summer son, square jaws and me

As the sun ushers in a new season, so you get to make the necessary changes to your attire, the summer sun, the summer wardrobe. Summer causal, is easy because you can basically wear what ever you want and we can all thank lycra for that, for it doesn't matter what shape or size certain people are they are allowed to squeeze into just about anything. This gives our egos a little more room to maneuver because if "those" people can get away with it well then why worry about a baggy t-shirt which covers up the hint of a beer drinking belly.

I am always striving for buff, sharp, the man's man kinda of look, which is ironic since I have spent most of my life looking like an indie kid: jeans, t-shirt, sneaks. But perhaps it is the irony that now attracts me, the in congruency of it all, I mean a few years ago it was all surfer - Billabong, O'Neil, blah de blah blue bottles, and I was never a surfer nor a skateboarder but I had my fair share of straight out of the ocean clothes and I don't think anybody suspected.

Now the look has moved on a little bit, it's the smallest gadgety cellphone and the biggest off-road hatch that you can afford. It's Jeep, Camel, the survivor look, square jaw and stubble, smoking almost feels appropriate. Besides the stubble this is a difficult look for me, surfer was just baggy but this requires lots of au naturale colours, it requires hours of gyming, an upgrade to my cellphone, and, and, and lotsa stories of weekend away adventures.

On Saturday in an effort to upgrade my look I decided to see what was out there and to be honest there wasn't that much yet except for loads of denim. I did manage to find some t-shirts that would work for me, a couple of short sleeve shirts for the office and a good pair of sneakers. I reckon it's far easier to shop within the parameters of what works for you and then to adapt it to the passing fashion fads.

Anyway, I need to make peace with it, I'm a city slicker, the urban look suits me and it’s a look that I don't have to try to be but that, I just have to be - "be yourself and you will always be in fashion."

And thank lycra that like water takes the shape of any container, so lycra takes the shape of any body that plunges into it which makes summer so much more enjoyable.