What’s in and what’s out in Men’s Fashion

After I published the post last week “How To Make Gift Giving Easy” I quickly found out that you desperately want to buy for the man in your life (a gazillion of you clicked on the Adidas joggers and now only large sizes are left – but I found them here for you too just in case you still want them). Anyway, I’ve been talking about writing a post on how to update your man’s wardrobe for some time now, but the urgency just didn’t seem like it was there, so I put it off. But after last week, boom it hit me in the face. What better time to talk about men’s fashion than now while you’re obviously all in the height of the gift-giving season.

Just as with women’s wardrobes,  for men, accessories are the key to updating season to season. And as powerful as accessories are in making an outfit great, they’re equally responsible for making an outfit look outdated and out of place. Generally speaking, accessories can be found at a more reasonable price point than a suit or jacket and they pack a lot of punch, so they’re ideal to give as gifts – especially for a guy that would never indulge himself.

The 6 Accessories that’ll Update your Man’s Wardrobe ASAP.

1. Slim Tie

I’m not talking a skinny, skinny-tie but if your man’s ties are wider than 3 inches they’re outdated (unless he’s a VERY broad build and/or over 6’4″ – then he can handle a wider tie) Yup, you heard right. Men’s ties should be 2.5 -3 inches max, otherwise, he’s gonna look like an old man in a leisure suit.

2.  Minimalist Belt

Yes, for the ladies big, logo belt buckles are all the rage. But for the guys, it’s a faux pas. When a man is getting dressed the belt is supposed to be a subtle finishing touch, not a statement.  The one exception is if he’s a member of a motorcycle gang-like Sons of Anarchy, then he gets a pass (because could Jax  ever really look bad?!?)

3. Pocket Square

If your guy hates ties this is the perfect gift for him. Pocket squares look great with ties, of course. But when a man goes sans necktie but adds a pocket square to his jacket (be it a sport coat or a suit) he instantly looks polished. Yet, he can still breathe easy without a literal noose around his neck. Styling tip – here’s a tutorial on how to fold a pocket square.

4. Narrow Bracelet

Again, to keep from looking dated, ditch the wide cuff bracelets. A narrow metal cuff or even just a slim metal link looks put together and interesting but still classy. I’m a big fan of this one… and this one as a lower-priced option.

5. Tie Bar

Tie bars are a current and classy way for your guy to have a little fun with his wardrobe. And they’re functional too (don’t ya just love when that happens?) The tie bar literally clips the tie to his shirt so it’s not flopping all over the place and depending on what he (or you) pick, the tie bar can blend with his tie or totally stand out and make a statement. An important style tip – The tie bar should clip between the third and fourth buttons from the top of his dress shirt. And should NEVER be wider than the tie.

6. Fun Socks

With pant lengths getting shorter (for both man and women) socks are more visible and therefore part of the dressing equation. Some guys will want to keep it simple and match their socks to their pants or their shoes (both are correct). But, fun socks are just that, fun. And even in very conservative environments, wearing a quirky sock is perfectly acceptable.

So, ladies, was this helpful in dressing and gifting your gents? And guys, not sure how many of you read this, but was this helpful to you too? While the majority of my clients are women, I do help guys take the stress out of getting dressed too. If there are other men’s fashion questions you have, let me know. It’s fun to write about this every once in a while…