Nelson's Guide to Style for Guys
I've always been a geek and my idea of style when I was a little kid was wearing what my mother wanted me to wear. I reached my even geekier adolescent years and I was always wearing Star Wars t-shirts, flooding pants (pants that were too short in length so it looked like I was waiting for a flood), and just no sense of style at all.
Now I wouldn't claim that I'm the most stylish guy out there, but I think there are some lessons that I've learned over the years from my past girlfriends, good female friends, sisters and just observing. Doesn't hurt that I worked in the fashion industry for a women's fashion hat manufacturer for 8 years either. So, here are some simple points in at least keeping some of your dignity in public with some simple style suggestions.
- NEVER wear white gym socks, or any white socks for that matter, with a suit! You'll look so geeky and people will definitely notice (and laugh - unless that is your intent). Take a few moments to run down to Tar-Jhay, even, and pick up at least one pair of black socks. It'll only run you a few dollars, for heaven's sake.
- LEARN how to tie a necktie and keep it at a good length. A necktie is a simple accessory to any guy's wardrobe and you'll need at least one in your lifetime (for those job interviews or some odd formal ocassion). The secret to learning how to tie a necktie isn't the knot itself but the way it looks after you are done. The appropriate length of the necktie should be such that the point of tie barely covers your belt-buckle. If it is too long, you'll end up looking like a clown. If it is too short, you'll look like you just came out of a sauna and your tie shrunk but the rest of you didn't. The secret is to try to get the back (thin part) of the tie to match up with the length of the front (thicker part) and normally that should be a good length. Experiment with different knots that will get you the appropriate length.
- BUY yourself a nice pair of black shoes. Black shoes will go with just about anything so it is useful. Tennies and suits just don't go, even if you are just wearing your suit once hell freezes over.
- BATHE in water, not cologne. Colognes are nice and many women do like a guy who smells nice, but don't put so much on that you end up leaving a scented trail behind you for miles. Use a cologne sparingly. If it is a first date that you are going on, be conscious that the woman you are going out with may not like cologne so it is best to go without or go with a very light spritz of cologne. If you end up going out more than a few times, she'll likely let you know what cologne, if any, she likes or doesn't like.
- IRON your clothes! Nothing makes the worse impression than unpressed clothing. Take a few minutes to get a good iron that has very good steaming action and your wrinkle worries should be gone.
- TUCK your shirt in properly. This was one of the newer lessons I had to learn when a past girlfriend chided me for not tucking my tux shirt in properly. The best way is to put your shirt on first and then put your pants on. Tuck your shirt in as you are pulling up your pants and then make sure that your shirt doesn't bunch up in areas in your pants (unless you are planning to have it strategically bunch up in a particular area in your pants.) :)
- ACCESSORIZE, accessorize, accessorize. I know that we often make fun of women for having so many accessories, but men should have a few items as well. These items include: a tie tack or tie clip (to keep that tie from falling into your dinner or preventing you from having to sling your tie over your shoulder), a belt (a good general rule to follow is if you have to tuck your shirt, wear a belt), and sunglasses (a little attitude with style is fine - just a little though).
- COLOR match your wardrobe. Try to get colors to match what you are wearing. If you are wearing a black shirt, it is probably not best to wear white pants. Use some good color judgement, or better yet, ask a woman! :)
- SHOP with a woman or a few women. Learn the shopping patterns of women and get involved with the shopping experience instead of just being the "purse holder" and rolling your eyes everytime a woman goes into the dressing room with a hundred items. Get into it and have fun. Give your opinions, but also expect to get some feedback about your clothes as well. Learn style tips from the experts, women, because they'll know what many other women like.
- DEVELOP your own style. Nobody ever said that a guy needs to look like every other guy out there, and you probably don't want that if you want to impress a woman. Start to create your own style to fit a sense of individuality within your wardrobe. Women do it all the time by accessorizing, guys should too!
To be continued. Look for a second part to come soon.