Rashid Ibrahim is an accountant with USF&G.; He is from Ghana, West Africa, and attended the University of Maryland at College Park. He loves living in Baltimore and for relaxation he enjoys playing soccer, reading biographies, listening to musicand going to the theater. He is civic-minded and always participates in the March of Dimes Walkathon and Christmas in April. How would you describe your taste in clothing?
Conservative toward eclectic. I like to mix the two and strike a happy medium. Most of my shirts have French cuffs with a tab collar or a stave collar. Most everything I wear matches and I always pick out my clothes at night, so I won't be rushed in the morning.
What's the newest thing in your closet?
A pair of pointed toe Pierre Cardin patent leather shoes.
What's the oldest thing in your closet?
A pair of Cotler jeans that I bought about 10 years ago. They are faded, but very comfortable to wear on weekends.
Do you have a true "standby" that you wear to feel good?
Yes, it's a charcoal gray, double-breasted suit with pleated, cuffed pants that looks and feels good. I can wear it anywhere and be comfortable.
What have you kept for sentimental reasons?
My graduation suit that my mother bought for me. It's a tropical wool blue with some green and red lines in it. Very conservative.
What's the most expensive item in your closet?
A Hugo Boss double-breasted dark olive suit. The pants are triple pleated and cuffed. The fabric feels good and it fits well. There's something about feeling good that makes you feel more confident.
What's the least expensive item in your closet?
Probably socks or some of my handkerchiefs.
What's the wildest outfit you've ever bought?
It's an expensive suit that I bought in Paris many years ago. A blue, shiny silk suit, with a paisley design. The jacket looks like a short waiter's jacket. Black material goes down the sides of the pants and the same material is used on the lapels of the jacket. I've had the suit on twice, once in the boutique and once in my closet at home, but I've never worn it out.
What are your favorite accessories?
I like tie tacks, cuff links and lapel pins that match. I also like to wear shirts and use a pair of silver staves that were made by a friend in Germany.
Do you have any shopping tips you'd like to share?
I like to take a couple of hours on Saturdays and visit my favorite stores to check out the latest designs in men's fashion. Then I make a note of the things I'd like to buy and wait for them to go on sale. If I find something I think I have to have, I buy it. Men should also look at magazines like GQ for tips on ways to mix and match clothes. My sister lives in Germany and sends me fashion magazines to pick out things I like and sends them to me. Clothes are less expensive there.
If you could buy anything you wanted, what would it be?
I'd buy a custom made Lexus ES400, white with gray trim.
Do you know some special dressers? Tell Sylvia Badger what makes them special. Write to Candid Closet, Evening Sun Fashion, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21278.