Developing Your Own Fashion Sense 101

As I’ve previously mentioned, fashion sense is something we learn. It is not some intrinsic natural trait like Rain Man counting cards or Charlie Sheen getting a news headline.  If this is true (and it is), how then do we begin learning it? How do I develop my own sense of style? Here are a few hints on how to develop a fashion sense that is all your own.

Discover. Think about what you find to be fashionable. For some it’s classy suits, for others it’s shredded jeans with a leather coat. Are you a classy casual guy? Do you like jeans and a white tee? Do you like to dress up most of the time? The absolute best way to do this is type ‘fashion men’ in a search engine and go through and collect pictures of what you think looks fashionable. You will see what you do and don’t like. Save every picture to a folder marked ‘My Style’ and add every picture that you find fashionable. Then, after you have collected about 40-50 pics, go back and check them out. See what they all have in common. This will give you a sense of what you ideally want to dress like.

Copy. Yep, straight up steal what you see others doing that you like. Mannequins, celebs, magazines. Steal everything you like. See a pic of Ryan Gosling wearing a slim fit two button suit to some charity? Yours. See a mannequin wearing a sweat outfit while sauntering through the mall? Now it is you. Imitation is a great and necessary step to really knowing your own fashion sense.

Develop. Experiment. Now try putting stuff together yourself. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different colors and pieces that you have never tried before. Lay out complete outfits and play mix and match to find great combinations with your wardrobe. This will also help you discover what you need to add in the future. Don’t be afraid to get honest feedback from  a few people you trust. Find a person whoes taste you admire and trust to help coach you as you refine this skill. Having more than one is even better. This ensures that you are getting different perspectives which will make you have to process the input and learn to filter and keep what you choose. Remember, this is about you learning, not creating a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ outfit. The feedback you should get from people should be positive. The devil is in the details. Belts, watches, shoes, socks, pocket squares will many times make or break an outfit. Put the whole package together.

Wear stuff you feel confident in. Part of being a man of fashion is confidence and swag. You need to know that what you are wearing is straight up gangster. Own it.

Don’t just follow trends. Learn how to set them. It’s okay to follow the newest trends and take advice from new things, but not everyone looks good in the newest fashion and there may be things that look better on you than other things. Case in point: I had a gentleman come in to my store to update his wardrobe. I ALWAYS have guys do a flat front pant as pleated pants add too much extra fabric and is about as flattering as wearing MC Hammer pants to a cocktail party. But this guy looked so much better in the pleated. They fit him well. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain as fashion is about fit and style. Put stuff together that works for you and others will take notice and copy you. Be confident. The first time you see this your fashion ego will be like, “Ya, I’m the man!” and you will feel like Charlie Sheen after he drinks tiger’s blood.

Now go get started!

Three Steps to Improve Your Style Immediately!

So you have decided to take control of your clothing destiny and become a master ninja of fashion? Good for you! But where to start? After years of studying fashion and helping men begin rebuilding a wardrobe, I have discovered the three greatest areas where guys can immediately impact how to create a better fashion sense:

1. Wear clothes that fit you. Here is a cold hard fact: Men buy clothes that are too big for them. It’s not your fault. You have been conditioned to do this your whole life, so it is what you are used to. If you were like me, you grew up with your parents buying clothes that were bigger than you were so you could grow into them.  From an early age you are wearing clothes that really don’t fit you. As you grow up, you become accustomed to this fit and it becomes comfortable to you. So when you finally go in to update your wardrobe and the salesperson starts bringing you clothes that are your actual size you’re like “Hey man, this doesn’t fit. I thought you were a pro?!” and they’re like “Quit wearing Shaquille O’Neal clothes and let me do my job!”  We all feel this way the first time we experience this. Give it a chance though. When a guy wears clothes that fit him well, people take notice. It shouldn’t be uncomfortable, but it will be different than what you’re used to. Just try it and you will see.This is true with shirts, jeans, slacks, and suits.

2. Buy outfits, not items. I will repeat this so you know how serious I am about this: buy outfits, not items. This is probably the biggest game changer for most guys learning how to dress better. You see a cool shirt? Fine. You find the coolest fire-red wingtip shoes with metal studs? No problem. Make sure you have an ENTIRE outfit (from head to toe) that will go with it and compliment it. You can have an awesome shirt or shoes, but it will look out of place if the whole thing doesn’t come together. Don’t fall victim to the thought that a cool article equals a cool outfit. Not true. Your entire outfit is the focus, not one piece. Start thinking about putting together an awesome outfit, not just wearing a cool item. Once you understand and apply this I guarantee your fashion skills are going to grow exponentially.

