{"id":1,"date":"2021-03-01T13:35:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T13:35:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/?p=1"},"modified":"2021-03-01T14:13:46","modified_gmt":"2021-03-01T14:13:46","slug":"hello-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/01\/hello-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Dress Better: 20 Time-Tested Style Tips All Men Should Try"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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It\u2019s a cliche, but rules, it must be said, are there to be broken.\u00a0Style\u00a0is personal and, above all, individual. Some men can pull things off and others can\u2019t. Some men are innately more conservative than others. So far, so contractual rider. But this all acknowledged, there are nevertheless well-tested guidelines which, if respected, help ensure that any man is dressed as well as possible \u2013 regardless of his own unique pizzazz in the wardrobe department. Think of these 10 pointers below as being the foundation. You bring the bricks and mortar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get The Fit Right<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s little point wearing good clothes if they don\u2019t fit. Few things make a even a great garment look shabby than being too short or too long, too big or too small. So if something doesn\u2019t fit \u2013 pay particular attention to across the shoulders and around the chest \u2013 don\u2019t buy it. Or, as annoying as it is, don\u2019t wear it anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, some dimensions on some items \u2013 suit sleeves and\u00a0trousers, for example \u2013 can be altered. Find a good tailor and do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opt For Quality Over Quantity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With countless tonnes of clothing ending up in landfill each year, environmental awareness alone should be enough to convince you to buy less. But the incentive is doubled if you\u2019re on any kind of budget or if you appreciate good value. Higher quality clothes not only tend to look better, they also wear better and therefore last longer. Add in the fact that cheaper garments can suggest all sorts of ethical problems in terms of worker conditions, and saving up might literally save a life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand Clothing Craft<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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You can only choose quality clothing if you take the time to examine what you buy \u2013 and understand what you\u2019re buying. Look for close, regular stitching; opt (in most cases) for natural fibres; check the standard of finishing; plump for traditional manufacturing techniques like Goodyear-welting; although supply chains are immensely complex, consider the country of origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The internet is your friend \u2013 do the manufacturer\u2019s claims stand up to scrutiny or are you being sold to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care For Your Clothes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Much of what makes your style happens before you even get dressed. There\u2019s the valuable thinking time put into what you\u2019ll wear, of course. But there\u2019s also the tending to the clothes you select. It\u2019s tedious sometimes, but iron your dress shirts, dry clean your suits occasionally, polish your shoes, repair what needs repairing\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just because your clothes will last longer this way. You\u2019ll look better. Think of all this preparation as being part of the same process as your\u00a0general grooming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classics Endure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Fashion\u00a0changes \u2013 that\u2019s its very reason to exist. If you don\u2019t want to keep chasing\u00a0trends, or want to rise above it, wear the classics. These are those largely unchanging garments that have formed the bedrock of men\u2019s style for many decades \u2013 from\u00a0button-down shirts\u00a0to Oxford shoes,\u00a0straight-fit jeans\u00a0to two-button, single-breasted navy suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classic does not necessarily mean boring \u2013 you still style them in your own way. However, it does mean you\u2019ll look dependably good at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Sweat The Details<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Anyone can put on clothes. It\u2019s the attention you pay to how you put them on that matters. Some\u00a0style rules\u00a0feel overly finicky\/uncreative but they do help create an overall good appearance: matching your belt leather to your shoe leather; wearing dress socks with dress shoes;\u00a0tying a knot that\u2019s right for your collar; not thinking\u00a0your underwear\u00a0doesn\u2019t matter because nobody will see it. And so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It Pays To Accessorise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Either out of choice or necessity, your clothing can be conservative, even pedestrian, if you accessorise well. It\u2019s in\u00a0the accessories\u00a0that you can express your individuality to anyone who\u2019s looking for it \u2013 if you\u2019re into\u00a0watches, invest in a good, versatile one; step up the quality with anything you wear a lot, like belts,\u00a0shoes\u00a0or spectacles; introduce flair with highlight touches of colour and pattern on scarves, pocket squares or\u00a0jewellery. These tend to be the things people notice. You actual clothes are just backdrop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feel At Ease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Feel comfortable in your clothing \u2013 psychologically rather than physically (though, wisely, few men will suffer pain for fashion). Unless the occasion absolutely demands it \u2013 and sometimes it does \u2013 don\u2019t wear anything that you don\u2019t feel right in. It will show. This doesn\u2019t mean your comfort zone should be limited to\u00a0T-shirts\u00a0and sweatpants. You have to push yourself to find a style that\u2019s yours. But make sure it is yours \u2013 and not someone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If In Doubt, Dress Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Wearing the right clothes for the right setting is both important and respectful but it can be a complicated business. Dress codes are in flux. Some invitations still insist on using contradictory terms the likes of\u00a0\u201csmart casual\u201d. If in doubt, dress up. It\u2019s the kind of advice your grandmother might