Clothes and the Man: The Principles of Fine Men's Dress Hardcover – October 12, 1985

This is a quick, one-day read, but a lifetime keeper for reference.Mr. Flusser covers all the essentials in detail: suit coats; suit trousers; sport coats; blazers; dress shirts; neckties; handkerchiefs; hose (socks); shoes; hats; and jewelery.He covers sportswear such as cable-knit pullover sweaters and cardigans very briefly.Mr. Flusser asserts the lines, look, and feel of all fine mens wear can be traced to the timespan of the 1930s - 1950s. This was the Golden Age of Hollywood when men dressed well (Cary Grant; Fred Astaire; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.; Adolph Menjou; and England's Edward, Prince of Wales). Mr. Flusser's point is that if you want a suit that will not be out of date in five or ten years, ensure it is grounded in 1930s - 1950s style, with emphasis on the 1930s.The only thing I disagreed with in the entire book was his reverence for the four-in-hand necktie knot in all settings. This knot is asymmetrical and does not belong in the boardroom or office. It is a knot that is to be worn casually to a club or in some other social setting. The Windsor or Half Windsor should be worn to the office.This is somewhat a digression, but there is more to fine dressing than just the fabric against your body, or the leather upon your feet. Care must be taken to groom the hair inside your nose, so that it does not protrude outward. The hair on and in the ear must be cut. Nothing looks worse than looking at a man in fine clothes and seeing he has a thick patch of hair growing out of each ear cavity. Andy Rooney eyebrows are also verboten. Hair, beards, moustaches, eyebrows, ears, nose, teeth...all of these must be groomed/maintained properly to accentuate the look of fine clothes. Without these grooming basics in place, no suit is going to make you look good. Mr. Flusser elected not to cover grooming as essential to the "total package," yet he devoted many areas of the book to items that were not strictly related to clothing. I feel it was a mistake to neglect grooming.Clothes and the Man is now 21 years old. It is as relevant now as when it was written. This book is a timeless masterpiece, fully deserving five stars.

Flusser is the most talented man writing about the timeless principles of mens' dress, hands down. He is real-world oriented unlike almost all the men's magazines. Every man can learn from it and it should be required reading for anyone who sells, designs or promotes mens' clothing. He only has a handful of books; this is the most sumptuous with very nice photography. Armed with this guy's expertise you could probably walk into a Target and come out looking like Cary Grant.

When it comes to men's clothing books, I've bought them all, including all of Flusser's books. This is my favorite and in my view, the gold standard. Readable, full of great photographs and illustrations, it explains the fundamentals of menswear and dressing from the ground up. Other books have tried; other books have failed. Buy it while you can; this one isn't coming around a second time. You will never look at clothes the same way again.

I first purchased this book when I was in College, around 1985 or 1986 I believe. To this date, I have not come across another book that provided as much usable information as this. I simply wanted a guide on how to dress as a "Man." I have now purchased this book for my two boys as the information is mostly timeless. Every gentleman should own this book. Have fun. Oh, and learn how to dress!

Excellent resource even though dated. Focuses more narrowly on the suit and why we dress as we do in business. I paired the reading of this book with another that I found even more awesome in guiding a man on how to dress broadly across the whole wardrobe. It is called "Effortless Outfits: The Men's Guide to Matching Clothes for Powerful Impression in Personal and Professional Life." If I had to choose only one book of the two, it would be Effortless Outfits. But this is a venerable read.I wished I had purchased the author's (possible) reprint under a different title, printed just after the turn of this century. Might have been more up to date. Though I am struck by how "in good taste" the suit combinations photographed in this book still are today.

No one book that I've come across answers all the questions of the individual seeking to know the do's and don'ts of style. That said there are a couple of must haves and this is one of them. Alan Flusser knows his subject and thru this book shares with you an exploration into what is what and what goes with what. While fashion trends change the ability to evoke your sense of style will be specific to you. This book will help you to develop that 'classic' look you're seeking. Why do I give it only 4 stars? Because 5 stars will be reserved for that book that is the ultimate end all. I've yet to come across it. Good luck in your pursuit.

I wanted some more reference material for my wardrobe collection. I’m often asked for advice when it comes to men’s clothing, I finds that this is a good aide when helping young men build their wardrobe.

My son gave me a copy of this book several years ago and it has been a reference for me on well grooming for men. Since he is now in a vocation that requires well-groomed representatives I gave him a copy for his reference. One of the best for men (and ladies) whose dress inspires.