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Maxim Magazine’s Style Director Stan Williams Schools Us on Men’s Undershirts

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Jesse Szynal | 123 comments


Maxim Magazine's Stan Williams

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Stan  in Huntington Beach, CA last week.  He’s as solid as they come in the editorial world.  In addition to providing style advice to one of the best-selling  men’s magazines on the market (#1 or #2 depending on the time of day you ask), he’s taken time to help this start-up effort.  Over the past few months, Stan’s given me great insight and recommendations as to how to get the word out about the jT invisible undershirtand PR tips in general.  He thinks the product delivers on its goal and appears to dig it; enough to review the mens undershirt on the Maxim website.

Jesse: How long have you been in the fashion business?

Stan: I’ve been in the fashion business, oh [long pause, performing thorough calculations in his head]twenty years.

Jesse: So you probably know more about style than a guy who sold industrial controls up until 6 months ago?

Stan:  Maybe.  [I snicker,  Stan is deadpan.]

Jesse:  Onto undershirts, guys wear them for warmth, hygiene, and as part of their fashion. When do you wear them?

Stan:  I wear an undershirt every day.  I’ll wear them because I feel like it creates a clean finish between the clothes.  Also it protects my shirts from getting any sweat or deodorant stains.

Jesse:  When is it not ok to wear an undershirt showing in an open collar?

Stan:  You should only show you undershirt if it is part of your look – like if it’s a colored t shirt that is a contrast, or if it’s a texture that you want to show off underneath.  Otherwise you shouldn’t see it.

Jesse: I never understood the purpose of a tank top, aka, ‘wife beater’ unless you’re proudly displaying prison tats…are these ever a good idea as far as style is concerned?

Stan:  I think it really depends on the guy.  For me, I only wear them when I run out of other t shirts [Stan chuckles].  I think that you would only wear them if you’re wearing them to be seen.  But if you’re going to be wearing them to protect your clothing from sweat, deodorant, or antiperspirant, it’s not serving its purpose.

On our way out I asked Stan if he was wearing an undershirt as I couldn’t see one in his open collar.  Instead of telling me he unbuttoned his shirt two more buttons to reveal the jT from Collected Threads.

That’s what we’re talking about!

Posted in Fashion, Maxim Magazine, Style, Undershirts