This is the first part of our conversation. The full episode and the complete archive of Subversive episodes, including exclusive episodes and my writing, are available on Substack. You can also subscribe to the podcast sans writing on Patreon for a bit less. This is how the show is financed and grows, so I appreciate every contribution! Please subscribe at: ⁠https://www.alexkaschuta.com/⁠ ⁠  / aksubversive⁠   We speak about how the impact of personal aesthetics on mental health and self-perception is significant, about how our convenience-oriented culture and the rise of athleisure have led to a decline in personal aesthetics and a lack of social pressure to dress well, about how men need to care about their aesthetics not only for their own well-being but also as a positive influence on their children. We also address how women play a role in influencing their partner's style, customization and tailoring, making progress, feeling good, and looking good; having kids can help shift focus away from wallowing and towards taking responsibility and finding joy in the present moment and much more. O.W Root is a menswear expert, a Twitter poster @NecktieSalvage, and a writer on Substack at https://necktiesalvage.substack.com/ Chapters for the full conversation. 00:00 The Impact of Personal Aesthetics on Mental Health 02:25 The Power of Dressing with Intention 04:02 The Decline of Personal Aesthetics in a Convenience-Oriented Culture 05:30 The Importance of Men's Style for Self-Perception and Parenting 07:08 The Degeneration of Culture and the Loss of Personal Style 11:49 Trends, Customization, and Tailoring 14:18 Making Progress in Personal Style 43:23 The Absurdity of Normalcy in the Age of Extremes 48:28 Embracing Imperfection and Living with Direction 52:13 Overcoming the Fear of Making Mistakes 54:48 Shifting Focus from Wallowing to Taking Responsibility 01:01:39 Riding the Wave of Life and Finding Joy in the Present