 I’m often asked how much to spend on ones first suit. My reply: “as much as you can afford, while still having cash for alterations.”
This is always an opportune time to rattle off cliches such as “buy once, cry once” and “invest now to save later” — and for good reason! If you get yourself a tailored suit of quality make, you’ll be able to rely on it for many years and occasions to come. More importantly, you won’t be forced to scramble at the last second for a sub-par suit that doesn’t fit and cheapens your demeanor. You’ll always have this secret weapon in your back pocket, and as a grown man, you may end up relying on it more than you’d expect. Cool, but actually though, how much?
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 There's a popular notion that "anyone who has the guts to step into the cage/ring/whatever deserves respect for their courage." I vehemently disagree. Yes, it takes some degree of bravery to do that, but much less than you think.
 Rainier Jonn is a data engineer, a father (which probably informs his punny sense of humor), and a real snappy dresser. His Instagram feed is a masterclass on color coordination, pattern play, accessorizing, and creative pairings. So let's take notes!
 I've been pondering furiously; why is there a near 100% correlation between using the phrase "I clean up real nice" and looking like a scrub (that happens to be wearing a suit)? After much deliberation, I've discovered the answer:
 Story time: I wiped out on concrete twice in one week. The first time, it was icy and I was drunk. I went head over heels in the blink of an eye. Careening towards hard pavement, I had one slim hope of escaping the night unscathed: to breakfall.
We've all repped hundreds of these during BJJ warm-ups on padded mats, in a planned setting. But do they work when it really counts -- on the streets?! One way or the other, I was about to find out.  "Fit is king." We've all heard that menswear cliche, and heck, I've said that more than a few times myself. But guess what: the king is dead.
 "It's easy to look good when you've got money," declared a rather rakish friend of mine.
In a different multiverse he's a model for Brooks Brothers; tall, strong, and suave -- with a tightly groomed salt and pepper beard. He would be the walking embodiment of "distinguished" no matter what he wore, but his soft-shoulder sport coat that seemed to fit perfectly by coincidence rather than design -- well it really drove the point home. "Sorry, 'Pierce Brosnan,' but I disagree."  Depicted above: how not to do it Getting hit is a part of fighting: you can't expect to participate in a pugilistic engagement without accepting that you're going to get hit. But at the same time, the person who gets hit less usually wins, so one should strive to reduce the amount of strikes they receive to the bare minimum. There's 4 ways to do this, and they're not all created equal.
Understanding the hierarchy of defense will change the way you look a fistfight, and probably inspire you to re-prioritize what you spend time drilling.  Full offense intended:
There are 3 camps that men fall into when it comes to the length of trousers: 1) Older dudes with no style who mistake a clean, minimal trouser break for "highwaters." 2) Overly-trendy dudes wearing man-capris (actual highwaters). 3) Stylish dudes who actually know how to dress. And to these men I say:  Now THAT's a coach! It's so difficult to find the right coach! Finding someone that you can trust to mentor you, whose teaching style is compatible with your learning style, and who you are comfortable with are the foremost priorities. But does any of that even matter if your coach sucks at the activity and/or sucks at teaching?
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