Clothes that I will continue to pursue for the rest of my life so that I can be a man who looks good.
So, the America that appeared in magazines was an illusion that was partially cut out and edited. By the way, why do you insist on using the deer fabric?
Matsuura: I guess the initial experience left a deep impression on me. The first polo shirt he got was a deer polo shirt, and he was very impressed with how comfortable it felt against his skin. It was cool even in the summer, and the more you wash it, the more it becomes soft, and the tighter it gets, the better it feels against your skin. Just like the Haynes T-shirts and Levi's jeans I mentioned earlier, that's what I really like about them. There are polo shirts made of jersey, but they are a bit different from polo shirts because they are more like cut-and-sew shirts.
Jersey tends to pick up body lines, and adults tend to look like old men when they wear it.
Matsuura: Besides, it has a bit of a golf-like image, doesn't it? In that sense, polo shirts are casual and nice as an object, but on the other hand, I think they are a difficult item to wear.
Yataro-san, please tell us what you are particular about other than materials.
Matsuura: While the feel of the shirt is of course important, I think the shape of the collar when worn is also very important. Like button-down shirts, it is important to keep in mind that the collar should fit well when the first button is opened or closed, depending on the TPO.
What do you think is the best match for what kind of occasions and what kind of outfits?
Matsuura: This is also from "Popeye," but the photo of the surfer in loose-fitting shorts and a polo shirt with the ocean in the background really left an impression on me, and I still think that is the best way to wear a polo shirt.
Are you Japanese?
Matsuura: Pineapple He is the owner of "Betty's" (a legendary surf store that used to be located in Mejiro, Tokyo and Kugenuma, Shonan) and has been active as a professional surfer since the dawn of surfing. He looked really cool in a green polo shirt that encased his tanned skin and toned body. So, in order to look good in a polo shirt, you first have to train your body. When I was about 20 years old, I worked out to be as good as Kaoru Ohno, and I would intentionally wear a polo shirt that was too small and too tight.
You say that the secret to wearing polo shirts in a good way is a well-trained body. What is it about polo shirts that makes them essential to you?
Matsuura: Rather than being a staple, it is something that has been with me for a long time and has become a part of me, as if it were a matter of course. The collar of the "Izod" shirt is torn, but I can always go back to my junior high school days by wearing this shirt. That's why I chose the deer polo shirt as my "essential item. However...
Just?
Matsuura: We are not really popular with girls, though (laughs). Basically, clothes that guys like us like are not popular with girls. Women tend to prefer dressy, clean clothes rather than casual clothes. Suits and jackets are good examples.
If you wear a polo shirt under your jacket, maybe....
Matsuura: You see, it is quite difficult to match a jacket with a deer polo shirt. First of all, the materials don't match, and secondly, the tastes of sportswear and dress clothes fight with each other. However, it does not make you popular, but it does make you look like a nice person, so I guess that's okay. Another thing to keep in mind is not to turn up the collar. That is the style of people with money.
Why do people turn up the collar of their polo shirts when they have money?
Matsuura: For some reason, when people have money, they start sailing. The sun is very strong on a boat, so they put their collars up to prevent the back of their necks from burning.
I was convinced that this is why most of the polo shirts are worn by adults.
Matsuura: When you are young, everyone is self-conscious. We are all concerned about how we will be seen by others. As you get older, around age 40 or so, your self-consciousness fades away, and you begin to feel more comfortable wearing what you want to wear without worrying about what other people think. Whether it looks good on me or not is another matter.
You said that you are gradually getting used to it.
Matsuura: Yes. As I got older, I began to think, "There are many things I need to think about more than my clothes, such as work and family," and when I began to understand why Jobs always wore the same clothes, I naturally began to look good in them. I think polo shirts are something that I will spend my whole life chasing after so that I can be a man who can wear them stylishly and look good in them. I keep challenging myself to become the ideal image of Kaoru Ohno and Taro Aramaki, whom I admire, and to "someday! That's why I continue to have them with me. For me, being essential may be synonymous with continuing to challenge myself.
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