The Makings of a Man

Wright as Dominican Drug Lord Peoples Hernandez in "Shaft"

You’ve seen him, but you haven’t really seen him. You vaguely know the face, but you can’t quite place the name. You are certain you have seen him in Shaft, The Manchurian Candidate, Syriana, and Casino Royale. He has shared the big screen with cinematic heavyweights such as George Clooney, Al Pacino, Samuel Jackson, and Denzel Washington. From heroin addicted artist to civil rights leader, this distinguished gentleman has tackled both diverse and complex roles. Jeffrey Wright just may be the best actor that you have never heard of. Wright plays Jean-Michel Basquiat in “Basquiat” in the picture below.


Wright plays Jean-Michel Basquiat in “Basquiat”

With a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Wright chose to forgo law school and try his hand at acting in both theater and cinema. What followed was a series of critically acclaimed performances where he portrayed gay nurse Norman Arriga in Angels in America, Martin Luther King, Jr. in Boycott, and Jean-Michel Basquiat in Basquiat.

Wright as Attorney Bennett Holiday in "Syriana"

When it comes down to patterns, mixing different patterns can prove to be a daunting assignment. Some gentlemen view pattern mixing to be as complicated as Chinese arithmetic. I am here to inform the gentleman that it doesn't have to be. Patterns don't have to be so intimidating, when done correctly and properly; the end result can display an understated maverick elegance. Above, Jay-Z deftly juggles three patterns to comprise a smart and intelligent look.

Why This Works

The ensemble presented here consists of three patterns: stripe, polka dot, and glen plaid. Jay-Z wears a striped dress shirt with a striped tie. The key here when mixing similiar patterns is appropriate scale. Notice the stripes in his dress shirt is narrower than the stripes in his necktie. He uses his glen plaid sportcoat to frame the entire outfit and bring out the lavender in both shirt and necktie. The dress shirt stripes are also small enough, so it doesn't compete with the lines in the sportcoat. The cherry on the top would definitely be his purple polka dot handkerchief that pulls everything into balance. Dark enough to bring sharp contrast, but also small enough to disrupt the outfit. From the color and the pattern, this outfit is an absolute winner. Mixing patterns should be a talent that any gentleman that can employ to his benefit.

For a moment, I'd like to take you back in time to 2008. I'd like to take you back to then-Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign. While on the campaign trail, there was one thing that is always constant: a white dress shirt. Nothing says sharp more than a crisp clean white dress shirt. With the rise of the white tee and striped dress shirt, the white dress shirt has become the forgotten ally in the gentleman's arsenal of stylish weaponry. Whether in a point, spread, cutaway collar, french cuff, or barrel cuff; the white dress shirt offers a blank canvas that gentlemen can display their sartorial creativity.


Complex in it's simplicity, it is the most conservative and sophisticated dress shirt one can wear. Complex you may ask? One can argue that it is just a plain white dress shirt. The difficulty lies in the very fact that it is simply white. With no colorful details working for you, every element of the gentleman's wardrobe becomes critical. From his tie to his pocket square, he must now rely on his creativity to breath life into his dress shirt.

This is where good intentions sometimes go awry. Being forced to access his creative thinking, men tend to over-think the situation and make things worse. Loud suits and even louder ties overcompensate the simplicity of the white shirt. Before we tackle those issues, let me first tell you what shirt you should be wearing.
















When shopping for a white dress shirt, I look for a shirt that is 100% cotton, has strong stitching, and has the correct fit. I suggest visiting finer men's department stores and comparing different brands. You will be able to find the appropriate dress shirt for you. For further retail information for featured items, please visit highlighted retailers.

Okay, I'm taking time out of my schedule to spread the word on professionalism at work. Now I know the whole world is surgically attached to their cell phones, but not all cell phones are good for you. Financially, you know. See when you have to make big money moves with contractors, associates, and colleagues you need to have a fly but classy phone. So to all you T-Mobile people, the Sidekicks are not on this list. It's fly if your still in school and not officially in the corporate world, but not to hang with big boys. The number one used big boy phone is the Blackberry, but you already know that. So I will give you some other choices on this issue.

The first phone on this list is the Samsung Comeback, a young fly phone. If your deep into the corporate jungle, this will not work for you. Why you ask? It's too damn colorful and will force you to text with that flip-out keyboard. No bueno. This is the phone for a bright college kid with a decent internship or co-op.





Honorable mention: HTC HD2


----Class Dismissed

Talent is sexy to women. Most of us men could care less if a woman we're pursuing can't even whistle.


This week's list features two individuals that honed their natural abilities and utilized them to reach unexpected heights. The first is arguably the most bankable star in Hollywood, Will Smith. Over the years, he has matured from a neon colored kid-friendly rapper to a media mogul. He stays up on the current trends with supra hightops and the ever-popular diamond dogtag chain.

"Confidence"...many claim to have it, but today's list highlights a couple of names who have it down pat when it comes to the essential element I call "style."


I'll start with Don Cheadle. Don is one of the most underrated actors around, although it seems that he's beginning to get some recognition with his own starring vehicle "Traitor" a couple years ago. He fits today's theme with his perseverance and cool vibe.