By RP Staff, on Fri Dec 7, 2012 at 1:30 PM ET  OK RP Nation, time for you to weigh in on the Great Debate now engulfing the Internet tubes:
Is Contributing RP Michael Steele’s outfit (at left) a signal that he has emerged as a style trendsetter?
Is it a fashion faux pas, deserving of the most cring-worthy Joan Rivers insults?
Or is it a shrewd tactic to distract his opponents in the Recovering Politician Fantasy Football Bowl in his bid to capture the consolation bracket?
UPDATE (5:46 EST): Julie Rath, our resident expert and one of the leading style arbiters in the men’s fashion industry, weighs in:
I’m down with taking fashion risks (and wearing bright colors), but this is pushing it!
You decide in the comments section below:
By Julie Rath, on Fri Dec 7, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET With business casual all the rage in many offices, the pairing of dress shirts and pants is a hot topic. In some ways, this is actually easier than putting together an outfit where you’re considering suit (or blazer and pants), shirt, tie, and sometimes pocket square patterns. But still, based on empirical data (a.k.a. what I see when hanging out in clients’ closets), a lot of people get it wrong. Below are 7 quick and easy points to keep in mind when selecting a business-casual dress shirt and pants combo.
1) Avoid wearing striped pants with just your dress shirt. This tends to look a little “off,” like you broke your striped suit apart and wore just the pants themselves.
2) If you broke rule #1 and are wearing striped pants with just a dress shirt, don’t worry I won’t hunt you down. Just promise me that your dress shirt isn’t striped too.
3) If your pants have a pattern (plaid, windowpane, check, etc.), go with a solid shirt, and vice versa. Otherwise you border on looking clownish. Some fabrics are “tone-on-tone,” which means they have a subtle pattern to their weave, like a herringbone, but are still all one color. Fabrics like that read as solids and are perfectly fine to wear with patterns. See above how, viewed closely, there appears to be a pattern in the shirt, but overall it reads as a solid.
4) If you’re very tall, you may want to break up your height by choosing pant and shirt colors that contrast one another, creating a horizontal line at your waist (see above left). On the flip, if you want to look taller, choose combinations where the colors are more similar in depth and intensity so as to create one long line top-to-bottom (above right).
5) White goes with everything. In fact, the white dress shirt is a wardrobe cornerstone — about as important as, say, a belt or a navy blazer. It comes in especially handy on the inevitable running-late mornings when you need to grab-and-go.
6) A contrast collar shirt is mostly worn with a suit for a Wall Street-y look. But if you’re going to wear it with just dress pants, opt for pants in a dark hue.
7) For specific color recommendations, I like brown pants with pink, light blue, ecru and yellow shirts. And gray pants provide a solid anchor to brightly colored or boldly patterned shirts.
Do you have trouble pairing dress shirts and pants? Leave me a comment or question below. I’d love to hear what’s on your mind.
Images via Mr. Porter and Bonobos.
By Julie Rath, on Fri Nov 30, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET Socks, swords, and a sled built for speedfreaks… What more could you ask for this holiday season? Read on for 15 Rath-approved holiday gifts.
STOCKING
1) Make a quick getaway from your style rut with this wool suiting pocket square ($10). Wear it with a navy blazer or suit, a light pastel shirt and a dark wool tie.
2) For the drink that’s always with you, a stately flask with the Russian coat of arms ($25).
3) Socks are a holiday gift list mainstay, and these Etro Herringbone socks won’t disappoint ($39).
SNAG
4) This cozy wool hat ($88) comes in charcoal, navy and cream, so there’s something flattering for everyone.
5) I always like to look for belts that are a bit “different” to help my clients define their style, and this two-tone leather belt ($180) is an excellent find with its unexpected blue buckle.
6) Silk scarves are dressier in feel than their wool or cashmere cousins, but they do work casually. Try one like this Jack Spade dress scarf ($185) draped simply around your neck when a tie is too much and an open collar just isn’t cutting it.
7) The frequent traveler’s defense against wrinkly neckwear: a tie case ($185), this one from Pierrepont Hicks.
8) Nothing says holiday cheer like swordplay. Make like Napoleon, and open your next bottle of champagne with a Champagne Saber ($189). (Yes, you really can open a champagne bottle with a sword; click for a video play-by-play.)
9) Manly yet romantic, this Etro paisley scarf ($245) can take an outfit from zero to sixty with one swift loop around the neck.
10) For the guy who can’t afford to be unplugged, try Burberry’s touch screen leather gloves ($325).
