Esquire The Handbook of Style: A Man's Guide to Looking Good

by Esquire Magazine (Editor)

Each year, the editors of Esquire produce a special issue of the magazine devoted to men’s style called The Big Black Book , which has been wildly successful. Using the same pragmatic, highly illustrated approach, and laced with Esquire ’s trademark humor, Esquire The Handbook of Style brings readers vital information on every aspect of a man’s wardrobe, from suits and shirts, to shoes and neckties, to watches and other accessories. The style-minded reader will find useful advice on suit fabrics and cuts, the right kind of trousers for his build, the essential outerwear to own, how to dress properly for an occasion, how to tie a tie, how to pack for a trip, grooming strategies, and much, much more. A compact and sophisticated accessory in its own right, Esquire The Handbook of Style will be the style bible for the well-dressed man for years to come.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Reference, Self Help

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 2009

Reviews

[Rory Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who dresses like a tech bro but doesn't want to (and doesn't know how not to), this book is a godsend. Gonna keep it near to hand when shopping in future.

[Cisco · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every man should read this book.

[Aleksander Zawalich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fakt, jest parę ciekawostek i podstaw, ale nie jestem do końca pewny, czy się dobrze zestarzały. Książka jest niestety głównie męcząca, zwłaszcza przez swój styl - próbujący na siłę być zawadiackim. Mam zastrzeżenia również do wydania papierowego - wydanie kieszonkowe trochę jednak męczy oczy, a wyłącznie czarno-białe zdjęcia w książce modowej to kuriozalny pomysł. Raczej nie polecam, jeśli już to kompletnie początkującym (ale np. książki Michała Kędziory / Mr. Vintage są dużo bardziej przystępne).

[Eduardo Montiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative book that every gentleman should own. Includes plenty of useful tips, diagrams (what matches) and checklists for all of your clothing needs (including folding, storing, packing, basics on etiquette, etc..). I particularly liked the checklists and rules of thumb on budgeting (what items are worth to spend for higher quality). It helped me visualize how many items of clothing you actually need per garment in order to have a functional and complete wardrobe.

This is certainly a book that is worth more for its practical advice than for its fashion tips (some styles may be outdated but they certainly are classic).

I thought about this book recently when my wife was cleaning her closet. It always amazes me how many people lose so much time aimlessly adding items to their wardrobe that they don’t need. Its consumerism at its finest. However, as this book proves, you don’t need to be fashion icon to look neat and well-dressed. If you apply a little research and intelligent budgeting, you don’t have to waste your time following the next fashion trend.

January 2019. 4.5/5

[Timothy Werth]

Plenty of good tips and diagrams, but also trying a little too hard to be edgy and cool, in a corny way that feels solidly 2008. Still, it's a handsome little book that I'll be keeping on my bookshelf for reference.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Avoid sending clothes to dry cleaners: suit should only be cleaned when it's really dirty in order to prolong

- Tie were first used in the UK as a identification method of groups. However Brooks Brothers used that to style Americans

[Nick Guzan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitive guide filled with key essentials of modern men's style, as directed by Esquire.

[Neechi · Rating 5 out of 5]

... featured a proper man's guide to looking your best with lots of helpful black and white diagrams. Extra points for the hardcover edition.

[Annie]

Found a few tips that will be helpful in selecting nice birthday/Christmas gifts for the men I know. Borrowed this one from my brother's library.

[Christian Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent easy to read book on men's fashion. I may never be able to do it well but at least I can read about it.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newest edition has a few misprints and typos, but still a handy and practical little book.

[Patrick]

if you ever see me dressing good you can partially thank this book

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given this book from my dad last year for Christmas, I finally took the time to read over this fantastic guide by Esquire after a year of having the book in my possession. After spending a few hours to read over this 200 page tutorial on the "Art of Style", I have undoubtedly regretted purchasing so many dress shirts and ties without reading this guide first. Luckily, this handbook provided countless methods to incorporate various fashion styles into one's wardrobe. This is a must read for any boy hoping to transition into a man, and should always be an arm's reach away when any questions pop up on what to wear for what occasion or how to enhance the current wardrobe. Easy read, but essential to fully comprehend.

[Christopher Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of articles from The Big Black Book Series. This includes some fundementals of men's dress as well as tips and tricks that are more advanced. Thankfully, it is one of the few men's grooming books to actually include grooming -shaving being the most obvious portion of a man's grooming and so overlooked in classics such as Dressing the Man, Gentleman: A timeless style, and A Thinking Man's Guide to Dress (my personal top three really). This is a book that I would label as the advanced class. Once you've read one of the other books to get the basic framework down this can help you punch it up the next level.

[Jason Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice review on the elements of traditional male fashion. I picked this book up because I realized all my clothes were tattered and wanted some perspective on how to rebuild my wardrobe. Admittingly, this book is written for an older, more professional demographic than my poor, grad student community, but the tips and suggestions the authors offer are timeless and classic. Certainly something I would recommend to my friends who are more seriously considering how they dress and the sort of lifestyle they want to live by.

[Tom Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really helpful for understanding all of the basic terminology I had no idea–now I know what a peaked lapel is, for example. That being said, the black and white photos really undermined what could have been a much better book. Hard to get a visceral sense of how to pair colors, for example, when the photos are grayscale.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good guide to buying and wearing clothes. Obviously more tailored to people with slightly more expendable income and need for business dress than a teacher, but some good tips and helpful info nonetheless.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book at a great price! Learn everything you need to know about fashion, as well as be entertained by the inforgraphics, and little pieces of fashion history. Amazingly well done book, probably makes a great gift as well since it's something you can just flip through and look at.

[Chelle Cordero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this for an article I am writing.

So far this book looks very complete and seems to be an excellent guide for fashionable men looking to make a statement in the business world.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly just a bunch of reprinted material from various columns from the magazine for the last few years. Still, a nice collection of fashion advice.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rank this among the very best men's style guides. It's realistic, thorough, and modern without being edgy or snarky.

[Everett Darden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative read. It covers a lot of how to's from wearing items to folding and storing. Good for anyone trying to build an all around wardrobe.

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for all gentlemen. Tasteful, informative, and easy to reference.