Our Mission
Helping Men Master Modern-Classic Style
Mark Twain wrote, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”
Smart guy, that Twain.
At Irreverent Gent, we believe his words ring as true today as when he wrote them in the 19th century (even if he did fail to predict how influential OnlyFans would become).
But while clothes are no doubt important, here in the early 21st century, it’s arguably – and annoyingly – never been harder to choose the right ones.
On the one hand, fashion trends come and go so quickly that trying to keep up with fads is a fool’s errand.
On the other hand, you can’t tack too far in the other direction, either. For men of a certain age, dressing like a classic gentleman from a bygone era certainly has its appeal, but you run the significant risk of looking more like a Peaky Blinders cosplayer than a put-together modern man.
(And we prefer to show a lot more leg while cosplaying, thank you very much.)
That’s why we recommend splitting the difference, and adopting a style that looks as good today as it will a decade from now.
Our Approach to Modern Style
(and modern style blogging)
Irreverent Gent is the modern-classic style authority for men who want to strike the right balance between sharp and practical, timeless and contemporary, sophisticated and casual.
We combine the enduring principles of classic menswear with a practical understanding of how style evolves, helping you build a versatile wardrobe that suits your age, tastes and real life, so you can spend less time thinking about clothes and more time showing up as the best version of yourself.
In short, our mission is to help modern men merge the style, sophistication and social grace of a classic gentleman with the technology, tastes and expectations of the 21st century, and we take it very seriously.
But ourselves? Not so much.
Because we believe that style doesn’t have to be stuffy, and self-improvement shouldn’t be self-serious.
And we’d like to think Mark Twain would agree.
After all, he wasn’t just a smart guy, he was a smart-ass. (And dude wore the hell out of a three-piece suit.)
Dave Bowden
Founder of Irreverent Gent
Author of Sharp as Hell: A No-BS Style Book For Men Who Want To Dress Better & Look More Handsome
Writer of Pretty long signature bios
Modern-Classic Style
Timeless. Contemporary. Practical.
(perfect? we certainly think so.)
Why are we so obsessed with modern-classic style? Because it perfectly threads the needle between classic sophistication and real-world practicality.
TIMELESS. It pays homage to the kind of classic menswear that has looked sharp for decades.
CONTEMPORARY. Rather than aping classic style,the modern classic approach adapts it, making it appropriate for modern life.
PRACTICAL. Merging modern tastes with classic style gives you the best of both worlds, and a look that can take you damn near anywhere.
let’s get to the good stuff
Start with Some of Our Best Advice
Meet the Founder
Irreverent Gent founder Dave Bowden literally wrote the book (alright, fine – a book) about how to look handsome in the 21st century.
He’s the author of the Amazon bestseller Sharp as Hell: A No-BS Style Book for Men Who Want to Dress Better & Look More Handsome and style blogger who helps modern men merge the style, sophistication and social grace of a classic gentleman with the technology, tastes and expectations of the 21st century.
In addition to hundreds of articles here on Irreverent Gent, Dave’s advice on menswear, grooming and self-presentation has been featured in New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Huffpost, Business Insider and more.
Full Disclosure
A Quick Note About Our Recommendations
Irreverent Gent is reader-supported.
As such, some links on the site are affiliate links, which means that we may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
How do we choose which products and brands to recommend? The short answer is, “carefully.”
The longer (and significantly less snarky) answer can be found in our Editorial Review Policy & Affiliate Disclosure.
