Light Gray is The Gray

After Returning from the MAGIC fashion this season, visiting seminars, booths and textile companies, there a few colors that are going to make a big impact the the upcoming 2011 Spring and seasons to come. One of those colors is Light Gray! Different from what we have seen in the past few seasons, of the darker charcoal color gray, the gray we now see from the major textile manufactures and style houses has a blast of white in it making it very light. Take a look at some of the shades of gray we will see in the up coming seasons.

Yours truly,
Michael Ferrera

Can you wear Jeans as Business Casual

No!

Well okay, Maybe!

While jeans have become very stylish and dressy, it is often asked: can you wear jeans as business casual? And the answers is: it depends! The etiquette and proper answer is that there is not a real definition of "business casual." And, if an event calls for business casual, it never calls for jeans to be worn in the given setting. However, Americans often choose to go against the grain for one reason or another so it is important to be aware of what to do in this situation.

To answer this question further I will offer a few things to consider and scenarios that could call for business casual attire. By considering these things when dressing business casual will allow you to always be appropriately dressed.

1. Know your industry. If you're in an industry that calls for you to wear a suit & tie more often than not, jeans are a No. 
2. If jeans are apart of your profession such as denim design or fabric manufacturing, jeans may be Okay.
3. If the business casual event is held in an office or meeting space, jeans are a No.
4. If the business casual event is held in lounge or bar, jeans may be Okay.
5. If the business casual event is held  in hotel lobby or space, jeans are a No.
6. If the business casual event is at a someone's home, jeans may be Okay.
7. If your business casual event is held in a golf club house or private club jeans are a No. 
8. If the person your are attending with or who invited you is not wearing jeans, then No.
9. If you choose to wear jeans as business casual, always wear dark jeans with little or no washes. Darker than traditional blue jeans would be considered dark denim.
10. If you do choose to wear jeans as business casual, also wear a blazer and dress shoes so not to be considered casual.

The next time you or someone you know considers wearing jeans as business casual, consider the 10 tips above first and choose accordingly. Appropriate attire is much more valuable than stylish attire. 

"Life...With Style"

Yours Truly,

Michael Ferrera

The Look

Thanksgiving With Style!

First of all Happy Thanksgiving to all! Thank you for the continued views, blog reads and comments. I know there is a ton of valuable information here at "Life...With Style" by Michael Ferrera and we do our best to continue to provide you with useful information. Nonetheless, it's Thanksgiving week, a short work week, and another week to be thankful simply just for the gift of LIFE!

"With Style" as is in the title of the blog is an additive, a plus, a perk, a choice. But, the fact that we are able to have life in itself is enough for us all to be grateful and thankful all year around. In regards to the Style portion I encourage you to all add as part of life here are 3 Tips to make your Thanksgiving day more enjoyable:

1) Be on time! - This applies to both the host and the guest. If you are the one hosting Thanksgiving meal, make sure your food is prepared when your guest arrive and you are not still cooking! Your guest came to eat not to wait and eat. If you plan to have others cook with you, make sure they are aware of that and there are no surprises. As for the guest arriving to eat, please be on time especially if you are bringing a dish for others to eat. If there is a time set to eat, be respectful to that so that you do not hold up the party. If you know that you will be late because of other engagements, inform the host ahead of time.

2) Converse with Confidence! - Sometimes at holiday parties we are around family members we don't get to see regularly and the conversation can be awkward. I mean, you're technically family but this may be the first time you are meeting or haven't talked in years. The best way to avoid this awkward moment is to engage a third person or join into a conversation with the person you don't know and the person you do know while they are already talking.This gives you a common ground and possible introductions or backgrounds to be explained. After that, continue on talking to that person and get to know them. If you feel like you are the person that doesn't know many guest, you may need to mix & mingle a little more throughout the year. Use Facebook and Twitter to start building on relationships throughout the year!

3) Be Stylish in your Attire! - Yes, it is a holiday but that is not a day to take off your style! So on Thanksgiving day dress with style as your normally would. Do not hold back saying, " I don't want to slip on myself" or "maybe I'm too dressed up." It's cool, be yourself and you might even encourage others to step there style up or may want to direct them to this blog, "Life...With Style." ;) As you may know form reading other post the most important thing is style is being neat & organized!  If you remember these two components at all times your jeans, shoes, hats, or whatever you put on will have more value in your attire.

Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving and as usual live Life with Style!

Yours truly,
Michael Ferrera

Button Collar Shirts: In Style or Not

Ferrera Fresh Tip: Style is a personal preference that should make you feel good!

