As mentioned in Four Simple Fashion Tips for Men, knowing what to wear and how to wear it can be of great benefit to men, and with a little bit of knowledge can also be very easy. Here four more ways to achieve a simple and classy look will be discussed.
Stop – This is a Hold-up – Belts
As mentioned in the previous article, properly fit pants are essential to a stylish man's look. A properly fit belt is also important in the overall picture. Men's belts are typically sized in the same way as pants - a 32 inch waist on a pant means a 32 inch belt would be needed.
A typical man's belt will be black or brown leather, usually with a simple buckle at the front. Silver buckles are the most versatile, allowing for almost any color of shirt or pants to be worn. Other belt options for men include chain belts or large and colourful belt buckles – these can be great accents, but it is essential not to draw all of the attention to the belt – it is not the focus of the outfit.
Watch Out - Wrists
The most common wrist accessory for a man is a gold or silver-colored watch, which can be an excellent accent piece to any outfit. As long as the watch is clean and functional, watches are hard to go wrong with. Another option for the wrist which has been growing in popularity is the leather armband or cuff.
Normally black or brown leather, these armbands vary in thickness and style and may include metal studs, snaps or even watches embedded in them. A decent armband can really set off an otherwise standard outfit with something a little different. As a word of warning however, it is best to only wear one armband at a time. Two stacked on the same wrist or one on either arm tends to end up looking a little strange.
A Coat of Many Colors - Jackets
Many men are indifferent to the weather and may only have one jacket for every season, or one for all four. Adding several stylish jackets to a collection can help a man expand his fashion options and dress appropriately for the weather.
- Spring: A good choice here is a light hoodie or work-out jacket such as the ones made by lululemon.
- Summer: Not often needed during the day, a nice corduroy blazer can be excellent for summer evenings outdoors.
- Fall: A myriad of choices here. A leather coat - simple, with a minimum of zip-up pockets and with no elastic waist band is an excellent option. As well, a dark grey or black pea-coat can be perfect as fall slides into winter. A pea-coat is a longer wool coat which ends lower than the crotch on pants, and typcially has several sets of buttons running up it.
- Winter: While a typical "winter coat" may be needed for any long-term outdoor activities, consider a long wool coat paired with a scarf for a short walk or a date.
Underlying Factors - Undershirts
Men often don't bother with these, but they can be of great use. If a t-shirt is being worn, an undershirt is not necessary, but for a polo or button-up shirt an undershirt can be both helpful and stylish. There are two common types of undershirts - "athletic" undershirts made with a percentage of stretch material included, making them tighter and more form-fitting, and "casual" undershirts made of light and comfortable cotton.
In either case, the easiest colors to choose are white or black. These are both versatile and neutral, and allow anything else to be worn with them. Whether athletic or casual, undershirts can be used if a man wants to wear a button-up shirt with a few more buttons undone, but doesn’t really have a pressing need to show off his chest hair. Undershirts can also be used to improved comfort, as many button-up shirts can be itchy over the long term.
The key to any outfit is to understand that each part contributes to the whole, and that no part should totally overwhelm all others. With these simple tips in mind, coordinating a simple and attractive outfit should be a less daunting task.
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