Myths. Mistruths. Fiction. Lies.
Call it what you want, gentlemen – you're not being told the truth.
In fact – a lot of what you know about style is wrong.
With the growing trend of fashion experts who have their own ideas of what style is, there are a lot of style myths out there.
In this article, I debunk the 12 most common men's style myths I hear from guys – and tell you what to do instead. There's a quick myth-vs-truth table at the end.
Number 6 trips up almost everyone…
- Only Shallow Men Care About Style
- You Have To Be Rich To Dress Well
- Style Is Complicated
- Quality Clothing Costs More
- A Man Should Spend Less On Clothes Than A Woman
- Color Matters More Than Fit
- Black Goes With Everything
- One Suit Is Enough
- Logos Prove Quality
- More Accessories Means More Style
- Style Means Following Trends
- You Should Dry Clean Everything
So let's begin!
Style Myth 1. Only Shallow Men Care About Style
“People who care about their appearance are shallow.”
I've heard this so many times before.
Oftentimes, those men who don't take pride in their appearance are the first ones to accuse a well-dressed man of being shallow and materialistic.
There are shallow men who only care about what they wear and there are shallow men who turn their noses up at those who take pride in their appearance.
If we look back through history, clothing has often been associated as a symbol of status in society.
Members of the aristocracy were distinguished from “commoners” by the clothes they wore.
In today's world – the situation is the same.
People judge you by the way you look and the clothes you wear. For that reason, gentlemen, you should always plan your outfits the day before and wear them with pride.
Style Myth 2. You Have To Be Rich To Dress Well
This is a common excuse.
The reality couldn't be more different. It's easy to dress well when you're on a budget.
There are three simple priorities every man must adhere to when it comes to dressing well.
Introducing: The Style Pyramid.
- Fit
- Fabric
- Function
A great way to minimize expenditure when it comes to clothing is to ask a well-dressed friend if he can give you clothes he doesn't wear anymore.
You can also pick up some of the skills and do minor adjustments on your own and save money there.
Realize that patience is a big factor in this whole equation – all stores, even the high-end ones – have sales.
If you know what you want and you are confident in the quality of a certain store, wait until the items you need are on sale and grab them for a fraction of their normal price.
Style Myth 3. Style Is Complicated
For a timeless look, look to history for inspiration.
The most important thing to ask yourself is “what type of message do I want to send the world?”
Great style isn't about making a thousand choices. It's about making a few choices for you.
You can always look at some of the style icons throughout the years and take inspiration from them.
Later on, when you have enough confidence to bring something new into your outfit, go for it.
Don't be afraid to experiment. With every outfit you put on, you will see ways to improve both yourself and your wardrobe.
Style Myth 4. Quality Clothing Costs More
With the rise of fast fashion brands and trendy pieces, people often make the mistake of buying clothes they don't like – but feel obliged to buy.
The most expensive clothing you own is the clothing you don't wear.
Yes, quality clothing costs more up front. But what a piece really costs you depends on how many times you wear it – its cost per wear. That's where cheap clothes turn out to be the expensive ones.
Picture it like this; if you buy one quality sweater and wear it for a decade, it actually comes off cheaper than multiple low-quality sweaters you buy over the years.
Realize that it is the durability of your clothing that matters and you will quickly understand that in the long term it is smarter to invest in quality clothing.
Style Myth 5. A Man Should Spend Less On Clothes Than A Woman
The women's fashion industry is more popular than the men's but this is no excuse to spend less on clothing.
This is a myth we've all heard time and time again.
If you are an up and coming businessman who already has some success in his life, then you can spend as much as you want on your image.
It is your image, along with your knowledge, that will ultimately help you rake in more business and have opportunities knock on your door.
The key, gentlemen, is in knowing what your goal is.
Once you realize what type of message you want to send, start building an interchangeable wardrobe that will serve your purpose.
That way, not only will your closet look better, but you will be able to pair everything you own and be prepared for any circumstance that comes your way.
Style Myth 6. Color Matters More Than Fit
Guys spend hours on color – “Is this the right blue for my skin tone?” – and then buy the shirt a size too big.
People read your silhouette before they notice your colors. A grey suit that fits you perfectly beats a suit in your “best color” that hangs off your shoulders every time. That's why fit sits at the base of my style pyramid. Get the shoulders, the sleeve length, and the trouser break right first. Then play with color.
