Another thing I like about living in New York City is that everyone lives in New York City. Though I’ve been located close to NYC in the past—and could easily bus to-and-fro when it was called for—now there is something particularly effortless about meeting up with friends, acquaintances and even strangers for a quick cup of coffee.
Whereas previously I would have only had the opportunity to chat with him via email, now I was able to schedule a live interview with Matt Fox, the purveyor of FineAndDandyShop.com. On July 10th, we met at The Coffee Pot in Hell’s Kitchen.
SB: What is the biggest upcoming trend in men’s wear?
MF: We’re mad for plaid. Actually patterns in general. It’s all about the right mix of patterns and material to create your own individual look.
SB: Are men lazy about getting dressed or being stylish? Why?
MF: I think there has been overall trend in the past several decades towards dressing casually. It used to be that a suit and tie were a requirement for a guy in an office. Now it’s chinos and a polo. Most people follow trends so if the people around a guy are dressed casually, chances are he will as well. However, I think that’s slowly turning around.
SB: When/why/how did Fine and Dandy start?
MF: I’ve always loved visiting small men’s boutiques and for several years I’ve had a fantasy of opening up a storefront shop called ‘Fine and Dandy’ with a similar concept. However NYC is a very expensive city and opening a shop has been too much of a risky venture. About a year and a half ago I had the idea to open online. We launched on October 31, 2008, to a great response.
SB: What standards do you use for selecting items to sell?
MF: When doing my buying I select my favorite things and in turn I sell things that I would wear or use. Also, affordability has been a major goal (everything is under $50) so that has been an important criterion.
SB: What is the modern dandy? How is he different from the well-dressed men of previous eras?
MF: The modern dandy uses traditional items like bow ties, pocket squares, fedoras, but in a modern way. I like to call my look dandy-inspired. Not too literal, otherwise it gets a little costumey. A modern dandy is a smart buyer who is less concerned with labels and is more interested in how a looks comes together.
SB: Is a dandy different than a fop?
MF: A fop is a historic character which hasn’t made its way into the modern world (whereas the dandy is prevalent). I think of dandy as a way of life, how a gentleman carries himself, and presents himself to the world. A fop was overly concerned about his appearance.
SB: Do you think there are a lot of women shopping for men online? More than men shopping for men?
MF: Absolutely. We launched right in time for the holiday buying season and we found that a great deal of our customers were women buying for their husbands and boyfriends.
SB: What are some upcoming items, or items you’d like to offer in the future? Any chance of expanding to apparel or shoes?
MF: I would absolutely like to add clothing and shoes someday. However, with clothing and shoes we will have to deal with sizes. In our current incarnation we are on a fairly small scale with no sized items (other than hats). If not before, perhaps when I eventually open that storefront shop!
Want to read more about men’s accessories and e-commerce? Visit the original Style Bard blog to read an interview with Greg Shugar, CEO of TheTieBar.com.
