A man’s gotta dress the way a man’s gotta dress
PROFILE | BY KRISTEN BAHLER @BOSTONPIPELINE
Compared to the parade of temperamental spouses trudging throughout the Boylston Street Lord & Taylor, Emmi Sorokin and her client seem unapologetically detached from the rest of the retail world.
“If you don’t like the color, honey, don’t even put it on,” Sorokin says to the apprehensive 30-something who stands at the mouth of the fitting room door.
To fellow shoppers, the pair appears to be involved in a familiar, if not frustrating nuance that is characteristic of most long-term relationships. The staff knows differently.
“They’re used to me,” she explains.
“Used to her” is probably an understatement—as Boston’s only “men’s image consultant,” Sorokin meets with area fashion-phobes two to five times every week. And then she takes them shopping.
Today, as per usual, Lord & Taylor is her first stop.
“Every guy that has ever accidentally stumbled into a women’s restroom knows there is a difference in what women care about and pay attention to, and what men care about and pay attention to,” Sorokin said. “I give (men) an extra level of education about what they need to start paying attention to.”
Born in Russia, Sorokin’s family moved to the United States when she was six years old. After spending many of her formative childhood years as an outsider, Sorokin said she developed a fascination with how individuals are perceived by the various social groups they belong to.
“With any sort of social circle, networking event or new [school] grade you enter, your initial sentences are crucial,” she said. “After we moved to the U.S., I had to craft an image in order to fit in … and it worked really well for me.”
Years later, dissatisfied with a degree in fashion design, Sorokin decided to devote her career to helping distraught Bostonians create their own desired “image.”
A position usually reserved for aggravated moms and/or aggravated significant others, Sorokin said she caters specifically to men, mostly because no one else will.
Now, three years after the launch of her company, It’s a Man’s World, Sorokin has clients in LA, Austin and New York.
As for today’s client—a 6’6 Philadelphia native who is preparing for a Chicago vacation, Sorokin speaks fondly.
“A lot of people hear about what I do, and assume my clients look like they crawled out of a primordial sludge,” she said. “Most of the people I work with are actually quite burly, confident men that just don’t have time to think about these things, and need a little help pulling it all together. That’s what I’m here for.”
Though Sorokin admits the driving concept behind It’s a Man’s World seems superficial, she also insists that she never forces clients to be anything other than true to themselves.
“I’ve never had a client ask, ‘Why are you trying to change who I am?’” “Instead, they say: ‘Why wasn’t I doing this all along?’”
[It's a Man's World. 339.933.0785. @askemmi amansworldco.com]
Quick Tips from Emmi
Last month, GQ Magazine named Boston the “worst-dressed city” in the United States. While Sorokin disagrees (“I think that’s just sports team envy”) she admits there are several ways in which Boston gents can improve. That means you, cowboy.
1. It’s never OK to wear sunglasses you bought from a gas station. Deal breaker.
2. “In this area, men take clothing that is meant for one function, and use them for everyday wear,” Sorokin said. “Crocs are OK for gardening, but I don’t ever want to see them cross the threshold of your back door.”
3. Overlooking the importance of how something fits is the worst mistake of all. If it fits like a tent, don’t wear it.
4. With a few exceptions (Converse and Vans, to name two), old/cheap/plain sneakers should be used for exercise. That’s it. “Please keep your New Balances on the treadmill,” Sorokin said.
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