Men Look for a Message That Wears Well : The authors of ‘Universal Style’ conduct a workshop for members of the Brea Rotary Club, who learn how they can make the right choices.
As image consultants, Diane Parente and Alyce Parsons have conducted numerous fashion workshops and members of the Brea Rotary Club promised to be their toughest audience yet.
Even before the pair began their program at the recent luncheon, a dozen members slipped out. Some men are scared off by the very idea of talking fashion.
Those 50 or so members who stuck it out learned a thing or two about how clothes make the man. According to the pair’s new book, “Universal Style for Men,” clothes send out messages about one’s personality that the wearer himself might not realize. A man dons a Nicole Miller tie with a colorful beer-and-pretzel print, for example, and he’s telling the world he’s unconventional and creative.
“What do you want your clothes to do for you?” asked Parente, kicking off the workshop.
“Keep me warm,” one member said.
It wasn’t quite the answer Parente wanted.
“Don’t you want your clothes to make you look like an executive? Like you’re approachable? Like you’re older? Like you make a lot of money?” she asked.
“Well, I certainly don’t want to look older,” said a middle-aged member.
Clothes can make men look macho, sophisticated, artistic, aggressive and a host of other things, according to Parente and Parsons. The trick is to choose those clothes--and corresponding adjectives--wisely.
To get the men thinking about their own styles, Parente and Parsons passed out a personality profile quiz. They asked each member to check off words they felt applied to them, words such as seductive, loyal, cultured, caring and chivalrous.
“I don’t see humble anywhere,” complained a man in the back row.
The men then tallied up their traits to determine which of the seven personality styles fit them: sporty, traditional, elegant, romantic, sexy, creative and dramatic.
“How many had elegant ?” Parsons asked. Half a dozen hands went up.
“How many had traditional ?” A dozen more rose.
“How many had romantic ?”
“Now nobody laugh,” Burnie Dunlap, a Brea councilman said, sheepishly raising his lone hand. The men roared.
At that, Parente and Parsons had Dunlap stand before the group to show off his romantic attire: a silk suede baseball jacket in light olive with a washed-silk shirt in deep teal. The clothes fit the romantic style as described in the “Universal Style” book: “The clothing and appearance are lightweight and fluid,” giving one the appearance of being relaxed, open and warm.
Changing the message can be as easy as changing clothes, according to Parente and Parsons.
To demonstrate, they pointed to one member wearing a dark navy pin-stripe suit, and another in a lighter shade of taupe.
“Which look is more powerful?” Parente asked.
The men voted navy. Dark shades such as navy and black fall under the dramatic style--a severe, commanding look that demands compliance, according to the “Universal Style” theory. George Peniche, an insurance broker, wore a black double-breasted suit with a white shirt and a contemporary tie that epitomized the dramatic look.
Those in professions where it’s better to be more approachable should wear lighter colors, Parsons said. Robert Hohenstein, a clinical psychologist, wore an olive suit that was perfect for his profession, she said. The lighter, warmer color was seen by Parsons as non-threatening to his patients.
“For him to wear a really dark color is not appropriate,” she said. “Just by changing the color of the suit, you’ve changed the message.”
Fabrics, too, can send messages, they say.
“Anyone here wearing a tweed?” Parsons asked. She immediately spotted Ed Seal, superintendent of the Brea-Olinda Unified School District, wearing a blue tweed sport coat. She pronounced the coat a good choice for a school administrator or anyone who works with children. The sporty style is both casual and approachable, she said.
To see the different styles in action, one need only study the presidential candidates. Each falls under one or more of the seven style categories, Parsons said.
“We feel that (Arkansas Gov. Bill) Clinton is a romantic type of man,” she said.
“We know that,” said a Rotary member, drawing hoots from the audience.
They classify Clinton as a romantic because of his penchant for light-colored suits and a fuller hairstyle (“Clinton’s hair looks like a mop,” Parsons said).
They describe former California Gov. Jerry Brown as sporty, as in casual, energetic and unpretentious, but the pair gave him low points for style.
“His turtleneck doesn’t fit him well,” Parente said, “and his hair’s not smooth enough. He’s having trouble getting dressed.” They consider the sporty look too casual for a prospective President.
Patrick Buchanan was faulted for being too dramatic--the dark suits with wide lapels may command respect, but they can also make one seem too aggressive and intense.
“He has to pull back,” Parsons said.
Parente and Parsons named George Bush the best-dressed presidential contender. He’s mastered the traditional style, wearing classic, tailored suits that connote authority and credibility, they said.
“It’s a great style for a President,” Parsons said.
Parsons, a Saratoga resident, and Parente, of Marin County, are image consultants to Brea Mall. Their first “Universal Style” book focused on women and has been the basis for the mall’s ongoing workshops and fashion shows.
After the publication of “Universal Style,” the pair began receiving requests from colleges that used it as a text asking for a companion book about men. They collaborated with Joan Henricks, an image consultant who specializes in men’s wardrobes, and wrote “Universal Style for Men.”
The pair have found that once men overcome their initial reluctance to talk clothes, they want to become masters of their wardrobes. There was evidence that they even impressed the wary members of the Rotary. Copies of “Universal Style for Men” sold out after the workshop.
“Once you get them hooked, they like it,” Parente said.
