The ManicaPost
ANNOYING, isn’t it? You want to dress better, but most style advise revolves around suiting up or just around whatever is trendy this season. But that’s not what you’re looking for.
You just want to make a better first impression on people you meet in everyday life. You just want to look good in your clothes without looking too flashy. You just want to look like a better-dressed version of you. And that version of you still likes to keep it casual.
So what you are really looking for is some casual style tips for guys who want to look sharp outside of a suit and tie. Well, you have come to the right place. Let’s begin…
- Stop dressing like a boy, dress like a grown-up
Many men approach their casual style from the wrong angle; they aim to look youthful. But if you want to look well-dressed, you should always aim to look mature.
Because maturity is an attractive quality in men. Maturity, after all, is what separates the men from the boys. Maturity shows masculinity and commands respect, and it’s a quality you want people to see in you.
That doesn’t mean you have to dress like your dad. It doesn’t mean you have to dress old. It just means you have to avoid portraying yourself as a teenager . . .Unless you actually are a teenager.
Just to be clear, that means . . . You want to dress like a grown up. Everything overly flashy like the items pictured here simply become inappropriate past certain age. Funny or cartoony tees are a definite no-go. Wearing a funny tee is basically like being the guy that makes the same joke over and over and over. It might be funny the first time you see the T-shirt, but it gets old fast. Also, avoid anything with slogans.
You want to avoid looking like someone who hasn’t grown up yet — someone who’s stuck in his past. You want to stop looking like a boy, and dress like a man. Don’t worry though, I’ll give you some more tips on how to do so. Starting with . . .
- Give up the graphic Tees for a more mature look
The first thing you should do to shed your boyish look is giving up your graphic Tees. I know you love them. I once did too. In fact, I wore them non-stop.
But you want to stop wearing them. You have so many better options. Despite popular beliefs, they don’t make you look funny, edgy or original. In fact, because every other guy is sporting a graphic tee too, you’ll just blend into the crowd.
Plus, people associate them with guys who refuse to grow up. (Remember tip #1? You don’t want that.)
Just look at the movies. You’ll never see a tough, masculine action hero or a suave rom-com heartthrob wearing a graphic tee. The only time you’ll see a graphic tee is when the character is either a man-child, an actual child, or a slacker.
You don’t want people to see you as a man-child, do you? Then be a man, and stop wearing graphic tees. Instead, opt for solid, one-colour T/shirts, striped tees or henleys. Just look at these examples:
You might also consider wearing polo shirts or casual shirts. Just because you are dressing casual doesn’t mean you can’t wear a collar. And a simple white shirt looks great with a pair of dark blue jeans. Speaking of which . . .
- Rock jeans that actually make you look good
The go-to casual leg-wear for any guy is a pair of jeans. And nothing is wrong with that. Many men come to my site looking to move on from the T-shirt and jeans look. But jeans can look amazing, as long as you’re wearing the right pair.
And FYI, the right pair does not look like any of these. Avoid baggy jeans. You want to avoid having to pull up your jeans every two seconds. They should keep themselves up without a belt. Also, they should not pool around your ankles.
Also, avoid embellishments. That means: No excessive distressing, no ripping, and no bleaching. And, this should go without saying, but I have to say it anyway . . . Avoid big logos on your ass. In fact, no big logos anywhere on your outfit, PERIOD.
Instead, keep your jeans simple. Go for a straight, clean, dark-blue pair that fits like it was made for you. Trust me; you’ll look awesome.
They will not only look better, but they’re more versatile. Just look at these examples below and see how easily they can be dressed up and down as you see fit.
Note: I have received a lot of questions on this, so let me clarify. I’m not saying never, ever wear faded jeans, ever. While you should definitely have a straight dark-blue pair of jeans as pictured, you can certainly wear jeans with a subtle bit of fading. Just avoid those that are overly embellished.
- Change it up down below
Jeans are great, but they all look kinda the same, and they are not your ONLY option for leg-wear.
Add some variety to your wardrobe by investing in a pair of chinos. Adding one pair of chinos to your wardrobe doubles the amount of outfits you can create. Add one more, and you triple that number.
I suggest one basic pair in camel or grey. And get one coloured pair to change things up. (Wearing colour below the waist is something few men do, so it stands out.)
And you don’t have to go for fire-engine red or lime green. You can go for subdued colours like burgundy or army-green
- Class up your footwear
Okay, you may want to sit down for this . . . Your dirty, beat-up sneakers will ruin an otherwise excellent outfit. You will want to replace them with something more dignified.
And don’t think people don’t notice your shoes. They notice. Especially women. I can’t tell you how many compliments I get on my shoes from women, and I am hardly shilling out hundreds of dollar for a single pair, as some guys recommend.
Wear a pair of brown leather shoes instead of your everyday sneakers, and BOOM . . . You look awesome. You have many options for footwear so expand your horizons beyond sneakers.
But if you are used to wearing sneakers all the time and want to ease your way into something else, let me introduce you to the desert boot:
Desert boots look much nicer than sneakers, but aren’t as dressy as some other leather shoes. They’re right in-between, which makes them perfect for casual wear. Plus, they’re super comfortable. Get yourself a pair and you won’t regret it.
o 6-10 to be continued next week www.restartyourstyle.com
