Photography by Jeff Sciortino
Hair and makeup: Joyce Taft
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Drew Davis and Missy Tuber-Davis |
When Davis took over Active Endeavors (853 West Armitage Avenue, three other locations, and http://www.activeendeavors.com/), his family’s business, it was an outdoor-apparel stalwart. Now he and his wife, Tuber-Davis, the fashion director for the company, have turned it into a rising star of high style.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
MTD: “Women shop all the time, in every price range. They buy; they return; they shop again. They debate nonstop.”
DD: “Guys in general are scared to death of shopping and go for the easy fix-the button-down plaid shirt in summer or ski sweater in winter. They are scared to ask for assistance and try new things.”
SPRING’S SPLURGE ITEM
MTD: “A custom Luba J handbag. You pick out the shape, the detailing, and the color. My gut tells me this bag will rock.”
DD: “A few pieces that last and last-I am excited about a couple of new Corpus T-shirts with great graphics and jeans in a really dark, raw, resiny wash. After a year they are perfect.”
WHAT LOOKS GOOD ON WOMEN
DD: “A very clean style: black pinstriped trousers, a white button-down shirt-nothing too trendy or over the top. Contrary to popular culture, I don’t like tight clothing. I like women who take risks with style, maybe putting shorts and leggings with cowboy boots like the models in Nylon magazine, who seem outrageous.”
WHAT SHOPPERS IGNORE
MTD: “Guys ignore socks and boxers. Jeans have gotten lower, and I don’t want to see ugly boxers when guys bend over. I want to see nice Paul Stuart socks when their pants creep up. Women get stuck for the sake of being trendy. Wear the right top for your chest, get comfortable with your body, and synchronize that with what’s appropriate for your age.”
THE BEST GIFTS
DD: “Are experiences. Missy got me tickets for a quick trip to see David Bowie at a small theatre in New York.”
MTD: “After I had my son, Drew brought a picnic basket with all the things I love, and we hung out in a room at the Four Seasons. He hired the baby- sitter; I wasn’t involved in figuring it out.”
EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO
MTD: “Speak what’s on your mind, be honest, take a brutal look at yourself, and be flexible enough to make changes.”
DD: “Experience the world.”
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Brad Habansky |
The owner of Guise (2217 North Halsted Street), a Lincoln Park clothing and barbershop that has become a destination for men who want to be groomed and outfitted-head to toe-for any occasion, from a business meeting to a date night.
ON MEN’S FASHION
“Cool is the best-like the Rat Pack era, when it was cool to dress like a man and look really good. The term ‘metrosexual’ really hurt, because it made looking good a gay/straight issue. Putting a sexual connotation on dressing is ridiculous.”
WHAT’S HIP FOR MEN NOW
“Either casual, deconstructed urban street-wear or a sleek, modern Scandinavian look. When I was buying in Europe I saw vintage polo shirts with straight-leg jeans and suits with a great cut. It will look more fashionable this spring to have a skinnier cut and a tapered waist in everything. Even crazy shirts with stripes and patterns look better cut close.”
LIKES SEEING WOMEN
“In a pair of straight-leg jeans and a little velvet jacket. I do like sequins, but most women overdo them. Girls hanging out of their shirts don’t do a ton for me. I like to see Toni [Palaez, his fiancée, a private equity analyst] in a business suit.”
WOMEN WHO SHOP WITH MEN
“Can be deal breakers. This guy in my store had on a jacket and kept looking at himself in the mirror, loving it. His wife came in and bang. One word from her and it was off.”
MUST HAVES
“I am a big fan of sunglasses and probably have five pairs. And leather-I love a new J. Lindeberg motorcycle jacket. It’s hard to find leather that doesn’t look cheesy.”
BEST PURCHASE FOR SPRING
“Every guy needs a light, skinny suit in a nice cut with straight-leg pants and a skinny jacket-in khaki.”
LIFE SKILLS THAT ARE KEY
“Tell a woman you like her hair; just say something like ‘I see you have longer layers now.’ Learn how to drive a stick, swim, and do CPR-you never know when you’ll need them. Learn the etiquette for everything you do, from golf to ordering wine. Don’t take your shirt off at a street fair, a Cubs game, or walking down the street. Foreplay.”
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John Moran, Edmund Paszlyk, and |
The owners of George Greene (49 East Oak Street) relate to clients ranging in age from 16 to well over 60 with an eclectic and elegant selection of menswear and accessories.
LESSONS FOR WOMEN FROM MENSWEAR
JM: “Men buy jackets the way women buy shoes, so we should take that from each other. Every woman needs to buy a great man-tailored jacket that is timeless, or have a three-piece suit made. I saw a woman in Paris wearing a chalk-striped suit with a black turtleneck and brown lace-up shoes. That was terrific.”
THE ESSENTIAL SPRING ITEM
JJ: “Brown shoes. They transform everything and add a sense of sophistication, especially in suede.”
EP: “I recently bought a three-button Kiton suit in a wonderful khaki wool-a nice tailored fit without being extreme.” JM: “A deconstructed linen suit or jacket. You have to just wear it and not think about the wrinkles.”
MOST WOMEN
EP: “Have no business baring their midriffs.”
JJ: “Often they decide too early in life what works for them. We concentrate on what is good, but that may change.”
MOST MEN IGNORE
JJ: “The details in dressing. They will wear a well-tailored suit and forget to shine their shoes.”
JM: “Men ignore the right shirt and tie. When men look at each other, our eyes go to the face and neck area. It needs to be framed right.”
