“Never underestimate the power of what you wear. After all, there’s just a small bit of yourself sticking out at the collar and cuff. The rest of the world sees what you drape on your frame.”
– Oscar Schoffler, fashion editor of Esquire Magazine
Clothes make the man. When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you do good! In this article, we’re going to give you the lowdown on what you need to do to jazz up your wardrobe with a bit of pizzazz so that you look dressed to kill at all times.
Style is pretty important, huh? Perhaps you’ve reached that stage of your life now where you want to start looking shaper. Maybe you want to stand out from the crowd, attract a different kind of woman and improve your looks so that you start to feel more confident.
The good news is that looking sharper doesn’t require you to spend a small fortune on overhauling your wardrobe. There’s no need to rack up a $1,000+ bill at Dolce and Gabbana just yet. Instead, improving your style is simply a matter of tweaking a few little things and losing some bad habits.
If you want to start looking dapper from now on and want all eyes to be on you, let’s take a look at this ultimate men fashion guide…
100 Must know style tips for men
Spend Time On your Image/Look
First, we can’t stress enough that from no onwards you’ll need to spend a lot of time cultivating your image and look.
No man who is stylish sees style as something they don’t need to spend much time on. Instead, they see it almost as a passion or hobby. In other words, they spend a lot of time working on their look. And this is what you need to start doing, too.
Invest time in your look.
Invest effort in your look.
But perhaps more than anything else, invest money in your look.
Style needs to be cared about if you’re going to make this work. From now on, you need to start prioritising it in your life. It’s one of the best investments you’ll make all year.
Throw Away That Which you Haven’t Worn For A year
Okay, this one isn’t as black and white as we just made out. There’s no need to throw away everything that you haven’t worn for a year. If you’ve got an old suit in your wardrobe that’s always been your favourite but you just haven’t got round to wearing it for a while, feel free to keep it.
Everything else that hasn’t been worn for a year and – let’s face it – probably wont be worn ever again? Get rid of it now. Don’t even spend time contemplating or mulling things over. Get rid of that which you KNOW you’ll never wear ever again.
The thing is, you’re gonna need wardrobe space for all your new stuff too. Be ruthless and perform a cull. Don’t hold back.
Get Most Things Adjusted
Ever seen dudes walking around with clothes that just don’t fit them? Most often, the clothes are way too big for them. It’s noticeable and it looks very uncool and very unstylish.
Most of the time it’s the shirts, jackets and trousers that are too big. But even if the clothes aren’t way too big for them, even being a little bit too big is noticeable – and it really isn’t cool.
It makes a guy look as though he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Do you want to be that guy?
Didn’t think so.
From now on, you need to get all the important clothes – clothes that everyone else can see on you – adjusted. Go see a tailor, and ask him to fit you right up. That way, whatever you way will look good on you. It might be that your personal taste is a bit horrendous (Lol), but at least it will fit right. And that’s a good start.
Spend More On Less
Boyfriend: “Look what a great deal I just got at the store, honey! 5 shirts for $50!”
Girlfriend: “They look hideous.”
Cheap shirts are cheap for a reason – they’re not stylish. And some men are suckers for a deal. To them, 5 shirts for $50 means they’ve now got different shirts for5 different nights out, and they no longer have to buy another new shirt for 50 years.
But it just doesn’t work if you’re buying a load of clothes that just don’t look good.
From now on, you need to shift your focus from quantity to quality.
Got $50 in your pocket? Don’t buy 5 shirts with it. Buy just one very good one.
Who cares if it’s the only one that you’ve got for a while? The only thing that matters right now – the only thing that ever matters – is that you look good. That’s it!
Don’t Buy Suits Online
There’s not a LOT wrong with buying suits online per say, but you don’t get a good feel for what you’re buying. Moreover, you can’t get them adjusted by a tailor and you can’t compare things like cuts and fabrics with other suits.
All of these things are super important if you want to start looking more stylish.
From now on, buy your suits from stores. Go there in person and try them on. Compare them with other suits. This will take some time so dedicate a few hours to shopping for a suit.
Hey, if you want to look sharper, this is one of the compromises you’ll have to make!
Get Shorts Right
There is a right and a very wrong way to wear shorts.
The wrong way is to wear cargo shorts.
The wrong way is also to wear shorts that barely even cover your thighs.
The wrong way is also to pair shorts with sandals AND socks.
The wrong way is also to wear shorts in cold weather.
The wrong way is also to wear them inapproporiately at an event with a dress code that pretty much says “no shorts.”
Don’t wear shorts the wrong way. If you do, you’ll look like a dad that has no idea what he’s doing!
From now on, if you are to risk wearing shorts (and wearing shorts is always a risk), you need to make sure they cover your thighs but expose your knees a little bit.
It’s also important that the temperature is right. If you wear shorts in warm, even hot weather, you can pull this off. Combine them with shades and you might even look cool. If it’s chilly and no one else is wearing shorts, avoid them too. It’ll just make you look eccentric.
Go Crazy With Shoes
Ladies go crazy with shoes. Perhaps you’ve known a few women in your time who own an insane amount of shoes. But here’s the thing: There’s no reason why guys – and that includes you – can’t go crazy with shoes, too.
So far, you’ve probably stuck to the usual suspects: Browns and blacks. That’s cool … but it’s also a tad boring, no?
It’s time to leave your comfort zone where shoes are concerned and mix things up a bit. Don’t be afraid to experiment with reds, greys and blues. Visit any shoe store and you’ll see that, as well as the dour browns and blacks that all the average Joe’s wear, there are also lots of different coloured shoes. Try them on! See how they make you feel. If you think you look good in a pair of blue suede shoes, don’t be afraid to buy ‘em!
