I got an interesting question from a reader last week.

Hey Tanner,

First off, just found your blog today via Primer and I’m really enjoying what I’ve seen so far. The mixture of culture, psychology, and fashion is uniquely interesting.

Now on to the reason I’m writing this to you: I’m curious how you feel about lug soles. My leather chukkahs have a lug sole and I really like it because it makes my boots a little more all-weather-proof, plus I think it throws a bit of a subtle yet rugged curveball, stylistically speaking. All cards on the table, I also don’t mind that it makes me a little taller (shh don’t tell anyone). There are also plenty of lug-soled more dressy shoes out there — mostly brogue wingtips — that I’d love to hear your opinion on as well

So what’s your take? Ruggedly refined? Gimmicky? Fleeting trend?

Cheers,

Nate

On my way to and from work, I used to listen to a lot of talk radio. However, on the recommendation of a friend, I started listening to various podcasts a few months ago.

One of the most interesting and probably my favorite podcast is Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History. Carlin is an excellent story-teller (a skill I seriously lack) and does a fantastic job of scrubbing away modern biases in order to help his listeners attempt to understand the events he discusses from the perspective of the people experiencing them. History is always a bit revisionist, but Carlin’s attempts to mitigate those effects make the stories more compelling and the people involved more understandable.

Obviously I’m hyper aware of discussions about appearance and one of the most common things Carlin does in each episode is describe the clothing of the people he’s discussing. Whether it’s the danger of bright red pants being worn by the French in the first months of World War I or the clothing made from the skins of field mice worn by the poor Mongols before Khan conquered China, the story is always fleshed out by describing what the people wore and how they appeared.

I don’t know Carlin’s preparation methods, but I highly doubt he consciously plans to include these stylistic descriptions each episode. Rather, I believe it’s a natural interjection that simply manifests how ingrained it is in all of us to make judgments and assessments based on people’s appearances.

Because I believe clothing, grooming, and other aesthetics have always been a part of the way men communicate our masculinity, I started to get more interested in the styles of these historic cultures and thought it would make for an interesting series of posts.

For now, these will follow along the lines of some of Carlin’s more-recent episodes. He provides a good springboard off of which I can jump and start doing my own research.

In his episode “Thor’s Angels,” Carlin addresses the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the “barbarian” Germanic tribes. One of the more interesting aspects of this takeover is how ingrained the Germanic peoples were within Roman society – especially its military society. There were points of time in which commanding generals for both the Eastern and Western armies were both Germans. This influence would rub both ways as the Germans would become more Romanized and the Romans would adopt the styles of Germany.

Carlin references the rebellious, stylish Roman youth adopting specific German styles like skin-tight pants and fur coats and cloaks. He continues his description by comparing the German soldiers and their style to that of the modern biker gang – something the disaffected youth of both ancient and modern times would readily identify with and attempt to dress like.

Pictured above is a painting done by Andre Derenceau depicting Alaric’s sacking of Rome. Note the distinct differences between the conquered Romans and the conquering Goths. The men and women of Rome appear in the stereotypical, perfectly manicured style we associate with Roman citizens during the height and decline of the empire. Sheer white togas with accenting robes of royal hues and expensive dyes, perfectly manicured hair on both the men and women and clean-shaven faces on all of the men, shoes and robes that are better suited to expressing wealth than fighting, jewelry, pottery, and treasure are all visible on the streets of Rome.

Contrast the luxury and genteel appearance with that of the Goths. The strongest contrast is that of the men’s hair and grooming styles. As opposed to the shorter hair and clean faces of Roman citizens, the Goths and Gauls were known for hair more recently associated with punk and metal bands. Although it is not depicted in the painting, many of the barbarian men would dye their hair red as a mark of both class and rank, while the Saxons would later introduce even more vibrant and unnatural colors as a way to instill fear in their enemies.

While many would shave the back of their heads to create a jarring contrast between short and long, hair length was considered a marker of social status amongst Germanic men. The most common style was to let the hair grow waist length and then tie it in a knot on top of the head (as pictured on the main Goth in the painting). This is believed to have made the men appear both taller and more dominating in battle. For a man, having his hair short or completely shorn was a sign of submission and was often used as a way to mark slaves and outcasts. The men would even use rancid butter as a primitive form of pomade to help shape and style their hair.

