The Gentleman's Guide to Cool: Clothing, Grooming, Etiquette
By Paul Giles
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About this ebook
Paul Giles, News Corp columnist and former international male model who worked with the biggest fashion houses and designers for over 20 years, shows men how to make the right first impression.
'The Gentlemen's Guide to Cool: Clothing, Grooming, Etiquette' is the book for any man who wants to learn the secrets of making a great first and lasting impression. Learn what to wear, how to portray confidence and simple grooming techniques that will make a difference to all areas of your life.
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The Gentleman's Guide to Cool - Paul Giles
THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO COOL:
Clothing, Grooming, Etiquette
Paul Giles
First Published 2015 by Classic Author and Publishing Services Pty Ltd.
This edition published 2018 by Woodslane Press
Copyright © 2014 Paul Giles
All rights reserved. No part of this printed or video publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electrical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher and copyright owner.
The information, views, opinions and visuals expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the publisher. The publisher disclaims any liabilities or responsibilities whatsoever for any damages, libel or liabilities arising directly or indirectly from the contents of this publication.
Editor: Julie Athanasiou
Designer / typesetter: Working Type Studio (www.workingtype.com.au)
Digital Distribution: Ebook Alchemy
eBook Conversion by Winking Billy
National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry
Creator: Giles, Paul Antony, author.
Title: The Gentleman’s Guide to Cool : clothing, grooming & etiquette / Paul Giles.
ISBN: 9780994275585 (eBook)
Subjects: Men’s clothing.
Grooming for men.
Fashion—Social aspects.
This book is dedicated to my mum and brothers, who raised me and guided me toward a privileged life.
C O N T E N T S
MY STORY
CHAPTER 1: Know Yourself First
YOUR WAY, NOT THE HIGHWAY
Developing your own style
IT TAKES ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
Dressing for your body shape
TRUE COLOURS SHINING THROUGH
Choosing the right colours
ACT YOUR AGE, NOT YOUR SHOE SIZE
Dressing your age
WHEN SIZE DOES MATTER
Knowing your exact measurements
JUST GOIN’ TO THE SHOP
Key shopping tips
CHAPTER 2: Your Wardrobe Essentials
WARDROBE DNA
The 12 essential wardrobe items
IF IT SUITS YOU
Choosing the right suit
IT’S ALL IN THE JEANS
Buying jeans
MR. T
Choosing the classic T-shirt
WARM AS TOAST
The coat
JACKETS 35
Sports, blazer, denim
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE
The leather jacket
IF THE SHOE FITS
Shoes
RUN FORREST, RUN
The sneaker
SOCK IT TO ’EM
Socks
REG GRUNDIES
The importance of underwear
CHAPTER 3: Accessorise
DEAD HEAT
The tie & how to tie it
THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE
The pocket square & how to fold it
BELT UP TIGHT
The right belt
LAYER UPON LAYER
Layering your clothing
SCARF THEORY & KNOTS
Scarves & how to tie them
YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR HAT ON
Choosing a hat
IT’S IN THE BAG, MAN
Choosing the classic, versatile bag
INVEST YOUR MONEY WISELY
Buying a wallet
TIME IS TICKING
Choosing a watch
RAISE YOUR GLASSES
The right glasses for you
THE FAMILY JEWELS
Men’s jewellery
CHAPTER 4: Dress and Act for the Occasion
DA DRESS CODE
Dress code etiquette
FIRST DATE, CHECKMATE
Dressing for a first date
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
Preparing for a night out
BUSINESS & PLEASURE
Tips for social business events
THE WEDDING PLANNER
Wedding etiquette
BUDGIES vs. BOARDIES
Speedos, shorts or boardies?
CHAPTER 5: Wardrobe Maintenance
CLEANER THAN SQUEAKY
Washing tips
NO STAIN, NO PAIN
Stain removal
IRON OUT THE KINKS
Ironing tips
PACK, STACK & RACK
Storing your clothes
PACKING MY DACKS
Packing clothes
KEEP ’EM MEAN, CLEAN WITH A SHEEN
Clean it, store it for longevity
CHAPTER 6: Grooming
SMOOTH AS SILK
The perfect shave
BAD BREATH BLUES
Treating bad breath
HAIR RAISING IDEAS
Hair care
SCARY HAIRY
Removing unwanted hair
HELPING HANDS & FEET
Hand & feet care
CLEAN & DRY UP
The importance of drying yourself
FACIAL FURRING
Facial hair to suit your face
EVERYBODY SWEAT NOW
Sweating tips
WAKE UP & SMELL THE ROSES
Choosing the right scent
ALL YEAR ROUND & ROUND
Winter routine
STRANGER THAN FICTION
Grooming myths & old wives’ tales
CHAPTER 7: The Keys to Confidence
YOU DA MAN
The importance of confidence
LADIES & GENTLEMEN
Being a gentleman
SCENT OF A WOMAN
Buying her a gift
ROMANCING THE STONE
Female etiquette
START AT THE END & BEGIN AT THE START
Starting & ending the day
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, GO!
