7 Men’s Style Tips All Beginners Should Know

It’s amazing how many men could benefit from going back to the basics of style. You see it all the time. Too many risks. Too many clashing patterns. Trousers spray painted onto calves and body shapes completely terrorised by ill-fitting garments. A few simple tweaks here and there and these same men would look completely different. For the better.

Even if you’re a well-dressed man, you will always benefit from revisiting the basics. So, if you’re a man that’s looking to improve his personal style and you don’t know where to begin, start with our guide below. Nail the foundations and the rest will follow, trust us.

Fit is everything

Repeat after us: fit is everything. You could invest in a luxury suit made from the world’s finest cloth but if it doesn’t fit it will not look good. In fact, it will actively work against you, becoming a beacon that signifies you don’t know what you’re doing.

When you shop, don’t just assume that you are a single size across the board. The cut and fit of each brand is unique, so make an effort to try a size up or down if you’re unsure.

Get it right and you won’t just be doing yourself a favour – ill-fitting clothes are a waste of the world’s resources as well as your own time and money.

Focus on quality

Forget fast fashion, you should be buying the best quality that your budget allows. Proper Goodyear-welted shoes. Selvedge denim jeans. A top-grade leather wallet.

It’s about buying less, but better. Is there a single T-shirt out there that will last longer than the cheap multipack you’ve got your eye on? The answer is always yes. Price tags don’t always guarantee quality (see: designer brands and their extortionate markups), but you should be prioritising garments that look good, are made well and minimise damage to the planet.

Avoid trends (to start with)

Trends and fashions come and go. We’re not saying don’t get involved, but at the beginning of your style journey you should be focused on nailing the basics and building a versatile capsule wardrobe that doesn’t date.

Don’t blow your budget on fleeting fads when premium basics will look and last better. Think of it as building the foundation of a house. Invest in the walls and roof before you start getting caught up on which lampshade to get.

Build a capsule wardrobe

This is so important. If you build a capsule wardrobe with interchangeable pieces that complement each other, getting dressed each morning will stop being a chore.

Brown leather Derby shoes, minimal white sneakers, dark indigo selvedge jeans, slim khaki chinos, plain neutral T-shirts, a white or blue Oxford shirt, a winter coat… all items that will never go out of style and can be mixed and matched for any occasion. This article on building a minimalist wardrobe is a good place to start.

Pick colours and styles that suit your body shape

It’s important to know what clothing suits your specific body shape.

The 5 key male body shapes are rectangle, oval, triangle, inverted triangle and trapezoid. Each requires its own nuances when getting dressed. For instance, rectangular shapes should try to add bulk to their upper half to create dimension, while avoiding clothes that make them look even boxier, like double-breasted jackets. Inverted triangles on the other hand should do the opposite and draw attention to their waist to balance out their wide shoulders and back.

Learn what works and what doesn’t for your frame and your day-to-day outfits will benefit.

Complement your skin tone

Another important factor is working with colours that complement your skin tone. In general, there’s a classic safe space when it comes to dressing that includes black, white, navy, olive and beige. Not all shades work for everyone though. Pale complexions should steer clear of pastels, for example, as they will wash them out.

A universal rule is to avoid hues that resemble your own skin tone. Black men can appear a little ashy when wearing shades of brown, while the same goes for olive-skinned men who don certain shades of green and yellow.

If ever in doubt, navy and beige are your safety net.

Get a great haircut

It’s all well and good curating a beautiful capsule wardrobe, making an effort to learn about colours and silhouettes, and investing in quality but if your lid isn’t following the same standards then it’s going to divert the attention for all the wrong reasons. Get yourself a proper haircut.

 You need to be willing to pay more money for a haircut. Find a barber whose work you’ve seen before and speak to them in detail about what you want, having done a bit of prior research on what styles you like. Take a picture if need be.

Once you’ve found a good barber and you’re happy with the results, stick with them. Great barbers are hard to find, so be loyal and get your hair cut regularly (tip: rebook every time you attend an appointment).