The last issue of Winnipeg Men saw the owners of four leading menswear stores questioned about style. Two things stand out from their answers. First, that style transcends fashion, meaning that style is your unique personality expressed in what you wear, drive, watch, listen to or spend time doing. Simply, it’s the sum of many parts. Second, unlike style, which tends to remain constant, fashion changes all the time, turning those who don’t understand the difference into broke, insecure wrecks with silly, product-filled mops and $300 skinny jeans that don’t suit them.

Now I hate to be the one to break it to you guys, but I think I know what’s wrong. We’ve lost something extremely important along the way: OUR MANHOOD. Where did it go, you ask? I may catch some flack for this, but I blame it on feminism. You see, there was a day when a man was allowed a little dirt under his fingernails, a messy quaff and some emotional detachment. Sadly, we were told to clean up, fix our hair and cry once in a while. So we did. And where did it get us? Nowhere. The same feminists that wanted us a little less rough around the edges now mock us and call us wimps.
That said, it’s time to dig deep. It’s time to go back. It’s time to take a few lessons from three men who had style, not just a closet full of cheesy Affliction T-shirts that they hope, by osmosis, make them ultimate fighters. These guys were cool. They were tough. They were broken. Just the way men should be…and the way women really want us.

Marlon Brando

 Despite the incessant mumbling that made you wonder what the hell he was saying and the horrific fat-like-an-orca phase, Marlon Brando had something most men would kill for: confidence. Whether he was a 350-pound Don Corleone or a svelte Stanley Kowalski, Brando just was. And he was good with it, which is why he was arguably the greatest actor to ever grace the screen: his time wasn’t wasted worrying about what people thought, or how he could fit in. Neither should yours. Now throw on an undershirt and act like you believe it.

James Dean

Let’s be honest here, Jimmy Dean didn’t get by on his acting ability. He got by on looks and charm. But what added to both was his complete lack of effort. Candid shots of James Dean are great. His hair’s a mess from racing his convertible. His boots are beat up. His glasses are crooked. Let’s face it: women don’t want to date a man who takes longer than them to get ready. There’s an appeal to being a little unkempt, so embrace it. Is your hair a bit messy? Who cares? Mess it up a bit more and hit the town. Dean made stuff cool. Stuff didn’t make Dean cool.

Steve McQueen

While it will no doubt take a bit of time to incorporate Brando’s swagger and Dean’s nonchalance into your shtick, deliberate acts of non-conformity à la McQueen will help you get the ball rolling. When invited to a black tie affair, McQueen would show up in jeans. And for a casual affair he’d bust out the tuxedo. For the average Joe, this may seem a bit much, but play with it a bit. You need not make a huge statement, but make one. Be you. McQueen was no Johnny Depp, but he made a lot of knees weak. Why? Because he knew how to walk the walk. He knew how to be a man.