Molly Bloom knows style

A man in a well-made white shirt is hot. Tux-front, French cuffs, maybe rolled up to the elbow: hot. Any sort of stain: not hot.

To prevent yellowing at the underarms and ring around the collar, here’s a tip: Sprinkle a dash of baby powder on the area (inside and outside) and steam with an iron. This will take 3-5 seconds. Shake off excess powder. It will help keep the stains from setting.

Professional cleaners will press the shirt as well as clean it, usually for just a couple of bucks.

This is cool: fashion brand Band Of Outsiders shows their men’s clothes online in blog format. There are store locations listed as well.

Time Magazine created a photo essay about the 35th president’s style and the impact he had on American fashion. Meow.

French brand agnès b. homme showed some cool, wearable looks earlier this week. A lot of dudes ask “Where should I shop? I have the money to spend, I just don’t see anything I like or know where to go.” If you have a bit of money to spend (and if you work in the tech industry you do, hint hint) there are agnès b. shops in SF, LA and NYC that carry the homme line. In my experience the sizing can run a bit small and it’s best to try on before buying. agnès b. homme sells durable and fashion-forward staples such as crisp white shirts, nice knits and black pants. Don’t sleep on some of their more trendy or colorful items — you may find a soon-to-be old favorite.

It’s hard for most dudes to identify with men’s runway. But there are things you will see trickle down as ready-to-wear trends. And I’m not talking about the golf shirts.

Givenchy showed highwater pants with significant creases pressed into the legs — my money’s on this trouser trend. Another look was full through the thigh and knee to a tighter hem. The silhouette is similar to pegged jeans (back in the regrettable 1980s, there was a time when you rolled up your jeans in such a way that they cut off the circulation to your feet and made your legs resemble balloons).

Prada’s spring collection was mostly black. The cuts and fabrics said spring, the colors said it-could-snow-any-minute-now. San Francisco and New York are all-black towns, but this collection offers seasonally appropriate pieces for our lazy urban palette.

There’s a renaissance of sorts going on in sportswear. Classic brands have returned with their lean, mid-century tennis and leisure shirts. Bring it on, I say. Get served.

Old school brands are back in a big way. Long-dormant Penguin has returned with their close-cut sport shirts (pictured above). My dad wore these when I was a kid and Ted has one now. These aren’t too fussy and come in great colors.

Lacoste, which makes the Izod imprint, has been slimming down their clothes and modernizing their silhouette to great results. They have a new location off Union Square in San Francisco if you’re the sort who likes to try on clothes.

Fred Perry (not to be confused with Fred Berry) also makes a fine shirt. This U.K. brand honors the English tennis champion. Fred Perry has had many cycles in Brit youth subcultures and their time has come for the U.S. market.

Retro leisure shirts are plentiful on eBay, vintage stores and in off-brands as well. What’s important is a lean cut — not blousy or long. Because these are sport shirts, check for sweat stains or excessive wear. If you don’t like to wear a dead man’s clothes, retailers are copying these looks. Choose solids over stripes and consider pairing the shirt with a simple, retro short or pant. Think country club and plaid, vodka tonics and tennis whites. These shirts are casual and can’t stand in for a dress shirt under a sportcoat. If you must pair them with jeans do so with a classic indigo wash and not some trendy, muddy or whiskery finish.

Style note: Slim men can tuck these shirts in and wear a suitable belt. Those with bellies shouldn’t necessarily shy away form these lean shirts. They can be slimming. Try wearing them out with flat-front pants.

Flipping through GQ at the doctor’s office the other day I came across some good advice. By now you know that I believe in quality more than quantity when it comes to dressing. I also believe in the appropriateness of clothes. The advice: ditch the athletic shades when you’re off the field/trail/slopes. They look out of place with dressy clothes — especially a suit and tie or tuxedo. It’s kind of Guido to wear the fancy sports shades with the suit. I know you know what I mean.

If you rarely dress up (which is a shame) you can buy less expensive shades for those times. I wrote more about sunglasses last fall.

What will you be wearing under your heavy coat when it’s time to peel off the layers?

Shirts are lightening up for spring — lighter fabrics and lighter colors signal an end to winter while decorative touches celebrate the season.

Translating from women’s wear are lighter fabrics and embellishments. Embroidered shirts are set to replace the striped trend that’s been happening the past several years. Somehow the embroidery makes these shirts more casual than the striped variety, so unless you work in a hipster den these shirts aren’t office-casual. Besides, no need to stink up your cool shirt at work; keep it fresh for evening outings and jeans.

Short-sleeve shirts are big for spring. I love the eastery colors and nature prints, even florals. Some of the best shirts are solids. The crisp and lean cuts play the starring role. Some au currant touches such as snaps, epaulettes and pocket design punch up otherwise simple shirts (see the divided breast pocket and hidden button placket on the Diesel shirt pictured above).

Fit is key to spring’s shirts. Too small and the buttons are bulging and shoulder movement is strained. Too big and they loose their now-ness. Be sure the shoulder seam hits just at the edge of the shoulder, before it turns into arm. Lowered shoulder seams are for bad bowling shirts. Misplaced shoulder seams can also make you look round-shouldered — so not hot.

For men’s wear, slim on top requires slim on bottom. Pants that bow out at the knees clash with trim tops. Look for flat-front, straight-legged pants and trousers.

This post applies to men’s and women’s sizing. Because I reported on hats as a trend for men at South By Southwest, I made this a Guy Friday.

Before getting started: Find a cloth or flexible tape measure, not one of those contractor-grade metal ones from the hardware store. You want something intended for use in garment-making because they’re made to measure curves. They cost maybe $2 at the drugstore or fabric store and you should own one anyway for sizing your inseam, waist and other measurements when shopping online.

There is an excellent step-by-step guide to measuring your hat size here. One thing to consider is the amount of hair you have. If you just shaved your head but normally have a lot of hair or if you have a lot of hair and are considering cropping it off, remember that hair takes room in that hat and could change the size by a half-inch or more. If you will be wearing a wig with this hat (you know, like Napoleon or a drag queen or whomever), measure your head wearing the wig.

A tighter hat will stay on in the wind but a looser hat is more comfortable to wear as well as merciful in warmer temperatures.

If you already own a hat that you think fits great, take a tape measure and rest the bottom edge of the tape against the inside of the hat, aligning the base of the tape with the base of the hat. You should also take a measurement of your head to make sure it’s not vastly different from the hat. If they are your hat is probably too big (I cannot imagine anyone enjoying a tight hat). A better fitting hat should have a more proportional shape for your head.

Normally I nudge people toward finding their own personal style. But there are times when you want to blend in and be anonymous. Just ask this guy who was arrested for robbing a bank because police recognized his Members Only jacket. Members Only is an especially humorous choice given their 1980s slogan, “When you put it on something happens.” As if that weren’t enough of a tip-off, it’s clearly a bad idea to rob a bank in the same clothes you wore when your parole officer photographed you. After being released from the pokey for robbing a bank. In a Members Only jacket.

If you’re seriously considering robbing a bank, my advice is to dress simply and unremarkably. All black could be good if you’re in an urban environment; coveralls or flannel would work well in more rural areas. It really goes against my nature to say this but wear exactly what everyone else is wearing. Blend in and then get the hell out of Dodge.

Ski masks are a good way of obscuring your visage. The pantyhose-over-the-face thing is creepy, ditto the Nixon mask. You’ll want some comfy shoes for your getaway. As for accessories, don’t wear anything that will get you recognized. Remember to cover any identifying marks such as tattoos and scars. Don’t forget luggage for toting all that money. Again, look for something nondescript like a gym bag. A roller bag could work well if you have problems lifting heavy things.

Good luck and don’t quit your day job.