I Didn't See This One Coming

   The timing of my contributions to StyleForvm stemmed from having a run of good outfits that I felt like showing off during the latter months of last year

   One of these was my black tie outfit that I wore to the Welsh Guards Christmas Party in December (theme: "Black Tie With a Hint of Après-Ski". Like, really) and I played it classic because, quite frankly, I only get to don the outfit once a year and there'd be plenty of other guys accessorising their ski suits with bow ties and shirt studs. And at least I'll never have to rent one

   SF's member-voted 'End of Year: Looking Your Best' contest for the Christmas period has just reached the final stages. I submitted a couple of poor shots that didn't even show me at the party (lacking the desire to compile a new Facebook album) and decided to admire everyone else's more relevant and better lit contributions. Logging on today, I'm pleased, horrified and amused to discover that I'm one of the 8 finalists

   I should take tipsy, ill advised self portraits more often

My Overthinking in Action

   A 'Styleography' interview I provided for my friend Fi last December shows just how deeply I'm in this whole style thing. Passes some time, I think

The Face of Your Author

   Outfit photo blogs and "What Are You Wearing Today" pages on style message boards are curious beasties. Fundamentally, I believe the exercise is motivated by a sense of validation, even when the apparent intent is to share, educate or inspire. I've been semi-regularly posting 'fits' to StyleForvm for two months in the belief that I can use constructive criticism and yet I'm self aware enough to concede there's as much narcissism involved in that endeavour as there is in admitting that I'm showing my face and style on the internet because real world reactions are no longer enough

   Slightly deeper than that, I don't get all that much out of people telling me I'm stylish, as much as I always deeply appreciate a compliment. I'm only dressing for myself, after all. But being constructively challenged on my outfits is almost invaluable, even if I don't respect the critic (for whatever reason). It prompts thinking and thought is my vice and my virtue. My father, the most stylish person I know, is quite happy to call me out for clownish ensembles, and a former A-Level art student like myself has no issue with going back to the drawing board, as it were

   Committing to dressing (well, badly, whatever) is huge and if you give a damn, you need to show the proper care. Sometimes I don't care, other times I care too much. The photograph above shows me not caring (more or less - I like most pieces I wear after all) since I put it together in about 10 minutes each, avoiding the possibility of ruining the outfit with overthinking (vice)

   StyleForvm will likely see more of my outfits than this column will - there's not much of an educational or inspirational purpose in having them here at the same time - but if my face is already out there on the 'net, then it may as well be here, too

Debut

   The best thing I can do in starting this endeavour is not to pretend it's anything more than it is. There aren't any overarching grand schemes or attention whorish hopes and the subtext is (hopefully) not self-celebration

   Saying that I was subtly encouraged to start this is simply a more palatable way of expressing that "Some of my good friends are bloggers", although that, at least, is true. It might also be because I once told a girl who actually does write that I wrote as a form of catharsis and at least one of my lies may as well come true, also. What I think I'm looking for is a sort of open dialogue. I'm the kind of man who would talk out loud to organise his thoughts every day if he was so inclined, although I don't because I can't count on passers-by to talk back

   So, with that roundabout admission of thinking too much (a personal flaw) out of the way, I'm starting this because sometimes I become obsessed. There's about 200 vinyl albums and singles sitting in my room that remain unsold. A comic book collection that snapshots the 90's and early 2000s as published by the market leaders of DC and Marvel and the independents that sought for footholds in their wake. An interest in dapper dressing that's resulted in a wardrobe large enough for two lifetimes and a desire to explore my personal style until it tips over the edge. And an inexplicable affinity for the odd, the offbeat and the obscure

   If I can't just talk out loud, I may as well write it up and see if a dialogue ensues. Here goes nothing

   B