SPLURGE
11) Form and function come together elegantly with this collapsible beach table and chair set ($495) which folds down to the size of a tote bag.
12) Sophisticated and sumptuous, this Loro Piana suede belt ($500) works with everything from jeans to a suit. And you don’t need suede shoes to rock this — it works just fine with brown leather in a similar shade.
13) Nothing beats a smooth black briefcase for making a smart and stylish impression. This one from Thom Browne ($1850) is a handsome option.
14) For the watch connoisseur, this solid leather rotary watch case ($3720) from Smythson has two Swiss-made rotators to keep his timepieces in top-notch condition.
15) The Snolo High Performance Alpine Sled (price upon request) can hit speeds of over 40 mph on average gradient slopes, and, on top of that, it can be folded into a backpack by collapsing one locking nut. Perfect for the speed demon with space issues.
What’s on your wish list this holiday season?
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Nov 23, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET Another “first.”
Despite complaining about how expensive and poorly tailored hip jeans are these days, I finally broke down and bought a pair.
And tonight, for the first time ever in my life, I feel like I am the guy with the nicest pair of jeans at my plane’s baggage claim carousel.
That is a new “first!” for me.
It’s an empowering rush. It’s a feeling of momentary fashion omnipotence.
I even sense some of the guys here are already worried about what pants I will have on next time they have to share a baggage carousel with me.
Now I get why they cost so much. And for this moment they were worth every penny.
By Julie Rath, on Fri Nov 23, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET 
Are you ever stuck with what to wear on your feet when the weather turns foul?
Today the sun’s shining in NYC, but recent events prove the need for protective footwear. Below are my top 6 picks in a range of styles.
1) Grenson Spike ($485) — For the sharp-dressed man, these Grensons are an update on the traditional LL Bean duck boot (another solid option if you’re a more of a traditionalist). Don’t be afraid to rock them with a suit.
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2) Blundstone 500 ($150) — These boots were originally made for ranchers in the Australian outback, so they should be able to handle a trek through midtown Manhattan. The water-resistant leather keeps you dry without sacrificing style, and the front and back pulls and elastic side panels make them easy to pull on and off.
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Read the rest of…
Julie Rath: Give ‘Em The Boot
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Nov 16, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET  Another unfair double standard.
My wife had a habit of hiding my new light weight robe from me.
Not really hiding it so much as wearing it herself whenever I seem to be looking for it.
And not just my robe but the occasional comfortable pull-over shirt too for relaxing around the house.
But can I turn the tables on her? No!
I can’t fit into her thick over-sized Terrycloth robe.
Not that I have tried….heck, it doesn’t even look comfortable.
And as for stealing my wives comfortable shirts and blouses—-or about any other article of clothing? What do you think?
It appears to be just another unfair double standards of the sexes we men have to accept . ; )
By John Y. Brown III, on Wed Nov 14, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
What can begin as a “Point of Resistence” can turn into a “Right of Passage.”
Which is a bummer.
Tonight I was with my daughter shopping for clothes. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror wearing what were “Dad jeans.” And it was my moment to slink into depressive moment or rage against nature.
I asked for the “Jeans department” to regain my youthful dignity. After pawing through rows of Vin Diesel jeans, torn, ripped, stone washed, bleached and with cute button flys (for guys who would think having a cute button down fly is a good idea).
After refusing help several times from the sales clerk, I finally broke down and said, “Basically I am trying to find some, you know, jeans. That are ….um… ‘age appropriate.’ But not too obviously age appropriate.”
He asked me my size and said, he may have something in the back….like Lucky Jeans. He brought me three pair of what I immediately exclaimed were “Dad jeans.”
Another shopper about 5 years my junior started laughing and said, “Look, man, Lucky’s are OK.”
I said I would browse some more. I did but after 5 minutes felt the end of the “jeans phase” of my life ending.
Like when I was no longer able to get away with collecting Pop-a-Shot tickets at Gattilamd for a prize.
At 35. As I walked out the clerk shouted “Any luck?” “Nope!” I said. “Just gonna have to admit my jeans days are over.”
I paused. “Do up have white socks, sandals and plaid shorts in this section?” And I didn’t have to use the qualifier “age appropriate.”
By Julie Rath, on Fri Nov 2, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET  We are very excited at The Recovering Politician to introduce our newest weekly reinvention contributor: Julie Rath, one of today’s leading style arbiters in the men’s fashion industry. (Read her bio here.)
