Hey gents! I’m Barron, Founding Editor here at Effortless Gent.
I started Effortless Gent waaay back in 2009, when I was in my mid-twenties and wanted a place on the web where I could answer style questions I got from my friends.
Growing up, I was always into clothing and my own personal style. I went to a private Catholic elementary and middle school, and one of my favorite things was “free dress days”.
On those special days, we didn’t have to wear our uniform—navy twill chinos, white polo, royal blue crewneck sweatshirt with our school’s logo—and instead, could wear whatever we wanted!
It was during free dress that I could really be who I wanted through the clothing I chose to wear. Back then, my taste was very influenced by the music I listened to (mostly hip hop) and the culture around it, so basically I dressed like a mini Biggie or Jay-Z.
But still!
I was developing my taste and preferences, and learned to experiment, curate, and express myself through my own style.
As I got older, went to college, and eventually entered the working world, my tastes continued to evolve and become more polished. I wanted to dress for (and honestly, slightly better than) my environment AND for how I wanted to feel.
- My environment at the time: big tech company, downtown SF.
- The typical uniform you’d see there: long, baggy jeans, dirty sneakers, hoodies
- What I chose to wear: dark, fitted denim, button-up
shirts , v-neck merino wool sweaters, boots or loafers - How I wanted to feel: that I was well-dressed for work, that I cared about my appearance, that I cared about how others perceived me, and that I was ambitious (I was an intern first, then a Jr. front-end web developer… so dressing well was a small way to signal that I cared)
Throughout high school, college, and even during my years working at that tech company, my close guy friends came to me with basic style questions:
- “Which shoes go with these pants?”
- “Can you recommend a pair of jeans for me?”
- “How do I look? Does this match?”
After several years, I realized my friends were asking the same types of style questions over and over.
At the same time, I was looking for a side project to work on in my free time, something that I could use as a creative outlet when I wasn’t at work.
Eventually it hit me: I could combine my love for writing, my knowledge and experience with style and clothing, and my skills as a web developer to “start a blog” that answers all these style questions… a resource I could point them to, if they needed more help with dressing better.
Effortless Gent Today
Back in 2009, the Internet was a very different place.
Having a blog back in 2009 was still novel. MySpace was still a thing. Facebook was barely branching out of college students-only email signups. Twitter felt small and was a great place to have actual conversations with people. YouTube was still mostly funny cat videos. There was no Instagram or SnapChat or TikTok.
So Effortless Gent started as a humble blog back in November 2009. In fact, you can still find the very first published post if you dig deep enough in the internet archives.
Today, I like to think of Effortless Gent as a resource site for guys, mainly 40 and older, to level up their style.
You may not know the first thing about what to buy, how to dress well, or even where to start… but if you stick with us here at EG, we can guide you through it step by step, and you’ll start to get the hang of this whole “personal style” thing in no time.
Personal style, NOT fashion
If you’re looking for super hot, of-the-moment, trendy fashion inspo… or the latest looks from the runways of Milan, this isn’t the website for you.
To be clear: There’s nothing wrong with fashion, and trends, and the latest and greatest looks. It’s just not what we focus on here on Effortless Gent.
I want to help guys who don’t know much about clothing or style to build that basic foundation: the classics and essentials, how things should fit, how to pair clothes together into great outfits.
Once you master the basics, you can always take it further into the minutiae of fashion, trends, and unique styles… but it’s best to master those basics first.
So if you’re reading this, and you want to know exactly where to start… I’d suggest checking out our resource page for building a Lean Wardrobe.
Make sure to download our Lean Wardrobe eGuide as well. If you sign up to the email list, I can send it directly to you (you’ll also get new style content 1-2x a week, unsubscribe anytime).
Download Your Copy of The Lean Wardrobe Guide
If you want to start your Lean Wardrobe the right way, sign up to the list below and I’ll send you our free guide! You’ll also receive new style content 1-2x per week. Unsubscribe any time.
Finally, make sure to connect with me on Instagram if you’re also on the platform.
If you’re a more visual person, make sure to check out the videos we upload to our YouTube channel. You can 1-click subscribe right here.
Meet our Contributors
Beau Hayhoe
Contributor
Beau is a men’s style and lifestyle writer based in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to launching his writing career, he worked for six years in fashion PR. Outside of working hours, Beau can often be found enjoying craft beer and vinyl records, frequently at the same time.
Brian Adee
Contributor
Before Brian became a freelance writer, he learned all he knows about style and substance from working with old-timers in craft cocktail bars in New Orleans, Chicago, and Portland, Oregon.
Karlton Miko Tyack
Editor and Contributor
Karlton Miko Tyack is a client representative at Sotheby’s Auction House in New York, specifically for collectors of
Interested in men’s Jewelry And Accessories?
Check out our sister site, Cladright, where we teach guys how to buy, wear, and style great men’s jewelry and accessories.
