Like I’ve said before, since I’m new to the study of men’s clothing, it’s worth learning the classics, first and foremost.  Literature has the Greeks, Karate has paint the fence, and men’s dress has Alan Flusser.

Of Mr. Flusser’s work, nothing seems more essential than Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion.

“Permanent fashion?”  Like many, I thought perhaps his definition of both terms differed from mine, because a man who penned a definitive guide to clothing wouldn’t make such a mistake as calling fashion permanent.  But don’t worry, he dives into this curious subtitle 14 pages in.

The world of doing something completely new and is a scary one, isn’t it?  Doubt creeping over your shoulder.  Insecurity tightening around your neck.  Failure gnawing at your heel.  So leave it to the King of horror to comfort.

At nineteen they can card you in the bars and and tell you to get the fuck out, put your sorry act (and sorrier ass) back on the street, but they can’t card you when you sit down and paint a picture, write a poem, tell a story, by God, and if you reading this happen to be very young, don’t let your elders and supposed leaders tel you any different.  Sure, you’ve never been to Paris.  No, you never ran with the bulls at Pamplona.  Yes, you’re a pissant who had no hair in your armpits until three years ago–but so what?  If you don’t start out to big for your britches, how are you gonna fill ’em when you grow up?  Let it rip regardless of what anybody tells you, that’s my idea; sit down and smoke that baby.

To those — nineteen or not — who are smoking.

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.  Simple as that.” – Stephen King

I’m a terrible reader.  With a current average of 1.5 novels per year, I am certain I qualify in the bottom 5% worst-read individuals with a B.A. in Literature.

The above quotation by Mr. King really stuck in my side when I came across it last summer, and since the new year turned up, my side’s been aching a bit more than usual.  In this quest to write something worth my time and your visits, it’s time I became a better reader.

Always a bit on the eager side of adventuring, I’ve began my new year of better reading with two books to fill separate inspirations:

Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion