The average young male follows a different set of style rules than what is dictated by fashion houses. Young men all over the world tend to prefer street fashion rather than what’s hot on the runway. Street fashion is fashion that emerges from the personal styles and grassroots street-wear most often observed in major urban centres.
It is the manifestation of the style and trends associated with the youth culture in any given place. Some of the style we seen on the street is pretty fly, ranging from sleek to quirky, but what all noteworthy street styles have in common is that they involve well groomed and put together looks that turn heads and make people look twice. We all want to look good, but to transform your street style from casual to super cool, you need to step up your game and amp up your look.
Luckily, upgrading your style doesn’t always require a complete wardrobe overhaul or involve spending large amounts of money. By making a few smart choices and switching up a few basics, you can earn some major style cred and become the best dressed man in the room. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Do a Master Cleanse of your Closet
Clear your closet out of anything that isn’t stylish. This may be a hard thing to do as we all have a few pieces of clothing that we hang on to long past their expiration dates because they are comfortable or hold sentimental value. Throw them out. I understand that the holey stretched out T-shirt that has been through a million washes feels softer and more comfortable than anything else you possess because it is so worn… but put it in the trash.
Don’t keep anything that is overstretched or worn out, has holes or tears, has faded or lost its freshness, or has stains that won’t come out in the wash. If you keep such stuff you will be tempted to wear it. You should also get rid of anything in your closet that you haven’t worn in a year. This way you will be left with only good stylish items that won’t frump up your style.
2. Buy Stylish Basic Clothing Items
After you have cleaned your closet of all the junk and dead weight, go through all your remaining clothes and check to make sure that you have all the basic “core” wardrobe items. Core items of clothing are the essentials you need on a regular basis, like a white shirt, blue jeans, dark jeans, or other smart casual pieces like chinos, chambrays or button-down shirts.
With the right core pieces, you can mix and match and make an interchangeable wardrobe from those few basic articles of clothing. So these basic pieces should be good quality as they are the building blocks or foundation of your personal style. Your image will be influenced by these basic pieces so choose items that can work well with each other and lend themselves well to mixing and matching in terms of colour, pattern or texture.
3. Work on What’s Inside the Clothes
Nothing makes clothes look better than when you’ve got a rocking body underneath. If you have a ripped body and well developed pectorals, you will fill out your clothes nicely and make them look even better. Spend some time every day and focus on your health and fitness. Work out and sculpt your body. You don’t even necessarily have to get a gym membership, it is easy to do chest workouts at home that will help tone your pecs and shoulders and make you really stand out.
4. Invest in Stylish Accessories
The accessories you use and wear send a message. Stylish accessories can send the message that the person wearing them is cultured, stylish, and refined. Some accessories to consider are classic men’s watches, sunglasses, earpods or headphones, cufflinks, and even understated jewellery. Accessories show that you’re a man who values the small details.
5. Choose Colour Blocking and Monochrome Styles
Never underestimate the importance of colour and contrast. Monochrome means that you wear a single predominant colour for both your top and bottom layers. Colour blocked and monochromatic looks are bold and make you stand out in a crowd and exude kickass confidence. Consider styling a few monochromatic for every day occasions like dark blues to give a youthful vibe, and dark greys for professional meetings. Remember to contrast your colour to your skin, for instance medium greys work better if you have light colouring, whereas white and lighter greys and blues work better with darker skin.
6. Focus on Footwear
Don’t be one of those men who have a one shoe fits all occasions type of lifestyle. You shouldn’t wear running shoes or sneakers all the time. An easy and effective way to stay stylish as far as footwear is concerned is to only use running shoes for running, and sneakers for other physical activities. For everything else, consider investing in casual leather shoes. Casual leather shoes can really amp up your casual style and make you look instantly more stylish and put together.
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