Mark McNairy, aka the godfather of menswear, sat down with The Wall Street Journal and answered the style questions we didn’t even know we had. Maybe you’ve wondered what it is that ruins a good shirt, or the item of clothing that every man needs to own. Well, even if you haven’t, you can learn all from the man who has racked up some pretty outstanding collaborations in his time, from adidas and Pharrell Williams to Woolrich and Heineken.

His new book F*ck Ivy and Everything Else is basically a pokédex for men’s fashion, and he doesn’t mind being blunt. Then again, when you’ve got ‘former creative director for the Ivy League’ on your resume, you can pretty much call the shots how you like. For example, as far as shoelaces go, “when they’re all twisted-up and dirty, it’s a reflection of sloppiness.” Fair call, McNairy.

Check out some key tips below and make sure to read the full interview here.

• Words: Emma Arnold