Everything About Men’s Style That Guys Must Learn

Learning about men’s style is important for you to look good and feel confident.

Contrary to popular belief, dressing well is not just a woman’s responsibility.

It’s just as important for guys like you to have basic knowledge of men’s style not only for special occasions but also for everyday comfort and presentation. Through your clothes, you can express yourself and exude the energy you need to achieve your goals.

After all, even gentlemen deserve to look and feel good about themselves.

Men’s Style for Various Dress Codes

Though fashion is largely subjective, being part of society means following certain norms and expectations. This includes the way you dress and style yourself.

Dress codes often depend on the nature of an event, where the venue is, and who you’ll be rubbing shoulders with. These guidelines aim to create the right atmosphere and even promote safety. In some instances, a dress code can either reflect social hierarchy or give people equal opportunities and encourage a sense of belonging.

One of the most common ways of categorizing dress codes for men is according to the level of formality.

Formal

Formal social events encompass more than exclusive get-togethers for the rich and famous. They can also be a chance for you to showcase your elegance and sophistication.

The highest class of formal wear in Western dress code is for white-tie events. They typically involve elaborate ceremonies, royal affairs, and diplomatic or international meetings. Members of the military and other servicemen are usually expected to wear their mess dress or full dress uniform.

Unless there is a specific attire required for certain ceremonies, there are standard rules for men’s style when it comes to the most formal of occasions.

White-tie events require you to wear white bow ties, preferably hand-tied. The jacket should be a black evening tailcoat with peaked lapels over a white evening dress shirt, and your pants must also be black, often high-waisted. You should wear mother-of-pearl cufflinks and studs as well, capped off with black, patent leather shoes.

For the accessories, you have the option of donning a black top hat and white leather gloves. You can also carry a pocket watch and a walking stick.

A slightly less formal but otherwise still elaborate dress code is for the black-tie event. It’s more common and gives you more freedom in terms of style.

Here, you can get away with a tuxedo or dinner jacket with your pants. Your bow tie should be black, followed by a cummerbund or vest. The rest of your attire remains largely the same, only you now have more choices for your cufflinks.

Some occasions like typical weddings, galas, and award ceremonies can also go for a black-tie optional dress code, which means you are requested to follow the guidelines for a black-tie event but without the pressure of actually following everything to the letter.

Instead of a tux and a bow tie, for example, you can go for a suit and a dark necktie to go with your outfit.

The right formal or semi-formal style for men can make all the difference in your attire.

Business

Aside from highbrow gatherings, another setting for strict dress codes is the workplace.

Most kinds of business attire are considered a semi-formal style for men compared to the previous examples. They are commonly implemented in corporate and professional settings.

A business formal attire is usually a white shirt with a suit jacket, tie, pants, and shoes that are all dark in color. Most men go for black and shades of navy or gray.

With a men’s business style or business professional dress code, you usually lose the jacket, while in business casual, the preferred attire is short sleeves with a collar but without a tie.

Casual

The next set of dress codes allows you to prepare casual men’s outfits for more laidback sorts of places and occasions.

First on the list, something more closely related to business attire, is smart casual.

Some men’s style preferences for this still include a jacket and tie. But instead of dark tones, you have more freedom to pick and choose your color palette. The same goes for your pants, which can also be classic trousers, chinos, or even jeans.

The shoes are typically closed for a smart casual dress code, and you can choose between dress shoes, loafers, sneakers, and boots.

When it comes to casual fashion for men, comfort and convenience are top priorities. A true casual attire is more relaxed than smart casual. You can opt for short-sleeved dress shirts or collared tees in any color.

Even casual fashion for men will look great on guys who have great taste in clothes.

Street Style

The last category of men’s style includes clothes that a lot of guys typically wear every day.

It’s less a dress code and more a personal preference or fashion statement. Popular among Millenials and Gen Z, it also reflects influences from urban communities and other subcultures.

Street style for men features a lot of loose-fitting clothes like oversized t-shirts, hoodies and track pants. Denim jackets and baseball caps are also prominent, along with chain accessories that are primarily gold or silver.

Men’s Style for Hair

A complete look involves more than just your clothes. It also takes into account the way you style your hair.

How a guy wears his crowning glory can say a lot about who he is and what he has to offer. It’s also one of the first things other people, particularly women, notice about a man.

Hairstyle

There are a lot of factors to consider when choosing hairstyles for men. You have to think about the shape of your face, the type or texture of your hair, your lifestyle, and even your personality.

A popular choice for short hair is a buzz cut or a military haircut. It looks good on most men but is considered the best option for those with angular features and evenly proportioned faces.

Another common style is a fade haircut, where the hair is longer on top and gradually becomes shorter as it goes down the sides and back, creating a “faded” effect. It works for almost any face shape or hair type since it’s versatile and clean.

An undercut is also similar to a fade in that there is a difference in hair length on top compared to the bottom part of a man’s head. But unlike a fade haircut where there is a progression, the contrast is sharper in an undercut. While it looks good on a lot of people, it may also emphasize the face shape of guys with round faces and soften those with more angular facial features.

For men with longer hair, it’s often less about the cut and more about the arrangement or which direction their hair is pointing to.

You need to find your natural cowlick to determine the best place to part your hair. If it spirals clockwise, you can part your hair on the left. A counter-clockwise spiral means you’ll look better with your hair parted on the right.

A side part is a timeless hairstyle that also works great for a lot of men. It’s elegant and gives the impression of a sophisticated gentleman.

If you want your long hair slicked back, do take note that it’s a style that is more flattering on men with naturally straight hair. Guys with curly hair can instead go for a textured crop, a curly ponytail with undercut, or a classic afro.

The best men’s style when it comes to hair is also about having the right attitude. It doesn’t matter if you have the perfect cut for the shape of your face if you’re not confident about the hair that you have.

There’s an art to figuring out which hairstyles for men will look best on you.

Mustache and Beard

Hairy men also need to take care of their facial hair if they want to work on their overall appearance.

While clean shaven is considered a universally neat and professional look, there are advantages to a well-maintained and appropriately styled mustache and beard.

The trick to a good mustache is proper grooming. Make sure to regularly trim it to maintain its shape and length. It can cover your upper lip, but it shouldn’t be on your mouth.

A mustache should also complement your face. It has to be balanced and shouldn’t be too distracting that it takes all the attention away from the rest of your face.

When it comes to beard styles for men, the same principles that you use for head hairstyles apply. You need to factor in the shape of your face, your ability to grow the right kind of hair for the beard you want, and your disposition.

If you want just enough facial hair to look distinctive without the hassle of a full beard, you can always grow and maintain a stubble. It’s said to work best with square and heart-shaped faces, but the trick is to have well-defined edges.

For longer beards, you need to make sure that you can grow enough hair that your beard will look balanced. An oval face is arguably the best for different kinds of long beards, while a round face can benefit from a beard that adds length and character.

Most of the time, you won’t identify the right mustache and beard for you unless you see it on your face. As such, you can experiment with the length and style of your facial hair until you find one that works best for you.

Men’s Style for All Seasons

A good sense of fashion and style also considers the environment.

To look your best, you sometimes have to think about how hot it is outside or how much natural light is available depending on the current season. The last thing you want is to be overdressed or unprepared for the weather, wasting the effort you made into putting your outfit together.

Seasonal fashion trends are often characterized by colors that match the surroundings and materials that are comfortable to wear.

Men’s spring style allows you to experiment with more colors and designs.

Spring and Summer

Men’s spring style is all about lighter shades and lighter fabric. Since the cold season is coming to an end, you need to make sure that your clothes are less cozy and more breathable.

You can finally go back to wearing your t-shirts and shorts during this time. Good polos, which are usually hot, can also make a comeback in the spring. Any cotton, linen, or silk pieces in your wardrobe will now take the spotlight.

Aside from shorts, you can also go for chinos or cargo pants if you need to dress up. Floral patterns and pastel colors are also great choices for your shirts if you need to go somewhere fancy and be stylish.

Similarly, button downs and other cotton shirts are just as popular for the summer season.

Since it’s hotter in these months, you can get away with fewer layers and more skin. Linen and cotton are still your friends in terms of material, along with other fabrics like rayon and chambray.

A lot of summer trends for men’s style focus on comfort and practicality. You can look for sleeveless tops if you’re going for casual and airy dress shirts if you need to cover up.

Just like in springtime, the colors you’ll need to prioritize are either bright or neutral. You’ll also want clothes that are durable but still easy to move in.

Fall and Winter

With the cooler days come the return of clothes made out of wool, fleece, and tweed.

Men’s autumn style, in particular, is famous for layering and outfits that anticipate warm days followed by chilly evenings with possible rain in between. As the temperature continues to drop and nature prepares for snow, you have to be ready with appropriate clothes.

Popular choices for the fall season include flannel shirts and turtlenecks. While you can wear denim and leather even during spring and summer, they are much more sensible options for the cold seasons since they are good insulators and can keep you warm.

Many guys also start wearing sweaters and cardigans this time of year, featuring earthy colors like brown, orange, and dark yellow.

Layering is even more important during winter, when you need more clothes to ward away the cold.

The first layer should focus on moisture control. Go for fabrics that absorb sweat and regulate your body temperature like polyester and merino wool. Your second layer, on the other hand, is for insulation. A good fleece jacket is not only stylish but also perfect for retaining heat.

The third layer of clothes is both for weather protection and presentation. It shields you from the elements and is also the first thing people see of your outfit. Look for waterproof and windproof jackets that are long-lasting but also nice to look at.

Winter colors lean more toward dark and cool tones, like black and dark shades of blue, gray, and red.

Men’s style for winter and fall is the same when it comes to pants, shoes, and accessories. Protection from the weather is top priority, so choice of fabric and material must be consistent.

As for shoes, you can never go wrong with a great pair of boots. Find a balance between fashionable and sturdy, so pick waterproof ones that are in the color that matches the rest of your attire.

If you don’t need winter boots, you can also go for winter sneakers or hiking boots that are slip resistant.

Even the cold can’t stop you from looking good when you know the best men’s style for winter.

Keeping up With the Latest Trends in Men’s Style

You don’t always have to keep up with current style trends just to be able to say that you’re an expert on fashion.

In fact, a basic understanding of what looks good on you, what’s appropriate to wear for a certain occasion, and what best reflects who you are is pretty much all you need to have a firm grasp on men’s style.

Sure, it’s nice to know what clothes and colors are considered currently popular, but most people’s sartorial choices are down to personal preferences. After all, you also need to like the clothes you’re wearing.

Fashion magazines and online style blogs are good resources for updates on the most relevant fashion trends. You can also go to your local clothes shop and other boutiques to see what’s new in the industry.

As long as you have a good idea of who you are and how you want to present yourself to the world, it won’t take long for you to develop a personal style that will work anytime and anywhere.