Wasabi Nights

Interview with Andrew Warner; Super Star Entrepreneur and Founder of Mixergy.com

On Friday, May 29th at 11:00 AM PDT, I interviewed Andrew Warner, a young, super star entrepreneur, and Founder of Mixergy.com The interview ran live on the Mixergy site. 

I surf business sites daily.  However, Mixergy.com sucked me in on the first click.  It's an amazing collection of interviews, tips, shared secrets and how-to's for entrepreneurs and anyone hoping to increase their business savvy and revenue.  Andrew says he created the site for ambitious people to learn from experienced entrepreneurs.

While Mixergy is a virtual smorgasbord of information, I found very little information about Andrew Warner himself; such as how he launched (and sold) a $30+ MM business.  I was honored he  graced me with an interview so we could learn more about him.

As soon as I receive a copy of the interview, I will edit and post it so you can learn more about the amazing Man, his Mission and of course, his Style!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert

Interview with Pat McCarthy: A Successful VP of Product Marketing at Yahoo

Patrick (Pat) McCarthy is an entrepreneur at heart and has worked hard, and worked smart to climb his way to the top.  I've personally known Pat for the past nine years and it was fun to interview him and have the rare opportunity to catch up. 

We met at a local Starbucks and talked over a chocolate milk (his choice) and water (my choice-they didn't have the beverage I wanted and somehow the closest alternative-a cucumber flavored spritzer-sounded like a salad smoothie). 

When I first met Pat, he was an Executive Producer at Palo Alto Software.  He was also the owner and developer of a successful website called Wakeboarder.com.  A few years later, Pat left Palo Alto to join Right Media; a company that specialized in advertising exchange (similar format to the stock market), where they auctioned off unsold online advertising space.  Wright Media was later acquired by Yahoo! and with hard work and smart decisions, he is now the Vice President of Product Marketing at Yahoo!. 

I asked Pat exactly what his title meant and he said essentially he manages a team.  The team's goal is to understand the problems and needs of their customers in order to determine how Yahoo! can build a product and associated advertising campaign to take the product to market successfully.

Pat is very thankful to the internet for providing opportunities that allow him to live in his hometown of Eugene, OR.  He loves being close to family and friends and says the quality of living in Eugene is so high that it's worth the extra travel.  Yahoo! has corporate offices on both sides of the US, but he spends most of his time commuting to the Silicon Valley offices in California.  He admitted if he was less ambitious he probably wouldn't travel as much, but he feels it's important to meet and do business in person; face to face.  This is probably a wise choice that has helped him climb his way to the top so quickly.

Pat is an entrepreneur to the core and never thought he would intentionally work for a big company.  However, he is passionate about the industry and working for Yahoo! allows him the opportunity to work with smart people; whom he luckily gets along with very well.  Pat stressed to me that while he enjoys his work, he doesn't want to miss out on the joys of being a husband and father.  He works hard to maintain a good balance between work and home.

Pat is married to his high school sweetheart; Heather.  They have three beautiful children and are getting ready to move into a custom tour home which will also house his new home office. 

I asked Pat to describe the dress code or dress "understanding" of his peers at Yahoo!.  Pat said essentially there isn't a strict dress code.  At the corporate offices in Silicon Valley, it's common to see CEO's in sandals and T-shirts.  He said it's strange to see a man in a suit at the California offices. I asked if there was a difference between the dress style at the Yahoo! corporate offices on the West coast versus the East coast.  He said the sales staff in New York who work with the "Madison Avenue accounts" wear suits regularly, but no tie.  (business casual east coast style)

Working at a satellite office in Eugene, or at his home office where he talks on the phone most of the day, means Pat can wear what he likes.  He said his father will walk into his office and see men in T-shirts, shorts and a baseball hat and can't believe they dress for work that way! 

Pat mostly wears Banana Republic, Gap or Old Navy because his wife Heather worked for this retail line before they were married.  He likes to wear Cole Haan shoes because he travels a lot and finds the Nike Air aspect of them very comfortable for all of his airport walking.  He admitted that he probably out-dresses most in the Yahoo offices because it's not a dressy culture.  However, he feels better, when he is dressed better.

Pat's pearl of wisdom into the techie clothing culture is that "it's not necessary to dress for your level of success, but it helps."

I asked Pat to describe his clothing style.  He said he doesn't want to be trendy for the sake of trendy.  His goal is to look timeless and consistent.  He said he doesn't have a lot of impending needs to dress nice in his line of work, but his wife likes him to look nice.

