It’s an annual tradition around here. Any style resolution suggestions that you might have are welcome in the comments.
#1. Wear your “nice” stuff more.
There’s hardly a one of us who isn’t guilty of babying a new purchase instead of enjoying it to its fullest. Stains happen. Scuffs happen. GET OUT THERE AND WEAR YOUR STUFF. Especially your suits. And if you’re lucky enough to own a tuxedo, resolve to find more excuses to wear it this year. Maybe that means more black tie events. Or, perhaps throw a party at your house. If any of your guests ask why you’re in a tuxedo, channel your inner Jack D. Even if you are in the agricultural industry. Especially if you’re in the agricultural industry (and hat tip to you folks).
#2. Sell a bunch of stuff you only kinda-sorta-like on ebay.
You know, the things you wear every once in a while because you don’t really love them. Like, a pile of watches you don’t wear much anymore. Shoes you’ve worn once or twice. Or a suit with a pattern you just didn’t fall in love with. If you think there’s a chance someone would buy it, spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon shooting and uploading pics, and sell that stuff you could do without. Save 1/2 of the profits. Spend 1/2 on something really nice.
#3. Pick a “No Spend on Style” Month.
No shoes. No shirts. No suits or blazers. Consider keeping track of what you might have purchased over that month. A small virtual post-it or notepad file works if you do most of your shopping online. At the end of the month, tally up what you didn’t spend. Save half (or all), and maybe donate the other half to a favorite non-profit. Or, buy a round.
#4. Get your closet organized… and keep it organized.
It’s that second part, keeping it organized, that’s often the toughest. Head here for our three step guide to getting your closet organized. Then resolve, to have the resolve, to keep it clean and neat.
Clear Clutter, Outfit Your Space, Build a System,
& STICK TO IT.
#5. Keep your car & desk at work organized (if you have one)
You might not wear your vehicle or your work station, but just like your clothes, they can act as a reflection of who you are. Also, you just never know when you’ll be driving by and see what’s-her/his-name from the coffee shop or bar walking in the rain. And you can offer them a ride.
#6. Make a point to remember the names of people you meet
Speaking of “what’s-their-name” ^ … remembering someone’s name when you meet them can be extremely difficult. Especially if you’re the type who doesn’t naturally give human beings the benefit of the doubt. Point is, style is about more than nice shoes and knowing a good tailor. Remembering someone’s name makes you about 10x more handsome than the next guy.
#7. Embrace your personal uniform
This whole dressed-by-the-internet thing seems to endorse pushing the envelope and looking wildly different every friggin’ day. Trying something new is great. But the point (well, one of the points) of figuring out your own personal style is being comfortable while still looking sharp. Once you find the formula, don’t fight it. Lean on what works for you.
Don’t fight a personal uniform!
#8. Get your hair cut more often. By the same person.
If you’re lucky enough to have a good head of hair, consider upping your barber visit from once a month to once every three weeks. Just a bit of a trim each time, and you’ll never have to deal with the “it’s too short” week right after it’s been cut, or the “it’s too long” week before you get it cut again. And stick with the same person. Stylist or Barber, doesn’t matter. Find someone you like and develop a good relationship.
#9. Take better care of your skin
There are a lot of us bar soap guys out there that take better care of our suits… than our birthday suits. This can be simple. Don’t take scalding hot showers (dries you out something awful). Apply a little basic moisturizer
#10. Don’t take the “rules” of fashion so seriously.
If you feel your best in it, and it looks good on you, forget the “experts” and go with it. Most of these so-called rules (even the ones you read on this website) are more guidelines than anything. 99.9% of you already get this. Don’t over think it. There are much bigger things to be concerned about.
Your turn fellas. What are your style-related resolutions for this year? What’s worked for you in the past? Leave it all below. Top Photo Credit: Egil Nes
Might I suggest donating the clothes you “only-kinda-sorta like” to charity? At least for those who don’t need the money, which is most men who can afford to care about style.
Absolutely: http://www.careergear.org/ There’s a fantastic organization right there. We were lucky enough to work with them before. Donating the $ you make though might be better, since sizes can vary wildly, and organizations like CareerGear will use the cash to buy clothes in the specific sizes needed.Great suggestion James.
Some manage to care about their style by being careful with their money.
Thanks for the reply Joe, and good suggestion too.
Indeed, and this blog is great for those who need to save cash and want to present themselves well too. But, by and large most of us are not “on the breadline”, and it is good to help others out once and a while.
Good list Joe – I took last year to figure out #7 (I had a way too dressy spring) and I think I have it dialed in now, this year is about getting that one on point.
And good point about the dressy clothes (#1) – I have a MTM navy suit I got last year that has been out once to a funeral, I need another excuse.
I do #2 all the time (usually donate to a thrift) as I have a superstition that I get better thrift finds after a donation. Plus ebay is only worth the hassle if you are going to clear a couple of hundred dollars, otherwise give it away.
#9 I need to do (especially as 50 approaches) but I need to figure out where to start.
I am also going to have a “no spend” quarter as I loaded up Black Friday and in January and need to pay that off. No new stuff until April or so.
Re #9, someone gave me the Kiehl’s ultimate man refueling set for Christmas. I’m a whatever soap is in the shower guy and so was naturally skeptical of fancy soap etc. I was wrong. A couple weeks with that stuff and i’m really impressed. A giant bar of manly smelling soap with some stuff in it that roughs up your skin. Some face cleaner. Moisturizer and a shave cream. Was a good place to start for me. I’ll probably buy it or something similar again when I’m out.
Anyone could give me tips on skincare? I went from washing my face with the same shower gel I use on the rest of my body to washing my face with either Cremo Wash or Spectro Jel and moisturizing with Cetaphil. However, I still have the forehead of a teenager.
Such a great list, Joe.
#1 – Heartily agree. Don’t be afraid of wearing stuff out. That’s the point.
#5 – I hang my head in shame with regards to my car…but I didn’t realize how important desk cleanliness was to me until I got a new (19 year-old) office-mate who is..well..19.
#8 – Can’t advocate this enough. I’ve been going to the same girl for 7 years now. She’s worked with me through several hairstyle changes and now that I’ve found one I’ll likely be sticking with, the cut is basically perfect every time. Also, I’ve enjoyed the results of getting it cut more often (every 3-4 weeks for me). It never ends up looking unkempt.
#10 – Again, agree. The rest of the world doesn’t follow menswear on the internet. 99% of people are impressed by a tucked in shirt.
In my opinion, I’d say a large part of oily skin and blemishes are due to diet. Do you eat a lot of wheat products?
Are either of those face wash products medicated with salicylic acid? That could cause a lot of extra drying and irritation. Also, how long have you been using them? It seems to be a rule of thumb that it takes a few weeks at least to let your skin adjust to new products.
Cetaphil is a great moisturizer, although it’s a little bit heavy for me personally, but I’d stick with that if you like it. St. Ives is also very good.
I actually don’t know if I like it, it’s my first moisturizer! I’ll try St. Ives next time. Not sure about the salicylic acid. It has been about a month or two since I started my routine.
No, I actually don’t.
I second the diet opinion. Also, I might add, I believe skin problems often result from the skin’s bacterial balance. Anti-bacterial soaps can compromise that balance. I’ve had skin problems for years. Now I wash my face with lukewarm water–nothing else, ever. And I use yogurt masks. No joke. Greek yogurt. Try it–it could change your life.
If I may link my blog, I have a “recipe” for the mask here: http://thenewsavagery.blogspot.com/2010/06/seths-beauty-secrets-revealed.html
My resolution is sort of the opposite of #7. I tend to wear the same outfit every single day: dark denim, blue button-up, brown shoes. I work two jobs–business casual and casual–and I often wear the exact same clothes two days in a row (if I’m working at the two different jobs on two successive days).
I should show #3 to my wife. She thinks I buy too many clothes. In reality, I just read about clothes all the time. I’ll go months without actually buying clothes.
My other sincere resolution is to take better care of my clothes. I get a little frantic at the first sign of a stain. I intermediately spray with that horrid stain stuff, then wash in boiling hot water, then dry on high. In any case, I wash and dry too often (instead of say, washing and hang-drying). I’ve already shrunk my favorite shirt from Christmas to near-unwearable proportions.
As an extension to #9 I recommend taking better care of your hands. Shaving down calluses and using moisturizer makes a world of difference. It can help with weight lifting and your significant other will appreciate it.
Just donated 11 pretty nice suits to Goodwill…unfortunately I accidentally also slipped them my go-to Navy Suit that cost me $500! I don’t know if that is bad karma for things I’ve done, or good karma that’s supposed to come back (part of me believes it’s a break even point).
There isn’t really any solid evidence between diet and complexion. Some people have had success limiting dairy and carbs, but I wouldn’t treat it as one size fits all.
I think a lot of people overdo skin care. I use an astringent in the shower in the morning before washing my face. Moisturize daily and wash my face with water before bed. Also, you also might just have an oily face.
I use the Cetaphil facial cleanser and keep a Cetaphil anti-bacterial bar of soap on hand for washing my face and body on certain occasions (after a long run, etc.).
The best over-the-counter acne wash I have found is the Clean & Clear Continuous Control. Look for the purple bottle. It uses Benzoyl Peroxide instead of salicylic acid. It clears up my shoulders and chest in a day or two when I have a breakout.
http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Clear-Continuous-Control-Cleanser/dp/B001E96LRM
The only way I was able to effectively battle my acne in high school was through prescription pills prescribed through a dermatologist, so that might be something to consider as well.
