Fashion Tips for Men: Ways on How To Dress Well

Don’t impulse buy

If a piece of clothing isn’t just right, more than often you’ll regret buying it. Purchase new things that meet the requirements for exactly what you want. If you have old clothes that you aren’t passionate about wearing, donate them.

Be smart about your cash, wait for sales if you must. Avoid buying things if you don’t know what you’ll wear them with.

1. Quality over quantity.

Two exquisite dress shirts will always trump ten subpar ones. Always buy better, buy less. Aim for a flexible wardrobe, not a giant one.

2. Timeless

Doesn’t mean anything; it doesn’t even exist. Fashion is constantly changing.

Fit is king

A pricey suit will look like trash if it’s not properly tailored. When it comes to fit, invest your time in getting to know a good tailor. When you ask for alterations, don’t settle for anything less than the right fit. Don’t be afraid to talk to your tailor about it.

1. Body Shape

Know that a man’s clothing should accentuate his body shape. The better your form, the better your clothes will look. However, if you’re overweight or a bigger man, you do have one advantage: Considerably less tailoring to slim your attire down.

2. Tailoring

Measure twice, cut once.

Color and matching

Pair up color palates with your skin tone before investing in your attire. The minimal approach will help you keep your wardrobe simple when first starting out. From there you can add new pieces to your collection over time.

Aim for no more than two non-neutral colors. Too many patterns make for an outfit no one can understand.

1. Dress shirts:

Softness and simplicity are key. Aim for solid colors, blue and white are generally a man’s best bet. If you’re looking to add a touch of character, subtle stripes or checks are acceptable. Avoid drawing the wrong attention with over the top patterns, bold colors, theatrical collar shapes, and wild stitching. For buttons, you can’t go wrong with mother-of-pearl.

Consider the fabric. Jacquard weaves will make your dress shirt appear shiny. Twill weaves on the other hand, should be reserved for cotton flannel. Remember that your undershirt or chest hair will show up underneath unless of course you go with crisp two-ply cotton (2x100s or 2x120s cotton broadcloth).

If you have a problem with pointy or dark nipples showing through your dress shirt, conceal them with nipple tape or a band aid. For men with larger forearms, roll up your sleeves first before putting your shirt on. You’ll not only achieve a better rolled up look, but the process will be much easier.

2. The military tuck:

The tuck is simple: It’s done by pleating (folding) sides of your shirt over before pulling up your pants.

3. Ties:

While a man’s tie may be at the center stage, it should only command subtle attention. Avoid wearing ties that are overly shiny unless they are suitable for evening formal wear. Solid satin gray, navy or purple work well for this example.

Start with a light color tie in the morning. For the afternoon choose a dark color. Wear an even darker tie in the evening. When shopping for the best ties, understand that handmade quality always triumphs ties stitched by machine. For size, aim for eight centimeters. Remember to go no wider than nine centimeters and no skinner than seven for the best look.

4. Pocket Squares:

When it comes to pocket squares, don’t match exact colors. For example, avoid pairing a navy pocket square with a navy suit. Aim to add a distinctive contrast between the two.

You can do with colors including yellow, white burgundy, and so on. Remember, a pocket square shouldn’t scream for attention, it should naturally complement your overall appearance.

In regards to ties and pocket squares, avoid matching these as well. You’ll make matters even worse if you match the fabric too, don’t do that. Learn how to fold a pocket square the proper way.

5. Suits:

Need to slim down your silhouette? Button up your suit jacket; it will considerably take off some visual weight. Just remember not to button up more than one at a time.

6. Socks:

Don’t pair short ankle socks with your suit. Brown shoes should be paired with navy socks, however black socks and brown shoes do not mix. As a general rule, wear dark shoes with your shoes.

Save the white socks for running and jogging. Never wear socks with shorts, nor sandals. When at the workplace, office, or any other business situation always accompany your shoes with socks.

Generally most shoes aside from oxfords are appropriate for a sockless style. The list includes: boat shoes, bucks, moccasins, loafers, boat shoes, chukkas, and bluchers among others.

7. Shoes:

Shoes with bold designs tend to call to much attention to themselves and spoil your attire. As do shoes with super pointy and square toes. Get a scuff on your white shoes? Don’t worry, use a magic eraser to magically remove it.

Synthetic shoe laces can be shortened quite easily. Cut them, then use a lighter to burn the tips for sealed ends. Invest some care into your shoes. This means resole your shoes, use shoe polish, and pay attention to the condition of your laces.

Don’t be intimidated to experiment when it comes to shoe polish. You’ll be surprised at how often darker shades can produce a deeper and more eye appealing finish than some matched color polishes. Some men even apply black polish to dark brown shoes. Others use navy polish for black shoes.

When applying shoe polish, focus on the number one rule: Time. In between each step wait a little bit. Give the conditioner plenty of time to soak on it before you start to apply the cream polish.

The same goes for the cream, before applying wax. And before you reach for that brush to buff, give the wax polish time to settle in. If you want to reduce the amount of wear and tear on your shoes, get a cobbler to put a metal plate on the toe or heel.

8. Sweater, blazers, and cardigans:

If you’re looking for a bit more character, wooden buttons can be a great touch. For unruly shirts that don’t fit properly, put on a cardigan. It will conceal an otherwise a messy look.

9. Pants:

For a no-break appearance, fold cuffs inward. For a tapered look, fold over the base of your pant legs, then roll them on upwards. You can add light texture and character to your pants by using beeswax.

10. Belts:

Pass up on reversible belts, bonded leather belts, etc. Go with solid leather, look for genuine leather. The problem with bonded leather is that the glue breaks down over time, and the leather peels off. Real leather belts will last for years while bonded ones tend to come apart within a year or two.

11. Wash and care:

For gym and athletic wear, add white vinegar to your wash to remove odors (get some on Amazon here). Dry sheets inside of shoes can help to reduce any foul smells. Don’t over wash or under wash your clothing. Take the time to properly iron and hang dry your clothes.

Invest in shoe trees; use them religiously. Don’t let budget wire hangers damage your pricey suit; use a proper wooden hanger instead.

12. Improve your posture:

You’ve mastered the proper fit. Invested in elegant suits, shirts, footwear, etc. However, one thing might be literally holding you back. I’m talking about your posture.

If you have a tendency to slouch a lot, you’re fashion sense is going to get quite messy. Not only that, but good posture goes hand in hand with having a good sense of confidence. And there’s no doubt about it, confident men seem to pull off most outfits with natural and effortless finesse.