Pat said his wife Heather shops for him 60 - 75% of the time.  Pat doesn't hate shopping, it's more of a time issue.  He said he used to like shopping with Heather, but it's difficult now with three children and a busy work schedule. He depends on Heather's advice and needs to try things on to get Heather's approval.  He said it's always a risk when he shops alone to know if he is buying the right items or not. 

He said he knows what he likes, but isn't always sure how to put it together and know how to layer or what coordinates with what.  Heather advised him to look at what the mannequins are wearing for ideas but he finds it's not always the best look on him. 

He said he doesn't like to buy online because he finds the colors, material and fit are often not what he expected.

Pat's biggest clothing challenge is time.  He doesn't have the time to shop or the time to keep up with the current styles.  He said he reads the Wasabi Nights blog and finds it very helpful and will occasionally look at a Men's Style magazine, but otherwise, he never seeks out advice in a store.

Pat said he especially liked the Wasabi Nights undershirt post and while some might balk at the $26 price tag of the Banana Republic pima cotton undershirts, he said "it really makes a difference!"

I asked Pat what peeves he has regarding men's clothing and he said he hates sandals with socks.  Then he laughed and admitted he wears his dress socks with sandals in his back yard after work!  He said "I come home and step out of my dress shoes and into my back yard sandals.  I always look down and laugh at myself."

He said he's not too picky and doesn't have any big aspirations for men's clothing but said he cringes when he sees men wearing bulky, white walking shoes.  He said "I see men my age (30's) wearing them.  Why?!"

Lastly, as I took a few quick photos of Pat outside the coffee shop, he asked me some questions about the Trunk Club.  He said he loves the concept.  I invited him to join and he said he's interested, but knows his wife Heather likes to shop for him.  However, he said she doesn't have a lot of time anymore as a busy mother of three.  I mentioned Trunk Club could be the extension of her.  She could still make the shopping decisions without having to spend the actual time shopping. 

As a wife myself, I can honestly relate to Heather's concern.  I like to shop for my husband and like to keep tabs and have influence in what he wears.  However, the main challenges are time and my frustration having to return things that didn't fit or he didn't like (picture me rolling my eyes here).  Lastly, husbands want their wife's opinions and guidance, but they are quite sensitive to her feedback and suggestions.  I find as a Trunk Club consultant, I can say things the wife might say, but he will listen to me since I am an outside, expert, opinion.  I love having wives and girlfriends involved in the Trunk Club experience for men who want her approval. 

To Pat (Mr. Chocolate Milk), thank you for sharing your time with me and your wonderfully candid clothing experiences.  It was really nice to see you again and I look forward to seeing your gorgeous, new home!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert

Interview with Cameron Martin: A Successful Wealth Portfolio Manager

Mr. Cameron (Cam) Martin was referred to me by Manner of the Month founder Mindy Lockard.  She described Cam as a young, successful businessman who is always smartly dressed and recommended I invite him for an interview.  Cam agreed and I discovered there is more to his story than just a nice outfit.

For the first 15 minutes of the interview, Cam essentially interviewed me.  I was flattered and taken off guard.  Sad, but true, people have become so disconnected they don't ask more than a name and title.  Cam was genuinely interested in knowing more about me, Wasabi Nights and the Trunk Club.  Perhaps he was assessing my wealth potential?

When it was my turn to ask the questions, I quickly discovered Cam's success isn't just financial.  As he proudly showed me a framed photo of his gorgeous wife Nicole, and their two, angel-blonde daughters, it was obvious his success is equally balanced between his personal and professional life.   

Cam grew up in Eugene, OR and began his adult life as a professional golfer before entering the "working man's world."  He is a former state amateur champion and an All Pac-10 Conference selection.  He attended UNLV's golf program, but missed the college atmosphere and transferred to the University of Oregon; graduating with a degree in Sociology.  Soon after, he went pro for a brief period. 

Competitive golfing runs in the family; his brother is Casey Martin, the former golf pro who sued the PGA Tour and won.  Cam still loves golfing, but unlike his brother; who stayed in the golfing business, Cam went to find a different green. 

As a Portfolio Manager for IMS Capital Management, Inc., Cam's green is managing money.  Lots of it. He and his firm are responsible for managing over $300 million for private clients and institutions. 

Working in the investment world, Cam's dress code is business formal.  He jokingly said "I'm one of the four men in Eugene who wears a suit every day to work."  He described his work-clothing style as "traditional" and said he likes to look "right" at work.  He mostly wears navy and gray suits and has bought his dress shirts from a tailor in Irvine, CA for the last nine years.

Does your wife help you buy your clothing?
I pick out my own clothes.  I don't enjoy it though.  I have to be at work by 6:00 AM and to be honest, I don't want to have to think about my clothes.

What do you like to wear when you are off work?
My favorite is jeans and a T-shirt.  I only wear that at home though.  I don't feel comfortable out in public without a collared shirt on. 

I notice you are wearing pleated pants.  Tell me why you like to wear them?
I always associated pleated pants with a conservative look.  I'm not really sure why I wear them though.

Some men in suits, look like "men in suits."  You have a style that is uniquely your own and I love that you aren't afraid to mix different patterns and textures together.
Thanks.  Practically everything I own is patterned.  I sometimes worry that I mix and wear patterns too much!

Most wives I know would LOVE for their husband to dress more professionally.  Does your wife comment about your clothing?
She is very kind and says I "look nice," but she doesn't comment much.  I do value her input.

In an super-casual town like Eugene, I know you receive compliments from people about the way you dress.  Tell me a few you remember.
My daughters notice I look different from most of the other men here, probably because I wear a suit.  They are very complimentary.  It's very sweet.

A recent compliment I received was from woman in her early twenties at the Downtown Athletic Club.  I was there for a business lunch and as she walked past me on the stairs, she said "Oh my God!!! You look so nice!!"  It was so unexpected.  It made my day.

I know you wear a suit to work everyday, but do you always wear a tie?  What about cuff links?
If I am meeting with clients, I always wear a tie.  I wear cuff links once every few weeks.  When I am not meeting with clients on a particular day, I might leave the tie off, I just have to make sure I wear a v-neck undershirt that day since the top of my dress shirt will be open.

Living in a small, casual town like Eugene, what hopes do you have with regards to men's clothing?
I would love to see people care more about how they look.  I think it would be a positive move for our community; especially downtown.

Everyone has secret fashion peeves.  What are your men's clothing peeves?
When I see men wearing suits that don't fit well, shoes that don't match the belt and when men don't button the right buttons on their jacket.

During the last part of our interview, Cam turned the tables on me and he became the interviewer again!

Cam: I know pleated pants aren't in, but I don't want to invest in a bunch of new suit pants just to find out the trend changed again.

Lisa: The issue with pleated pants isn't so much about trend or fashion.  It's more about what looks best.  Flat front pants are more flattering in general.  Back in the day, Carey Grant was well known for his pleated pants.  However, back then, men's pants had a much higher rise and the waistband nearly touched the bottom of the ribcage.  Men wore suspenders to hold their pants in place and wore a longer jacket that covered up their hips (and the pleats) so the overall look was better.  Since then, men's pants have become lower waisted and jackets shorter or just not included.  This makes the pleats very obvious as they puff out into a pear shape creating "hips".  Pleats can also give the man a saggy looking rear end.  Worst of all, while I understand pleats may feel more comfortable, when men sit down, their pants puff up into Mr. Elephantitis!  I referred him to my post about pleated pants for more information.

Cam then asked me for advice on some specific belts, accessories and clothing etiquette.  He is obviously a man who cares about his appearance and is interested in keeping his style appropriate and up to date.  I think it would be refreshing for other men to know that even nicely dressed men have style questions and ask for advice.

I admired Cam's comfortably, elegant manner and his understanding of some of the essentials many men naively overlook.  For example, he knew to plan ahead and wear a v-neck undershirt on days he wasn't going to wear a tie (or might remove the tie).  Otherwise, his undershirt would show.  Simple things like this, especially in a business formal office, make a big difference in your overall appearance and impression.

Lastly, Cam described his style as "traditional" but when I commented on his enormous Nike watch, he laughed and said "you can't take the sportsman out of me!"  Despite Cam's gentlemanly manner, I can tell he is a driven man.  He is in it, to win it.  I see lots of green in his future. 

Thank you Cam for your time and genuine interest in our interview.  It was such a pleasure to meet you!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert

Architectural Style: Interview with a Successful Architect

A commonly heard phrase is a "stylish man."  However, Mr. IE is someone I would describe as a man of style.  As a successful architect who has specialized in green design for the past twenty years (long before green design was chic), Mr. IE has an eye for style.  He says he "loves light and shade and has a passion for contrast."  What strikes me most about this man, is the way he wears his style in such a masculine, yet gentle way.  His look is comfortable and approachable yet always polished.  A balance of contrast.

Mr. IE grew up in the middle east and began his architecture career for a multinational firm in green design.  He then moved to the US and attained his masters and doctoral degree; starting on the east coast before settling on the west coast.  Currently, he shares his time between his green design consulting firm; Innovative Invironments, and teaching.  Mr. IE is a tenured professor for a university architecture program ranked number one in the US for green sustainability.  

I asked Mr. IE to summarize what "green design" really means.  Mr. IE explained to me that green design is about energy and people and how they affect each other.  Rather than focusing on just green building materials and architectural design, Mr. IE balances his approach by thinking of the people who will use and inhabit the structure.  His goal is to help people feel comfortable in green buildings and to better understand how green design impacts people's health and productivity.  Mr. IE's clothing style uses this same approach.

Mr. IE is very careful to balance his clothing and overall look with how it affects people and the way they feel (including himself).  He was raised in the Middle East where dressing impeccably is a way of life.  His father wore two or three piece suits daily to work and only dressed down to a sport coat on the weekends.  Mr. IE himself wore a school uniform growing up so he has always been accustomed to wearing a jacket.  While growing up in a culture of couture helped give Mr. IE an eye for style, and a love of color, he felt the impeccable dress code to be a bit stuffy and untouchable.

After working at a multinational firm for five years, Mr. IE moved to the US and slowly began to water down his color palette.  He admitted he felt he almost lost his style to 90's minimalism; all black or black and grey.  After a long stay working in Italy, he "snapped back" and more importantly found the balance he had been searching for.  He currently describes his style as "minimalist with a touch of style."  

In Italy, Mr. IE noticed people were nicely dressed without being stuffy.  They added color or  accessories that helped make their look stylishly approachable.  A funny story he shared about an experience in Italy was a time he was buying a suit.  He put the pants on and said "I think the pants are a little tight."  The tailor said "No! They fit perfectly, you just have to change the way you walk a little."  After a shared laugh, I asked Mr. IE if he bought the pants and he said he did!  I asked if he changed the way he walked and he said not so much, but perhaps he didn't take as big of strides and said the body adjusts so quickly it's hardly noticeable.  As a woman who loves wearing high heels daily, this sums up the mystery for those who can't figure out how we wear them!

Mr. IE loves contrast.  In architecture he is passionate about the contrast of light and shade. In his clothing style, he brings this contrast to play by using color, like pairing a light brown blazer with dark, denim jeans.  He said after Italy, he got rid of his black suits and replaced them with dark grey, charcoal and pinstripe.  He loves the versatility of grey and how it can be mixed up with color; including brown to add interest and make it more approachable.  

Mr. IE was raised by the premise that being well dressed is a sign of respect to the people you are with.  A proverb from his culture is "Eat what you want, but dress what people want."  He said when he is addressing the public, like during a lecture or presentation, he feels it is important to look nice to show respect to those you are addressing.  Therefore, he always wears a blazer during lecture hall.  He said before Italy, he always wore slacks and a blazer, however post Italy he feels confident wearing premium, dark denim jeans with a blazer.  The jacket upgrades the jeans to slacks level so he can still maintain a professional look.  Out of respect for the casual nature of academia, he only wears a two piece suit at most and generally for conferences or special occasions.  It's important to Mr. IE to avoid the stuffy atmosphere and maintain a friendly, approachable style.

I asked him to describe responses he has received from others about his style and clothing.  After some prodding, he modestly admitted he has always been noticeably well dressed, especially in the US.  He said his students tell him they like and respect his clothing, saying "he looks ready to teach instead of like he just rolled out of bed and dropped into lecture hall."  He said back in college, international women, especially Brazilian women loved the way he dressed and noticed him. Ahem, single men, take notes here!!

Mr. IE has a stunning wife and an adorable son (that cherub face!).  Mr. IE isn't the only one with style in their family as his wife is quite the Fashionista!  I asked if he receives feedback from his family and he said they are very complimentary and his son recently asked him "Daddy, why do you always look handsome?"  I say; out of the mouth of babes!

Mr. IE feels very flattered by the compliments he receives and when I started our interview by complimenting him on his style and detailing what specifically I appreciated, he genuinely blushed and was shy and embarrassed!   Charming!

I asked Mr. IE to share some of his clothing insight with other men.

