This interview first appeared on The Makeup Examiner February 27, 2015
Despite having taken a backseat and focusing more on the behind the screens tasks at TME, when I was offered the opportunity to do a Q&A with a men’s style expert, I was pretty stoked. When I found out it was Glenn O’Brien … I was rather intimidated. Yes, you read that correctly. This woman, who is afraid of nothing, was actually scared at the thought of interviewing that esteemed gentleman. Glenn’s bio reads like a “How-To” on living life to the fullest, but hey … anything for the guys. Right? So without further ado, here is the interview with Glenn that gives stellar advice on how to do life … with style!
Yvonne P. Mazzulo: I recently
watched a brief interview that you gave about “How To Be A Man”. In the
interview you’d stated that “fashion is doing what everyone else is doing and
style is what you are doing”. Do you believe that everyone should develop an
individualistic approach rather than following what’s trendy?
Glenn O’Brien: I think that
following one’s own instincts builds personality and confidence. Showing
genuine individual style is part of what distinguishes a person from the crowd.
It shows you’re not afraid to think for yourself. But I’m not saying all fashion is bad. Over the last ten years
men’s clothing has changed its shape, becoming slimmer, with shorter jackets
and flat front trousers. That’s not a trend, it’s a direction. I think men
should pay attention to directional shifts because they aren’t just novelties,
they are real cultural markers.
Again referencing the interview, you stated that if you
approach everything like an art project it would turn out all right. What
advice do you have for the guys that aren’t so artistic?
Glenn: There’s a difference between
being artistic and being creative and problem solving. I think the key factor
in being effective in your work is really applying intelligence, logic and even
instinct to the job at hand. Simply doing things the way they’re usually done
isn’t going to lead to distinguishing yourself.
What advice do you have for
the guy who is afraid to try anything new because he may make a mistake?
Glenn: Life is really a matter of learning by trial and
error. Even if you’ve done your homework and prepared for something new, you
still have to experience it and get a feel for it. A lot of the satisfaction we
get in life comes from overcoming fear and facing challenges. And challenges
are inevitable. You can try to hide from them, but they’ll find you eventually.
I have a housemate that’s just graduated from university.
What advice can you offer for transitioning from “college-style” into the work
force?
Glenn: You’re not going to follow the herd to the top. At
the same time you don’t want to come off as a show off or a freak. In college we tend to blend in with our
peers and maybe we try to display character in a sort of juvenile, rebellious
way. What works in Animal House or The Hangover isn’t going to work in Wall
Street or Up In the Air. Career is a
whole new movie. Think big pond, not small pond.
You’ve spoken about dressing with a sense of occasion,
which I completely agree with. Can you elaborate on that for my readers?
Glenn: I often see young couples
where the girl looks really put together in a nice dress and shoes, with
well-styled hair and makeup, and the guy is wearing an un-tucked t-shirt and
Seinfeld jeans and sneakers. Evolution is all about life adapting to the
conditions around it. If you’re not learning and adapting you’re not evolving.
How do you find your own
style? Do you have a muse?
Glenn: My grandfather was a Naval
officer and then a businessman and he was always well groomed and paid
attention to detail. I think I picked
up a lot of ideas about style from Hollywood movies. Certain stars always
looked good no matter what part they played -- Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart,
Frank Sinatra, James Coburn … today we have Clooney. I see a lot of men doing
interesting things, but they are usually subtle. People think of dandies as show offs but the greatest dandy of
all, Beau Brummell, said “If people turn to look at you on the street, you are
not well dressed.”
What advice do you have for
the ladies to help the guys achieve their best self?
Glenn: Ladies shouldn’t hesitate
to recommend or gift products to their guys. Women often understand the
difference the right products can make. I recommend the new Dove Men+Care face
and hair ranges -- including the Deep Clean+ Face Scrub, Hydrate+ Pro Moisture
Shave Cream, Sensitive+ Pro Moisture Shave Cream, Ultra Hydrating Cream,
Thickening Spray Gel, Fortifying Styling Gel and Fortifying Styling Paste. The
brand is helping men shine in their everyday “red carpet” moments (i.e.
meetings, presentations, date night, etc.) with their collection of new grooming
and styling products.
ABOUT GLENN O’BRIEN
Glenn O'Brien graduated from Georgetown, where he edited
The Georgetown Journal. He was editor of Andy Warhol's Interview, then New York
bureau chief of Rolling Stone. After a year growing a beard at Playboy he
became the first Editor-at-Large in magazine history at High Times, a title
which he intended to mean that his whereabouts were unknown. For 12 years he
wrote the column “Glenn O'Brien's Beat” for Interview, and was the magazine's
Tri-State Editor. He produced and starred in Glenn O'Brien's TV Party, which
David Letterman called “the greatest TV show ever,” and he wrote and produced
the film Downtown 81, starring Jean-Michel Basquiat. He has also worked as a
stand-up comedian, an advertising creative director, and copywriter. He is a
Pisces with Aquarius rising, is married, and has two children. He currently
resides in New York.
You can catch the ultimate style
advice in Glenn’s “The Style Guy” column at GQ and grab a copy of his book “How To Be A Man”! Dove Men+Care products are available online at Dove Men and
retailers nationwide.
Note: A very special thank to Mr.
O’Brien for taking time from his schedule to share his expert advice with TME
readers (and me)! If you’re ever in our neck of the woods, stop by. You’ll
always be welcome.
