You Think You Look Good… Until You Make These 6 Mistakes!

Gents, let's be honest. Most men go through their entire lives without ever learning how to properly dress. You might be spending good money on clothes, but if you're rocking the dreaded muffin top, clashing your patterns, or wearing the wrong gear to the wrong event, you're actively sabotaging your image. But, here's the good news. Legendary style isn't something you're just born with. It's a proven path and any man can master it. In today's video, we are taking you from zero to best dressed. First, I'm going to show you the fatal style mistakes you need to stop making today. Then, we'll break down a step-by-step blueprint to help you find a style that fits your life and your budget. And finally, we'll explore the top modern style aesthetics from quiet luxury to rugged work wear, so you can find the exact look that tells the world exactly who you are without you ever having to open your mouth. When he tucks in his shirt, he looks like a muffin top. Now, unfortunately, this can be hard to fix. It helps if the shirt fits you perfectly, has longer tails, so you can tuck it in properly. And if you've got a fit body type, no stomach, usually you can do something like the military tuck and keep the muffin top at bay for at least a few minutes. But, the reality is very few of us have that perfect combination. And even then, if you're a bit active, it seems like you're re-tucking your shirt every five minutes. The solution? The shirtstay. If you've never seen shirtstays, this is going to blow your mind. I personally started using shirtstays when I was in the United States Marine Corps. It was one of those secret hacks to keep your dress uniform looking good despite being active out there marching, being in a parade. I remember being at a Marine Corps ball and the guys took their jackets off and we're all doing pull-ups because that's what you do after you've been drinking and having a good time. But, you could clearly tell the guys that were wearing shirtstays from the guys that weren't because after doing 20 pull-ups jumping off that bar, you'd have guys whose shirts are coming out. Other guys, they looked sharp still. And that's why I love shirtstays because no matter what you throw at them, they are going to keep that shirt tucked in. If you've got a shirt whose tails aren't super long, if you're carrying extra weight around the midsection, it doesn't matter. The shirtstay is going to keep your shirt tucked in all day. Start small. As a beginner, stick to the classics, solid stripes and checks. Limit the number of patterns to two and always have a solid. Next, understand pattern scale. As we start to get more advanced in your combining patterns, you want to mix smaller patterns with larger patterns. Example, small stripes on a shirt with larger checks on a jacket. Next up, we've got coordinating colors. When you're coordinating colors, you find a color that's similar or one that complements the colors next to it. As you can see, this shirt, necktie, they've got very different patterns, but they do have that blue color in common. So, because of the color and we're mixing different scales, different types of patterns, this combination could work. Next up, let's talk about solid separators. Your trousers are always a safe bet. But, if you're just getting started matching patterns, make sure to keep your jacket solid or wear solid colored shirts. Yes, you can have fun with patterns and shirts, but a safer place, neckties and pocket squares. Once you know these rules and with a little bit of practice, you start matching three patterns. And, by the way, I'm not counting my trousers which are solid. But, just to have a little bit of fun here and knowing the rules, we could easily bring in a fourth pattern. Now, speaking of matching colors, you don't want to overdo this. You don't want your tie to match your pocket square. Whenever I see this combination, I cringe because I know this guy is trying, but even if he bought them separate and did the combination himself, to me a matching tie and pocket square screams those cheap sets sold at box stores for guys that just don't want to think. No, you don't want this combination to match exactly. You want your clothing to complement. Again, complement is where the colors work with each other or the patterns or textures play off each other. The designer demon. And as the name implies, this guy wants you to know every designer brand he's wearing. Therefore, the logos are large and they are in your face. High-end brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Rolex, Hermes, Richard Mille, Hublot. The color palette here ranges all over, but we're going to see a lot of black, we're going to see a lot of white. And, of course, gold with prominent logos. Clothing, footwear, accessories. Again, it's going to be really clear who makes this stuff. Now, is the designer demon wearing clothing that's authentic? Who