What Girls Want Men to Wear
-
The Secrets you always wish you knew
By
Leading personal stylist Daniel Johnson & Kezia Noble
CONTENTS
Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4
Myths & Cliché’s ...……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5 - 6
10 Things Girls Hate Men Wearing …………………………………………………………………………………………………7 - 8
How to find out what girls want YOU to wear RIGHT NOW ....………..……………………………………………………………..9
The 3 Golden Rules to Dressing Like a Man......……………………………………………………..………………………………10
How to use the 3 Golden Rules......………………………………………………………………………………………………11 - 13
4 Outfits that use the Golden Rules.....………………………………………………………………………………………………..14
What Makes a Good Fit?......…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...15
Men’s Body Types.....………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………...16 - 17
Your Body Type.....………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....18 - 22
Your Personal Style .....……………………………………………………………………………………………………………23 - 24
Dressing for the Occasion....…………………………………………………………………………………………………………....25
What to Wear - Day Time, Night Time, Lunch dates & after work dates.....…………………………………………………...26-30
Dress Your Age......…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………31 - 32
How to Dress in your 20’s with Look Book....…………………………………………………………………………………....33 - 36
How to Dress in your 30’s with Look Book...…………………………………………………………………………………….37 - 40
How to Dress in your 40’s with Look Book...…………………………………………………………………………………….41 - 43
How to Dress in your 50’s and over with Look Book...………………………………………………………………………….44 - 47
10 Garments You need for your perfect capsule wardrobe..…………………………………………………………………..48 - 51
A real life example of clients I have styled...…………………………………………………………………………………………..52
Roundup……………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………….....53
Further Help..……………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………….54 - 55
As is so often the beginning of many great things these days ‘google’ is typed into the browser of a laptop and a search
begins. Today that’s exactly what's happening. I’m researching ‘What Girls Want Men to Wear’, I type it in, hit enter and
then a process starts.
Immediately a rush of information is thrown at me and it’s safe to say that the proceeding results are a rich yet badly sewn
tapestry of the usual generic crap and ‘everyone is an expert’ type fashion advice.
It’s at this point I get angry, make some tea and hatch a plan to revolutionise the world of men’s fashion.
When I write a publication I like to think I do it because it will be incredibly valuable to you, the reader. However it has
become increasingly pertinent that I find myself simply writing in anger driven opposition to the so called gurus and celebri-
ty stylists fluttering about on the interweb, I would hate to think of my writing as an outlet for my opinion, I much prefer to
give you what I have discovered to work and let you decide. Trust me, some people think they qualify as celebrity stylists
because they once saw Brad Pitt’s dog sitter buying socks. I just prefer to teach men how to dress well.
Personally I believe in solid, well-grounded advice that everyman can relate to. It’s under that mantra that the following
guide has been carefully constructed, to transcend past the Google guru’s and so called stylista’s with their out of date and
repetitive advice. If you want to see some rubbish, you can.
Go to Google, do a quick search and get annoyed for ten minutes, make some tea then come back and read this guide. It
will help.
In fact stay where you are. Here is some generic fashion tat from the plethora of fashion drudgery online, followed by my
thoughts;
“A button down is so classic, it’s hot on a man” - A log fire is hot on a man, it’s a fire so of course it’s hot, I wouldn’t
suggest climbing in there and trying to wear one though.
“Your clothes should fit you” – If ever Sherlock Holmes had children, the author of this comment certainly wasn’t one of
them.
“Be clean” – Go jump off a cliff. Your career is in tatters and you should never be allowed a blog.
As you can see from these short examples, it’s generic, it’s obvious and you ALREADY KNEW IT.
Surprisingly all of these quotes were graciously donated to the world by women. It’s these women that have been ruining
your dating life and the way you think you should dress. Both Kezia and I have worked on this guide to make sure you don’t
have to put up with all this bad fashion tat, this guide is honest, simple and you can go and use it straight away.
So, let’s move this on and plant some ideas into your brain. Have you made tea yet? You should have because I’m ready
to change your fashion thinking mind around.
Daniel Johnson
INTRODUCTION
4
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MYTHS & CLICHÉS YOU HEARD ABOUT WOMEN’S THOUGHTS (THAT AREN’T TRUE)
5
MYTH:
Women look at your wallet. If they don’t like
what they see, you haven’t got a chance.
CONCLUSION:
Bull Shit.
TRUTH:
Wallet? Forget the wallet, use a cardholder
or a billfold. Who carries cash these days anyway? Drug
dealers and pimps? A woman isn’t interested in the
£500 wallet made from the hides of purpose bred arctic
squirrels. Ok there are no purpose bred squirrels in the
arctic, but if there was, the wallets would be expensive.
What is true is that you should take care of your money,
regardless of what you store it in. Like I said, a billfold or
a card holder is far more attractive.
KEZIA: “WOMEN DON’T USUALLY PAY MUCH
ATTENTION TO A MAN’S WALLET. ANY WOMAN
WHO IS CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS IN THE
WALLET SHOULD BE AVOIDED. A NICE CLASSIC
LEATHER , SLIM LINE WALLET WILL ALWAYS ADD
THE FINISHING TOUCH A LOT BETTER THAN
SOME OLD BATTERED WALLET YOU HAVE HAD
FOR A DECADE.”
MYTH:
Your watch isn’t uber expensive, she’s not
interested.
CONCLUSION:
Only if she’s a gold digger.
TRUTH:
This has such a minor level of credibility it
is practically a fairy story. Men buy watches to impress
other men, it’s a token of success, financial pornogra-
phy and in most cases a large dose of vulgarity slung
around the wrist. When I was about 8 years old I got a
new watch that did everything, from alarms ringing to
launching nuclear missiles at the touch of a button (it
was an G.I. Joe watch and I believed the advert). I kept
on playing with this watch endlessly and a woman said
to me, “women don’t like a man who plays with his
watch, if it’s so good, you don’t need to draw attention
to it”. That has stuck with me to this day.
KEZIA’S THOUGHTS:
“
I ALWAYS BELIEVE A MAN
SHOULD EITHER WEAR AN EXPENSIVE WATCH, OR
A VERY CHEAP AND FUNKY ONE. GUYS WHO BUY
CHEAP WATCHES THAT ARE DESPERATELY
TRYING TO LOOK EXPENSIVE COME ACROSS AS
JUST THAT: DESPERATE. SO IF YOU DON’T HAVE
THE MONEY, THEN GET YOURSELF ONE OF THOSE
FUNKY WATCHES WHICH YES MIGHT LOOK
CHEAP, BUT ARE COOL NONE THE LESS, BECAUSE
IT’S UNAPOLOGETIC AND OFTEN ENCOURAGES
THE WOMAN TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. CALL
IT GEEKY
chic.
6
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MYTHS & CLICHÉS YOU HEARD ABOUT WOMEN’S THOUGHTS (THAT AREN’T TRUE)
MYTH:
The shoes will make her mind
say yes or no.
CONCLUSION:
This is only very par-
tially true.
TRUTH:
It’s only true because your
shoes should never ever be tatty, worn or
scuffed – but you knew that already. So
long as your shoes are in good condition
and they are congruent with the outfit
you're wearing, great. Don’t stick a pair of
converse sneakers with an Armani suit –
think of the occasion, your age, your per-
sonal style…more on these later.
MYTH:
It’s better to ask a woman (wife/girlfriend/
workmate) how to dress/ take you shopping.
CONCLUSION:
This is hardly ever true
.
TRUTH:
Girls will tell you to wear things that
THEY like, not necessarily what suits you. I can
recall many times that guys have come to me with
wardrobes picked out for them by ex girlfriends and
they are terrible. When most girls find out I’m a
personal stylist I always get the same response, “I
could do that”. When I ask them to come along with
their boyfriends shopping it becomes clear that they
are hopeless and just love the idea of ‘personal
shopping’ as a career. Now I’m not saying women
don’t know about fashion, they do, what I’m saying
is that there will always be a biased opinion from a
girlfriend or a female friend that doesn’t necessarily
suit you, they will treat you like a mannequin, not a
friend.
KEZIA’S THOUGHTS: I USUALLY TELL GUYS TO AVOID SNEAKERS/
SPORT SHOES UNLESS THEY HAVE THE WHOLE HIPSTER LOOK GOING ON,
IN WHICH CASE AN UBER COOL PAIR OF SNEAKERS OR CONVERSE WILL
BE CONGRUENT WITH THEIR GENERAL STYLE. INVESTING IN ONE PAIR OF
EXPENSIVE BROWN AND BLACK SMART SHOES WILL BE AN EXTREMELY
WISE INVESTMENT. THEY WILL LAST A LONG TIME AND CAN REALLY ADD
THAT VITAL FINAL DETAIL TO AN OUTFIT. IS IT TRUE WOMEN ARE
OBSESSED WITH THE SHOES MEN WEAR? YES
Let’s get the really obvious ones out of the way - UGG boots, socks and sandals, sunglasses at night. These come up ALL
THE TIME and you will already have heard them. Kezia and I put together a proper list. We also asked girls opinions on
these as well to give you an insight into the woman’s mind and opinion. These are real women from totally different
Backgrounds; Fashion, Dating Advice, Finance, Photography and Design (Respectively).
12 THINGS GIRLS HATE MEN WEARING
7
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
The Panel:
BULGING POCKETS
KEZIA: AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE STUFF TO CARRY, INVEST IN A
STYLISH MAN’S BAG, RATHER THAN SQUASHING YOUR CELL
PHONE, WALLET AND KEYS INTO YOUR POCKETS. IT DRAGS
THE CLOTHES DOWN AND LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE ZERO
INTEREST IN YOUR APPEARANCE OR THE FINISHING DETAILS.
THE FEMALE OPINION: BULGING POCKETS ARE THE WORST –
GET A BAG!! - JESS
ILL FITTING CLOTHES.
KEZIA: TROUSERS OR JACKETS THAT ARE TOO BIG LOOK
TERRIBLE, EQUALLY A JACKET OR A SWEAT SHIRT THAT IS
TOO TIGHT LOOKS PRETTY AWFUL TOO. GET MEASURED UP
BY A PROFESSIONAL AND DON’T RUSH WHEN TRYING ON
YOUR CLOTHES AND TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AT YOURSELF IN
THE MIRROR BEFORE PURCHASING CLOTHES. MEN OFTEN
TAKE A ROUGH GUESS AT WHAT SIZE THEY ARE, AND THEN
BUY ON IMPULSE. BIG MISTAKE
THE FEMALE OPINION: WHY CAN’T GUYS TAKE THE TIME TO
TRY ON CLOTHES? IT JUST LOOKS LIKE THEY CAN’T BE
BOTHERED ABOUT THEMSELVES. – COLLECTIVE PANEL
AGREEMENT
TOO MUCH JEWELLERY
KEZIA: THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT, IT LOOKS VULGAR
THE FEMALE OPINION: YOU’RE NOT MR T. A FEW CORE
PIECES WILL DO TO ACCENTUATE YOUR OUTFIT, DO YOU
WANNA SCREAM CLASS OR ASS? FAR TOO VAIN AND
FEMININE – BEKKI
LOGOS AND SLOGAN T-SHIRTS
KEZIA: “ONLY IF YOU’RE GOING FOR THE STUDENT LOOK”
THE FEMALE OPINION: MORE OFTEN THAN NOT GUYS
DAREN’T REPEAT WHAT A SLOGAN SAYS ON THEIR
T SHIRTS FOR FEAR OF BEING JUDGED. .. HIDE BEHIND
YOUR FASHION MUCH?. ... FASHION SHOULD BE AN
EXPRESSION OF WHO YOU ARE NOT WHO OR WHAT YOU
WANT TO BE. YAWN, GET A VOICE - BEKKI
RUCKSACKS OVER SUITS
KEZIA: I LIVE IN LONDON, AND IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME TO
SEE HOW MANY MEN SABOTAGE A PERFECTLY DECENT
SUIT WITH A LARGE RUCKSACK STRADDLED OVER THEIR
SHOULDERS. IF YOU HAVE A LAPTOP OR PAPERS TO
CARRY, THEN INVEST IN AN ELEGANT BRIEF CASE OR A
STYLISH MAN’S BAG. NO EXUSES ON THIS ONE!
THE FEMALE OPINION: “OVERGROWN SCHOOL BOY MIXED
WITH STUPID TOURIST BACKPACKER”
-
HADASSA
‘FUN’ BELTS
KEZIA: “THIS IS PEACOCKING DONE COMPLETELY THE WRONG WAY”
THE FEMALE OPINION: FUN BELTS ARE HUGE HATRED FOR ME!! THEY MAKE ABSOLUTELY ANY HUMAN BEING LOOK LIKE AN
ABSOLUTE IDIOT, AND ALSO RUIN OUTFITS!! WHO NEEDS A BOTTLE OPENER ON A BELT? BUY A BOTTLE OPENER!! WHO NEEDS
THE SUPERMAN SYMBOL ROUND HIS WAIST ALL DAY? HOLY MOLY GET RID!! - JESS
8
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
10 THINGS GIRLS HATE MEN WEARING
SHORT SLEEVED SHIRTS
KEZIA: “NOT TOO BAD IF A MAN’S ARMS FILL THEM UP, OTHERWISE, AVOID.”
THE FEMALE OPINION: SHORT SLEEVED SHIRTS ON MEN - REMINDS ME OF A HIGH
SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHER! EWWWW! NOT COOL! AND ALSO SHORT SLEEVED SHIRTS
SHOULD ONLY BE WORN BY DADS OVER A CERTAIN AGE! - LAUREN
BOOTS OVER JEANS
KEZIA: “UNLESS HE IS AN OUTRIGHT PROUD COWBOY, IN WHICH CASE I NEED TO GET
WITH THE PROGRAMME”.
THE FEMALE OPINION: SCREAMS BOY BAND WANNABE, SO PLEASE TAKE YOUR
MILITARY BOOTS ELSEWHERE! BOOTS OVER JEANS ARE MY PERSONAL HATE....GUYS
THAT THINK IT MAKES THEM LOOK 'FUNKY AND COOL' SO MANY DO IT AND IT LOOKS
TERRIBLE!
–
LAUREN & LISA
PANTS/ TROUSERS THAT ARE TOO SHORT
KEZIA: ANYTHING THAT FITS BADLY IS A HUGE TURN OFF
THE FEMALE OPINION: IT'S JUST PURE LAZINESS...BUY SOME PROPER PANTS THAT FIT
YOU! WE DON'T WANT TO SEE ALL YOUR FUZZINESS AROUND YOUR ANKLES BOYS!! -
LAUREN
VESTS/ SINGLET’S/ WIFE BEATERS
KEZIA: JUST ONE WORD FOR THIS ONE – “YUCK”.
THE FEMALE OPINION: LOOK AT THE OPINION ABOVE,
EVERY GIRL ON THE PANEL AGREES
LOW CUT T-SHIRTS
KEZIA: I CAN UNDERSTAND THIS ONE, BUT WE DON’T
WANT ALL THE FLESH ON SHOW.
THE FEMALE OPINION: OH THE LOW CUT T-SHIRT. .. TO
THE POINT OF ALMOST BELLY BUTTON EXPOSURE ..
YES, WELL DONE YOU LIFT AT THE GYM AND HAVE
BIGGER BOOBS THAN MOST WOMEN (STEROID INDUCED)
BUT NOT EVERYONE LIKES TO SEE MAN’S NIPPLE WHEN
GRABBING A QUICK STARBUCKS - BEKKI
SPORTS/FOOTBALL T SHIRTS
KEZIA: SPORTSWEAR IS FOR THE GYM, NOT FOR DATES AND NOT FOR CASUALLY
WALKING AROUND THE STREETS. WOMEN COULDN'T CARE LESS WHAT TEAM YOU
SUPPORT, SO WHY WEAR YOUR TEAMS T-SHIRT? IT LOOKS BOTH LAZY AND CHILDISH.
THE FEMALE OPINION: IF A MAN WEARS A FOOTBALL SHIRT IT MAKES ME BELIEVE HE
MUST BE DULL AND CAN ONLY HAVE A PASSIONATE DISCUSSION ABOUT A BALL IN A
NET AND NOT MUCH ELSE. PLUS IT'S LAZY!! - HADASSA
9
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT GIRLS WANT YOU TO WEAR
Now you know what girls HATE. So how do you really find out what women want you to wear?
It’s really easy.
You have two ways to do this. First of all you can go get the clothes that work for YOU – either by yourself or with a profes-
sional stylist. Just remember if you go by yourself to keep the receipts and don’t take off any tags, you may need to return
these items to the store if they’re no goof. Or secondly, do some research first using the 4 methods below – this will save
you time and money.
All you have to do now is get a panel of judges together to decide which they like best. Just remember though, opinions are
like ass holes, everyone has one, and some people are giant ass holes. So don’t take every opinion too seriously.
Facebook – the easiest way to find out people’s opinions is to put together an album of your new looks
and call the album – VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE ‘JUST HIT LIKE’. Facebook is really good to gain
people’s opinions because if someone doesn’t like what you’re wearing, they will not hit the LIKE button.
If your guy friends start mocking you, then you’re probably doing something right and you probably look
better than they do.
Pintrest – Pintrest is a really great resource to find out what girls like
a man to wear, but it takes a little bit of detective work. Go to
pintrest.com, have a look under the heading ‘Men’s Fashion’ or just do
a quick search on the pintrest site. You will find so many different
looks on there. The key to finding out what women really like? Well
there are 2 brilliant tools to help you here – the first is that ‘LOVE IT’
button – it’s a heart like this ♥ You can see who hit that heart symbol
by clicking on the people displayed next to it, are they hot girls? If they
are, pin it to your own private board. The Second way - you can see
who ‘pinned’ the look, if it’s a hot girl then hit the ‘re-pin’ button and
save it to your personal collection. You might want to make your new
‘pin board’ a private board, having a board called ‘looks that hot girls
like’ might be a bit obvious. Take a look at the image of the guy and
girl walking – this is one of the most re-pinned looks by girls, the title
of the image? ‘Perfect Guys Style’, if that isn’t a clue then I don’t know
what is.
Fashism.com – This really is the place for the fashion Hitler’s of this world, but it is a great leveller of
people’s opinions. Just like you posted a picture to facebook, post them on fashism.com, it’s really easy;
Post a picture > Ask a Question > Get Advice.
Just remember though, the opinions don’t come from professionals but this is a good way to get an in-
sight to what people think about your new style.
Skype a Stylist – If you want a good personal stylist then you should be able to find one on the internet.
This is a great way to speak with and get the opinions of a professional stylist without the hefty price tag.
See the end of this guide for more info.
10
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
THE 3 GOLDEN RULES OF DRESSING LIKE A MAN
You now know what women hate, you know how to find out what they love, lets learn how to put it all together.
Dressing like a man is simple. I’m going to tell you why some guys ‘have it’ and other guys don’t and if you’ve ever had any
of these following thoughts cross your mind then this advice will be gold dust to you;
“It looks great but I couldn’t get away with it”
“He gets away with it because he’s good looking”
“You’ve got to look like a model to wear those clothes”
Sound familiar? To 99% of guys that I ask, it does.
I’ve worked in men’s fashion, men’s tailoring and men’s styling for many years now and I’ve found that 3 golden rules stand
true for EVERY MAN.
You don’t have to get bogged down by stupid myths or cliché’s like the ones we just mentioned, dressing like a man can be
diluted down into three easy to remember rules.
1. Look as tall as you can – this is easily achieved by making your legs look as long as possible and by following rules two
& three
2. Maintain a slim or shaped waist – we’re not talking Marilyn Munroe hour glass here, but a slimmer waist helps you
achieve rule number three.
3. Make your shoulders look wider than your waist – Wide shoulders are a very masculine quality and keep attention
focused at the upper end of your body.
Of course it’s easy to say that all you have to do is go to the gym, work out and make your shape appear just like the above
description. WRONG.
You achieve shape by choosing the right clothes, it’s much quicker and far less sweaty. Even if you do achieve the perfect
physical shape you can still make a total mess of your image by using the wrong clothes and looking like a dick, see;
11
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
HOW TO USE THE 3 GOLDEN RULES – SIMPLE TIMELESS TIPS
Look as tall as you can
Your legs make you look taller so by using DARK jeans/trousers/chinos/slacks on your legs you’re using the oldest trick in
the book; dark colours = slimming = taller.
Use dark coloured socks and shoes to make your legs look longer. EXAMPLE: If you were to use dark jeans and light
shoes, you’re creating a ‘visual break’ from head to toe.
Match the colour of your shoes to your belt or wear no belt at all. A belt is a horizontal line across your middle, if you have a
wide middle you don’t want to put a horizontal line across that will draw unnecessary attention.
Match the ‘scale’ of your shoes to the ‘width’ of your trousers. For example, if you wear slim fit trousers, wear slim fit shoes.
If you’re a big fellah you will suit wide leg trousers, so your shoes should be slightly wider too – not pointy toe winkle pickers
old chap.
12
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
HOW TO USE THE 3 GOLDEN RULES – SIMPLE TIMELESS TIPS
Maintain a slim or shaped Waist
Easy and less feminine than you think.
First and foremost make sure that whatever you wear around your waist ‘hugs’ your waist. If its baggy then you look baggy,
if it’s too tight, you look too fat. If it just hugs you, you feel all nice and comfy and well fitted.
Garments with buttons on allow you to create a waist shape – blazers/ suit jackets/ cardigans/ waistcoats can all be used to
slim down your waist line.
Never button all the buttons on the garment, only button the ones that create a slim waist. For example, on a waist coat or
cardigan it’s a good idea to leave the bottom button open. This is because you create a little upside down v shape by your
waist helping the legs look longer and the waist narrower.
Here's Mr Tom Ford showing you how to get a slim waist;
13
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
HOW TO USE THE 3 GOLDEN RULES – SIMPLE TIMELESS TIPS
Make your shoulders appear wider than your waist
Naturally your shoulders will be wider, if not, don’t panic. By simply following these tips you're half way there.
Wear a light colour under a darker garment. A white/light blue/ pink shirt under a dark garments such as a V-neck jumper or
cardigan helps create wider shoulders – this is because the shape of the dark garment over the lighter coloured garment
creates a natural V shape on the chest area – visually the shoulders look wider and the waist slimmer.
A V neck on any garment slims the neck, face and chest. Visually, if your neck and head appear slimmer, your shoulders
appear wider.
Make sure that the shoulder seams on the shirts/t-shirt/jumper/ whatever you wear on top hit the very end (crown) of your
shoulders. This maximises the width of your shoulders.
See Mr. Bonds wide shoulders...and narrower waist?
QUICK FACT:
THE COLLECTIVE TERM FOR A
GROUP OF TAILORS IS
‘A DISGUISERY’
OF TAILORS. WHY?
BECAUSE A MASTER
TAILOR KNOWS HOW TO
DISGUISE A MAN’S SHAPE TO
LOOK ITS BEST.
14
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
FOUR TIMELESS OUTFITS THAT FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULES
I want you to observe that I have used the same clothing in a lot of the outfits here. This is to show you that even a small
budget can go a long way to create different looks. The way that I style men is to give them a classic style with a modern
edge, typically by using colour and sticking to the three golden rules.
The outfits I have styled here aren’t going to win any awards for creativity, that was never the idea. I’ve put together 4 looks
that will suit EVERY man’s body shape and age range.
These four styles will make you look well taken care of, respectable, successful and Alpha without the typical pea-cocking
attire.
Mix these up with jeans, loafers, cardigans and a vast range of other garments and you’ve got the foundation for a great and
functional wardrobe.
15
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT MAKES A GOOD FIT?
There are certain things that you should look for in a garment, no matter what shape or size you are. These small details are
what make the difference between a guy who dresses well and a guy who doesn’t. Here’s the ones that women pick up on
most;
Shoulder seams
This is where the arm of a garment joins the main body at the shoulder. You
need to make sure that where this seam falls is exactly at the end of your
shoulder, this will help to make your shoulders appear as wide as they can.
This is such a common thing that guys fail to pick up on. The garment that
seems to be the main offender is shirts, drooping shoulders or a tight fit are
the result of badly fitted shoulder seems.
If the seams fall off your shoulder then the garment will look way too big for
you, if it comes up your shoulder towards your neck, it will look too tight.
Sleeves
Too baggy, too short or too long and you’ll look way out of proportion. A
good place for a sleeve to fall is around the top of your hand, this is so that
when you move about the cuff doesn't ride up your arm. If you’re wearing a
suit or a blazer the cuff wont disappear under the jacket.
Upper Body
Never wear your garments too tight or too loose – it’s hard to create an
attractive shape or body line when the garment isn’t working in your
favour.
Trouser/ jeans/ chino hems
The hem of a trouser is where it finishes at the ankles. The best place for the
hem to finish is half way down the heel of your shoe. This rule applies because it
helps the legs to look as long as possible, helping you look taller and this is a
mistake that so many men make.
16
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
If you have ever taken a slight interest in fashion and style then I’d hasten to say that you’ve heard things about body types,
things like ‘pear shape’ and ‘apple shape’. Let me tell you quite firmly that this is a load of junk used to make something
simple into something complicated.
I’d also like to add that men’s body shapes have rarely been categorised. Just like us men get the smaller space on the
shop floor we’re supposed to understand our body shapes based on the advice given to women. Not anymore.
The only attempt I’ve seen is the ‘Ectomorph’, ‘Mesomorph’ and ‘Endomorph’ body types, but these relate more to physical
training and how to gain muscle or lose weight rather than fashion or style.
So I classified them.
Once you understand body shapes you will realise just how simple it is to achieve the three golden rules. First of all let’s
have a quick look at men’s body shapes.
From Right to Left:
Slim
Regular
Adonis
Middle Heavy
Contoured
17
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
Once you know which one of the five body types you are then the fashion battle just got a million times simpler. I’ll explain
each one now and you decide which you are.
Note: I haven’t mentioned height for any of these body types. This is because no matter how tall you are, dressing for your
shape and following the rules works for everyone. Don’t think too long about it just choose quick. Read on and discover
what works for your shape and what doesn’t.
Before you read on, just let me refresh you on the 3 golden rules;
Always look taller – anything slimming and anything that makes your legs look longer
Narrow Waist – Use garments cleverly to show a narrow waist
Wider Shoulders – A Clever use of colour and layering helps widen the shoulders.
Here’s a great way of demonstrating the three rules not working (Left) and working very well (Right). Read on to find out
how you can change from left...to right;
18
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
Slim
Slim – You know if you’re slim. Generally you wont put on weight too easily and you can probably eat what you want without
it affecting your shape. The most notable physical traits of your body are your slim legs, mainly around the thigh. The width
of your chest and waist will have little or no variation, creating a long square body shape from the waist to the shoulders.
Good
Slim fitting trousers/ jeans / chinos in bright noticeable colours – this will
focus attention on your legs & the height
Single Button blazers – slims the waist and widens the shoulders
Lightweight knitwear – if you chose anything too heavy or chunky it would
drown your frame
Roll Sleeve Shirts – adds ‘bulk’ around the biceps and help create width in
the upper body.
Bad
Relaxed or wide fitted blazers, jackets or coats – again, these will drown
you
Chunky knitwear
Short sleeve shirts – will only serve to make your arms look ‘weaker’ and
smaller.
Baggy Jeans – you will look swamped in excess fabric
Golden Rule
Present in Body
Shape?
Why?
Any Styling needed?
Height
Yes
A Slim build naturally looks taller
No, enhance existing features
Slim Waist
Yes
Slim waist is present in the
natural body shape
Ensure clothing is close fitting around the
waist
Wide Shoulders
No
The natural body shape lacks wide
shoulders
Yes – See Styling tips.
Styling Tips
Using the information from above, we need to enhance and draw attention to the
slim waist and the slim legs, whilst making the shoulders wider.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
Regular
A regular shape guy has shoulders slightly wider than his waist showing a hint of a masculine V shape (wide shoulders nar-
rower waist). You will generally lose and gain weight quite easily. Some regular shapes may carry some weight around the
stomach or chest, if you do, admit it! It’s better to know the ground you’re fighting on.
Good
Slim fitting trousers/ jeans / chinos in bright noticeable colours
Single or two Button blazers – creates a waist and gives shoulders width.
Light weight or medium weight knitwear (V-neck jumpers, knit jumpers)
Roll Sleeve Shirts with tab fasteners
Wear a fit that ‘skims’ the body and doesn’t fit too tight – skimming is where
the garment doesn’t ‘hug’ the body too tightly.
Bad
Baggy Jeans, boot cut trousers/ jeans – these don’t give you any shape
what so ever
Relaxed or wide fitted blazers, jackets or coats – will kill the shape of your
body.
Tight or closely fitted t-shirts – these will pick up on attributes we may want
to hide.
Short sleeves in any garment (shirts, t-shirts) – will make the arms look
very skinny and weak.
Golden Rule
Present in Body
Shape?
Why?
Any Styling needed?
Tall
Yes/ No
This depends on the height,
however height should be added in
almost every situation
Yes – See Styling tips
Slim Waist
Yes/ No
Some regular shapes do and some
don’t.
Yes – See styling tips
Wide Shoulders
Yes/ No
Depends on the body shape, but
we’ll adress it too.
Yes – See styling tips
Styling Tips
We need to stick to the rules as closely as possible to make the attributes of the
regular body type stand out as much as possible.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
Adonis
You know who you are, but don’t fool yourself. If you havent got a flat stomach and big arms then don’t pretend to yourself
that you have. An adonis body shape has shoulders and chest measurements that are significantly wider than the waist.
You don’t have to be too specific here and start taking measurements – a visual assessment tells you all you need to know.
Good
Regular fit jeans or a slight tapered jean (not skinny) jeans – jeans that are
too skinny and you’ll look like an upside down pyramid.
Two Button blazers – will really enhance the chest and elongate the waist
Light weight, close fitting knitwear
Short Sleeve T-shirts – to show some bicep/ triceps – avoid a super low
neckline as we learned from the female panel.
Roll Sleeve shirts with noticeable patterns such as checks – this helps
keep attention on the upper body
Bad
Skinny jeans or wide fitting jeans will ruin the shape you’ve worked for
Baggy Jumpers, T-shirts, Cardigans, Blazers are all terrible because you
will be hiding all the hard work you did in the gym
All black clothing will just mask your body shape
Golden Rule
Present in Body
Shape?
Why?
Any Styling needed?
Tall
No
An adonis could be tall, but the nat-
ural body shape adds width, we
need to style this accordingly
Yes
Slim Waist
Yes
Working out at the gym has resulted
in having a slim waist
No
Wide Shoulders
Yes
Working out at the gym has resulted
in having wide shoulders
No
Styling Tips
We need to add height to balance out a muscular frame, the width created by the
muscular arms and chest needs to be well balanced to avoid a ‘gorilla’ shape. It is
also important to show off the work you’ve done in the gym, but in a subtle way.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
Contoured
Lets not flap around the subject here. Some guys carry a little excess fun and enjoyment around with them. Don’t see it as a
problem, it isn’t. Like I’ve said before, if you understand the lanscape then it’s easier to build upon it. A countoured shape
tends to display a convex shape around the middle rather than a concave shape. As a general rule a mans legs don’t grow
in proportion to the rest of the contoured shape, although there are exceptions.
Good
Wide fitting jeans such as a boot cut or relaxed fit – this will help balance
the upper body shape
Single Button blazers create shape at the waist and shoulders
Lightweight knitwear that skims – if lumps and bumps are a problem then
clothing that ‘skims’ carves out a nice line.
Button down shirts worn open at the neck
A smart casual dress sense – casual clothing doesn’t create shape easily,
always dress with a slight air of smart causal formality, to help create
shape.
Bad
Skinny, slim or tight jeans/ chinos – these will create more width on the
upper body
Slim fitting upper body garments – we need to skim the body not strangle it.
Chunky knitwear – will only add more weight
Short sleeve shirts – will make your arms look smaller and your torso wider,
not good.
Light coloured shoes with dark jeans/ trousers – the contrast in colour will
make you look wider.
Golden Rule
Present in Body
Shape?
Why?
Any Styling needed?
Tall
Yes/ No
Depends on the man. But we will add
height regardless
Yes
Slim Waist
No
This mans shape has a wider middle
Yes
Wide Shoulders
Yes/ No
Because of the shape, we may need
to enhance the shoulders because this
shape has a wide middle.
Yes
Styling Tips
The goal here is to smooth out the contoured shape by balancing the top and bot-
tom half. This can be achieved by using clothing that skims and also adding
shape where possible on the torso.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
MEN’S BODY SHAPES
Middle Heavy
Middle Heavy – A very common shape for men aged 35 upwards. Tragically as metabolisms start to slow down around mid
30’s the effects of beer start to take effect around the middle, namely the waist and stomach. The effect of this is that the
shoulders and chest appear narrower than the waist, due to the expanded middle. If this is you, be honest, because you
have one of the most common men's body shapes.
Good
Regular or boot cut jeans will help balance a heavy middle
Dark coloured trousers or jeans with a medium to high rise – this will help
shape the waist.
Patterned Roll sleeve shirts under dark jumpers – The pattern will hold the
attention of onlookers whilst the dark colour will maintain a slim upper body
Two Button Blazers – by just fastening the top button then the blazer will
‘skirt off’
Bad
Skinny or Slim cut Jeans – these will add a greater focus a wider middle
Tight fitting T-shirts or knitwear – this would further highlight a narrow waist
against a wide middle
Short sleeve shirts – the shape of the shirt will not lend itself to the shape of
your figure.
Golden Rule
Present in Body
Shape?
Why?
Any Styling needed?
Tall
Yes/ No
Depends on the man, but we
always add height regardless.
Yes
Slim Waist
No
The body shape carries weight around
the waist
Yes
Wide Shoulders
No
The width around the waist makes the
shoulders look narrower
Yes
Styling Tips
With most of the weight being carried around the middle, it is important to make
the shoulders look wider and to add width around the legs. Both of these things
will help to reduce the middle heavy appearance.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
YOUR PERSONAL STYLE.
Having your own personal style is such a conundrum to most men.
It’s all well and good to just understand what works for certain body shapes, what’s great is having the ability to put your
own style and your own taste into your look.
Most men just assume that to have their own personal style then they have to dress in a crazy and outlandish way, like
David Bowie or Ronald McDonald. The truth is that having a distinctive, recognisable personal style can be very subtle, very
simple and very achievable with just a few hundred dollars or pounds.
Think about those lists that pop up in almost every men’s magazine, ‘best dressed men of all time’, ‘top 10 best dressed’
and the annual GQ ‘100 Best Dressed Men’. Have a look at those lists, the style of the guys in there is very rarely crazy and
outlandish, their style always very simple, elegant and carefully put together with subtle touches of style.
When most of chaps look at images of celebrities in magazines the same old ideas come to mind;
“It looks great but I couldn’t get away with it”
“He gets away with it because he’s good looking”
“You’ve got to look like a model to wear those clothes”
Remember those from earlier?? Let me explain why these ideas should not matter to you.
When I style a man I don’t just throw clothes at him and craft an image that I tore from the
page of a magazine, NEVER. As a personal stylist I consider a number of factors that deter-
mine how a man should dress. What this does is narrow down the styles that suit a man, that
work for him and help his wardrobe function for him.
The celebrities you see in magazines have an obligation to look good, just like you do.
There are a number of factors that control what they have to wear and how they have to be
perceived. Take David Beckham for example, he has had to change his image between the
UK, Spain and America. The most noticeable change was when he did the press conference
with LA Galaxy – see the difference between his UK image (top) and his US image (below).
24
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
YOUR PERSONAL STYLE.
The main factor in Mr. Beckham’s image change was his social circle and his geographical location, he had to start appeal-
ing to a completely different audience altogether, so his image was tailored to do so. You should be considering these
things in your own style and also the things in this list.
Almost every guy I speak to wants to get together with a certain type of woman who has a certain type of look and lifestyle.
Now I would never tell anyone to dress to impress other people, but dressing with lots of different factors in mind will help
you to tailor your look to different situations and environments.
Age – Dress your age, the next section covers this.
Job – A job takes up most of your time so you need to dress accordingly.
Physical Shape – The main element in every man’s style.
Personal Taste – just because something is ‘in fashion’ it doesn’t mean you should like it or buy it, you have to enjoy the
clothes you wear.
After work & Evenings – Do you go straight home or go out socially?
Social Circle – Who do you socialise with? What sort of Venues do you go to?
Geographical location - Sometimes your image can vary even within the same city/ town or the climate could vary.
Travelling – This is very important, you don’t want to be layered up if you’re sending lots of time on an aircraft or a train.
Commute – Are you dashing up and down stairs or do you drive to work? The right outfit will get you there comfortably and
more importantly, in style.
Recreational activities – How do you spend your spare time? If you’re a rock climber then a pair of shiny Prada shoes
might not be a wise choice.
Out of Work commitments – Volunteering, Supper Clubs, Night classes, Cinema…this list is endless.
I consider all of the above and more when I style a man.
I start by asking my clients, “What is a typical week like in your life?” This helps me to establish exactly what my client’s is-
sues are and I can start filling in the answers to the questions that the list above needs.
You can do this too, write down or just think about how you spend your week and think about the various different locations
you’ll be at, who you’ll be with, the level of formality that the occasion requires, how you will travel to a venue etc.
Once you have assessed your week you will realise that you are constantly changing environments and that with the right
choice of clothes your image will be vastly improved. Later on I will show you a real life client example using this method –
you’ll see how I styled him from start to finish.
For now, lets tackle the major issues in this list and I’ll teach you how to make them work for you.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
If you have assessed your typical week then you will keep finding yourself in various different locations, with different levels
of formality that you need to dress for. This is something that most guys never ever consider. Girls Do.
As men we tend to look at an item of clothing and think ‘does this look good?’, ‘is this ok?’ or ‘is this in fashion’. This is the
totally wrong way to look at shopping and styling. What you need to do from now on is ask yourself the following questions ;
When - would I wear this?
What - would I wear this with?
Who – will I be meeting?
Where – would I be going in this?
Why – do I need this in my wardrobe?
This is how women think.
Have you ever noticed how a woman will pick up 20 items of clothing, try them all on and then put all of them back? Or have
you ever wondered why in a woman’s clothing store there is no real order or organisation, you have tops, jewellery, dresses
all over the place? It’s because a woman is shopping smart – she has ideas buzzing around her head about the outfit and
the occasion – not just the piece of clothing in front of her face.
If you don’t put a little consideration into what you're wearing then women will notice and this is why the considering
occasion is SO IMPORTANT.
On the next page Kezia and I have put together the most common occasions you’ll find yourself in when you’ll be
meeting women. We also tell you exactly what to wear.
QUICK STORY – HOW TO REALLY DRESS FOR THE OCCASION.
ANDERSON AND SHEPPARD ARE A SAVILE ROW TAILORS SHOP AND THEY SELL SUITS THAT START AT £3500
+ VAT ($6500 APPROX), SO NOT A CHEA P GARMENT AT ALL.
A PAIR OF LONDON TAXI DRIVERS ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A SAVILE ROW SUIT EACH, SO THEY DECIDED
THAT THEY WOULD GO INTO ANDERSON AND SHEPPARD EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS AND PAY MONEY INTO
AN ACCOUNT UNTIL THEY REACHED THE COST OF A SUIT. NOW THESE TWO GUYS ARE QUITE OLD AND
DON’T HAVE LONG LEFT, SO YOU MIGHT WONDER ‘WHY THEY WOULD SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON A SUIT’?
WELL, THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE OCCASION.
THESE TWO CAB DRIVERS HAD DRIVEN THE RICH AND FAMOUS AROUND LONDON TO SOME OF THE WEALTHI-
EST PARTS OF THE CITY. THEY KNEW THAT BEFORE THEY DIED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE A TOUCH OF THAT
WEALTH AND GLAMOUR FOR THEMSELVES. SO THEY PAY FOR THE SUITS WHEN THEY CAN, SO THAT WHEN
IT COMES ROUND TO THEIR FUNERAL, THEY HAVE THE PERFECT OUTFIT. HOW WONDERFUL.
26
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT TO WEAR - DAY TIME, NIGHT TIME, LUNCH DATES & AFTER WORK DATES
How many times have you panicked about what to wear for dates, nightclubs and gaming? Most guys that have will jump
straight into peacocking because it’s a very obvious and quick to implement change. When we see videos of guy’s picking
up girls the easiest thing to do is think ‘it must be how he looks’ – hence why people copy the likes of the peacocker’s. The
long and short of it is this – if you don’t look like who you say you are, you’re making it more difficult for your self.
Day Time & Lunch Dates
Meeting women in the day time comes with a built in time constraint and usually that is work, if it’s at the weekend then you
probably have something’s you need to get done because after all, your time is limited (isn’t it?). If you’re meeting a woman
for a lunch date then she is going to expect you to be in your work clothes, be smart though and wear an outfit you can
‘casual up’ (see next page) The point here is that your clothes should already have been chosen for the occasion in mind,
work, shopping etc. So whatever you’re telling a woman when you meet her you should make your clothes be congruent.
If you’re at work then you probably wear a suit or a business casual style – so wear that, don’t go changing your clothes to
match a situation that isn’t your own.
As I have been writing this guide I’ve spent time in coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and bars. In some cases I’m
researching and others times I’m just having a change of scenery. On one such occasion I watched a couple of guys who
had blatantly just finished reading ‘the game’. They were out in the sun (yes sometimes it’s sunny in London) running game,
there’s nothing unusual here but it was their choice of outfit that struck me. One guy had the cliché of a feather boa on with
a pair of aviator sun glasses, shirt, waistcoat, blazer, jeans and army boots – he looked like a complete tool. What he had
forgotten is that peacocking (albeit bad peacocking) is only for American authors who couldn’t get women in 2005. He hadn’t
considered the occasion and more importantly had no realisation of what a total prick he looked to women.
Kezia – Day time: Never do day game in a suit, unless you’re on your lunch break, in which case, make a few alterations to
achieve a more relaxed style before going on your lunch break. A man walking around talking to girls in the street whilst
wearing a suite can look odd and slightly unnerving. The whole point of ‘day game’ is to make the interaction seem totally
relaxed, and wearing a suit can unfortunately produce the opposite effect.
Kezia – Lunch Dates: For this, I believe an expensive pair of well fitted jeans is key! The top can be a well fitted a T shirt or
a classic shirt. So as long as the cut of your clothes are flattering then the idea here is to look casual but stylish at the same
time. In regards to shoes, if you want to wear casual foot wear then opt for clean/new looking converse plimsolls, but try and
balance this out with a smart jacket or a smart shirt.
We’ve put together some looks on the next page.
27
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT TO WEAR - DAY TIME, NIGHT TIME, LUNCH DATES & AFTER WORK DATES
Here’s some scenarios with outfits included to match for the day time, from clockwise from top left;
1. Being a dumb prick with no fashion sense. 2. Also a Prick. 3. Day Off/ Shopping/ Meeting Friends
4. Client Meeting/ Business Casual 5. Work Suits
28
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT TO WEAR - DAY TIME, NIGHT TIME, LUNCH DATES & AFTER WORK DATES
After work
I hear this time and time again from my clients, “can’t I just wear my work clothes out after work?”, short answer – NO.
It’s obvious that you shouldn’t go to a bar/ restaurant/ theatre or wherever you’re going with exactly the same look as you
did in the board room. Not only that, but surely the last thing you want to do on a date with a woman is wear the same
clothes ALL DAY. Just think about hygiene, confidence and effort for a moment because those three things are probably
lacking if you wear the same clothes all day.
Let me just get Kezia’s thoughts on this;
Kezia: I have to travel to Europe quite a lot for work reasons, and one of the cities that I believe possess the most stylish
men has got to be Paris! It sounds like a cliché, but our French cousins seem to be able to still maintain their stylish flair
when meeting a woman on a date after work- WITHOUT having to change their outfits in between!
The reason for this is because the men in Paris make a real conscious effort to look good in the office. They wear a well cut
suit, slim fitting trousers and smart shoes and resist the urge to ruin the whole effect by wearing a gigantic rucksack. The
men in Paris wear more attractive attire to work than the average English guy wears on a night out!
If you make an effort to look your best in the office, then there is no real need to go home and change outfits before heading
for after work drinks or a date. However, if you insist on keeping your more stylish clothes for ‘going out’ or your work
place /job has restrictions on what you can wear, then you HAVE NO choice but to change outfits before meeting a girl after
work! Of course, you can follow Daniels tips on quick fixes that allow you to alter the outfit you have been wearing at work all
day before going out on a date, and as a result the girl will not even realize.
Daniel: My best advice?
Take a few garments to work with you that you can easily change into, without dragging the entire wardrobe along. Think
suit. You go into work with a slightly more casual suit than normal but dress it up with a dark tie and dark shoes – this works
for business. To casual this up and transform it then all you have to do is lose the tie, change the shoes and maybe the
shirt, lose the straight and serious pocket square, job done. If you want to go a step further then change the trousers for
jeans. Left; Casual Business suit, right, casual. The guy in the blue shirt could lose the blazer, the guy on the far right has
got it spot on—Add jeans if needed.
29
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT TO WEAR - DAY TIME, NIGHT TIME, LUNCH DATES & AFTER WORK DATES
Night Time and Date Night
Enjoy yourself, but don’t go crazy.
The night time is your time and you can just be yourself, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put in the effort. You don’t
have to go places and see people you don’t want to, like you may have to do with work. So you can afford to dress however
you want, just remember that you should always pay attention to the occasion and the setting though to get the best results.
One thing that I see very often in most night spots is when guys dress either ‘too warm’ or ‘too cold’. What I’m getting at
here is that some guys will wear a scarf on a night out to a busy bar – that just doesn’t make sense. I have also seen (more
times than I would have liked) men wearing summer shoes, namely espadrilles, in the middle of winter. By the way
espadrilles are shoes designed to keep your feet cool in summer.
If you’re going out for the evening and there is a strong probability that your location could change a couple of times then
dress for this, one way of doing that is layers. Make your garments easy to take on or off, so that if necessary you can store
them in a cloak room or over your chair.
Kezia – Night Game: Stylish is the KEY here NOT fashionable. Night time is about standing out, and if everyone is wearing
the same latest fashion, then who are the two types of people who stand out from the ocean of clones? It will be either the
guys who have made ZERO effort or the guys who chosen an outfit that remains timelessly and effortlessly stylish.
This does not mean you should bend your personality in order to obtain the ‘classically stylish’ look. Your personality and
character should be interwoven throughout the classic outfit. You can do this via accessories, shoes, hair styles, jewellery
and colour. Remember, people make the mistake of making their outfit larger than their character; the outfit should be a
canvas in which to show off your personality.
Kezia – Date Night: What you wear for a night club should be roughly the same as what you wear for a date. The reason for
this is because you might want to lead the girl on to a bar or club after the dinner (which can increase your chances of get-
ting ‘same night success’)
On the next page are some ideas for the night time and date night.
30
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WHAT TO WEAR - DAY TIME, NIGHT TIME, LUNCH DATES & AFTER WORK DATES
Night Time and Date Night
Clockwise from top left ; Smart Dinner date, Casual Drinks perhaps with a bite to eat, Casual first date & Out gaming in
bars/ clubs
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
There is nothing worse in the fashion stakes than when old men dress like teenagers or when young men dress like retired
geriatrics.
There are just no excuses.
Dressing your age not only helps you attract attention from the right people, it also shows off the benefits of your short or
long years and conveys an individual personality. Your age carries with it a certain list of presumptions for example; how
much money you earn, if you’re in a high power position, what type car you drive, what house you live in, if you're in a
relationship, if you’re married etc … The list goes on.
So as a consequence of your age there will naturally be a great way to dress.
In your 20’s you just want to look older, which is ironic because when guys get older they want to dress and appear
younger. When a man reaches his 40’s or 50’s he will do almost anything not to look like he’s ‘past it’ which is what most
guys do and end up looking way too out of touch.
Despite what you think about celebrities being preened by teams of stylists and make-up artists you may be thrilled to find
out that it just isn’t true, at least not all the time.
Once supremely cool but no longer, Axl Rose. And All the gear but no idea goes to Diddy Dirty Money.
