The Look Book

Sam Parker, Art Student

"My advice is, dress to undress, if you know what I mean."

By Amy Larocca
Published Feb 18, 2007

(Photo: Jake Chessum)

Where are you going today?
To have lunch with my girlfriend. She always likes it when I’m better dressed than she is. I made a New Year’s resolution to try to wear a tie every single day, and it’s been going pretty well.

Have you broken it yet?
If I round up, then no.

How long does it take you to get dressed in the morning?
I plan my outfits out in advance. I lay in bed and think about my colors: Tomorrow, how about white on top, black on bottom, gray in the middle? Like that. It’s really just twenty minutes or so to pick out the pieces in the morning. And I just mess up my hair, because I like rough hair and clean clothes. Have the mind crazy but the body tight.

Is that your fashion advice?
No. My advice is, dress to undress, if you know what I mean.

Where do you shop?
Yves Saint Laurent has the best textiles I’ve seen recently, so for pieces like ties and pocket squares and ascots, I go there. I also like Opening Ceremony. Jeffrey is probably my favorite store in the world. I have a little bit of a problem at Jeffrey. It’s very hard for me to go in and not buy something. And Thom Browne I love, too.

You have expensive taste for a student.
I have help. My mother understands and sympathizes. I got an internship at Opening Ceremony. I figure that if I go work in fashion, I’ll get free clothes or just spend all of my money on clothes. It will be a nice little circle.

What’s the last thing you bought?
A tailored shirt from Freemans Sporting Club. It’s got an outdoorsman quality, but it’s hand-tailored at the same time. I think that’s a nice relationship. It’s really masculine, you know?

Do you have style icons?
Yes. How about Buster Keaton, Marcello Mastroianni, and Thelonious Monk? I like them all so much. Not specifically for their style, but they all have a good sense of humor.

Do you?
Yes.

Tell me a joke.
No.