These days, I find so many young men struggling on how to dress properly. They just try to follow the trend – which doesn’t suit everyone. Let me be clear, clothing does not make the man, however, the right clothing can give a young man precious seconds to make his case and influence others.
That being said, it’s important to pay attention to your clothing as a young man, especially when you’re starting a new job or even if you’re working in a field without strict dress codes. Crisp, clean, and well fitted clothing – wherever you are – encourages others to take you more seriously.
Replace t-shirts with polos and sport shirts
Wearing t-shirts to the gym, to the beach or when you are performing house chores is fine. But wearing t-shirts to social events or to work is a no-no, especially when the top is too big. A good polo goes all the way and is always presentable and flattering if it’s fitted well. You can also go for buttoned short-sleeved shirts in the summer, ranging from work shirts to dress shirts. If you do wear a t-shirt, make sure it’s new, clean, close-fitted and in a solid, dark color.
3 shades of dressed shirts
White, grey and light blue cotton dress shirts are the backbone to a sharp wardrobe. These three colors look good on most complexions and body types. Patterns can liven up the basic white, grey and blue color palette. You can branch out into some other colors as your personal style evolves but better know what colors suits you best.
Dark fitted jeans
Jeans are always changing: rips, tears, acid and bleach washing, distressed, stone washed, boot cut, wide leg, low rise, skinny; baggy. Whatever size you are, dark fitted jeans are all you need. It’s so versatile to style. You can wear them with a fitted t-shirt for a relaxed, casual look or dress them up with a buttoned shirt and a sport coat for a business-casual style.
Look beyond denim
Well cut and classically styled trousers will make you look a little sharper at social occasions than jeans. You can also get wool or cotton trousers much lighter than blue jeans, which is a blessing in any kind of warm weather.
Own at least one good suit
No matter what your job is, you’re going to need a decent suit at some point. If you’re in a field where you’re going to wear one regularly you should look for a variety of colors and styles. If you just need a single suit for infrequent dress occasions stick with a classic single-breasted, two-button suit in charcoal grey or navy blue.
Dress to look older
The way you dress is the way you are perceived. If you’re still wearing clothes that scream “student days,” you’re going to be treated like a boy with no experience in the real world. Get the respect you deserve from older men and start replacing your t-shirts and baggy pants with dressier clothes that speak to your maturity.
Ignore fashion trends
Stay away from anything that is only presentable during an “in” season and that doesn’t represent you. Unfortunately, several designer labels succeeded to sell the “it” image to the young public, and when the fad changed, a lot of people were left with very expensive items that couldn’t be worn anymore. So it’s better to stick to classic clothing staples and avoid anything that’s too far out on the cutting edge. You can own a piece or two that don’t cost you an arm, because being young means having less money to throw around.
Dress your footwear up
An appropriate-fitting footwear is the first step to dressing sharp. It’s been said that you can judge a man by his shoes. If you’ve never owned really good shoes before, then get ready to pay a significant amount of money for well-made, classic footwear. A good pair of classic shoes will last you years and stay good-looking with nothing more than some light cleaning and the occasional shine. Quality leather footwear isn’t a luxury for the excessively rich — it’s a necessity for any man.