• He feels he works better when he is dressed for work (versus dressed to go sailing).
• If he isn't professionally dressed, he doesn't feel he is really there (he said he feels sleepy).
• In Italy, there is a clear understanding that beach clothing belongs on the beach, not in town.
• Being nicely dressed is a sign of respect to others.
• A coat is generally big, and boxy.  A jacket is structured and made to fit your body.  The coat is just to wear over the jacket in the case of inclement weather.
• Don't button up all the buttons on your suit jacket (or blazer).  Always leave the bottom button un-done.  Otherwise you look like a "trunk." (obviously this doesn't apply if it's a one button jacket-which is rather rare)
• He doesn't like or wear clown shoes or skinny pants.
• Don't downgrade the outfit for the jeans.  Instead, upgrade the jeans with a blazer.
• He avoids summer clothing in the winter.  He thinks men are too in love with their T-shirts!
• Fleece or outdoor performance coats with slacks is tacky.  He suggests you get a nicer rain jacket if you live in a rainy climate.
• He loves zip sweaters and says they are very versatile (I agree!!!).
• He can never get enough dress shirts with nice patterns, textures and great fit.  If he finds one, he gets it (and uses it for years).
• He has many shirts with french cuffs and doesn't try to subdue the cuffs.  He wears them in the formal "kissing" style and most often uses silk knots.  However, for his style, he only wears french cuffs when wearing a jacket.
• In a business casual atmosphere, he is investing less in wool and more in cotton and linen suits.  We discussed how many designers are offering great options now.

Mr. IE has a lot to offer the world through green design and sustainability, and also through his message of respectful, clothing style.  I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to interview him.  Thank you, to Mr. IE, and his family for sharing their time, friendship and elegant fashion sense!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Consultant

Letter from Lisa

I realized I must have blinked through Spring as I stare in disbelief at the calendar; it's almost June and summer is officially here!  Life becomes unusually busy this time of year.  Not only are we packing up our winter clothing, but many are also traveling, moving, changing jobs, getting married, etc. 

As our lives speed up (think beep beep beep like the TiVo remote), we find ourselves re-shuffling our personal task list and pushing more and more to the bottom; focusing only on the most urgent tasks.  Time becomes our most precious commodity.

Last week, my blogging came to a screeching halt as I was busy welcoming a large group of new Trunk Club members.  It's such a fun job and it's such a treat to meet so many men; leading very different lives in different locations, who all share a commonality of being really nice people.  We hear so much about the bad guys it's easy to lose focus that the majority are the good guys.

Back to the Blog!  I have an exciting week of blogging articles for you.  This week, I will be posting three "Successful Men" interviews: an architect, a VP at Yahoo and a wealth manager.  It was very interesting for me to learn more about what these men really do and the compliments and challenges they encounter when dressing for success.

On Friday, I have an interview with Andrew Warner, the founder of Mixergy.com.  The interview will run live on the Mixergy site on Friday, May 29th, at 11:00 AM Pacific.  My interview will focus on Andrew Warner: The Man, The Mission, The Style.  If you haven't heard of Mixergy yet, check it out.  It's an amazing site and I am sucked in and learn something new each time I visit.

I am also working on some clothing reviews, helpful tips and interesting stories to share about men I saw or met on a recent trip to LA.  I don't have as many photos as I had hoped since I discovered my husband was very good at taking pictures of women, but didn't take as many of the men I asked him to!

I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and I pledge to keep my blogging higher on the task list!

Best,

Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert

Interview with a Successful Man I Met at LAX

Los Angeles, CA is famous for it's Hollywood stars, opulent lifestyles and fancy cars.  One would assume that a city based on image and appearances would boast an opulent airport.  However, LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) is anything but opulent.  In fact, I would call it snoringly unattractive.  Yet as I walked through the terminal and approached my gate, a man stood out in the sea of blah.  He was a perfect example of polished-casual.  He wasn't over done; just done well.

As luck smiled upon me, the only two seats left, were next to him and his beautiful family.  Casual conversation ensued and as small worlds collide, we discovered we lived in the same city, and I have exclusively used his company's service during the past decade to repair damage to my cars (I promise I am a good driver, I just have bizarre luck!!).

Brent is the Production Manager of Auto Craft and was returning from a sunny escape to LA with his family.  From a distance, I noticed Brent was wearing dark denim jeans, a tailored oxford shirt and nice accessories.  He looked handsome, confident and successful.