32
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Dressing too old
This shouldn’t happen to anyone… but it does.
I know for most guys there is a strong desire to look older and more successful in the aim to attract
women, but this could be ruining your chances entirely.
It’s very rare that you see a girl with a much older guy unless she’s a gold digger or if she was pur-
chased on the internet. Generally the way you dress is reflected in your mood, by dressing older then
you probably don’t feel too good about yourself.
Here’s a perfect example of multimillionaire Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf making a total mess of it.
Dressing too young
Tragically this is all too common for men.
How often have you heard it said that ‘Men look better with age, embrace it’. Well, probably not as much as you should have
but it is said, sometimes. Let’s take George Clooney – he got better with age, Hugh Hefner who didn’t, in fact he never
made it out of his pyjamas (dressing way too young).
I’m not going to dress this up chaps (No pun intended) but dressing your age as an older man carries incredibly positive
connotations – words like ‘handsome’, ‘mature’ and ‘distinguished’ are such a nice way to be described, ‘Mutton dressed as
lamb’, ‘caricature’ and ‘mid-life crisis’ are not.
Take a look at these guys making complete fools of themselves; Will Ferrel & Mickey Rourke dressing way too young.
33
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
How to Dress in your: 20’s
Unfortunately so much of the advice about how to dress your age is peppered with clichés and obviousness. I pay attention
to quite a number of factors, one of the main ones being budget. It’s fairly common that a guy in his 20’s isn’t earning life
changing amounts of money so his wardrobe won’t consist of designer or bespoke garments.
That said, it doesn’t hold true that he can’t dress well, take care of his self and appear professional (if he wants to).
A man’s career and his life situation can change vastly in his 20’s, so his style will too. In your 20’s you can still afford to
experiment with different styles and tastes in accordance with a hectically fast paced environment and a changing lifestyle.
Fashion recognises the changes of youth as well as acting very dynamically to cater for them, embrace it, but only if it suits
your situation. There’s no need in you becoming a skinny legged rocker if you just got a grad position at a bank – it just
wouldn’t work during the week, but on a weekend, go for it.
Key Tips for Dressing well in your 20’s
Pick elements of incredibly fashion forward trends in moderation and mix them up with a modern classic wardrobe.
You’ll make some mistakes of course, but you’ll also find some hidden gems that work for you.
Get rid of logos, trainers and anything that fits loose or baggy. It’s time to start thinking a little more mature and get
some wardrobe staples nailed down.
Keep some of that teenage swagger but with well fitted garments. The way to mix this up well? A well fitted blazer or
trench with a moderate scoop neck T-shirt underneath would be a good choice.
You need to stop listening to your friends and start thinking for yourself. YOU are your own brand, by experimenting
you find out what women find you attractive wearing. Don’t be scared if your friends react to you – they’re jealous.
Jeans should be worn above your butt, not underneath. Uniqlo, Cheap Monday or Levi’s are great staples for jeans.
Don’t worry too much about the right colours for your eyes, skin and hair etc, although they can help you should take
the chance to play around with brights, lights, patterns, checks and so on. As you get past your 20’s you don’t have
these options – so take the chance!
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 20’s & Look book.
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 20’s. If you want to keep your look constantly updated then uses these
guys as a guide;
Douglas Booth / Harry Styles / Zac Efron
35
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 20’s & Look book.
36
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 20’s & Look book.
37
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
How to dress in your: 30’s
Don’t hold on to your 20’s now, it’s time to grow up.
The fashion forward elements of your look should become more toned down and the professionalism of your career should
have a hand in your style. You’re now seen as being more established, grounded and with disposable income. Regardless
of the fashion led adornments in your wardrobe a clear cut style should have evolved out of your 20’s.
You’ve had chance to understand what fits you, what styles and colours work for you in your previous decade, now it’s time
to start looking the part.
Most men start hankering back to their 20’s once they hit 30, but the truth is men look best in their 30’s and clothing just
gets easier and more effortless to wear.
Don’t forget, being in your thirties these days isn’t what it used to be, it’s still quite a young age. What you can’t forget is that
you have responsibilities so your clothes have to become more functional as well as classic
Key tips for dressing well in your 30’s;
Well cut blazers are a weekend must have. Your budget probably doesn’t allow for bespoke garb just yet but the
made to measure option is well within your grasp.
A classic element should start creeping in to your look, this mainly comes in the form of jeans, blazers and coats -
lose the trainers.
T-shirts need to give way to shirts, even in a casual environment. Don’t get me wrong, t-shirts are not a write off but
start favouring a shirt when you have the choice.
Simplicity – less excitement and acid tones, you’re someone’s boss now so they must take you seriously. Block plain
colours instead of patterns
Your outfit should consist of fewer items. Whereas in the earlier years where accessories and experimenting are all
the rage, now it’s time to pay attention to the finer details.
Investment items – these are things that will last a life time such as a high quality designer leather belt, leather brief-
case and Italian shoes. Start buying these.
Smart Casual is your new casual. You need to step it up a bit here; anything that you considered to be ‘smart casual’
in your 20’s should now become your everyday wardrobe staples.
Maturity should start creeping into your style. Whereas in your 20’s the clean shaven youthful glow rings true, now
you can start with a bit of stubble and a much slimmer lined professional silhouette.
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WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 30’s & Look book.
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 30’s. If you want to keep your look constantly updated then uses
these guys as a guide;
Jake Gylenhaal / David Beckham / Ryan Gosling / Ryan Reynolds / Eddie Redmayne / David Gandy
39
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 30’s & Look book.
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 30’s.
40
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 30’s & Look book.
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 30’s.
41
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
How to dress in your: 40’s
In your 40’s – it’s time to start indulging in a few luxuries.
When you hit your forties it’s generally assumed that you have reached a very high point in your career, the money is good,
children are growing up and everything is downright swell. You should allow yourself a much more luxury wardrobe; the chil-
dren won’t be spilling food all over you now.
The modern classic look, less fashion driven more style savvy is your new best friend. It’s about time that the suit drops off
as an everyday part of your dress sense, whether that be for work or leisure.
It’s important to remember that you don’t have to write yourself off in the fashion stakes, now you can start looking effort-
lessly well dressed. The suit doesn’t have to be stuffy, plain or boring when you wear it; at about this age you can start af-
fording bespoke or semi-bespoke clothing that fits you absolutely perfectly.
Don’t let the mid-life crisis start sinking in, you’ve worked hard for 20 years so start having some fun.
Key tips to dressing in your 40’s
Be the boss. Wearing your own style is now a choice, not what other people tell you to wear so let the clothes do the
work for you – nicely tailored in the fit and you’ll look ten times the man you were in your 20’s.
Add splashes of colour into your look with subtle pocket squares or a loosely tied scarf, this will break up the stuffy
and plain image that you don’t want to fall into.
Avoid the midlife crisis by using the last 20 years as a reference for what works and stick with it.
Finer details should really start creeping in now – silver cufflinks, that Rolex that you’ve always had your eye on, now
is the time to show subtleties of financial success without exuberant ‘look at me’ styles.
42
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 40’s & Look book.
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 40’s. If you want to keep your look constantly updated then use this
guy as a guide;
Daniel Craig
43
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 40’s & Look book.
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 40’s.
44
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
How to Dress: 50’s and over
Life is good right now.
No longer do you have to worry about the follies of youth; it’s time to be you for the sake of it. You no doubt have some
money in the bank, you have time to indulge your passions and without a doubt, your wardrobe.
You will have time to travel and to unwind slightly from the hectic pace of life you may have been used to in the past, take
the odd day off work or to not work at all if you’re retired. Your wardrobe should really work for you now and be very easy to
pick out in a morning. Leisure will become a major factor in deciding your style choices.
Smart tailored garments are what this is all about with the very minimal of loud accessories. Comfort is a major player but
this should come from the superb fit of your clothes, not baggy, loose or ill fitted comfort.
Key tips to dressing in your 50’s and over;
Tailored to perfection. All your garments should be altered, or even better, bespoke to you. It’s very rare that an off
the peg style will fit you perfectly.
Loosen up. A casual suit rather than blazers will work well here. Start thinking about cottons and linens instead of
wools for the material, you’ll find it far more comfortable and wearable.
