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| Sunday, 7 March 2004 |
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With the male of the species getting more fashion conscious by the minute, Farah Macan Markar talks to a few guys who are in the groove, on Brian Kerkoven, Designer and Choreographer "Kurtas are in fashion among men at present. Not the long Kurtas but the short ones, which fall just longer than the hip. Crush shirts and denims of various sorts, from shaded to striped are popular too, as well as colourful wear. Sri Lankan men's sense of fashion has improved. They are more conscious of how they look, from their skin to their hair. You see guys today perming, colouring and tinting their hair as well as getting facials done. In the case of accessories I see a lot of men going for pieces like chunky silver/ stainless steel watches and beaded chains. They follow western trends, which at times may not suit a particular person. Even in accessories its important to wear what suits you, not what suits Enrique Iglessias or Robbie Williams. Where perfumes are concerned a range of new fragrances are out. However more than perfumes, I must stress that deodorant is a must for all men (and women). You can dress smart, have a haircut and spray yourself with perfume, but without the antiperspirant, that sweaty smell starts to seep and stagnate. For a man to stand out, it is imperative of him to be able to represent himself with his personality rather than what he wears. Dressing appropriately though important comes second. I feel upbringing plays a major role in making you what you are, as well has how you conduct yourself in public, like being kind, down to earth and helpful. The worst kind of fashion I've seen is people dressing sloppily and calling it fashion. I feel to be neat and cleanly dressed makes a far better fashion statement. Dress sense, hair sense, deodorant sense are all important in fashion. However if you want to charm a woman it is important to be charmingly courteous as well, like remembering her B'day, doing something special and noticing and paying attention to the little things, such as if she's had a haircut." Lou Ching Wong, Designer and Hair Stylist "Men's fashion today is influenced a lot by Indian Kurtas, which is good in the sense that such eastern clothes suit our men more than western wear. To hold western wear in style it is important to have a toned body, which a lot of our men do not possess. Young guys are into grungish trends, such as hip huggers and pierced belly buttons, but to wear all this it is necessary to have a flat belly, not a pot one. Fashion is what you make of what you wear. It doesn't have to be something 100% current, nor something totally outdated. It could be something in between which suits your body. I feel we lack good men's wear designers in this country. Even in fashion shows, it is mostly women's wear in which a few men's wear are displayed to enhance the show, rather than display good men's wear designs. Having a good body is important if you want to be fashionable. The younger generation are more fashion conscious, but the general public of our nation are not disciplined in their diet nor fitness. It is something which seriously needs more working on. Today men do manicures and pedicures which I take as a sign of tasteful grooming. Everyone should work at looking good, even the men. Haircuts should represent your lifestyle and professionalism, while accessories should enhance your personality. Be flamboyant. Be individualistic. In the case of perfumes, younger people wear all these trendy sprays. However the really good products are expensive, thus being more used by older men. Good perfume enhances fashion and becomes a part of you. Tattoos are another piece of fashion in vogue today, for which too however, you need a good body to show it off. Lastly in men's fashion, it is important that they look good in what they wear, rather than just wear something for its trendy. Being a tropical country fabric and texture play a big part and the clothes need to be comfortable. You must want to look good, not for someone else wants you to, or forces you to be so. Each of us has something beautiful. You need to see your potential and develop it. That is the ultimate secret behind fashion." Wasantha De Silva, Hairstylist-Kess "Speaking of men's fashion, firstly it is necessary that men stop going bald. They should be careful about the products they use on their heads, and refrain from using cheap, low quality products. Another important thing is that they keep their bodies fit, instead of proudly swaggering their pot bellies. It is important to eat healthily, exercise regularly and keep your finger and toe nails clean. An individual should have their own fashion style as well as have a change in their office and evening wear, instead of sporting the same old piece throughout the day. Of accessories you should wear what suits you. I generally don't like strong perfumes as they tend to overpower than enhance. I like fresh, subtle perfumes. Another important piece in men's fashion is their underwear, which they tend to not pay much attention. Men should wear sexy underwear. As for what makes a man stand out, I'd say its having personality and not being overbearing, especially towards the women. Being a tropical country, our men are more on the dark side which makes bright colours suit them better. A man should not copy what someone else is wearing. He should dress for himself and be original. As for getting along with women, a man should be more friendly and less "Sevala". I feel that "Sevala" guys totally turn a woman off. As for "Sevala" and "Hairy", that's enough to send a woman running a mile in the opposite direction. In Europe the guys wax their body hair. Sri Lankan guys definitely need better grooming in this angle. The worst part is that most of them think its "Macho" to be hairy and are immensely proud of it. I think its a total turn off. It makes you sweat much more which makes you smell even more and transforms an otherwise normal man into an animal like gorilla!" |
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