Quotes from Michael Bastian

The guys who like chinos and cords never went away. They've always been there. They're remarkably loyal, just not remarkably vocal.

I have a very wonderful bath ritual.

A cheap suit is a cheap suit; there's nothing you can do about it.

Everyone looks better and more alive in a pink shirt.

I've always envied Thomas Jefferson's bed at Monticello. It's in a tiny alcove, bound by walls at the head and foot.

I'm a designer with a little 'd' as opposed to a big 'd.' It's a job; I'm more about contributing to a man's wardrobe, offering the things that I look for myself.

You get to a certain age, and you learn what looks good on you.

Edie and Lew Wasserman were chic as hell.

What I know of Hawaii is from watching the 'Brady Bunch' shows from the seventies.

I've always had this idea that I would love to do a Boston-inspired collection, whether it's for my own line or whether it's for Gant.

I get my best ideas in that state of suspended consciousness just before sleep.

If everything is a little baggy, then everything will look sloppy when you layer one piece on top of another. Your sport coat should easily fit over a shirt and a fine-gauge sweater.

I've always had this thing for swimming pools - I think they're much sexier and far more glamorous than the beach, in a way. You dress differently when you're spending a day at an amazing pool than you would dress for the beach.

Even if it's a polo shirt and chinos, they should be the best possible quality and fit perfectly.

I'm always asking, 'How do you give a guy a new reason to buy a polo?'

I consistently go back to myself: What am I looking for or wanting to wear myself, right now, that I don't already have? I always figure if I'm looking for it, a lot of guys are.

When you buy a new suit, take the time to get it tailored, and you'll thank yourself every time you put it on.

One of the weird things about being a designer is guessing what the world will want about a year in advance of when they will want it. It becomes almost a psychological test in a way - how do I feel now and how do I want to feel then.

You don't want to have a boring runway presentation, but you don't want to show stuff nobody is going to wear.

I'm a big fan of TV on demand. I'm embarrassed to say what I watch. It's the worst crap.

I feel like design school might ruin people, particularly if you're a menswear designer, as there's not much focus on business.

Good clothes are good clothes, and they don't need whales and tricks and too many jokes. Sometimes you just need something to wear.

Gray has this crisp, neat-as-a-pin thing going for it, whereas black seems lazy and, at the same time, like it's trying too hard.

I think women are much more open to new ideas but approach a line more from a more personal and skeptical place - you need to seduce them into your clothes, whereas most men just like to be told what they should be wearing. Women are a bit like cats and men like dogs in that respect when it comes to clothes.