It’s a strange fact of modern life that many young men have no clue how to dress well. Like learning how to cook instead of eating out or buying packaged meals, learning to dress well is an important life skill that appears to be fading from modern life. This creeping obsolescence would not matter if there were no consequences, but men who don’t learn how to dress well are unlikely to find professional careers or marry women who have a sense of style.

Be a Man, Not a Boy or a Bum

Perhaps, the most ironic thing about this whole business is that it is easy to learn how to dress well. The reason why men dress like boys or bums is not because there is a good reason for it, but because they are merely unconsciously following the bad examples set by their peer groups as well as self-serving fashion trends and movies about desperate people. In fact, some fashion trends border on the ridiculous.

Common Excuses

One excuse often made by young men confronted with their distressing lack of taste in clothes is that they don’t have time to shop or there are no decent clothing stores for men where they live. The simple truth is that both of these reasons are bad excuses. Many websites offer men a perfect wardrobe at an affordable price with a few mouse clicks. Websites that sell men’s clothing are out there if you look for them. At johnnie-o.com, for example, men can select from an assortment of polo shirts, dress or casual shirts, bottoms, T-shirts, sweaters, and outerwear in a wide range of sizes.

Dress for Success

Here are 7 quick tips to dress well:

1. Choose suitable footwear. Dress shoes, not athletic shoes or sneakers.
2. Dress like an adult, not like a college student. If you dress like a boy, you will be treated like one in the business world.
3. Ignore fashion advertisements and commercials. Fashion is not your friend. Often models are paid to dress in ridiculous ways that no one would dare to wear on the streets. You’ll also spend a lot of money buying a style that will be replaced by something new fairly soon.
4. Once you buy nice clothes, take care of them. This will prevent you from living beyond your means.
5. Get blue and white shirts. This is your base, and you can build from there. If you habitually wear T-shirts, try polo shirts.
6. Jeans are fine as long as you avoid rips or sans fading. Wear well-fitting jeans and match them with a snug t-shirt, a polo shirt,Turtlenecks, a buttoned shirt, or a sport coat.
7. Get well-cut trousers. There is life beyond denim, and it can make you look sharp, edgy, alive, and purpose-driven.

Make A Good First Impression

The simple truth is that in order to become successful in business and life, you have to make a good first impression when going for a job interview or asking for a first date. You make a good impression in two ways: through your body language, which some communication experts rank as high as 55% of your communication, and the clothes you wear.