Quick Tip

Whether or not you drink coffee, red wine or smoke (gross), your teeth could use a little whitening. Whiter teeth help you to look younger and pearly whites are way more attractive. Now a days you don’t have to spend a ton of money at the dentist for professional whitening. You can get white strips from a drugstore and throw them on your teeth for half an hour. Some versions you can even leave on for only 5 minutes. Oh and use them for the recommended period of time (for most I think it’s 20 days in a row). You will see a difference as will everyone else (but in a not super obvious way). 

Austin Tech Guys are Pretty Hip

I couldn’t go to SXSW and not write about the difference between Austin Tech Guys (ATG) vs Silicon Valley Tech Guys (SVTG).  First of all I can’t believe that was my first time at SXSW. I took the Silicon Valley StartupBus so I was on a bus with mostly SVTG for three days. I’ve commented a lot on SVTF (Silicon Valley Tech Fashion) and even NY fashion, but I was unprepared for Austin Tech Fashion. ATF is super hip: faux hawks, fitted shirts, ties, vests and fancy cowboy boots for the most part. It’s a combination of dressy and hipster. You will not find them a wearing hoodies or conference shirts, that’s for sure.

The other remarkable difference is that they are super into their offices. Giving office tours is a common thing there. Also it isn’t strange for them to sleep in their offices; I’m not even exaggerating. They have a few outfits in their office just in case they end up crashing there. I encountered a number of Austin Tech Guys and this was common across the board.  In fact, one of my friends moved into his office while I was staying at his apartment lol. He also has an ongoing competition with Pete Cashmore on who is the better dresser.

Faux Hawks are Hawt

Pretty Fly for a tech guy- Gregarious

Finally I spotted a slick dressin’ tech dude. I’ve mentioned some conference no no’s before , but Gregarious Narain is looking pretty fly for a tech guy at the Launch Conference.  The quality of the first picture is terrible, but notice he doesn’t button the bottom button of his jacket.  Don’t button this button. There are only a couple of exceptions and those are for the double-breasted jacket and “paddock coat” so don’t worry about that now.  The grey suite with the tie and shoes are spot on in terms of color.

(cc) Kenneth Yeung - http://www.snapfoc.us

I love vests and I’m very excited to see Gregarious wearing a round neck one.  The Windsor knot is the perfect complement as well as his hat. There were a lot of international and LA tech guys at the conference, but I wanted to highlight a San Francisco tech person who caught my eye. Check out his site here http://lifegrams.com/

Undershirts-Unnecessary layers

There are a lot of fashion styles I love pre-1934, but undershirts are not one of them. Thank you Clark Gable for It Happened One Night and showing the world how sexy it is to wear just one shirt at a time. I know you think you may get sweat stains or deodorant stains on your super cool t-shirt so you wear an undershirt but simply buy different deodorant. Undershirts make you hotter (causing you to sweat more) and aesthetically they are unappealing. The T-shirt originated from people wearing just their undershirt (with out the outer shirt) so really it doesn’t make sense to wear an undershirt under a undershirt. Also for button down shirts an undershirt is just unnecessary . That little white that sticks out from your collar is not pretty and overall the layering makes you look thicker. Would you put two cases on your iPhone to protect it better? No you wouldn’t so just say no to wearing two shirts at a time.

Conference Fashion

The conferences Oracle and TechCrunch Disrupt just ended so I’ll comment on some fashion faux pas I saw.  First I’ll mention how overall the fashion was a little less casual, and I’m going to attribute that to the many people who came from outside the Valley. First and foremost, I want to mention that wearing your badge during the conference is not only acceptable but also logical. Walking around San Francisco, on the other hand, is not.  You are basically announcing that you are a tourist (whether or not that is true, it sure looks that way). Also it is a little dorky.

The free shirt at TechCrunch Disrupt was awesome this year. The caveat is that it is so not cool to wear it at the actual conference or their parties.  Especially wearing it over your polo shirt (I saw this!).  The conference shirt is but a representation of the memory so wearing it while you are still at the event defeats the purpose.  I suggest show off the shirt and the fact you were at the TCD conference another time. You’ll get a nod in recognition that you saw MC Hammer perform because that was pretty epic.

Hey there fancy- Yeah you NY not you San Fran

It’s nothing new that there are drastic differences in fashion between men in NY and SF. I just got back from New York Fashion Week and the men were dressed to the “T”.  I saw a lot of button down shirts, slacks and leather shoes. Blazers are to NY as hoodies are to San Francsico.

Armani- NY

Some of the more casual looks were untucked button down shirts, rolled up sleeves and well fitting jeans.  I even saw a few loosely tied ties. Why is that? Is it because many places in NY have a dress code? Do men feel more pressure to dress up because other men are dressing up? Is it because the financial industry requires suits and ties and then men go out after work? Do men in NY just have a lot of less casual clothing so they wear what they have? I’ll have to head back and find out the answers to these perplexing questions. I’m not even going to get into the Blackberry vs to iPhone culture or the whole dating scene. Let’s just say fashion is just one of the many, many difference between the two cities.

The San Francisco Bay Area is full of tech companies and start-ups , where as you know, the work uniform is uber-casual. While in NY, I realized it’s nice to see guys dressed a little less casual (and not be a VC or in biz dev).  I want you to pick a random event you’re going to and wear a slim fitting button down shirt, nice jeans and some leather shoes if you live in the Bay Area. New York-up your ensemble for a day and don’t forget to yell and walk fast.

