Pick of the Week - Royal Elastics

These shoes are weird, just plain weird. That is a compliment. I like weird. They're a cross between a slip-on and an athletic shoe. There are also boot-esque shoes. I can't explain what Royal Elastics (www.royalelastics.com) is going for with their shoes, but I love whatever it is. There are no laces, and obviously everything is elastic, hence the name.

These shoes are versatile, too. Wear them when going out to dinner with your friends while you discuss the economic crisis in Europe. Wear them to a party with your friends while you discuss who is taking a shot with you. Either situation, these shoes will go with whatever you are wearing. Royal Elastics shoes are so different and weird that they look good no matter what location or occasion. Buy some. Add some weirdness to your feet. Is that a slip-on? A skate shoe? Boots? Who cares.

Own it.

I missed last week's Good or Bad. Sorry, but I will write one this week. On to other things, specifically "owning it." Mrs. Straight Guy and I just saw a Morgan Spurlock documentary called Mansome. It focuses on the modern man's need to groom, what it means to be a man, and hair, lots of hair. One part stood out to me in Mansome. Spurlock is talking about his handlebar mustache and different styles of facial hair and he said, "You have to own it." I thought that statement is so true when it comes to fashion. You have to own it.

One person's style may not be another's style. Fashion can be very subjective, to an extent. The important part is "owning it." By "owning it," I mean be comfortable, confident, and make it yours. Rock whatever look you are going for. It may be Silverlake Hipster or East Coast Preppy. Go for it. Own it because you like it. Do not wear or try to fit in a style just because someone says it is cool and trendy. Colored pants for guys are becoming a trend. I don't think it's a good trend. You will not see me wearing green or red pants. However, I saw a guy in Vegas not long ago wearing red pants, a blue jacket, and a red bow tie. I thought he looked awesome, but I would not feel comfortable wearing that outfit. He did, and he looked good because he owned it. He was confident and made it his.

I know I sound contradictory. Here I am writing about what is good and bad, picking clothes I think are good, and sounding like I pretend to be some sort of official on fashion guidelines. I say baggy shorts do not look good, nor do sandals and pants. Yet here I am saying as long as you are "owning it", you will look good. Let me clear this up by saying I am a fashion hater. I will admit it. I will see, what I consider, bad fashion and point it out. Like I said, fashion is subjective. I may be walking down the street wearing my modern-fit chambray shorts and my V-neck shirt, and someone may think I look like a tool. They are wrong, of course, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. Own it. Forget the haters.

Pick of the Week - Kane and Unke

I don't know much about Kane and Unke (kaneandunke.com). I stumbled upon them because I saw one of their jackets on Swell's website. It did not take me long to find things I like. Kane and Unke clothing is very muted in terms of color; black, white, gray, navy, and that is it. The clothes are very clean and not flashy. I think the jackets are the standout pieces. My favorite is the Milk Mad Pocket Bomber jacket, but you can't go wrong with any. They are sophisticated, yet have a youthful, modern vibe.

You are not going to find a lot of info on their website. I think Kane and Unke are fairly new, so their collection is not complete. If their current stuff is a clue of what's to come, I am excited for their future. Get a jacket or shirt for yourself, your man, your brother, or whoever. Jump on the Kane and Unke train before you miss it.

My Style Icon

Just look at them. Can it get any cooler? Above are my maternal grandparents. My grandpa died when I was 5, so I really didn't know him. I am one of the younger grandkids, number 15 out of 19, so I don't have any stories or memories of him. My grandma just celebrated her 85th birthday. She lets me and my sister go through our grandpa's closet and take things, probably because we are her favorites. His style was amazing. My sister has a lot of pictures of him. We say that we get our fashion sense from him. In every picture he looks so cool, and yet his style looks so effortless. In this picture, all he is wearing is a button-up and pants, but look at the sunglasses and the hair. I think it is the little touches that he put into every outfit that make him stand out in my mind.

My favorite and most prized fashion piece is a Yves St. Laurent tie of his. It is a solid, dark grey tie with the YSL monogram on the bottom. I don't know how expensive YSL was back in his days, but it is expensive now. Maybe he treated himself, or maybe YSL wasn't popular enough yet to be expensive. I like to think he treated himself for all his hard work being a carpenter and raising 7 kids. He did not have a big house or fancy cars, but he had excellent clothes. My grandpa is my style icon, my fashion idol. I try to look as good and cool as he did, but with that same effortless feel. And my grandma, she does not look bad either. She, too, had an amazing style. They look like the latin JFK and Jackie O. Amazing and effortless.

Good or Bad? - The Fedora

Francis Albert Sinatra wore fedoras all the time, and he looked damn good. Humphrey Bogart wears one throughout Casa Blanca. Don Draper on Mad Men can pull it off. So we can wear them now, right? Justin Timberlake wears fedoras, so it's cool now. Wrong, wrong, completely wrong. I know Justin Timberlake wears them occasionally, but I am going to confess something. I don't think he can pull it off. It is too hard to wear a fedora without looking like you are trying too hard to look cool or trying to look like you are off the set of Mad Men. Let's face the fact that we will never look as sharp as our grandpas did. The fashion back then was so effortless, and that is what made it so good.

Fedoras were a part of our grandpas' everyday fashion, but no more. They will forever be associated with the beginning and early 20th century. For this reason, they are not timeless. Let our grandpas have this look. You don't know what the Depression was like. You didn't fight in World War I or II. You have never had bootlegged alcohol during Prohibition. You should not wear a fedora. What do you think when you see a man or woman wearing something not age appropriate, like a 46 year-old mom wearing a pink tube top, glittery jeans, and pink wedges? What about a 53 year-old guy wearing torn jeans, Chuck Taylor shoes, and a t shirt with an ironic or funny quote? It is comical and kind of pathetic. Young man, leave the fedora to Sinatra, Draper, and Grandpa. We are not them.

Pick of the Week - Chino Shorts

You cannot, I repeat, you cannot go wrong wearing chino shorts. They are designed in a way that no man will look bad. Some people will hate on you though, depending on the length of them. I was wearing a pair that are about two inches above my knees. My uncle gave me a wedgie (yes, I am 28 and still get wedgies from my uncles), and told me my, now high, boxers match my high shorts. I told him they are chino shorts, and they are not meant to be long and baggy. I found his ridicule of my shorts odd seeing as back in his days no one wore long shorts. Everything was way above the knees. So I am just giving you a friendly heads up; depending on the length you or your boyfriend may be teased a bit. Wear them confidently, and it will not matter. "Haters gonna hate," as the cool kids say.

Chino shorts are very clean looking and can be worn with anything. When Mrs. Straight Guy and I were on our honeymoon in St. Lucia, I did not pack a single pair of pants. I brought my chino shorts and wore them everywhere, whether it was exploring the island paired with a t shirt or going out to dinner with a button-up. Like I said, you can't go wrong. Your or your man's closet should be filled with chino shorts. They will not break you bank account, either. You can get a pair from swell.com or jcrew.com for under $50, some for under $40.

I know cargo shorts are making an unfortunate comeback. To me, cargo shorts look messy. Guys, if all you are carrying is your wallet, cell phone, and keys you do not need that many pockets. Honestly, that is all you should be carrying, also some Burt's Bees Lip Balm. If you are traveling abroad and need to carry a bit more stuff, cargo shorts are acceptable, but you will definitely stand out as a tourist. Get some chino shorts, you will not regret it. However, consider this a warning my friends. Do some lunges and squats or suggest to your man that he should join you on a run. There is no where for your butt to hide in a pair of chino shorts.

Good or Bad? - V Neck T-Shirts

There is a line between a good V-neck and a bad V-neck. A good v-neck goes a little below your clavicle bone. I think those types of V-necks look good on any man of any shape. I own several, and they are my go-to shirt when it comes to going out on a casual date with Mrs. Straight Guy or  going to a bar. A V-neck can dress up a pair of jeans when paired with the right jacket. V-necks, usually, are good.

However, when the line is crossed into a bad V-neck, the results are scary. Watch Andy Samberg's Digital Short "V-Necks" with Ben Stiller, and you will see the line from good to bad crossed many times. Ladies can get away with plunging necklines because they are the far prettier sex. Men, when we wear deep v-necks we look like creepers, with a slight touch of attention whore. I do not care how buff and tan your chest looks, no one wants to see it out. I don't think anyone finds the hair sweater on your chest sexy, so please cover it up. The verdict is V-necks are good, but use common sense gentlemen.

This screams "Look at me!"