Short Shrifted

There are three timeless things that every men’s barbershop should offer its customers: great haircuts, relaxation, and good conversation. NYC’s Xac Anthony Salon & Spa in Chelsea had all three covered when I went in for an appointment before Thanksgiving (Full disclosure: the owner and some of the stylists are loyal Short Shrifted readers and offered me a free haircut; regular price is $85).

First off, Lennie, the stylist I saw, gave me an excellent chop (it had been ages since my last cut and I was looking pretty mountain mannish). It was easy to relax, too, thanks to the standard complimentary glass of wine (they also do margaritas on Friday nights). And finally, good barbershop banter. Xac Anthony has a bunch of savvy, stylish short guys on the staff — co-owner Anthony Valente (5′6″) and stylists Lennie Vega (5′8″) and Yuval Samburski (5′5″). I learned a lot just shooting the breeze with them — all without leaving my chair.

Anthony Valente, Owner

HAIR
“There’s really no specific hairstyle for short guys. Wear it however you want. The only thing you really need to stay away from is long hair. It draws the eye down. I wouldn’t suggest hair going past the cheekbone… I’d even go as far as the jawline. I guess the only thing I’d recommend for the shorter guy who wants to appear taller is to have height in his hair and we all know nobody wants height in their hair [laughs]. This isn’t the early 90s anymore. I don’t really try to heighten anymore; I’m proud of being 5-foot-6. Nothing I can do about it.”

STYLE
“The best thing to do is focus on a look, a style, a flow. There has to be some sort of unity between your hair, your style, and your clothes — even down to your shoes. I’m sharp, casual, classic. I always go for the classic look. I think it’s great for short people. I’m really into solid colors; not patterns. Everything is form-fitting, tapered. I stay away from baggier pants because the wider you are, the shorter you look.”

STORES
Armani Exchange, Club Monaco: “I’m an athletic build [40-inch chest, 30-inch waist, 28-inch inseam]. I work out, so I usually go for athletic or European cuts. My absolute favorite stores that I’ve found are Armani Exchange, which is fantastic, and Club Monaco. When I have to refresh my wardrobe, those are the two shops I hit up first. Especially when it comes to button-down shirts. I’m wearing Armani Exchange right now [Check out the photo of Anthony above -- he's the guy on the right]. They fit me ideally. They’re tapered nicely through the torso. They give you a lot of room in the shoulder area so they fit my broad shoulders. I wear a Medium and I’m wearing it untucked and the length is perfect. It falls in the perfect place I want it to fall, right at the wrist. Everyone asks me if I get my shirts custom-made or tailored! And they have sales all the time. Except unfortunately, when it comes to sale racks the only thing left usually are like XXXLs, which sucks. But I’ve been fortunate to find stuff. You’ve got to search and dig a lot deeper, but you find it.”

Adriano Goldschmied: “I love their AG7 jeans. They’re great for short guys because they’re form-fitting in the waist. The exception is the length, of course.”

The North Face: “The unfortunate thing about winter is you gotta wear those big, puffy jackets to keep warm. But The North Face is great because they’re not too puffy where I look as wide as I am tall. They’re classic; they’re not trendy, it’s not a fad. Just a good, basic winter jacket.”

G-Star: “I just got a nice G-Star jacket recently. Down, fur hood. It’s a little on the puffy side, but it’s not to bad.”

Lennie Vega, Stylist

STORES
I didn’t have my steno pad out when Lennie was cutting my hair (too busy throwing back that glass of wine), but he suggested a few stores that I hadn’t been tipped off to before: Behavior, Buckler Jeans, and Century 21. I’ll definitely be making a trip to all of these soon.

So, check out Xac Anthony if you’re getting shaggy. Besides sharp scissors, they’ve also got lines on some sharp threads. Need another reason to go? SPECIAL OFFER: Short Shrifted readers get 25% off the cost of their first visit. Just mention this site when you make your appointment.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 at 8:25 pm and is filed under Stores, Style Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.