Girls aren’t the only culprits of style conformity at small New England colleges; in fact, I think the male population is even guiltier and many fall into a style-less oblivion.
I don’t blame them; fashion in our society is often associated with women, as the designers can be much more creative with apparel and accessories. However, there is something to be said about a guy with great personal style. Personally, I find it incredibly attractive when a man can dress well and takes pride in his appearance. At places like Bowdoin the majority of men don’t seem to put very much effort into their personal style because it’s easy not to. I also find it interesting that men here are rarely ever chastised for wearing the same sweatshirt and sneakers five days out of the week, but are called out when dressing in a way that is unique or overtly fashionable.
Furthermore, since men aren’t held to the same fashion standards as women, a poorly dressed male can be seen as attractive to women, whereas men are less satisfied with girls who put equally little effort into their appearance. I am curious about men’s feelings on personal style; why the lack of effort? Is there just a general absence of interest in style among Bowdoin men or is it a product of laziness?
I decided the best way to find out was to go straight to the source, so I interviewed a few fashionable Bowdoin boys from each class to share their views and some easy style tips as well.
KK: You each have great personal style and seem to take pride in your appearance, have you always been this way?
Sam Fichtner ‘14: (seen on right) There’s a great line in Social Network about fashion never finishing, and that applies to the way I see my style. I think the origins of my current appearance began four or five years ago, but I like to think I’m constantly adapting to my iconography and letting it evolve based on the influences I have, the environment I’m in, and the people I associate with.
Gus Vergara ‘13: I guess I have always liked dressing somewhat nicely but never thought I had great personal style. I’ve enjoyed finding clothing that I like wearing on a daily basis and over time my own style grew out of it.
David Mandelbaum ‘12: Yes, I have definitely always taken pride in my appearance since both of my parents work in fashion. Growing up, my mom always gave me fashion tips and encouraged good style. I’d say my own personal style has just evolved as I have gotten older.
George Aumoithe ‘11: I have been interested in fashion and style since around the middle of my high school years. Before, I wore some pretty atrocious things–the most notorious being a South Pole track suit in 90-degree Floridian weather.
KK: How would you describe your personal style?
SF: You could call me a dandy, but maybe that’s because I always like to be prepared for a flash-black tie event. I like to look messy at times and throw a lot together at once, but I also strive for a generally minimalist view on fashion. If you aggregated a good vintage store, Rag & Bone and A.P.C., I’d like to think that I fall somewhere on that spectrum, but most Bowdoin people don’t quite understand what that means.
GV: Casual and composed. I don’t wear anything unless I feel comfortable in it. It’s not about being outlandish or finding a niche to fit into but rather just feeling confident in what I wear.
DM: Classic all-American with an urban twist.
GA: I like clean, simple basics and neutral colors that can mix and match well. I’d like to think I embrace the highlights of American sportswear, with a quirk.
KK: What sparked your interest in fashion/what inspires your style?
SF: I think the foreignness of certain clothing items became mysterious in all the right ways for me: vests, neckwear, dress shoes; all these things we think we need to reserve for some great occasion. Growing up in New York, I’ll steal a lot from people I’ve never met before, at times literally emulating outfits, whether from people like me, businessmen, homeless men, etc. I really do like that feeling of being stylistically challenged by those around me; that challenge only makes you dress better.
GV: My mom never let me buy JNCO jeans so maybe that’s what sparked my interest. Also my dad made sure my brother and I never looked like bums so it has just evolved from that.
DM: Since my parents work in the industry I was instilled with an appreciation for fashion when I was very young. My twin brother was a sneaker-head at an early age and has great personal style, so I look to him for inspiration, but I also try keep up with him – I don’t want him to look better than me!
GA: I remember stumbling upon style.com/ one day during my sophomore year of high school, quite intrigued about why there were so many different designers and styles to choose from. Of course, all the clothing was incredibly high-end and well outside of my purchasing power as a 16-year-old suburban kid, but the style influence stuck with my nonetheless. I think personal style is an easy way to unleash your creativity. I consider clothing to be a medium to paint your body and present your personality and worldview to people who know you really well and to people who do not know you at all. People can tell whether you are having a good or bad day based on what your wearing. If you catch me in sweatpants make sure to stand clear.
Gus Vergara ’13
KK: What are a few staple items that you think every guy should have?
SF: At least a week’s worth of dress shirts. I really do not feel comfortable in a tee-shirt; I know that’s weird but I like the feeling of a well-cut button up. It really can go well with good jeans, shorts or a good pair of slacks. Single colors or stripes; variety is key. Also a good pair of raw-denim jeans is a great thing to have. Raw is the key word, it’s tough at first but the pay-off is great in a personal way. People are impatient, but if you buy a good pair of raw-denim jeans and give them four to seven months without washing, you wind up with a pair of jeans that are perfect. They don’t need to be very tight! For example, A.P.C. only makes raw-denim and they have it in every fit you can think of. Also, everyone should have a bow tie (and know how to tie it). It may be ambitious for some, but it looks good with jeans or a tux.
