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Photo by Isaac Harrell
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Photo by Jay Paul
Brandon Gouffon caught style consultant Diana Seaman's eye during a football game at Freeman High School, where he was coaching. She'd been interested in working with a man for one of our makeovers, and she could see potential under his long hair and bushy beard. Initially surprised when she approached him, Gouffon agreed to go along with it.
"I'll try anything — within reason," he says. A former football player himself (at Godwin High School and Hampden-Sydney College), Gouffon, 25, says he'd had a buzz cut for years and only in the last two years let his hair grow longer as an experiment. Self-employed in marketing, business analytics and publication distributing, he says he doesn't have to dress up for work, but the makeover experience will be useful for more formal social occasions.
Hair
Melvyn Ainger of Mango Salon says that given Gouffon's build, he didn't want to cut his hair too short, and they opted to keep his beard, with a trim. Ainger says that the new cut suits Gouffon's face shape, with the length on top balancing his features nicely. Gouffon says it's been a long time since he actually had his hair styled, and this dramatic change prompted lots of positive comments.
Clothing
"I had a vision of something casual, but polished," Seaman says. For his part, Gouffon prefers lightweight, unrestricting clothes. They visited Peter-Blair on Grove Avenue, where Elizabeth Creasey helped them choose a navy blazer by Sewell ($325), a plaid shirt by Gitman Brothers ($150), a pocket square by R. Hanauer ($45), gray corduroys by Mountain Khakis ($95) and socks by Marcoliani ($24). To complete the outfit, Derek Martin at Saxon Shoes helped Gouffon and Seaman select a pair of black wing-tip boots by Steve Madden ($115) as well as a belt by Brighton ($59).
The Style Team: Diana Seaman, wardrobe and style consultant, 356-9223 or dianas@radiantstylemadesimple.com ; Melvyn Ainger of Mango Salon, 123 Libbie Ave., 285-2800 or mangosalon.com ; Elizabeth Creasey of Peter-Blair, 5800 Grove Ave., 288-8123 or peter-blair.com ; Derek Martin of Saxon Shoes, Short Pump Town Center, 549-5039 or saxonshoes.com
