Dress for Success

13 Rules to Help a Man Dress Better — Cliff Rose For Clothes

A fashionable pair of jeans is the slim taper. It’s wider in the thigh so it remains comfortable, but narrows so that you can wear casual or semi formal footwear. Your jeans are a staple in your wardrobe, so don’t be afraid to wear them till they are worn and comfortable.

5. Look after your appearance

This is the kind of advice you might expect to hear from your mother. You’ve invested in all these items, so you should take care of them. Acquire some good hangers, dry clean your clothes, use the gentle cycle when using the washing machine, and avoid tumble drying. Make sure you clean and polish your footwear regularly and always press your shirts and pants where appropriate. The same can be said for you. Make sure to brush your teeth and hair regularly, shower, style your hair, clip your nails and trim unwanted hair.

6. Quality Underwear can make you feel great

Choose your undergarments so that you feel comfortable and confident. There is no greater annoyance than underwear that has seams in all the wrong places. Also keep in mind that when working out there is a good chance that people will see you in your underwear, so make sure it fits properly and is stylish and subdued.

7. Great shoes make the man

Whether you are dressing up formally or just going for a walk, choose a quality shoe that is not too busy and branded. Cheap shoes lose their form and are very limiting in what they will go with. Many men’s magazines state that shoes are the most important part in a good first impression, so make sure they are a quality pair and well looked after.

8. Keep accessories to a minimum

How to Find Your Personal Style, Once and For All

For years, I felt like I never had anything to wear. Every time I went shopping, I came home convinced, thinking to myself, “This is it. This is the piece of clothing that will make my wardrobe complete and cohesive and show I’ve mastered my personal style.”

But the truth was, no single shirt, pair of shorts, or skirt could magically solve my problems—and that’s because my wardrobe was all over the place. Sure, I loved variety, and we all do. But from my lime green sweater to my flowy lace maxi skirt to my bedazzled denim shorts, there was too much variety. Finding my own personal style took a lot of trial and error—mostly errors—and years to figure out what I actually liked. Now that I’m on the other side though, I can confidently say: I have a closet full of clothes that match and that I actually love.

You, too, can find your own personal style—just try these five insider tips to mastering it.

1. Set aside a day to go look for clothes, not buy clothes

While I love dressing up, I sometimes dread going shopping, especially when I need to shop for something particular. The whole time, I feel frantic, running from store to store looking around for a random black pair of shorts or a beige dress. Instead, I started taking time to go to the mall to just browse—as hard as that is. This way, I had all the time in the world to try on anything that piqued my interest. It also gave me time to try things outside of my comfort zone, like my new form-fitting Skims dress that I would never normally wear.

Another key part of finding your style? Finding clothes that fit you well. For the last two years, when the world of online shopping dominated our lives, it could sometimes be really hard to nail your sizing in certain items, and when you have a return following a return (I’ve been there!), it can be really discouraging. So put on your fancy pants, haul your butt to the mall, and make a day out of it.

2. Use Pinterest as a mood board

The #1 tool that helped me along this journey? Pinterest. But when I started using the app, I thought to myself: I’m only going to pin looks I really love. And at first, the looks I pinned were all over the place. But after taking a deeper look, I was able to take a step back and say, “OK, I like this look because it’s all neutral tones” or “OK, maybe I actually don’t like this look, I only like the fact that Gigi Hadid is wearing the look.” Having all these different images of outfits in one place really allowed me to take a look at the bigger picture and analyze the similarities between the different looks.

3. Step outside of your comfort zone

Trying a new style of clothes can be really intimidating. It’s important to remind yourself that clothes and fashion are supposed to be fun! You have the ability to play around and try new things. And think about it: As time goes on, we grow and change, physically, mentally, personality-wise, etc. So why can’t your style change, too? You never know until you try.

With this, you can start small. For example, if you tend to stick to neutral colors, try adding in a pair of black-and-white printed pants. Or if you normally like oversized and baggy lounge sets, try styling a pair of tight biker shorts instead.

4. Start slow and evaluate the clothes you wear on a daily basis

When I finally started to nail the aesthetic I wanted to strive for, I felt the urge to fill multiple boxes and donate everything that didn’t fit that aesthetic immediately. But remember: Slow and steady wins the race.

Over the course of a few months, buy a few pieces here and there. Invest in quality pieces you genuinely can see yourself wearing for years, regardless of the trends that come and go. Plus, if you really do a full 180 with your style vibes and you only have two pieces that fit your new vibe, you can’t donate your entire closet or else you’ll only have a day or two’s worth of outfits. As your style is evolving, it’s also important to reevaluate the pieces you currently have in your arsenal. For example, do you no longer wear those hot pink pants because they don’t fit? Or because you don’t like hot pink anymore? In either case, you’ve gained valuable information.

