Knowing what to

wear and when

Men need it and girls

want it from them. GQ and

Esquire have built magazine

empires around it. It’s

called style. And Bradley

Springfield, senior advertising

and fashion merchandising

major, has a lot

of it.

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“I have been a featured

in (the Daily Kent Stater’s)

‘Style Eye’ and ‘College

Fashionistas’ simply based on what I was wearing to

class,” he said.

Springfield’s typical

outfit consists of worn-in

jeans, an oversized wool

coat, a cardigan and deep

V-neck T-shirt.

“I don’t believe fashion

is necessarily as important

as possessing personal

style,” said Springfield,

who plans on interning

with Calvin Klein’s media

relations department before

graduating. “Fashion is a

subjective term used to sell

products.”

However, not every

man need possess the latest

fashion trends. There are

only a few bare necessities every man should have in

his closet, explained Noel

Palomo-Novinski, an assistant

professor at the Fashion

School. “A nice fitting

blazer and a white button

down,” he said. “The primary

thing is to feel comfortable.

If you don’t look

at ease, no one around you

feels relaxed either.”

Springfield agreed a

sense of fashion is an extension

of yourself.

“Personal style can only

be achieved when one is

fully comfortable with his

or her direction in life and

proud of the accomplishments

achieved,” he said.

Though it can be stressful picking out the appropriate

outfit for certain occasions,

Palomo-Novinski said just

asking the hosts can clear

up a lot of confusion.

“It is always appropriate

to ask the dress code:

formal, casual or semi-formal.

If it is a serious occasion,

choose formal: tie and

dress pants,” he said.

The right outfit also

depends on how many people

are attending the event.

“It really is about who

you are going with or

how many,” said Palomo-

Novinski. “(Large) numbers

suggest a tie.”

Springfield offered some

advice to those still holding on to their old T-shirts and

baggy jeans.

“For the guys that are

uncomfortable to throw on

a blazer and jeans that fit, I

would highly suggest getting

over this phobia and

wear clothes that complement

one’s physique,” he

said. “Being dressed appropriately

for the occasion is

necessary for a confident,

collected individual.”

Contact features

correspondent

Ryan Sheridan

at [email protected].