DEVELOPING PERSONAL STYLE
JM: “I go with my son to the new Abercrombie & Fitch store in New York. It’s like going to a disco-the heat is turned up; the salespeople are wearing flip-flops; the customers are yelling over the music. I see him focusing on his own style and comfort there. I started off that way in secondhand stores.”
Business Casual
JJ: “Never looks businesslike. A bank teller in jeans is very disturbing, and getting on an airplane, it looks like everyone is on their way to the gym.”
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Adam Beltzman |
The owner of Haberdash (1350 North Wells Street), an Old Town men’s shop that is anything but old hat. No sartorial slouch, Beltzman is on the cutting edge of men’s fashion, and his pledge is to provide great service and great clothes.
LIKES TO SEE
“A woman’s shoulders, and the right pair of jeans and heels, which can do wonders. My wife [Rachel Beltzman, a dietician] loves turtleneck sweaters and looks great in them, so I am partial to turtlenecks. Women who think they are sexy showing off their breasts don’t do it for me, and I am always embarrassed when a woman bends down to pick up her kids and I have to look away because I’m seeing her underwear.”
WOMEN WHO SHOP WITH MEN
“Is a hot topic for me; I thought they would bring their guys in and be my savior, but it is the opposite. Men have more confidence in their decisions when they don’t have their wives there as a crutch.”
FAVORITE THINGS
“Watches. My wife gave me an engraved Cartier tank watch that I wear for dress, but for my 30th birthday I discovered Panerai watches with light-up faces that were made for the Italian navy [starting in 1899] and are having a resurgence. They are the coolest, and you can change the straps to go with what you are wearing.”
BEST PURCHASE THIS SPRING
“Every guy needs a great pair of contemporary dress slacks that don’t have cuffs or pleats to wear to work with dress shirts tucked in, or untucked after work, or to wear with a sweater or a blazer. Guys have got to update their pants, especially if they are stuck in a Dockers-type of khaki.”
ON MEN’S SKIN CARE
“I use a preshave, shave cream, and a moisturizer with an SPF. My wife laughs when I use eye cream, but since I sell skin-care products, it would be hypocritical not to know how they work.”
EVERY GUY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
“Do laundry and iron a shirt. You don’t always need to send things to the dry cleaners. You should be able to cook some sort of meal-I make a holiday brisket so good that Rachel’s grandmother doesn’t make hers anymore. And every man should be the master of his grill.”
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Michael Hawley |
His former job at Bloomingdale’s in SoHo provided plenty of preparation for Hawley to become the vice president and general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue in Chicago (700 and 717 North Michigan Avenue).
ON TURNING HEADS
“A woman who is comfortable in her skin jumps out in a sea of people. How she carries herself is much more attractive and compelling than what she is wearing, but you can’t go wrong in a beautifully tailored suit. And as a man, I love to see her in high heels-the higher, the better.”
MEN’S LOOKS FOR SPRING
“Saks has an exclusive Rat Pack collection inspired by the mod fashion of the early sixties, with skinny ties and interesting fabrics driven by a narrow, slim-looking fit, slim lapels, and narrow pants. It is time. Most men go too loose, across the board.”
TREND HE IS HAPPY TO SEE
“Many younger guys do not need to wear suits to work but are buying them to wear socially in the evening. They wear them with white shirts and skinny ties or turtlenecks.”
ABOUT MEN’S SHOES
“Driving moccasins in interesting colors, like a bright clear red or another jewel tone, will tie back to a navy blazer. There is a tropical air to them that is nautical or military. Brown is also becoming increasingly important; it is the foundation color for shoes.”
WHERE TO SEE WELL-DRESSED PEOPLE
“In Chicago, people dress to go to the theatre. It was surprising to me since people don’t dress to go to Broadway anymore, and here it is so noticeable it caught my attention.”
NOBLE ASPIRATIONS
“Having self-confidence-without arrogance-to negotiate life serves everyone well. Know how to live well, to select a restaurant. In some cases, our culture just forgets the social graces.”
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Kent Nielsen |
A clothing designer, Nielsen is used to wearing dress shirts and suits daily and has developed a strong reputation for the style and construction of his men’s and women’s fashions. In Chicago, his designs can be found at Jake (939 North Rush Street and 3740 North Southport Avenue).
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
“The average guy is terrified of looking ridiculous, but you have to make a few mistakes to find out what looks good on you. Women know that-it’s why they giggle at their seventh-grade photos. The average woman is miles ahead of men in developing a personal style.”
LESSONS FOR WOMEN FROM MENSWEAR
“The difference in quality between a $2,000 men’s and women’s suit is fascinating. The women’s suit can be garbage, and usually the men’s will be beautifully made.”
HOT FOR MEN THIS SPRING
“Anything seersucker-pants, shirt, jacket, all that stuff. The colors are pink, black, chocolate, purple, white, and, yes, plaid.”
HE LOVES WOMEN IN
“A white suit, or wearing vintage. But anything can work as long as you’re not a slave to what everyone else is wearing. One lady might rock a suit, but for another it might be jeans with something to set it off-like an Hermès scarf as a belt. My girlfriend wears hats, and that’s enough to set her apart.”
THE BEST TROUSERS
“Are made of super 130s Italian wool. It is a finer quality and has increased luster and drape. All of my suits and tuxes are 130s, including white tuxedo pants for spring.”
MEN SHOULDN’T IGNORE
“The cut of their shirts. There are so many clothes that don’t do anyone justice, and thin guys in America have gotten the short end of the stick because everything is cut for big guys, with billows of extra fabric at the belly.”
NOBLE ASPIRATIONS
“How about some honesty in figuring out what looks good on you? Think for yourself. And if I see one more comb-over . . . “