Cause why not, right?!
Forget Jeans
Forget jeans, right?
Jeans schmeans!
That’s your new saying.
Look, you’ve been wearing jeans all your life. When you were 5 you wore them, and you dirtied a pair of jeans throughout the rest of your teenage existence. Jeans can be cool but they’re not very smart or stylish.
The next time you think to buy a pair of jeans, stop for a moment and go for something different.
But If you Must Wear Jeans …
Okay, let’s say you already own a good pair of jeans and that you actually look good in them. Then what?
There’s not a lot wrong with the right kind of jeans … but are you wearing the right kind?
The wrong kind includes baggy jeans, jeans with loads of embellishments … and the dreaded ripped jeans.
Skinny jeans are out too, as are bleached jeans.
So what jeans can you wear?
Levi’s are always a safe bet. Keep them blue, make sure they fit you well, and avoid all the above. And then you should be okay.
Lose the White Socks
White socks? …
… Really, guys?
White socks are what we wore at school when we should have known better. Now that you’re a grown man, it’s time to lose these losers from your wardrobe and go for high quality cashmere, cotton or wool socks.
Vary it up – buy a few different types of socks.
Dress Like a Movie Star
When you were a kid, perhaps your favourite movie was Bill and Ted, and you wanted to dress just like them.
Now that you’re older, however, you need to start being more suave and sophisticated. Now that you’re older, your new movie icons need to shift from Jim Carrey to the likes of Carey Grant (Google him), Daniel Craig and George Clooney. These guys never look less than 100% (even when they’re supposed to be 100%).
Watch how they dress. Pay attention the the details. Ask yourself, “what will it take for me to dress a bit more like that?” These guys are smart and cool. They look good. Put the dumb stoner comedies down and watch the right movies.
And then dress like a frigging movie star.
Ditch The Gym Shoes
Okay, of course there is a time and a place for when you need to wear gym shoes. But do you know when that is?
In the gym!
It’s the same with athletic socks. Only wear them for the appropriate time and place. Otherwise, ditch them. They’re not stylish and you wouldn’t even be wearing them at all if you didn’t have a gym card.
Remember, gym shoes attract sweat – not women.
Get your Ties Right
Ties are the bane of many a man’s life.
How many times have you attempted to tie a tie, only to end up trying to strangle yourself with it?!
As well as tying a properly, though, it’s important that you wear the right ties in the first place.
The aim is to match your ties with whatever you are wearing at any one time – as opposed to the other way around.
So take a look at your wardrobe and then decide what ties you want to buy. A tie should match your wardrobe both in terms of colours and patterns – and even fabrics.
Buy Style Magazines
Our article is going to help you be more stylish. But as well as reading this article, from now on you should also start buying men’s style and fashion magazines on the regular.
In fact, you could ask your friends to see if they’ve got any old style magazines that they could lend you. It doesn’t have to be a new edition. Remember, the thing about style is that it’s timeless – it never goes out of fashion.
Seek out magazines old and new. Once you’ve found one that you like, subscribe to it for a year (it will be well worth it).
Perhaps even buy a book on style, too.
Don’t Forget a Tux
“A tux? Say what? I went to prom years ago!”
Prom might be over but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a tux.
Having a tux in your wardrobe is handy because you never quite know when you’re going to need one.
A tux is classy and some occasions call for it. For example, maybe you’ll get an invitation to go to the opera with a classy and sophisticated lady at the last minute. Will she be expecting a tux? She might be!
Then there are black tie events. Black tie events require you to wear a tux. If you don’t have one, you’re pretty much screwed.
Make Sure Socks and Trousers Match
Come on, admit it. How many times have you made this faux pas? How many times have you worn socks that don’t match your trousers?
All guys have done it – and all guys keep doing it. It’s NOT a good look.
When your socks don’t match with your trousers, it makes you look very unstylish, makes you look eccentric (not a good look), and it makes you look like you don’t know what you’re doing.
Moreover, it draws attention to your socks for all the wrong reasons.
Most of the time, you don’t want to draw any attention to your socks. The only time you do is when you want to be a bit bold and a bit daring. Otherwise, synch up, dude.
Buy a Day Bag
Never thought you’d accessorise, did you? Accessorising is something that only women do, right?
If you want to be more stylish, it’s time to accessorise with a day bag.
Because, you know, a smart day bag is a lot more stylish than a rucksack.
Just saying.
Roll your Sleeves up Properly
Guys, believe it or not, there is totally a right and a wrong way to roll your sleeves up. If you get this wrong and roll your sleeves up incorrectly, you could mess up your whole look, which otherwise might be really smart and stylish. Remember that the details matter.
How to roll your sleeves up the right way?
Start with your sleeves unbuttoned and unrolled. Then, roll your sleeve up to around 2 widths of the cuff.
Then, roll down again to the bottom of your cuff before rolling up once more with the top of your cuff exposed.
Buy an Over Shirt
As you bid to become more stylish, you’ll run into more and more problem scenarios. One of them is when the weather isn’t warm enough for a t-shirt but not quite cold enough for a coat.
So what do you do?!
The simplest solution is to wear an over shirt.
Ditch the Running Shoes
“But I thought running shoes were cool?!”
Since when were running shoes ever cool?
If you go running, running shoes perform a function – but they’re never cool.
Look, you’re not in high school or college anymore. Keep the running shoes for running, but never wear them otherwise. As we’ve mentioned elsewhere in this article, invest in some top notch, stylish shoes.
Invest In a Stylish Wallet
A wallet is one of the little details that a lot of men rarely think about. If a wallet is “just a wallet to you” and you don’t care what it looks like (or how long you’ve had yours for), you’re doing it wrong.
Now that you want to be more stylish, you simply can’t view a wallet as just a wallet anymore. A wallet must be one of the most stylish things you own.
How’s it going to look when you whip it out in front of people … and it’s tattered and old? It won’t look good.
Buy fresh wallets often from now on. As soon as your wallet starts to show signs of wear and tear, get a new one. Each time you go to pay for something, your wallet will come out and you can’t afford it to make you look bad.
Resole Old Shoes
We’ve advised you to invest in a brand new pair of high quality shoes in this article, and that advice still stands – you should totally invest in new shoes.
However, if you have an old pair of shoes that are classy but worn and you still want to keep wearing them, it’s essential that you at least get them re-soled before you wear them again.
Take them to a cobblers and get them fixed. In fact, if you do this, you might not even need to invest in a new pair of shoes provided that your old ones are already amazing.
Do Something With your Wrist
A naked wrist is a pretty boring wrist. If you’ve been walking around with a naked wrist all this time, it’s darn time that accessorised it a bit.
This means that you could wear a nice watch, a bracelet – or even both together.
It does’t even matter so much what you wear. What matters more than anything is that you wear something on your wrist.
See, a lot of guys wear clothes just to stay warm or because they have to wear something. When you start accessorising your wrist, you go from that guy to a man who is dressing himself with a bit more intention. He wants to look good, and he cares about his style. And women will pick up on that.
Keep Things Simple
The problem with some guys is that they just don’t know how to keep things simple. If this sounds a lot like you, take heed and don’t overdo it.
What does this mean? Don’t wear more than 3 colours.
Don’t dress like you’re a rock star unless you are a rock star. Remember, only rock stars can pull off the rock star look (it’s a hard look to pull off).
Don’t overdo it on the jewellery front. Wear some jewellery, but don’t wear more than three pieces.
“But I want to be flashy!” you might be saying. That’s fine. If so, accessorise with a flashy but classy watch or a necklace.
But don’t overdo it. If you do, you run the risk of people asking you if you got dressed in a power cut.
And, no, you don’t want to be asked that question!
Be Timeless With Colours
The next time you see a shirt splattered with different colours that you think looks cool, ask yourself, “but are these colours timeless?”
The answer is – probably not.
What do we mean by timeless colours? We’re referring to colours that literally never go out of fashion. These include:
- Navy Blue
- Black
- Grey
- White
The above colours are “safe” colours that you can’t go wrong with. If you pick yellow, you might look good, but you also run the risk of getting things horribly wrong.
Be careful, be wise, be smart and stick to timeless, non-weird colours.
That said, there are, of course, other colours that work, too. Once you’ve got your style nailed, you can start leaving your comfort zone a bit and checking colours out like these:
- Brown
- Silver
- Light Blue
Always remember that, while flashy colours certainly catch the eye, that doesn’t mean they look good. Blacks and whites might sound boring, but they send out all the right signals to the right people. They’re restrained but smart, elegant – and they work.
Moreover, no one is going to criticise or laugh at you for wearing these colours – which could potentially happen if you experiment with the likes of pinks and yellows.
Get The Supporting Pieces Right
Some sweater are huge and chunky, while others are more lean. Why are we reminding you of this? Because it’s really important that your bottom and top halves match up. If they don’t, you’ll look like you’ve no idea what you’re doing!
For example, if you go for a big, rugged and chunky sweater but then try to match it with skinny jeans, you’ll just look plain unstylish. If your top is rugged, your trousers need to follow suit and be rugged, too.
Wear Cologne
Guys, some girls go weak at the knees for a bit of cologne.
Like, seriously. It’s legit. If you want to impress a lady on a date, wear cologne.
Not too much, of course, but enough for it to be noticed.
The trick is to wear a cologne that suits your natural scent. This isn’t something that’s easy to do, and you will need to spend some time in the department store trying out the small testers. Either ask for advice and opinions from the people who work there or take a friend along with you (preferably female) to see what works and what doesn’t for you.
Be Seasonal
Now that you’re being more stylish, it’s time to let the seasons affect you.
This means wearing the dark earthy tones in the autumn, the blues and sombre greys in the winter … and all the colours in the summer.
Actually, we’re kidding on that one. Don’t wear ALL the colours. There are still certain colours you need to stick to – which we go over elsewhere in this article – but you get the picture. If you’re seasonal, you’ll be on trend and you’ll look as though you know what you’re doing.
Gold or Silver? Pick One
If you do decide to wear jewellery (and in this article, we recommend that you do), you shouldn’t wear both gold and silver – just one metal will do and you need to pick the one you prefer.
Of course, you can own both gold and silver necklaces and so on, but you should only wear one metal at a time. It’s a golden (or silver) rule.
This doesn’t apply for your wedding band, but it applies for pretty much everything else.
Pick One Leather Colour, Too
Just like you shouldn’t be wearing gold and silver at the same time, you also shouldn’t combine black with brown leather.
It’s okay to own both colours but don’t rock them at the same time. It’s not a good look.
For example, don’t combine a black leather jacket with a brown belt.
Or a brown bag.
Or brown shoes.
Choose whether today is a brown or a black day.
Invest In Snazzy Work Clothes
We spend most of our lives at work. That kinda sucks but it’s just the way it is.
What makes this worse, though, is that so many of us choose to buy cheap, frumpy work clothes.
Just why?
If you want to be stylish, you need to sport the look at all times – and this includes those 8 hours you spend each day in the office.
Invest in some snazzier work gear. Impress the boss and your colleagues with your look.