With all the feedback & questions on the post "How to Choose a Collar Spread," I believe now the button down collar shirt deserves it's own mention! Before we go in to style tips, lets make it clear that there is no right or wrong in regards to button down collar shirts. The button down collar is a personal preference. If you like it wear it; if you don't, then don't.

When deciding on a button collar shirt or not, here are a few things to remember:

• The purpose of button down collar shirts are to hold your collar in place. 
• When you are wearing a jacket, the lapel of the jacket should hold your shirt collar in place anyway.
• Button collar shirts are better fit for casual business attire and when you are not wearing a tie.
• Collar dress shirts without a button do give off a cleaner and more crisp image. Buttons distract from your stylish tie.
• If your concern is that your collar slides under your jacket lapel, try using very heavy or even metal collar stays. If your shirt does not have collar stay pockets, you can have them added in by your cleaners.
• Rumor: Button down shirts are better for guys with large necks. Not true, the bulk of the button just makes the neck look larger.
• Rumor: Button down collar shirts are for old guys. Not true, a button down shirt serves a purpose and can be use by either gent when appropriate.
• Finally, if you do wear a button collar shirt always button the buttons! You just look sloppy if they are undone.

Form the mind of yours truly Michael Ferrera, I feel that a NO button collar is the better option when wearing a suit & tie. In a more casual environment the button collar shirt is more appropriate. Keep in mind gentlemen, & ladies who dress them, a variety of collar styles are nice to have in your wardrobe as you complete your Life...With Style!

Yours truly,
Michael Ferrera

 

Classic Button Down Collar

 

Hidden Button Down Collar

 Stylish Button Down Collar

MENSWEAR FALL FASHION TRENDS 2010

Ferrera Fresh Tip: Just because it's "in style" doesn't mean it's your style! Stay true to your style by picking and choosing which fashion trends to wear this season...

It's in! After the season's showings at MAGIC, MRket and a tons of other fashion shows this Summer in Las Vegas we now know the items and trends that will be in the stores and boutiques for Autumn/Winter 2010. To save you time on looking into countless magazines, watching senseless sitcoms & movies to find the latest fashion trends, just stay close to "Life...With Style" by Michael Ferrera and we'll keep you covered.

Recently GQ online posted over 200 snapshots of the top trends in male fashion for the upcoming 2010 Fall season. Many of which were seen at MAGIC, Project, Pool, and MRket trade shows in August '10 by yours truly. A full view of the shots are below for you to look at, grab ideas, or take tips when you're ready but here's the "Ferrera Fresh" rundown of the notable trends to consider or not consider

1. For your suits gents, the slimmer suit lapel is still holding its ground as one of the looks to go for when choosing your suits.

2. The plaid neckties are still in as well. Not really the coolest thing to be wearing now since everyone is doing it, but nonetheless it's still a popular trend. Try not to wear this look more than twice a month.

3. Surprisingly the boat shoe that we talked about (in this post here) is continuing to be worn in the fall! Now it is like a mid-high boot style boat shoe in navy, green or tan that's worn dressed casual with tailored jeans and a blazer. A very cool look try it!

 
4. Flannel! Oooh, yes, I like! From full over coats, to simple blazers, ties, socks and other accessories, flannel is definitely a Fall trend 2010 to be used in your wardrobe this Fall gents.

5. Lace-up boots are another notable mention and I'm not complete with this look. It's cool for some gents but it looks very ol'-school-vintage-military. Not the coolest look if a girl will think you're leaving for the military next week.

6. The toggle coat is in and is Certified "Ferrera Fresh!" Although we may not get that cold on the west coast, it is for sure a piece for east coast gents to have and others to travel with.

7. Whoaaa! Graphic knit sweaters are in? Didn't see too much of this coming for the season. It looks kind of 'kid-ish' for a grown man to be wearing in 2010 but if you do wear this just wear confidence. I may try a few out and let you all know the response from the ladies.

8. The plaid suit or what GQ calls: shadow plaid....(Whatever) It's cool, try it! I have a nice amount of these styles in the Michael Ferrera Collection this season as well. It's Hot!

Other notables are wide knit scarves, beanies, leather gloves and oh leather wristbands on watches rather than metal links among the other usual accessories for the Fall season. Take a look at the picture and choose what looks you like and remember just because it's 'in' doesn't mean you have to do it. That's a "Life...With Style"

Yours truly,
Michael Ferrera

Check the article HERE

HINT: If you click the print button on the slide show you can see all the pics by scrolling down 

rather than clicking the next button hundreds of time!

