Do You Know Your Fashion Lingo?

French descriptive terms every man should know to avoid those completely avoidable fashion fallacies.

Haute couture
Haute couture is a French term that describes high fashion. If an item is characterized as "haute couture," it means that it's custom-made. Haute couture connotes exclusivity, and one-of-a-kind clothes made from the finest quality materials that usually cost more than $10,000. You know, the kind of threads celebrities wear to upscale events like awards shows and movie premieres.

Prt--porter
Prt--porter is French for ready-to-wear, and is used to describe high-end designer wear. However, unlike haute couture, prt--porter clothing isn't one of a kind. Prt--porter clothing is pricey and you'll find it off the rack at high-end department stores and boutiques. Examples of popular prt--porter designers include Jean-Paul Gaultier, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci (FYI: these designers also have haute couture collections).

Faux pas
A faux pas is a blunder that can occur in social settings, as well as in fashion. In other words, it's an error in (style) judgment that should be avoided at all cost. Common fashion faux pas include wearing white socks with dark trousers and wearing sunglasses indoors.

Glitterati
Glitterati is a term used to describe a crowd of attractive people who tend to be well-dressed, usually referred to as the elite.

Trs chic
Trs chic means very fashionable; it's usually used to describe a specific item, like a suit, for example, or as a compliment for a place or an event.

Pice de rsistance
In food lingo, plat de rsistance means main dish. In fashion, pice de rsistance is used to describe an important item, whether it's a must-have item of the season or an item that stands out from an ensemble.

Du jour
If it's an item du jour, that means it's ultra trendy.

Pass
The term pass is used to describe something that was once in style (see du jour), but no longer is; basically, it's a thing of the past.

Old-school
The term old-school is used to describe a fashion item that has a retro, vintage or classic look. A lot of old-school athletic wear (i.e. from the '70s and '80s) such as sneakers, tracksuits and T-shirts have been making a comeback.

Resources: AskMen.com

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Esquire's How To Be a Man 2009

By Tom Chiarella.

A man carries cash. A man looks out for those around him — woman, friend, stranger. A man can cook eggs. A man can always find something good to watch on television. A man makes things — a rock wall, a table, the tuition money. Or he rebuilds — engines, watches, fortunes. He passes along expertise, one man to the next. Know-how survives him. This is immortality. A man can speak to dogs. A man fantasizes that kung fu lives deep inside him somewhere. A man knows how to sneak a look at cleavage and doesn't care if he gets busted once in a while. A man is good at his job. Not his work, not his avocation, not his hobby. Not his career. His job. It doesn't matter what his job is, because if a man doesn't like his job, he gets a new one.

A man can look you up and down and figure some things out. Before you say a word, he makes you. From your suitcase, from your watch, from your posture. A man infers.

A man owns up. That's why Mark McGwire is not a man. A man grasps his mistakes. He lays claim to who he is, and what he was, whether he likes them or not.

Some mistakes, though, he lets pass if no one notices. Like dropping the steak in the dirt.

A man loves the human body, the revelation of nakedness. He loves the sight of the pale breast, the physics of the human skeleton, the alternating current of the flesh. He is thrilled by the snatch, by the wrist, the sight of a bare shoulder. He likes the crease of a bent knee. When his woman bends to pick up her underwear, he feels that thrum that only a man can feel.

A man doesn't point out that he did the dishes.

A man looks out for children. Makes them stand behind him.

A man knows how to bust balls.

A man has had liquor enough in his life that he can order a drink without sounding breathless, clueless, or obtuse. When he doesn't want to think, he orders bourbon or something on tap.

Never the sauvignon blanc.

A man welcomes the coming of age. It frees him. It allows him to assume the upper hand and teaches him when to step aside.

Maybe he never has, and maybe he never will, but a man figures he can knock someone, somewhere, on his ass.

He does not rely on rationalizations or explanations. He doesn't winnow, winnow, winnow until truths can be humbly categorized, or intellectualized, until behavior can be written off with an explanation. He doesn't see himself lost in some great maw of humanity, some grand sweep. That's the liberal thread; it's why men won't line up as liberals.

A man gets the door. Without thinking.

He stops traffic when he must.

A man resists formulations, questions belief, embraces ambiguity without making a fetish out of it. A man revisits his beliefs. Continually. That's why men won't forever line up with conservatives, either.

A man knows his tools and how to use them — just the ones he needs. Knows which saw is for what, how to find the stud, when to use galvanized nails.

