Three months ago, I was embarking on one of the most exciting moves of my life. For those of you who don’t know, besides being a menswear blogger, I work in the completely unrelated world of healthcare as an occupational therapist. At the time I had just completed my graduate degree, finished up with my clinical rotations, and passed my board exam. It was time. Finally it was my chance to live out one of my wildest dreams of living and working in one of the most magical places in the entire world…New York City. *Cues Alicia Keys and Jay-Z’s anthemic “Empire State of Mind” to set the mood.*
Fast forward three months, and here I am at an East Village coffee shop sipping on my elaborately made latte and thinking to myself where else I would rather be. The answer is probably no where. The thing is, moving to New York City made me realize something about myself and a majority of people inhabiting this concrete jungle. We’re all here to see a dream come into fruition. The barista at my corner Starbucks, he’s tirelessly auditioning in hopes of making it big on Broadway. That Upper East Side babysitter I pass on my way home from work, she’s trying to make a name for herself in the fashion industry.
Oftentimes, staying in your comfort zone seems like the best choice because it’s charmed with familiarity. I, on the other hand, enjoy challenging myself to see how I adapt in unfamiliar territories. Believe me when I tell you that I’ve gotten my share of family members asking me why I would throw away mortgage payment sums on rent and pay $7.99 for a jar of salsa. I’ve asked myself that question too…but I soon realize that I moved here to take a risk in a city that offers a multitude of opportunities. With that being said, I am excited to take The Chicago Chic- MAN in a new direction. My perspective on personal style will come inspired by my Chicago heritage with a fresh New York City influence. Hope you guys enjoy!
If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.
Jacket: The Kooples | Shirt: Club Monaco | Denim: A.P.C. | Sneakers: All Saints | Sunglasses: Warby Parker
Decade by decade, day by day, the world of fashion is forever changing. Have a look at the roaring twenties and we see where fashion took a 180 into a modern era of dressing with unpadded suits and brighter colors, a reflection of the vibrant music and theatre at the time. To the seventies, we see flaring bottoms and obnoxious jumpsuits. And the twenty-first century, what? What is it that defines our century as having brought something substantial to the world of fashion? How have we changed it? Well, to name a few, we see the indie street style trend, athletic inspired looks, grunge, and a resurgence of dapper fashion.
As a society we have made a whole array of changes(mostly for the better) and at The Chicago Chic we’re both intrigued and infatuated with this change. But one thing has come into the fashion world with such a bang that it was natural to cause some conversation and debate- The floral trend in menswear.
When the floral print was introduced there was a debate as to whether this was appropriate for a guy to wear. Was it, they asked, too feminine? I argue no. But my argument doesn’t matter – time has told us no.
Florals and prints take some guts to pull-off and you run the risk of looking like a walking flowerbed. But if you get it right, you could be making one of your most fashion forward statements this year. If floral and prints are new stomping grounds for you, I suggest dabbling into the trend with a floral tie or pocket square. Sure, you may get some heat at the office for the pansies on your tie, but before you know it this trend will become mainstream and you’ll be giving your co-workers the side-eye for giving you sh** months ago.
Location: Williamsburg / New York
Photography: Julia Sariy