knows? But, he sure wants you to believe he is. Now, I get it, you like Gucci, you're in the street style, you like Bathing Ape, you like Supreme. Hey, whatever your brand is, that's cool. But, here's the thing, be careful of those logos that are absolutely huge. I think it was Polo years ago that actually took their logo and put it all over some of their clothing almost like a pattern. It was tacky then and it is tacky now. Gents, when it comes to logos, unless you're getting paid by the company, be really careful about those large ones. Yes, I get it, you really like the clothing, it's got a small discreet logo. Okay, that's cool. But, in general, avoid the pieces with large logos especially when you're traveling and you're in that market and you find, you know, that big Gucci shirt and it's got Gucci written all over and you were able to snag it for $5. Most likely, this is a counterfeit piece and, yeah, it's just not going to look good on you. Mixing sandals with dressier clothing, I think it's going to fly, doesn't work. Mixing sandals with socks, despite what some of the celebrities are trying to convince you it looks good, no, it doesn't. But, yeah, some guys continue to do it. Hey, I'm just doing a public service here, don't mix sandals with socks, it's just a bad combination. And, speaking of socks, I could always identify my German friends when I was living in this international hostel because they would wear these dark-colored athletic socks whenever we'd go to the gym. And, they'd make fun of us for the light-colored socks because their point was you're going to get these things dirty and stained up and you're going to throw them away sooner than we'll have to throw away ours. I don't know why I just told you that story, but it just brought back a good memory. But, the point I'm hitting on here is white athletic socks do not belong with any of your formal footwear. Again, it seems obvious, it seems simple, but I'm doing a public service right here reminding you, gents, just getting into dressing a little bit better, the athletic socks should stick with your athletic shoes. Next up, your shoes. White sneakers should be white and clean. Your dress shoes should be clean and polished. So, here's the deal, gents, there's always a dress code. Yes, I agree there are rarely official dress codes laid out, but there's always an expectation of the group that you're meeting up with in the way that you will present yourself. I mean, think about it, if you're going out for a casual stroll with a few of your friends and you're dressed to the nines, seriously, you're wearing black tie or a three-piece suit and your friends are in shorts, t-shirts, and ball caps, you're not only going to look out of place, you're actually going to make your friends feel a little bit out of place. A well-dressed man always considers the unspoken dress code. He understands if he's attending an event, if he's going out to meet people, there are certain expectations. So, do your research, ask if you need to, but meet those expectations to ensure that everyone has a good time. Do a self-assessment asking these four questions. First up, you're going to identify your lifestyle needs. This is your daily activities, profession, hobbies, your social events, where you live. All of this plays into the clothing that you're going to want to look at. A finance professional on the East Coast is going to have a very different wardrobe than a finance professional down in Houston. Or a creative up in Chicago or St. Louis is going to have a different look, a different wardrobe than perhaps that same creative living down in Southern California. Next up, we want to define your style goals. This is the message the clothing says without you having to open your mouth. Seriously, look at these pictures right here. We got the same guy, two different outfits, two different messages being sent. Now, of course, there's going to be a difference in professional and casual clothing. But, even your casual clothing, if you are a professional man, you're going to want it still to send a message, so in case you run into somebody on your off hours. Now, the third self-assessment step is to actually take out the clothing in your wardrobe and to actually look at what you're starting with. Most men are not going to have to rebuild their entire wardrobe. And, in fact, your existing wardrobe, there's a lot of items that we can identify for good fit. Yeah, you like this shirt, it's a little bit worn out, but you love the overall fit and feel of it. Well, guess what? We're going to look at that brand, we're going to look at the measurements of the shirt. Even if you were to get something custom made, we can actually use that shirt as a block, which is basically a template to make more. There's also going to be certain items in your wardrobe that you just get compliments on. You keep them because you love the color, you love the material, you love something about