I don’t know when I actually started to build my wardrobe, I think it was at an early age, 17 or so. Since I was little it was important to look good, my mom would not let my brothers or I go out the door without looking clean and well put. This continued throughout my adolescences and up until now, I do not walk out my door without looking well put. I began building a more versatile wardrobe after I was deployed, I was 20 I believe, and sometimes I have some free time so I would read magazines, one of them, GQ. I gotta say that this really pushed me to a style that fit me, which was more classic but with a modern twist.
Although it was easy for me to just begin this style journey, I know that for others its tough, the questions “where do I start?”, “does this go together?”, “I don’t think I can pull this off?”, are questions I hear all the time, and some of these I asked myself.
That being mentioned with this article I wanted to go through 5 tips to help any gentleman, no matter what stage beginner or expert, build a versatile wardrobe. Lets jump in:
1. Have Confidence In Yourself
This is number one because if you do not have the confidence to pull off or start something new, you will be in the same spot as you are now. Have confidence in yourself and any item that you purchase you will pull off believe me. You have to put on an outfit and think “damn I look good”. This is why it is important to have a versatile wardrobe because no matter what, mix and match anything, you will look well put.
2. Start With The Basics
Here is where we all start, even me and all those huge instagrammers. the basics. “Basics” is a bit subjective now in day because one persons basics aren’t someone else’s basics. However these are my basics (these are my bare essentials, at the minimum, this list can be tuned to your personal style as well). One of the best part of essentials are the fact that you can purchase these anywhere so there are many options for your specific price point. If you need assistance with your specific style and know what essential pieces you need, shoot me an email.
A Charcoal or Navy Suit
There is nothing better than a navy or charcoal suit, you can get about 6 separate looks from just one suit. Not to mention the fact that you can do more looks with just the jacket or pants. Here is a great example:
White Tee Shirt/ Long Sleeve Shirt
Think of a white tee shirt or white shirt as a white canvas, you can do anything with it. Style it up or down you will always look good.
Dark Wash Jeans
A dark wash pear of jeans will take you from the office to the bar to running errands. You need a great pair that fit you will and will last you a great while.
Chinos/Khaki/Grey/ Navy
Chinos are awesome, you can use them with any outfit, yes any outfit. Tee shirt, yes, shirt yes, shirt and tie, yes!
White Sneakers
White sneakers are pretty much like your white shirt they will work with just about anything, just remember the situation and if it’s ok to wear sneakers to it.
Dress Shoes
You need to have a great pair of dress shoes in your wardrobe even if you just have one pair. The second thing people look at after your face is your shoes. Great shoes make a good impression, remember to keep them clean. Shoes are so important that they can make or break an outfit, please do not wear square toed shoes, or dirty shoes, opt for a nice round shape. I highly recommend a pair of either cap toe brogues or even double monks for beginners.
3. Know Your Tones
There are certain colors that you may want to stay away from, remember that not all colors fit every skin tone. Here is a great table to show you how to find out what colors work best for you:
4. Get Some Inspiration
It’s tough sometimes to actually figure out what to wear even if you do have all of the above mentioned pieces. What I recommend is always using social media (Instagram, Facebook), Pinterest, Google, etc. to mix things up. Once you start getting inspired you will slowly begin to build your own style but also start building your wardrobe that is tailored to your personality. Make sure to check out my Instagram: @iammrmartinez .
5. Its Not About Money
One of the biggest beginner mistakes I see is that people believe that they need a lot of money to acquire all the clothing that they believe will help them look stylish and sometimes this true but for the most part it is not. Yes, will having a bunch of money get you all the basics, yes, but will being on a budget get you their too? Yes! As I mentioned before these are basics to building a wardrobe, all department stores have them so you can compare prices. I wrote an article that went through affordable places to shop you can check that out here .
Bonus Tip:
6. Experiment
Please experiment with different styles this is a journey gents, there is no need to rush, if one thing doesn’t work then try another it is that simple! I hate when gents try one style and give up because it never worked out. Don’t be discouraged continue to try and I promise you will find your true style when you least expect it.
I hope you found this article helpful I believe that this is a step where men at times get lost in their journey. So remember style up, and drive on to reach your best self.
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