#1. People don’t notice nearly as much as you think they do.
Perfection is the enemy of good. And y’know what? Nobody notices perfection anyway. Seems like some guys who are interested in style think every little detail is gonna get noticed. And they want (need?) those efforts to be noticed and complimented. The truth is, 80% of what you think people will notice never gets paid any mind. None. Zero. So don’t worry about it. We’re all in our own little worlds, except for people who are paid to observe and/or pickpockets (which in essence are paid to observe).
#2. When in doubt about a potential purchase… don’t.
There’s something to be said for trying new things and branching out. But once you’ve learned the basics, pay attention to that little voice inside your head. If that little voice is saying “DON’T buy this”… then don’t buy it. 95% of the time that little voice is right. I have wasted untold amounts of money on final sale items (especially shoes and outerwear), stuff that I had to pay to send back (especially overseas returns), and things I should have returned but didn’t thinking it’d grow on me, and then it never did.
If your gut says don’t buy it, you should listen.
#3. Everyone assumes their experience is universal (especially if the experience is negative).
Just because you, or I, had a bad experience with a product doesn’t mean the item or the brand is a total shit show. Perhaps, maybe, just maybe, you fucked up. We try to be as objective as possible on this site. That’s our job. But the ability of some (most?) to ignore the fact that the WORLD at large hasn’t had an issue, when the individual has, is bananas. Look around every once in a while. Is your experience universal? No? Maybe take that into consideration before having a cow.
#4. If it’s uncomfortable, it doesn’t fit.
This isn’t an excuse to walk around in baggy clothing. Claiming something is uncomfortable simply because it doesn’t fit like a circus tent is a crutch used by men who have low self confidence. That’s an entirely different issue. What I’m taking about is that for a few years there, everything was tailored to an obscene level of tightness. Listen guys, you have got to be able to move. Freely. Use your arms. Eat a decent meal without bursting a button. Your pants shouldn’t be so tight that people can tell if you’re circumcised. There’s got to be a little slack to your clothing. Slack doesn’t mean it’s cascading off you in undulating bolts of excess fabric. But it shouldn’t be painted on either.
If I flex, these pants might rupture the space time continum.
#5. Less is More when it comes to taking care of your hair.
You want less people cutting it and less time between cuts. Find a barber/stylist and stick with them. You’ll develop a relationship, and they’ll get familiar with your head, your hair, and how it grows. And instead of getting it cut once a month like when you were a kid, set a standing appointment for the same time and day every three weeks. Trims > Once a month hack jobs. Trims mean you don’t have to suffer through the first week of it looking too short, and you don’t have to mess with the last week of it looking too long.
#6. Dressing up can often be a disadvantage.
All the internet menswear bravado bros who say “I only dress for myself, I don’t care what anyone else thinks!” are idiots. Yes, you want to make yourself happy and confident. But dressing up when you’re not supposed to can cause others to feel like you’re trying to show them up. That makes things particularly difficult if you’re trying to ingratiate yourself to a group. I was fired once, and I’m pretty sure the last straw was when I started wearing a tie once a week at work. My Boss never wore ties, and he made it clear during a meeting, with other employees present, that he thought my necktie wearing was an unappreciated anomaly. No matter that my co-workers didn’t care (“Tie Tuesdays” was actually catching on), he hated it. Now, getting canned ended up being one of the best things that ever happened to me, but it didn’t happen on my terms. And I should have realized the insecurities of my boss so I could have played them a bit smarter.
#7. Social media is junk food.
Our social media coordinator is gonna kill me for saying this, but social media is garbage. It’s total junk food. Feels sorta good in the moment, but it’s always a net loss. Yet the #menswear culture continues to put social media presence on a pedestal. Documenting to the detriment of experiencing. Posing without realizing you’ve become a poseur. All fueled by the dopamine dealers that are social media platforms. But hey, what do I know. Give us a follow on instagram, won’t you??