San Diego native Ashley Nell Tipton’s career as a fashion designer reads like a Horatio Alger story. She first put needle to fabric at age seven on her grandmother’s sewing machine. In 2011, she started …

According to Claudia Rodriguez Biezunski, the gregarious owner of Barrio Logan’s Sew Loka, for a man, having your clothes tailored is more important for your looks than working out. “You can go to the gym …

As someone with little interest in high fashion, I was surprised by how compelling I found local designer Scott Rich’s work. Rich, who lives in Santee, is one of San Diego’s few fashion designers. He …

I haven’t bought a new suit since I was 12. The last time I went to a wedding, it was in a suit I got from a thrift store for $7, and it looked pretty …

Vanessa Valiente is San Diego’s original fashion blogger and an elite personal style consultant. Her services sit behind a long wait list and a battery of screening questionnaires, and for good reason. She knows what …

For most men, buying secondhand clothing is an alien experience, and that puts them behind a steepening curve. According to industry reports, the secondhand clothing market is set to match or surpass new clothing sales …

It’s hard to look “edgy” and “nice” at the same time. In fact, it’s almost impossible. Which is why it’s so impressive when someone pulls it off consistently. Michael Peterson, member of the San Diego-based …

Summer is the best time of the year to shop for clothes. As temperatures warm, prices drop. Few men seem aware of this. The hot months bring the lowest prices of the year for most …

Your first reaction to “cut your own hair” is probably to release a long, hissing breath and do something condescending with your eyebrows. That knee-jerk — brow jerk? — response is costing you an obscene …

In a market saturated with bad deals, there are few worse than men’s clothing subscription boxes. The idea is appealing on its face: pay a company a recurring fee ($20-$30 per month) and they’ll send …

Last summer was punishing. This one looks to be brutal, too. If you’re concerned with looking good when it’s hot, I have a few suggestions. Let me begin by saying that if style isn’t your …

It’s getting hotter. A sea of sleeveless tees and board shorts drowns the land. Through it wades a lone crusader, fighting on the side of aesthetics. Zoom in. It’s you, wearing a nice linen shirt. …

A pair of slim fitting jeans is one of the most stylish pieces of clothing you can own, and also one of the most expensive. A decent pair, bought retail, can run you from 50 …

“Designer clothing” is a euphemism for “expensive clothing.” A new Tommy Hilfiger button-up shirt costs $80. An equivalent shirt from John Varvatos costs $180. The cheapest Armani is $450. I’ve found all three for less …

Hats are good for your health, but a style liability. A hat is either going to make your look perilously casual or overly fashion-y. Both are bad Most guys wear ball caps with some kind …

Pretty soon, San Diego will return to its baseline of warm-weather semi-nudity. Your potato-bodied author considers this bad news. Layer while the weather permits. Layering, or wearing multiple pieces of clothing on your torso, makes …

If you want to learn how to dress well, the best way to start isn’t to turn to style experts. It’s to pay attention to the people around you. Develop an ear for what people …

Learn to wear a casual button-down shirt. It’s the most versatile shirt on offer, appropriate for everything but weddings and funerals. They’re not dress shirts. The main difference is that you can wear casual shirts …

Unless you’re a wayward fur trapper, you will be wearing t-shirts for the rest of the summer. There are a few ways to make them look great. The t-shirt is the most casual article of …

It’s almost illegal not to wear shorts in San Diego. Unfortunately, most guys do not pull them off well. Preserve your style by wearing shorts that fit perfectly, are in a conservative color, and are …

As monsoon season draws to a close, San Diego men are reverting to their natural attire: board shorts and beer tees. There’s a better alternative: the polo shirt. Polo shirts are an easy way for …