A good book that talks about dressing and differenct color combinations, dressing based on your individual bodyd/face shape with illustrations.

Alan Flusser's DRESSING THE MAN is the one book you must have if you want to dress professionally, and if you desire to know the history of proper male adornment in the twentieth century. Interestingly written, information-rich, and chock-full of wonderful photographs of well-dressed men, this tome is a volume to which you will return again and again. Flusser pays careful attention to skin and hair color and how they affect a man's appearance in tailored garments, and he thoroughly discusses garment style and detailing. Interesting chapters on shirts, ties, shoes, and accessories round out this informative and visually appealing volume. DRESSING THE MAN is an appropriate book for both the novice dresser and the mature elegante.

For a fashionably-clumsy man like myself, this book has enabled me to take a step forward and look sort of like the consultant that I am (or at least portray myself to be).

The book is elegantly photographed with men of elegant dress, including classic actors such as Gary Cooper, Fred Astaire and the poster-child for perfect dress, Cary Grant. You'll also see princes and dukes dressing to keep the proper air, and see old men (Signor Barbera and Ralph Lauren) maintaining their distinguished appearances as they grey by dressing well.

But this isn't merely a picture book, although any book on dressing well must lead with pictures. It contains a chapter on everything - shoes, ties, the suit, shirts, socks, business casual (13 in all, and each on a narrow subject). Matching color to your complexion, eyes and hair is a subject that many men struggle with, and he has a chapter dedicated to that.

This is a formal and classic book - not one for the passing trends, although business casual is covered.

Anyone who needs to be in a situation where they need to be well-dressed - businessmen for key meetings, gentlemen at weddings and perhaps most especially, job interviewers, should keep a copy of this book on their dresser.

A book that does an excellent job of not only explaining classic men's style, but also gives numerous pictorial examples and explains the historical basis behind the rules. This is a must-have for men who are interested in improving their style or simply to keep as inspiration for those who like to look good. While it may not turn you into George Clooney or Cary Grant, this book will certainly help its readers to project a sophisticated, professional image.

Replete with photographs of many famous actors wearing the garments, textures, colors, or combos under discussion, this book lays out rather systematically not a theory but an attitude and way of seeing clothing.

I saw it by accident in a library, opened it up and decided to check it out. The scales of sloppiness and pride in "schlumpitude" fell from mine eyes as I read it cover to cover.

One of Flusser's strengths is his ability to communicate his vision without dictating exactly what you should wear. He claims that his attitude can apply to all styles of dress, though he clearly favors conservative styles. In the end, I do believe him in his claim to ultimate neutrality.

When a windfall came my way, I decided that I was going to spend $36.00 of it on this book, and I am glad I did.

It is a great book, probably destined to be a classic. I dress differently and much better than I used to, all by free choice. That's the genius of the book.

The end.

full of insights and tips, I found (and find) this book a big help in getting me dressed well and buying clothes well. From the basic elements of design for individual body types and colorations - to fabrics and shoe styles, I found this a most practical book. For a guy that really has, er, well had, no fashion sense at all (that would be me) it is a god send.

Great manual to test your sartorialism!

lot's of examples and illustrating pictures. Nice hardcover tablebook.

This book is amazing, it has everything you could possibly want to know about dressing a man.

This book falls into one of my most favorite genres of such; Men's fashion, grooming, style manuals. This one is beautifully photographed with many, many tried and true guidelines for men who wish to appear well dressed. A good number of the photos are from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 40's and 50's. This was a time when many of the rules for fashionable men were firmly established. On the other hand, there have been many cultural changes in how American and European men approach fashion and style. For these men (of which I am one) portions of Mr. Flusser's book will seem dated and irrelevant. I found this true of the section that addresses a man and his accessories; especially jewelry! The best thing about Mr. Flusser's style chronicle is that is does establish the ground rules for what is appropriate for business, casual and formal wear. One who is so inclined may veer from the foundations to find one's own sense of style. I enjoy this book and I reccomend it to anyone wanting to establish a wardrobe foundation. Worth the price.





I fully enjoy this book. I recommend it.