Brent is an interesting dichotomy.  On the one hand, he reads InStyle magazine to help him stay up to date in the fashion world, and on the other hand, he reads Car and Driver to fuel his auto world obsession.  Unlike your stereotypical auto dude, Brent loves shopping and his favorite brand is Armani.  Like me, he LOVES shoes, and his favorites are by Gucci, Prada and Santoni.  He says he is in the practical stage of life now, as a father of two, and therefore wears ECCO loafers, Cole Haan and his infamous red Puma driver shoes.

I asked Brent how he developed his style, and taste in clothing.  He said he grew up with style because his parents were very well dressed and had both an eye for cars and an eye for clothing.  He admitted he was picked on in high school, and college especially, as being an "over-dresser."  He said he was quite arrogant in his twenties but now that he is a father, he's mellowed because "having children is humbling." 

Brent said he was a sworn bachelor for years and while he dated a lot of models, he didn't plan on settling down.  However, in his thirties, the right woman found him!  They married and are the proud parents of a five year old daughter and three year old son. As a father, Brent said there is a bigger purpose behind his style; to be consistently polished and presentable to make his children proud to have him as their father.  Brent's wife Andrea said "he is always 'done' and looks good all the time."  Brent beams with pride when he hears his daughter say "my dad is always dressed nice."

The biggest challenge Brent faces with regards to clothing is living in a small town; which is why he loves to travel!  Brent says he wants a timeless look, yet also admits he wants to know what's in and what's out to ensure he stays up to date.  While he loves to shop, living in a town with just the "bare essentials" leaves him frustrated since internet shopping is essentially window shopping because he doesn't want to buy something unless he can touch it first.

The biggest pet peeves he has about men's clothing in general are loose fitting clothes, especially dress shirts.  He was wearing a tailored shirt he had custom made for him at The Custom Shop in LA.  However, for men with his trim physique (he is a former professional cyclist and still cycles for fitness), he said most shirts are too loose in the torso and arms.  He doesn't want to wear the Seinfeld puffy shirt but doesn't have many options where he lives.

Brent is a good example of a man who likes to shop, but due to his location, doesn't have the clothing options available to meet his needs.  The Trunk Club is a great option for men is this situation because clothing is hand selected and sent directly to him so he can see it, touch it and try it on live (via webcam) with his TC expert.   With an expert at his service, he doesn't have to worry or spend time trying to make sure his clothing look is up to date.  And, he can buy with confidence knowing he is getting pieces that help him look his best.   While many Trunk Club members join because they hate to shop, TC can also be a huge benefit to men who like to shop, but don't have the right stores available in their area.

Brent mentioned at the end of his interview that in car racing you "look good, drive good." This seems to perfectly sum up a man who loves fashion and looking good; and loves cars and living well.

Thank you, to Brent, his wife Andrea and their two beautiful children, for their time and friendship on the way home from LA!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert

Bonobos Pants: Helping Men Look Good, One Tush a Time.

I regularly see men trying to look good, yet stumbling, with problem pants.  Here are the three biggest problems I see:

1. Pleated pants; it's not about trend, it's about what physically looks best on the man, and flat front looks best. 
2. "Diaper butt."  When a man wears pants that are too big, has pleats or doesn't fit well, he can appear to have a full, saggy diaper in the back of his pants.  Since most of you men potty trained long, long ago, I can't imagine this is the look you are going for.  Since we see your derriere more often than you do, I thought you might like to know it's a common problem men have and yes, people do notice your behind. 
3. BSS: Big, Baggy and Short.  I often see men wearing pants that are too big and baggy, especially in the legs and often too short.  This makes the man look bulkier, shorter and unpolished in a cheap salesman kind of way.

If you just looked around to see if anyone noticed you are wearing a pair of problem pants, Bonobos (pronounced: buh-NOH-bos), may have the solution to your pant problems.  If you are the lucky man who doesn't have a problem, but would love a pair of nice fitting pants; this NewYork clothing company is worth looking into.

Bonobo boasts they have "awesome fitting trousers."  After seeing them on clients of different height, shapes and sizes, I agree.  Bonobos pants come in many different colors, cuts and styles in addition to a variety of fabrics; including organic cotton.  They offer casual, cotton, twill pants, all the way up to "insanely oppulent" wool, cashmere slacks.  Stylish fact: Bonobos pants are handmade in New York. 

The founders of Bonobos want all men to have pants that fit well, and are on a mission to completely eliminate "diaper butt" in men's wardrobes.  Looking at the popularity Bonobos pants are receiving, I think they are on a roll.

