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Dressing the Man : Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

Dressing the Man : Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion

List Price: $49.95
Your Price: $31.47
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: DRESSING THE MAN
Review: Mr. Flusser (Author of Dressing the Man), Mr. Lauren (Ralph), Mr. Wolfe (Tom) and Mr. Cooper, Editor in Chief of Gentlemen's Quarterly all seem to have a remarkable, keen and talented eye for men's fashions. And yet that keen eye is nowhere to be found even in Harper Collins Publishing talents of this book.

The book makes a lot of interesting and true claims that can be argued to hold water, until when it comes to the blatant use of trick photography to make Mr. Flusser's point. If the viewer would, go ahead and cover all of the clothing for Tom on page 31. You will note a remarkable difference, a before and after effect. On the right side you see a far more refreshing and happy a face than on the left and you see the same on page 30 as well with Alex. In fact, the color on the right hand side has been significantly manipulated to convey the point Mr. Flusser likes to make. And again, all of the above reviewers seem to have no problem with this doctoring of photographs. If the viewer now would turn back a page to page 29 he or she will note an almost ridiculous level of color doctoring where the same man has green eyes in one photograph and bright blue in another. The point Mr. Flusser tries to make is that wearing more rich blue shirt and a light blue coat will remarkably change the man. "Edwin's blue eyes suddenly spring to life" Mr. Flusser stares. Yes. So much so that they are green on the left hand side with your hands completely covering all clothes. The reader is encouraged to take a look at this amazing doctoring of photographs.

The book is a good contribution to men's attire and yet one looks at all of these home-run names in the back and front of this book, pitching the virtues of the content therein, and wonders why a publisher, an author, a designer, an editor would not note repeated use of trick photography to make a point. What has been highlighted here continues throughout the book. Take Trevor for instance on page 26. Again, cover the entire outfit with your hand and note the remarkable difference of skin color here; it is absolutely amazing. There is not just one or two 'little' mistakes in this book; there are a plenty and again, one has to look at all these people and ask some questions here. The most clear evidence of doctoring pictures to convey a point, perhaps comes with Fumihiko on page 27. Note the picture on the left and the two birth marks on the left eye and the one on the right; they are gone one the right hand side and the color is a more healthy orange/red glow. One mistake in this book would be fine. Two? Sure. Three?? Well. I'm not sure if the people who say they read and approved of this book actually read and paid any attention to the book. I certainly did not put the pages in this book under a magnifying glass and have yet to page through the entire book. Neither am I a seasoned pro in men's attire nor even editing or publishing - but all of these men mentioned above - are. The issues herein are so remarkably obvious that some questions have been raised and hopefully will not be censored.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Great Picture Book!
Review: Scores of unusual and beautifully-reproduced photos of the best-dressed men of the 20th century, marred only by typos, failure to credit artists from old men's magazines and tolerance of modern fashion obscenities. Where is the Duke of Windsor now that we need him?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Worth reading and referencing
Review: 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.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Worth reading and referencing
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A guide to classic style
Review: 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.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Over priced and under informed
Review: This book isn't worth the cost and is flat out snobby. Save your money and buy a beer - it'll do you more to help the way you look than this book ever could.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Probably the Best Book on the Subject
Review: This is Mr. Flusser's best effort to date. This book is more akin to his "Clothes and the Man" than to his more recent "Style and the Man." Beware, that this book deals almost exclusively with suits, ties, shirts, and formal wear - there is a section on sportcoats but, this book will not be informative or helpful if you always dress casually.

The book has some passages (maybe illustrations as well?) that are very similar to "Clothes and the Man" but still, there is plenty of new material. The book goes into detail regarding clothing coloring with respect to a person's complexion and also how to mix and match various fabric patterns (e.g., stripes with stripes, checks with checks, checks with stripes, etc.) The book is also very nicely illustrated with photographs and drawings. A very impressive book and quite comprehensive.

Though it would appear that Mr. Flusser has changed his opinion on some matters over the years (e.g., monograms), still the book and Mr. Flusser take a stand for traditionally styled clothing. This book is NOT for the trendy and NOT for those seeking to learn about modern fashion - it is about style, and conservative, traditional style at that. It's about the rules for why clothing should be the way it is - it explains the history of why mens' garments have developed in the way they have and accordingly sets forth the rule for their proper wear based on their history and origin (e.g., why dinner jackets should have peaked lapels, not notched; why formal wear trousers are NOT cuffed, why suit trousers are cuffed; the symmetry and proper fitting of suits, shirts, and trousers, etc.)

With respect to suits and formal wear, this is, in my humble opinion, the best book out there. Unlike, "Style and the Man" there is no detailed list of fine places to shop, the book is about setting forth the traditional rules for clothing and then allowing one to experiment from there, i.e., experiment once you have a firm foundation of knowledge. It's a fine book; voluminous, appealingly illustrated, and informative.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Classic Look.
Review: This is not a fashion trend book. Very elegant, conservative dressing. I found this book was very useful for knowing how to dress in a daily suit and very high end type of outfits. The book was not useful for US dressing standards in a work place that does not apply the European standards. The pro of the book was that I am better educated in buying a suit and picking out a shirt. Thank you Mr Flusser.

Have fun dressing!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not helpful
Review: This is the sort of book you read and try to follow, but realize that the information just doesn't fit if you live outside of new york. If you live in "The City" then maybe this stuff fits, but for real men, find a better book. John Bridge's books are MUCH better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Authority on "Conservative" Men's Fashions
Review: This is the third book on men's fashion that I have read by this author. Mr. Flusser is the authority on dressing in the English style. He also offers insights into choosing colors that will compliment a person's complexion.

If I were to choose one author on men's fashion, it would be Mr. Flusser

The author however needs to discuss the influence of the Italian designers. He correctly admonishes department stores for their unprofessional staff. He pins his hopes on the bespoke suit. Unfortunately last year I visited Mr. Flusser mecca, Saville Row, and was sorely disappointed by the unprofessional treatment I received in three stores.
I only hope someone in the men's fashion industry, listens.
Most men no longer must wear a suit.


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