A practical how-to dressing guide for every young man to use
How young men can dress sharp – introduction
Now that you know why you should dress sharp, it is time to learn how you can dress sharp. Before we continue there is something important to know which otherwise might stop you from proceeding to look sharp: dressing sharp does not require a fortune! Young men — myself included — have little money to use on other things besides paying off student loans or paying for rent and food; this results in young men dressing like “old boys” because we do not fully appreciate the value in the way we present ourselves. Yet, dressing sharp does not mean you need to spend foolishly on clothing and clothing accessories which will not work for you. When you do spend money on quality clothing, you will notice that they lost longer because you will take care of them. Lastly, once you master how to dress sharp, you will also notice that over time you spend less money on clothing because you avoid overpriced-here-today-gone-tomorrow fashion trends and stick with the classics.
4 Tips on How to Dress Sharp
Tip #1: Young men must stop dressing like old boys
Ask yourself these questions, “how old am I? How old do people think I am? How mature do I want to look?”
The first questions is simple to answer whereas the latter two questions are more difficult. Why? Because the answers are contingent on your appearance. If you still wear clothes that are associated with children, then your age and maturity will be perceived to be much lower than what they really should be.
White socks with dress shoes? Don't!
Khaki trousers not cargo shorts. Loafers not sandals. Saddle shoes not gym soes. Polo shirts not t-shirts. Dark socks not white socks. Wool trousers not sweatpants. Knit sweaters not sweatshirts. Fedoras not baseball hats. Fitted jeans not baggy jeans. Wool overcoats not ski jackets.
Should you choose to invest in a blazer jacket or sport coat, I can assure you will be far removed from dressing and looking like an old boy.
If you want to dress sharp, then stop dressing like a boy. This is the first and perhaps most important tip. Always think age progression. Maturity and dressing sharp is to be ahead (not behind) in your age.
Tip #2: Young men must take pride in their clothes
We young men do not have much money to spend. So we must spend wisely. Therefore a young man wanting to dress sharp should purchase the best he can afford…once. Buying well made, quality clothing will always outlast any off-the-rack, poorly made clothing. Why? For two reasons: the materials used are of higher quality, design and construction and spending that kind of money will force you to be careful and take pride in the clothes you wear. Ripping a $5 bargin-bin t-shirt is not much of a mental shock as ripping a $100 custom tailored dress shirt. When you wear quality clothing you will take extra care not to damage your investment.
Before you establish a wardrobe of sharp clothes, learn how to take care of them. Learn how to shine your shoes. Learn how to iron your shirts and trousers. Learn how to properly tie a tie. Not even the most expensive, highest quality clothing in the world can make you look sharp if you do not take care of them. By learning how to take care (pride) in the clothes you wear, you will not only look sharp, the clothing, shoes and hats will lost longer thus giving you more chances to look the part.
Tip #3: Young men should ignore current fashion trends; we can not afford it
Today you might look sharp with a $200 pair of bleached, ripped jeans. But in the future (more often than not in the near future) your fashion splurge will be an embarrassment. Why? Because main-stream fashion trends are fluctuating too quickly for a young man with a definite checking account. Here today, gone tomorrow.
What should you look to in order to dress sharp? The classics. Centering all of your wardrobe on classic menswear will save you money and you will always look sharp. What are some classic menswear that every young man should consider utilizing?
1) A single breasted plain charcoal 3 button suit with a double vent. This suit style will always look great. You are not risking anything with this kind of men’s suit. A young man should have at least one suit to start off with. This will be your suit to use for all formal events (like an interview, weddings, funerals, meeting her parents, etc.) If you cannot afford a custom tailored suit, then have the suit you buy from big-box stores tailored by a knowledgable tailor. He or she will be able to bring in fabric where needed so the suit brings out your sharply dressed figure.
2) White and light blue cotton dress shirts. Whether your white or light blue dress shirts are solid or checked is up to you. But the color choice is classic and sharp. Do you remember when denim dress shirts were in style? Do you remember when rust, magenta, and melon were the fashionable colors of the day? Try pairing those colors with your charcoal suit. While it may look good on a magazine cover, chances are they won’t look good on us.
3) Fitted jeans are OK, but consider wearing trousers. Rips, tears, acid and bleach washing, stone washed, boot cut, wide leg, low rise, skinny, baggy; there are a myriad of styles of jeans out there and the styles are always changing. The current fashion may look good today, but could be quickly replaced by another jean style. However, fitted, plain jeans are classic. You can easily wear a simple pair of fitted dark jeans with a button shirt or polo and look sharp.
Image source: The Custom Tailors
Consider wearing trousers. The material is lighter, quicker to dry and less restrictive than denim. After washing jeans, they always fit tighter until you wear them a couple of times. However, after dry cleaning trousers, they still fit the same. Black, navy blue, gray, brown, khaki are all classic colors. Plain and pinstripe are just another two options to consider. Properly wearing trousers will make you look sharp and much more mature.
4) Polos not t-shirts. Kids wear t-shirts all the time. You wear them to the gym or when you are doing house chores. That is fine. But wearing them to social events or to work is not called for. Wearing a blazer jacket with a printed t-shirt is not classic. Forgo buying shirts with funny slogans and images. If you want a short-sleeved shirt, then buy a polo shirt. Paired with khaki pants and loafers is a sharp look if you are in a casual environment.
5) Knit sweaters. Warm and soft, knit wool sweaters are classic menswear. Paired with a dress shirt, sport coat and trousers, you are assured to look sharp. A young man does not need to spend hundreds of dollars on a cashmere sweater; while nice, it is not necessary. Knit wools are classic and will always remain classic and do not cost as much as cashmere.
Tip #4: Young men know how to dress for the seasons and the environment
Dressing sharp varies greatly on what season you are in and where you live. A simple guide is to pay attention to your surroundings. If you live, go to school or work in the city, then wearing a tweed jacket should be avoided. Why? Because the colors of a tweed coat are found in rural environments rather than the steel, glass and concrete world of urban life. Conversely, wearing tweed is a great choice for autumn when you find yourself outside the city.
When the seasons change, so should your clothing. Dressing sharp in spring means to wear khaki, pastels, and earth tones. With summer, think light and colorful. When the leaves change color in autumn, your outfits should reflect browns, oranges, and reds. In winter, think gray, black and white with subtle pop of color.
If you live in warm climates, then dressing sharp will not vary greatly due to the steady, year-round warm climate. Young men in warm climates do not need heavy overcoats and thick sweaters. During the winter months in Florida, a nice trench coat will provide warmth and will make you look sharp.
If you live in northern climates with cold and hot seasons, then you will have to address the, sometimes, drastic changes in weather. A ski jacket is a good idea if you are skiing, but not if you want to dress sharp. Put away your North Face jacket and purchase a wool overcoat.
Wearing a fedora will take confidence, but you will look sharp
Lastly, do not neglect your head. Wearing a hat is always a good idea; it will keep the wind out of your ears, your hair dry, and head warm. We habitually wear knit hats for function rather than style. Again, if you are skiing, then a knit beanie is fine. But if you are trying to dress sharp, then confidently wear a dress hat. Fedoras, homburgs, porkpies, bowlers; these are the most common styles of men’s hats.
Know which kind of hat fits your face and wear it with confidence. Not too many people wear these kinds of hats nowadays. However, those who wear men’s dress hats with their sharp clothing will look many times better than not wearing a hat or, worse, a baseball hat or beanie.
Conclusion to how young men can dress sharp
Image is all too important to ignore. Before you speak or have a chance convey your personality, people will have already made judgments about you based on the clothes you wear. Young men are often overlooked for being too young and thus “immature”. Let’s face it, trying to get attention from potential employers or potential dates is tough.
Why make your life more difficult by dressing in anything less than sharp? Stop dressing like a boy, take pride in your clothes and see the positive change in your life. Dressing sharp will get you more attention and more chances to voice yourself and more opportunities to make yourself known.
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