The Associated Press

The stylish hosts of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy punctuate the Bravo TV series with "hip tips," and they do the same in their new book, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy: The Fab 5's Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better and Living Better (Clarkson Potter; $27.50).

The crew's fashion point man, Carson Kressley, spent years as a men's sportswear specialist for Polo Ralph Lauren and offers these tips for classic style that transcends the latest fashions.

• Make sure you have the basics when building a wardrobe. Every man should own the perfect suit, a denim jacket, cowboy boots, a cashmere sweater and a navy blue blazer.

• You might survive without these as well, but Kressley wouldn't risk it: a vintage belt, a pea coat, a cool hat, a real tuxedo (not rented) and the perfect leather jacket.

• Take care of your shoes and they'll take care of you by making everything you own look great. "Shoe trees are like Botox for leather. Use them after every wearing, and you'll have no wrinkles," Kressley says.

• Sharpen your silhouette by having a tailor trim shirts to get a narrower fit around the middle. Some shirts, especially American-made, are blousy and wide around the middle.

• Dry-cleaning is a must for vintage denim, a Kressley favorite. Because of changes in the way denim is produced, vintage denim is actually made from a better grade of fabric than new denim, but it will deteriorate like any other garment.

• Don't get him started on tuxedos. "Is it OK to rent a tux? Sure, if you're the type who'd feel comfortable buying a new liver from a vending machine. People! If you have the occasion to wear a tuxedo, it's worth investing in one," Kressley says.