Men and Style by David Coggins Summary

Men and Style by David Coggins is a New York Times bestseller that goes beyond typical "what to wear" advice to explore masculine identity within fashion. The book combines essays, interviews with notable tastemakers, and stunning photography to examine how men develop personal style throughout their lives. Rather than serving as a prescriptive guidebook, it takes a holistic approach covering dining, drinking, travel, fathers, mistakes, and the wisdom men gain as they mature into themselves.

David Coggins is a style expert, writer, and author of multiple bestselling books including Men and Style, Men and Manners, and The Optimist. His work appears in prestigious publications like Esquire, the Financial Times magazine, and Robb Report. Coggins wrote Men and Style to celebrate singular men who've lived well and can share how they earned their worldview, moving beyond surface-level fashion advice to explore style as part of a well-lived life.

Men and Style is ideal for men seeking a thoughtful exploration of personal identity through style rather than rigid fashion rules. It appeals to readers interested in how fathers, youth, and life experiences shape masculine aesthetics and worldview. The book suits anyone curious about the intersection of style, masculinity, and personal development—even those not typically interested in fashion, as it focuses on lived experiences and wisdom rather than clothing instructions.

Men and Style is worth reading if you want substance beyond typical menswear guidebooks. The book's magazine-like format keeps content fresh with varied essays, interviews, and imagery chapters that maintain engagement throughout. While some critics found it elitist or tone-deaf, many readers praised its holistic approach and engaging storytelling. It successfully avoids the repetitive craft-focused content common in menswear literature, offering instead a meditation on living well.

Men and Style by David Coggins explores youth and its influence on personal style, dining, drinking, travel, fishing, and vehicles. The book includes chapters on fathers and grandfathers, mistakes made as young men, shoes, cologne choices, beards, socks, school uniforms, hats, cooking, ties, prom tuxedos, tattoos, and first cars. This holistic scope treats style as part of a broader life philosophy rather than isolated fashion choices, making it more substantive than standard menswear books.

Men and Style by David Coggins stands apart by focusing on life and identity rather than just clothing, guidelines, or craft. While most menswear books serve as prescriptive guidebooks or glossy catalogues, Coggins takes a holistic approach structured like an extended magazine edition. The book mixes interview segments, opinion pieces, imagery chapters, and personal essays—constantly changing format to maintain freshness. This substance-driven approach explores masculine identity development rather than simply instructing men what to wear.

Men and Style is organized into three sections following the chronological development from childhood to adulthood, examining influences that shape a man's identity. The book uses a magazine-style format alternating between essays, one-question interviews with multiple men, opinion pieces, and photography chapters. Some sections emphasize imagery—ancestors, watches, interesting trinkets—while others feature written content about style influences and life lessons. This varied structure keeps the reading experience engaging and prevents the monotony common in fashion books.

Men and Style features interviews with notable tastemakers including writer Jay McInerney, director Whit Stillman, and journalist Gay Talese. The book includes insights from various "dapper men" across different walks of life who discuss their style journeys, including unfortunate choices like bad mustaches, misguided cologne selections, and regrettable prom tuxedos. These contributors share what their fathers and grandfathers wore and how family influenced their personal aesthetics. The interview format asks one question to many different men, providing diverse perspectives.

Critics describe Men and Style as potentially elitist and tone-deaf, with some reviewers feeling like accidental inductees into an exclusive club. The book's reliance on "B-list creatives" and commentators from privileged backgrounds—discussing legacy admissions and Brooks Brothers—reinforces themes of inherited wealth and class. One critic noted Coggins misreads The Great Gatsby as celebrating luxury rather than critiquing ephemeral vanities. The book lacks discussion of how expensive style can be or how to maintain it amid daily life constraints like children and work.

Men and Style extensively explores how fathers and early family influences shape a man's style path. The book features discussions about lessons men learned from their fathers and what their fathers and grandfathers wore. These intergenerational conversations reveal how style becomes a received idea through family, education, and locale before personal embellishment occurs. Interview subjects share how parental influence—both positive guidance and cautionary examples—contributed to developing their mature sense of personal aesthetics and worldview.

Men and Style includes extensive color photographs throughout the book. The imagery features style icons like Lee Marvin, Fred Astaire, Michael Caine, Miles Davis, and Dennis Hopper. Entire chapters are dedicated to visual content rather than text, showcasing ancestors, watches, and interesting trinkets. These photography sections are strategically interspersed throughout to balance written content and maintain reader engagement. The visual component enhances the magazine-style format and provides concrete examples of timeless masculine style.

Men and Style candidly addresses style mistakes including bad mustaches, misguided cologne choices, and unfortunate prom tuxedos that even the most dapper men made in their youth. The book explores learning through errors—how mistakes as young men helped contributors emerge as better, more self-aware individuals. Coggins emphasizes that all featured men "arrived at a place in the world" with keen self-understanding, suggesting style wisdom comes from experience rather than following rules. This honest approach to failure makes the book more relatable and instructive.