Saturday, February 28, 2009

Scott Sternberg Rules of Style

I really enjoyed this top ten rules of style by head designer of Band Of Outsiders, Scott Sternberg. I don't agree with all of it, but it is entertaining. Enjoy!

1)
Opening a conversation with "What do you do?" makes you sound like a shifty, social-climbing dickwad. Small talk is for sissies, but if you're stuck with it, you can certainly come up with something better than that.

2) Talking about what brand you're wearing is gay in the bad way. Just keep quiet and play dumb if someone asks. Talking about what a great deal you got on the aforementioned item is worse. If you must, tell your mom, because she has sale empathy and will take your victory as her own. It's sick.

3) I don't think a tie is a relic, not yet. It's purely masculine—that one garment that allows you to go a little outside the box. A tie with a well-cut suit makes you look put-together and confident. It's an auto-chic, easy uniform.

4) Cigarettes are a vile, dirty habit. Joints, on the other hand, are perfectly acceptable.

5) Whenever you start a new project or a new job, don't tell anyone what you're working on, because it can change direction a million times and once you start telling the world about it, you get constrained by your own mouth.

6) That skin-toned paste your girlfriend gave you to treat your pimple is makeup. Don't kid yourself. You're a girl if you use it. Figure something else out.

7) Rabid atheism does not lead to attractive or acceptable cocktail-party conversation. You know who you are and you need to chill. We get it, okay? God is for dummies. Now shut your hole.

8) It's just not cool to fart on a plane, even if everyone's ears are plugged from the altitude and they can't hear where it came from. Heed my warning: Airplane-fart karma is a bitch, and you will find yourself at the receiving end on a sleepless transcontinental red-eye soon enough.

9) Style fills the gap between how you see yourself and how you want other people to see you. It is not a mysterious quality reserved for Cary Grant or Liberace. You have a sense of it in there somewhere. It's just a matter of finding a way to express it without seeming like you're trying.

10) Rules, as they say, are meant to be broken. Don't get too caught up with what I—or anyone else—tell you about your personal style, except for No. 8.

9 comments:

Eric Kleptone said...

Naturally I disagree with virtually all of them, but 9 is lyrical, concise and bang on the money - wonder where it originated?

I look forward to seeing him on a long-haul flight sometime. Stewardess? More chilli nuts please...

Stormwalker03 said...

[Insert Death by Laughter Here]

pavingstonebeach said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
pavingstonebeach said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BlackSun said...

Hmm: So Sternberg is a stoner slamming gays, girls, cigarettes and atheists. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

I find that if I talk to strangers about what I care about, whether politics or atheism, I attract people who care about the same things. And those who are offended wouldn't make a good friend or associate anyway. I spent a good deal of a trans-Pacific flight talking to a minister and his wife. My atheism led to some spirited discussions, and he was surprisingly respectful. I was surprised I liked them as much as I did. It was one of the most interesting airplane conversations I've ever had.

What I have to offer in creative terms stems a lot from my liberal personal politics and non-religious, anti-authority aesthetics.

These types of "rules" lists are just one more person's meaningless opinion, and promote just another personalized brand of conformity. Not a way to stand out from the crowd.

It does matter what a person does for a living, and I don't see how it's rude to ask. No ruder than asking, "Where are you from?"

The only rule I agree with is #5, particularly because in this web 2.0 culture, if it's any kind of recognizable client, you're under non-disclosure anyway.

Anonymous said...

What a virulent misogynist and homophobe. Hope he gets cancer from second-hand smoke.

Anonymous said...

Pretty good list. In response to all the sensitive make-up wearing atheist commenters. Get over it. Cigs are nasty, farts are funny, make-up is for women, and anyone "rabid" about their beliefs is tiring.

Fitted Suits said...

hmmmm? he just wear it the way he wants to.. thats all..

david said...

Browse our selection of Suits for Men and Suits for Men. Free Shipping with any $99 Suits for Men purchase at Celebrity Suits UK!

 
Mens Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory