Photography by Dan Austin

Hair and Makeup by Naime De La Cruz and Kayla Judy of Venue Salon
Models: Doug Rumsey and Jordan Ozerities of Benz Models; Abdiel Gonzalez

blazer Zara, chinos Zara, camp collar shirt Nathan’s Men’s Store, sunglasses Urban Appeal

Over the years, the definition of what a gentleman is and how he acts has slowly evolved with society’s ever-changing norms and roles. Starting as a way to define one’s rank and social status, then shifting to mean treating a lady with courtesy and respect, the term in the modern age simply refers to an attitude or a way in which a person conducts themselves. No specific region, gender, class; frankly a personality trait.

Call me old school, but one aspect of being a gentleman that will, or should, never change is the idea of chivalry. The very essence of chivalry is in the word gentle-man. Spending my formative adolescent years in the South, I’ve come to know the notion of chivalry as Southern charm. That unique combination of crisp menswear, good manners, and the lasting gallantry to match is unmistakably southerly and makes a gentleman. It’s a meridional way of life, and we embrace it inside and out.

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polo Urban Appeal, chinos Zara, sneakers Urban Appeal, glasses Tom Ford

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Using the colors of the fall season and the idea of what it means to be a modern gentleman in the South, I’ve compiled some key looks and ideas to help a gentleman dress his body for warm autumn evenings. This fall season, we’re seeing shades of tan, beige, and olive take charge, with the usual dominant jewel tones being used minimally as pops of color.

The more relaxed silhouettes and layers of menswear from the ’90s are back in a big way for men. Much like the evolution of the term gentleman, the blurred lines of menswear from that decade outlining who’s allowed to wear it or not continue to muddy on the modern runway. In a direct parallel to the shifting idea of gentlemen, and menswear, the influence of dapper apparel and chivalrous culture has moved out of the country clubs and runways, and to the everyday Southerner on a casual Florida evening out.

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That unique combination of crisp menswear, good manners, and the lasting gallantry to match is unmistakably southerly and makes a gentleman.

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polo Nathan’s Men’s Store, trousers Nathan’s Men’s Store, hat Nathan’s Men’s Store, loafers ASOS