Mix the colours. The suit jacket and trousers don’t have to match. You can mix them up with a chino or a casual trou-
ser.
Leather. The shoes can be a great area to indulge in. You no longer have to worry about trainers, sneakers or plim-
solls unless you’re working out. Splash a little on good shoes, these will look incredibly rich with trousers and a col-
oured jacket.
Suede. Another great choice for shoes; a suede monk strap or brogue is a great way of adding a twist to the usual
leather.
Soft textures – forget super slick razor sharp suits and focus more on achieving a soft look to your clothes, a mellow
yet conscious mix of wool with leather or linen with cotton works very well.
Soft, muted colours. Bright colours can contrast heavily with your complexion. If you don’t sport a youthful glow then
don’t contrast too heavily with bright hues. Any colour with an element of grey added helps to soften a colour palette.
45
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 50’s+ & Look book
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 50’s. If you want to keep your look constantly updated then uses
these guys as a guide;
George Clooney/ Bill Nighy
46
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 50’s+ & Look book
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 50’s.
47
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
DRESS YOUR AGE
Best Dressed Men in their 50’s+ & Look book
Here’s a great look book for how to dress in your 50’s.
48
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
10 GARMENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE
The way I style a client means that they get a wardrobe that works for them effortlessly. Not all stylists do this but I find that
a capsule wardrobe made up of the following garments gives you the most ‘bang for your buck’ and the widest range of out-
fits for the minimum cash.
White V neck T-shirts
An absolute essential to any wardrobe. It wouldn’t hurt to have a couple in black and a couple in grey too. You can wear a t
shirt as an extra layer in winter, under a shirt in summer or on their own.
V-Neck Sweaters
You can’t really go without V neck sweaters. Wear them under a suit, over the top of a shirt or with a plain coloured T-shirt.
Blue, grey navy, forest green and burgundy are good starting points.
Plain white Shirts
The most versatile garment a man can own. Go for a regular collar with a double cuff and you have a perfect garment to
wear with suits at work, under sweaters, with a tie, with a waistcoat…the list goes on. Try mix it up with a light blue and light
pink colour, get some.
Chino’s
Chino’s are mainly a summer garment but great for keeping you cool in nightclubs too. Chinos can add colour to a look with-
out being too loud. If you prefer the standard ‘navy blue, grey and black’ and you’ll get the right effect.
Black and Brown Brogues (with belts to match)
These shoes go with pretty much everything and every situation. Wear with a suit or with jeans or chinos. Brogues are a
classic style shoe that have stood the test of time.
49
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
10 GARMENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE
Dark blue jeans (no washes/ fades/ rips)
You just can’t have a wardrobe without jeans in it these days. By simply changing your work trousers for a pair of jeans you
can turn a work outfit into the perfect garb for evening drinks
Casual Blazer(s)
A suit jacket with jeans just looks fraught with error. A suit jacket belongs with a suit and not jeans, get yourself a selection
of casual blazers. I recommend a navy blue, a Donegal tweed and a plain grey.
Charcoal 3 piece Grey Suit
A grey suit isn’t strictly the most versatile suit, a navy suit works better, however a grey suit is more applicable to more casu-
al situations. It’s components can be used with other garments in your capsule wardrobe to make great outfits.
Plain black socks.
Remember you always have to make your legs longer? Well in most situations black socks will do the trick.
50
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
10 GARMENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE
Accessories – Ties, Tie Clip, Pocket Squares, Hats, bags, wallets.
Accessories help to bring an outfit together, for example - a tie can really smarten up an outfit made up of a shirt, sweater
and jeans and a pocket square can set off the look of a blazer.
Ties
Knitted wool ties add texture to a look and help strike a balance between work and evenings. A tie clip stops the tie falling
loose but more importantly adds a little bit of detail.
Pocket Squares
Go for simple patterns like a blue or black with a polka dot that can easily be matched with a plain woollen tie in a matching
colour.
Hats
Not for everyone, but if you have the face shape for it (generally long and slim faces work great with hats) then get one and
wear it, it’s a distinguished look.
Bags
Try and loosely match the colour of your bag to the colour of your shoes & belt, that is to say brown and black leather to play
it safe.
Wallets
I hate big chunky wallets, they run the line and the shape of nicely fitting clothes. I always have a very slim wallet or a mon-
ey clip – way classier and easier to hold on to.
51
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
10 GARMENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE
Other things to think about
Coats & Jackets
You can’t go wrong with a classic mac/ trench coat. Depending on the season and the weather you can get a mac/
trench that’s heavy or light.
A quilted jacket will work in almost any situation. A dark navy blue is the most versatile option here.
Scarves
Depends entirely on the season. When it’s cold outside, get one.
52
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
REAL LIFE EXAMPLE OF A CLIENT.
So, we’ve spoken about the occasion, the setting, how to dress your age and a hell of a lot more. Now it’s time to show you
how it’s all put into practice. Here is my client profile, and yes this is a real person and there are real images to show you
too.
Client Profile
Age: 28-35
Job: Tourism Industry, technical sector, based at sea.
Personal Taste: Likes a modern classic style, very simple but smart, likes something with a little flair.
After work & Evenings: Spent wither on board or onshore, various worldwide locations.
Physical Shape: Has a regular shape, slightly wider neck due to working out at the gym
Social Circle: Tends to socialise with other staff and customers in an upmarket setting but occasionally a more casual
setting.
Geographical location: Varied Climate – worldwide. Typically has to maintain a semi-professional image.
Travelling : Sea, Land & Air
Commute: N/A
Recreational activities: Soccer/ Gym
Out of Work commitment: Nothing specifically other than socialising, requires smart casual/ casual clothing
Summary
A professional with a job that has travel at the heart of it.
He needs to maintain a professional image in casual and also high class venues due to being in front of customers for work.
The climate varies between very hot and very cold but is usually spent inside in a climate controlled environment. The
wardrobe needs to be layered to allow the addition or removal of garments for the temperature.
Physically he has no attributes that require specialist garments to fit, he is of an average height and a regular build, suits a
deep colour palette.
Stylistically he prefers subtle elements of flair that sit atop of a classic, masculine and modern style.
Results Gallery
Want to see what I did for this guy? Take a look at my Facebook group photos;
https://www.facebook.com/daniel.johnson.style
53
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
THE ROUND UP
Has your tea gone cold? Has men’s fashion been revolutionised in your brain?
I really hope at least one of those is true.
I want this guide to have really helped you and that it will serve as a timeless guide on how to dress as a man, regardless of
your age and your personal tastes.
I have tried to make the content of this book as close as possible to the real one-on-one personal styling experience, with
the added benefits of an honest female opinion to boot. There is a hell of a lot of work to do in making this guide work for
you and finding your personal style, but that’s the beauty of it. To get a real understanding of your own personal tastes, likes
and dislikes then you have to go and make your transformation happen.
Use the tools available to you that I’ve mentioned, the opinions of the women around you and the opinions of the wider
world, you will find your very own style that you feel comfortable in and a style that women love you in too.
Further Help
If you need some extra help to really get your image sorted then I invite you to contact me directly either on my website or
by email, the details are at the bottom of this page. To make sure your email comes through as a priority set the subject line
as ‘What Girls Want – Fashion’ and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
If you want to take the next step there are a few ways in which I can help you, regardless of your budget.
How else can I help you?
Personal Styling/ Personal Shopping – Let me work one-to-one with you and create your perfect personal style, perfect pair
of jeans or a total make over? I’ve got locations across London or I can travel to see you – send me an email and let’s have
a chat. www.daniel-johnson.com/contact
Skype consultations – I’ve launched the updated version of my Skype consultations just in time for the release of this book.
We can work on your wardrobe, hairstyle, glasses or whatever you want help with.
www.daniel-johnson.com/contact
Personal Style Guide – Learn how to dress for your shape with a bespoke guide. The personal style guides that I put togeth-
er are in printed and electronic form, they detail everything from the best cut of jeans to the colours that suit you best.
www.therulesofstyle.com/style-guide-for-men
54
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WORKING WITH KEZIA
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55
WHAT GIRLS WANT MEN TO WEAR
WORKING WITH KEZIA
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