AWDis Hoodies-SF

Burning Man and Tech Guy Fashion

Let me preface with Burning Man is more tech than you think. It is pretty common knowledge that Larry Page, Sergey Brin and Eric Schmidt all went (and as the story goes, that is why Google hired Schmidt). My point is that a lot of tech/Silicon Valley people go; they just may not publicize it. Anyway you may have seen some burners running around the city and thought they looked ridiculous. That’s fair, but their outfits make sense in the desert.

During the day the heat is quite intense so no shirt is perfectly acceptable.  To step that up add a furry vest with some baggy jeans or shorts. A hat is very important because there is no shade (unless you make it at your campsite) so a big brimmed hat or cowboy hat will help keep you from getting burned. Sunglasses are obvious, but sometimes there are dust storms so it is pretty handy to have some goggles around.

When the sun goes down the outfit completely changes. It starts getting very, very cold. A coat or jacket is preferable. Think Mad Max meets Waterworld (sans water) meets the Flintstones. A big fuzzy or furry jacket works fine. A really important addition is lights. Glow sticks, glow necklaces, glow bracelets, blinking lights, and head lights are a really important way not to get run over by bicycles and art cars. Feel free to get more creative and make cool glowing shapes on your clothing (like a happy face).

Shoes are a little tricky because the ground is really dusty. This isn’t beach sand; it’s kind of like clay. The area (called the Playa) used to be a basin that dried up and now the dust is alkali. This can cause foot irritation so I recommend closed toe shoes. Some people wear sandals during the day since it is super hot but then you risk getting playa foot which isn’t serious but uncomfortable (a mild chemical burn when the alkali dust gets in a cut or crack of your foot). Whatever shoes you do wear, they will eventually have a white dusty film. At nighttime, boots are preferable.

People are very, very, very nice at Burning Man but if you show up just wearing normal clothes you will be labeled a “spectator”. No one is going to go up to you and call you that, but Burning Man is an opportunity to let loose and embrace this temporary, artistic city in the desert.

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Photo Courtesy of Time Magazine

Five toe shoes- Please wear as directed

I do not have a problem with athletic wear-just wear it when you are doing an athletic activity. I have yet to decide if Vibram Fivefingers shoes are actually shoes. They remind me of a creepier version of watersocks (remember those). According to their website they enhance sensations to the ground and are useful for outdoor activities like kayaking, chi running etc. Since these are athletic “shoes” I think there is some merit in possibly wearing them when you are doing the recommended activities.

On the other hand, wearing these “shoes” to your office,

Vibram Five Fingers

a bar/party/club/date or speaking at a conference (I’ve totally seen that) are not appropriate. I’m sure they are super comfortable, but please, use as directed.

Casual Shoes and Why They Shouldn’t Last Forever

All right, I completely understand that shoes are supposed to be comfortable. If you’ve seen me in my shoes you know I don’t prescribe to that at all. I like to be 3-5 inches taller than I really am. I’m not suggesting you do that. Anyway, I know a lot of you like your New Balances because they last for years…..but why would you want to wear the same shoes for years? First, there is unavoidable bacteria build up inside the shoe. Secondly you are walking around outside and picking up all types of nasty germs. Thirdly the soles wear down and that affects foot support. A way to make your shoes last longer is to not wear the same pair every day. Get 2-3 pairs and wear them in a rotation. I know what you are thinking-expensive. I’m here to tell you it’s worth it. Read the about section if you still aren’t convinced (oh and remember the whole bacteria build up-ew).

John Varvatos Converse Shoes

Back to the New Balances- I am not a fan. Unless you are running to work, I don’t see the appeal (besides the whole comfortable and erroneous belief of lasting forever but we already touched on that). Aesthetically they undermine your outfit. A less bulky shoe is sexy and I have some suggestions. There is something about Converse shoes that convey a sophisticated playfulness. I’m sure you’re familiar with the typical pair, but Converse also partners with other designers to create styles with an interesting twist. I’ve been really into the Nautical look lately so boat shoes are a go and slip-ons too.  Your shoes are a way to go a little crazy and express your personality. Have fun with them.

Timberland Earthkeeper 2.0 Boat Shoe

Vans

Question: Casual Look

The first question is from Kurtis. “So question #1, what is a good casual look (besides my woot shirts, no really, wearing one right now).”

I know I make fun of Woot shirts and people think they’re “funny,” but my biggest gripe is how they feel and fit. I actually really like the one right now.

My favorite material for T-shirts is actually bamboo. It is sustainable, organic and feels like a blend of cashmere and silk. Translation: good for the environment and really, really soft.

A brand that I like for men’s shirts is John Varvatos U.S.A. It is a little pricey (not as expensive as John Varvatos), but the cloth is soft and I like the way they fit. See below for a picture of a polo shirt that is pretty casual. It feels like a T-shirt, but looks a little nicer. It is still casual though.

Obviously, jeans are casual. A brand I really like is Nudie Jeans. They are organic which is super important because cotton contributes to 25% of all pesticide usage and requires a large amount of water to make into a garment. I’ll talk more about sustainable fabric in another post, but it is something to consider when buying clothing.

Another great option for pants – something that can be casual or you can dress it up – is plaid pants. I’m kind of a plaid lover. It might be from my long stint at Catholic School, but there are so many different varieties of plaid that it makes your outfit a lot more interesting.

Feel free to send me questions at gauxclothes@gmail.com.

Photos courtesy of Woot, John Varvatos, Urban Outfitters and NudIe Jeans