And remember, the better you dress for work, the better you’ll feel. In some strange way, this could actually improve your productivity and your work relationships.
Remember what we said at the start of the article – if you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you’ll work good.
If It’s Cold, Wear a Scarf
A scarf can protect you from the elements in the inclement weather – but it can also make you look good.
Now that you’re trying to be more stylish, it’s time to start adding a scarf to your box of tricks.
A scarf in the winter looks good on men. It isn’t about keeping you warm – it’s about scoring those style points!
So invest in a good scarf that looks good. Once you’ve got your scarf, make sure you know how to tie it around you.
Add Volume To Thinning Hair
If there’s one thing that can cramp your style, it’s thinning hair. And unlike an uncool piece of clothing, thinning hair is a lot harder to rectify.
But it’s often just as easy for someone else to notice.
And, no, it isn’t cool when our friend points out to us that our hair is thinning!
But is there anything we can do about it? Fortunately, there is.
The easiest way to add volume to your thinning hair? Wash it and then use a blow dryer and comb.
Comb your hair and dry it with the blow dryer at the same time and you should find that your hair stays up.
Avoid Striped Shirts
As a general rule of thumb, guys should avoid striped shirts.
And polka dots.
In fact, anything with a too-crazy pattern should be avoided. These “busy” shirts just don’t work on men. Perhaps you might think they do, or perhaps you might wish they did – but they just don’t.
Stick to solid colours. Go for a whole black shirt, or a whole navy blue shirt, or a whole white shirt. Again, you might think this sounds really boring but it’s smart and it works.
Moreover, you’re not drawing attention to yourself for any negative reasons. And this is a good thing.
“But I’ve seen style icons and models wearing striped shirts and crazy patterns,” you might argue.
Correct – but these guys are the pros. Sorry, but you’re not there just yet.
Now, you might get tempted to experiment at some point with something a bit more outlandish. And that’s fine, we all get tempted and want to look different now and then. But keep these crazier shirts to just 5% of your whole wardrobe. Don’t buy too many and don’t wear them too often.
Own a Dark and a Light Business Suit
How’s your suit collection looking?
The best suit hack is to buy a dark one and a light one. That way, you’ve got two good suits to fall back on for different occasions.
Of course, suits do cost money but once you’ve got them, you’ve got them. And this really isn’t an area of your wardrobe that you can afford to overlook. Put simply, you need suits if you want to look good.
Follow The Rule of 3
Heard of the Rule of 3?
No?
Hmm, that’s probably why you’re here in the first place!
The Rule of 3 is this:
1) Make sure a piece of clothing fits
2) Make sure that the fabric of a piece of clothing is excellent – it has to be 100% fabric, be it wool, cotton and so on. Why? Well, it’s just nicer that way, not to mention sturdier
3) Make sure that any piece of clothing you’re about to buy and wear is stylish. If it isn’t stylish, why on earth would you buy it? Remember that fashion is what designers are offering you – style is what youchoose. It’s all down to taste and what looks good on you. Just because a man like Russell Brand can pull off a medallion doesn’t mean that you can, too.
And that’s it. Each time you go to purchase a new item of clothing, apply the Rule of 3. Ask yourself, “does this fit, is the fabric good, and is it stylish?”
If it fails on any of those, do not buy it under any circumstances!
Clean your Clothes Often
Clean your clothes often. Don’t let wools and hairs pile up.
And definitely do not leave the house with a mark or a stain – no matter how slight or “unnoticeable” – on your clothing. Don’t do it!
Wash whatever you can at home and take everything else to the dry cleaners. Stay on top of things.
Find a Signature Look
There’s nothing wrong with adopting new fashion and style trends – as long as you can pull each one off.
But can you really look like a hipster and a James Bond in the same week?
It’s a good idea to find a signature look that you not only feel comfortable with, but which also happens to suit you really well.
Lots of guys do this. Take a look at Michael Kors, for example. He wears t-shirts with jeans and sunglasses all the time. It’s a style that really works for him and he’s cool with it.
Other guys, of course, evoke their styles and adapt to trends. Some have different styles and go-to outfits for different occasions, such as David Beckham. David looks equally stylish in a baseball cap and casual shirt as he does in a suit. He’s able to pull it off.
Wear Good Underwear
No, not everyone is going to see you underwear – but some lucky lady will, and it’s important that you don’t shame yourself with rubbish underwear!
The thing with underwear is that it’s hardly the most important piece of clothing you’ll ever wear. But that doesn’t mean it should be treated as an afterthought.
One person at least will know you’re wearing stylish underwear – you – and in a strange way, it can make you feel pretty good.
Don’t Go Shopping Alone
If you always go shopping by yourself, you’re gonna hate this one.
Of course, we know why guys go shopping by themselves.
“I don’t want any hassle. I just want to get in, get my stuff and then get out again.”
Moreover, you can trust the opinion of the store clerks, right?
“Right!”
Such a guy you are!
The problem is twofold. First, the clerk is working on a commission basis (most likely anyway, and therefore it’s very hard to trust them).
Secondly, you need the objective, honest opinion of a friend.
Otherwise, you risk coming home with something that doesn’t look good at all. And then, after you’ve already spent $100+ on new clothing, the comments will come:
“Dude, you should have let me come shopping with you because that just looks bad.”
“What is that?!”
Don’t go shopping alone. Take a friend who’s into fashion, and who you can trust to give you their honest opinion.
Go Wild Now and Then
There have been times when we’ve advised you in this article to avoid crazy patterns and garish colours. But it’s all about context, occasion and location.
For example, you can’t walk around in a suit on a beach in Hawaii. It just doesn’t work.
Neither can you be a perfectly timeless gentleman all the time.
