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Rachael Ray Show

Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

"Can I Wear ... Men's Fashions?"

"Can I Wear ... Men's Fashions?"
Aired on: October 16, 2009

From seasonal fashions to the latest '80s trends, Rachael's "Can I Wear ... ?" series has helped women pull off new looks with confidence! But when it comes to men, are they really as concerned about whether they can sport a certain look? "I think guys are so self-conscious about the way they look, they just never really say so," explains Kyan Douglas, Rachael's style buddy. "I think that's one of the reasons why they don't take many risks." So Kyan helps ease the minds of three men who are intimidated by taking these fashion leaps:

"Can I wear skinny jeans?"

"My style is straight up, dirty rock and roll," grins Opus, a 37-year-old drummer and touring musician. After years in the business and many style changes that have included heavy-metal spandex and hip-hop bandanas, Opus is not really sure what's in style right now. "In rock and roll, image is everything," he declares. Opus sees many young musicians, like Good Charlotte or the Jonas Brothers, sporting skinny jeans, but he's not sure if he'll be able to fit into that trend - literally. "Am I too husky to wear skinny jeans?" he asks.

Despite the fact that skinny jeans sizes typically end at a 35-inch waist and Opus is a 36, Kyan explains that he can still have the look of a skinny jean with a really dark-wash denim jean in a slim-fit cut. "They're more tapered than a straight leg or a boot leg," Kyan says, "so when you add the dark denim it looks almost like a skinny jean." Opus is ready to rock with his new look. "I feel really skinny, actually!" he says. "A full-blown rocker!"

Kyan has a tip for those with tight jeans who worry that their jeans might not fit after washing: "Don't wash them right away. Wear them for a couple of months, but every couple of days roll them up and throw them in the freezer for 48 hours. It kills all that bacteria. It's like washing them, but it doesn't shrink them. It's even good for T-shirts or anything that you just don't want to wash."

"Can I wear a plunging neckline?"

Chris is a personal trainer whose style is all T-shirts with jeans or sweats, but he longs to sport a deep V-neck shirt like he's seen on Johnny Depp or John Mayer. "I think it just shows off basically what you have," he states, "and if you're in good shape you can pull it off." But this 32-year-old husband and father isn't ready to ditch his T-shirts just yet. "Am I too old to wear a deep V-neck shirt?" he asks.

Kyan explains that while Chris is not too old to wear this look, deep V-necks are cut for skinny men, so it's difficult to find one with the width and back to accommodate the shoulders of someone with a larger build like Chris. "We recreated a little nod to the deep V with the vest and a regular V T-shirt," Kyan demonstrates. "It's a nod to the trend for guys who are too big." Chris thinks he could pull off this new look. "At first, it took some getting used to," he says, "but I actually like it, I really do."

"Can I Wear Scarves?"

Mike, 29 says that his wife Stephanie would like him to step it up a bit when they go out. "I think men in scarves look very sophisticated," she says. While stars like Hugh Jackman and Brad Pitt might be able to get away with this trend, the one time Mike wore a scarf his friends called him Harry Potter! "I don't know if I can pull off that look," Mike admits.

"Scarves are a very fashion forward trend," Kyan says. "The great thing about a scarf is that it can dress up something as simple as a T-shirt and jeans." Kyan makes the look work for Mike by using a slate gray scarf rather than a bright color, and the frayed edges give it a worn out work. "Like he didn't think about it too much," Kyan says. "He just threw it on."

Mike still remains a bit hesitant. "I like the scarf, but it's going to take some getting used to," he admits. "Kyan picked this one out so I can accept it, but if I'm with my friends, it's going to be a little more difficult to pull it off."

Kyan's bottom line: "It's great to take a risk and try something new, but at the end of the day, if you don't feel comfortable in something, don't wear it. It's OK to say, 'You know what, this isn't for me.'"



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