So I was reading another fashion blog and they were basically saying that men want to dress well to impress women, and the reason we dress well was to appeal to the opposite sex. I really think that is selling ‘the man’ short. I do not think that this is really the case, or at least it shouldn’t be. The actual title of their article was “Men’s Fashion – What Women Want“, and the article was a complete contradiction. They asked women’s opinions, and wouldn’t you know it, they were all different! This to me tells its own story, if you dress to how one or a few women like, or what you expect them to like, then you will only appeal to those few and maybe miss out on many others. So how should you dress? What style should you have? Well read on for my opinions.
Be confident, wear what you like
There is no point wearing clothes which don’t fit your personal style, or that you don’t feel comfortable in. If you feel good in your clothes then you will be more confident and your personality will do the rest. Dress appropriately for the occasion, being over-dressed is just as bad as being under-dressed. Smart casual is always a good thing if you don’t really know what kind of occasion it is going to be, or if it could be a mix of both. The combination of a smart jacket with a plain t-shirt can look very clean and smart, but is not as formal as a suit for example.
Remember the basics, such as colour and fit
If you are going out you should carefully pick your whole outfit, and not just randomly pick clothes. You should go into your wardrobe and pull out a few things which you like, and then decide what looks good with what, and before you know it you will have your outfit. Women do this and it works, and if you want to look good, you should start to do this too. Don’t be afraid to ask yourself “does this shirt go with these jeans” or look in the mirror.
Picking a well complimented colour scheme is also a good thing. You shouldnt look like josephs technicolour dreamcoat. Black and white work well with more or less any colour, but wearing something blue, something orange, something green and something red will probably not look too good. Colour schemes are used in everything, from cars to decorating your home. Use them well in your style, wearing all black may look plain and boring, compliment it with a colour which will make your outfit really pop.
The fit of your clothes is also important. Baggy clothes and clothes which don’t fit is not a good look. If you think it hides your fat it doesn’t, it only makes you look worse. If you are buying new clothes try them on and make sure they are a good fit. If you are buying different brands which you probably will, sizing is not universal its a guide; A medium in one brand might not be identical to a medium in another. A well fitted look is a plus point and is a very basic thing to do, you don’t need to have things skin tight like “paint on clothing”, you want to feel comfortable in the clothing you are wearing.
Be an individual
If you want to get the attention of a woman then this is an obvious way to do it. If they notice you then that is half the battle. Who wants to look like everyone else anyway? I make a joke about this regularly, when going out on a night out how many people wear G Star Raw t-shirts or checked shirts, they seem to be everywhere you look. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike them, but its almost become a uniform with 18-25 year olds on a night out. In terms of style I am not too much of an individual, however my brand awareness is. I like to wear brands which I don’t see others wearing much, such as Cheap Monday, Nudie, and J Lindeberg, three very strong and stylish Scandinavian brands.
Don’t be afraid to experiment or change
Dressing well is about finding your style and what you feel you look good in. This follows on from being an individual. To find it, you will have to try out new looks, experiments with different styles, colours and combinations of clothing, and then you will come up with a good variety which you like. Don’t be put off by friends who don’t like your “new look”, it will be because they are not used to seeing you in different clothes. For example, if you never wear a leather jacket and then you do, it may look strange to you and others who know you, but that may be because it is new, and nobody has seen you in it before.
Take inspiration from others
Do not copy others, but take inspiration from them. You might see well dressed men out there, but do you look, I mean really take notice of what they are wearing? That is a good start to understand what may or may not look good, and how to style yourself. You may not be David Beckham, but you can learn a lot from the way his outfits are put together, and what does and doesn’t work.
Fine tuning makes a difference
Small details can make a difference, and can make you stand out from the rest. By small details I am talking about accessories, or things which add to the main clothes which you are wearing. This could be a watch, belt, jewellery, hat or anything else which compliments your outfit and style well. If you are wearing a cardigan or jacket make sure you know if you want it fastened all the way or not, or not at all. If you are wearing jeans make sure they are fitting you right, if you are wearing a shirt is it tucked in or not? All these minor details could make the difference.
Let your style be transitional
Fashion changes, and you will also change. As you get older your personal fashion and style will more than likely change, just as fashion will. As you age you may start to prefer more plain looking, contemporary styles, rather than being an advertising board for high-street fashion.
Don’t let it end with just your clothes
You have other things at your “style disposal” to attract a woman or if you just want to look or feel good. Hair styles and haircuts is one of them. There is plenty to say about hair, but you should choose a style which is best suited to you. If you are feeling adventurous, try different styles, but remember if you are colouring or cutting hair, it can take a while to get back, its not like clothing you can take off and put back on!
Facial hair and grooming is another thing. Now this can be varied very easily, so it is easy to choose what works for you, or change it. There is no point in writing what is good and what is not, because peoples opinions will differ greatly, a clean shaven person like Lewis Hamilton above maybe attractive to some women, but others may prefer a little facial hair such as David Beckham also above.
Another thing is smell. If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know I have a thing for EDT and fragrances and smells, in fact its more of an Obsession (not the one by Calvin Klein!). I love them, I love to smell different, and its something which can draw a woman in. Smell is a sense, just like sight. If you smell something you don’t like you will mention it, just like if you smell something nice. Some will tell you to pick a fragrance which you like and wear that, which I agree with in part. But I also think that there are so many to choose from and so many different ones that you should pick more than one you like. I read a girl was sick of smelling a particular fragrance because its all that men seemed to use. If you have a variety or don’t go with the same one as your friends it will make a difference and you will stand out.
Roundup – The key points
- Be an individual, create a unique style, if you are having problems look to others for inspiration without copying
- Be confident with your fashion sense and style, and don’t be afraid to experiment or change things a little
- Remember the basics such as colour and fit, aswell as dressing correctly for the occasion
- Accessorise your outfit choice with a belt, watch or jewellery if you think it is too minimal
- Don’t forget the grooming; haircare, smell, facial look.
Thanks for reading my opinions on how to dress for a women, or as I prefer to call it “Dress to impress”. I think I have covered lots of snippets briefly and hope they make a difference to you. Over 1,500 words for you to read, I enjoyed writing each one.
The summer of 2011 will not be remembered for anything for me; I did not go abroad, there was no football, I did not do very much, it was pretty boring as a whole. I did have some great nights out, some good times like going to London, but all in all it has been a quiet summer.
