When you’re young, you can get away with wearing all kinds of different style items because people don’t have high expectations. But as you mature and age, you can’t wear the same things you did when you were younger. I want to cover some of those items.
Ditch these to transform from a boy to a man
- Fake leather. Whether it’s shoes, belts, jackets, or otherwise, fake leather sucks. Real leather doesn’t cost that much more, and it lasts longer.
- Beat-up sneakers. Dirty shoes should be tossed.
- Casual sneakers with everything. Upgrade and elevate your casual shoe game to separate yourself from the boys.
- Bright colors and loud patterns. Boys will wear those, but men will not. Tone down coloring to look more mature, rugged, and sexy. Incorporate some color, but opt for softer and more muted shades. Bright reds, yellows, and blues are youthful and make you look bigger. Bright colors reflect light.
- Stripes. Stripes also will make you look like a 12-year-old boy. Wear smaller and more subtle patterns to look more refined.
- Oversized clothing. Big and baggy clothing can be stylish if you’re young. If you’re going with the oversized trend and you’re an adult, you’re not maximizing your aesthetic. Wear clothing that fits your body. But you don’t want things to be too tight. You need strategically snug clothing targeting the chest and arms.
- Poor-fitting pants. Tight pants are a deal-breaker, and baggy pants will make you look short and dumpy. Make sure you wear clothing that fits your body.
- Little boy fragrance. No self-respecting man wears a body spray. He also doesn’t wear the same fragrance that his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend wore. Find a fragrance that’s unique and not overpowering.
- Massive belt buckles. Do not wear huge belt buckles, even if they’re Gucci. Do not wear over-the-top belts either. Anson Belt & Buckle is what you should opt for all day, every day. Check out my murdered-out Anson.
- Cheap suits. Adult men do not wear cheap suits. Understand that it doesn’t have to be expensive but needs to fit properly. Do not wear weird colors with thin lapels. There’s a huge difference in suit construction and quality, so I recommend Suit Supply. You can find them for $400 to $500; they will fit you better and look more elegant.
- Baseball hats. Don’t wear any dirty baseball hats. Yes, wearing them backward will make you more youthful, but I’m softening my opinion on not wearing them backward. Do not ever wear them to one side, however. That looks horrible.
- Board shorts. No self-respective man will wear board shorts. These come down past the knee and are inappropriate. Swimwear should be 5 to 7 in, maybe 8 in max. But if shorts come down and touch your knee, it’s absolutely a deal breaker.
- Cargo shorts. No man wears cargo shorts that are big and baggy.
- Crossbody bags. Younger dudes wear these, but adult dudes don’t. Adult dudes also don’t wear fanny packs.
- String backpacks. Little boys use these, but men don’t.
- Pink and blue hair. There’s an epidemic of guys thinking it’s a great idea to dye their hair a weird color. If you’re trying to express yourself, that’s fine. But if you want to be respected by other people and viewed as a responsible man, don’t do it.
- Facial piercings & tattoos. Some guys can get away with it, but they are the badass type who doesn’t care or give a crap. They must have jobs and careers that these piercings and tattoos don’t matter. But most of us need to be respected by others.
- Offensive graphic t-shirts or socks. If you have clothing with pot leaves on it, you’re an idiot. It’s not funny. If you want to offend everybody, go for it. But if you want to be respected and revered as a man who is confident and responsible, do not wear immature crap.
- Immature ties. An adult dude should never wear these.
- Headphones. If you’re rocking these all the time, it’s not a good look.
- Tech watch. No self-respecting adult dude rocks a tech watch.
- Glasses that suck. Glasses matter, and they can elevate your appearance. Upgrade them.
- No restraint with accessorizing. An aspect that separates men from boys is restraint regarding accessorizing. Young dudes will overdo it with too many items. Less is more. For one watch, a ring or two, a chain, and that’s it.
- Suit bling. Tie bars, tie pins, lapel flowers, and pocket squares are items that men don’t wear. They do not wear a matching tie and pocket square combos. It’s just a fact. Seeing this lets me know a guy has zero clue about style.
- Mom picked it out. A man never wears clothing his dad’s girlfriend, mother, or grandmother bought him. It doesn’t look good.
