Everybody knows that sharp-dressed men get noticed more – but not every man knows how to pull off a sophisticated look. So, we hit the web and challenged some of the best fashion bloggers out there to put together a few tips and designs using items from our collection that would help the men in their lives (and their readers’ lives) spruce up their style. From dress shirts to accessories, these bloggers delivered. Here are some of our favorite posts, with a few of the great tips they offered. Lara from Every Beauty Addict’s Bible says there’s no real “secret” to being fashionable – it’s more about paying attention. “Dressing sharp simply means that one is aware of their personal style and goes on to wear clean, fashionable clothes that actually fit.” A few more bits of Lara’s wisdom: “For conservative environments, it is best to stick to blacks, navy blues and greys.” “Shirts are best kept plain or if you really fancy patterns you can go for something pinstriped and instead of a tie, one can opt to wear braces for a more casual and relaxed look.” “If your workplace allows for an even more casual vibe, you can always pair a nice, fitted cashmere crew neck or v-neck jumper with a crisp shirt and tie combination over a pair of tailored trousers.” Henriette from …Style of Mary Blog says it's all about knowing what point you are at in your life. “When to choose the right dress shirt? I think it’s important you find one that matches your age.” How do you do that? Here are some of the tips provided: “Younger men should wear a bit more ‘clean’ print. When you become a bit older, a mix of pattern will look much better.” “I’m really old fashioned and I wish that more men would wear a suit more often. The most important thing is to find a suit that fits you and of course one you actually would wear.” ...Style of Mary also wants to know, “Why are men not wearing hats anymore?” Great question!
Miriam at Scripts of Flair insists on a suit, or at least a jacket of some type. “Every man needs (and should have) an amazing, well-fitted suit and blazer. Not only is it professional looking, but a man looks handsome, refined, put together, mature, and sexy in a suit.” Does any man need any more reasons to wear one? We think not. Miriam provides a few more great thoughts: “If a suit and blazer are staple pieces then so is the dress shirt, right? They’re needed for literally everything and are so incredibly versatile.” “Dress shirts are not only great (and very necessary) for pairing with suits and blazers, but alone too for a more casual vibe.” Lisa at Zelma Rose says a man has to dress to his body. “From pants to shirts, and blazers, even sweaters and t-shirts, every look can benefit from a custom fit.” Here are a couple of pieces of advice that hit the mark: “Looking sharp really comes down to color and pattern. I always notice pattern play and love it when men get creative in mixing and matching patterns.” "No matter the look, letting your individuality shine through always looks confident, and that's the key to killer style!” Tracy Kiss believes that “a man’s formal staple is his shirt, as this is where he can express his style in pattern, print, colour and texture, to which his trousers can then follow suit.” What else does she want men to know? Here are a few things: “In my opinion the high collar, full length sleeve and a silk tie cannot be beaten.” “As a rule of thumb, for every business engagement a suit is absolutely essential, and it also works beautifully at a formal dinner, ball or party.” “Teaming a pair of smart jeans with a suit jacket is the epitome of smart-casual daywear, as you can really play with textures, tones and patterns.”
Sheriden, proprietor of The Indie Byline, loves the versatility a good dress shirt can provide. “A dress shirt is traditionally worn as a part of a suit, but can segue into other wardrobe stylings as well. It can be worn dressed down with a pair of cigarette pants or denim jeans with a blazer of interesting detail thrown on top to further accent the look.” She also gives some great advice about how to add that extra bit of desirability. “When dressed down, rev your accessories and details up to overdrive.” “When dressed up, allow the elegance of the pieces of your outfit to do all of the talking for you and the sharp dressed man you are.” Finally, Lexi, who blogs over at The Streets of Gold, says men need to eschew the baggy look. “So many men wear dress shirts that are too big,” she writes. “A dress shirt is meant to be fitted. You want the shirt to be somewhat ‘snug’ (fitted) but not so snug that it's being pulled.” Thank you to all of the bloggers who participated in our challenge. We’re sure that your advice has given some of the men out there everything they need to know to be a #SharpDressedMan.