Written by Menswear Style in Tips & Advice on the 22nd August 2021

Humans are the only species in this world that have the desire to cover themselves in various types of garments. This natural trait is embedded in many cultures. In 17th century France, it was fashionable for a man to wear dresses, high heels, and have long hair. Only rich women wore high heels back then, not for fashion and not a sign of femininity, but to make their feet look smaller. As it can be seen with this simple example, fashion is always changing. Beauty and style standards are always changing and it is impossible to keep up with trends at all times. Beauty standards in modern times are just something made by big companies to sell their products. In order for you to improve your style and fashion, you need to think outside of these boxes made by society.

What do you want to look like? 

This is the most important question you should ask yourself when thinking about being stylish. It is actually quite simple to just look at the front covers of a magazine and copy that person, but are you then being stylish or just portraying a poor impression of somebody else? It is not a bad thing to look for inspiration in others, but do so modestly, that is what you should be doing while searching for what you like. But do not be afraid to experiment a little. The next steps will tell you what to look for.

Footwear 

Good footwear will come a long way because you'll always be wearing them. But there is still that age-old question, should you sacrifice comfort for style? Most people think about stylish suit shoes as a very nice addition to their look, but always for the price of discomfort. As it can be seen at https://marcnolan.com/, compromising comfort for looks does not need to be the case. That's because it is more than possible today to make leather shoes very comfortable. Elegant shoes are a must if you want to go for a fancier style or something more vintage. Sports shoes are usually associated with the polar opposite. If you want to go more urban style then sports shoes are what you are looking for. Just do not forget that you can mix and match these styles a bit. For both of these shoes, the colour you choose must be coordinated with the rest of your outfit. It's not a good look if you are trying to be elegant whilst wearing fluorescent green shoes. 

Colour Coordination 

The previous example brings us to one of the most important rules when it comes to fashion and that is colour. No matter what you are wearing, be it a suit, sportswear, or just plain clothes, colour is very important. By not coordinating colours in a well-mattered fashion, you can break the whole outfit you made yourself.

Colour wheel 

A simple rule of thumb for colour coordination for beginners would be the color wheel. This simple chart will show you complementary colour pairs which can always be matched. Going into further details behind this would be complicated but trust the colour wheel and see it for yourself. One of the best combinations you can get from these would be purple and yellow combinations or blue and orange. Red and green are also good but you might end up looking like a Christmas decoration. 

Going for just one colour 

Making an outfit that is filled with one colour or just black, white, or grey can also work really well. It is quite simple, yet can be very clean. Wearing only white brings out a special elegance, and so does black. The problem with black is that it can look like you are going to a funeral or you can be associated with heavy metal or goth culture. Going all grey can work but it is often better to have something else too. The one colour you should not mix grey with is blue because everyone does it and it's becoming quite boring unless you really think you can pull off something novel. 

Again, experiment a bit 

You do not need to follow these rules, so try out different things. You can find many different interesting matches, such as orange and white. But do not go overboard because too many colours can offset the balance and you will end up looking more like a mess.

Small things 

Small details are what actually separate people who are into fashion and those who are not. Sure, everyone will see the shirt or dress you are wearing, but you can elevate this even further. By having some other accessories you can bring out your outfit to a much higher degree. 

Jewelry 

Why not experiment with some new earrings or rings? Even though they are quite small, having a good ring can be a significant sign of how much you care for elegance. This applies to both men and women, as everyone can wear whatever jewelry they want. Everyone always pays attention to a nice watch. The problem is that everyone just looks at the price tag for guidance instead of asking themselves if they like it. 

Socks 

Even though these are often unseen, a lot of people will notice them. Matching your socks with your outfit, by the means of colour coordination, will show that you truly look at everything. This will not only make your outfit fully coordinated but will leave a lasting impression. 

Sunglasses 

Sunglasses can serve as a very important image-maker. They are like a signature to your outfit, so be patient when looking for the perfect ones. Learn about face shapes and sunglasses shapes to find which models will work for you. As mentioned in previous examples, the key to everything is good balance and coordination.

Fashion is not something that can be dictated by one person. It is a journey that you should seek out for yourself. These tips serve as a guiding point for what to look for because in the beginning, it is quite hard to know what is what. With time, you will find what you enjoy. Just be patient and do not be afraid to experiment with different things and look for inspiration in everything.

Footwear, Colour coordination, Colour wheel, Jewelry, Socks, and Sunglasses are all featured in this guide on how to improve your style.