GV: Patagonia, Crew Neck Sweatshirts, Pea Coat.
DM: Definitely a good pair of jeans, or two – a darker pair that is kind of dressy and another pair that are more relaxed or worn in. An oxford shirt, you can’t have enough button downs. Also, a nice pair of shoes, boots and sneakers—not just cross trainers or athletic shoes.
GA: A good, soft t-shirt, a crisp, white oxford shirt, a solid pair of leather shoes, a well-tailored blazer, and a good pair of non-holey jeans.
KK: What do you think about men’s style at Bowdoin?
SF: People shit on Bowdoin male style too much, in some respect. Yes, you will get your fair share of Timberlands/Bean Boots and simple khaki slacks, but it’s a particular aesthetic and it suits most men here. I do think a little more intentionality and variety would improve the general: “New England, put-together and relaxed, estate-owner” look and I don’t think I’d like to see 800 guys wearing bow ties everyday, but the taboo of wearing a tie only for dressing up could be beneficially eradicated.
GV: I think the majority of guys care about what they wear. I think they get a bad rap because some people might wear sweatpants to class or something like that when in reality it isn’t that big of a deal. Bowdoin men take the New England look and tend to make it unique to themselves.
DM: I would describe Bowdoin men’s style as preppy and all-American—lots of oxfords, khakis, boat shoes and pastels in the spring. A liberal arts school does lend itself to preppy-ness though since many of the kids who went to boarding school are used to dressing that way for class. I think there are a lot of guys do take pride in their appearance and look nice, but there is a huge disparity between them and the large contingency of guys who roll out of bed and put on sweatpants or whatever was on their floor. Overall, I think the style at Bowdoin is fairly homogeneous. Pairing staple items with something unique will set you apart, which is something not all Bowdoin men do. I think the climate here lends itself to people who like to dress up, since we experience all of the seasons people could have a lot of different looks.
GA: I think a minority of guys actually put effort into their style, but the percentage is growing. Small liberal arts schools tend to be about groupthink, which is utterly uninspiring for someone who wants to see a proliferation of styles and personalities on campus. Nonetheless, I think the attitude that you need to dress like everyone else to fit in is slowly but surely being dismantled. Bowdoin is changing and so are the guys. In general, guys tend to care more about their appearance nowadays than in the recent past.
David Mandelbaum ’12 (the shoes are KEY!)
KK: Do you feel that Bowdoin men have less interest in personal style than other young men who you know outside of Bowdoin?
SF: I think Bowdoin men are less intentional (and neurotic) about their fashion sense then, say men at Vassar or Wesleyan (which I believe is ultimately a positive thing). Certainly Smith Union does not resemble a coffee shop in Williamsburg, but when everyone dresses like the culturally accepted well dressed male, nuances and creativity in style can get lost in the shuffle. Also, having a fairly low bar for creative-style makes for very interesting surprises in people. At the end of the day, Bowdoin men are just more interested in their athletics, academics, or sleep cycles to worry about what they wear, which is part of the reason Bowdoin is the prestigious place it is, but interests in other things (such as music, art, film and design) ultimately begets more interesting styles and these things just do not happen to be second nature for most men here.
GV: At a small school like Bowdoin guys realize they can’t dress like jabronis and do try to look their best. Everyone has a different perception of what that might “their best” may be but as a whole Bowdoin guys are put together.
DM: Since I grew up in New York, I’d say my friends there have a little more interest in style and their appearance. The location definitely plays into that.
GA: Definitely. This may be a product of laziness?
KK: What tips would you have for Bowdoin guys to help them spice up their appearances?
SF: Besides generally dressing as if you are about to go out to a business casual dinner, the season most people have a problem with is winter. It’s the easiest time to just throw on one coat, one of those two winter boots and not give a shit about the rest. The easiest thing to do is just invest in a really interesting winter coat and a pair of boots that may be a little more interesting the timberlands or bean boots. Embrace experimentation and you loose nothing. People just need to get over the fear of getting shit on by their friends, because that culture of singling out the strange and the deviant is really prevalent here.
GV: Wear khakis or corduroys, its makes a t shirt or fleece look a lot nicer. Also replace sneakers with something more formal like boat shoes or wallabees. Anyone who wears solely sweatsuits should just make sure they find some shorts because if the weather heats up there could be some problems.
DM: Every guy has a pair of jeans, khakis etc. – pairing that with sweatshirts instead of sweatpants would make a huge difference. That may require waking up a little earlier, showering and putting on jeans instead of rolling out of bed 5 min before class. It’s matter of effort and taking pride in how you look, then actually doing it.
GA: Just hit up all of the retail in Freeport and pick up some new things. Check out vintage stores—my friend Gayle at Second Hand Rose carries some pretty nice items for guys, even though the majority of the store is devoted to women.
I really enjoyed talking with these Bowdoin men about style and plan to share their advice with some of their not-so-stylish co-eds in an upcoming article. Stay tuned!