Save Your Denim

BY KEITH KIRSNER Jeans: Wash them only when needed. Turn them inside out when you put them in the machine on a cold wash. This will help maintain the color of the denim. Hot dryers can fade jeans quickly so your best bet is to dry them on a hanger.
*Note to the wise: If you buy the jeans that only come in one length and need to get them hemmed, wash them before you head to your tailor. If they are going to shrink, better do it before you get them shortened to the perfect length.

- Your Style Guy

Trust at the Barbershop

BY KEITH KIRSNER
The relationship between you and your barber is about trust. When getting your haircut, you want to make sure you get out of there looking better than when you came in. If you’re not, something is wrong. Your barber sees hundreds of people a week so unless you’re on a first name basis with your barber, explain every time what needs to get done. You should only be asking him for the ‘usual’ if you’ve been going to the same guy for years and have been satisfied and comfortable with what you’re getting in return. If you like how your hair comes out every time, there is not much else to discuss than local sports and news. Most people who go to the same barber for years will wait however many people are in front of them because they know they'll be taken care of. Now that’s what I call loyalty.

Your hair can dramatically change your appearance. You need to make sure you articulate exactly what you want to him. Do you want a circle or square back? How long do you want your sideburns? What length razor do you want to use when buzzing the sides and back? How many finger lengths do you want cut off on the top? These are all questions you need to think about when going in and explain exactly how you want your hair to look. It’s nobody else’s hair, but yours. Understand what looks best on you. Getting a bad haircut isn’t the end of the world. It will grow back in a couple of weeks, but if you’re not getting what you ask for, get a recommendation from a friend. Hair is one of the most visible thing that can change our appearance, so start on top!

- Your Style Guy

Tails of Your Jacket

BY KEITH KIRSNER
Here’s a tip for those of you who just purchased that new suit, sport jacket, or coat. Turn it around and on the back, you’ll see if there are tails on the bottom of your jacket. After you purchase it, you want to make sure before you wear it that there is no cross-stitch seam keeping the tails together. Those tails are supposed to be separated to flap while you walk and comfort when you sit. Find a pair of sharp scissors and cut away that 'x'. Now you’re good to go!

- Your Style Guy

Leave Those Gym Sneakers Home

BY KEITH KIRSNER
There’s always that one guy who thinks it’s okay to wear his gym sneakers out to the bar. You know the ones; those oversized-white-marshmallow-high-tops he blatantly got off the clearance rack. Maybe it’s because he never had time to change from the game or possibly he never thought of the option of wearing different clothes for different events.

When pairing your clothes with your shoes, you want to make sure you keep it simple. A pair of Chucks can work well into your wardrobe because they are very versatile. Keep it a neutral color and this will allow you to get more wear out of it. There’s a reason these sneakers hardly ever changed since their birth. They introduced colors to their All Star high tops in the 1950’s with the introduction of Rock & Roll and the newly National Basketball Association. In the futuristic film, ‘I’ Robot’ taking place in the year 2035, Will Smith’s character proudly laces up his pair of leather Chucks.

They are just as relevant in the past as they will be in the future. Chucks are classics who need not much change. They go great with a pair of jeans and look better with age as they wear and tear. Newly designed sneakers come pre-scuffed for a vintage look that you have been around the block without ever stepping foot in them. This may be the only pair of sneakers I don’t recommend you get out that shoe polish and start cleaning!

- Your Style Guy

At The Gym: Steel Or Flubber

BY ROBERT ESSIG
After reading an article in a recent men's health magazine, (according to women) abs are one of the sexiest muscles on a man's body. That's next to a bulging biceps and a strong thick back. Need help with that stubborn part of your body? Start with your upper abs and do medium weight high reps and use a few different machines. After you get that burning feeling, then start working on your lower abs. Having your upper abs tired during these workouts will help you put a larger amount of stress on your lower abs. Also make sure you always exhale hard at the end of the rep to force a little more stress on your abs. Research shows women love a stomach they can do their laundry on so get to the gym and build your own set of wash board abs!

Hygiene: Toothbrush Cleaning

BY KEITH KIRSNER
Like your dentist suggests, you should replace your toothbrush every 6 months. While your new brush may be clean when you take it out of the wrapper, it won’t stay that way forever. Your bathroom is prompt to mold and bacteria with the room filled with dampness and water. Your toothbrush is there to help you clean, not rot away your teeth. Rinse your toothbrush in mouthwash for about 30 seconds for a good cleaning. This will make sure you’re not harming your teeth and gums any further than you are with those sweets and candy.

- Your Style Guy

15 Seconds: Ports

BY KEITH KIRSNER
With the mix of weather patterns out there, it’s hard to know how to dress for the day. The mornings have a cold chill in the air, but by mid-afternoon with the sun at its hottest hours, you can’t wait to go home and shower. Some people like to try and beat the system by buying things like pants that turn into shorts, or what I like to refer to as ‘ports’. This type of garment has a specific use for camping and nature hikes. So unless you are traveling along the Redwood Forest in San Fransico, this is something I would advise against wearing. If you’re thinking no one can tell and I get more for my money this way, you are strongly mistaken. Buy separate pants and also shorts. Sometimes in fashion there are shortcuts, however this is not one of them. I strongly recommend layering to solve this problem. That way you can still take off a shirt or a hoodie at your will and still look good.

- Your Style Guy