It’s another installment of Answerland, the feature that has Chubstr staff (and other people who know lots of things) answering your questions about style, and just about anything else you decide to ask us. Send your questions to us via @chubstr on your favorite social network, or send us a message directly by using the contact form.
You’ve sent us SO MANY questions, and we’re way behind on getting you answers. You’ll see installments of Answerland every Friday from here out, so bear with us, and you’ll see your question answered.
Jason and the Camel Hair Blazer
Keith asked: Been searching like crazy. Best online shops/brands for modern menswear and, or high-end streetwear essentials?
Thanks for the question, Keith. For modern menswear, if you’re looking for a place that skews higher end, check out Mr. Porter. The site offers more than 200 brands of menswear, including Dolce & Gabbana, Vilebrequin, Canali, Alexander McQueen, and Gucci, with sizes to XXXL. As you’ve seen, it’s pretty rare to be able to find higher end menswear in extended sizes. I was pleasantly surprised to see Mr. Porter offering what they do, though I hope they continue to expand their size offerings, especially in pants.
As far as high end streetwear, that’s even harder to find. High end anything in extended sizes seems to be rare, so offhand, I don’t have a lot of options for you. I do know that Karmaloop carries streetwear in extended sizes. Is it high end? Maybe some, but mostly no. It is streetwear, and there’s quite a variety of items to choose from, so if you were unfamiliar before, definitely take a look. We’re going to search for more high end streetwear and write about our search in a future article.
Jay de Belen shares his style
Majorxero asked: What are some tips you’d offer to someone who doesn’t really know what style to wear. Any does and don’ts you can recommend?
This is a really good question! When I started Chubstr, I didn’t really have an idea of what I wanted to wear either. I spent some time looking at photos of guys wearing things that I liked. If it was something I thought I’d feel comfortable wearing, I saved the photo and deconstructed the look. If I liked a pair of jeans, I’d try to find something similar in my size. If I liked a hat, or a shirt, or some boots, I’d try to find something similar. I looked at colors and textures to see how other people put together looks, then I tried to incorporate those into my own looks.
Bruce goes slightly lumberjack
Start simple – if you’re unsure of your style, think about a celebrity or a musician or someone you know who just has it together. Then, decide if their style fits your personality. A big part of creating your own personal style is integrating your personality into what you’re wearing. I found that I liked classic workwear quite a bit, so I looked for photos of that kind of stuff. I also thought about famous people with style that resonated with me, and found that I kept coming back to Queens of the Stone Age frontman, Josh Homme (photographic evidence here & here). He has this classic, effortless style, and his look fits his personality, or at least his onstage persona. That’s what I strive for with my own style.
If all else fails, scour Chubstr.com for your favorite looks and recreate them. Many of our photo submissions show you how to do exactly that!
