At the risk of offending anyone, I would like to offer up a qualifying statement about this article. Certain men can pull off unique looks and I would never suggest sacrificing your individuality for boring conformity. But, for a lot of men, particular faux pas do not bode well, so maybe drawing our attention to these items can help us decide whether or not we are guilty of these crimes!
- Scuffy, old shoes. I forever see men walking around in scruffy, beat up old shoes. Shoes of quality can be restored and maintained to near new condition. On the other hand, shoes of poor quality should be discarded at their first sign of wear.
- Out-of-date suits. Men are guilty of buying a suit and, depending on the change of their statures over the years, wearing it over and over again for years and years. This is especially true of men who do not wear suits regularly. Believe it or not, suits change very quickly and very drastically in terms of style, cut, colours and fabrics. If you wear expensive suits, stick to conservative single breasted suits in a solid coloured, lightweight wool. This is your best defense against being out of style. However, if you buy inexpensive suits, you can update your style regularly.
- Wrong sizes. There are few things more aggravating than seeing someone who cannot take the time to properly fit themselves. Men in tight or baggy jeans equally are guilty. Spend the time and try things on and, have things altered as needed. Optimizing your body style is a matter of good fitting.
- Sports themes. Ok, I have no intention of asking men to give up their beloved sports items but they are not always appropriate. Invest in a good overcoat appropriately dressy.
- Sleeveless shirts. These are appropriate for beaches, the gym, a bike ride, etc. These are not appropriate for grocery shopping. It borders on unsanitary. (And FYI – I equally support a ban on these for women).
If you are style-challenged or just cannot be bothered to think about every time you dress yourself, just use the KISS rule (keep it simple stupid). Stick to neutral solid colours. For example, investing in a few good pairs of khakis will rarely fail you and you can dress them up with a shirt/tie/blazer or a sweater or polo shirt. Quality brown leather lace-ups and a good brown belt can be worn with jeans, khakis and cargo pants.
Don’t be afraid to express yourself with your personal style but do it in appropriate venues at appropriate times. That is the kind of approach that keeps men like George Clooney at the top of feeding chain each year – men who know both how to be men and how to have style with no style at all.
