Jeffrey Brathwaite doesn’t worry that he will catch his son in low-hanging pants or a shirt that clips the top of his knees.
They’ve had “the talk.”
“He’s seen the negative things that happen when it comes first impressions,” Brathwaite said. “You overcompensate, you don’t undercompensate. You know how to carry yourself.”
He and his wife had “had the talk about the style of some young men wearing pants in such a way that it shows their underwear,” said Brathwaite, 48, an IT manager at Georgia State University. “I don’t see how some parents let their children leave the house…I try not to judge who they are or what they’re going to be in life.”
Perhaps it’s a relief that his son, 12, and daughter, 9, agree.
“They don’t like it either,” he said.
Brathwaite plans to bring his son to the 13/30 Men’s Ministry at Saint Philip AME Church, 240 Candler Road S.E., for a discussion of style vs. fashion.
“First impressions are a part of life,” he said.
The free event,” Return of the Gentleman Part 2- Style vs. Fashion”, will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Elliott Robinson wants to explore what is style vs. fashion. “Fashion is trendy and seasonal, whereas style is something that is timeless and it’s something you can put your own personal stamp on. We want them to be able to embrace aspects of themselves in a way that they can convey who they are.”
Robinson has put together a series of workshops designed to help men with issues of developing their self-esteem and to help them the understand that how they present themselves and what they wear will affect them on a daily basis.
The first event was on the art of the bow tie.
“It’s really a form of communication,” said Robinson. “Your style is an intentional act that shows people who you are .”
Registration is not required.
Related:
About the Author