Many times when you build an outfit the individual pieces are not loud but when put together they form utter clothing brilliance. Take the following example:

Notice how each piece by itself is not really that spectacular. Now take in the outfit as a whole. Wear this and people will get whiplash from the double take at checking you out. Remember: it is not the individual piece that impresses but the overall package. Think outfit!

3. Never stop adding to your wardrobe. Everyone who takes a look at you can tell when the last time you updated your wardrobe was. You can do it too. We can all spot the guy that quit buying suits after his last job interview ten years ago or after he started having kids (a really easy one to spot). Don’t let your wardrobe be a time relic that dates your sense of style. Major life events are no reason to stop being fashionable. Set a goal of adding a fully new outfit on a regular schedule. It will keep you fresh and sharp, which affects the way you feel and perceive yourself. The way we feel and perceive ourselves directly affects our work output and relationships in a positive way. It is an outside reflection of what is happening inside. You should never stop learning and growing, and an updated wardrobe is a reflection this.

Remember, knowing what not to do is just as valuable a skill as knowing what to do. If you can learn and apply these three basic principles, you will be well on your way to fashion mastery. Take a look at your current wardrobe and see if you need to donate any items to the Smithsonian or the NBA Hall of Fame.

Next we will focus on how to develop your own personal sense of fashion…

Fashion for Men, Volume I

Let’s face it men: when it comes to fashion most of us are like cave men – unevolved and stuck in the past. Most of our clothing are relics from our past that should belong in a museum. Women, on the contrary, seem to be born with a fashion sense. Being fashionable seems natural to most women, so why is it that it is not natural with men? Simply: Being fashionable is something that is learned. And honestly, it’s not our faults. No one has ever taught us how to be fashionable.

Most women are practiced in fashion starting at an early age. Girls dress up Barbies. Boys eat dirt.  Girls start picking outfits for school. Boys just put on whatever they were wearing the day before. Girls begin to be judged by other girls about what they wear. Boys beat up imaginary ninjas in their back yard. By the time adulthood rolls around, women have become fashionistas while us men have just gotten really good at beating up imaginary ninjas.

As we get older, it is only then that we see the need for being fashionable. We have all seen that guy that seems to be put together perfectly from head to toe. We realize who else notices him too: our bosses, the ladies, and all of the clients whom he closes business with. What we wear affects how we think of ourselves. It has been proven that people that possess a good fashion sense have greater confidence, better promotions, make more money, attract better looking women, and have a higher social status and value. These are things that every guy desires. Dressing well and being fashionable is an intangible quality that reaps very tangible results. Take a look at your current wardrobe closet and ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I still dressing and wearing the same styles I was wearing five or even ten years ago?
• Am I able to pick out a nice outfit that wasn’t originally put together by someone else?
• Have I received a compliment on my fashion in the last month?

If you answered no to these questions, you could be missing out on a more enriched and rewarding life!

The truth of the matter is us guys WANT to be fashionable, we just don’t know how or where to start. There is no high school or college class that teaches guys how to be fashionable to meet their goals. Most of us have to rely on the opinion of the guy that sold us our last suit, our wife, or our last girlfriend to tell us if our outfit is closer to Ryan Gosling or Steve Jobs. This works for a time, but deep down we all wish we could do a better job of doing this ourselves but we just don’t know how. The man that owns and controls his fashion sense owns and controls his life. It is a part of his ascent to maturity and success.

My goal with this article is to educate, entertain, and make simple the process of truly learning to be a fashionable guy. I differ greatly from most fashion writers. Most fashion blogs are written for guys that already understand high-fashion or are hyper-focused on one detail (i.e. argyle colored socks and what slacks they go with). Since understanding and being fashionable is something that is learned, I want to give you the tools and  knowledge to apply the skill set of:

• Having the correct mental approach about fashion
•  Putting together outfits yourself
• Shopping for new items, and
• Effectively wear these items in a way that will add true value to your life.

It’s more simple than you would think, and it works with guys that are both methodical and artistic. It works for guys that are in the latter part of their profession or just beginning. It works for guys all shapes and sizes. It is time you experience the benefits for yourself. Whatever your reason, let’s get you started on your transformation from cave man to being a true Fashion Forward Man.

So let’s take our ninja-like focus and begin…