Now and then, when the occasion calls for it, let loose with a Hawaiian shirt. Don’t be afraid to wear bright, loud pants.
But remember – only if the occasion calls for it. Otherwise, keep those pinks, reds and oranges firmly locked away.
Ask yourself “What Would My Ex Think If She Saw Me Wearing This?”
If there’s a girl who you think broke up with you way too soon and you’d still like a chance to show her what she’s missing, use this as inspiration to dress well.
Each time you prepare to go out, imagine bumping into her that evening. Would she be impressed by your killer new look, with clothes that fit and fabrics that finesse?
Or will she turn her nose up at your baggy jeans, graphic tees and running shoes?
It always happens – we go out dressed ridiculously, hoping no one sees us … and then we bump into our ex. We grimace as they look us up and down and we try really hard to divert attention from our white socks.
It’s too late – they’ve seen us and they’re not impressed.
In fact, they might even go home and write a Facebook status about our encounter:
“Bumped into my today. Totally dodged a bullet there.”
From now on, whatever you wear, ask yourself, “if I ran into my ex today, would this impress her?”
Don’t Try Too Hard
No one likes a try hard, whether this is in fashion or anywhere else.
If you try too hard with your style, people WILL notice – and it won’t be good.
If you try too hard to be flashy, people will think that you’re faking it.
It’s like when folk buy sports cars – sometimes, it just looks as though they’re overcompensating for something else.
The last thing you want is for women to suspect that you’re trying to hard. It’s a big turn off.
Find a Good Barber
Hair is SO important to a good look – we can’t stress this enough. It’s key that you find yourself a good barber, otherwise you’re as good as playing yourself.
A haircut affects your style just as much as clothes do. A good one complements your look, while a bad one can ruin what was otherwise a smart look.
If you’re not sure what to go for, don’t go too crazy. Maybe you’re tempted to try a pompadour, a man bun or even dreadlocks, but just remember that all these styles require a lot of maintenance. Moreover, not everyone can pull them off.
If you’re not confident, keep it simple. Ask your barber what he recommends for your head type and look.
Once you’ve found a good barber, go to him often. Keep your hair well-maintained and don’t let it get out of hand because you “don’t have the time” for a haircut just yet. Hair is important – stay on top of it, guys.
Look After your Skin
Just like you need to look after your clothes and hair, you also need to look after your skin.
Skin care is very important. If you have bad skin, it mars your overall look. It doesn’t matter how good your look otherwise, bad skin is going to lose you a few style points.
There are lots of things you can do to look after your skin, and the main thing you can do is drink more water. Water keeps you properly hydrated and ensures that your skin doesn’t dry out. From now on, aim to drink 5-7 glasses of water each day.
It’s also a good idea to buy a good skin cream and apply it to your skin. Find a product that will alleviate any problems you have and use it.
Moisturise and exfoliate often, too.
Buy an Umbrella
“Okay now you’re being ridiculous! What has an umbrella got to do with style?”
An umbrella has everything to do with style if it’s raining, bro.
If the weather is bad, you’ve got a few choices:
1) Walk around without an umbrella, get SOAKED from the rain and look a horrible, unstylish mess
2) Walk around with a really uncool and cheap and tacky umbrella that breaks easily when there’s a violent gust of wind, and which makes you look otherwise unstylish
3) Walk around with a really cool umbrella that makes you look the BOMB even when it’s raining
The choice is yours guys. We know which one we’d go for – buy a snazzy, colourful umbrella so that you look positively amazing even when it rains.
Buy a Watch
Watches are awesome. They’re eye candy for the arm that get you noticed.
Watches help you make statements. They help you flaunt your personality. They say to people, “this is who I am.”
If you make good money and can afford a good watch, do it. It will hang on your arm and do a lot of work for you at parties and networking events by letting people know how well you’re doing in life. A watch will say “this guy earns good money and knows how to spend it. He looks good.”
Good watches do cost a lot of money but the ROI is impressive. Moreover, they last pretty much a lifetime, which means that once you’ve bought one, you won’t need to buy another ever again.
Wear Sunglasses
When the sun comes out, the first thing you should be thinking is, “where are my sunglasses at?”
If you don’t have a pair of sunglasses, what are you waiting for? Buy a pair!
“But I don’t look good in sunglasses.”
Everyone looks good in sunglasses. Seriously, you can’t wear a pair of shades and look rubbish (unless you commit a massive fashion faux pas and buy a pair that look horrible in the first place).
Invest in a slick pair of shades and wear them when the sun comes out. Sunglasses automatically make you look good and they’re a super duper easy way to ramp up your style game.
Don’t Overspend On The Things No One Will Notice Anyway
Throughout this article, some of you might be asking, “but where am I going to get the money from?”
And that’s fine – clothes do cost money and you will need to spend a fair bit to look good.
This is why it’s important that you work out a strategy so that you don’t spend too much on clothing that no one will notice anyway.
For example, ties. Who can tell the difference between a $100 tie and a $10,000?
It’s the same for socks and underwear. What kind of world do we live in where guys should be wearing socks that cost $5,000?!
A lot of guys who are trying to be more stylish get suckered into spending more money on clothing that doesn’t need to cost a lot at all. This shouldn’t be you. From now on, spend less on the clothes that no one will see anyway and more on clothes that people will notice.
Don’t Wear a Belt unless you Have To
Belts can sometimes look really good.
But sometimes, there’s no need for a belt.
And sometimes, a belt doesn’t even look good.
If your clothing fits perfectly and doesn’t need a belt, leave the belt at home. It’s not necessary.
If, however, you’re sporting the same look as a guy from a style magazine and he made the belt look good, feel free to wear it.