All of Mr. Flusser's books are superb and make reliable guides for anyone interested in classic men's dress (as opposed to fleeting fashion trends). I do have one critical observation to make however. Having recently picked up a used copy of the authors first book Making The Man: The Insiders Guide to Buying and Wearing Men's Clothes and having browsed through all of his books since one thing has become very apparent to me. A good 75% or more of the information in his books is simply recycled for each publication for the simple reason that the fundamentals of classic men's dress doesn't change or date...that's why it's considered "classic". In the introduction to his second book Clothes and the Man he says outright "With the publication of my first book, Making the Man, I thought I had answered most of the questions men asked about dressing." and indeed he had. For this reason I am surprised that the author hasn't simply published an updated edition of Making the Man every few years with the information on the specific retail stores updated. The real reason probably comes down to the fact that large hardcover books make more money for the publishers than oversized trade paperbacks do. Flusser's first book was a deserved success but each new one has been more lavish and pricey than the last...from Making the Man published back in 1981 as a $10 oversized trade paperback to the latest one, Dressing the Man weighing in as a $50 hardcover.

There was a period in the 60's and 70's where the U.S. seemed to be entering a sort of golden age of quality oversized paperback publications, perhaps taking after France where almost everything (even bestsellers like the Harry Potter books) are published only in paperback. The books (and I have many of them) were solid, printed on good acid-free paper and light enough to carry on the bus or subway to work. We seem to have headed back to the point where hardcovers are seen as prestigious and the bigger, heavier and more expensive the better. This book is full of the same useful information that all of the authors books are but his first one, Making the Man, (along with The Indispensible Guide to Men's Clothing by Josh Karlen) remain the most concise, straightforward and compact of my men's dress references and therfore my favorites.

This was just the book I needed when I decided to update my wardrobe after fifteen years on neglect. Perfect for learning or re-learning the basics.

Okay, so I own all of A.F.'s books, and this is not the best. Whereas the previous book was much more of an introduction to the terminology and components of men's clothing, this is one is more focused on principles of selection and appearance. This approach is okay, although the attempt to relate modern casual wear to the other principles in the book is complete failure. Traditional men's clothing is made for all men because it complements mens anatomy fluidly. Modern casual wear arose out of fashion and advertising and requires not only male anatomy but certain proportions to work correctly. As a result, it is appropriate only for the young and fit and does not belong in a book on "Permanent Fashion." Shame on A.F. for trying to make his work "relevant."

Okay, so I own all of A.F.'s books, and this is not the best. Whereas the previous book was much more of an introduction to the terminology and components of men's clothing, this is one is more focused on principles of selection and appearance. This approach is okay, although the attempt to relate modern casual wear to the other principles in the book is complete failure. Traditional men's clothing is made for all men because it complements mens anatomy fluidly. Modern casual wear arose out of fashion and advertising and requires not only male anatomy but certain proportions to work correctly. As a result, it is appropriate only for the young and fit and does not belong in a book on "Permanent Fashion." Shame on A.F. for trying to make his work "relevant."

After reading other reviews of this book, I requested it for the 2006 holidays and received it. I have read it cover to cover and am highly pleased overall. I offer the following plusses and minuses:

+ There are many photographs and illustrations showing proper fit, proportion, and style. Many of the photos are black and white, though this follows from the icons in them being from the first half of the 20th century - Fred Astaire, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, The Duke of Windsor, and so on. There are recent color photographs also, including an excellent series on matching wardrobe color to different complexions.

+ This book points out many of the often mishandled details in menswear. Tailors at even good stores routinely hem a suit coat sleeve to the first thumb knuckle and leave the coat hanging halfway to your knees. The salesmen will recommend coats that bunch at the neck, and will steer anyone under 5 feet 8 inches away from double-breasted coats. This book shows that these faux pas are not merely blemishes but true style defects, yet easily repaired ones: show 1/2 inch of shirt cuff; hem your coat to be half your suit's visual height; find a proper fitting coat; and wear double-breasted if it fits well.

- Mr. Flusser, the author, never hesitates to state with a flourish that which can be stated neatly. Rather than say, to paraphrase, "A shirt with a white contrasting collar should have French cuffs, optionally also in contrasting white; button cuffs are not dressy enough," he uses twice the verbiage painting images of star-crossed sartorial lovers. It's a minor nuisance.

- It is occasionally difficult to decipher the men's clothing history lesson from the modern men's clothing advice. This is especially difficult in the sport coat chapter.

The other indispensable title for a menswear library is, appropriately, "The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing" by Sulavik and Karlen. It specifically solves both minuses.

For "Dressing the Man," do not let two plusses against two minuses render you ambivalent. This book holds the advice to greatly improve a man's wardrobe and personal style, and to help him ignore disposable fashion in the process.

