Hey Ross,

I’m not sure if you’ll read this, because it’s posted a little late, and hopefully you’ve figured out how to dress by now, but if not then you might want to give this a read. I myself am only 19 years old, and I’ve gone through a lot of changes in my appearance, from baggy skater clothes, to tight “emo” clothes, and over time my style has evolved into what it is now. Modern, clean, with a touch of class.

The biggest thing you want to remember is to dress right for the occasion. There’s no need to wear a suit if you’re going to school, or out to the mall, walking your dog, etc. because you’ll look ridiculous. In the same way if you show up to a wedding/date/formal event wearing some rugged jeans and a T-shirt 2 sizes too large, you’ll also look ridiculous.

So here we go, hopefully this will help you out. The biggest thing to remember if you want to impress girls, guys, geezers, what ever is to just look clean cut.

Hair: Your hair is your own to do with as you please, but it should also be well groomed and not too over the top. If you’re rocking a mullet or a mohawk it’s time for a change. In my opinion the length and color does not matter as long as it is well kept. I myself am more of a low maintenence kind of guy, so I like the short style hair. Faux Hawks are really in style right now, and if you need some inspiration, run a google images search of David Beckham, that’s the style i’ve been going with for awhile. A splash of color doesn’t hurt either, maybe some highlights, or change it up and color everything. Just don’t use green or pink, keep it blonde, brown, black, etc. If you like the shaved head look, make sure you’re head is round enough and not weird shaped before you shave it, otherwise it won’t look good. And if you like the long surfer/skater hair, throw some highlights in it, get it layered a bit, and wash/comb it on a regular basis to keep it neet. You can also use a variety of styling products to make it look cool, such as gel, wax, mousse or hairspray…. Just don’t overdo it! And if you’re unsure of how you’d like your hair to look, just browse around the net, print off some pictures of what you like and take them to your hair stylist for your next cut.

Facial Hair: is ok too, just try to avoid the “Johnny Depp (Blow)” sideburns or the “Hulk Hogan Stache” and keep it trimmed or well groomed. The stubbly look is also quite popular these days too! Lastly hats/caps, etc. should be avoided during formal occasions, but are perfectly okay when you’re hitting up the mall, or just hanging out.

Shirt: Your shirt shirt is probably the thing most people will notice about your appearance, but is one of the hardest things to get right. There’s a lot of shirts out there, some better for certain occasions than others, just pick the right one and you’ll be okay. For everyday activities and non-formal social gatherings a t-shirt is perfectly okay, but rather than opting for a size XXL G-Unit shirt, or a youth large band-shirt that’s way too tight. Try to find a comfortable “fitted” t-shirt that accentuates your man curves. Brands don’t really matter, but try not to wear shirts with offensive slogans, or really big logos if you want to impress people. It’s all about the color and the fit. If you have the cash, I reccommend Dolce & Gabbana or Versace t-shirts, but they are quite expensive (try ebay for cheaper ones) and you don’t want to get ketchup/mustard stains on them either. Plain, or ribbed t-shirts are nice too, and can be fine for casual/semi formal occasions. Leave the wife beaters and muscle shirts at home, no one wants to see your “guns”… or lack there of in my case, and they’re not going to impress anyone. For more formal occasions try wearing polo style shirts with collars, or button up short or long sleeve shirts. I personally don’t really like the short sleeve button up, and enjoy a polo, or longe sleeve buttoned depending on the occasion. CAUTION: When wearing a button up shirt, don’t buy the flashy silk shirt and unbutton the top 4 buttons leaving your mound of chest hair open for the would to see!, one or two buttons undone is fine with a white or black undershirt (NOTE: your undershirt should NOT be the same color as your overshirt, and should match somewhat with your outfit, white and black do the job). Just remember, you don’t want to be over the top. If you dress too flashy it’ll get you attention, but people won’t necessarily be impressed. Also again your shirt(s) are all about the color, and should match the rest of your outfit accordingly.

PANTS: keep it simple, jeans, khaki’s or dress pants. Shorts are fine for casual wear too. Buy pants that fit your waist, and are the right length, not too baggy, not too tight. For jeans try to find a store that sells designer ones for an affordable price, and remember, stretch denim is comfy Also try to color coordinate the stitching on your jeans with your shirt, i.e. brown stitching, brown shirt. The jeans in style right now all have a faded, or distressed look to them, and most range from very light to dark shades of blue. Forget the black jeans, wear dress pants instead. Now, wear your new, normal fitting pants around your waist, with a black, or brown belt, and maybe a stylish or simple belt buckle, depends on your style. (Studded/Patterned belts are also fine for casual wear and can be quite stylish, but NOT for formal occasions.) Belts are key in my opinion because they can be a good accessory and make you stand out more, and you just look sophisticated with a belt, and you can rest easy knowing your pants aren’t going to fall off. As for dress pants and khakis, iron them regularily and save them for semi-formal/formal occasions.

