Putting on clothes, or wearing them, is easy. We’ve gone through the motions since childhood that it has become instinctive and automatic. However, choosing the right clothes, getting the right combination of top and pants, and many other choices and possibilities may not be easy. It can even confuse us that we sometimes make the wrong choices. Not good at all if you want to look the best version of you, right?
Although we find some clothes expensive-looking and appealing, it may not be enough. We have to be sure it would not only fit us well but would look good on us, too. It should make us more presentable, confident in wearing it, and most importantly, comfortable in them.
Women, generally, may find it a breeze to dress themselves up than men do. They make the right choices spot on and has the built-in knack and ability to carry off fashion. Men have also become more fashionable and into dressing up over the years. So, here are some basic fashion and dressing tips for men to remember.
1 Make friends with ‘self-confidence’
Confidence in ourselves is a thought that every person believes in. However, our level of confidence will be different in various situations and challenges. So, it has to be developed and strengthened further. What has that got to do with dressing up?
Well, it’s not enough that we have an attractive face with a knockout bone structure, a great physique, a pleasing personality, and be an engaging person to talk with and be with. Although these are enviable assets, we will need to boost one thing in our personality. That’s self-confidence, which is very important to achieve the best version of you.
In other words, we have to be comfortable in our own skin. And self-confidence will go a long way in the ability to look fashionable and feel good about ourselves and the clothes we’re wearing. And to not be and appear conscious about it. Develop the mindset that the clothes we’re wearing become more pleasing and dashing because we make it so. Be nonchalant, cool, and natural in the clothes you wear.
2 Know your body type and body build
First off, consider your body type: how tall you are, your body weight, and skin color, to name a few. Take into account your lifestyle, profession, and personality. Also, think about how you want people to perceive you, and what your limits in fashion are. Like how experimental or bold you can get.
Since a lot of nice, stylish, and well-made clothes can be bought off rack and not custom-made, know your size and be aware that not all sizes are consistent across all brands and styles.
3 Factor in your calendar age, or how old or young you actually look
For starters, being age-appropriate in our choice of clothes, colors, and accessories is important. We don’t want to get the wrong kind of impression and to look ridiculous. It also inspires more respect.
Secondly, how we really ‘look’ may be older or younger than what our real, calendar age would normally be. Our bodies mature at different rates. Living a healthful lifestyle, knowing how to manage life’s stresses, problems, and challenges, choosing nutritious real foods over processed foods, appreciating all the good things happening in your life, and many others, can help you not only live a fuller, longer life, but also look younger and good looking despite the passing years.
Moreover, there are many ways to still look good, presentable, stylish, and current without crossing that line. Read men’s fashion magazines, blog posts, and observe men you idolize for their sartorial tastes. Do considerable research because some tips may be conflicting, some over the top, and others so dated and needs to be updated to the realities of our time. In other words, we also have to listen to our inner voice, instinct, and logical thinking.
4 Learn the basics and the art of fashion
will go a long way. But always temper it with your own judgment. That’s because most of the time, fashion can be based or inspired by the ideal, perfect male and body proportion. On the other hand, fashion can also make us look better, like downplaying the bad points, and enhancing the good ones.
So, learn along the way and apply it to yourself, how it would fit you and make you look. We become better at something when we take the time and effort to know more about it. Especially in fashion, dressing up, clothes, and other sartorial concerns, getting interested in it will lead to a desire to learn more, and you become much better at it.
This will help you to balance the ability to leverage the benefits of following fashion and be able to make it your own. You will see possibilities and opportunities to make it suit you personally and come out of it a winner.
5 Know the colors that are flattering to you
We can identify and see objects around us by its colors, or hues — to be more technically correct. Our eyes perceive them due also to the different levels of the hue’s shadows, tones, and highlights. That’s basically how our eyes can make out their shapes.
Having said that, we can see the role of hues, or colors, in our choice and use of the different items of clothing we wear or put on.
Understanding that, you must know what colors go well with your skin color, and maybe even eye color. Darker colors, even shades of bright colors (bright colors with more black pigment in it, in theory), are perceived as more classic. While brighter colors (hues that are purer, or have more white pigments in it) are more casual, laid-back, trendy, and go well with most other hues.
Furthermore, wearing clothes in neutral tones or earth tones, like charcoal black, rusty browns, warm or cool grays, and so on, gives you more options to pair it with other colors.
