by Daniel Jameson, Men’s Style Consultant
If you haven’t heard of Ryan Gosling, you’ve probably been living under a rock, and thus I’d like to formally welcome you to 2012, where this celebrity’s is on the lips of everyone from Hollywood executives to style gurus to – get this – denizens of the Internet, who have turned him into a megahit viral meme.
The Canadian actor has been in the business for a while, first appearing on the Mickey Mouse Club as a teenager back in the 90s. After working on a number of smaller projects over the following years, Gosling hit it big with his lead performance in The Notebook, which forever etched his visage into the hearts of millions. His next big film, Blue Valentine, came in 2010, and since then Mr. Gosling has enjoyed skyrocketing success both in acting prospects and public fame.
Helping to boost his widespread popularity is Gosling’s masterful fashion sense, which he’s perfected over the past few years to such a degree that he is now considered the “gold standard” of mainstream men’s style. Now, mind you, I said “his” sense; indeed, what makes Gosling’s status as a style icon so impressive is his lack of a professional stylist. Each time the actor appears on a street style blog or a red carpet best-dressed list, it’s in an outfit completely chosen and prepared by the man himself, which is something that can’t be said for the vast majority of other actors in his class.
In terms of his personal style, Gosling excels at wearing versions or combinations of classic menswear pieces with effortless, unexpected twists. He’s arrived at awards shows wearing head-to-toe black velvet, movie premieres in designer pajama shirts and television interviews sockless in fashion-forward dress loafers. When on the street or rushing through the airport, his style borrows from the best of casual, pairing leather jackets with striped tees and penny loafers, or going indie with hip cardigans and Aztec prints. In all, Gosling is the king of modern tailoring and polished togetherness, the pillars of style distinction beloved by the fashion community – and countless fans.
