By and large, women spend a lot of time studying style trends and determining which looks do and don\u2019t work for them. They read fashion magazines, observe other women, and ask friends for image advice and feedback. Men? Not so much. In general, guys don\u2019t put nearly as much time and energy into figuring out what works for them. And unless a style-savvy woman in their lives takes on the role of image advisor, their \u201clook\u201d often comes together by happenstance.<\/p>\n
Now, don\u2019t get your feathers ruffled, guys. (You know it\u2019s true!) While most men look presentable most of the time, paying more attention to your look can pay off in ways large and small. I always tell my clients\u2014female and <\/em>male\u2014that you begin to communicate with others before you ever open your mouth to speak. This is true for life in general, and especially in a professional setting.<\/p>\n So, what does this mean for men who are used to giving the mirror only a cursory glance before heading out the door? Just this: Spending a few more seconds really looking<\/em> at and interpreting your reflection each day can boost your self-image and your professional stature.<\/p>\n Ask yourself, Does everything look well kept and congruent?<\/em> Does anything stand out or look out of place? What would I assume about someone wearing this outfit?<\/em> When you\u2019re interacting with others, you want the focus to be on you<\/em>\u2014your face, your eyes, and your words\u2014not your clothing. And remember that when you\u2019re confident in your look, you feel <\/em>good about yourself too.<\/p>\n For the man who (let\u2019s face it) will never buy and read a fashion magazine cover to cover, here\u2019s a quick hit list of my best practices for polishing your image:<\/p>\n Spring for quality. <\/strong>Frugality may be in style (and more power to the money savers!), but filling your wardrobe with the cheapest price tags you can find won\u2019t do much for your image. Always buy the highest quality fabrics you can afford\u2014even if it means owning fewer clothing items. Quality garments tend to travel well. They last for a long time and don\u2019t need to be dry cleaned as often. And, of course, quality looks great. In particular, I recommend looking for lightweight wool suits, trousers, and sport coats, as well as fine cotton shirts.<\/p>\n Make sure it matches up. <\/strong>Your clothing doesn\u2019t need to be \u201cmatchy-matchy,\u201d but each outfit should <\/em>have balance. When you choose a shirt, tie, and blazer combo, everything should blend. (So leave the \u201cloud\u201d statement ties in the closet.) If one element stands out in contrast to the rest of the clothing and draws the eye, it can be a distraction that keeps other people from really engaging with you. And don\u2019t forget about \u201chidden\u201d elements of your outfit, like socks. Make sure your socks match either your pants or your shoes, and ensure that they are long enough so that your leg never shows if you cross it.<\/p>\n Join the navy. <\/strong>The ranks of men who wear navy, that is. Every man should own a tailored navy suit and navy sport coat. Navy works well with virtually every skin tone and is very versatile when pairing with other colors. In particular, a navy blazer can take you from casual Fridays to a date night look, depending on whether it\u2019s paired with jeans, khakis, or wool trousers.<\/p>\n Work from the feet up. <\/strong>If you don\u2019t already own a pair, invest in a good dress shoe. I like a long toe box\u2014it makes the wearer look taller and leaner. When clients are skeptical, I ask them to wear their old shoe on one foot and the new shoe on the other. Without fail, they see a difference. And one more thing: Make sure your shoes are always polished and properly heeled and soled. No scuffs allowed!<\/p>\n Belt it out. <\/strong>For a modern look, I recommend quality leather belts that are between 1 \u00bc and 1 \u00bd inches wide in brown or black\u2014depending on the color of your shoes! Look for a matte finish on the buckle\u2014preferably in a silver or pewter tone\u2014and avoid buckles with logos.<\/p>\n Focus on fit. <\/strong>Many men tend to buy clothing that is too big for them, which can look sloppy. Be sure to look for pants, shirts, and coats that fit your frame\u2014and take everything to a tailor! Proper alterations are so<\/em> important. When a garment is too tight or too loose, when your sleeves are too long or your pants are puddling over your shoes, when your pants ride up and show your socks\u2014all of these are red flags. I tell every client that good tailoring can make a $100 garment look like a $500 garment\u2026and the reverse is true for a piece that doesn\u2019t <\/em>fit properly.<\/p>\n Give grooming some thought. <\/strong>Skincare and hairstyle make a difference in how you\u2019re perceived. If your skin is dry, for instance, you can look older than you are\u2014and you don\u2019t want to be thought of as \u201cnot vital\u201d or up to the job. Look for an unscented moisturizer and drink plenty of water, which lubricates the skin naturally. And if you\u2019ve had the same haircut for years, ask friends, family members, and your stylist for an honest assessment. Does it need to be updated? Is it flattering? Should you go in for a trim more often?<\/p>\n Pay attention to posture, too. <\/strong>Posture is key. The way a man carries himself can make him look more successful and healthy\u2014or not. I have instructed many male clients on their posture, and I know that slouching can be a difficult habit to change. Working out with a trainer to strengthen your back is a good place to start.<\/p>\n Make sure the eyes have it. <\/strong>If you wear glasses, you probably don\u2019t think of them as a fashion accessory. But they are <\/em>an important factor in your overall look. Glasses can age you, make you look tired, and\/or be a distraction if they are not the right color and shape for your face. Choosing the right glasses will bring positive attention to your face and can even help others maintain eye contact with you during conversations. A pair of quality frames is worth investing in. And be sure your glasses are clean! Smudges on the lenses can look very sloppy.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t leave out outerwear. <\/strong>A properly fitting overcoat, scarf, and gloves (and possibly also a briefcase or computer bag) complete the look for a well-dressed man. If you arrive to a meeting in an ill-fitting, beat-up old coat, that <\/em>might be what people remember\u2014not the beautiful new suit you were wearing underneath! And on some occasions, others may never see what you\u2019re wearing under your outerwear, so think these details through. As with \u201cregular\u201d outfits, make sure that everything coordinates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to be a slave to fashion to look polished and put together. Paying attention to a handful of details can make a huge difference in your image and in how you\u2019re perceived by others. It might just have a surprising impact on how comfortable and confident you feel, too!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By and large, women spend a lot of time studying style trends and determining which looks do and don\u2019t work for them. They read fashion magazines, observe other women, and ask friends for image advice and feedback. Men? Not so much. In general, guys don\u2019t put nearly as much time and energy into figuring out […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,17,35,15,23,19,47,5,31,49,32],"tags":[72,85,103,83,92,87,114,73,100,116,99],"class_list":["post-298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accessories","category-business-attire","category-confidence","category-fashion","category-for-men","category-hair","category-image","category-shoes","category-staple-pieces","category-style","category-wardrobe","tag-accessories","tag-business-attire","tag-confidence","tag-fashion","tag-for-men","tag-hair","tag-image","tag-shoes","tag-staple-pieces","tag-style","tag-wardrobe","wpbf-post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=298"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":299,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/298\/revisions\/299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marlatomazin.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}