it. And that's something that you want to take note of and repeat again and again as you look to make purchases. And, of course, let's talk money. You're going to want to set a budget, but a realistic budget. So, it's going to be important that you look at clothing prices and you understand all of your options. You also want to identify the priorities. Like any other guy, I like good underwear. But, before you buy expensive underwear, you want to make sure your outerwear such as your shirts, your trousers, your shoes, and your jackets are of good quality because that's the thing that most people see. Educate yourself about the principles of men's style. So, first up, learn about fit. Now, I could talk about fit all day, but I love just showing you images of a good fit and a bad fit. A good-fitting shirt, a bad-fitting shirt. Good-fitting trousers, bad-fitting trousers. Yeah, a picture says a thousand words. But, gentlemen, understand that good fit can take a $200 suit and make it look amazing. Bad fit can take a $2,000 suit and make it look like, yeah, you're wearing your big brother's clothing and just, yeah, it does you no favors. The amount of money you spend on clothing doesn't matter if it doesn't fit you. Next up, colors and patterns. So, the fit really affects the silhouette and the overall feel of the clothing depending on the structure and build of the clothing. But, the color, those patterns right there is going to be the next thing that everyone notices, everyone picks up on. You got to understand the basics. Now, one of the things I love teaching guys about color is actually how they can find a color that works for their skin tone. Now, you probably already have some colors in your wardrobe that work with your skin tone because you naturally have gravitated towards these. These are the colors since you were a kid. Every time you put something like this on, people give you compliments, so you try to repeat this. Now, if you're colorblind or you really are unsure about this, one of the things I recommend is going into the best menswear store in your area, talking with a few professionals there, actually taking clothing, holding it up next to your face, and actually seeing how it works with your complexion. Even if you don't see it, once you've got a trusted person you're working with or maybe it's your wife, maybe it's just a friend or maybe it's our community at Real Men Real Style. Now, patterns can be really complex, but just understand the basic rules. Solids are your friend and this is where you want to start. Stripes can help the eyes go up and down, they're great in shirts. And if you own more than five suits, you wear suits on a daily basis, you can bring them in there. Checks and patterns like this work for accessories, they can also work in shirts, but be very careful about suiting and jacket because they can be a little bit overpowering. Finally, let's talk about the power of neutral colors. These should make up the majority of your wardrobe. I love this chart right here because I break out in percentages what should be the majority of your wardrobe. Most guys are going to look at this and say, oh, it's the boring colors like black, brown, blues, grays. Yes, that's going to be the majority of most men's wardrobes. And guess what? This works because stronger bolder colors, guys, these are like spices. And if you understand how spices bring out the flavor of food, but if you put too much it overpowers it, that's the same thing with color in your wardrobe. Now, because you've taken my advice and you actually went to some of the best menswear stores, you start to understand the way different fabrics feel. This is a really important one that you do actually in person. Touch something like cashmere, go in and look at a worsted wool, look at the way that a good suit drapes. Basically, that's the way the fabric hangs. Look at the difference between a $20 dress shirt and a $200 dress shirt. I'm not saying you got to go out there and spend that money, but it is important to understand the difference, so that when you see that $150 dress shirt marked down to $50 and you're like, you know what? This is a great quality shirt, it's going to last me longer. I can tell by the buttons, they're mother of pearl that this is great quality. You look at the stitching and you're like, you know what? I am going to go ahead and take advantage of this. And you also know that that because you've studied a little bit of fit that you can take it to your tailor because you know the name of your tailor. And, guess what? You get that shirt to fit you perfectly, boom, you just got a great shirt that looks amazing, normally $150. And even with the tailoring, it just cost you $75. Talk about the power of neutral colors. These should make up the majority of your wardrobe. I love this chart right here because I break out in percentages what should be the majority of your wardrobe. And most guys are going to look at this and say, oh, it's the boring colors like black, brown, blues, grays. Yes, that's going to be the majority of most men's wardrobes. And guess what? This works. Because stronger bolder colors, guys, these are like spices. And if you understand how spices bring out the flavor of food, but if you put too much, it overpowers it, that's the same thing with color in your wardrobe. So, if you have four pairs of shoes, if you have four shirts, if you have four pairs of trousers, and you have four jackets, sixteen pieces of clothing, but if they're 100% interchangeable, you have a total of 256 outfits. Now, of course, it doesn't always work out that way, but even if you got close, the point is you could own less, you can get more outfits and more wear out of it. And at the end of the day, you have a highly functional wardrobe that you get your money's worth out of. Now, up to this point, we haven't talked anything about grooming. But, if you're finding your style, you really do want to go see a specialist. If you've been going to the same barber, you've had the same haircut for ten years and I get it. Men, we are creatures of habit. But, here's the thing, go cheat on your barber, go find a great stylist that can change things up, that can look at your face, look at your head, maybe say, you know what? Your colors are changing here. Let's go with the style. Let's maybe even bring in a bit of color into your hair. But, let's have fun here and let's change things up. If that sounds too adventurous, just use a different product in your hair. Use a different type of brush. Yes, literally using one type of brush versus another can give your hair a different look. Use a hairdryer when combing your hair. Lo and behold, all of a sudden, you get a little bit more texture, you get a little bit more height in your hair and you may like it. And if you don't, simply run your head under the faucet and comb it the old way. Now, what about a signature scent? Now, I know you love your Old Spice or maybe it's Stetson, whatever it is. I've got those fragrances. But, look to upgrade a bit. Maybe if you got a little bit of budget instead of Old Spice, look to Creed Viking. If you're going out, you want something sweeter that draws in the ladies, look no farther than the fragrances from Jean Paul Gaultier. Specifically, that new elixir is freaking amazing. And if all that sounds like too much, you just want versatility and class in a bottle, check out either Tom Ford's Beaux De Jour or Hermès' H24. Beaux De Jour, why I love it, this is classic barbershop and the H24, it's that metallic note. There's just something that reminds me of the gun range. I love it. All right, guys, really quick. A lot of guys make a mistake. They think that just watching a video like this on YouTube is somehow going to make them an expert. Straight up, gents, you have to take this information and put it into action. And one of the best ways to motivate yourself to take action is to put yourself in a community, in a group of like-minded warriors taking steps to improve their image, their presence, their presentation. And you can find all of that over at our community at School.com. Over in our school community, we've got detailed classes, we host challenges, and you can meet and engage with like-minded men taking steps on a daily basis to become their best self. So, gents, instead of saying someday, how about you say day one and join our community? I'm putting the link down in the description, in the comments, or you can just go directly to School.com. I'm talking old money and quiet luxury. And, yes, I know there are slight differences between the two. Old money being a little bit more structured and classic, quiet luxury being more modern and casual. But, in general, the look, the lifestyle that we're going for here is timeless, elegant, and sophisticated. Now, the color palette here is simple, navy, gray, white, beige. You're also going to find a lot of the items here are classics in menswear from sophisticated blazers to custom-made suits, high quality dress shirts, versatile polos, classic dress pants, and refined chinos. Now, in the footwear, we're going to see variety, but in general, it's going to be a little bit dressier. In fact, you could almost say that most of the footwear in this aesthetic is what some of you guys would call formal, but not really because formal actually refers to black tie. What we're talking about here are more derbies, but most of these are going to look like dress shoes to the average person. That being said, leather sneakers definitely have a place here. I also love how this aesthetic has a lot of seasonal adjustments to it. Linen shirts and shorts for the summer, cashmere sweaters, puffer vests, and even overcoats for the winter. Common brands we're going to see here, Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Zania, Allen Edmonds, Church's, Todd's, Cartier, AP, Rolex, Omega, and Patek Philippe. The earth aesthetic. Now, let's not confuse this guy with the granola aesthetic. That's where you look like you haven't showered for a week because you haven't. Seriously, the earth aesthetic, I really like this one. It's casual, but it's all about those earth tones in the colors. So, first up, those earth tone colors. We're talking greens, browns, beiges, and creams. Of course, black, gray, and white can also fit into the base, but it's really going to be those natural colors that this guy likes to bring in and just gives you a feeling this guy wants to be outdoors, which he probably does. Another key element here are the clothing fibers. I know my son is all about everything being natural. He's all about cottons, linen, and wools. I definitely see the points here, although I don't mind a little bit of synthetic materials especially when it comes to stretch and other things like that. But, yeah, everything here is going to be casual because it's going to be more minimalist. A lot of t-shirts, a lot of maybe long sleeve shirts, simple shell jackets, a little bit heavier fabrics that are made to be durable. The brands we're going to find here, REI, Pantagonia, Levi's, Allbirds, Tom's, Outer Gnome, Veja. Next up, let's talk about the workwear aesthetic. Some guys don't like this because they're like, people are wearing this, but they're not actually working. To each his own, I'm not here to judge. But, I do remember when I used to climb radio communication towers, that's how I paid my way through college. I wore Dickies because I couldn't afford Carharts. Those, I mean, they were great. But, yeah, that was workwear when it was workwear. In the last 20 years though, as many of you guys know, workwear has become an aesthetic. It was picked up by street style and it continues to trend, but for good reason because when you look at workwear at its base, this is versatile functional clothing that's incredibly durable and gets the job done whether it's to keep you warm, whether it's simply to look good on the streets. Now, the brands I mentioned a little bit earlier, Carhartt, Dickies, Leatherman, Filson, Red Wing, Wolverine, and tons of niche brands because they've popped up to fill all this need. Carhartt, I think initially was a little bit slow to react, but now, they're going full on this. And it's actually good for us because I think as consumers, we now have more options. And if you know what you're looking for, you can still find durability. I know a lot of you guys think the durability quality of like Carhartt has gone down, but if you know what to look for, you can still find it. The color palettes here as expected are going to be earthy, are going to be neutral. You're going to find colors and the material and the stitching made to resist stains and heavy wear. Now, the fabrics here are where it gets interesting because you're going to see fabrics like canvas, flannels, heavy denim. And if you're looking to get in this aesthetic, start with a work jacket because even if you don't wear it as a fashion piece, this is going to be a great work piece that you can wear around the house and just to be able to get the job done. It will protect you from the elements, protect you from hot pipes. And, yeah, even though you're just fixing the pilot light down in the basement, your girlfriend is going to think, man, like so rugged, so strong. She's going to be drawn to you. Seriously, gents, learn to work with your hands. The ladies love it. But, no, footwear, this is where classic work boots originated. Overall, in my opinion, this is a fun look. It's practical, rugged, durable with a focus on functionality and utility. Starboy. This is a Starboy aesthetic. Well, apparently, it's a sleek, modern, edgy style blending streetwear, high fashion, and retro styles together. And here, I thought Starboy was a member of the Teen Titans. But, seriously, gents, this has been a style that's been trending and I have to say that when done right, it looks pretty good even if it does kind of have a funny name. Well, with the color palette, you want to keep it dark. Colors like black, navy, charcoal gray. And you can bring in accents like shades of purple, shades of green. Now, the overall look you're shooting for here is to create a sense of mystery. Dark, stylish, edgy, a bit of intrigue. As far as footwear, we see high top sneakers or rugged black combat boots. With accessories, we keep it minimalist. Rings, necklaces, sunglasses, and hats. Let's jump over to street style. Now, I have to say some of the best street style that I've ever seen was over in Tokyo. I was there last summer with my teenage kids and we went into a couple bathing ape stores along with the Supreme store. And as an outsider describing street style, I would describe it with the words dynamic, evolving. In many ways, it reflects the current zeitgeist and individuality influenced by urban culture. And it changes from city to city, from neighborhood to neighborhood. And