Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette. In today's video, we're going to talk about 10
different ways for you to look effortlessly stylish without it being a chore to do so.
There are several people who almost always look great no matter when you see them. Now, you might
think of Steve McQueen, Cary Grant, Ryan Gosling, or Frank Sinatra when you think of someone who is
effortlessly stylish, and you also might think that it's near impossible for you to create that
kind of visual charisma without spending a ton of money or having your own personal stylist.
However, this is the furthest from the truth. Many of these men dressed themselves and made
their style an extension of their identity. And they did this by following a chain of principles,
which you can replicate in your own life. We've put together 10 tips for you to follow so that
you can find your own signature style, which will serve as an extension of yourself. Number one:
Understanding that dressing well is a skill you can develop. When you first start out on
your style journey, you might have a vague idea of what you want to achieve, but might be overwhelmed
by the amount of options and information made available to you. As oxymoronic as it might sound,
the more you study on how to dress well and make clear, deliberate decisions in how you look,
the easier it will come to you. It's not a magical trait that you are or are not born with.
Alike training a muscle, the more information you have on color theory, pattern matching,
pattern meshing, and the historical understanding of formality, you'll better understand how to
naturally put together a great outfit. If you'd like more information on these topics, check out
our videos and articles here. Once you understand the foundation of how to be well-dressed within
the principles of classic style, you'll start to develop an appreciation and a fondness for certain
articles of clothing. Number two: Take into account your personal lifestyle and goals. Now
once you understand what's classic and timeless, you need to then assess what kind of clothing
you'd actually include in your day-to-day life. And while owning a bunch of three-piece bespoke
suits is nice, it won't help much if you, for example, are a warehouse worker who almost never
gets an opportunity to wear them. However, you could also get a lot of mileage out of something
like Red Wing boots in this scenario. To learn more about these boots, check out our video here.
It's also important to understand why you're dressing well in the first place. Are you
looking to get an edge at work and want to present yourself in the most professional way as possible?
Are you doing it because it makes you feel good and it's a personal statement as to how you
respect others? Or is it a step on your journey in self-improvement? Now, once you have these points
locked down, it's important to then create a checklist of the things that you want to add
to your wardrobe that are going to be the most beneficial to you. Doing this prevents impulse
buying and ensures that you get the lowest cost per wear on what you decide to purchase. Number
three: Get the fit right before anything else. Now you can own the most high-quality clothing in the
world, but if it doesn't fit right, something will always look off about your appearance;
almost as if you don't look at home in your own clothing. An incorrect fit can throw
off your body's proportions and can give the appearance that you're either shorter, heavier,
taller, or thinner than you actually are. Now, this will kill any opportunity you have to look
effortlessly cool right out of the gate. Most often men will choose clothing that is far
too big for them because they want to appear broader than they actually are, or they want
to be the most comfortable. And while skinny fitting clothing can be just as unflattering,
understanding what works best for your body type will save you a lot of frustration and heartache.
Now, to learn why most modern clothing doesn't flatter most men and to find out what works best
for your body type, check out our video here. Number four: Buy the nicest quality clothing you
can afford. Once you get the fit down, you can earn bonus points by picking up clothing of the
nicest materials and construction. Now, one of the best examples of this is with dress shoes.
Having a shoe with a blank stitch or Goodyear welt along with great calfskin will always be
more eye-catching as opposed to having a shoe that is poorly made, which will fall apart in around
a year. Quality clothing not only looks nicer in subtle ways, it also lasts longer and will
appear more lived in. Having a shoe patina and cork molding that's unique to you, for example,
will make them feel more lived in and almost like a second skin every time you wear them. Now,
this will also help you create your own uniform as you'll start to have your own signature articles
of clothing every time you get dressed. Certain construction methods will also enhance fit in ways
that a cheaper product can never replicate. Now, canvassing in a jacket will mold to your body and
will drape better over time as opposed to a fused jacket. Now, while you should never spend above
your means, it's important to remember that you should focus on fewer pieces of greater quality,
rather than many things of lower quality which are probably going to just get discarded anyway.
These also aren't necessarily name brand clothes as most designers have inferior construction
methods and sell mostly off of their own name recognition. Now, having an eye for
what constitutes a well-made piece of clothing will help you both save money and stay away from
overly logoed clothing, which makes you look like you're just trying too hard. Number five: Stick to
neutral and versatile pieces of clothing, at least when creating your foundational wardrobe. You also
want to pick up clothing that will be able to be paired with as many outfits as possible.
And while a white dress shirt and a navy blazer aren't the most exciting things on their own,
they can easily be included with other outfits and other accessories to create a more bold statement,
if you so choose. Knowing that everything that you own is interchangeable saves you the stress
from having to match, if you're not one who likes to plan outfits.
And nothing screams effortless more than putting together a clean outfit in a matter of seconds.
Now, this only works if you choose articles of clothing that are neutral by design. Now,
having a wardrobe that is primarily consisting of white, blue, navy, gray, brown, and khaki
is both masculine and a refined choice. And these are all colors that, for the most part,
can always go together. To learn a little more about this concept, check out our video here.
Number six: Practice wearing your clothing. When you start to get nicer clothing, you'll
be stepping out of your comfort zone and might not feel quite yet comfortable in wearing them.
The best way to fix this is to get into the habit of wearing them. And whether it's around the house
or when out running errands, just to get into the habit of doing them so that when it's time to wear
them you can do so effortlessly at work or at an event. Now, while you should always take care
of your clothing, it's important to not baby them and be overly paranoid about ruining your clothes.
For example, when Sean Connery was cast as James Bond, he was advised to get a suit
made on Savile Row and wear it at all times. Now, while Connery expressed that he didn't feel like
himself at first, the more he wore it, the more it became an extension of him. Now, he's one of
the go-to examples as to how to effortlessly wear a suit well. Now, to learn more about Bond style,
check out our video here. Number seven: Keep your closet organized, and do your clothing maintenance
ahead of time. Even if your clothing is versatile, it won't matter if it's a wrinkled mess or if you
can't find it five minutes before you have to head out of the door. Being proactive about how
you store and care for your clothing will save you a lot of time and stress in the long run.
And learn more about how to care for your clothes, check out our videos here. You can also practice
habits like setting out your clothes the night before, if you're not much of a morning person.
Preparation eases the mind and it makes you more confident that things will go smoothly,
and this will give you the demeanor of someone who's in control without trying too hard.
Number eight: Don't be afraid to experiment once you have the basics. Once you have all
of your essentials covered, now it's time to start fine-tuning your style and finding your
personal flair. Is there a particular style you prefer over another? For example, double-breasted
jackets over a single-breasted jacket or bow ties over neckties. This is where you can start to
fine-tune those style differences. Try to go for brighter and bolder colors than what you would
normally choose. As opposed to buying something in navy, try buying something in royal blue instead.
Throughout this process, you'll find your own quirks that will help you differentiate yourself
within the guidelines of classic men's style and help you develop a style that looks best
to your personality. Now, this will make you even more comfortable in your outfits and that
ease will give off a laid-back elegance, which will attract other people to you. Number nine:
Stay open-minded about style. There isn't just one right way to be stylish. Now, at this point, you
might find yourself feeling like you're on a bit of a plateau on your style journey. Now, to avoid
feeling like your style is stale and stagnant, it's important to follow people whose style you
respect. Following them can give you outfit combinations that maybe you didn't think of,
and this can also expand your repertoire with a second opinion. Having a community of like-minded
people can help your journey feel less lonely. The beauty of the internet is that it has connected
like-minded people around the world who otherwise maybe would not have met. While your style journey
might only be consisting of you and your personal life, having a group of like-minded people can
help keep you held accountable and motivated. Now, at the end of the day, clothing is still
just clothing. While it can make a difference in your day-to-day life, it's important to not
take it so seriously so that the process isn't fun anymore. Don't be afraid to make mistakes
as everyone has at one point. Realize that it's not the end of the world and don't be
afraid to laugh at yourself a little bit. Now to learn more about mistakes even Raphael has made,
check out our video here. Now, this live and let live attitude will exude off of you and put
people at ease. And by proxy will make you seem smoother and cooler in how you present yourself.
Now, today, I'm wearing a dark grey sportcoat with blue and gray checks over the top,,
a burgundy-based Fort Belvedere pocket square with some unique blue and green flecks of color inside.
I also have on a Merino wool, gray turtleneck sweater, dark wash jeans, some really dark
green boots, and a pair of gold and burgundy shadow stripe socks also from Fort Belvedere.
For accessories like the pocket square and socks you see today, check out the Fort Belvedere shop.