I like this book, I believe it gives a great understanding on how to mix and match patters, but I thought it was weak in the area of matching colors to your complexion. I believe the book would have benefited from more photographic examples in this chapter (chapter 2) and a discussion of what colors match/compliment each other (what matches pink, what color ties to shirts, to suits, etc.).

In sum, a good second book and second to none on the discourse on mixing patterns (chapter 4), but not your primary go-to dressing bible.

The book is good, and takes a couple of evenings to go through. It has what many "men's" magazines lack in the "how to fit" the right clothes with the right person, and insight into patterns, texture and color. If you haven't read a couple of issues of "men's" magazines and have never dressed formally and intend to do so you better read this or you will stick out of the crowd like a sore thumb. The book is comprehensive but could have included more, such as "adventurous" without looking old-fashioned (the old scarf to hide a sagging throat), for me it lacked clarity in the shoe department especially in the color section (unless black, dark tan and suede are the only choices...). The smart/casual section was good, but a clear miss in the sporty casual department where many of the <40 tend to dress much of their time and forced the need to live in a cold weather climate - lots of layers. Although I did not like the cartoon like drawings, the pictures where interesting to see how different nationalities have used clothes with different "shape's" in the past, although many are old Hollywood stars their shirts did seem to be somewhat oversized.

This is simply the best book on this subject to date. Mr. Flusser has given men (and the women who are tired of being ashamed of them) an exhaustive and reliable reference to lean on. From the purchase of quality clothing, to its proper wear and maintenance, he gives a thorough yet light-hearted overview of how to present oneself in civilized society.

Don't miss the examples that Mr. Flusser gives; they make the information interesting and palatable. Gary Cooper, Fred Astaire and Adolphe Menjou are apt illustrations for the lessons the author would have us learn. Just one question, though. In the next edition, could we also include more examples like Gordon Parks, Anwar Sadat and Kofi Annan?

I recommend "Dressing the Man". Your career requires it. Get it.

This is the best book on the subject, even better than Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style.

Flusser doesn't just explain clothing. Many other books do that. He explains how to select clothing that looks good on you. He emphasizes that different kinds of styles look good on different kinds of men. He explains how your body structure, hair color, and eye color should all play a role in selecting your outfits.

If you are about to enter the a workplace where suits will be commonplace, need to look good a an upcoming formal event, or have been working for many years but want to upgrade your wardrobe, do yourself a favor and get this book.

a good book on men's fashion and explains choosing a suit in great detail as it relates to height, complexion, hair and eye color as well as build.

The book has an excellet print quality, a very simple and clear graphic design, the text is clear and concise, written with humour, the subject is comprehensive and there is even a glossary of terms at the end of the book, helping those without prior knowledge in the field. It is a great introduction for men's style. Very recommendable!

Going into law school, I did not realize how often I would be put into a situation where dressing was important. In fact, dressing is not just important in the law, but it acts as a signaling mechanism to separate good lawyers from great lawyers. Not that clothes determine legal ability; rather, there just seems to be a good correlation.

Knowing that I wanted to make stunning first impressions, but realizing how little I knew about dressing, I turned to Alan Flusser's book.

"Dressing the Man" is not only pictographically stunning but it is a fashion "constitution" of sorts -- a loose set of rules (and the corresponding ways to bend them) that can be easily utilized to dress better for every occasion.

While Flusser's tastes tend to run higher end, he does not begin and end his world in bespoke (pricey custom made clothes)but instead teaches you how to discern quality. For example, the suit should fit a certain way, be cut from certain cloth, or be made in a certain style, depending on your style and body type. Ties need to have a certain "hand"; shoes need to be cared for properly.

What Flusser does is to gather together sound rules of style (not fashion), pair them with knowledge of fashions from different eras, and tie it all together with the (sadly) lost wisdom of a bygone era. While he likely won't recreate the culture of smart sophistication that he and I both long for, he certainly can teach young (and old) men to dress sharply in a world of casual slovenliness.

I found it really helpful. Provides a lot of information paired with detailed graphics and pictures. Is a textbook for this subject.

After finishing this book I spent a great deal of time rethinking my waredrobe. Not only does it teach you about the history behind every detail of mens clothing, but a practical guide for general application which can be distilled for any clothing purchase. I have found after utilizing this book that I receive more compliments on my dressing, and have a great confidence in how to select clothing for any occasion or quality sold. A triumphant 5 stars and a must read for all men.

