Fashion as a concept has many rules, but personal style is whatever we make of it. Wearing what we want, how we want, is a liberating feeling, so it’s no wonder many of us use style as a form of expression. If you’re happy in crocs, tube socks, and cargo shorts, then by all means – have at it! But if you’re looking to fuse your personal style with a few established fashion concepts, then we’re here to help. Here are 6 practices to sharpen your fashion sense that every man should know. Whether you’re looking to incorporate these rules into your personal style or simply aiming to understand the do’s (don’ts are for more formal settings) so you can break them, we’ve got you covered.
Practice Number 1 - Wear well-fitting clothes
Yes. Well-fitting clothes, not just suits. Wearing the right size shirt and pants is a good start, but to really get the most out of your wardrobe, you’re going to want to kick things up a level. Tailoring is a great option. A good tailor will be able to extended their services to any suits, dress shirts, slacks, or jeans you may want tucked or hemmed. If time is an issue, try working with an online tailor like Original Stitch. Here, you can not only tailor the fit of dress shirts, slacks, and suit jackets to your specific measurements, but you can also customize the look and feel of every piece. You’re the designer that knows you best. We just bring your vision to life.
Practice Number 2 - Have versatile coat options
Since making sure your clothes fit well is at the top of the list, then the very next thing we need to take a look at is how you accentuate them. Every coat you own, in a perfect world, would be functional to some capacity. Even if that capacity is to net you style points. For that reason alone, we recommend diversifying your coat closet. Every outfit deserves a jacket topper – even if you’re leaving it in the car – so make sure your wardrobe can deliver when the situation arises. There are so many to choose from! Dusters, Trench, Puffers, and Parkas. Windbreakers, Cargos, Denim, and Harringtons. Look around the net and you’re sure to find something to suit your style’s climate. The aforementioned list is a good place to start.
Practice Number 3 - Don’t skimp on shoes
Seriously. Don’t do it. Shoes can really make or break an outfit, but how often do you give them a second thought when getting dressed? If you just realized you don’t, don’t worry. You are not alone. You are overwhelmingly not alone. But the key to stepping up your shoe game is no big secret. Just shift focus from quantity to quality. Housing a few solid color options spread across your categorical need for footwear should suffice. Some good starter colors are brown, black, and white for casual shoes. Tan and black (with belts to match) for business attire. Black for formal. Sneakers and running shoes are the exception if and when outfitted with the intent to be active. Again, this is a cost vs price situation. Cheaper shoes may be priced right right now but at some point their propensity for high turnover will end up costing you. Grow your collection over time with good, quality, pieces that are priced accordingly.
Practice Number 4 - Familiarize yourself with how to match colors and patterns
Color and pattern matching are two often overlooked perks of ensemble planning. Mixing stripes with plaid used to be a no-no, but ask any fashion forward person today and they’ll say stripes and plaid were made for each other. So, have fun with it. Know the basic rules for color or pattern matching so that breaking them becomes an informed choice, not haphazard happenstance. At the end of the day, aesthetic features are your friend. Get familiar with the basics of color and patterns and how they work together and you’ll never feel like your wardrobe is out of place again.
Practice Number 5 - Develop good grooming habits
Good grooming habits are essential to looking and feeling your best. What does your routine look like? Do you have a skin care regiment that is specific to its respective zone (face, neck, hands, feet)? Do you incorporate a nail care routine that facilitates trimming, cutting, and cleaning? And what of your hair? Are you rubbing or patting it dry? Because rubbing causes breakage. There is no right or wrong answer to creating the perfect grooming routine, but if you at least address these few areas outside of the normal shower and shave, you’ll be sitting pretty.
At Original Stitch we offer a fully customizable collection of premium quality dress shirt, suit blazer, and pant fabrics. Use them to create a wardrobe that is completely unique to YOU. Our high-quality yarns are hand-selected from – and tailored in – Japan to be extra resistant to wear and tear while maintaining a softer feel than their off-the-rack counterparts.
