Fashion for Men

Although some men may not be willing to admit it, they all want to look sharp . The only problem is not all of them know how to accomplish this, thus they mill about looking like they dressed themselves in the dark. This dilemma is no more, thanks to this fashion guide for men! The truth of the matter is, men's fashion is easy. All you need is a little know-how and you too can put a great-looking outfit together in no time . Use this guide to brush up on your sense of fashion so you'll look and feel confident from the moment you step out of your flat!  

Shirts and Ties

Even if you never have occasion to go about in morning dress or black tie, you will be needing some thing more formal than the usual t-shirts  and polo shirts . Men's dress shirts  are a staple, a basic that should be found in every wardrobe, whether you're a lad or a lord. 

To get things started, let's consider colour. The fashion-fearing will no doubt point to some hideous lime colour, claim there's nothing good to wear, and walk out with an enormous t-shirt and an anorak . This is flat-out wrong. If you're truly scared, stick to the basics.

White	Black	Grey	Blue

Red ,brown  and green  are a bit more advanced; unless current fashion trend dictates otherwise, stick with richer, deeper versions of these colours.

Don't be afraid of trying some more progressive options. Two-toned shirts with white collars are very much "in" of late, and for the right price you can buy into the fad. Subtle stripe - or check -printed shirts can impress at the office, and with the collar loosened and the sleeves rolled up, they're also great for a night at the pub.

Ties

When it comes to ties  there are some basic rules to follow: 

Ties should hit at the top of a man's belt. The end of the tie should not be wider  than the shirt or jacket's collar. The more complicated the knot, the longer the tie should be so you have plenty of room to wrap and tie. A well-dressed man does not wear novelty ties; the rare exceptions pertain to holidays and special events.

Then there are patterns to consider. One could wear a solid-coloured tie  everyday and still be considered well-dressed, but that's a bit dull. Below are some patterns that are worth putting on a tie rack.

Diagonal Stripes	Paisley	Solid

While fabric also matters--a high quality tie can really boost your confidence in an office setting--you'll find you'll pay more attention to brand than materials. Silk is standard at weddings but that's the only real hard and fast rule.

Matching Shirts and Ties

When pairing a shirt and tie, we can use analogous, or complementary, colours.  Observe:

The right bold print tie can give you the kind of attention you've been looking for, especially when worn with a plain shirt.	A solid tie and a patterned shirt can likewise give you a style edge; the solid colour should either be present in the shirt pattern or be a different shade of one present.	Mixing patterns on shirts and ties is also acceptable; just make sure one dominates over the other. In the above example it's the tie.	Complementary colours on ties and shirts are another option; simply follow the colour wheel information below.	Closely matching the colours of your shirt and tie creates a smooth look that's also very slimming.

If the tie has a physical texture but a solid colour, pair it with a solid shirt; this will keep your look from being too busy. If all else fails, try an un-patterned shirt with a solid tie; white and black, respectively, make for a classic combination.

Trousers

Trousers can make or break an outfit. A well chosen shirt and tie with the wrong slacks looks unprofessional at best. You will look like you dug through your laundry without looking. Below are the basics of any man's wardrobe, and no, sweatpants are not allowed outside of the house.

Pleated Trousers  A classic style, though men with a more pronounced figure should probably avoid them.	Flat Front Trousers  A smart look that requires a tailored fit and careful pressing.	Cargo Trousers  Much more casual, these many-pocketed trousers are definitely for the weekend.	Khaki Slacks  A versatile style, khakis are ideal for Dress Down Day, dates, or just loafing around on the weekend.	Denim  The ultimate in casual trousers. A basic wardrobe should include a pair of boot cut, dark wash jeans.

Fit is a major consideration here. Most men know about the dimensions of fitting slacks:

• Waist: Modern fashion dictates that trousers rest around the hips, but traditionally they should rest at the waist or widest part of the torso.
• Inside Leg measurement: This is the length from crotch to your instep, sometimes called the inseam. It pays to have this measured by a tailor or salesperson, though you can do it at home with a tape measure.
• Length: Connected to the inside leg measurement, you also need to consider how the trousers break or crease upon hitting the top of your shoe. If your trousers fit otherwise, but break more than once, they will need to be taken in.