A lot has been writen about Flusser and his books, and I won't go into all the details or critiques often given. I would just like to say that this book is probably one of the best foundational sartorial tomes one can get in this modern time. It brings about a nice harmony of the classic things that never go away, while melding them with modern styles - while not giving up classic good looks. And I think that from this foundational information, anyone who takes their dress serious can then spring from this foundation and derive their own signature style, while maintaining the elements of classic good looks. It's all about being oneself, and one must know the rules before they can break them (and get away with it without looking like a trendy fool). This book paves the way for sartorial growth.

What more can I say? If you want a classic, timeless book on men's fashion, this is it. You will never look at men's clothing the same way again.

As a web developer, I have recently had a run of men's custom tailoring customers. I found myself looking for an encyclopedic source of styling details and fashion fundamentals.

In my mind the name Alan Flusser is synonymous with taste and style. This book gave me everything I needed to build websites designed to appeal to the male buyer of custom suits and shirts. Unlike the fashion buyer, Flusser believes permanent fashion starts with being accountable to a personal set of physical characteristics.

The custom buyer's face's shape, neck's height, shoulder's width, arm's length and torso's structure, and the foot's size remain relatively constant. Once he relates the permanent fashion's fundamentals to his physique and complexion, he is on his way to building a stylish, cost-effective wardrobe that will withstand fashion's seasonable vagaries.

This book contains a large collection of photographs of stylish men. These vintage photographs illustrate the range and diversity of authentic men's fashion. Along the way, magnitude of options will equip the reader with both the vocabulary and options required to build a custom wardrobe. There is even a glossary at the end of the book to help with the journey.

My needs were unique, I admit. This book equipped me with the knowledge, detail and options required to build a website that appeals to buyers and the purveyors of custom men's clothing.

When it comes to fashion, most men get nervous. Of course everybody wants to look nice, but isn't it complicated to know how to look good?

That's where I found this book to be especially helpful. Flusser's main point is that most of the elements of good style haven't really changed much at all in the last 75 years or so. Flusser asserts that the main goal of men's attire is to frame the body in order to display the man's face.

A great aspect about the book is that you only need to remember the "rules" for your specific skin tone/height/proportions. For instance, a man with gray/silver hair should wear silver/gray in his attire to properly frame his face, etc. Flusser also is very clear about how clothes should properly fit you, which is helpful when you are trying things on.

The illustrations and photographs (both new and classic) are remarkably well done and effectively portray Flusser's points (both good and bad examples). Other reviews here have pointed out some of the "doctoring" of the photos in some instances. I do see evidence of this, but I do not think it is really a substantive beef of the book.

Flusser's book certainly has some shortcomings. It mainly focuses on the men's suit and typical business dress. Although it does have a chapter on more casual dress (and the formal tuxedo), it is a small part of the book.

This is a great book for the man who wants to look nice. It covers a lot of details, from tying a tie properly to folding a handkerchief to wearing a tie clip. It's probably not for you if you wear jeans to work every day and only wear a suit two times a year.

Flusser does a great job outlining the classical 1930's style of dressing that is the standard for well-dressed men in the US and Britain. His work is the definitive one, and his prose is interesting. The pictures are outstanding.

A couple shortcomings that caused me to rate it a 4--first, his section on color coordination is far too brief, although he does give the principles or coordinating color with hair, skin, eyes, etc. This is something that is usually overlooked in the mass of details on this subject in other fashion books. Second, some key points are hidden in his eloquent sentences while they would be more accessible if they were bullet-pointed. For example, I didn't realize that a dinner jacket should have one button, although I had read his section on the topic fairly carefully.

There aren't many books that give classic and trustworthy clothing advice for men, but I wish there were more. The book has made me a better dresser and it has helped me to avoid making bad purchases, but I do have a few issues to raise:

* The author writes fluent prose, but sometimes it feels as though the author enjoys his quill a bit much
* As others point out, the color photos are rife with error and it is inexcusable
* While bespoke fashion is ideal (I own a little), most readers would be better served by some advice on how to properly fit a garment from the rack. The author gives only brief mention of this purchasing option and I got the feeling that he considers any suit not made on Saville Row to be rubbish.
* I found his mention of cuff links to be cursory. Flusser admonishes that a real cuff link is jeweled on both sides, but when is the last time you ever saw this? He could have at least given some tips on selecting quality single sided cuff links, because they vary greatly in quality.

