The Impeccable Mr. Ford
Time for a gentleman in our Tuesday "They Get It" post. And regarding our choice this week, I know some will say, "oh please, he's a designer - way too easy" - but not all designers would make our (admittedly subjective) cut.
Today we choose the beautifully dressed, beautifully groomed, and always perfectly turned out, Tom Ford.
Mr. Ford was born in Austin, Texas in 1962, but spent most of his younger years in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His mother (God bless her) taught him that being "badly dressed was disrespectful of others." (Thank you Mrs. Ford - that's already become a recurring theme in our posts.) And according to the stories, his mom bought him his first pair of Gucci loafers at the age of twelve.
Tom started his design career working in American fashion; but that didn't last for long. In an interview with the New York Times, he commented, "If I was ever going to become a good designer, I had to leave America. My own culture was inhibiting me. Too much style in America is tacky. It's looked down upon to be too stylish. Europeans, however, appreciate style."
When he was hired to work for Gucci, it was a faltering luxury goods company. In fact, Dawn Mello, the company's creative director at that time said, "no one would dream of wearing Gucci." But Ms. Mello hired Ford—then a near unknown—as the brand's chief women's ready-to-wear designer in 1990. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Mr. Ford is credited for bringing Gucci back from the dead - and injecting sexiness and style back into the brand.
That being said, here are Tom's rules for style, as told in an interview to Esquire magazine:
1) Be confident.
2) Button your jacket. It takes 20 pounds off your silhouette.
3) Never button more than one button on a jacket.
4) Know yourself and know what you like. That'll be your signature.
5) Americans have grown too accustomed to being comfortable. I find a different kind of comfort when I know I look good.
6) You can't wear trendy clothes forever. Everyone has to grow up sometime.
7) That being said, Mick Jagger can wear pretty much anything he wants. It's all about your personality.
We especially like number 5 - get over the "I want to be comfortable," and number 6. Number 7 is just flat-out hilarious - and perfect!
We think Tom Ford is the embodiment of well-dressed sexiness and style. Decide for yourself:
Today we choose the beautifully dressed, beautifully groomed, and always perfectly turned out, Tom Ford.
Mr. Ford was born in Austin, Texas in 1962, but spent most of his younger years in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His mother (God bless her) taught him that being "badly dressed was disrespectful of others." (Thank you Mrs. Ford - that's already become a recurring theme in our posts.) And according to the stories, his mom bought him his first pair of Gucci loafers at the age of twelve.
Tom started his design career working in American fashion; but that didn't last for long. In an interview with the New York Times, he commented, "If I was ever going to become a good designer, I had to leave America. My own culture was inhibiting me. Too much style in America is tacky. It's looked down upon to be too stylish. Europeans, however, appreciate style."
When he was hired to work for Gucci, it was a faltering luxury goods company. In fact, Dawn Mello, the company's creative director at that time said, "no one would dream of wearing Gucci." But Ms. Mello hired Ford—then a near unknown—as the brand's chief women's ready-to-wear designer in 1990. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Mr. Ford is credited for bringing Gucci back from the dead - and injecting sexiness and style back into the brand.
That being said, here are Tom's rules for style, as told in an interview to Esquire magazine:
1) Be confident.
2) Button your jacket. It takes 20 pounds off your silhouette.
3) Never button more than one button on a jacket.
4) Know yourself and know what you like. That'll be your signature.
5) Americans have grown too accustomed to being comfortable. I find a different kind of comfort when I know I look good.
6) You can't wear trendy clothes forever. Everyone has to grow up sometime.
7) That being said, Mick Jagger can wear pretty much anything he wants. It's all about your personality.
We especially like number 5 - get over the "I want to be comfortable," and number 6. Number 7 is just flat-out hilarious - and perfect!
We think Tom Ford is the embodiment of well-dressed sexiness and style. Decide for yourself:
Comments