I think a big part has to do with not knowing where to start. And not knowing what dressing well actually looks like. Another reason being that style and dressing up is associated with fashion, and “fashion is for girls.” Or a man might be perceived as gay for dressing stylishly.
Many men just don’t believe it’s all that important. And that’s fine. It takes some guys a bit longer to realize the power in dressing well.
Style in Our Time
When it comes to style today, people think of GQ or fashion runways. Magazines like GQ and Details are are full of advertisements and usually too fashion forward and trendy. These magazines simply don’t appeal to everyday men, making them apathetic towards the subject. Men figure that they just aren’t stylish or could never pull off the look.
To make matters worse, when a man does try to “up” his style, he’s sure to face criticism from family and friends. Of course they mean well, but it will take them some time to get used to the new you.
And as for trends, of course they have a place in men’s style. After all, cargo shorts and v-neck tees are trends. We all follow them to an extent. I advocate experimenting with trends because it’s a part of the process in developing one’s style, but it’s easy to go overboard.
A surefire way to consistently dress sharp is to know your wardrobe essentials. By having awareness of what you’re wearing and how you wear it, you’ll be sure to look great when looking back decades from now. I’m also of the mindset that fashion and style are not one in the same.
Fashion is trendy and expensive, it fades over time. Style, on the other hand, is timeless and can be affordable. The classic staples will always be “in style.”
Gentleman, it’s time to embrace this renaissance by looking inward. The clothes won’t make the man, but they can break him. People judge and form opinions about us in a matter of seconds. The first thing people notice is our appearance.
It may be shallow, but it’s human nature. When we have nothing else to go by, we classify people as competent or incompetent based on their style. A poorly dressed man will be seen as incompetent and unkempt in other areas of his life, regardless of how successful he is.
You want to give the best representation of who you are from the start. By dressing up, you can show up knowing that you’re putting your best self forward. Your confidence will skyrocket and people will notice.