While the hair is important, the mustache is most often associated with the barbarian aesthetic. While the civilized Romans were clean-shaven or only had hair on their upper lip when it was part of a full beard, the Germanic men set themselves apart by only wearing a mustache – a bit different than the mustachioed, limp-wristed hipsters we see today. For many Romanized Germans, Gauls, and others, the mustache was a way to show off ethnic heritage. These men would wear the traditional styles of the Empire and speak perfect Latin, but still make a nod to their bloodlines by shaving everything but their mustaches.

Their clothing is also an obvious contrast. Rather than the flowing robes that are impractical for fighting, rough terrain, and the manly art of conquering ones enemies, the Visigoths are seen in leg wraps – believed to have been originally developed to help protect the men’s legs from both the moisture and dense brush common in the parts of Europe from which these tribes originate.

The shorter length of the tunics and the cut-off sleeves allowed for maximum mobility – making them ideal garments for the quick movements required in battle.

Both men and women would dye their tunics, braid their hair, bathe regularly, and many digs have found that most carried a comb with them at all times.

What becomes obvious is that the barbarian tribes were equally as invested in their appearance as the Romans. For many it was a continuation of a heritage of which they were proud. For others it was a direct contrast and rebellion against the norms and trappings of respectability within the Roman Empire – neither of which sounds all that foreign when compared to the reasons rebellious and countercultural men dress the way they do today.

Welcome to the new layout and design of the site. For those of you who’ve been with me from the beginning, you’ll remember version 1.0 was back at the wordpress.com days. Almost exactly two years ago was when the site made the jump to being self-hosted, and here we are today with a navigation and content-friendly layout.

While there isn’t a planned change in the content of the blog, this update isn’t merely aesthetic, the biggest improvement is in my consultations. Many of you have probably noticed the missing “services” page in the last month. That was all in preparation for what the new Coaching packages are. They’re more in-depth, more personalized, and better overall than anything else I’ve offered.

To add to all the fun (and to keep up with my goals for this year), I also want to announce the “Business With Style 2014 Meetup.” It is being hosted by Antonio Centeno from Real Men Real Style along with Aaron Marino from I Am Alpha M. Special guests include yours truly, along with a powerful lineup of guys from great sites like Primer, The Effortless Gent, The Style Blogger, and others.

The event will be at Phantom Ales in Anaheim, CA on June 29th at 1:00 PM. It’s only open to 50 attendees and I have a feeling those tickets are going to go quickly. So if you’d like the opportunity to meet with me and some of the other biggest names in the industry, head on over to the event page and buy your tickets ASAP.

I’m excited about the new logo, new layout, and new coaching options. I’ve had a lot of help in getting all of this ready and want to give a shootout to Matt of Unlucky Devil for the artwork and Remy of Big Wolf Designs for all of the coding and site design. Obviously an entirely new site will have a few wrinkles to iron out, so if you happen to stumble on any glitches, feel free to let me  know in the comments.

Whether he wants to incorporate them as part of the visual appeal of his place or keep them completely hidden, a man’s home should smell like a man – not like his gym bag smells like a man, but how a bar, wood shop, or hunting lodge does.

The connection between scents and our emotions is strong. When I’m experiencing a wave of nostalgia, I almost always remember the smell of  a certain event or place. I still associate the smell of a particular laundry detergent with my aunt and uncles’ house at which I would spend a lot of each summer as a kid.

Having a masculine scent throughout his place can improve one’s living situation in three different ways.

First, it makes him more comfortable in his own home. For some men it creates a sense of familiarity and routine. These men, who appreciate the consistency of the way their place looks and feels, will be able to deepen that structure by working with a consistent smell. For those who like variety and variation, it’s easier and cheaper to do so via a different scent than purchasing new furniture every month. Whatever it is that makes a man feel comfortable, smell can help increase the effect.

Second, it makes other people more comfortable in his living space. All people acclimate to their scents. We’ve all spent time in places that smell too strongly of disinfectant spray, dog urine, or dirty diapers. We wonder how these people can stand to be around the smell when really they’re so used to it that it doesn’t even register anymore. It’s the same reason people from different cultures have distinct scents. A man may not know that his place smells bad, but why risk it when he can make others more comfortable by ensuring it smells great?

Third, it communicates intentionality and a deliberate attitude. Many men simply focus on omitting offensive aspects of their lives. They’ll think they’re dressed ok as long as there aren’t any major stains or rips in their clothing, they convince themselves they’re healthy as long as they don’t have a debilitating disease, and will believe their homes don’t have to smell great, they just shouldn’t smell terrible. They perform the bare minimum of taking out the garbage, cleaning, and maybe using a disinfectant. The last thing a deliberate man does is simply focus on getting to a neutral. Instead he works on commission along with omission. Rather than calling it good enough when his clothes aren’t dirty, he focuses on developing an intentional style. Instead of believing health is merely the absence of disease or sickness, he works on his body through proper diet and exercise. And, instead of being satisfied when his place doesn’t smell like anything at all, he takes advantage of the opportunity  a great-smelling home can provide him and others.

Some people in his life will consciously see his intentionality while others will simply recognize there’s something different about him. I’m not saying that buying a candle will automatically increase the respect of those around him, but it will contribute to the persona of a man who lives deliberately.

Scented candles may conjure images of the girly, flowery “delights” found in malls and grocery stores across the world. However, over the last few years, there has been a large push to spice up the smells of  a place with scents that have an inherent manliness. Prices can vary all over the place – from sub $10 to over $100 – and often depend on things like the wax used, the number of burn hours per candle, and the brand making them. Here are a few worth checking out.

Man Cans: Remember my review of these guys from a couple of years ago? Well it looks like they’re still going strong. I was happy with all of the scents I tried out (campfire, fresh-cut grass, grandpa’s pipe) and these come in under $10. They’re a great way to dip your toes into the world of scented candles without making a major investment.

Izola: Classic smells, simple aesthetics, and a moderate price point  ($35) put companies like Izola right in the sweet spot for men who want a longer-lasting candle, but don’t want to commit to a scent for a more than a couple of months. Apparently they’re Sandalwood is top notch.

Blind Barber Tompkins Candle: A behemoth of a candle commands more of a price ($88), but it’s hard to argue with all of the scents associated with a traditional barbershop. Fresh towels, honey, lavender, smoke, and leather are all alluded to with this beauty and it won’t look bad out on display either.

After deciding to pick one of these up, know that there are a few tricks to burning them correctly.

The wick should be trimmed to about 1/4″ before lighting. Not only does it help prevent debris from floating in the wax, it prevents the flame from flickering and lighting.

In order to keep the burn even, keep the candle lit long enough that the surface completely liquifies.

Put it out after the wick has gotten long enough it starts emitting soot.

Avoid anything kitschy like mustache or ironic candles and start off with smells that occur in nature. Some men prefer to vary their scents based on the season, others with their mood, and some merely want a smell that will always be associated with them.

With Memorial Day behind us, we have entered the unofficial beginning of summer. For the die-hard traditionalists, this means those white pants, seersucker suits, and linen shirts that have been languishing in storage since Labor Day are finally permissible in public again. For the rest of us, it just means it’s time to start having some more fun with our clothing.

Summer can be one of the more difficult seasons in which a man can dress well. While we do live in an air-conditioned world, the heat can still make it a bit tricky to dial in a style that maximizes on both form and function. Not only does a man’s clothing’s practicality come into play, summer is also a time in which more people dress more brazenly. Colors get louder, patterns get bolder, layers become fewer, etc. Knowing how to embrace both the aesthetic and practical aspects of summer style takes some getting used to.

In the past, both here and on other sites, I’ve expounded on the structure of a summer suit. Rather than rehashing a point I’ve already made, today I’m simply going to recommend a good resource from which a man can dip his toes into the world of warm-weather suiting.

Indochino just released a new summer line and their products look to be right on. They nod to the garishness of patterns like seersucker and windowpanes, but keep things in check – preventing a man from looking like he’s perpetually headed to the Kentucky Derby.

A few personal favorites are the grey-on-white seersucker suit, the olive linen/wool suit, and all of their solid linen/cotton shirts. As a man who runs fairly hot, a linen shirt is one of the best things I’ve discovered to wear in the summer.

One of the biggest advantages of working with a company like Indochino is that they provide a custom fit, without the price a man expects to pay through other custom companies. While it’s worth it to invest more in a tried-and-true staple like a solid navy or grey, embracing season-specific or more aggressively styled items is much more palatable and smaller price points. Indochino offers a great fit with a wide array of customizations without wallet-killing prices.