[Brian's stuff]Guys, smarten up but keep your new interest in fashion a secret

I have met a lot of women including my sister who throw the inevitable question into the open: Should I get plastic surgery?

My answer is always the same: Don’t. I believe that everyone should just wear their natural face. It’s who you are.

Our ancestors didn’t cut their hair in the belief that it was unacceptable to get rid of any body part that was given by the blessing of one’s parents. As the country moved into the modern age, people have adopted today’s modern hairstyles, but the spirit should live on.

When it comes to clothing, it’s different. God probably programmed female brains to be conscientious of their looks. It’s they who carry around Vogue and all the other fashion magazines. Hardly any guy does that. Instead, you’ll often find guys put under the tutelage of their girlfriends or wives. And then a funny thing happens. You see people at work wearing nice stuff that don’t actually suit the wearer. Yet, the guy dutifully wears the awful apparel even if it is out of season or the wrong size.

Where is the personality? Where is the character? A simple “she likes it,” has become almost like a talisman for every horribly dressed male.

The old adage stays true: Guys don’t care. Guys should not care because that’s girls’ stuff. Right?

Wrong. Guys do care - many just don’t admit it. Guys should care because they are doing themselves a favor and also those in their company. This does not mean that you have to storm into the nearest department store and get the latest fashions.

Personally, I believe it’s more a matter of style. We are talking about very simple things. The right color coordination between different pieces of clothing, the right fit certainly helps, knowing when to wear what doesn’t hurt.

But there is also one important rule to keep in mind. I have a friend who does well financially. He has the means to buy the latest stuff. So whatever’s hot ends up in his closet, even items that don’t work. The latest “it” item on his list are Ray Ban sunglasses, which have become popular over the past two years. They look great but give him the look of a fugitive, certainly not the cool look he wants.

Buying into a trend is a common trap - which brings me to cardigans. They are said to be heavily favored by fashion designers this fall, but beware! These are not your grandfather’s cardigan, with a different cut and slimmer shape, a sporty look that goes well on casual days as well as in the office.

Should you get one? Only if you think you can handle knitwear. Otherwise, you’ll look out of place and like an old-timer.

How to wear clothing well is all about trial and error.

But if you start to take an interest in your appearance, avoid letting your girlfriend or wife know about your newfound fashion sense.

For some reason, females don’t like it when a guy has the ability to distinguish between this year’s Tod’s shoes and last season’s, although they like their guy dressed well.

So the key is to wear stuff as if you didn’t really pay any attention.

Sound hard? It is.

And that is why it’s a man enough act to try.

By Brian Lee Staff Reporter [africanu@joongang.co.kr]