Style Myth 7. Black Goes With Everything
Black is the most formal color in menswear and the harshest. Next to most skin tones it adds contrast and shadows, and it fights with browns and warm colors.
Charcoal and navy do everything black promises – they're dark, slimming, and serious – while working with far more of your wardrobe. Save black for black tie, the occasional black sweater or jeans, and evening events.
Style Myth 8. One Suit Is Enough
One suit is a great start. If you only own one, make it navy or charcoal – it'll handle interviews, weddings, and funerals.
But wear one wool suit day after day and it wears out fast. Wool needs a day off to recover its shape and let moisture out. Two suits in rotation – navy and charcoal – will each last more than twice as long as one suit worn into the ground, and you look less repetitive.
Style Myth 9. Logos Prove Quality
A big logo tells people what you paid. It doesn't tell them the garment is any good – and plenty of logo-heavy pieces are made in the same factories, from the same fabric, as cheaper unbranded ones.
Judge the garment instead. Look at the fabric content, the stitching density, whether patterns line up at the seams, and how the shoulders are built. Quality speaks quietly.
Style Myth 10. More Accessories Means More Style
A watch, three bracelets, two rings, a lapel pin, and a patterned pocket square all at once doesn't look stylish. It looks like you're wearing your jewelry box.
Pick one focal point per outfit – a great watch, a ring that means something, or a pocket square – and let everything else support it.
Style Myth 11. Style Means Following Trends
Trends come and go every season. Style is what's left after they're gone.
Build your wardrobe on timeless pieces that fit your body – navy blazer, white oxford shirt, dark jeans, brown leather shoes – and add a trend only if it suits your build and works with three things you already own. Here are the worst men's fashion trends to skip this year.
Style Myth 12. You Should Dry Clean Everything
Dry cleaning uses harsh solvents and heat, and every trip wears your clothes down. A good wool suit only needs it a few times a year.
Brush your suits after each wear, steam out wrinkles at home, spot-clean small stains right away, and wash most shirts and casual clothes yourself in cold water. More in my list of clothing care mistakes.
Two more “myths” I hear all the time – that brown and black never go together, and that your belt must always match your shoes – are really old etiquette rules. I break both down in 17 men's style rules you can break.
Men's Style Myths vs. The Truth
| The Myth | The Truth |
|---|---|
| 1.Only shallow men care about style | Your clothes communicate before you speak. Taking pride in them is respect, not vanity. |
| 2.You have to be rich to dress well | Fit, fabric, function – and patience for sales – beat a big budget. |
| 3.Style is complicated | It's a few deliberate choices about the message you want to send. |
| 4.Quality clothing costs more | It costs more up front, less per wear. |
| 5.Men should spend less on clothes than women | Your image is an investment in your career and relationships. |
| 6.Color matters more than fit | Fit first. People read your silhouette before your colors. |
| 7.Black goes with everything | Charcoal and navy do more, with less contrast. |
| 8.One suit is enough | Two in rotation last more than twice as long. |
| 9.Logos prove quality | Check fabric, stitching, and construction instead. |
| 10.More accessories, more style | One focal point per outfit. |
| 11.Style means following trends | Timeless pieces that fit your body; trends only if they suit you. |
| 12.Dry clean everything | Brush, steam, spot-clean – dry clean rarely. |
| Bottom line | Fit first, quality over quantity, and dress for the message you want to send. |
Men's Style Myths – FAQ
What is the biggest myth about men's style?
That you need money or good genes to look good. Fit does more for a man than any brand or budget. A 60-dollar pair of chinos hemmed to the right length beats 300-dollar trousers puddling over your shoes.
Does black really go with everything?
No. Black is harsh next to most skin tones and clashes with browns and warm colors. Charcoal and navy are just as dark and slimming and work with far more of your wardrobe.
Is expensive clothing always better quality?
No. Price often pays for the brand name and the marketing. Check the fabric content, the stitching, the seams, and how the garment is constructed – then decide if it's worth the money.
Now that I've proved these style myths wrong, go out there and shock the world with your style! And when someone hands you advice that sounds like one of these, check it against my list of bad style advice to ignore – then look at the 10 style rules I actually live by.
