Ali Navigar dons a lab coat by day and more sophisticated fashions by night. As a dentist, Navigar naturally wears his white pressed and starched coats in the office rather than wearing any of his suits. While he is style conscious, Navigar does not focus on magazines or any trends for his fashion influences. Instead he shops for what is comfortable and fashionable, as long as it is practical as well. Navigar explained to me “I guess if it feels good then chances are it will look good. It doesn’t matter if it is formal or casual wear, expensive or not, as long as I like it then I will wear it.”
What can you tell me about your sense of style as it developed?
I guess my introduction to fashion started at an early age with my obsession with Nike Air shoes, like most early teenage boys that grew up in the early 1990s. Everyone used to rock Air Jordans but I was not a Michael Jordan fan so I started wearing Andre Aggassi's tennis shoes. They were really colorful and maybe even loud but I started collecting them and progressed to getting the clothes that matched the shoes. ”
Where do you like to shop?
“I am willing to shop anywhere and everywhere where I can find something I like and especially if I can find a good bargain. That includes higher end stores in Louisville like Rhodes and Von Maur. I also frequent Macy's and Banana Republic and even consignment stores can be great places to find stuff. I am a big fan of Evolve Consignments on Frankfort Ave, they were kind enough to provide my outfit for Best Dressed last year and they have a selection of men’s clothes that are not usually found in Louisville. I will also make sure to stop by and look at the stores in Chicago whenever I find myself up there and am looking for new threads. ”
How do you allow trends to influence your style?
“I do follow trends to a certain degree but at the end of the day it doesn't matter how fashionable it may seem if you don't feel like it is "you" then you probably are not going to be able to pull it off. If I see people wearing something that I may have not seen before then it can certainly influence me and if I think it looks good then I will give it a chance. The only problem is when the trend goes out of style; you don't want a whole bunch of in your closet that you won't be able to wear again…”
Photograph Courtesy of Ali Navigar.
