As Josh Sims (Cult Streetwear) argues in the beautifully illustrated, oversize Icons of Men's Style, male fashion almost always consists of variations on a well-known theme, a generally conservative one. He focuses on several of these "iconic" themes, with chapters on outerwear, underwear, trousers, shoes, shirts and accessories. Within these parameters, he identifies the key clothing items that have made the greatest contributions to men's style--many of them adorning Hollywood's most stylish actors. (But not exclusively: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy take their place next to Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and Steve McQueen.)
Here one finds the duffle coat, the flight jacket, cargo pants and Bermuda shorts, the loafer and the brogue, the polo and lumberjack shirt, and aviator sunglasses. Sims is especially good at showing how some items were co-opted and transformed into subculture essentials, such as Dr. Martens (made famous in The Who song "Uniforms"). His presentation makes Icons of Men's Style a perfect gift for a new student of fashion history or a clerk in a serious men's clothing store. --Thomas Lavoie, former publisher