A miter saw, incidentally, is the kind that sits on a table, has a circular blade, and is used for cutting at precise angles. Very satisfying saw.

A man knows how to lose an afternoon. Drinking, playing Grand Theft Auto, driving aimlessly, shooting pool.

He knows how to lose a month, also.

A man listens, and that's how he argues. He crafts opinions. He can pound the table, take the floor. It's not that he must. It's that he can.

A man is comfortable being alone. Loves being alone, actually. He sleeps.

Or he stands watch. He interrupts trouble. This is the state policeman. This is the poet. Men, both of them.

A man loves driving alone most of all.

Style — a man has that. No matter how eccentric that style is, it is uncontrived. It's a set of rules.

He understands the basic mechanics of the planet. Or he can close one eye, look up at the sun, and tell you what time of day it is. Or where north is. He can tell you where you might find something to eat or where the fish run. He understands electricity or the internal-combustion engine, the mechanics of flight or how to figure a pitcher's ERA.

A man does not know everything. He doesn't try. He likes what other men know.

A man can tell you he was wrong. That he did wrong. That he planned to. He can tell you when he is lost. He can apologize, even if sometimes it's just to put an end to the bickering.

A man does not wither at the thought of dancing. But it is generally to be avoided.

A man watches. Sometimes he goes and sits at an auction knowing he won't spend a dime, witnessing the temptation and the maneuvering of others. Sometimes he stands on the street corner watching stuff. This is not about quietude so much as collection. It is not about meditation so much as considering. A man refracts his vision and gains acuity. This serves him in every way. No one taught him this — to be quiet, to cipher, to watch. In this way, in these moments, the man is like a zoo animal: both captive and free. You cannot take your eyes off a man when he is like that. You shouldn't. The hell if you know what he is thinking, who he is, or what he will do next.

Build your Business Wardrobe - 5 Suits you Must Have

GQ helps decipher though all the options and narrows down 5 suits you need to add to your closet. These are the building blocks for your wardrobe.

1. The Gray Suit
Think of it as the anchor of your business wardrobe—strong, elegant, and always appropriate, whether you're interviewing for your first job or addressing the shareholders at your last. A gray suit looks sharp and clean with a white, soft blue, or light pink shirt but is versatile enough that it'll go with just about anything. Any shade will do, but we recommend a medium gray, like the one this gentleman is wearing.
Suit, $1,705, by Jil Sander. Shirt, $250, and tie, $115, by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Shoes, $595, by J.M. Weston. Cuff links by Montblanc.


2. The Solid Navy Suit
You can't go wrong here. A navy suit is always a safe, classic choice, and it travels seamlessly from the boardroom to an evening out. It lends itself well to almost any shirt-and-tie combination, but to up the elegance factor, pair it with a crisp white shirt, a dark solid tie, and a pocket square (think Cary Grant).
Suit, $945, by D&G. Shirt, $295, by Versace Collection. Tie, $98, by Emporio Armani. Shoes, $595, by Tod's. Watch by Rolex.



3. The Solid Black Suit
It used to be that a black suit wasn't a safe choice for the office, but these days it's a staple. Just make sure yours is cut on the slim side and fits correctly. (However you feel about your job, you don't want to look like you work in a funeral home.)
Suit, $895, by Hugo. Shirt, $370, by Prada. Tie, $200, by Thom Browne New York. Shoes, $595, by J.M. Weston. Belt, $675, by Martin Dingman.




4. The Pin-Striped Navy Suit
A cool classic that exudes confidence. You can anchor it with a solid shirt and tie or get adventurous—like the guy here, who's mixed it with a striped shirt and a striped tie. Just keep the components within one basic-color family and make sure that the stripes of the suit, shirt, and tie aren't too close in scale; one of the patterns should be bold and the other two more muted.
Suit, $1,695, by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Shirt, $250, by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Tie, $135, by Giorgio Armani. Shoes, $540, by Miu Miu. Watch by Rolex. Cuff links by Tateossian London.


5. The Khaki Cotton Suit
A business wardrobe might consist mostly of dark suits, but spring and summer give you the chance to lighten up (literally). Do it in style with a khaki cotton suit. Pair it with a solid (blue, white, or pink) shirt and a dark tie for the office, then loosen it up (e.g., lose the tie and socks) for an evening out.
Suit, $1,550, by Dolce & Gabbana. Shirt, $355, by Dsquared. Tie, $100, by Burberry London. Shoes, $895, by Martin Dingman. Watch by Rolex.



To view GQ's Article, which also includes samples of suits at various price points, click here.

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