American men are wealthy, powerful and creative, but when it comes to style, most are less than world-class. A playboy manifesto on overcoming the fashion deficit

By Joseph DeAcetis
Photos by Karin Kohlberg

Last year Americans spent more than $52 billion on men's apparel. That's a sizable chunk of change and one that should reasonably produce an attractive return on investment in terms of how we look. Unfortunately that isn't the case. While a minority of men in the U.S. have learned to make clothes work for them -- those paying attention to Playboy, for example -- the typical male is a lost soul when it comes to personal style. Fortunately all is not lost. By following Playboy's nine-step recovery program, Americans too can join the ranks of sharply dressed men everywhere.