One thing I especially like about some of the pants they offer, is the colorful pocket and waistband linings.  Many of these linings traditionally appeal to women more than men, but perhaps the idea is to get women to want to see the inside of your pants?  No matter what, you can always ignite interesting conversation by pulling out your pocket lining and saying "want to see what's in my pocket?"   Who knew Bonobos could help you look good and avoid dull conversation?!

Back to fit, function and style.  Like most pants, you have to try them on to decide if they are right for you.  However, I recommend Bonobos pants as a a quality product that fits and looks great, and at a reasonable price.  Join the revolution and just say no to diaper derriere!  It's our goal at Hendricks Park to help you look your best; your rear-end included!

-Lisa Bruckner, Hendricks Park

The Ultimate Undershirt by Tommy John: A Personal Review

This review was very difficult to write because I wanted to make a short video-blog that would visually compare the Tommy John undershirt to some of the other types of undershirts I've already reviewed.  The challenge; every time I would wash and fold the Tommy John undershirt, intending to use it the next morning for my video, my husband would somehow find it and wear it before I could stop him.  I guess this speaks volumes on it's own.  I'll post the video with the Tommy John undershirt as soon as I get an opportunity.

Why am I reviewing this undershirt?  I recently posted an article called Men's Undershirts: Do You Need to Wear One? Which One is Best?  As a result, I received an email from the  The Undershirt Guy who respectfully questioned how I knew the information I did (which is a fair question considering I am a woman).  I explained to him that I have been buying, washing, and folding undershirts for my husband for well over a decade and feel pretty confident in my knowledge of them by now.  I further explained I am the one who sees my husband wearing these undershirts daily and as a Trunk Club expert, it's my job to know the proper fit, function and style of men's clothing.

However, Undie Man had a point.  So, I decided to write an article based on a man's review.  Since I already reviewed the other low to mid range undershirts, an opportunity arose for my husband to try out a premium undershirt.  At $36 per shirt, it's priced for men who earn a comfortable income, value quality and budget accordingly.  It's not astronomical if you consider it's the piece of clothing you actually wear against your skin all day long.  However, as a realist, I understand many men who can afford a $36 shirt, don't yet value the idea of investing in quality undergarments.  These men prefer buying (and regularly replacing) cheaper undershirts.

To cut to the chase, my husband is a man who doesn't enjoy shopping and sees clothing as more of a necessity than a fun and exciting aspect of life.  He looks nice for work (thanks to Trunk Club) but isn't what I would call a Fashionisto.  So, when he volunteered to wear the Tommy John undershirt after it arrived in the mail, I nearly fainted.  To my surprise, he actually wore it the very next morning.  I purposefully didn't bug him about it to wait and see what his honest feedback was (if any).  Later that night, I nearly fell over (picking up my jaw) as he initiated conversation about his experience wearing the Tommy John shirt!  He isn't a hugely talkative man, so please don't expect volumes.  However, he said a lot more than I would have expected.  Here is literally what he said:

"I like the new (Tommy John) undershirt."  (Lisa: FAINT!  Tell me what you liked.)

"It fits."

"It feels good."

"I like how it feels on me."

"It feels good under my shirt likes it's not going to ride up."

I asked him if he would recommend it to other men.  He said "Yeah."  I asked if the length bothered him.  He said "No."  Do you think it's worth the money?  "Yes."  Super chatty guy, huh?

Lisa's Review: The undershirt is very soft and thin, but isn't as transparent as it looked on the website (however, my husband, who is a runner, is a lean build and doesn't pack big guns like the model on the Tommy John site).  It was extremely stretchy, but held it's shape well and was comfortably fitted.  I think it would work well for most body shapes and sizes.  It's longer than most, which helps it stay tucked-and thus helps keep your dress shirt tucked in.  I also think the length would be a great benefit for larger men.  I don't think the length would be a problem for shorter men since the shirt stretches a lot and when un-stretched, it's not overly long.  It does have a side seam, but didn't seem to bother or chafe at all.  My husband most recently wore it in 80 degree weather and didn't report he was too warm or sweaty wearing it under his dress shirt.  It looked masculine on him and most importantly, he liked wearing it.

I spoke with the CEO of Trunk Club and recommended the Tommy John product for Trunk Club members.  I think it's a good option to have available.  It may not be right for all men, but I do believe for most, it's an ultimate undershirt.

