I am afraid of looking old

That's right, I am not afraid of dying or falling down the bridge. I actually love height. but the number one thing that I have always been afraid of is looking old. That explains why I cannot let go some of my "swag'' shirts. You know what kinda shirts I mean like the ones from Zumiez, DGK all day , The Hundreds , Obey etc. They just make me feel like I'm 18 all over again , full of life and ambitions and never afraid of anything. I used to avoid shirts and ties and all that dressy stuff at all times! " No!! They will make me look old" I screamed at my friends when they wanted to go to Express.
     When it comes to dressing up , most of us are still  trying to find the balance between looking sharp and professional yet still keeping that youthfulness.  With that said, don't be afraid of playing with colors this summer from mix-matching colorful ties with vibrant dress shirts and top it off with fashionable blazers!

   


If you're feeling shy? Wear purple or violet. Feeling talkative ? Put on a bright yellow dress shirt to show what a sunshine you are and people will not be afraid to approach you.





 Who said dress shirts can only be in white, black or grey right ? Solid shirts in bright colors will not de-professionalize the event that you are attending to but it also adds personalities to you! It is dangerous to wear your heart on your sleeve, but don't be afraid to wear your personality on your sleeve. Solid shirts are not your only option for everyday wear to work or a night out in the Castro. Stripes and checkers are also timeless styles that can do no wrong to you.

Women often spent hours playing dressed up with their new clothes and make up whether alone or with their girlfriends. Guys can now totally do the same! Just grab a few of your guy friends to come over after a basketball game and try on clothes together! ( That was a total joke if you haven't noticed, I think that's one of my naughty secret  fantasy ..whoops not so secret anymore) ! All jokes aside, mix-matching your dress shirts and ties should not be time consuming. Rather it is fun, enjoyable and you can also save some extra money on buying more outfits!

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 Flipping through the pages of GQ's , I couldn't help but stop myself at the Diesel page. Not only  the Blazer caught my eyes with its fine details that compliment the leather pants but hello look at the model! When do we get to see an Asian not just in one page but a two page spread! Blazers are the must have items when it comes to dressing up. It is like the secure blanket in the winter, without it you feel a little naked, empty. 

     In conclusion, I just want to say we shouldn't stress about getting old or looking old. Clothing's should only be the pieces to compliment and enhance who we are as a person. I gave my mother that same exact answer last night when she suddenly asked a question over the dinner table: " Ty, look at these ugly wrinkles on my forehead, I am getting older can you tell?" followed that was a long sigh she had. 

   Trying to swallow down my last piece of chicken along with the sudden tears I almost had running down my cheeks , I replied: " You shouldn't feel defeated that you are getting old. Those wrinkles on your forehead to me are far from ugly. Each wrinkle represents the over -time hours that you tried to stay after work to earn extra money so we could have a little more food on the table. For each wrinkle that you have represents your sleepless nights staying up taking care of me through my flu. So no, I don't think they are ugly at all , because each of them tells a different story of your life. 

    And I would rather see you gain a line of wrinkle each year than not seeing you or your wrinkles at all...

Written by Trung Jaden Tran

Images from Norstrom.com, Mens shop ( Nordstrom) 

Images from the Gentlemen's quarterly