Men want to look good, too!

Style advice is an investment for men as well as women

Most of the time I write about women because my client base is 90+% women. But what about men? They benefit from colour and style advice and often need it just as much, if not more, than women do.

Father’s Day has just been and gone, and often my female clients have had their sessions bought for them as a birthday or Mother’s Day treat. But what about men too? We often don’t think to buy them such a useful investment gift, and we should because their lives change too.

 

Life's transition stages

Men have many of the same pain points and transition stages in their life as women do – from school, to university, to work, to retirement. They need to know how to dress for their situation at each phase of their life. Often during their 30s and 40s men ask themselves the question – does what I used to wear still work for me? I used to wear e.g. skinny jeans, can I still? They still want to look stylish but are no longer certain if they are getting it right.

As well as age transition points, there are also career and life transitions which affect how men feel and their choices. If they are seeking a promotion, or come out of a career where they have always worn a uniform into one where they are in charge of what to wear, or head into retirement, they can feel as lost as women do. 

So let’s talk about men’s style…

 

Putting the smart back into smart casual

In the workplace there has generally been a move away from the formal to smart casual style of dress. This can make men feel especially lost, as they will usually have both the formal and the casual or weekend aspects of their wardrobes sorted. But smart casual is a hard target to hit; often the smart bit of smart casual gets overlooked.

A suit with a smart shirt and tie is easy to get right – if you get the fit and colours right – but what on earth does smart casual really mean? Often too, ‘Dress down Fridays’ can become a minefield, and people will relax their clothing too much, sending it to completely casual.

If you carry it too far and choose shorts and a T-shirt, an outfit that is fine for a weekend walk or a trip to the beach, then you will lose any authority that your clothes give you. People you meet - whether you want them to or not - will judge you accordingly.

 

But shopping is such a faff and I have other things I'd rather be doing...

One big problem which I come across frequently, is that men tend to repeat buy. If they like a particular make of shirt, in a colour that works – usually gray, navy or white - , they will buy more and more of the same item. You only have to take a look at Mark Zuckerberg’s array of grey clothing items to see this truth borne out in reality.

Men often don’t enjoy shopping for clothes (not all women do, either by the way!) and it can feel like too much of a faff. If it’s going to take all afternoon to buy new clothes, they would rather not go at all. They finish with one of two scenarios: they don't buy anything, and make do with what they have, so end up with clothes that are old and saggy. Or they dash into an accustomed shop, and buy more of what they have already got!

 

Accessories are king

The key to your look is your accessories. While men don’t have as much choice as women do, they  can still make sure to wear a smart watch, and a leather belt which matches their trousers, when at work. More fancy or fun versions can be left for the weekend.

Likewise check on your shoes: if they look unpolished, or unheeled, then it looks as though you don’t care enough to take the trouble. In turn, people will perceive you negatively. It is amazing how strongly we receive subliminal messages from our feet – look at my previous blog for more insights.

Make sure that you inject your clothes with your personality with colour choices that match your skin tone and patterns that are the right scale for you. Always wear clothes of the highest quality you can afford.

 

Fill your toolbox with useful style tools

Men want to look good but to achieve that end in the quickest, most convenient and easiest way.  And that is exactly where a colour and style consultation will get them – smart and stylish with the minimum of fuss, plus a full toolbox of useful tools to use when out shopping for clothes. The whole process is suddenly streamlined to shopping the minimum amount of times a year, leaving plenty of time free for hobbies, sporting activities and fun times.

And if you love shopping for clothes, you'll love it even more as you will have a much clearer idea of what to shop for.

Men used to be the peacocks of the fashion world, but sadly, in so many cases have turned into the boringly coloured peahen instead. Let’s bring them back to their true colours again…!

Contact me on 07790 653669 to book a session. Now that lockdown is easing, I can carry out colour analysis in person again.