random cute and stylish chubby guy

This guy's look is amazing. Love the slightly over-sized London trench coat and the absolutely gorgeous vest! Layering is awesome, especially when the pieces are so classic. It's getting warmer out there, but here in Philly it's still a bit nippy, so a light trench and a vest are very doable.

STYLE > FASHION

Hey guys and gals, it's been awhile... Thanks for stopping by to see what's up.. coming soon, I will have interviews and fashion shoots with DJ DUIJI 13, an up-and-coming dj and rap artist with a heightened style sense... his look is very '90s hip-hop with a modern twist, and his personality is off the charts. He is also launching a t-shirt and design company and he will tell you all about it on a future blog (coming super soon!).

I will also be going on a tour of the city of Philadelphia, trying on and shopping for clothes and styles with my buddy Mike Benford (SEE THE PIC).



He's a party-promoter in the Philly area and he's a big ol' bear! He's also one of the more stylish guys rocking the "bear look", so much so that a fledgling bear clothing company has asked him to be an exclusive model. Stay tuned for the photo shoot.

There will be much more to come as well; who knows, maybe I'll even get my boyfriend to show off his new summer wardrobe? We'll see..

Meanwhile, I wanted to say something: STYLE is infinitely > fashion. Fashion is for goth ninjas and the super elite. That's fine if that's your style, but true style never fades. Fashion is what the elite tell you that you should be wearing; style is more important, because it comes from the heart, and it's what you *feel like* wearing. The key thing that makes something stylish over fashionable, is that it has a long lasting quality: derby hats, army cargo pants, polo shirts.. these things never go out of style because they are classic and iconic. It's when you can mix these pieces with something more modern, give it a sense of flair, that you've created your own personal style. Why spend $600 on a crinkly pair of goth-ninja genie pants that won't be "in" in 6 months, when you can create whatever look you're going for all under 100 bucks for a whole outfit?? Hopefully, in the coming month or so, we will be able to explore these options!

so.. see ya soon!

Lost? cntrl f fat guy model FOUND

hey guys! really quick wanted to show you this awesome vintage/thrift store/geek-chic guy.. he's working the geek-chic, meets mod angle pretty well.. it's also awesome that he's a bigger guy advertising for a vintage boutique! check him out

*this* is how to train a dragon!

With a great style choice! Hey guys, just popping in to let you know that I spotted Dean DeBlois, the guy who co-created animated hits "Lilo and Stitch" and "How to Train Your Dragon". I found him while scoping out some facebook pages to spam-up about the blog (yes, we here at bearstyle! are in full favor of shameless self-promo). Turns out, most of the pics of him showed him in really drab, flat collared button-downs with no shape, or like t-shirts. HOWEVER! Here he turns up in an amazing striped rugby from Canterbury of New Zealand, a personal favorite of mine. Now, with his skin tone especially, I wouldn't have gone for a white rugby with thinner stripes (white rugby with more pronounced stripes and detailing is ok on fairer skin, as long as the stripes are a dark, bold color to contrast). Nor would I have gone for that weird word right above the gut-line. Still, it's a dope piece and he rocks it well.

The rugby in general is a great fashion statement. I'm sure many of  you who are in the bear community already know about them as they've been a staple for awhile now. It started when the sport rugby was introduced in the gay community as a way to increase the community's athleticism and placate the need for competitive sports in an open, gay friendly atmosphere. Naturally, bears were attracted to the sport and the fashion/style followed.

They are usually slimmer fit, heavier polo shirts with wider collars. Some come in bizarre, confusing patterns with often mix-matched colors (these are called "uglies") while others keep it a simple two-tone. The key to rocking a rugby is to mix it up with another style. A red and black or green and black rugby with a tartan scarf, then a nice pair of chinos (greyish-silver dickies are always keen) or straight legged dark-wash jeans (black is good too).  I would advise against a more rugged jean like Levi or Lee's or Arizona, or cargos, or any kind of athletic shorts (for casual or evening wear) simply because your look will seem too mono-stylistic, if I may. Unless you're a rugby player, you don't want to go around looking like a rugby player because it will definitely come across as try-hard. Breaking up styles and fitting them to suit your personality is best.