give, but she\u2019d be right: nobody ever felt out of place for being too smart. Not being smart enough, however, is painful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Master Colour, Pattern & Proportion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Menswear has long been a terribly sober business, wrapped up in dated ideas of appropriateness and masculinity. But you don\u2019t have to dress like an undertaker. Colour, pattern and proportion not only add interest to your clothing, they can help keep you interested in it too. Yes, they are tricky to master. You can expect to make some mistakes. But be bold and experiment occasionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Embrace Texture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Colour and pattern are both important, but if you really want to elevate an outfit, deploying some considered textures can add yet another dimension. Tactile fabrics like corduroy, silk, suede and fleece can generate a sense of depth or help to create a focal point. Adding them to your wardrobe will arm you with yet another string to your sartorial bow and allow you to take simple outfits up a gear with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn To Layer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Having a good grasp on layering will stand you in good stead when the weather begins to cool and outfit options multiply. Sure, throwing a big coat on over a T-shirt does the trick, but it\u2019s hardly as interesting as combining a knitted roll neck, a\u00a0thick flannel shirt\u00a0and an\u00a0overcoat, is it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiment with different combinations and use varied textures and colours to create contrast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have A Weekday Uniform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even if your job doesn\u2019t require you to wear specific clothes, having a go-to work outfit can still be useful. Not having to think about what to wear every day will save you time and enable you to perfect your look. It could be as simple as an\u00a0overshirt\u00a0worn over an\u00a0Oxford shirt\u00a0and\u00a0jeans. Buy a few colour variations of each and mix and match to keep things fresh. It\u2019s also easier to add pieces to this set foundation, such as a sweatshirt or overcoat, to cope with changes in weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find What Works For You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s face it, we\u2019re all different. What suits you may not suit someone else and vice versa. Style advice is all well and good up to a point but if you really want to dress well, you need to find what looks good on you and stick to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look at what colours go best with your skin tone,\u00a0which cut of denim fits your body type best\u00a0and even\u00a0take your face shape into consideration when deciding on your next haircut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Build A Capsule Wardrobe<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Having a fully stocked walk-in wardrobe fit for MTV Cribs might be nice but it doesn\u2019t necessarily make it easier to dress well. We often talk about the virtues of\u00a0a minimalist wardrobe\u00a0and we firmly believe it\u2019s a surefire recipe for sartorial success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret lies in having the basics covered to the highest possible standard, resulting in a highly versatile clothing collection that will have your back across the whole spectrum of social occasions and dress codes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Neglect Your Footwear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As\u00a0Savile Row legend\u00a0Hardy Amies once said, it\u2019s impossible to be well dressed in cheap shoes. You can be wearing the finest clothes known to man, but if you top it off with subpar footwear it will all have been for nothing. With that in mind, your shoes should never be an afterthought. Spend a bit of time and money on getting them right and everything else will fall into place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiment With High-Low Dressing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Mixing upscale pieces with everyday essentials is a great way to spice up your style. With this technique, you can dress casual pieces up and smarter pieces down to cover a variety of situations. Try taking a more relaxed approach to tailoring by swapping the shirt out for a tee and the Oxford shoes out for some\u00a0luxe leather sneakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conversely, you could use the same idea to dress up a workwear staple like an overshirt with smarter pieces like cropped wool trousers, a fine-gauge roll neck and leather Derby shoes. Play around with it and see what works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dress For Your Age<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

People should be able to wear whatever makes them feel good. Still, if you want to look your best, it pays to have a bit of self awareness when it comes to what\u2019s age appropriate. Skater hoodies, baggy jeans and giant bubble trainers may have been de rigeur when you were a 13-year-old boy. Now that you\u2019re a functioning member of adult society, however, not so much. Stick to the classics and you can\u2019t go wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invest In Quality Underwear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dressing well isn\u2019t all about what\u2019s going on on the outside. How can one ever truly be considered properly dressed if what lies beneath isn\u2019t up to scratch? Even if you\u2019re going to be the only one who sees them, investing in nice socks and\u00a0quality underwear\u00a0will give your confidence a little boost and put a spring in your step. Take a look at brands like Sunspel, Zimmerli, Hanro and Derek Rose for some of the best options around.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a cliche, but rules, it must be said, are there to be broken.\u00a0Style\u00a0is personal and, above all, individual. Some men can pull things off and others can\u2019t. Some men are innately more conservative than others. So far, so contractual rider. But this all acknowledged, there are nevertheless well-tested guidelines which, if respected, help ensure<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t Read More <\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":129,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clothing"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions\/13"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nicolehoyt.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}