5. Mimic the looks of people whose fashion you adore

Wanting to reinvent my wardrobe, I turned to my favorite fashionistas: Hailey Bieber, Carrie Bradshaw, and a few other Instagram influencers. I would sit and scroll through their Instagrams, trying to think of similar outfits I could sport and with items I already owned. And similar to the Pinterest tip above, this also allowed me to analyze why I gravitated toward certain outfits. I realized I loved the practicality of Hailey Bieber’s outfits, the wow factor of Carrie Bradshaw’s, and the (surprise!) neutral tones of the others. After recognizing these patterns, I knew what I liked and how I wanted to dress myself on a regular basis.

I also gained loads of outfit ideas that I never would have thought to wear in the first place. In the world of fashion bloggers and influencers, there is no shortage of content and inspiration. Use it to your advantage!

Dress for Success

Good first impressions are crucial to landing a job. Your level of success will be determined by your interviewer(s), who will begin your evaluation based on several non-verbal cues, such as the style, fit, color and cleanliness of your clothes; your choice of accessories; the firmness of your handshake; your posture; the manner in which you carry yourself; and the degree of your eye contact, enthusiasm and confidence.

The clothing you select is a key indicator of your respect for the interviewers (and the company they represent) as well as how seriously you take the interview itself. The better you dress, the more seriously you will be taken and considered. Not dressing professionally could be taken as an insult or offense.

General Tips Checklist

Wear professional and conservative clothing. Choose apparel that has received favorable feedback from people who are knowledgeable about the industry standard or specific company policy. Ensure that clothing is clean, pressed and well-fitted. Wear conservative (dark) shoes that are clean and polished. Choose accessories that complement your clothing rather than distract from it. Remove facial and body piercings. Cover visible tattoos to avoid distraction. Keep fragrances and jewelry minimal. Make sure your hair is clean and conservative in color and style. Less is more. Keep your look simple but classy until you become accustomed to the environment and learn about the company’s dress code.

Tips for Women

Acceptable dress includes a suit (skirt or slacks) or conservatively tailored dress.

Traditionally, skirts should be knee-length. Slightly shorter or longer are also acceptable.

Avoid blouses or sweaters that are transparent, tight fitting, have low necklines, revealing waistlines or details that detract from your face. Typically, arms are covered at least to the biceps and often to the wrist.

Always wear plain-style, non-patterned hose to interviews. The color should flatter your skin tone. A neutral color is always safe. For some industries, you may choose to wear hose that coordinates with your skirt. Carry an extra pair in case of runs.

Perfume should never be strong. A fragrance can cause an allergic reaction or offend the interviewer. When in doubt, do not wear perfume.

Apply natural-looking makeup and clear nail polish. This keeps the focus on the interview.

Do not carry a purse with a briefcase. Choose one or the other.

Wear flat shoes or low pumps in colors that avoid making your feet a focal point. Be sure your shoes are clean and polished. Avoid shoes that hinder walking fast. This lowers credibility. Avoid open-toed shoes since they are often associated with social agendas.

Accessories express your personality and accentuate your best features. Keep it simple! Women in general tend to wear too many accessories, such as earrings, necklaces and rings. At the same time, these can accentuate your personality and can be an asset if worn in moderation. Avoid dangling earrings, and wear no more than one ring per hand and a dress watch.

Tips for Men

Wear a matching suit in navy, black or gray (pinstripe or solid), or a navy blazer and gray dress slacks.

Select a white or a light blue dress shirt that contrasts with the jacket and/or tie. Typically, arms should be covered to the wrist. Exposing arms by rolling up your sleeves is interpreted as less powerful and is less formal.

Ties should be made of silk or a silk-like fabric. The tie should coordinate with your jacket and pants, but it should contrast with the color of your shirt. The half-Windsor is a good knot for just about any occasion or style of shirts. Visit tiepedia for more information about types of knots, how to tie them, choosing a necktie width, and much more. More tips on how to tie a tie.

Socks should be calf-length or above the calf. Choose colors such as dark blue, black or gray.

Select lace-up (not slip-on) dress shoes. The color should be dark or should blend with your pants.

Select a leather belt that visually blends with or matches your shoes.

A short hair cut and no facial hair is expected.

Minimize jewelry. Avoid a necklace. Wear no more than one ring per hand and a dress watch.

A full-length coat can be worn over your suit, but avoid casual coats.

Cologne should never be strong. A fragrance can cause an allergic reaction or offend the interviewer(s). When in doubt, do not wear cologne.

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