Never too late to feel good
IT’S ALL IN THE PLAN STAN
Planning your time
STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW
The benefits of good posture
THE MIDAS TOUCH
Stress relief
SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE
The gentleman’s handshake
THE 20 RULES
My Story
I grew up in the 1970s in East Bentleigh, then a tough working class suburb of Melbourne about 18 kilometres south east of the central business district. The men around me all made their living in factories, on building sites or working for the Government. The standard uniform for both work and play in East Bentleigh was flannelette shirts, blue singlets and Hard Yakka pants. From an early age it was instilled in me that being a man and being interested in fashion were completely contradictory. Attending secondary school at Moorabbin Tech meant having dirt under our nails, greasy hair and battle scars from school fights. Any interest in clothing, let alone any grooming routine consisting of more than velvet soap and a cut-throat razor, was seen as sissy.
By my late teens, obsessed with girls and going out on Friday nights, I quickly learned that the time I spent on my appearance through clothing and grooming practices brought great rewards. I began to observe guys from different suburbs who took the time and effort in their appearance. The clothes they wore were different; their hairstyles crafted and styled, things never seen in our neighborhood. Even the shops in their part of town were different; clothing stores and window displays with mannequins wearing colorful, tailored and modern attire. I remember riding my bike to these shops and discreetly looking from every angle and viewpoint for hours. In these parts of town the guys would wear a lemon-coloured jumper with a baby blue-coloured shirt coupled with green cords. Girls admired their every move. These guys weren’t called ‘poofters’ for looking good and I wanted to be like them. I would happily catch the train into the city and walk for hours to look at the stores and see what was ‘in’ and how outfits were put together. I would scour over every advertising campaign on route and soak up as much visual information about men’s fashion as possible.
As my interest in fashion grew, I observed people in movies, music videos and magazines with great attention. I noticed men of status, respect and popularity paid attention to their clothing, appearance and physique. The movie Top Gun exposed me to leather bomber jackets and aviator sunglasses — two items I still wear today. An Officer and a Gentleman showed me how to be cool and comfortable around girls and to treat them with old-fashioned values and respect. In music, Wham! showed me how styled hair, polished white teeth and a suntan could also be a male thing. Duran Duran taught me how to experiment with clothing for more formal events like weddings. On TV, Happy Days revealed the American Ivy League College-look, which has had a lasting influence on me, while Miami Vice exposed me to quality Italian tailoring, smart summer dressing, pastel colours, linen, loafers and no socks. Looking back, these movies and TV shows had a huge impact on my development throughout my teenage years and beyond.
Added to these influences were my two older brothers, who were both building careers in AFL. By following them around the football grounds I went from my local neighborhood to new areas way across town, which brought new people, places, styles and ideas into my life. When my brothers started to get well paid in their football careers, they started to experiment with clothes as well. Like any younger brother I secretly tried on the shirts and jackets they brought home, desperately looking forward to the day my body would fill out and the clothes would fit properly so I could borrow them. Hanging out around men five to ten years older than me turned out to be a brilliant learning curve. I realised by having the confidence to create their own individual style and to separate themselves from the rest of the pack, these men earned respect and popularity not only from their peers, but more importantly to me, from women.
In 1987 I was out of high school and working for the Moorabbin City Council. During the colder months I was a gardener and during the summer months I worked as a lifeguard at Moorabbin pool. When a mate suggested I visit a modelling agency, I thought he was crazy. I guess the by-product of working as a lifeguard was a suntan, fit physique and healthy appearance.
To my great surprise, within two weeks of my first interview I was on a plane bound for Tokyo. I’d swapped my swimming shorts for jeans, aviator sunglasses, white T-shirt and linen jacket — a Tom Cruise meets Don Johnson meets Fonzie sort of look. It was quite a contrast sitting poolside one week to working in a city of 10 million people the next.
As a new model I had to show up at eight to ten job castings every day. Like at any job interview I had to show the client why I was the best candidate, which involved showing my portfolio