Shoes: Shoes are a girls best friend, and is one of the first things they notice about your appearance, so if it’s the ladies you’re after make sure you get it right. For every day wear a pair of nice white sneakers, or even skate shoes is acceptable, but try to keep the colors and designs simple. White goes with almost everything, black and brown shoes look nice, but won’t match with everything that you wear. Try to have a couple different nice pairs for everyday wear so you can change it up, and keep them CLEAN. If you clean your shoes regularily you can wear them for a lot longer. Leave the ratty ones at home, or better yet in the rubbish bin, and pick yourself up some new ones. For semi-formal/formal/even everyday wear dress shoes are also acceptable. Keep them simple though, black will work with everything, brown is good too, but again it only works with certain other colors. Avoid the ultra shiney/pointy shoes, and don’t buy ones with bows on them, or dress shoes that are white (unless you buy an all white suit to wear them with). Lastly this may sound dumb, but make sure your shoes fit comfortably. Don’t sacrifice comfort for style, or you’ll regret it. One more thing, leave the sandals at home, and wear ankle socks. Black socks with black shoes, white socks with white shoes, dress socks with dress shoes… You get the idea.

Accessories: I love accessories because they are really what make you stand out from everyone else. The trick is to do it enough so you get noticed, but not go over the top. Your accessories are ultimately your own way to make your style unique.
If you have pierced ears, earrings are great because they come in a variety of styles and shapes. Diamond studs are good for any occassion, just don’t get ones with HUGE diamonds on them (and they don’t have to be real diamonds either) hoops are good too for less formal occasions, but should be avoided for more formal ones as well. Neck jewlerry is fine too, whether it’s gold, silver, hemp, pendants or whatever. Just don’t overdo it (“Mr. T Style”) and don’t buy a pendant with a THICK chain that hangs down to your belly button with some huge blind on it! Watches are big too, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a watch. I would say try to spend at least $100 CAD on a watch to impress people with, but keep in mind you’ll probably wear it every day, so it’s not a bad investment. I personally have 2 watches, a silver one for more formal occasions and a black wide-banded leather one for everyday/semi formal wear (more of a rock-star style). Again it’s up to you, if you want to dish out the money for a ROLEX no one will complain, but just try to find one that looks nice that you can wear every day. Lastly there’s a bunch of miscellanious accessories you can try to mix and match as well, such as pins, wallet chains, rings, bracelets/wrist cuffs, belts, belt buckles, even sunglasses/glasses can be an accessory, get some designer frames that fit your face nicely and voilla! Now again you can get fancy flashing LED belt buckles, G-Chains, etc. They will get you noticed, but won’t really impress anyone.

Underwear: Boxers or Boxer-briefs… or “commando”. Color and pattern is up to you… No tighty whities.

SUITS: Sorry this is at the end, but I just wanted to sum up everything before I got here. Suits are not as complicated as most people think they are. First find one that fits you, not too baggy, too tight, too long, or too short. That’s most important. Style wize, pinstripes are pretty bold, I’d say go with a solid black (acceptable for almost all formal occasions) Or black with a soft gray THIN pinstripe. Don’t wear a suit vest, and find a dress shirt that goes well with the color of your skin. If you’re pasty pale and white, don’t buy a white dress shirt, don’t buy a pink one either and NEVER wear a black dress shirt under a black suit. I find shades of beige/khaki/gray to work best, but bright blues, greens, reds, can look good too, just find one that you like and that you think looks good. Ties should also match your suit and your dress shirt and it’s okay to have multiple ones. Again it’s up to you, but try find one that looks clean and matches, rather than flashy and clashes. For a less formal/more rebellious look that I am fond of is leaving out the tie all together, and unbuttoning a button or two and wearing the collar on the outsite of the suitjacked. (Al Pucino “Scarface” style) Not for everyone, but it works for me So now that you should have all your stuff by now, next wedding you’re at, you can throw on some briefs, dress socks your nice shirt, then pull up your dress pants with a black belt, throw on your black dress shoes, TUCK your shirt into your pants, throw on a tie, or leave it off, depending on your mood/style, put on your jacket, and ALWAYS leave the bottom button undone (it’s just how it’s done), style your hair so it looks neet/sexy (use product if you have to), maybe shave, wear a nice gold/silver watch and maybe a chain/necklace or ring. Lastly… in case you forgot, brush your teeth, maybe chew some gum to keep the breath fresh, and one last thing.

Cologne!: Your scent can often be more attractive than your appearance, so dish out $100 CAD for a bottle of cologne, and give yourself a spray or two…. NOT 5-10, don’t overdo the scent, just enough so you smell good, and people will notice if they get close to you. If you’re unsure of what cologne to buy you can google “top 10 colognes” make a list of good ones and head to your local perfume shoppe and test out the smells. Try to pick one that’s not too musky, and not too sweet and that you think people will like. Ask for help/opinions while you’re there.

Hint: If you buy Armani Aqua Di Gio, or Armani Code, you can’t go wrong, both smell amazing and are loved by men and women world wide.

I hope you get a chance to read this now that I realize I just spent an hour of my time here, but I hope you can use some of this to your advantage, and trust me… If you follow along with this you’re going to impress some people. I guarantee it.

-Bye for now

Travis
CANADA

Glad to help. If you have any questions or anything feel free to ask!