Here's the Looks!

Ferrera Fresh Answers

Ferrera Fresh Tip: When you don't know, not sure, or just want a second opinion, ask an expert...

Quiet often question come into the inbox at ask@michaelferrera.com, Facebook, & Twitter for answers to quick fashion & style questions. Ferrera Fresh Tips with the ladies, date ideas, nice restaurants to visit, among others. Which means, if one person is asking then there are others out there too with the same questions. Here are a few of this weeks top questions, use as you wish and share with others.

Questioner: When traditionally is it best to wear a two button suit versus a three button suit? -Gentleman | Oakland, CA

Ferrera Fresh Answer: There is no "traditionally" best. The number of buttons on a suit are completely for style, so you can choose based on personal preference! The 3 button is the classic-cant-really-go-wrong, but currently the 2 button is a little more fresh since it's lighter, simple, chic and professional all in one...

Questioner: What color shirt would you recommend with a white linen suit for a wedding? Very casual, I'm wearing sandals. - Gentleman | Santa Monica, CA

Ferrera Fresh Answer: Color shirt! Something bright like teal, bright pink, or royal blue dress shirt. If the sandals have brown in it, a shirt with tan or brown is fresh too.

Questioner: What is "corporate casual?" -Gentleman | Rancho, CA

Ferrera Fresh Answer: "Technically" there's no such thing! This was started as a way to just dress casual, but it depends on the event. Polo's, slacks or slacks, shirt and a blazer often work. The main thing is you can ditch the neck tie.

Remain fresh you all and live Life with Style!

Yours truly,

Michael Ferrera

Dress Like Your Age

Ferrera Fresh Tip: All the information you receive may not always be directly intended for you, but for you to share with other people! Always share good information with other people...

Wow, in doing research and always advancing knowledge on style, fashion, etiquette, chivalry or just simple greatness, I stumble upon a great article at AskMen.com titled: Dress Your Age 30s! After a short chuckle the article was read and in fact there is some good information for the gentleman that is at the crossroads of "Am I still cool or now a corporate professional?"

This article at AskMen.com gives some good insight on simple ways for the gentleman advancing in his life and career to also advance his style. This is for the gent that doesn't need to bar hop every weekend with the boys, is probably someones boss in the office and reads a good book every so often. Although all of us may not need the tips, grab some of them and share the information with someone else in a subtle way. You can do this by posting a link on your own Facebook wall or ReTweeting it to your Twitter followers, you might be helping someone, try it.

Nonetheless, check the article and as said before in a Ferrera Fresh Tip: ...never compromise your cool for the corporate world, combine the two and keep it "corporate-cool," that's Life...With Style!

Yours truly,
Michael Ferrera

Michael Ferrera in Project: Style

So, we all know Mr. Ferrera for his extraordinary style and dapper image in suits, shirts & neckties! But let's not forget, as a stylist, this brother really has some chic style in casual wear!

For the month of July, Michael Ferrera was selected as a semi-finalist in the second round of Victoria Garden's Mall: Project Style. The contest works like this, Mr. Ferrera is sent out on a quest to create an outfit under $150 and people around the globe, including you, get to vote on who has the best outfit between the 2nd round contestants. All the items in the outfit must be bought from stores at Victoria Garden's and only one item can be added to the outfit from the contestant's closet. Kind of cool huh...

Of course, Mr. Ferrera created a very cool outfit, or what we regular readers are known to call, a "Ferrera Fresh" outfit! When I talked with Mr. Ferrera briefly on the phone about the outfit he described it like this:

"My style in this outfit is ahhh (thinking), 'classically cool!' Since polo shirts are always classic, I make it a bit more chic with double polo's for style, both from Express. You will see a lot more of this in '10 since we have already seen merchandise stylist doing it in stores. The bright fuchsia polo on the inside is popped on top of the lime-green polo collar for just a touch of "fresh". The cargo style shorts are great to balance the brightness of the double polo's. The argyle lime-green of course matches the shirt, but screams a lot of confidence when you wear them with shorts. Sweet street walker sneakers from Aldo, A&F leather wrist wrap, and aviator frames complete the outfit for a classic but cool look!..." (End Quote)

I hadn't even seen the outfit yet, but envisioned everything he described minus the personal swagger he adds to the 'fit, making it even better! So, checkout Mr. "Ferrera Fresh" in the Victoria Garden's Project Style YouTube video & cast your vote today! You might even learn some cool styling tips to add in your Life...With Style!

Yours truly
PR or Michael Ferrera