Look, I get it, growing up is hard. You have to start paying bills, begin finding a job, and a number of other things that can be lumped into the category of “adulting.” Perhaps one of the most important aspects of that adulting process is changing the way you dress, of which can only be viewed one of two ways: neutral or distracting. That’s right, nowhere in that description is there an option that insinuates that you look dope, fresh, tight, or any other word you can scheme up that insinuates looking “cool.” Subsequently, deciding how to dress is really more of a matter of common sense than anything else. Here’s 5 tips to help make that common sense just a little more common.
Shoes
You remember that box of stuff that you decided not to bring with you to college because you didn’t have any more room in your car? Well somewhere in that box should have been the majority of your Jordans, tennis shoes, and yes, even your Sperry’s. Unless you’re headed to the gym, there’s rarely a functional reason to be wearing basketball or tennis shoes to class. Likewise, despite how “frat” they are, there’s a good chance your boat shoes will go unneeded in the land locked state of Indiana. For a casual look that can go with any outfit, stick to loafers, drivers, or leather boots when the weather warrants them.
Pants
Sweatpants are cool if you plan on binge-watching Netflix at home all day. But when it comes to going to class or going out in public in general, your checkered flannel pajamas are best left at home. And unless your career aspirations include working at Abercrombie & Fitch or The Buckle, your “distressed” and – for lack of a better word – bedazzled jeans should probably be retired after graduating high-school. Standard-wash jeans, chinos, or dress slacks are typically all you should be wearing as an adult.
Shirts
As a general rule of thumb, if your shirt has a message intended to be read on the front of it, you shouldn’t be wearing it to class. Trust me when I say that no one believes you when your shirt reads “Eat. Sleep. Rage. Repeat.” Likewise, as cool as those shirts are that you get for $3 on Thursdays, a tank top that reads “KOKs out for Harambe” probably isn’t making the best impression on your professors and peers. Remember, your clothing is either neutral or distracting. Keep it neutral with plain T-shirts, button downs, or a collared shirt.
Accessories
Accessories – belts, watches, etc – are perhaps the least important part of your outfit, yet the easiest thing to get wrong. Nothing looks tackier than black shoes with a brown belt or vice versa. Now this doesn’t mean you need to go out and color match every pair of shoes you own to a new belt, but as a general rule of thumb you should try to match your leathers. When it comes to dressing your wrist, less is typically more. Feel free to wear your favorite watch, fitbit, or other similar item on a daily basis, but leave the endless wristbands and anything that even slightly resembles a “silly band” in your box of childhood memories.
Brands
The brands we choose to wear are perhaps one of the strongest acts of self-expression we display on a daily basis. Subsequently, I’m not here to tell you what brands you should and shouldn’t wear. However, like many things in life, your branding should be a fine-tuned balancing act. On one hand, your Hollister T’s should be left at home – read: donated to goodwill – while on the other hand, you shouldn’t be walking into class looking like you just signed a head-to-toe endorsement deal with Ralph Lauren. Likewise, the majority of your peers aren’t going to appreciate or even recognize your Gucci or Louis Vuitton loafers, so your money is better spent – or a shocking concept, saved – on other things.
So there you have it, five common sense, yet all too often overlooked tips on how to dress like a man in a school full of boys. Keep your dress neutral, and let your words and actions be the expression of your self, not your clothes.
