(CNN) — It’s easy to spot Bodhi walking down New York’s Madison Avenue. He has a knack for looking fabulous in just about anything a well-dressed man would wear.
His fans know him simply as Menswear Dog.
Menswear Dog is the brainchild of a husband and wife team: graphic designer David Fung and fashion expert Yena Kim. One day they decided to put some clothes on their Shiba Inu “for giggles,” says Fung, and posted a few photos to Tumblr. “Our blog went viral overnight.”
Fast forward two years and the Menswear Dog brand has evolved from funny Tumblr posts and Instagram pictures into the book “Menswear Dog Presents: The New Classics.”
“Our motivation was sheer excitement and curiosity — excited because there were so many people out there who shared our strange brand of humor, and curious to see what an Internet dog can accomplish in this day and age,” the couple said.
The book is a guide for guys with little to no fashion sense; it provides insight into the basics of dressing well. If you want to live by the “menswear dogma” outlined in the book, you simply need to abide by a few easy to follow rules:
1. Invest now; save later.
2. Classics are timeless for a reason.
3. Fit trumps price every time.
4. If it doesn’t make you feel good, don’t wear it.
5. When in doubt, keep it simple.
CNN recently met up with the trio at Barneys in New York to find out what Bodhi would wear on a first date. It didn’t take long for Kim and Fung to pick out a few outfits (with Bodhi’s input, of course). Laid out on the table was a selection of blazers in “special” colors paired with pattered shirts and accessories, including a hat, tie and sunglasses.
“The devil’s in the details,” says Fung, referring to a shirt with a bow tie pasta print.
Men, when dressing yourself for a first date, Menswear Dog says you should keep in mind these five tips:
1. Keep it classic. Opt for a crisp white shirt or chambray shirt over a casual tee.
2. When in doubt, wear a sport coat so you can dress up for a night event or drape it on your date’s shoulders if she’s cold.
3. Don’t overdo it with the jewelry; you don’t want out-bling your date.
4. A pair of lace-up wingtip oxford shoes wears great with jeans or dress pants. If you want to look more polished, try a pair of double monks.
5. Don’t forget to finish off your outfit with a splash of fragrance. Your look doesn’t count if you smell like a dog.
