It’s a man’s world

Dress up, guys…fashion isn’t just for the ladies

Published On: April 14, 2009

by Stephanie Stewart In recent years, everyday menswear wasn’t exciting—always more of the same. Traditionally, Nashville’s male population wasn’t so fashion-conscious, and the de facto male uniform consisted of golf shirt and khakis. Fortunately, all that is over. This summer offers some incredible looks for men, and local merchants are bringing those looks to the guys we love. “Women are the driving force behind what their men wear,” Valerie Pappas tells me as we watch customers wander through her Brentwood store, Valerie Boutique. “Guys will choose something more striking, more fashionable if their wives or girlfriends suggest it.” While Valerie caters exclusively to women, there are guys in the store obviously shopping for their significant others. One young business type named Adam tells Valerie, “You really need to start carrying men’s stuff too, so we can get things all in one place!” Valerie smiles, refers the customer to Jody More’s V for Men in Cool Springs, and returns to our discussion. “Nashville has a reputation for being very casual, more about comfort and frugality than being hip—but that comes with education.” Some local women travel to Atlanta, Los Angeles or New York to buy their clothes; likewise, some men increasingly shop out of town where they find more of a European flair with clothes that are slimmer and more tailored than the traditional Nashville look. But that look is getting sharper. Please see the print issue for the entire article and photo presentation.