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What do A$AP Rocky, the Weekend, and some of the most fashionable men in the world have in common? They ask for help. Rather than buying clothes off the rack from luxury clothing stores and tossing together random outfits (we’re looking at you, Pete Davidson), these two famous musicians seek out style advice from professionals.
Conventional thinking associates women with style and men with a lack thereof. But that is not the case in 2018. In fact, there is a major shift occurring in the fashion industry. Digital intelligence firm L2 even projects menswear revenue to surpass the womenswear market, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5% from now until 2020.
Speaking to magazine L’Officiel, Matthew Henson, stylist to A$AP Rocky and the Weekend, shared some of his biggest grooming and style secrets of 2018.
When it comes to grooming practices that men might want to start avoiding, doing too much is right at the top of the list.
“I think when you do too much, in a way that is not your natural self,” said Henson. “I know some guys that love to have their beards tapered to a T and it looks like it’s drawn on. Same thing with eyebrows. Some guys trim their eyebrows or remove their unibrow, those are the things that are so unique to men that I think they should be maintained and kept.”
Additionally, Henson states that using facial cleansers and too many products can take away from a man’s authentic look.
“I think sometimes when you do too much to your skin, it shows immediately,” he said. “I just use water… It keeps the pores from going crazy. And then after I wash my face with cold water, I’ll scrub it with a loofah or something, nothing too fancy.”
That being said, during music videos for starts like ASAP Rocky, he can get a little more creative with stylings, especially when it comes to the clothes.
“I brought an airport hangar’s worth of clothes,” he added. “I was like, ‘Here’s what I can do.”
A$AP Rocky was first styled by Hensen back in 2012 and was less than impressed. Now, he and other stars like the Weekend regularly visit Hensen for style, fashion, and grooming advice.
Hensen, just 32, was born and raised in Long Branch, New Jersey. He now has more than 22,000 followers on Instagram and is becoming a celebrity in his own right within the fashion community.
A friend, turned family, a rock, an ear, a shoulder, a heart. Thank you for everything @kittycash