because of that, the color palette is diverse. Yeah, of course, you got bold contrasting colors, but you're also going to see some muted palettes as well. Now, key pieces when it comes to clothing, we're going to see hoodies, graphic tees, distressed jeans, baggy jeans. You're also going to see a wide range of sneakers. In fact, statement sneakers are going to be key with your streetwear look. Accessories matter a lot as well when it comes to layered jewelry, when it comes to caps, when it comes to your bags. Versatile, expressive, and reflective of your personal style, that is streetwear. Brands, of course, are going to be Nike, Adidas, Vans, Stussy, Supreme, Bathing Ape, New Era, and Herschel Supply Company. Next up, we've got the athleisure aesthetic, also known as the gym bro look. The idea here is a sporty look that shows a commitment to fitness and well-being. Now, just because you're wearing this clothing doesn't mean you're going to exercise or even healthy. But, hey, it's comfortable, right? And athleisure, as many of you guys know, has been one of the fastest growing segments in the last 15 years when it comes to menswear. Which, believe it or not, I'm not going to condemn because I love the fact that a lot of this is seeping into other parts of menswear and our clothing is becoming more comfortable because of performance fabrics and stretch. Now, as a subsection here, I'm also going to throw in the tech professional aesthetic. The key with these clothing pieces is they're leveraging the latest in technology, meaning that they're made to work with your tech and they're probably tracking you. From Meta's partnership with Ray-Ban to smart watches from Apple to the wearables that are tracking what we're doing throughout the day. Now, the color palette here ranges all over the place. But, if you're going to be buying clothing in this range, I do recommend that you go with the neutral palettes and you leave the bright colors as small accents. Nothing wrong, it's sporty wear, but don't go for the brighter pieces that are not nearly going to be as interchangeable and you're just not going to wear them as much. Unless you actually are exercising, then it's great because when you're running on the side of the road, people can actually see you. And the common brands you're going to see out there, Nike, Adidas, Lululemon, Under Armour, Reebok, Fitbit, and Apple. Now, it seems obvious, but the key to finding your style is not thinking about your new style, but actually putting it into practice, wearing the new clothing, trying it out, putting together the different combinations, experimenting. It's like riding a bike, you've got to do it. Yes, you can watch tons of videos on riding a bike, you read a book about riding a bike, but nothing beats going out and doing it. The same comes with discovering your style. You put the clothing together, you wear it out, you get compliments, you find events. A lot of people are like, well, I'm always stuck at home. Find or sign up for an event to go to. I know for me when it comes to fitness, signing up for a race, signing up for an event really forces you to get in shape and to train. The same thing with style. How about you actually set it up, so you're taking your girlfriend to one of the nicest restaurants in town? Or maybe you're a father of three. I get it, you're incredibly busy. Well, still, take your wife out on a date night or maybe take your daughters to a father-daughter dance and actually get dressed up for it. And your goal is to be the best-looking guy for your little girls, so that you can show up for them. Now, when it comes to evaluate, you are going to be your worst critic. And don't always listen to the voice in your head. Really listen to what other people especially the people that matter to you. What are they saying? Does your girlfriend, does your wife, do your friends are like, man, you looked really good? Well, guess what? Yes, they are trying to build you up, but also they're probably being honest. You do look better, so don't be so hard on yourself. That being said, if you look at the pictures, you're looking at yourself in the mirror and you're like, you know what? If I brought this jacket in a bit, if I hemmed those trousers, maybe if I tried a different color or this color looked really good on me, that color, so-so, this is where you evolve. You evaluate what you see and you work to get better. And as many of you guys know, if you're just getting 1% better every day for a year, by the end of that year, you are 37 times better than what you were at the beginning. So, what video to watch next? How about a step-by-step guide on how to dress for the different body types? I know that each of you guys have a different build. Maybe you're carrying a little bit of weight, maybe you're thin. Whatever it is, guys, I've got you covered in this video right here. I break it out, you're going to like it. Check it out, boom, right there. Oh, yeah.