I do indeed like the book, but in addition to learning about fashion I wanted to learn about how to make due without breaking the bank. In a future revision I hope the author includes some mention of practical, yet dignified, clothing choices.

Gentlemen, trust me. Fluisser's book is nicely photographed, but it is not the final word on correct dress. There is a better book, all around. It is by Bernhard Roetzel, and it is called, "Gentleman: A Timeless Fashion." I am an American who has traveled a great deal in Europe and Asia. Trust me, this is the textbook. You will find it on display in the epicenters of finality regarding man's dress, Bond Street, Savile Row, London. The photos are great, and the advice given by Roetzel is, unlike Flusser, not ethnocentric to America. It works like crazy in America, but also works in other countries. Flusser is a Hollywood maven. Roetzel understands gentlemanly dress.

For me the most interesting parts of this book were the historical photographs. It made me realize what an impoverished age we live in. It showed not that men were slaves to a fashion but rather that elegance can still allow for a lot of personal choice. The comparison to some of what passes for style today is striking. It is also rather timely, in that business casual is rapidly dying and many companies have raised the expectations for dress back to the pre casual days. I found the book an excellent guide both on a practical level as well as providing detailed historical analysis. I loaned the book to a tailor whose has been in the business for 50 years and he was very impressed with the detail and advice. Overall this book was an excellent investment.

Alan Flusser is a national treasure, and "Dressing the Man," along with his earlier book "Clothes and the Man," is a valuable guide for the man who is interested in discovering the principles of classic male style and applying them in his life. Through a wealth of photos and informed commentary, Flusser explains those principles, lays out the "How" and -- more importantly -- the "Why," and even assembles about as comprehensive a glossary as any man not a top-of-the-line tailor is ever likely to need. Some of the ideas, such as how to pair multiple patterns, aren't for beginners. But any man who studies this book and takes the ideas in it to heart will do himself credit, and be a definite improvement to the overall menswear landscape.

That's not to say this book is perfect. First, there's the semantic problem in the subtitle, "Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion." "Permanent fashion," is, of course, an oxymoron. And as I believe he noted in "Clothes and the Man," the principles and approaches he outlines here are rooted in timeless *style,* not changing fashion.

More important is the issue of the manipulated photos on pages 26-31. Even before I had told her about the reviews on this page mentioning the obvious doctoring of these images, my wife noted that there was something fishy going on. Her theory had to do with the processing techniques, not the lighting, but the point is the same: there's some publishing trickery going on in an attempt to emphasize the arguments Flusser is making about the effects of various styles of dress. I'm reluctant to hold Flusser himself responsible for this, but it is disappointing that someone resorted to such an obvious trick in order to make the author's point.

Still, however, those are only six pages out of more than 300, and don't mar the overall quality and usefulness of the work. If Amazon.com allowed partial stars in its ratings, I'd give this book four and a half, or even four and three-quarters. The copy I studied was a borrowed one, and now it's on my Wish List so I can have a copy of my own. I'm sure it will be a standard reference for years to come.

Mr. Flusser (Author of Dressing the Man), Mr. Lauren (Ralph), Mr. Wolfe (Tom) and Mr. Cooper, Editor in Chief of Gentlemen's Quarterly all seem to have a remarkable, keen and talented eye for men's fashions. And yet that keen eye is nowhere to be found even in Harper Collins Publishing talents of this book.

The book makes a lot of interesting and true claims that can be argued to hold water, until when it comes to the blatant use of trick photography to make Mr. Flusser's point. If the viewer would, go ahead and cover all of the clothing for Tom on page 31. You will note a remarkable difference, a before and after effect. On the right side you see a far more refreshing and happy a face than on the left and you see the same on page 30 as well with Alex. In fact, the color on the right hand side has been significantly manipulated to convey the point Mr. Flusser likes to make. And again, all of the above reviewers seem to have no problem with this doctoring of photographs. If the viewer now would turn back a page to page 29 he or she will note an almost ridiculous level of color doctoring where the same man has green eyes in one photograph and bright blue in another. The point Mr. Flusser tries to make is that wearing more rich blue shirt and a light blue coat will remarkably change the man. "Edwin's blue eyes suddenly spring to life" Mr. Flusser stares. Yes. So much so that they are green on the left hand side with your hands completely covering all clothes. The reader is encouraged to take a look at this amazing doctoring of photographs.

