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E’VE ALL BEEN THERE. MAKING THE DECISION TO DRESS BETTER IN THE NEW YEAR SEEMS TOUGHER THAN YOU IMAGINED. YOU STARTED EDUCATING YOURSELF ON HOW TO BUILD A CLASSIC WARDROBE, BUT STILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR NEW STYLE. WE ARE CONSTANTLY ASKED ABOUT WHAT WE THINK IS THE PROBLEM WITH GUYS WHO TRY TO CHANGE THEIR STYLE, BUT ULTIMATELY GIVE UP. WE SURVEYED SOME OF THE SHARPEST LOOKING DRESSERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND ASKED THEM HOW THEY TRANSITIONED AND WHY THEY THINK IT MAY BE HARD FOR A GUY, WHO’S SET IN HIS WAYS, TO CHANGE HIS STYLE.
YOU LACK THE CONFIDENCE WHEN TRYING SOMETHING NEW
The casual nature of today’s society has left most modern men incapable of dressing appropriately for any situation. The number one reason men are unable to change is lack of confidence. Change is hard, but it’s even harder when you cast doubt in your own mind. Being unsure is common for all guys in all aspects of life. Wearing a $1,000 custom suits won’t change your body posture or attitude when wearing it. You hear all too often the term “stiff”, meaning that a particular guy looks uncomfortable with what he’s doing or wearing. Changing your style takes time. You should start by educating yourself about what works for your body type. What can you afford? Who inspires you? Who do you want to emulate? Confidence in what you’re wearing can start small. Find a great fitting white, light blue or striped dress shirt and wear it a lot! A few compliments on how well it fits or how great you look in it will start to grow your confidence. Still not feeling confident? Try this trick. Next time you want to try something new, try wearing it at nighttime. This works especially if you’re in a darkly lit restaurant or lounge. Also, consider just throwing on a blazer for no reason at all. A blazer will usually attract a positive reaction. You look dressed up, but if you feel uncomfortable, you can just take it off.
YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DRESS WELL
Total misconception. All of men’s biggest retailers are selling great fitting, fashion-forward, clothing that’s priced for those who have to stick to a budget. It’s all about finding great staples, such as white dress shirts, great fitting polos, trim fitting denim or even 1 great fitting suit. On a tight budget, you could effectively anchor 5-8 different outfits with 1 classic piece of men’s clothing. Check out our 1 suit, 5 ways series. Creativity and versatility should be two things you think about when establishing your wardrobe. How many times will I wear this? Does this work with other things in my wardrobe? Will this be something I wear for work or something that only is worn on the weekends? Questions like this can really help determine if buying something cheaper is the right choice or investing in pieces that offer longevity is worth it. We recommend investing in footwear and quality men’s suits. Classically-styled and well-maintained suits and shoes can last a while.
YOU CAN’T MIX & MATCH THINGS CORRECTLY
In a time where appearance seems to weigh heavy on how you’re perceived, knowing which tie to wear with which dress shirt can sometimes be a struggle if you’re not educated. One of the biggest problems we ran into when traveling through our style journey was the time it took to figure out what to wear together. What’s the famous saying? “Good artists borrow, great artist steal.” It couldn’t be any easier in today’s society to learn how to dress. You have inspiration all around you every day. Social sharing apps, like Instagram and Pinterest, have become a great source of inspirational imagery from other people with creativity and experience. You don’t necessarily have to have the same exact shirt, tie or shoes, but simply noticing colors and textures they pair together is a great resource. Spend about 10 minutes while on the bus or train and search these databases to find images that speak to you and your aspiring style. Who knows, you may find some new brand that fits really well or someone’s personal style that really resonates with you.
YOU’RE COMPLACENT IN LIFE
Aside from lacking confidence, there’s one other big reason that most men don’t choose to dress better. We’re complacent in life. When you’re fine with doing the same old things every day, that attitude permeates into other aspects of your life. You’ve gotten comfortable with your routine, what you’re cooking, who you hang out with, and what you do with your free time. A routine isn’t a bad thing, but learning to break from it can help you grow as a person and open up different avenues in your life. Trying a new style is simple and can helps boost self-confidence. We’ve all have that one pair of jeans we love or keep wearing that one combination of shirt and tie. We identify with that look as being who we are. It’s safe, it’s comfortable. But if we always chose the same thing day in and day out, how can we grow as a man? Pushing yourself to wear new things and experimenting with your sense of style is why we love men’s clothing to begin with, right?!?
MY CLOTHES DON’T FIT PERFECT
Everyone has a different body. Most off the rack clothing won’t fit exactly like it does on the guys in magazines or on TV. Simply put, their clothing was created with all their measurements in mind. By understanding a few minor details about your clothes and your body, you can effectively make better purchasing decisions when building your wardrobe. Finding a men’s clothing brand that fits you OTR can usually solve most of your fitting problems. However, for some with size restrictions, having a trusted tailor who can alter your clothing is essential to gaining confidence in your new wardrobe. In most cases, having clothing that fits great can actually make things appear more expensive than they are. These small alterations can make a big difference in making that first impression when meeting someone new or showing off your new look.
THIS AWESOME ONLINE TAILORING SERVICE ALLOWS YOU TO PIN YOUR CLOTHS AT HOME, SEND THEM IN FOR ALTERATIONS, AND ARE THEN SENT BACK TO YOU. TRY THEM OUT, YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID.
YOU’RE AFRAID TO WEAR YOUR “GOOD” CLOTHES REGULARLY
Another common problem among guys who want to improve their style is that they are afraid to wear their “good” clothes on a regular basis. They invest in a quality piece of clothing or shoes and it sits in their closet, never to be worn outside of the house. Men’s clothing was made to be worn, a quality jacket should last 5-10 years if it’s well cared for. You don’t have to save that special suit for the day of a big meeting. Don’t be afraid to wear it on a Tuesday to work for no reason at all. Break up the pants with a cardigan, wear the jacket with some contrasting dress pants. Wear the hell out of your clothes. When they go, you can replace them. A pair of blue dress pants is just blue dress pants. No one will be the wiser if you replace them. Plus, your classic wardrobe should work with both new and old clothing no matter the fabric or pattern.
