Walking through my campus (and pretty much any college campus), I find that a lot of students have a great sense of uniqueness, expression, and style. Sadly though, very few of them look put together enough to get away with their style. This article is going to outline the basics of looking put together (like you spent more than 15 seconds deciding what to wear) without spending a fortune on your wardrobe or subscribing to the latest fashion magazine.
Hygiene and Personal Grooming
We’ll start with the biggest and easiest way to look (and smell…) bad first; Personal hygiene. It only takes 1 smelly day to ruin your image, or make a bad impression on a potential friend, associate, date, or employer. You know how women have 3,000,000 products in the bathroom? Well it’s time to buy some of your own. My personal recommendations are a stick/spray deodorant, a decent smelling body spray (like Axe), a few good colognes (sweet smelling is in style right now), a good smelling body wash and sponge, and any hair products you may require to keep your do in check. I’d say it’s a good idea to keep a small deodorant and/or body spray in your backpack or car, just in case.
On to personal grooming. As anyone who’s checked the ABOUT page knows, I grow a beard. So obviously I’m not going to tell you that you need to shave. What I will say, though, is that you need to manage your facial hair, if you do choose to grow it. Even I am having to commit to trimming more than once a week. If your facial hair doesn’t look well kept, it really doesn’t matter what you are wearing. Remember, it’s about looking presentable without sacrificing your uniqueness.
On a touchier subject, body hair, it is the opinion of many females that I’ve talked to that less is better. Now I won’t say I haven’t met a girl or two that like a guy with a hairy chest, but nobody likes a werewolf. Shave, or at the very least trim to a non-scary length.
Wardrobe
Like I said, I’m not going to tell you what to wear here. That’s your choice of how to express yourself. Here I will give you tips on how to wear your clothing, because generally that matters more. Then we’ll go over some basic necessities, just in case.
First of all, take a look in the mirror. How do your clothes fit? More often than not, guys pay more attention to what style of clothing they wear than whether or not it actually fits. Then we wonder why the guy in the boring solid tee somehow still looks more put together.
Look at your shirts. Pay close attention to how they sit on your shoulders, where the sleeve starts, how long the sleeves are. Also pay attention to how loose the short sleeved shirt sleeves are, and the length. I’m not saying we need to wear shirts that hug, but if you can fit another body or arm in your shirt it’s too lose.
Also pay attention to your jeans. You don’t want to hug your junk, unless you’re a cowboy, but you also don’t want to wear wide leg jeans. Anything with holes in the knees are no good. Dark washes always look better, and the faded wash is getting old. Nothing beats a nice dark wash of boot cut or regular cut jeans.
Next let’s assess your ‘dressy’ wardrobe. It’s a good idea to have at least 1 pair of good fitting dark slacks, a nice pair of khakis, and a couple of neutral colored button down shirts and polos. If you are trying to hide a few pounds dress looser, but otherwise here is a good place to dress a bit fitter. Not necessarily tight, but figure flattering. A well fitted, neutral colored sports coat is great for when you don’t know how dressy to get, so find one that you can wear often, and wear it often.
Finally we go over suits. Unless you are a business major, or another type of student who needs to dress up often, 1 or 2 suits will do. I’d say a good black suit is a must, and then a gray or navy suit would be fine. When purchasing a suit, at this stage in life, it’s not important to buy the fanciest, most expensive thing you can afford. It would actually be more beneficial to find a cheaper nice looking suit, and spend a little extra money getting it professionally tailored.
Shoes, belts, and accessories
Here’s where it really depends on your personal style. Generally though, accessories are a plus. A nice ring, bracelet, or wrist watch is definitely a great complement to any outfit. belts are a must; try to have a dressy one and a casual one. Nice clean shoes matter more than brand. Matching shoes to outfit is a good idea if you can afford it. At the very least, though, no sneakers with button down shirts. If you are a sunglasses kind of guy, the style is more important than the brand. Ask a salesman to help you find something that accentuates your face and personal style. It’s a good idea to have a minimum of 2-3 ties (again, neutral colors, basic patterns). Accessories are a real way to boost style on the cheap, so find things you like and rock them like a hollywood star.
So there you have it. This may require you to remove some of your favorites from circulation, but trust me, it’s for the greater good. Follow my advice and you’ll always look like you meant to look good, no matter what you wear. And I don’t know about you, but when I look good I feel good. And don’t we all love to feel good?!
