While women make just as many questionable style choices (tight jeans with muffin tops, anyone?) as men, there’s not as much help out there for guys who are innocently undermining their look. Although many fashion slips apply equally to both sexes, there are several that are very male-specific. Since it’s true that people’s first impression of us is often based on appearance, we decided to spend some time browsing workplaces, stores, cafes, and bars to uncover the most common fashion mistakes men make and let you in on how to avoid them and improve your personal presentation.
Read on to make sure you’re not committing any of these fashion crimes and find out how to correct your fashion faux pas if you recognize yourself in any one of these blunders.
French cuffs without cuff links
Since it’s not necessary to wear most dress shirts with cuff links, many men seem to be unaware that shirts with French cuffs actually do need to be accompanied by cuff links. Essentially, French cuffs without cuff links are like a Playboy without the centerfold. If you have a shirt with French cuffs, cuff links are really the icing on the cake and will enhance your appearance by making you seem more presentable and smartly turned out. As well, since French-cuffed shirts are generally worn on more formal occasions, or at least in a business environment, the purpose of wearing such a shirt is to look polished -- a feat that is hard to accomplish when your sleeves are flapping about.
For those times when you need to dress like a gentleman or want to make an elegant style statement, French cuffs with some sweet cuff links peeking out from under the sleeve of your blazer are the way to go. And while it’s true that in recent years some very famous celebs have been spotted sporting French cuffs sans cuff links, unless you’re Brad Pitt, you just won’t be able to get away with that in real life since everyone will just assume you don’t know how to dress yourself.
Make your own suit
Creating your own suit refers to purchasing pants and jackets as separates, and then combining them with little regard for whether the two items can actually be worn together or not. Just because both your jacket and pants are black, it does not mean they belong together. Fabric, cut and hue variations all play a huge role in determining whether or not two separately purchased items will complement each other. A wool blazer, for instance, will look terrible and cheap when paired with polyester dress pants and vice versa. If you’re going to wear a suit, please make sure you bought the pieces as a set or you run the risk of seeming slightly ridiculous.
Sneakers with everything
Before you get angry and start leaving nasty comments, let me explain what I mean: While wearing uber-cool sneakers with a suit can be hip and very attractive, it’s not OK to refuse to remove your sneakers and insist that they go with everything you own. They don’t, and there are certainly times when a dressier look is called for and even preferred over something funkier. Plus, it’s a little boring to wear the same thing over and over. Part of having personal style is to mix things up occasionally and show others you can successfully work a variety of looks. Of course, it’s not necessary to own as many pairs of shoes as most girls do, but you should own more than a couple of pairs of sneakers, and you should certainly own at least one pair of dress shoes. You’ll need them for formal occasions or even for frequenting more upscale bars and clubs where a dress code is reinforced.
Too much hair product
Though others have condemned it before, this crime against fashion is such a frequent and heinous one that it bears repeated mentioning. Using too much of any kind of product in your hair results in gunky hair, and no girl wants to run her hands through a head full of gel. Think about it: If the situation were reversed, you most certainly wouldn’t want to have stiff, crunchy or gooey locks between your hands. Both sexes prefer soft, touchable hair, so find a way to make your style work without winding up with helmet head.
In addition, it’s really not healthy for your hair to be doused in hundreds of chemicals on a daily basis, so lighten up. For gels and conditioners, you really only need a dime-size amount for your entire head. Use no more than a large marble-size amount of mousse and when it comes to hairspray, hold the can a good five inches from your tresses, making sure to mist only very lightly. Putties and waxes should also be used very sparingly in order to avoid a flattened, greasy look. If you’re really at a loss on how to style your hair without half a bottle of product, ask your stylist to show you next time you go in for a hair cut.
Read on to make sure you’re not committing any of these fashion crimes and find out how to correct your fashion faux pas if you recognize yourself in any one of these blunders.
French cuffs without cuff links
Since it’s not necessary to wear most dress shirts with cuff links, many men seem to be unaware that shirts with French cuffs actually do need to be accompanied by cuff links. Essentially, French cuffs without cuff links are like a Playboy without the centerfold. If you have a shirt with French cuffs, cuff links are really the icing on the cake and will enhance your appearance by making you seem more presentable and smartly turned out. As well, since French-cuffed shirts are generally worn on more formal occasions, or at least in a business environment, the purpose of wearing such a shirt is to look polished -- a feat that is hard to accomplish when your sleeves are flapping about.
For those times when you need to dress like a gentleman or want to make an elegant style statement, French cuffs with some sweet cuff links peeking out from under the sleeve of your blazer are the way to go. And while it’s true that in recent years some very famous celebs have been spotted sporting French cuffs sans cuff links, unless you’re Brad Pitt, you just won’t be able to get away with that in real life since everyone will just assume you don’t know how to dress yourself.
Make your own suit
Creating your own suit refers to purchasing pants and jackets as separates, and then combining them with little regard for whether the two items can actually be worn together or not. Just because both your jacket and pants are black, it does not mean they belong together. Fabric, cut and hue variations all play a huge role in determining whether or not two separately purchased items will complement each other. A wool blazer, for instance, will look terrible and cheap when paired with polyester dress pants and vice versa. If you’re going to wear a suit, please make sure you bought the pieces as a set or you run the risk of seeming slightly ridiculous.
Sneakers with everything
Before you get angry and start leaving nasty comments, let me explain what I mean: While wearing uber-cool sneakers with a suit can be hip and very attractive, it’s not OK to refuse to remove your sneakers and insist that they go with everything you own. They don’t, and there are certainly times when a dressier look is called for and even preferred over something funkier. Plus, it’s a little boring to wear the same thing over and over. Part of having personal style is to mix things up occasionally and show others you can successfully work a variety of looks. Of course, it’s not necessary to own as many pairs of shoes as most girls do, but you should own more than a couple of pairs of sneakers, and you should certainly own at least one pair of dress shoes. You’ll need them for formal occasions or even for frequenting more upscale bars and clubs where a dress code is reinforced.
Too much hair product
Though others have condemned it before, this crime against fashion is such a frequent and heinous one that it bears repeated mentioning. Using too much of any kind of product in your hair results in gunky hair, and no girl wants to run her hands through a head full of gel. Think about it: If the situation were reversed, you most certainly wouldn’t want to have stiff, crunchy or gooey locks between your hands. Both sexes prefer soft, touchable hair, so find a way to make your style work without winding up with helmet head.
In addition, it’s really not healthy for your hair to be doused in hundreds of chemicals on a daily basis, so lighten up. For gels and conditioners, you really only need a dime-size amount for your entire head. Use no more than a large marble-size amount of mousse and when it comes to hairspray, hold the can a good five inches from your tresses, making sure to mist only very lightly. Putties and waxes should also be used very sparingly in order to avoid a flattened, greasy look. If you’re really at a loss on how to style your hair without half a bottle of product, ask your stylist to show you next time you go in for a hair cut.
faux pas
Everyone makes a fashion misstep every now and again, but the mistakes outlined above occur all too frequently and can easily be avoided. By following the simple steps suggested here and making minor tweaks to your wardrobe, your whole look will get a subtle improvement. Stay tuned for Part II of this series to ensure you’ve eliminated all possible fashion atrocities from your wardrobe and grooming cabinet.
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