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Consultant

The Value of Expert Advice

Today I am going to share something from my personal life.  I am the mother of three children and I have worked very, very hard to get my body back, especially after my third was born.  However, no matter how hard I worked out, how much I dieted; the last five pounds would not come off.  My  husband and women friends consoled me and said things like "you are so thin, you look great!"  However, I didn't feel great. 

About a month ago, as I realized bikini season was almost upon us in the Pacific Northwest, I sought the advice of the nutritionist who works at the gym I belong to.  This was hard for me to do since I eat very healthy and am very educated on my food choices.  After telling her my sob story, she recommended just one thing: eat breakfast every morning and switch out my cereal for a bowl of oatmeal.  I told her I loathed oatmeal.  She said: make it so you'll like it (i.e. add healthy sweets to it if necessary). 

Since I was desperate, I decided to give it a go.  I normally eat breakfast, but now I vowed to do it no matter what.  I bought a huge box of organic, instant oatmeal packets and ate one every morning.  I added half a banana, some raisins, a heaping tablespoon of maple syrup and some toasted flax seeds to make it palatable (you may say gross, but this is how I like it!).  She told me not to worry about the carbs; which I am sure were astronomical.  I quickly learned to love oatmeal and look forward to it every day.  While in LA last week, I actually missed it!

To make a long story short, in one month, I lost five pounds, have more energy to work out, am not as hungry, don't crave sweets as much and I lost over an inch and a half from my waistline!  All of this happened in the first two weeks, but I have easily maintained this ever since. 

My point?  Accepting expert advice, no matter how much I thought I knew already, helped me achieve results I was unable to do on my own. 

How can this help you look your best?  I would like to share a secret about the Trunk Club, which is the company I am a consultant for.  Many people mistakenly think Trunk Club is a personal shopping service.  However, it's so much more.  Sure, we make it easy for men to buy their clothing without having to shop or even leave their home, but the key is the expert advice.  As a Trunk Club consultant, it's my job to provide expert advice to the members I work with, so they look their best.  Often this means we send them clothing they wouldn't necessarily pick out themselves or offer suggestions they may not have considered before.  However, as one member recently told me; he loves knowing "I've got his back" and will "tell him like it is" (I meet with members live, via Skype online).  He said he finds comfort in knowing he can email me anytime and ask for clothing advice, and that I help him stay up to date so "he doesn't have to worry about being embarrassed by outdated (or unflattering) clothing."  I didn't like oatmeal, and never would have guessed it was the answer to my problem.  However, the expert was right and I am very glad I listened!

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Consultant

How to correctly pronounce 'wasabi'

While I don't look Japanese and at five foot ten I pretty much defy any possibility of being Japanese, I am indeed half Japanese.  Raised by a native speaker, I grew up in America hearing the correct pronunciation of many commonly used Japanese words: futon, tofu, sushi, wasabi, etc.  The interesting part is as a child, I didn't always connect the American pronunciation with the Japanese word.  For example, my camp counselor in fourth grade was nicknamed "Tofu" pronounced in America as Toe-foo.  The correct pronunciation is To-u-fhoo.  The "fhoo" part is more a quick breath out.  The children at camp teased me because I didn't know what tofu was and many didn't believe I was actually Japanese!

This lovely game has continued into my adult life; most surprisingly with the name of my blog Wasabi Nights.  When I first named the blog and mentioned it to people, they didn't understand what I meant.  I would raise my eyebrows in surprise and say "Wasabi.  It's the green paste you eat with sushi."  The response was always the same: "oh, you mean wasabi!" 

Confused?  I was, until I realized my correct pronunciation was incorrect for American vernacular.  Wasabi is correctly pronounced "wa-sa-bee."  It's pronounced in an elegantly, quick manner.  Wa! Sa! Bi!  Americans however pronounce it "wu-saaaw-bee" and heavy on the "wasssup" part. 

I had to practice over and over saying it the American way to help avoid confusion!  The way I remember is to think of those silly Budweiser "Wassuuuuup!" commercials back in 1999.  However, when I am tired or am distracted; my mental homing device kicks in and I forget the American pronunciation and have to ask someone how to pronounce it.  People always look at me as if I have lost my marbles.

So, today's post (while I work on writing up some of the amazing interviews I have done this week with successful men), is about educating you so I no longer have to mangle my culture's language!

How can this help you look your best?  When enjoying sushi or when dining with the Japanese, you can impress and show respect by saying "please pass the wasabi (wa! sa! bi!)."

-Lisa Bruckner Trunk Club Expert