The book is a good contribution to men's attire and yet one looks at all of these home-run names in the back and front of this book, pitching the virtues of the content therein, and wonders why a publisher, an author, a designer, an editor would not note repeated use of trick photography to make a point. What has been highlighted here continues throughout the book. Take Trevor for instance on page 26. Again, cover the entire outfit with your hand and note the remarkable difference of skin color here; it is absolutely amazing. There is not just one or two `little' mistakes in this book; there are a plenty and again, one has to look at all these people and ask some questions here. The most clear evidence of doctoring pictures to convey a point, perhaps comes with Fumihiko on page 27. Note the picture on the left and the two birth marks on the left eye and the one on the right; they are gone one the right hand side and the color is a more healthy orange/red glow. One mistake in this book would be fine. Two? Sure. Three?? Well. I'm not sure if the people who say they read and approved of this book actually read and paid any attention to the book. I certainly did not put the pages in this book under a magnifying glass and have yet to page through the entire book. Neither am I a seasoned pro in men's attire nor even editing or publishing - but all of these men mentioned above - are. The issues herein are so remarkably obvious that some questions have been raised and hopefully will not be censored.

This book is aimed at building a classic wardrobe. There is a short chapter in the back which addresses "business casual" dress, but the primary focus is on more formal business clothing such as suits, dress shirts, ties, oxford shoes, etc. For anyone who has occasion to wear a suit and tie, this book is very useful. If you don't own a suit and only wear a tie once or twice a year, then this book is likely a waste of time.

Some of the most useful sections of this book are on selecting colors and clothing shapes which match your coloring and body type. This is a concept that has been around a long time, but Mr. Flusser addresses it simply and usefully without the cute and artificially complex winter-summer-spring-fall gimicks that other authors have utilized.

The book focuses on quality tailoring and achieving a balanced, timeless look through high quality clothing that fits and harmonizes. This book, and Bernhard Roetzel's book, Gentleman, are probably the two best books on the subject of classic style. It is a good investment for a man who wishes to raise his style up a notch or two.

In the consulting field, one can get away with corporate casual in most venues. Corporate casual for me is basically slacks, shirt, sport coat, no tie. However, there are times one must go completely dressed and in these instances, books like DRESSING THE MAN are outstanding to teach those of us who are style challenged the art of matching threads. (I recently read and reviewed CASUAL POWER by Sherry Maysonave. For those in the corporate casual line as I described, this is an outstanding book.)

My biggest downfall is the total lack of sense in putting outfits together. OK, if I have a suit, no problem. But, how about patterned slacks...what shirt? What jacket? Socks? You get the idea. DRESSING THE MAN solves most of the mysteries and, quite frankly, opened my eyes as well. It seems as though symmetry is not necessarily a mandate as long as the style has precendent. Patterned slacks and patterned socks for instance. Many of our '40s and '50s movie stars were into this scene. Were they ridiculed? Nope, just copied.

Many of the corporate stalwarts of old have moved to a more casual theme in recent years, creating the move toward comfort over dominion. Could the stodgiest be modifying, changing with the times? By contrast, how many suits do you think were even owned by the Silicon Valley tech generation of the '80s and '90s? Now, that has changed and the tech crowd, many out of work, are looking for new work...and buying suits for their interviews to ensure they are being taken seriously. Most of these style barbarians had no clue as to the style, coordination or even expectations of dress. Alan Flusser to the rescue. In '85, Flusser wrote the critically acclaimed, CLOTHES AND THE MAN, which could be called the predecessor to DRESSING THE MAN. With this offering, no man should have an excuse for being a style freak.

DRESSING THE MAN is chock-full of illustrations, pictures, and suggestions. You'll see vintage photos of Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire and many more. Most of these pics look like they jumped right off the pages of GQ. Flusser offers a variety of suggestions relating to choosing suits, shirts and ties and takes it as far as coordinating your outfits with skin tone, hair color, and body type. Shoes, socks, wristwatches, and even hats are covered.

If you're interested in reading a book on men's dress and learning the styles, DRESSING THE MAN fits the bill quite nicely. If you are interested in reading a book on men's styles AND you want to read it in bed or perhaps on a plane ride, this is not your book. At a full 8.5 x 11 inches, 320 pages and at least 5 pounds, this is not a book to lug around.

Highly recommended.

This is the sort of book you read and try to follow, but realize that the information just doesn't fit if you live outside of new york. If you live in "The City" then maybe this stuff fits, but for real men, find a better book. John Bridge's books are MUCH better.