Lastly, know that even two colors that normally are not paired together for some reasons, can also be paired. The trick? For one of the pairs of colors, usually, the brighter one, pick one of its shades or muted tones. Shades of a color become more neutral as they become more grayish.
In color theory, red, yellow, and blue are the primary colors. When you mix red and yellow, it turns out orange. Mix red and blue become violet. And yellow and blue become green. Those are the three secondary colors. The tertiary colors are the combination of one primary and secondary colors. Between all these basic colors are hundreds of thousands of variations.
To make it easier to grasp, any of these colors also come in different amounts of lightness or darkness in it. The result: hundreds of thousands of colors. Imagine that and you would understand why it is said that there are unbelievably millions of colors to choose from.
6 Don’t forget your footwear
It can’t be argued that shoes are important. Not only do shoes, or footwear in general, protect our feet, but they complete the overall look of what we are wearing. The importance of knowing your exact shoe size will prevent sore feet and hurting them.
It is believed that the best time of the day to try on and get a new pair of shoes is in the afternoon. That is the time when our feet get a bit bigger. Also, have at least a pair of black shoes and brown shoes. And to buff them and put shoe horns to make them wearable longer. Always wearing a pair of socks also helps to keep them in good shape as it prevents perspiration to damage the shoe material. Also, choose what type of shoe to wear to an occasion and sootheyourfeet.com has a guide for you as well.
7 Enhance your look with relevant accessories
Accessories like wristwatches, sunglasses, even reading glasses, and belts are not only necessary and beneficial to wear, they can also make your total look complete, more “ well put together,” and sometimes more professional and distinguished looking.
Other accessories are rings, necklaces, bracelets, hats, and ties. Neckties are necessary when wearing a coat, appropriate for corporate, office attire, and other formal or semi-formal activities or events. The right accessories can also carry off casual or everyday attire that will make your look more personable and unique.
Regarding matching the color of a leather belt to your pair of shoes it is a great rule to follow, especially on formal occasions, like a wedding ceremony. You simply will look dapper when wearing them. But for other occasions, it would be okay in today’s standards to break that rule. And for good reason. If you want a more casual, laid-back look, without appearing too fuzzy, old-fashioned, or strait-laced, you don’t have to match your belt color to the color of your pants. It is now acceptable to wear casual belts in other colors.
Today’s belts can be matched to your shirt or trouser color. If not the exact hue, a lighter or darker shade of that color will create depth and subtle contrast in your overall look. It’s great for not so tall men as wearing a black belt that conspicuously contrasts with the pants color cuts your height in two. Visually, it will tend to make a shorter man look even shorter.
Sometimes, overdoing color matching in what you’re wearing can give the impression of being too fuzzy; that too much attention is spent on making your clothes and accessories match. It can elicit too much or the wrong attention to what you’re wearing, instead of noticing you in totality, the whole person.
8 Do maintenance and wash your clothes
Regular washing of your clothes, or when they get soiled or dirty, makes them last longer. We also have favorite clothes that we often wear, so washing them on your washing machine would lengthen their shelf life. Make sure you read the washing instructions on the tag inside the clothes.
It’s important so that you know which items you can clean in the washing machine, and which ones should only be hand-washed or dry-cleaned. And there are rinsing strength options to set in your washing machine to protect your clothes. When ironing, take note of the recommended level of heat. You wouldn’t want to burn your favorite clothes. It will help to straighten out the creases and folds in your wet clothes when hung to dry. It will be easier to iron it with fewer creases.
9 Think Deeper Before You Follow a Trend
Although sticking to clothes that will never go out of style, or are classic, is good advice, it’s perfectly all right to once in a while break that rule. However, put more thought into what may be good and bad in that trend. Be honest with yourself and If it won’t look good on you, forget about it.
For instance, you know it will go out of style after a few months, but you gravitate to one of its features or details. If you find the trend appealing and will make you look good, then go ahead. When the time comes that trend becomes popular again, it’s time to wear it again, perhaps with minor updates to make it current.
Alternatively, you can wear that piece again by just taking out the details that make it look dated, retaining the ones that make it special and unique. What’s important is that you look good wearing it, and it’s not just that piece of clothing that friends will compliment you, but you and how good you look in it.
Wrapping it all up . . .
Making the effort to know more about fashion, applying it, and making adjustments to make it your own, may seem a lot of work. But you have to admit, it can be fun! The process of creating the best version of yourself, and keep at it, will surely be a rewarding experience. As you get better, your choice in fashion, clothes, and dressing will only improve and will be enriching in many ways.