Keep your Jacket Buttoned
What’s with guys walking around with unbuttoned jackets? What’s the deal with that?
Always keep your jacket buttoned.
The only exception to this rule is when you’re seated. And that really is the only exception. Otherwise, stay buttoned up at all times.
That said, the bottom button must be left undone.
For example, let’s say you’re wearing a two button jacket, in which case you’d fasten the top button but leave the bottom one undone.
If you’re wearing a three button jacket, fasten the top two buttons and leave the bottom one undone.
There are other variations that some guys try but a lot of them don’t look right. If you want to look good, keep to our recommendations.
Fix Issues As Soon As Possible
There’s a button missing from your jacket, what do you do?
“I’ll get it fixed.”
When?
“I don’t know. Next week? Next month?”
Not god enough. If an outfit is damaged in any way – and this includes torn seams, frayed edges and the dreaded missing buttons – you need to fix it ASAP.
Put simply, there’s no way you can be seen in public with damaged clothing. It makes you look tardy, loses you a bundle of style points and could land you with a reputation that’s hard to shake off. No matter how smart you look afterwards, people will always remember you as the “missing button guy.”
Take Things up a Notch
If you’re thinking whether or not it’s better to dress up or down, the answer is that it’s always better to dress up.
Of course, you don’t want to overdo it. But now and then you’ve got to dare to do and take a few risks.
Wherever you’re going, find out what the dress code is and then take things up a little bit. Not too much – just a notch. The last thing you want is to be the Average Joe who nobody notices because he’s dressed so averagely.
Make a statement – just not a massive one that gets people talking for all the wrong reasons.
Dress Better Than your Friends
Ha, this is a funny one, right?
Sometimes, to be more stylish, all you need to do is take a look around at your friends – and dress better than them.
We all have friends who aren’t the sharpest dressers (and up until this point, perhaps that was you). Make sure that whatever you wear looks better than your friends.
That said, you might have one or two friends who are sharp dressers and who always know what they’re doing when it comes to fashion. If that’s the case, copy them. Ask them for tips and just brazenly steal their look.
Iron your Shirts
Do you iron your own shirts?
“I’m a dude – of course not!”
Guys, ironing – believe it or not – is a very useful skill to have.
Imagine if you go travelling, or spend a night in a hotel. Once arrived at your destination, you remove your clothes from your cases and your face drops as you realise that your best shirt and trousers are creased.
Now what do you do?
If you know how to iron, you can get yourself out of sticky situations like this. Ironing keeps your clothes smart and ensures you remain looking good.
If Something Makes You Uncomfortable, Ditch It
There are a lot of golden rules when it comes to style, and one of them is that if something is making you uncomfortable, you HAVE to ditch it.
Why? It’s pretty obvious. If an item of clothing is making you feel uncomfortable, it means you are uncomfortable – and people will notice.
Clothing that causes you to feel awkward will undermine your confidence, and therefore you just won’t perform as well as you could have done. Never wear something that has you doubting yourself. It will kill your esteem and ruin your evening.
Clean The Edges of your Hairline
Good grooming is essential to men’s style, and cleaning up the edges of your hairline should now be a key part of your maintenance routine. It keeps you looking smart between hair cuts.
Of course, as time passes your hair will start to grow back and you’ll need a fresh cut. But for now at least, you should invest in an electric razor that helps you to stay looking well-groomed and ready to rock and roll.
Remember The Small Things
Often, guys will chuck on a scarf at the last minute. Because they haven’t thought about it too much and literally just thrown it on, it’s the one thing that gets noticed more than anything else – for all the wrong reasons.
Remember this saying from now on: The last thing you put on is often the first thing people notice.
This can go for scarves, but it can also go for lots of other things too, such as hats, pocket squares, watches and so on.
The small, seemingly innocuous things that you don’t think about can be enough to render your whole outfit a total disaster. And that would be a big shame wouldn’t it?
Never Buy Something you’re Not Really Sure About
We’ve all done it – we’ve bought something we were never 100% sure about in the first place and then regretted it.
“Why did I buy it?!”
We bought it because, somewhere along the line, we convinced ourselves that we would actually wear it.
And then, of course, we never did.
The reason for this is usually a lack of fashion knowledge. If you had a clue about fashion (and follow the tips in this article) you wouldn’t make these mistakes because you would KNOW what works and what doesn’t.
If you’re unsure about a piece of clothing and have to ask, “but would I actually wear it?” err on the side of caution, put your rational hat on and don’t buy it.
Don’t Be Afraid To Wear Jewellery
If you’ve never worn jewellery before, wearing it for the first time will be a tad daunting. Perhaps you’ll feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.
“It just isn’t me,” you might say.
There’s no need to go overboard, though. Just a simple ring now and then or even a sparkling necklace can go a long way to adding a bit of glamour to your look without overdoing things.
Naturally, if you walk around with a medallion hanging from your neck you’re going to attract a lot of attention (and probably not of the good kind) but a piece here and a piece there can really take your look to the next level without making you feel uncomfortable.
Look Like a Man
“We define a metrosexual as someone who really takes care of themselves in terms of grooming and style. There is nothing wrong with that. But I think you need to have some other values. It’s cool to incorporate some traditional values into metrosexuality. Then it becomes a good lifestyle.”
– Frank Vincent
“Dirt makes a man look masculine. Let your hair blow in the wind… All you have to do is look neat when you have to look neat.”
– Hedy Lamarr
Hedy makes a great point when she says that men need to look like men … and sometimes, a lot of men in 2018 are guilty of wearing clothes that remove their masculinity.
Look guys, if there is one thing we know about women it’s that they want men to be men.
