How to Always Look Stylish
Without buying new trendy clothes all the time
I used to think that — in order to be trendy & stylish — I needed to follow the current trends and buy new fancy clothes every season. While that’s not inherently wrong, it’s not right either. Let’s have a look at a few quick tips to look and dress more stylish without buying new clothes constantly.
Tip #1: Neutrals
I guess, this one technically means buying something in the beginning… unless you’re already set with the basics of a men’s wardrobe. But even if so, it’s the perfect foundation for everything that follows.
Tip 1 is to buy and accumulate clothes that — for the most part — consist of neutral colors. Some might think of this as looking boring, but it’s far from the truth. The opposite is correct.
Most stylish men wear a foundation of neutral colors, just to spice it up here and there with one or two well-selected colorful pieces.
Of course, you can go full out on colors and look stylish as hell, but this is really not easy to accomplish. More often than not, it will end up looking goofy instead.
Neutrals are all the colors or non-colors to be precise that go well with each other and don’t clash with others. Typical neutrals are black, white, grey, navy, beige (or tan, or nude), and even toned-down, darker versions of green (army & forest green, olive) or red (burgundy).
With this pretty simple tip, you’ve already mastered a major part of being stylish: Outfit matching. You can basically throw anything on at that point and your colors will work together. When you think about it, this is also a classic and timeless way to dress and be stylish.
Tip #2: Fit is king
You’ve heard it before. If you haven’t, here it comes: Fit is king. Always. No matter how cool the clothes are, how expensive or fancy, or how trendy, if they don’t fit you, they won’t look good. Fit is king. Make sure every piece fits your body right now. Not 1 year ago, not after losing a few pounds, but right now.
Yes, boxy cuts are trending at the moment. Regular, straight, and even loose fits have a comeback but don’t hop on those trends before settling the basis.
A fitting, well-tailored item will always look good. Now. Tomorrow. In 20 years.
It’s such an easy tip, a no-brainer really, yet it’s still one of the hardest ones to get right. I did it wrong for such a long time. And still, now, I sometimes don’t get the fit perfectly right. Because you will have to try on a lot of items. Unless you’re really lucky with off-the-rack sizing.
Tip #3: Throw in some fancy pieces
No, I don’t mean wearing a tuxedo to work (or home office in 2021). Just don’t head out with a t-shirt and joggers every day either. Mix it up! Joggers are trending and I love it. Who wouldn’t during these times? Can’t remember a day without my sweatpants, honestly. It’s still refreshing to dress up once in a while. Even a simple Oxford shirt — timeless and classic — paired with your favorite denim or chinos will go a long way. And looks a bit fancier. The same is true for a roll neck sweater. Throw it on instead of your usual sweatshirt or t-shirt, and you’ll instantly get extra style points.
You can do that with pants as well. Instead of wearing denim, grab a pair of trousers and pair them with a casual item, like a plain t-shirt. It looks more dapper than denim but is just as comfortable. Tuck it halfway in (in the front) — a French tuck — and it’s another look entirely.
Tip #4: Take care of your clothes
A simple, yet powerful way to look more stylish is taking proper care of your clothes. Ironing a shirt and cleaning your white kicks go a long way. Don’t wear clothing pieces with holes or stains.
Get rid of worn-out items. If you wore a piece down that much, reward yourself with a new one.
And while you are at it, get a high-quality one as you already know that you’ll be wearing it to death.
Tip #5: The details
Clothing is just one-half of the equation. The rest is details. A nice haircut makes all the difference. A properly groomed beard just as much. Don’t forget about the accessories either. A beautiful watch enhances the most basic look. A sweet pair of sunglasses frames your face perfectly. A nice backpack ties together a well-rounded outfit. Small details matter. Don’t overlook them!
Parting words
As I said in the beginning: you don’t need to buy trendy items to look stylish. You can. It helps if you do it right. But it won’t beat a solid foundation. If you don’t want to buy new pieces all the time, or if you — like me — value a smaller, more minimal wardrobe, considers these 5 easy tips to up your style game a little. I’m learning this as I go myself. It’s a process. Hopefully, in the end, you’ll have a wardrobe filled with stylish, timeless pieces that you love to wear day in and day out.