Strongly endorsing “donate the money you make, not the clothes.” Cash is far, far more useful to charities than whatever else people are inclined to donate (clothes, canned goods, &c.), pretty much across the board.
I’m strongly embracing #1, #3 (will do in February), and #6.
Those eBay fees are getting ridiculous, between eBay and Paypal I think they take close to %12 of the selling price.
Actually, there is convincing evidence that the condition of your gut bacteria (as determined by your diet) dramatically influences skin health.
See here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21281494
And here: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/acne-may-respond-favorably-probiotics-due-their-involvement-normalizing-gut-brain-skin-axis
That’s just a few…
Ah, the haircut. I recently took a seat in the second chair at my barber’s shop when the owner was out of town, and got a better cut there than I have in years with the owner. Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure I’d get both myself and the second chair barber in trouble if I metaphorically jumped ship after a decade with the owner cutting my hair.
Not sure if light sabering or… gangnam style…
I think there’s a difference, though, between being careful with your money and having so little that you’re going to struggle if you donate your old clothes rather than resell them. If you can possibly afford it, donate those clothes — it’s money you’d not have had otherwise, so if you’re careful with your money and keep a proper budget, you won’t likely miss that extra cash.
And while some do care about their style through proper budgeting, James is right — if we were truly in need, our clothing would be strictly utilitarian, most likely. At least, that’s how it is for those I know who are in or near poverty.
Other problem ingredients include the typical detergents — sodium laureth/laurel sulfate (SLS), etc. If you’re sensitive to these detergents, you’re going to struggle mightily to maintain good skin while using them.
Without starting a science debate on a style blog, but the science isn’t quite a simple as that. Stress and/or a poor diet (consisting of processed foods) can alter intestinal microflora and cause acne in those prone to it. One of the remedies suggested is lactobacillus acidophilus which are cultures found in yogurt and other dairy (the stuff that helps Jamie Lee Curtis poop). If it works for you, great. But for some it may not. Though I think we can both agree it’s best to eat a diet full of whole foods is good for overall health and may help skin complexion.
I dunno about yogurt masks, but the best thing I ever did for my complexion was to stop washing my face, full stop. Takes a couple weeks, maybe, for your skin to stop trying to regenerate the oil that you’d been constantly washing out of your skin, but the results speak for themselves. And you don’t have to spend a dime.
My experience tends to agree with William; in addition to wheat, sugar intake could be a culprit…and it hides in a lot of what we eat. I was a lot like you, Jessy, but it’s been better (not perfect) since I changed up my diet. Getting proper amount of sleep helps as well. I know a lot of this sounds like stuff everyone tells you, but, over the years, I’ve tried just about every cleanser, facial, etc. to fix it (even dated an aesthetician), and these lifestyle changes are what made the difference.
#7, meet #10. This is the one tip I see over and over that I just don’t get. Why do I have to have an identifiable personal style? Sure, there are some trends in my wardrobe. I love suede shoes and refuse to wear pebbled leather. But today I’m wearing a hounds tooth Harris Tweed jacket and a knit tie and tomorrow I may very well be in worsted wool with a silk tie and cuff links. I don’t make any effort to look wildly different every day, but I don’t make any effort to find any sort of personal uniform either. Some days I feel preppy, some days I feel casual, some days I feel formal, etc. I wear what I feel like wearing and I’m comfortable in everything I own.
You don’t have to have an identifiable personal style. But if you find yourself drifting towards one, don’t fight it. That’s all.
I used to have really bad acne even well into my twenties. My doctor recommended I try drinking between 3/4 -1 gallon of water every day. Ever since I started drinking more water my face cleared up exponentially. I now only use face wash in the shower and don’t worry about putting any other products on my face (outside of shaving). It’s worth a shot if you think you don’t drink enough water.
Yep. Definitely going to try to sell on forums first. Ebay has gone nuts. The answer to Amazon and other competition is lowering fees, not raising them. I would sell so much more on ebay if the fees were reasonable. (Like the 3% range they used to have, or flat rate $.50-$1.00)
I’m afraid I mistook the tone of your first comment. Maybe I got a little defensive because my profession requires stylish dressing but doesn’t finance it all that well. Wherever I went wrong, I’m sorry for the gruff response. There’s nothing wrong with encouraging giving clothes to charity instead of selling them.
Yeah, excellent point. Also be mindful that your shampoo/conditioner probably gets (however peripherally) on your face, so the ingredients there count as well.
No worries, I didn’t think it was gruff anyway. Joe is right though, this is one well-mannered discussion board.
“Meet The Bulldog” is a great all natural brand of grooming products that are not very pricey. Same with “Everyman Jack”.
When I got my navy suit I wore it three days in a row. I would wear it every day but I want a LITTLE variation in what I wear