They want men to act like men and look like men.
So don’t be afraid to look a tad unpolished. Don’t be afraid to look rugged and a little mean. Don’t be afraid to – as Hedy puts it – let your hair blow in the wind. It’s a good, masculine look that the opposite sex responds to. Look neat – but only when you need to. Otherwise, sport that indifferent, sullen, moody man look.
Follow The Washing Labels
Washing labels are there for a reason. They’re there so that you won’t wash a piece of clothing incorrectly and end up with a piece of clothing that’s either so much bigger or so much smaller than it was before you put it into the washing machine.
From now on, always read the label and always follow the instructions.
Ditch The Back Pack
Who are back packs for?
“Me!”
No, guys. Back packs are for kids – high school kids at that.
No grown man who is looking to get smarter should be seen in a back pack, okay? It’s time to trade up and enhance your look with a briefcase or a messenger bag.
And, yes, this goes even if you are still in school.
Have Go-To Pieces In your Wardrobe
It’s important that your wardrobe is populated with “go-to” pieces, so that you can call on them whenever you need them.
And not just one go-to piece, but two, three or even four.
For example, imagine if you get a last minute call from friends asking if you want to hang out tonight. If you only had one go-to piece in your wardrobe and it was in the laundry, you’d be a bit stuck.
Find your signature look that works and invest in a few go-to pieces.
Buy a Good Pair of Shoes
Guys, it all starts with shoes.
Perhaps you don’t look at feet – but ladies, hiring managers and so on do.
Shoes are very important. They say a lot about whoever is wearing them. If your shoes are unclean, worn down, old and bland, it’s going to ruin your whole look.
Get the shoes right. If you need some new ones, get some new ones. Don’t overlook this aspect of your outfit.
And when you do get some new shoes, make sure that you look after them. Keep them clean. Take them to a cobblers if they need fixing. Treat your shoes like you treat your teeth and don’t let them go into disregard.
Lose the Logos
Lots of people are wearing Levis t-shirts at the moment. They look kinda cool on girls. But for men who want to be stylish, logos are a big no-no.
If you walk around with a huge logo emblazoned on your shirt, you look like a billboard and you’ll lack originality. More than anything else, you’re now just a walking advertisement for a brand!
Ditch the logos and instead aim for a more original look that no one else is wearing.
Have at Least 2 White Shirts In your Wardrobe
Why? Because white shirts go with everything and you can fall back on them in times of need.
Just make sure they’re always super clean and ready to go.
If It Doesn’t Fit – It Doesn’t Fit
Guys, we’ve all been there – yes, even us ladies. We’ve bought clothes that just don’t quite fit, and then spent ages trying to convince ourselves that they fit.
If something doesn’t fit, it does not fit and should be binned instantly. Don’t make the mistake of walking around in something that doesn’t fit you right just because you paid money for it and don’t want to see that money go to waste. Let it go and don’t make the same mistake again. It’s simple.
Change your Wardrobe As your Weight Changes
Hey, we get it – some peoples weight fluctuates a lot more than others.
One day you don’t weigh much and the next you weigh too much.
It happens to some people, but as much as it is annoying, you shouldn’t let it annoy you too much. Instead, what you should do is update your wardrobe as your weight changes – or at least have clothes ready for when your weight drops or rises.
Now, this does mean that you’ll need to spend more on clothes than the average person who’s weight barely ever changes, but this is just a fact of life for you now. Either you adapt and have clothes ready for different weights, or you try to look good in the same clothes no matter what your weight is.
And, no, you won’t look good. Sorry!
Be Confident
Whatever you decide to wear, you absolutely must wear it with confidence. There can be no room for doubts. If you walk into a room not sure of your look, you’ll give off the wrong vibe. Everything will fall apart, from your posture to the way you handle yourself. Then, even if your look was good, people won’t see it.
Be confident with what you wear so that you stride into a room with authority and presence. Own the clothes you wear so that you own the room.
Just go for it! Don’t hold back. If you like something and think that you look good in it, be confident. With confidence, you can pull off your look.
Quit the Graphic Tees, Too
As well as losing the logos, you also need to lose the graphic tees, too.
“But my graphic tees were so cool! I used to wear them to the club all the time. Girls loved them.”
And that’s the problem. Graphic tees are what boys were in nightclubs.
Graphic tees are what you spill beer down.
Now that you’re a man and want to dress smarter, it’s time to lose ‘em from your wardrobe.
A 30+ year old man wearing a graphic tee? Sorry to break it to you guys, but it’s just a tad lame.
Look at the movies. Since when does a male hero wear a graphic tee? Does James Bond wear one? Nope.
Only the slackers were them. And slackers ain’t stylish.
Don’t Get Sucked Into Brand Names
Everyone recognises the likes of Le Croc and Tommy Hilfiger. But should you buy clothing just because you recognise a brand name? Totally not.
Brands do produce some good quality, stylish clothes. But they also produce a lot of dross, too.
It’s important that you know the difference.
Don’t get sucked into buying a branded shirt just because it’s a branded shirt. First and foremost, before anything else, whatever you buy must look good on you.
Don’t think, “Oh, this is Versace, therefore it’s automatically stylish and I’m automatically going to look good in it.” Exert some common sense. Not every Versace shirt looks good on everyone and not every Versace shirt is even stylish.
Moreover, when you’re walking down the street in a Versace shirt that doesn’t look good, people won’t even know that it’s a Versace shirt. All they’ll think is, “that shirt does NOT look good on that man.”
And, you know, that wouldn’t be cool.
Keep It Simple
Most of the time, you’ll want to just keep things nice and simple. Adopt the minimalist style aesthetic and you’ll be okay.
