Fashion Blog Focus: Nerd Boyfriend and The Sartorialist

Fashion is intimidating; its runways overrun with rail-thin waifs flaunting sunglasses the color and size of a pomelo and outrageously oversized collars hewn from some combination of beaver pelts and tablecloths which threaten to swallow the wearer whole. Ensemble after impractical ensemble, the question is begged: Who would actually wear that; that outfit which would be out of place at even the most lavish of galas? In most of the especially outlandish cases, the short answer is that no one would. Despite the admirable efforts of Project Runway to enlighten the unwashed masses, much of high fashion remains a purely artistic and aesthetic endeavor, as impractical as a John Cage composition or Jackson Pollock painting, though potentially as powerful.

But while the rarefied world of fashion may be inapplicable to everyday life, style is ambient. For better or worse, you've got to wear clothes. And while we often fancy the romantic notion that one aught live wholly free of concern for what others might think, a more thorough examination shows this to be rather rude behavior. We care what others think just as we hope that others might value our own thoughts and opinions and, like it or not, our outfits inevitably reflect certain inward aspects of ourselves. Call it shallow if you must, but there's a lot to be said for looking good. The every-day fashinistas of The Sartorialist and the smartly-dressed celebrities of Nerd Boyfriend strike a comfortable balance between the aspirational and the attainable. While the former blog tempers the often elaborate ensembles of its subjects with the simple fact that they are found not on the catwalk but on the sidewalk: quite literally the People Who Actually Wear That. On the other hand, the latter web log captures the timelessly keen styles of various classy and well-known men, from Albert Einstein to Jack Kerouac to Conan O'Brien. It also thoughtfully provides links to purchase comparable ensembles, ostensibly to aid in the process of dressing a real-life boyfriend as such.

Nerd Boyfriend:

 

The Sartorialist: