7 Signs That You're Trying Too Hard To Be Stylish

For every trend and style, there are at least 100 ways to go overboard.

1. Too many bright colours

Firstly, colour blocking is over. It's a trend that is gone - done and dusted. Show some restraint and opt for one or two colours. You might think wearing all red or blue is cool, but really it just makes you seem like you don't know what you're doing. If you are going to wear colour, wear it down with some neutrals such as black, grey or navy so that you won't look like a fool.

The pictures below demonstrate the point. The picture on the left is way out there. Too many colours and nothing bringing the look together. The picture on the right is bright, yes, but it is held together by a slick black tie and grey shirt - nothing screaming and nothing too busy, unlike in the first picture.

Source: complex.com

2. Flaunting your expensive clothes (Over Branding) 

Ah, my favourite. Flaunting your Louis Vuitton bag with your Guess watch and your Burberry shirt is just a no-no. If you have money to blow, buy items with so-called "stealth wealth" in mind: luxurious items that are subtle in their design. Going out of your way to show off your expensive labels just makes you look like an asshole with a credit card who is trying too hard.

Don't be a walking fashion advertisement.

Source: complex.com 

3. Over accessorizing

When it comes to fashion, you should put on everything you want to wear, and then take the last item off. The last thing you put on is exactly what needs to go off. Nice bow tie, cool bracelet, sexy watch, nice suspenders, oh you have your ears pierced, too? Why don't you put a star on your head to complete the Christmas tree look. Seriously though, less is more. A bow tie, a watch and a bracelet are more than enough.

4. Popped Collars

Are you outside? Is it windy? Are you wearing a lovely wool coat? If yes, then you're fine. Are you indoors? Are you wearing a polo t-shirt? Is your name Juicy J or Dj Paul? No? Then put that collar down.

Source: cheezburger.com 

5. You're Visibly Uncomfortable and you keep adjusting yourself

If you're constantly wondering "Am I pulling this off?" You're not. If you check yourself out in every window or mirror you pass because you're not sure if that jacket or that pair of pants looks ok, that's a sign that it's just not your style.

Clothing should enhance your confidence, not make you feel more insecure.

6. Matchy Matchy

Matching your clothing with your sneakers was cool back in 2006, but those days are long gone. If you're still making sure that your t-shirt matches your All Stars and your jeans and your cap, then you need to check yourself. This of course doesn't mean that you can't wear things that work well together or are in the same colour or design family. The point is not to deliberately match. Like wearing your black and orange t-shirt with black and orange sneakers and a black and orange cap. That is not a hot look.

7. You think expensive clothes will make you stylish

There are plenty of clothes that are super expensive and a lot of them are great. But there are also plenty of tacky clothes produced that also cost a fortune. If you are blowing your money on Louis Vuitton belts and bags that everyone else also owns, or  if you are spending your money on randaom ridiculous "stuff" then you most probably look like a douche. You don't need to go into insane credit/debit card debt. Just find a few key pieces that you actually like and work around those.

LV scarf, belt and bag. Douche. 
Source: complex.com 

Does This Come In Black?

Abundant Black Disorder (ABD) is what I suffer from. It's a wardrobe dysfunction that's rarely spoken about. According to colour experts, it can occur at any time in a man or woman's life. 

The symptoms: a closet full of black clothing and accessories, the irresistible urge to 'buy it in black' no matter what... and the feeling of being too fat or too visible if you wear anything other than black, black, black. Who doesn't love black? It's chic and sexy, it makes you look thin and you can wear it anywhere. 

What people don't realize is that wearing black all the time seriously cramps your style and makes you look old. But how? Black is notorious for making your skin look aged and highlighting your wrinkles. Fabulousafter40.com compares having ABD to going to an ice-cream store. Imagine salivating over hundreds of exotic, delicious and oh so tempting flavours then ordering a tiny scoop of low fat vanilla. It's basic and practical but it will leave you feeling bored and unsatisfied, sucking the joy from your life and your look. Bland, bland, bland!  

Beware of falling into that black hole.  

H2T black is really a thing of the past, even for guys. Why then do we keep buying black? Why do I keep buying black? Generally, people who wear a lot of black want to go unnoticed.  I work with a bunch of over 40s and some of them really wouldn't understand my style. It's a dilemma I discussed briefly in Corporate Looks For Men. 

How can you cure ABD? STOP being so terribly predictable. Perk up your looks and liven up your soul with a dash of colour. Promise yourself not to buy black for a very long time :) 

If it's too drastic a change for you right off the bat, then look for outfits that combine black with a bold colour or pattern. Here are some examples to ease you slowly out of black and into colour. 

Prints: Prints are a huge trend at the moment. Aztec, stripes or anything else that works.

