Love and acceptance go hand in hand. Having learned this lesson through trial and error sometime in my mids, I made sure to apply it to the continuation of my dating career, a mission that proved to be particularly difficult when faced with men of, how shall I put it, questionable sartorial aesthetics.
From square-toed shoes to violently patterned Carhartt sweatshirts to Givenchy skirts artfully layered over leggings, I encounteredβand practiced Buddhist levels of patience onβmen of all stylistic visions. Yet, no PC approach could have prepared me for the prospect of bringing a certain Yamamoto capeβdonning ex to a family dinner. Months after our breakup, I wondered whether I had been too rash in disregarding an otherwise excellent human based on something as superficial as his outerwear.
Rebecca Suhrawardi, a freelance fashion journalist, believes that roughly 30 percent of men have a very specific, honed-in aesthetic that is impossibleβand probably unnecessaryβto tamper with. Forgoing criticism, she learned to accept his nature-friendly shoes and even eventually found an alternative that suited both of their aesthetics, helping him locate a pair in a cool, on-trend camouflage print.
Lesson learned: In the case of the Yamamoto cape, I should have just steered him toward a Juun. J trench! But how does one approach the other type of man, the one who give his wardrobe next to no thought, simply throwing on whatever blends into his lifestyle, career, or social circle? All of these women are careful to emphasize that change does not happen overnight. After a few similar collaborative excursions, she began surprising him with carefully selected gifts, which eventually took over his wardrobe and established her as the household stylist.
Rykiel points out that an introduction to fashion may serve as a catalyst for a whole new sphere of interest, lifting the barriers off of a world that may have previously intimidated him.
