Big Sean Shows "How to Dress For Winter Without a Coat" in the November Issue Of GQ

I take it G.O.O.D. Music rapper, Big Sean has been reading The X-Stylez Blog because we just covered this Monday... guess we know a little something (ha) 

Big Sean shows you “How to Dress for Winter Without a Coat” in the November 2012 issue of GQ magazine: 

Dressing well in winter can be tricky. The conundrum: How do you fight the big chill without getting deathly sick of your giant winter coat? Short answer: Leave the coat in the back of the closet as long as possible by learning to layer up.
The field vest, once thought of as a blue-collar staple for postal workers and Wichita linemen, is now office-ready, thanks to high-fashion designers like Belstaff and lower-cost hubs like Club Monaco. The vest’s lightweight quilting adds warmth without bulking up your flannel suit or that new tweed sports jacket you just snapped up.

1. Let the Collar Pop
This collar should spread its wings over your lapel for a flyer look. 

Vest, $395 by Belstaff. Suit by Club Monaco. Shirt by Gant Rugger. Tie by David Hart & Co. Tie bar by The Tie Bar. Hat by Grevi at Barneys New York. Watch (throughout) by Rolex.

2. Cop Some Copper
Navy is a safe bet, but copper and olive are unimpeachable fall classics. Bonus: A vest doesn't bulk up the slim sleeves of your jacket.

Vest, $150 by Woolrich Woolen Mills. Suit jacket by Ovadia & Sons. Shirt by J.Crew. Tie by Topman. Tie bar by The Tie Bar. Jeans by A.P.C. Hat by Aviator Nation.

3. Tuck Your Scarf

Never wonder what to do with the floppy scarf tail again. Tuck it into your field vest and you're fully bundled.

Vest, $275 by AllSaints. Scarf by Smart Turnout. Blazer by Burberry London. Sweater by A.P.C. Jeans by Saturdays NYC.

4. Suit Up! 
As mentioned in the blog post Monday, switch out that 3rd piece and freshen up your suit or suit separate with a thin vest. It completely changes the look.  

Vest, $170 by Club Monaco. Suit by Michael Kors. Shirt by J.Lindeberg. Tie by Nobis. Pocket square from KSI NYC.

[GQ]

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The Male Brooch Epidemic

The early Christian period made a great advance in its effect on brooches throughout the fifth and sixth centuries. Its influence brought the addition of symbols and inscriptions to the necessary brooch, helping along with the Byzantines, to push the brooch towards its ornamental character. The earliest known brooches were from the Bronze Age. 

Within fashion brooches are viewed as accessories most commonly worn by women, however new advancements have been more accepting by the male species.  There aren't that many fashion accessories for men when one considers the sheer volume that exist for our female counterparts. And of those that do exist, quite often you find that they’re heavily associated with a sub-culture or movement that you’re simply not interested in associating yourself with.  Brooches for men are, however, one of the few men’s accessories which can cross the sub-culture divides, are perfect for both Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasons, and are slowly making a come-back. 

Recently male celebrities have been making new waves in fashion with wearing brooches. 

Justin Bieber wore this Yves Saint Laurent brooch during the 2011 MTV awards.

Photo'd here is rapper Big Sean also wearing YSL brooches.

In January I blogged about Best Dressed Man: Idris Elba at the Golden Globes due to his styling and also his flower brooch. 

Even Simon Cowell influential in developing American Idol and X Factor wears a floral brooch. 

And who can forget Kanye's 808s and Heartbreak album art with his infamous heart brooch. 

Suggestions on things to use as brooches: Look around your house and see what you can make useful. Anything that can pierce or clap onto the clothing item you tend to add a brooch can work, use good intentions. Below are some things you might have lying around: 

As you can see brooches have crossed over as a male epidemic. Here are some inspiration pictures you can try at home: 

 Pocket watch featured in the upper part of the body and used for handkerchief pocket opposed to waist.

 This is a little much, however it's my job to report this stuff because somebody likes it.

Recently, I've been talking a lot about unisex clothing options in my posts. My mission is to hopefully inspire you to think "outside of the box" when getting dressed. Again as men our options are limited but that's not an excuse! Hopefully, as you read more posts you can take some ideas and apply it to your wardrobe lifestyle. In fact that's the entire mission of this blog. Thanks for reading!