Take a look at male fashion icons and notice how simple they keep things. David Beckham can often be seen sporting a nice t-shirt, a nice pair of trousers and a nice pair of shoes. That’s a 1-2-3 slam dunk.
Some guys go for more and they pull it off – but not everyone has the ability to pull off some many articles of clothing in one go.
Get your Hair Product Right
As we’ve mentioned before in this article, it’s very important that you get your hair right, as it’s an essential component of your overall look. If your hair looks bad, it just ruins your style – no matter how well-dressed you are otherwise.
Which product you use depends entirely on the look you’re trying to achieve.
For example, if you want to look a bit messy and casual, you’d go for a paste or a clay.
On the other hand, if you want to look like Leonardo Di Caprio in the Wolf of Wall Street, you’d go for a gel.
If you use wax, clay or paste, you need to massage it gently, slowly and carefully into your dry hair. If you don’t, you run the risk of them clumping your hair together.
Finger comb them too, as this method works best.
If you decide to use gels or creams instead, these need to be massaged into wet hair. It shouldn’t be soaking wet, but just recently towel-dried.
Whichever product you decide to use, take a dime-sized dollop into your palms and then work it into your hair from the roots. Warm it up and then spread it out.
If you’re not sure which product suits you best, it’s a good idea to experiment with different ones until you find the right one that gives you the texture and hold that you’re looking for. It might take some time but, hey, who cares about time when you’re trying to rock a cool new look?
Get your Beard Right
If you sport a beard, it’s important that you sport a beard that actually looks good.
This is an area where a surprising amount of guys go wrong. They have beards – and that’s fine, there’s totally nothing wrong with that – but their beards are wild and unkempt. And so what happens is that they draw attention to themselves and their beards for all the wrong reasons.
Invest in a good electric razor, or better still – a shaving kit. A beard trimmer will do nicely, too. A killer beard complements a killer look.
If you don’t shave but sport a bit of stubble? Again, you need to make sure that your stubble looks good. Invest in a good razor.
Ask For Feedback
A lot of us think we look good. That lemon shirt we just bought? We can totally pull it off!
But can we?
Probably not.
Look, what you think looks good on you might look really bad to everyone else. Instead of looking stylish, you’ll actually look a bit odd. And that isn’t a good thing.
We’re not saying this to be purposefully harsh – but it’s the truth.
As hard as it might be for you to admit it, your friends might know what looks better on you than you do yourself. From now on, ask for their feedback. Ask that magic question: “Does this look good on me?”
Don’t be so stubborn that you don’t ask for opinions. And when you do ask for an opinion, make sure you get the truth out of people.
Don’t use Too Much Shampoo
Hair is crucial to your style, but if you use too much shampoo too often, you run the risk of your hair looking a bit underwhelming.
How so?
Men shouldn’t be washing their hair every day. There’s just no need; there’s never been a need and there never will be a need because hair doesn’t replenish its oils fast enough for it to make sense that you wash it each day.
It’s biological – don’t wash your hair more than 3 times a week. If possible, wash it just twice. All that matters is that you don’t turn into The Greased Monster. Other than that, feel free to cut back on the amount of times that you wash your hair.
Don’t Try To Be Too Different
When you make it your mission to be so different that you stand out from your friends and the whole crowd, you run the risk of looking so different that you come across as eccentric and a bit wacky.
And those aren’t positive labels you want to be attracting if you’re looking to be more stylish.
The Most Expensive Clothes Don’t Always Mean The Best Value
Hugo Boss are pretty cool, right?
They’re also quite expensive …
… And they’re not always that good.
That’s right – Hugo Boss don’t always offer the best value for cash.
That said, you’re rich and can afford Hugo Boss, feel free to skip this bit. Otherwise read on …
Because you can save a LOT of money and still look good if you set your sights lower than the likes of Hugo Boss.
Here are some of the best clothes stores to visit:
- H&M
- Banana Republic
- The Gap
- Macy’s
- Johnson Murphys
Copy – Or Steal
“Good artists copy. Great artists steal.”
– Pablo Picasso
Instead of trying hard to be different, work hard on being smarter. Conform with the trends. Take a look at what the most stylish guys in the world are wearing right now and copy – or, indeed, steal – their look. Mimic them! These guys are on-trend. They know what they are doing. They know what looks are in right now, and instead of trying to be different to them, simply copy them.
It should be easy enough to find out what these guys are wearing and where you can get the look. Most fashion magazines have a section where they show you pic’s of the trendsetters and include information about the exact clothes they’re wearing and where you can get the clothes from – and at what price.
Spend!
“Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.”
– Bo Derek
Bo hits the nail on the head here. If you want to feel good, you first need to look good. And key to looking good is to spend good.
Now, we’re not saying that you need to go out there and break the bank. But as a final point, you will need to spend a good amount of money to get the killer look you want.
To sum up, this includes money on hair products, a regular haircut, skin care products, shoes, at least two suits, a number of “go-to” outfits, new shirts (at least five to get you started), accessories (ties, scarves etc), cologne and some jewellery.
There’s a chance that you’ll need to budget, and we understand that you might not be able to buy everything all at once. Moreover, it might take you some time before you get the look you’ve been craving.
But go ahead – take your time. Do some experimenting. Find what works for you and what doesn’t. And at all times, remember – fabric, fit and style. The fabrics have to be 100%, ALL your clothes have to fit you perfectly, and anything you buy must pass the style test. Take a friend with you each time you go shopping for clothes. Try to avoid buying online for the most important gear (buying things like scarves and ties online is fine) and don’t be afraid to spend on quality if you know you’re going to look good in it.
And good luck!