Julie will be sharing fashion tips and advice with our readers, many of whom (mostly the guys — I can see you out there!) are shall we say, sartorially challenged. With Julie’s guidance, perhaps some of our readers can reinvent themselves as fashion icons. Or at least be more presentable in the workplace and out on the town.
Of course this being only a few days before a major election, Julie’s first piece discuss a critical issue in Campaign 2012: the style choices of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. While not as disparate a contrast as Kennedy versus Nixon, Julie’s keen eye offers a unique perspective on the candidates’ differences. Enjoy and learn:
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In this Fall’s battle of reds versus blues, my stylist’s eye is trained on the important issues. That’s right: the Obama-Romney sartorial showdown. Whatever your political inclination or level of fashion interest, the candidates’ style statements have an undeniable effect on how they are perceived by the voters.
One misstep-in-mandals can read as silly and out of touch with what’s current.
Read on for how the two candidates stack up:
Debate Style
 While both candidates keep it ultra-safe and conservative with dark navy suits, white shirts and blue or red ties (which, interestingly they exchanged in the final debate), Obama gets the leg up for his double-vented and shorter suit jacket, well-executed tie dimples, better pant length and overall trimmer fit on his suit. See all that excess fabric around Romney’s shoulders and sleeves? He needs to go down a jacket size.
 Both candidates have a nice build, and a suit that fits like armor will show that off. While Romney looks good in the shorter point collar, I’d like to see Obama mix it up with a more stylish semispread. Also, Obama is smart to wear a slightly high collar to disguise his thin neck.
Everyday Style
 How do the candidates fare when they hit the streets shaking hands, kissing babies, and shooting b-ball? The verdict is pretty much the same: Obama for the win with his flat front pants and better-fitting clothes across the board. On the topic of sleeve-rolling (a common practice among politicians who want to show they’re ready to “tackle the issues”), Romney could take a lesson or two from Obama on how to do this correctly and authentically.
Read the rest of…
Julie Rath: Obama vs. Romney– The Sartorial Showdown
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Sep 27, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET If you are in an urban area and need to buy an outfit and see a store called Urban Outfitters, you’d think your problem was almost solved, right?
Not necessarily.
I took my son in and strode up and down several rows of men’s clothing. Or it could have been boy clothing. Or man/boy. Or maybe unisex or genderless.
The point is that I liked it but none seemed really to work. A few shirts made me look like a skateboarder. Another like a Native American celebrating his cultural heritage.
Another just made me very uncomfortable because it was tight in all the wrong places.
And so finally, I gave up and decided to leave.
At the door was a young lady greeting customers and I said,
“Excuse me….What age range does Urban Outfitters cater to?”
“We cater to 16-24 year olds,” she said.
“Hmm.” I wasn’t sure whether to pretend I was there to shop just for my son or fess up.
I said, “Do any of the clothes work for people slightly over age 24?”
“Oh, yes.”
“How about all the way up to, say, 49?”
“Absolutely! We sure do.” She cheerfully encouraged.
I laughed and thanked her and said she didn’t have to exaggerate Urban Outfitters target market to make me feel better, but I appreciated it.
But I’m not sure I did.
I thought to myself, I am ready to accept my age being off for some hip clothing stores.
Even by 25 years. But not ready to have young people lie to me about age issues to avoid hurting my feelings.
Tomorrow I may go back and buy something just to make a point that I don’t want anyone’s sympathy.
And if you see me in an multi-colored Native American designed shirt next week…. I’m not wearing it because of my culture. But because I can!
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Sep 7, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET People who are where they are seem the happiest….
Another morning at Starbucks. Another observation about the human condition that seems to occur to me as I impatiently wait in line each morning.
As I walked in to Starbucks this morning, I passed a passel of high school students. One was wearing a Harvard t-shirt, thinking ahead to college applications, I thought.
As I passed there was an overpowering whiff of perfume from one of the other young ladies, trying to be a little older than she is. I thought to myself, they are a group of “Kids trying to be adults”
Inside I watched a 40-something gentlemen dressed in jeans and a t-shirt hanging out with a much younger man and, I suspected, trying to fit in and get the youthful man’s approval. And I thought to myself, grown-ups are often just “Adults trying to be kids.”
“Funny,” I thought to myself. One group is trying to be 10 years older; the other trying to be 10 years younger.
And as I walked out I noticed the older couple who always sit together in Starbucks every morning and read the news paper together, drink coffee, and talk. I thought about them and asked myself, “How would you categorize them?”
I would say, “Happy.”
They are who they are, where they are. And seem to be enjoying it.
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OK RP Nation, time for you to weigh in on the Great Debate now engulfing the Internet tubes:
