Alpha M Style in Real Life

23 February, 2017

This episode of Style In Real Life is about a man who owns the YouTube market of men’s clothing and grooming.

He has well over 2 million subscribers, deserves every one of them, and his name is Aaron Marino

Click Here to Watch the YouTube Video: Alpha M Style in Real Life

The Man Behind the Channel

Unlike other men I’ve covered in the past, Aaron is a personal friend and a man I’ve worked with and looked up to for a few years – so I won’t even try to attempt any distance or objectivity as I talk about him and his style.

If you would have told the 16-year-old Aaron he was going to build a career by talking to a video camera about style, grooming, and fitness he would have laughed you out of the room.

Because his only desire as a teenager was to run his own gym.

And run his own gym he did – in fact he had a few of them. However, as is all too common, Aaron ended up having some less-than-savory partners and had multiple ventures crash and burn.

As I’ve heard him tell his story in person, the frustration and emotion of watching his ideal crumble around him is still apparent.

But thankfully, he’s not one to wallow in misery and instead – chose to adapt and make a living for himself another way – a way that he now embraces more than anything else he could be doing.

He started his journey of becoming the influencer he is today by doing some one-on-one consulting after a coworker asked him for some style advice for an upcoming date. Aaron was more than happy to oblige and quickly learned that, not only did he have a knack for this style stuff, but there were plenty of men out there who both wanted and needed his help.

He created his first video in 2008 after receiving a video camera as a Christmas gift from his wife. Turns out, he’s a hard man to shop for and a video camera was purchased less because he was anxious to start a channel and more because he already had everything he needed.

Unlike a lot of popular YouTubers out there – Aaron didn’t see a quick rise to the high subscriber numbers. In fact, it took him years to break the 100,000 barrier.

However, once the momentum got going behind him, and once he truly found his voice in all of the topics he wanted to cover – his growth rate has been a blast to watch.

Not content with just one venture, Aaron runs multiple businesses – including a hair product line called Pete & Pedro, a skin care company called Tiege Hanley, and an influencer agency and conference called Menfluential.

With two appearances on Shark Tank, thousands of videos on his website, and the multiple other ventures he has going for him, Aaron is a busy and energetic man.

The Style

So now that you know about more about him, let’s talk about his style and how it’s contributed to his success.

One of my favorite things about the way Aaron dresses is that it’s hard to peg him with just one Archetype – but more on that at the end of the post.

He can look just as comfortable and confident in a suit as he does in a leather jacket and some boots.

While you may think someone who runs a style channel has had it figured out from the beginning, I can tell you from my own experience and from speaking with Aaron, that this is rarely the case.

When he first started out, Aaron made it a point to go buy a bunch of dress shirts and sport coats. He, like most of us, thought he had to present the well-suited image in order to be treated as a credible resource on YouTube. And that remained his “uniform” for the first four or five years running his channel.

However, he slowly began to drift to a look that was a bit more casual and has now even landed on his own staple – a black V-neck T shirt.

Now, you may be thinking that a decision like this is the antithesis of style, but in Aaron’s case, it makes perfect sense.

The big reason this is a good move is because it’s a non-polarizing outfit. You don’t get to over 2 million followers by being incredibly niche – especially when the topic of men’s clothing is already a niche in and of itself. Aaron’s goal has been to get his message out to as many men as he possibly can and one of the ways to help accomplish that goal is by wearing something that looks good but isn’t overkill.

The second reason is because it’s more consistent with who he is and how he lives his life.

Don’t get me wrong, Aaron wears a suit incredibly well – better than a lot of men. And he also wears it comfortably and naturally. However, unlike a lot of menswear influencers out there, Aaron understands that the average man isn’t interested in wearing suits all the time but still wants to have his wardrobe improve his life.

By not branding himself as a suit-only guy, he’s more likable and relatable to his audience – two traits that go a long, long way into creating a successful channel.

He does switch it up and this usually comes in the form of a henley, a black leather jacket, and the occasional suit, albeit without a tie.

It’s all part of what he considers himself to be – the everyman style consultant.

He very intentionally dresses and acts more like he’s a buddy who’s helping you dress better, as opposed to a stiff, formal style consultant.

The Earrings

Now we can’t talk about Aaron’s aesthetic without addressing the most obvious component – his earrings.

What was an incredibly popular style – especially amongst the anti-establishment crowd in the 80’s and 90’s. While they’ve fallen by the wayside over the past decade, they were more than just a trend for Aaron.

In fact, he told me that they were the first way in which he truly expressed himself and tried to look different than the kids around him. He got them when he was in the sixth grade and hasn’t gone without them since.

Not only did they help him separate himself from his peers, they were also a way to emulate his father, who has an earring of his own.

He continues to get a lot of heat for wearing them – especially because they can be so polarizing. But ultimately, they’re too much a part of who he is and he likes wearing them too much to get rid of them.

Which illustrates the right balance between dressing in a way that jives well with others while still maintaining elements of your own taste or personality with your clothing.

He can get away with the earrings because everything else is so neutral and dialed in.

Conclusion

Of all the men I’ve covered thus far, Aaron’s Archetype Ratio is the toughest to nail down.

I’ve personally seen him embody all three Archetypes and do so comfortably and naturally.

However, he does have his own tendencies and preferences so here’s where I’m going to put him.

40% Rakish

35% Refined

25% Rugged

Don’t know what I mean by Rugged, Refined, and Rakish? Well go check these out.

The Three Masculine Style Archetypes

Want to know where you fall into the Three Masculine Style Archetypes?

Take this quick quiz and I’ll tell you. CLICK HERE

Mike Aitken Style In Real Life

6 January, 2017

This edition of Style in Real Life is about a man who personified the word “style” for an entire sport.

He is a BMX legend and his name is Mike Aitken

Aitken is a bit different than other men I’ve covered in Style in Real Life because his style isn’t just demonstrated in the clothing he wears, but every aspect of how he interacted with his sport.

It may sound hyperbolic but Aitken was the single largest influencer in taking BMX from its mid-school phase to where it currently is. The way rider’s bikes are set up, the clothes the wear, the tricks they perform, and the omnipresent emphasis on making everything look effortless has all been heavily influenced by Aitken and his own personal style.

Click Here to Watch the YouTube Video: Mike Aitken Style In Real Life

Born in the early 80’s, Aitken grew up racing at local tracks. It was there he was first introduced to pro dirt jumpers like Matt Beringer and Tim “Fuzzy” Hall – the latter of which had a backyard packed full with as many berms, doubles, and lines as he could fit in.

Aitken’s racing background helped create a kid who was fearless and quickly started to separate himself from his peers in the industry.

While he picked up sponsors and had a few photos in magazine’s like Ride and BMX Plus in the late 90’s, Aitken didn’t really start to shape the world of BMX until he joined FIT a then up-and-coming bike company with a roster of riders who would all go on to shape the sport.

The Riding Style

In the early 2000’s there were two main camps of riders – X-games athletes like Dave Mirra, Jamie Bestwick, Matt Hoffman, Ryan Nyquist, etc. who were interested in taking the sport as far as they possibly could. These men, and other riders like them, were trying to see how many limbs they could remove from their bikes while simultaneously spinning as much as possible.

The second camp consisted of guys like Taj Mihelich, Joe Rich, Van Homan, Brian Castillo, and others who had a focus that was a bit more raw. While the X-games athletes were pushing the sport in ways that made it more appealing and entertaining to crowds who had never learned more than how to bunnyhop – the raw riders were focusing on filming the best and most jaw-dropping video parts for films that would only be seen by those steeped in the culture.

These riders still had to be constantly pushing the envelope. Their tricks may have not gotten more technical, but the gaps got bigger, the stakes got higher, and lines got more interesting.

Aitken came into his own during this era, and what separated him from both camps was the simplicity of his riding.

Both camps were focusing on new, albeit their own versions of new, but Aitken went back to the old-school approach.

Rather than trying to come up with something no one had ever seen before, he stuck with tricks that had been around from the 80’s, neon-clad era of RAD – tabletops, tuck no-handers, and turndowns – tricks the sport had seen for 20 years and most considered to be basic, simple moves.

Rather than trying to move past these time-tested variations he focused on making them look better. He’d jump higher, hold the trick longer, and make it look more smooth and easy than anyone else on two wheels.

Riders who were multiple years his senior were blown away by a kid who make them feel embarrassed because their tables and moro-whips didn’t look as good as Aitken’s.

He was capable of doing the technical, crowd pleasing tricks. And, when he did, he often made them look better than other riders who relied so heavily on them, but a major aspect of Aitken’s style was that he constantly and consistently chose to focus on riding in a way that looked both fun and good – not difficult.

In fact, he often did it to the point where many didn’t realize how truly gifted of a rider he was. Watching Aitken’s on video never did the same justice to how well he rode as seeing him in person – a privilege I had quite a few times as we were close in age and lived in the same town.

The Bike Setup

Not only did Aitken help start a movement of riders who worked hard to make sure their tricks looked as good as possible, he helped change the standard configuration to which most bikes were set up.

Prior to Aitken’s rise in popularity, bikes were on a trend of being as big, heavy, and technical as they could be.

The idea was that they needed to be built to take a beating, they needed to allow for all of those spins and flips, and they needed to have as many gyros, pegs, and bash guards as they could fit.

But, once again, Aitken’s approach to setting up his bike was unique and contagious. He would often ride without breaks and when he did have them on, it was only in the back and with a simple cable – nothing complicated. If he did use pegs, it was only one set on one side, and he often went without entirely.

The most glaring difference was how his seat was set up. It can seem like a trivial detail, but it made a statement and the bike setup is now the standard in the sport today.

During this era of BMX most riders had their seats set up relatively high. Doing so allowed them to pinch the seats with their knees – making it possible to let go for suicide no-handers, barspins, and truck drivers.

Rather than following suit, Aitken knew it wasn’t his style to pull off these technical tricks and, having a higher seat could often get in the way of his extensions on things like turndowns, indowns, and tables.

So he dropped his seat as low as it could. He “slammed” it to the top tube and embraced the fact that he would rarely do a bar spin.

Aitken’s bike was light and minimal. It didn’t need all the technical parts because he wasn’t an overly technical rider. Nor did it need to weigh a hundred pounds because he wasn’t riding in a way that broke it. His lighter bike and smoother style allowed him to whip it around better, further extend his tricks, and make them look even more appealing than they were when he was on heavier pieces.

This influence, combined with improved technology, has made heavy, overbuilt bikes a thing of the past – a dinosaur as vintage as a pair of rollerblades or a flip phone.

The Clothing

We obviously can’t talk about Aitken and his style without showing how it translated over into his clothing choices.

He first came onto the scene in an era of baggy pants, big T-shirts, and chain wallets – and evidence of this is still apparent in his earlier video parts.

But he quickly shifted things when he started embracing a style that back in ’03/’04 was a lot different and a little risky – skinny pants.

The power of this move is lost now because skinny pants have become so ubiquitous. But they got their start in BMX.

One of the challenges that has plagued riders for years is getting your pants caught between the chain and the sprocket. Anyone who rode in a less-than-slim pair of pants knows what I’m talking about.

In the 80’s riders would tie a bandana around their leg. They’d slide this up around their thigh when not riding and then back around their ankle when on a bike. The problem is that the bandana could get caught in the pants just as easily as the jeans.

Later most riders would just deal with it or always ride in shorts.

At the time, there weren’t any groups making skinny pants for men so guys like Aitken had one of two options – tailor down a pair of the baggy pants you already own or go pick up a pair of girl pants.

I’m not suggesting that Aitken was the first one to decide a pair of skinny girl pants would solve the chain problem, but he was the one who took it from being a novel idea to a mainstream style in BMX.

And if you think men mock guys for wearing skinny pants now, just imagine what it was like when they were still considered to be girl pants.

All the kids who wanted to be like Mike would wear those girl pants to the skateparks and concerts and be seen by non-BMX friends there – who liked the style and began to adopt it themselves.

Like them or not, you’ve seen men wearing skinny pants because of the influence of Mike Aitken.

But his style wasn’t just how slim his pants were. He was emulated in how he sagged them just the right amount, the shoes he wore, how baggy or lose his shirts were, his hair choices, and eventually his head gear.

Shortly after his Dew Tour win, Aitken was filming an upcoming video part, performing a trick he’s pulled hundreds of times, when he over rotated and landed on his face. He wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time and ended up in a coma for three weeks.

He went from being at the top of his game to being incapable of feeding himself. He had to relearn how to swallow, walk, and use his entire right side.

Within five weeks he walked out of the hospital on his own, and six months later was on a bike again.

To this day he suffers effects of that fall, but is able to live a normal life.

However, one thing that has permanently changed his that Aitken is always wearing a helmet when he’s on his bike.

And even then, it’s not the same skate helmet you see at a regular day at the skatepark, or the big full-faced number typically reserved for vert ramps and Nitro-Circus sized jumps.

Instead and true to form, he went with an old-school over-the-ear style that is both unique and familiar – just like everything else he does.

While he’s not as prominent as he used to be, he’s considered to be a legend within the BMX community and his riding, bike, and clothing style still continue to influence both that world, and ours as well.

Conclusion

Based on all of the above criteria, I’m going to put Aitken at:

46% Rugged

46% Rakish

8% Refined

For those who have been reading for a while, the high percentage of Rugged may come as a surprise. After all, visually his style leans very Rakish.

However, it’s important to note that all of the big changes he made to his clothing were based on function – the foundation of the Rugged Archetype and its relationship with clothing and style.

Don’t know what I mean by Rugged, Refined, and Rakish? Well go check these out.

The Three Masculine Style Archetypes

Want to know where you fall into the Three Masculine Style Archetypes?

Take this quick quiz and I’ll tell you. CLICK HERE

Style In Real Life: Christian Guzman

29 November, 2016

One of the quickest growing communities – both on YouTube and elsewhere – is the fitness world.

If you would have asked the average man what his one rep max on his deadlift was 10 years ago, anyone but a former athlete would have given you a blank stare. However, the last few years have seen a huge increase in the presence, popularity, and viability of fitness.

As you can imagine, this increase has also led to some big names within the industry – many of whom have entire lifestyles and personal brands centered on their own fitness goals and their desires to share those goals with the rest of the community.

Well today we’re going to talk about one of the fastest growing celebrities within the men’s fitness world – Christian Guzman.

Watch the YouTube Video: Style In Real Life Christian Guzman HERE

Guzman is a Texas native and was a self-proclaimed skinny kid throughout middle and high school.

While he wasn’t a school athlete, he did join up with a group of friends and start lifting weights three days a week during his final years of high school. It was these lifting sessions that first exposed him to a lifestyle that would eventually come to define him.

He’s been active on YouTube since March of 2012, has quickly grown a loyal following, and become what many in the industry consider to be a “polarizing pretty boy”

And while the debates about whether he’s natural or not are better left to other fitness channels, what I want to dive into today is how Guzman’s style and Presence have helped him build the brand he’s so well know for.

Whether you’re a fan or not, Guzman has made a name for himself in YouTube fitness world, and a big portion of his ability to do so is his style.

Streetwear

If you were to peg Guzman’s clothing choices with a single word it would be streetwear.

It’s a fitting aesthetic for a man who spends his time in the gym and building a clothing brand focused on athletic apparel.

He started off as you’d expect most guys to, wearing simple T-shirts, basic button-ups, and the occasional college shirt.

However, as his channel and personal brand began to grow and unlike other fitness celebrities and icons, Guzman didn’t just stick to his gym clothing or athleisure.

In fact, while many athletes and most fitness aficionados are more concerned with wearing as much of their gym clothing outside of the gym as possible, Guzman will occasionally lean the other direction.

Which is not to say he doesn’t spend a fair amount of time in gym clothing. A quick session on both his channel and Instagram profiles will suggest otherwise.

But his style is evolving to include more than just the typical gym shorts and brightly-colored, heavily branded athletic apparel most associated with the industry.

The evolution is possibly most obvious in what he’s doing with Alphalete. The original designs didn’t look too different from what he was doing with Gym Shark, which aren’t all that unique from any other brand in the sphere.

But recently Alphalete started making a “lifestyle line” of clothing designed to be worn outside of the gym – asymmetrical shirts, pocket tees, fishtails, and scoop necks are all part of the new offerings and are typically clothing avoided in the gym, but Guzman will often be seen working out in his streetwear inspired clothing.

Both in and out of the gym he embraces slim fits and minimal patterns.

His typical “uniform” consists of a solid T-shirt (occasionally with an Alphalete logo) a pair of skinny jeans (moto, distressed, or some other detail that makes them look unique), and an interesting pair of shoes.

Shoes

And speaking of shoes, they are one of the key, distinguishing factors of Guzman’s style.

Throughout his videos he will be spotted wearing a few different pairs of coveted Yeezys, indicating both his access to a harder-to-find shoe, his willingness to spend more on his clothing, his awareness of styles and trends occurring outside of the gym, and his desire to demonstrate his success in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.

Because of the price, availability, and overall design of the Yeezy, they’re not a pair of shoes you accidentally end up wearing. You go out of your way to buy them because of what they signal and Guzman has done this in multiple color ways.

On top of his Yeezy’s he leans towards two different types of shoes. The first is the bright loafer and, while he’s not wearing them as often as he used to, they still make the occasional appearance on his channel.

These are attention-getting in that they are solid, bright, in-your-face colors that don’t want any subtlety. Guzman wears them well because the rest of his clothing is so simple that it doesn’t compete with the loudness of his shoes.

Even the style of shoe is unique though. Trying to squat in a pair of driving loafers has disaster written all over it. So by choosing to wear shoes like these, he subtly communicates that he’s not a one-dimensional gym blah and has more to him than how much he can bench press.

The third most common style of shoes Guzman wears is the Chelsea boot. And, while they’re not as bold as the bright loafers, they do still indicate a life outside the gym, an attention to aesthetic detail, and an awareness of current trends and styles.

Boots also have a bit more of a Texas feel, while the Chelsea style remains more rebellious and rakish than traditionally rugged.

Weakness

The one problem with having such a consistent, albeit evolving, uniform is that he doesn’t wear things as well when he’s branching out.

I personally hope to see him embrace a better, more developed, and more consistent style in environments and scenarios that may not be as common for him, and believe his doing so will only help to increase his reach and his appeal.

A man who can afford Rover, Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s can certainly afford to do better than Zara for suits. But, because he’s rarely in something more dressed up than his day-to-day outfit his style falls short in other areas.

Conclusion

And yes, his choices in vehicle certainly are applicable to his style.

Just like you don’t accidentally pick up a pair of Yeezys you don’t just happen to pick up a new Ferrari.

One of the best things about Guzman is that he uses his style, both in his clothing and his other aesthetic choices (home, furniture, vehicles, etc.) to show his success.

He’s young and has started to build a real name for himself and, rather than being shy about it, he’s embracing all of the associated trappings and decisions.

Some will resent this as shallow, vain, and materialistic – which it very well could be. But my own impression is that Guzman genuinely enjoys these things and he shows them off as a way to help his viewers believe they can attain a similar level of success.

Based on all of this information, I’m going to breakdown Guzman’s Style Archetypes as follows

93% Rakish

5% Rugged

2% Refined

Don’t know what I mean by Rugged, Refined, and Rakish? Click on the link below to take a seven-question quiz that will help you determine your primary Style Archetype. It’s the easiest, most effective way to learn how you should be dressing as you start to improve your appearance.

Conor McGregor Style in Real Life

3 March, 2016

Over the last couple of years there has been one man in the UFC who has changed the viability and mainstream appeal of the entire sport – Connor McGregor.

McGregor is a polarizing figure. His attitude, appearance, origin story, and accomplishments all make him larger than life, and it has become impossible for anyone involved in the world of Mixed Martial Arts to ignore him or write him off.

Like all big characters, McGregor is both loved and hated by millions – there are few who are “neutral” in their opinion of him.

And, while most of it is attributable to his record in the ring, his attitude towards other fighters, his quick wit, bravado, and confidence, a large part of what makes McGregor so entertaining is his aesthetic.

So today, I’m going to break down the key elements of his appearance and explain why they contribute to his overall brand and meteoric rise.

Click Here to watch the YouTube video: Conor McGregor Style in Real Life

The Consumption

Not coming from money and having lived a very blue-collar lifestyle, McGregor typifies the old identity of New Money

and he’s never shied away from showing that off.

Whether he’s bragging about prize purses in the middle of the ring, driving cars that cost double the average mortgage, staying in homes that could house a small army, or sporting wrist wear available to only the most exclusive buyers, McGregor is always showing off his wealth.

He knows he’s earned it. He didn’t have it before. And he has no pretenses about anything in the realm of inconspicuous consumption.

The contrast between the fame and fortune he experiences now, vs the worse-than-average life he had before leads to a unique relationship with wealth.

Had he amassed a fortune slowly, over a ten-year period, he may be more modest in how he flaunts his wealth.

But it’s all part of the psychological game he plays with his opponents and with himself.

By consuming so much he’s signaling that he’s on top of the world – not just the fighting world either – the ENTIRE world.

McGregor now falls within the top 1% of 1% and he wants everyone to know it – because there’s something incredibly terrifying about going toe-to-toe with the best.

The Formal Wear

Of all the unique aspects of McGregor’s appearance, his affinity for suits in an anti-suit culture is the most glaring and obvious.

Most men his age would look for any chance they good to get out of suit, whereas McGregor finds any opportunity he can to wear one.

It’s a movement that is increasing amongst athletes across many disciplines. They, like McGregor, understand that a man has to dress for success, and that the appearance of accomplishment off the court or out of the ring can often lead to success within the sport.

His suits are all custom made for him and he never chooses a simple navy or grey. The cut, cloth, and customizations are all chosen to draw attention.

At the same time, his suiting is actually pretty decent. It’s one thing for a man to embrace the caricature aspect of wearing suits, but McGregor doesn’t make the same mistakes we saw of the NBA in the 90’s.

He doesn’t simply choose his suiting because it’s different, he actually has an elevated level of taste is demonstrated by what he chooses to wear.

He may mix more patterns, wear narrower lapels, and embrace bolder linings than I, or other men in the sartorial world do, but his tastes vary from ours in degree, not in kind.

And don’t think it stops with his suits. He flaunts the couture brands that make his caiman alligator loafers, his dinner-plate-sized timepieces, and his in-your-face aviators.

McGregor embraces every stereotype of opulence and wealth, and uses it as a stark and effective contrast to his Celtic berserker nature in the ring.

By making himself three-dimensional, he makes himself that much more intimidating.

The Casual Wear

Continuing along the same path of a willingness to buck the acceptable aesthetic of the world of MMA, McGregor’s casual style is just as intentional.

His industry is one of physical, traditional masculinity. It’s one where politically incorrect insults, assumptions, and beliefs continue to thrive.

And a major part of that culture is a rejection of an appearance that’s too flamboyant.

The most common appearance-related insult coming from men like the average UFC fan is a skinny-jean wearing little bitch (or something along those lines).

So what does McGregor do? He embraces skinny jeans.

But it’s not just tight denim, he wears loud sneakers, skinny sweats, oversized tank tops, and the traditional flat-caps associated with his native Ireland.

He combines the sartorial world, with the streetwear culture, and throws in a dash of his own go-to-hell attitude to create a casual appearance that’s just as deliberate and equally as off-putting as his suits.

In a world of XXL Tapout T-shirts and shorts that hang five inches past the knee, looking like he stepped out of the pages of an Esquire style guide is the best way to stand out.

The Contrast

And standing out is something he’s more than comfortable with.

We live in a time of globalism yet McGregor is a bit of a nationalist. He’s fiercely patriotic and proud of his home country in a way that makes most of the political elite cringe, and has become a national treasure amongst his countrymen.

In an industry of T-shirts and jeans, McGregor is a sartorialist. His understanding of clothing is different from the past few generations and representative of the current rise in menswear.

While many men both past and present see jeans and a T as the uniform of success – driven by the idea that a man has done so well for himself he can wear whatever he wants, McGregor understands that dressing well is a symbol of success – that the average man can’t afford the time, money, or social risk to wear loud, bespoke suits every day. Rather than trying to blend in with the culture of the MMA world, McGregor seeks to set himself apart.

There is no subtlety to McGregor. His suits are more appropriate for a menswear tradeshow in Florence than a business boardroom – let alone a post-fight press conference.

His body is covered in tattoos that, by both their content and their placement, would prevent him from ever working a “respectable” job.

His choice in watches, shoes, cars, and homes can be summed up as bigger, bright, and bolder.

Even what he wears when he fights and works out – which is to say, as little as he possibly can, provides a start contrast to the fighting world. Historically, most warriors are more covered up. Their armor protects their vital organs and allows them to fight another day.

Not the case for McGregor. The man would probably fight naked if he could. Because it would signal even more willingness to not only accept, but fully embrace the risks associated with his chosen lifestyle.

Conclusion

Conor McGregor has rejected the uniform of his tribe.

He understands that looking, acting, and thinking like every other MMA athlete will get him the same results as every other MMA athlete.

By breaking the mold with his appearance, he signals his willingness to break the mold in every other regard.

It’s a subtle and almost Machiavellian way to get into the heads of his opponents.

He’s telling them,

“I’m not like you”

“I’m better than you”

“I wear better clothes, drive better cars, live in better homes, and have a better life than you do.”

“If I have all that, then why wouldn’t you believe I’m a better fighter than you to?”

The Breakdown

Of the three Archetypes, I’ll put McGregor at:

75% Rakish
13% Refined
12% Rugged

Don’t know what I mean by Rugged, Refined, and Rakish? Well go check these out.

The Three Masculine Style Archetypes

Want to know where you fall into the Three Masculine Style Archetypes?

Take this quick quiz and I’ll tell you. CLICK HERE

Want more?

McGregor tells a story with his style and I want you to do the same.

Learn the how men throughout time and across all cultures have use their clothing to communicate specific, masculine virtues and tell stories that lead to more success, happiness, and fulfillment.

Casey Neistat Style in Real Life

26 January, 2016

In the second installment of Style in Real Life I’m going to break down the style of one of the most unique, interesting, and intentional men on YouTube.

Casey Neistat is a daily vlogger who has had no small amount of influence on my own channel, along with thousands of others who have tried to make an impact on YouTube.

And he dresses in a way that contributes incredibly well to understanding who he is and what he’s about.

Click here to watch the YouTube video: Casey Neistat Style in Real Life

He’s been making films for years and just recently had one – in which he snowboards behind a jeep in the middle of NYC – go viral.

And, while he wants you to think it’s a random, hodgepodge mix of different variables, it’s all very deliberate and intentional.

So let’s start with Neistat’s most recognizable features and work out from there.

The Sunglasses

The most prominent article of clothing that shows up in nearly every one of his videos, is his custom pair of Ray Ban wayfarers.

While they serve a functional purpose – they allow him to watch himself in the screen, as opposed to looking in the lens, while still maintaining the illusion of eye contact – they’re so much more than that.

They are intentionally beaten up and he invests no small amount of time in customizing them so they look as trashed as they can.

While the original look may have been something that happened naturally and organically – every subsequent pair goes through a creation process designed specifically to make them look custom, well-used, and ill cared for.

Which is another aspect of Neistat’s overall aesthetic.

The Damaged Goods

A significant portion of his wardrobe consists of thread-bare items that look as if they’ve seen better days.

Not most – but still a good portion of his clothes – especially his jeans – are full of holes and show off a lot of distressing.

And not the faux distressing found at the mall – the real deal that comes from treating clothing as fungible, replaceable items.

To a man like Neistat, the appearance of being too neat, too put together, too concerned with his appearance – all runs counter to two major parts of the image he wants to portray – that of a man who focuses so much on function that it comes at the expense of form and that of a free spirit and artist – someone who is defined by a refusal to color within the lines.

Not only does Neistat understand this – he uses it as a way to increase his branding.

The Brand Aversion

Not wanting to be a shill for any particular brands, he goes out of his way to cover, remove, or destroy any logos on his clothing or his gear.

Neistat doesn’t care (or at least wants you to think he doesn’t care) that his coat is made from Canada Goose, his sunglasses come from RayBan, and his cameras are all Canon

While he never denies the brands that create his products, he does go out of his way to hide any affiliation or loyalty to them.

It’s an intentional move. It takes time to tape over jacket patches, grind out resin, and scrape off stickers.

If he truly didn’t care – he wouldn’t do anything at all – just leave the branding alone.

But he cares – just from a point of negative association as opposed to one which is positive.

The Generational Influence

Neistat’s style is deliberately casual – which I believe is a result of him being part of generation X.

Not only is he part of a different generation than many of his viewers, he was forced to grow up quickly as a result of an admittedly rough relationship with his parents and having his own kid at a very young age.

As a result, Neistat is more likely to see the world through the lens of rebellion against the Man – tropes that started with the Baby Boomers and carried on through movements like the punk and skate culture of the 90’s and early 2000’s.

I’m just a few years younger than Neistat myself and identified with a lot of these same ideals as I was growing up.

For guys of this mindset, there is nothing more restrictive, boring, or oppressive than the safe corporate uniform of a dark suit and tie.

And, while he may occasionally wear a suit or even create a film advertising one, Neistat always wears his suiting as casually as possible.

Skinny ties and lapels, extra small collars with the top button often left undone, and a pair of sneakers – as opposed to dress shoes – are his suiting mainstay.

The Daily Uniform

While he will wear a suit when he has to, his daily bread and butter consists of

Jeans or Joggers
A T-shirt and/or crewneck sweater
A pair of high-tops
Some wrist-wear that is often a balance of a high-end watch/apple watch and a few random beads and bracelets.
And – in the cooler months – a few layers of black jacketing

Neistat also both embraces and defies the negative – nerdy connotations that come with wearing a fanny pack or cell-phone belt clip, and keeps a point-and-shoot camera holstered on his belt at all times.

Even his tattoos and their apparent random placement are all designed to look as unplanned as they possible.

If they were too neat, too planned out, or too well-placed, they wouldn’t contribute to his brand – they’d detract from it.

And don’t think that Neistat isn’t a fan of order and organization.

Just take a look at his studio tour video and see how meticulous he is about labeling items, organizing them, and even removing things like cable clutter that most of the rest of us deal with.

Neistat is a man who enjoys order – but only when it’s his own personal version of it.

His hair, tattoos, hand-written identifiers, casual approach, and beaten up clothes all contribute to one overall aesthetic

Organized Chaos

It’s the life he leads and the message he sells.

Neistat’s breakdown

70% Rakish
25% Rugged
5% Refined

Don’t know what I mean by Rugged, Refined, and Rakish? Well go check these out.

The Three Masculine Style Archetypes

Want to know where you fall into the Three Masculine Style Archetypes?

Take this quick quiz and I’ll tell you. CLICK HERE

Want more?

Neistat tells a story with his style and I want you to do the same.

Learn the how men throughout time and across all cultures have use their clothing to communicate specific, masculine virtues and tell stories that lead to more success, happiness, and fulfillment.

Category: Style in Real Life

The Man Behind the Channel

The Style

The Earrings

Conclusion

The Riding Style

The Bike Setup

The Clothing

Conclusion

Streetwear

Shoes

Weakness

Conclusion

The Consumption

The Formal Wear

The Casual Wear

The Contrast

Conclusion

The Breakdown

McGregor tells a story with his style and I want you to do the same.

The Sunglasses

The Damaged Goods

The Brand Aversion

The Generational Influence

The Daily Uniform

Neistat’s breakdown

Neistat tells a story with his style and I want you to do the same.