Spotlight: Kit Harington

Game of Thrones favorite, Kit Harington is still fairly new to the professional acting scene, but you’d never know it with how prolific he has become. Famous for his character’s terrible luck and luscious dark curls, Kit Harington only seems to retain one of those qualities in his real life.

In the style world, Kit is the perfect example of using basic staples to create a complete wardrobe. He tends to wear dark neutrals, which means they can be combined in a ton of different ways. Building a wardrobe with basics and neutrals allows the greatest number of unique outfits with the least amount of individual pieces. Even his glasses are dark and classic.

The basics that Kit embraces the most are: leather jackets, peacoats, henleys, button ups in solid and plaid, and well-fitting t-shirts. WAMSW has talked about all of these individually, and they are great together or separately. 

He also finds ways to dress up jeans, by choosing dark colors and pairing them with nice shirts. Dark wash, grey, or black jeans appear more like trousers, so they look more sophisticated.

Kit’s hair is an interesting length, and could potentially be very awkward. He avoids this with his natural curly texture and by keeping it well kept up. His hair is shiny, not frizzy, and looks more disheveled than out of control (hint: this is the sweet zone). 

While rumor has it that Jon Snow knows nothing, it is clear Kit Harington has caught on to how to have a simple, but classic wardrobe that works in almost any setting.

The Pants in your (Wardrobe) Relationship

It seems crazy, but we are already fast approaching back to school time, which means jean shopping. And even those no longer in the back to school stage of life, it is almost the time of the year for reshelving shorts. I’m sad about it too. But we’re still going to have a quick look at casual pants for fall.

Whether jeans, khakis, or colored denim, there are four basic fits: Slim, Straight-leg, Classic, and Relaxed. Slim fit hugs your legs all the way down without being too clingy like something labeled “skinny” or a woman’s jean might be. Straight-leg is about the same fit as a slim on the thigh, but then follows a straight line down (bet you couldn’t have guessed that). We at WAMSW particularly like these first two. A classic fit is a little looser all over; to me this fit is just a little less polished and could veer into the very real problem of dad jeans. Relaxed fit is the loosest and allows for a large range of motion (personally I think all jeans allow for more than enough motion). GQ’s jean guide made the good point of saying if you want to go for a relaxed fit, you still have to wear a belt and wear the jeans on your hips like a real man. On a similar note, never use the word “swag” to describe your wardrobe.

Don’t get me wrong I love me some Erik von Detten, but please shy away from anything like those atrocious 90s pants.

Some other tips that I found from true professional men’s jeans connoisseurs were:

• Shorter men should always wear a tapered leg.
• Jeans tend to stretch, so lean towards too small, rather than too large, especially if they have any spandex in them.
• Giant logos, or even too elaborate and fancy back-pocket stitching, does not leave a good impression, avoid it at all costs.

When it comes to washes (meaning the color of your jeans or pants) it is always safe to stick to dark colors. Vintage-y washes (worn, not acid washed) are also a pretty safe choice, although less dressy. Light denim has a large overlap with dad jeans, which even if you are a father, are a bad thing. Brighter colors are also still huge.

If you aren’t huge into jeans or want something just a little more dressy, other solid, but still functional trousers are becoming more and more common. Khakis or darker versions add nice variety to a wardrobe, as long as they are too baggy or cargo or any other hallmarks of the late-90s/early-2000s era.

There is something distinctly awesome about the upper-left pair.

For more info: GQ’s How to Buy Jeans

Words of advice from someone famous

I recently read Mindy Kaling’s (you know, zany and hilarious Kelly Kapoor from The Office) book (Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)) and I had to share the best pieces of manly advice I’ve ever heard. I wish I could claim them as my own, but then again I wish I could claim the whole book as my own, it’s that good. These are my personal favorites:

3. Own several pairs of dark wash straight-leg jeans. Don’t get bootcut, don’t get skinny, just a nice pair of levis without any embellishments on the pockets. No embellishments anywhere. At all. Nothing.

4. Wait until all the women have gotten on or off an elevator before you get on or off. Look, I’m not some chivalry nut or anything, but this small act of politeness is very visual and memorable.

5. When you think a girl looks pretty, say it, but don’t reference the thing that might reveal you are aware of the backstage process. e.g., say, “You look gorgeous tonight,” not “I like how you did your makeup tonight.” Also, a compliment means less if you compliment the thing and not the way the girl is carrying it off. so, say, “You look so sexy in those boots,” rather than “Those boots are really cool.” I didn’t make the boots! I don’t care if you like the boots’ design! We are magic to you: You have no idea how we got to look as good as we do.

6. Avoid asking if someone needs help in a kitchen or at a party, just start helping. Same goes with dishes. (Actually, if you don’t want to help, you should ask them if they need help. No self respecting host or hostess will say yes to this question.)

7. Have one great cologne that’s not from the drugstore. Just one. Wear very little of it, all the time. I cannot tell you how sexy it is to be enveloped in a hug by a man whose smell you remember. Then anytime I smell that cologne, I think of you. Way to invade my psyche, guy! Shivers-down-spine central!

9. Kiehl’s for your skin, Bumble and Bumble for your hair. Maybe a comb. That is all you need. and when girls look in your medicine cabinet (which they will obviously do within the first five minutes of them coming to your place), you look all classily self restrained because you only have two beauty products. You’re basically a cowboy.

10. I really think guys only need two pairs of shoes. a nice pair of black shoes and a pair of Chuck Taylors. The key, of course, is that you need to replace your Chuck Taylors every single year. You cannot be lax about this. Those shoes start to stink. They cost $40. You can afford a new pair every year.

12. Get a little jealous now and again, even if you’re not, strictly, a jealous guy. Too much and it’s creepy and horrible, but a possessive hand on her back at a party when your girlfriend looks super hot is awesome.

Obviously I endorse her book and it’s basically the most honest piece of literature (?) I’ve ever read that I can totally relate to. This isn’t going to be a normal occurrence, this whole book recommend thing, but if you actually want to understand what normal, intelligent, naturally beautiful women actually think like, pick up this book. And laugh. For me.

But seriously, her manly advice is spot on.

– Rachel