This is not a fashion trend book. Very elegant, conservative dressing. I found this book was very useful for knowing how to dress in a daily suit and very high end type of outfits. The book was not useful for US dressing standards in a work place that does not apply the European standards. The pro of the book was that I am better educated in buying a suit and picking out a shirt. Thank you Mr Flusser.

Have fun dressing!

This book isn't worth the cost and is flat out snobby. Save your money and buy a beer - it'll do you more to help the way you look than this book ever could.

I say ALMOST perfect for it has 2 major flaws. But first let me get to the good stuff: a lavish volume full of wonderful vintage photos, illustrations and well-written advice covering color, proportions, patterns, suits, odd jackets, trousers, waistcoats, dress shirts, neckwear, hosiery, shoes, accessorites, formalwear, and business casual. This volume won't age as you do as you refer to it again and again over the years. However, this book has two puzzling flaws: the chapter entitled THE POWER OF COLOR, while necessary, simply is lacking in content and the color photos DO NOT fit in with the rest of the artwork contained in the volume. In fact the photos cheapen this otherwise superb book. This goes for the BUSINESS CASUAL chapter as well: it seems lifted out of another book of lesser quality and inserted into this one. This book probably isn't for the man just out of college, the man for whom a pair of khakis is dressing up, nor the man who considers J Crew to be height of fashion but highly recommended for the man ready to upgrade his appearance.

Alan Flusser states in his foreword "The linking of permanent with fashion may well strike many as an oxymoron. Particularly today, when fashion is taken to mean a commitment to risk and change, mating it with the idea of permenance is bound to cause confusion, if not downright controversy. This is not an oversight but rather an attempt to provoke the inquiring mind."

Flusser concentrates on the importance of the silhouette and emphasizes the idea of clothing as being an extension of one's self, in direct contrast with popular men's wear designers of today, who instead force the man to conform to certain standards by means of premade and prefitted clothing.

Flusser goes into great detail about which colors and shapes will bring out the best in the man, with examples for all skin, facial, and hair types. He includes a wealth of examples to demonstrate the power of a correctly picked suit and its effect on the height, girth, and skin color, and how to maximize one's benefits and how to maintain an even, balanced look.

For one looking to move up to a higher level of sartorial sophistication, Flusser takes the reader through multiple pattern mixing, and advising how to correctly match shirts with ties, belts with shoes, and how to properly wear pocket handkerchiefs and suspenders.

This review only touches on some of the larger parts of the book. The book goes into great detail about the history of men's fashion, and how preferences for colors and materials have evolved through time. I was very pleased to find the book extremely well written and intelligent throughout. I recommend this book to anyone who cares about bettering the way one looks.

Deception at its finest, courtesy of otherwise respectable publisher Harper Collins.
The doctored pictures within are so obvious as to make this a fraudulent contribution. Page 29, we have "Edwin: Light-Bright"
There are two pictures. A before and after, the left before, the right after. Now put your hand on the suit so as to reveal only the face, you will note that the eye color has been doctored to be blue, whereas on left hand side it is green. The notion of the author of course is that a change in outfit will bring out the blue in the eyes. How novel. This is only one example of a many doctored images in this contribution. In the mentioned section the pictures on the left appear somber/sad, whereas the supposed "after" one looks happy, full of life with doctored colors. Examine it on your own!!! At the end of the book we see certifications from Ralph Lauren, Tom Wolfe, GQ. Now what does that tell you. And again. All of this. Verify on your own.

This is the third book on men's fashion that I have read by this author. Mr. Flusser is the authority on dressing in the English style. He also offers insights into choosing colors that will compliment a person's complexion.

If I were to choose one author on men's fashion, it would be Mr. Flusser

The author however needs to discuss the influence of the Italian designers. He correctly admonishes department stores for their unprofessional staff. He pins his hopes on the bespoke suit. Unfortunately last year I visited Mr. Flusser mecca, Saville Row, and was sorely disappointed by the unprofessional treatment I received in three stores.
I only hope someone in the men's fashion industry, listens.
Most men no longer must wear a suit.

I have Clothes and the Man and Style and the Man. Both books which I regularly consult. Mr. Flusser taught me how to dress myself appropiately for all occasions and never be embarrassed about dressing comfortably and dressing well.

A reviewer, a teacher from NYC, November 20, 2002,
Another wonderful guide
This time with the help of illustartions and photographs Mr. Flusser writes wonderful prose on the art of mens dressing. In this book he not only re hashes the way men should buy shoes, shirts, suits, etc, he also discusses how a man can mix and match different patterns properly. In an age in which there are very few "educators" on men's dressing its wonderful to have Mr. Flusser show us young men who wish to dress and look our best, a way to do it.

Mr. Flusser shows us that there is nothing effeminate about wanting to look ones best for all occassions.

Also recommended: style and the man clothes and the man

This is Mr. Flusser's best effort to date. This book is more akin to his "Clothes and the Man" than to his more recent "Style and the Man." Beware, that this book deals almost exclusively with suits, ties, shirts, and formal wear - there is a section on sportcoats but, this book will not be informative or helpful if you always dress casually.

The book has some passages (maybe illustrations as well?) that are very similar to "Clothes and the Man" but still, there is plenty of new material. The book goes into detail regarding clothing coloring with respect to a person's complexion and also how to mix and match various fabric patterns (e.g., stripes with stripes, checks with checks, checks with stripes, etc.) The book is also very nicely illustrated with photographs and drawings. A very impressive book and quite comprehensive.

Though it would appear that Mr. Flusser has changed his opinion on some matters over the years (e.g., monograms), still the book and Mr. Flusser take a stand for traditionally styled clothing. This book is NOT for the trendy and NOT for those seeking to learn about modern fashion - it is about style, and conservative, traditional style at that. It's about the rules for why clothing should be the way it is - it explains the history of why mens' garments have developed in the way they have and accordingly sets forth the rule for their proper wear based on their history and origin (e.g., why dinner jackets should have peaked lapels, not notched; why formal wear trousers are NOT cuffed, why suit trousers are cuffed; the symmetry and proper fitting of suits, shirts, and trousers, etc.)

With respect to suits and formal wear, this is, in my humble opinion, the best book out there. Unlike, "Style and the Man" there is no detailed list of fine places to shop, the book is about setting forth the traditional rules for clothing and then allowing one to experiment from there, i.e., experiment once you have a firm foundation of knowledge. It's a fine book; voluminous, appealingly illustrated, and informative.

big fan of flusser, and slowly making my way thru this very detailed book. i would say that this book goes more deeply into the subject than his previous work. highly recommended for gentlemen of old-school style.

Scores of unusual and beautifully-reproduced photos of the best-dressed men of the 20th century, marred only by typos, failure to credit artists from old men's magazines and tolerance of modern fashion obscenities. Where is the Duke of Windsor now that we need him?

If you are aspiring to go anywhere in the corporate world, or if you want to be the most sylish man that you can be, this is the book for you!
Within the book you will find tips on matching your clothes to your particular skin tone, body structure, and you will learn how to make your clothes work for you.
Any fashion article with any class mentions Alan Flusser's name; he is the human encyclopedia of correct and debonair men's dressing. (Men's Health and Esquire have both run full length articles on Flusser, taking his advice on dressing.)
This book is the most current, definitive source of good style and taste out there.

Alan Flusser has created two books; one that can just sit on the coffee table and look nice and another to seriously guide men along the path to dressing well so they can look nice. The reader is invited to choose. I have read Mr. Flusser's previous books and find this one to be the most helpful to me in that it offers new insights on clothing and its comfort. This is the first book I've seen to incorporate a man's personal coloring (hair, skin, eyes) along with balance and proportion of the garments to provide a complete guide to men's dress. Nothing has been missed! The illustrations are marvelous (some could even be framed!) at embellishing the text. Read "Dressing the Man," put it's tenets into practise, and you will be better for it. Ladies, buy it for the man you care about being with (it'll make him happier and he'll want to go out for dinner and dancing more often!).

It is past time for a new Flusser. Earlier this year I tried visiting half a dozen of the New York specialty stores profiled in "Style and the Man" only to find that most of them had relocated. Even Flusser's own shop had moved out of Saks Fifth Avenue and was nowhere to be found in Manhattan.

Fortunately he's been busy. "Dressing the Man" is a major update of his previous material with new information and fine visuals of dandies past. Think of it as Roetzel's book from an American perspective, with more emphasis on dressing well and less on where to buy shoes.

The emphasis is on dress up - there's little or nothing on outerwear, sportswear or nightwear for example - but that's covered as impeccably as one of Flusser's seven fold ties. In addition to the chapters on design and fit that readers of his previous books have come to expect, there's new material on pattern coordination, a section on choosing colors that work for your complexion, and more than most people would have thought possible on how to match socks.

Now if only there's a new store for my next trip to New York.