SNAPPED & CAUGHT: JEFFREY MEN

 FASHION FORWARD MEN CONGRATULATES ITS FIRST CONTEST WINNER

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When we initially came up with the idea of having a contest for our readers, excitement and anticipation filled the room. Truth be told, it was somewhat short lived. We were so amped up, we didn't think of the back end to the process. Having such a small team of workers, it later occurred to us that there may be an abundance of submissions? We began to panic.. And rightly so. Within minutes of us posting the contest, submissions and questions began to pour in. It was now too late to undo what we had done. Deciding to welcome the challenge, we prepared ourselves for what was about to come our way. 

Our angst quickly disappeared after we began reviewing our first applicants. One of which being a gentleman by the name Jeffrey Men. Being fair, we continued to comb through our contestants, but there was something about Jeffrey that made us go back and take a closer look. As you can guess, Jeffrey is one of the guys we've selected.

Born in Dallas, Texas, Jeffrey shares with Fashion Forward Men that he lived a pretty average life. He had no major issues with his family or his friends, but like many of us coming into our own, a need for change began to come into play.

Drastic life changes can sometimes be a very tricky thing. While some may test the waters by taking baby steps, others decide to dive right into their next venture and hope for the best. Jeffrey decided to take a huge leap and move to New York. Alone!!! He had just graduated from high school.

With one suitcase, a prayer, and a dream, Jeffrey's bold approach to living is one of the qualities that we were hoping to find in the men we chose to feature in our Snapped & Caught series. But we were curious to know what his family thought about his decision. 

"I think my family wanted me to go and explore my options. I was always supported when it came to academics, but my parents definitely wanted me to stay on a more traditional path when it came to career choice.  I always knew I wanted to work on something more artistic, though, and they’re coming around," he explains. 

 

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Although it can be exciting, moving your entire life to a new city can also be very challenging, and because of his age, we imagine very scary. When reading his submission, we were happy to hear that he had a number of goals and interests that could possibly be brought to fruition in The Big Apple. 

As long as he could remember, Men has always had an appreciation for the Arts. So much so, after his move to New York, he found himself enrolling at St. John's University. It would be there where he would receive his degree in Film and Television. Embodying the essence of a true New Yorker, our latest Snapped & Caught inductee shares that he also has interest in real estate. And yes, he is currently studying this field as well. 

While having a game plan may be great, that doesn't mean that you will get off scot-free from facing hurdles. Hoping that he would open up about his trials since his relocation, we naturally found ourselves being nosey asking questions about good as well as bad experiences. 

 "At first New York is hard to handle, but as time goes by, you find yourself and start to work hard for your dreams. You learn A LOT about life, and that is something nowhere else can teach you.  New York has been the best teacher I’ve ever had. It took a while for me to really start feeling confident in myself, and embracing all my flaws, but once I did, I realized life is so much brighter and more interesting when you’re not perfect."

 

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Another aspect of Jeffrey's life is his love of fashion. He holds the industry in such high regard that he launched fashion blog THE WARDROBES.Running the site with his best friend, who also happens to be his sister, is somewhat of a style journal for the duo. All while sharing their favorite looks with their readers. 

When asked who his favorite designers were, Jeffrey named respectable brands such as Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Maison Margiela, and Marni. Don't expect to always see him wearing these lines, our latest Fashion Forward Man steps outside of the box by mixing in lower priced items and vintage into his wardrobe. 

"To me, fashion is about being someone completely different while still being a part of who you are. 
 Fashion is one big contradiction. And that’s why I absolutely love it. No rules, guidelines, just you and whatever you put on your back.  I love to play with color and all fabrics."

One part of our questionnaire that we secretly get so much pleasure out of asking our guys involves their likes, dislikes,and viewpoints when it comes to fashion. We are always eager too hear how all of our Snapped & Caught gentleman's tastes vary. Below are Jeffrey's responses what we asked.

Name a few trends hate seeing.

I was never fond of the whole skirt for guys trend, unless your Scottish.

 Name 3 to 5 things every man should have in his wardrobe? Why?

1. Leather Jacket, because who doesn’t want to channel their inner James Dean?

2. Tank top, show off your guns fellas!

3. Bow Tie, always adds an elegant touch.

4. Black skinny jeans, a necessity because those can be paired with anything.

5. Classic white dress shirt, enough said!

What are 3 things you can't leave home without?

1. Cell phone, (let’s be real!)

2. Sunglasses

3. Chapstick

It would almost be impossible for us to write this piece without recognizing how handsome Jeffrey is. Though we are not surprised, Jeffrey is also a model. Standing roughly at 6'2, we learn that JM is currently with Red  Model Management here in NYC, and is also with the Kim Dawson Agency in Texas. 

Investing your time in a number different interests makes for a more rounded individual, only if you capable of keeping control of them. If not, you are just a scattered mess.Film/television, modeling, and real estate sounds like a lot to us. How is Jeffrey able to do all of this?

"Yes, I’m all over the place haha. I love new experiences and learning new things. But my true passion is acting, and everything else is a hobby I would love to further pursue," he states. 

Focused as well as ambitious, it seems that things are falling into place nicely for Jeffrey. He just wrapped up 2 indie feature films “Subways” and “Evol: The Theory of Love.” The films are currently being shopped
 around by festivals. He will also be co-starring in an upcoming web series called “Six Windows”