The Lost Art of Looking Good

There's an art to looking good, and it is nowt to do with biology, genetics or chemical reactions - do you honestly believe that it is in the hands of scientists to tell is how good we look? Puh-lease. Gorgeousness, like all things worthwhile, is an art form ladies and gentlemen and today I was able to display my Picasso-like abilities to the general public.

However it must be noted that not everyone is inherently capable of following this method, and as with most art forms this is all open to interpretation and you may approach this subject differently - but whatever, this is my blog and these are my thoughts. To be eligible for my method (which, let's face it, will be the best method) you have to be utterly carefree about how you appear in a day to day situation. You're telling me you're the kind of person who sees nothing wrong with scruffy band t-shirts, cheap and cheerful clothes, worn jeans and can handle the idea of not wearing a brand or label? Come aboard padawan, and listen up.

With art, there are many ways in which one can approach and reach an appreciation of a work of art. One such approach is to appreciate the effort and work which someone has put into their piece, and it is this appreciation that we aim to exploit when wishing to look great.

The premise is simple - the lower your day to day standards are, the greater the increase will seem when you do decide to 'make an effort' - it is all about exceeding expectations. Take today for example, one of the first things my girlfriend said to me before going to dinner was that I looked nice. As much as I would wish it to be so, this is not (and never will be) a daily or remotely frequent thing. So what initiated such a comment? Here's my secret: I put on a shirt. A shirt, not instead of a t-shirt, but open and ontop of a clean white shirt. Sexy? Maybe. Hard work? Hell no!

The fact of the matter is that I do not make an effort day to day; the expectation is low. I don't see anyone important enough on a daily basis to show off a £50 pair of jeans or £40 shirt to, accompanied by my underwear with another man's name on them - I do not have to face the day with the feeling I have stole another man's boxers! This is not to say that I can't make an effort or that I am so socially retarted as not to know when to make an effort, but simply I do not see the point looking suave lying around the house.

However, this all works in my favour because when I do decide to do something so out the ordinary as try to look somewhat decent and exceed the expectations, it is suddenly picked up on by everyone and instantly, I'm gorgeous.

On the other hand, if you are one of those people who is "designer'd" out all the time and cannot live a day without looking like you have made some sort of effort, where does the art go? Where does the lost effort of throwing on that good shirt go? Suddenly it is expected of you to be on top form all the time. Can you exceed those expectations? Could you handle never having a day where you are especially good looking? Couple that with the damn pressure to be on top form constantly and you realise that you're an average looking, pressured and miserable motherfucker.

Score 1 for laziness.

Take that Calvin Klein.. I'll have my own boxers back now, cheers.