Whether it’s the well-dressed guy who has thousands of tumblr followers, a classic film star, or that tailor your grandfather used, we all have our points of reference. When I say our, I mean it. The places we patronize, the ideas we hold dear, and the standards we hold up for ourselves to achieve are a far cry from blind brand-worship and empty idolatry. In fact, they’re the opposite.

Each of us has a unique combination of influences. The icons we strive to emulate and the institutions we participate in help us define who we are until it becomes so obvious that they melt into the background. What you’re left with isn’t the man who favors draped coats like Astaire and buys his watches from a certain Parisian jeweler. It’s a man who does things his way. And that’s real style.