                                 

Black on Top or Bottom: If you can't give up black completely, try black on the top or the bottom just so you have a bit of safety. Break the black is the name of the game.

Add personality: A simple pattern or a bright color adds life and personality to a black suit, where there was none before. Justin Bieber is doing it right with his red D&G pocket scarf.
Have fun experimenting with different colours! If black is "home", play it safe until you are ready to spread your wings and embrace some awesome patterns and colours :)

August Wish List.

With winter on it's way out (well in the southern hemisphere) and summer on it's way in, I stumbled upon these amazing pants and watches from ASOS. They are always having a sale so if you haven't been on to their website, I suggest you do.

Chinos are so versatile - warm in winter and cool in summer. Plus you can dress them up or down. I love jeans but recently I am really enjoying chinos, especially the different colours that they are available in.

My style varies a lot but mostly I prefer comfortable, trendy clothes with a hint of sexiness. I also prefer form fitting styles, hence anything skinny gets a nod from me. If I could just have one of these I would be very happy!

The pants I have chosen are pretty awesome and are excellent for all men but particularly tall slim/skinny men who often have difficulty finding pants that are long enough. The good news is that cropped pants are in right now, so even if you find the pants don't go all the way to the shoe, it's fine. Just give it a fold or two and instantly you'll be sporting a trend. 

Ben Sherman stainless steel. $64 / R680. 

ASOS skinny chinos. $32. / R340 

ASOS watch with compass face. $19 / R202. 

Jack & Jones $38 / R404.

Ben Sherman White Dial. $41 / R440. 

Religion Noize skinny jeans in true black. $71 / R750. 

Karl Lagerfeld chain watch. $412 / R4,400. 

Don't know if I would pay R620 for sweatpants, but these are very cool.

Native Youth sweatpants. $58 / R620.

Cropped and cuffed pants are definitely still in this season.

ASOS smart pants in twill. $36 / R380. 

ASOS three dial watch. $29 / R310. 

Criminal Damage super skinny jeans in wine red. $50 / R530. 

Asos watch $29 / R310. 

ASOS skinny chinos. $32 / R340. 

Asos denim sweatpants. $58 / R600.

More about ASOS and other online shopping websites in my next post.

ASOS website: www.asos.com

About me

Lover of life, fashion, photography and everything in between. 

Corporate Looks For The Modern Man

With summer around the corner, I started thinking about some really nice, put-together looks for the corporate man. There are two ways to approach this. First, you can take the monochromatic approach with neutral, basic tones such as black, white, grey etc. This is the safer option if you work in a very conservative environment. The second option is brightening up your look with pops of colour. I realize black is key in the corporate world, but that doesn't stop you from adding some colour. 

For a young, modern man in a conservative place of business it is often tricky to look stylish and fashionable without raising eyebrows among the more traditional (i.e.older) partners and directors. I have been dealing with this since I entered the working world. In fact just last Friday, my director told me that casual Fridays are reserved for jeans and company-branded t-shirts. If I don't, then I have to be formal. What a bummer... Anyway, there is a fine line between fitting in (as you need to) and subtly standing out (as you want to). 

Here are 4 tips to help you figure out your work style. Numbers 1 and 2 are pretty "safe" while 3 and 4 push the traditional boundaries a little bit more, mainly in terms of colour and design/pattern. 

1. Stick to the basics. 

If you are unsure about just how much colour to use, keep it simple with your basic blacks, whites and neutrals. Light colours work well together... 

...so do light and dark colours...

and dark colours on their own.

2. Take your shirt to another level. 

Make a statement with your shirt (or tie - see #3).

In the following 2 examples, we have the pop of colour on the bottom and the neutral basic colour on the top.

A bit more on the casual, street style but with a change of shoes and rolled down pants,
this could work for the office, too. 

3. Go big and bold with your shirt and tie combo. 

4. Take things even further with a killer shirt, tie and blazer trio.

If you absolutely have to wear a blazer, deviate from your traditional black suits and invest in something modern yet versatile.

Accessorize as you wish but always remember the clothes should speak the loudest if you intend on making a bold statement. You don't want to look like a Christmas tree, so as a guy, tone down on the frills, trims and accessories. In some cases, you can substitute your tie with a bow tie which add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your look especially if you have an after-work cocktail get-together.


Until next time,

Shauno.

Stacked Wrists

One of my favourite trends from the last few years (but more recently for men) is the stacked wrist - basically just combining your watch with your bracelets (or just bracelets alone) to create a bold, 'stacked' look.

Although this look is more often seen on women, more and more style-conscious men are embracing it. It may not be a ground-breaking fashion trend, but it is still fun and fresh.

A fun spin-off of the cuff bracelet - the idea is too keep your wrist(s) occupied.