Old Spice Guy: The Fashion Icon

He's on a horse

Old Spice Guy, as he is more-well known, is a classic proponent of the 'less is more' approach to looking good. His first camera shot is fairly simplistic, the man, the scent, and a towel, all worn with the greatest accessory known to man: the assertive smile. When getting dressed for a seminar, or a date, or even a shopping trip, remember that this is the one accessory that will go with almost any pair of shoes and, when coupled with a powerful masculine fragrance it is simply irresistible to small animals, local shoppers, and waitresses. A fresh minty smell will even find you irresistible to polar bears and dental hygienists.

But back to the point, what really makes the outfit is the emphasized waist-line defined by the towel. With the increased popularity of Mad Men and the return of waistcoats to the catwalk, waist-lines have never been more important for a man's look.

Another lesson to be taken from Isaiah Mustafa is the way he controls the view by directing the gaze away from and then back to him. This further emphasizes his role at the centre of the image. When the viewer returns we find Mr. Mustafa wearing white trousers with a belt, for emphasis, and a shirt wrapped round his neck creating a v and drawing the attention to the centre of his body which returns Mr. Mustafa to the centre of the image even when out of focus. All the time his gaze is intended to capture the viewer, making himself more watchable and creating an animalistic attraction with his desired victim.

As winter approaches in York you may ask yourself what lessons can be taken from Old Spice Guy into the Winter/Spring 10/11 season, and at first there may appear to be none; for the weather outside will be frightful and it will freeze any smile right off your face but when you look closer, the elegance of the two-tone colour scheme is perfectly suited to the monochromatic winter tones while a central belt will help to stop any unwanted breezes from sneaking into an outfit while protecting the two-tone scheme and giving the outfit a touch of elegance while the arm-knotted shirt or jumper is perfect for those lightly nippy evenings walking from the door to the taxi or from the restaurant to the club.

However the most useful development of the arm-knot is the way it signals the centre of the chest, the gut of course being the most important part of the body in Christmas fashion, a perfect place for storing away those mince pies and roasted vegetables. At first glance you may have been deceived then, that such a minimal fashion could still have relevance in the winter but hopefully you too will be inspired to still look your very best throughout this winter/spring.

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