5’7, The Weeknd’s black-on-black looks also give the illusion of height – always useful when you’re hitting the red carpet with a Hadid on your arm.

In less formal surroundings, he leans on black pieces including bombers, tapered trousers, ankle-skimming jeans and crew neck tees, and the murdered-out mantra also extends to his kicks, as he rounds his monochrome looks off perfectly with a pair of black-out adidas Originals Sambas or classic Stan Smiths.

Savile Service

Knowing you’re going to be stood next to a woman as unfathomably beautiful as Bella Hadid, the idea of ‘scrubbing up’ reaches a whole new level. After all, no one wants to top a Buzzfeed list of ’23 Shockingly Unmatched Celebrity Couples’.

Although not best known for his suited-and-booted looks, The Weeknd still bosses black tie. Case in point: this year’s Grammys, to which he wore a black peak lapel tuxedo with a black shirt and bow tie.

While all-black formal attire might sound dull, The Weeknd looked anything but, with subtle details like the jacket’s silk lapel, the silk bow tie and patent leather shoes creating a visual texture that stopped its wearer from blending into the background.

It may only be a slight deviation from the tried-and-trusted white-shirt-black-tux formula, but it works a charm.

Dread Carefully

We couldn’t talk about The Weeknd’s style without touching on his not-so-secret weapon: his hair. Apparently inspired by groundbreaking artist Jean-Michael Basquiat, it’s perhaps best described as a dreadlocked top and back curtain neatly flanked by a side fade.

Which is a lot. And definitely not something everyone can pull off. Freeform dreads like The Weeknd’s take months to cultivate, with no combing, brushing or washing with regular shampoo allowed. It’s dedication, and dedication due kudos – but never that drunk-Taylor-Swift-petting-hair-at-a-Grammys-party kind of kudos.

Most Valuable Layer

Outerwear layering is tricky to get right – pair the wrong pieces or mess with the wrong proportions and you’re a ringer for a Ryanair passenger who refuses to check-in a bag.

So look to the pros, among them The Weeknd. By layering sweats, tees and hoodies underneath unstructured jackets like bombers and truckers (pieces that lend themselves to layering), he deftly plays with proportion, colour and print.

Try it for yourself by wearing a zipped hoodie underneath an overcoat, or a longline T-shirt under a lightweight bomber jacket for a slightly more warm-weather-ready spin.

Final Word

Is The Weeknd’s style as gong-worthy as his music? Or just another fad that’s headed for the hills?