Belts and Shoes

When choosing a belt  and shoes for any given outfit, follow these ground rules:

• Keep belt  and shoe colour consistent:
• A black belt and black shoes
• A brown belt and brown shoes

Match slacks with shoes: Wear black shoes with: Denim jeans Black/Grey slacks Wear brown shoes with: Denim jeans Brown/Khaki slacks

Casual Men's Fashion

Of course, not every day will be spent with a tie around your neck and carefully pressed trousers. When it's time to relax , silk ties and formal shirts won't do much for you. While it's tempting to grab a T-shirt from under the bed and the khaki shorts  you slept in the night before and run out the door, there are ways to be both laid-back and fashionable.

Shirts

All right, so tees are allowed, but with a few provisos:

They must be fitted. A good fit starts at the shoulders, with the stomach and arms following.  If you're wearing it long to hide your exposed pants, you're wearing the shirt, the jeans , and the pants wrong. Unless it's genuinely vintage, faded colours are not allowed. Rips and tears are not allowed. Yes, you can dress a T-shirt up with a blazer. Make sure you wear proper shoes  though--the whole look becomes silly when worn with trainers.

T-shirts aren't your only option. Polo shirts  are perfect for spring and summer, while plaid shirts  pop in the fall. You can also layer  for a multi-coloured  effect. Really, so long as it's clean and wrinkle free, anything goes when it comes to casual . Just don't forget your hoodie !

Putting Together a Casual Outfit

Below, we've put together a simple casual  outfit using variations of blue and green; two analogous colours. 

We'll start with this olive green vintage tee  and create an outfit from there. This will be the anchor item for the other colours we can match with it.	This shirt  is a great match for our T-shirt because: It offers variation on the base colour in our t-shirt.  It dresses up the tee by adding a pattern.	Keeping with our casual theme, we'll finish with a navy blue V-neck sweater . The solid colour keeps things simple.  Adding more pattern over our green button shirt would make things too busy. Navy blue is analogous to the shades of green we're working with.	Finally, what casual outfit isn't complete without a pair of denim jeans ? We'll use a slightly distressed wash to tie in our vintage T-shirt.	Green and brown are earths. so these shoes  work perfectly. Don't forget the brown belt  as well.

Matching Colours

Even the most careless of dressers must take a moment to consider colour, whether it's shirts and ties or t-shirts and sweatshirts. You might have a ton of well-tailored, fashionable clothes to fill out your wardrobe and never look good because they won't necessarily set each other off properly.  While it seems mystifying, understanding how to work with these different shades is as easy as looking at a colour wheel:

• Analogous colours are colours next to each other on the colour wheel. For example, green and purple are analogous to blue.
• These hues match well when they are paired according to the levels of light and dark present in the respective colours.
• For example, a light green t-shirt and a dark blue sweatshirt is a correct pairing.
• Complementary colours are located across from each other on the wheel.
• They work well when trying to make a bold statement, but use caution--this can be tricky.
• Although dark blue and light yellow are not directly complementary, they still go well together.
• Pay special attention to intensity and softness when pairing complementary colours.
• Try using this concept when choosing a shirt and tie.

Confused About Colour?

If you have difficulty remembering which colours go well together, a simple trick is to use variations of just one. Lighter and darker shades of the same colour can often look good when matched; they form a monochromatic effect. Grey and black go well together, as do light blue and dark blue. In terms of trousers and shoes, try to match colours whenever possible, brown with brown, black with black and so on. Blue and grey trousers will require you to play it by ear, but usually it's brown/blue and grey/black. And always be sure to break up all the matching components in an outfit with neutral colours like black or white.

Related Guides

Men's Winter Style Guide	Men's Outerwear Buying Guide	Men's Sport Coats and Blazers	High Quality Ties	Men's Suits