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Elegance: A Guide to Quality in Menswear

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What should you look for when you buy a suit? Where can you find the best boots in Texas, or the perfect English umbrella? Is a custom-made shirt really more expensive than one off the shelf? Would you look better in the shaped tailoring of European designers - or simply foolish? The answers to these and may other questions both practical and aesthetic are found in Bruce Boyer's wonderfully readable book on menswear. The author draws on over a decade of experience as an international fashion commentator to examine the evolution of the male wardrobe garment by garment, uncloud the confusion, and help you decide what is right for you. In addition to the wealth of practical advice on styles, shopping, maintenance, and packing, the author brings a lively sense of history and personality to the writing of this book. The result is a book that is at once practical, delightful, and historical, a guide and source book, illustrated with over 60 drawings, to help you find your way through the expanding and often confusing world of menswear.

279 pages, Hardcover

First published April 29, 1985

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About the author

G. Bruce Boyer

14 books13 followers

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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
1,217 reviews6 followers
May 30, 2021
I'm a style enthusiast. I love clothes, I love getting dressed, I love thinking about fashion. This is well known in my circle. I am a lady who loves style.
What might be less well known is that I have a huge interest in mens fashion. I love classic menswear, it's got the potential for such character and style. A well dressed man is a wonderful thing, so I was happy to read this book about style and elegance, even though I am far from the target audience.
The book is slightly dated (several emporiums named are either gone from the face of the earth or no longer sell clothes in the styles described), but the general thoughts and advice is excellent. I'd not read anything my G. Bruce Boyer before, and I loved his style, both in clothing and in writing.
Recommended for anyone who is interested in classic menswear.
17 reviews1 follower
July 24, 2022
This book is an OKAY introduction to menswear, though I wish it had more illustrations and went into a bit more depth about its subject. God bless and have a great day!
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17 reviews4 followers
August 19, 2014
It is a little dated, but Boyer is one of the few who know men's style and can really, really write. The bon mots leap out at you and I have scribbled in the margin of this more than any other menswear book since Dressing The Man.

Elegance is concerned with American men, correct dressing and is firmly of its time. However so much of the advice is timeless and illustrated with fabulous anecdotes. Perhaps a little less helpful for DtM, assuming more knowledge on the part of the reader it is however my new favourite book on menswear.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews

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