One of the biggest issues for today’s man is how to dress well.  It’s easy to throw on some ragged jeans and a white tee to get through the day, but what does that say about you as a person?  It says you don’t care.  About anything.  If you can’t put effort into the simple process of getting dressed, women are going to wonder what else you don’t put effort into.  Every man knows how to dress up in a tux or a nice suit for a wedding; however, many men need to learn that cargo shorts and a sleeveless shirt is dressing down.  You need a style, and this guide is here to give it to you.

Style 1: The Graduate

The Graduate wakes up, checks his schedule and realizes he’s got a tee time this afternoon with his frat brothers from Yale.  After that, he’s on his way to the Bar exam, and he’s only going to miss one question because, as he’ll point out to the test makers later, the answer was incorrect.  But right now he’s donating to his new favorite charity he just read about in the WSJ.  After that, he’s jogging to the gym where he gets in a quick workout with the rowing club.  When his round of golf and drinks is over, he has a social dinner with New York’s largest law firm to arrange the addition of his name to their list of partners.  This man is a networking guru, and everyone knows it.

Who sells it: Ralph Lauren, Burberry Prorsum, J Press, Nautica, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo,  J Press, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Aeropostale, Holister, McGregor

Style 2: The Gentleman

On this man’s worst day, he pulls off white linen pants.  On his best, he’s on the cover of GQ next to DiCaprio and Clooney.  Master of clothing and fashion, he shapes his very life around what he is wearing, and so does everyone else.  He’s got more fly than all the zippers in the world put together.  He never has to move anyone out of his way – his swagger does it for him.  At the end of the day, he has his pick of women – and he takes all of them.

Who sells it: Armani, Gucci, J Crew, Banana Republic, Express, Hugo Boss, Diesel, Hermes
 

Style 3: The Sponsored

Work hard, play hard, right?  Not quite – this man’s job is to play hard.  The world is his playground and it’s never quite big enough.  For this man, there is always time for one more.  Mountain not high enough?  Drop in from a helicopter.  Air not big enough?  Piggyback a Ferrari.  Hundred foot wave not challenging enough?  Do it backwards.  Blindfolded.  This guy pushes everything to the absolute limit, flips Death the bird, and says nothing is impossible.

Who sells it: Quicksilver, Vans, Volcom, DC, Billabong, Hurley, RVCA, Burton, K2

Style 4: The Executive

At two years old, this man won his first game of Monopoly, and never lost again.  At eight, he was forced to apply for a business license for his lemonade stand.  At fourteen, he bought stock in Microsoft before Bill Gates was even out of his garage.  At eighteen, he threw away all of his clothes except for his custom tailored suits.  As an adult, this man gets paid to play golf because he’s CEO of seven out of the ten largest corporations in the world, and he’s buying the other three as he sinks his birdie putt.  He could sell beef jerky to a vegetarian at twice the price, and then buy it back at 10%.  His closet contains only suits of the grey, navy, or black persuasion.  His clothes represent power, not flashiness, and his pocket square demands respect.

Who sells it: Van Heusen, Brooks Brothers, Joseph A Bank

Style 5: The Olympian

The Olympian is the paragon of fitness.  After being born with six-pack abs, the doctor’s theorized he was doing sit-ups in the womb.  They were right.  Every morning this man drinks his protein shake as he runs sprints, reads the paper while doing push-ups, and rides his stationary bike to relax before going to the gym.  What does he do at the gym, you ask?  Everything.  He’s toned muscles that don’t exist.  His eyelids are buff.  The clothes he wears are meant for sweat and determination, and he’s got plenty of both.

Who sells it: Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Puma, REI, Oakley, Reebok, Mizuno…

Style 6: The Urbanite

Everything about this man screams individuality.  His goal in life is to build an empire, and he’s well on his way.  When he gives his sixteen bars to a track, his words cut so deep they can’t fit on a CD.  He never writes lyrics down, but his freestyle is so sick no one notices.  He never wears the same outfit twice – in fact, he never wears anything twice.  He gets his Jordan’s before Michael does.  He has to schedule autograph signings into his daily routine.  He doesn’t just own clubs, he owns cities.  Most of all, he takes on the world, and he wins.

Who sells it: Akademiks, COOGI, Ecko, Mecca, New Era, Rocawear, Sean John, Southpole, Timberland

Style 7: The Wrangler

From the dirty work boots to the oversized pick-up, this is a man’s man.  The sharpest razor can’t get rid of his five o’clock shadow, and bleach couldn’t even get the dirt from his fingernails.  He doesn’t buy things, only tools to build what he needs.  For dinner, he eats an entire cow, and then goes back for seconds.  He doesn’t drink a six-pack while he watches his sport of choice – he drinks a keg.  The color pink is out of his visual spectrum, unless it’s frilly, see through, and on a stripper.  The clothes he wears are built purely for function.  His ‘style’ is durability and comfort, no matter what he looks like.

Who sells it: True Religion, Wrangler, Levi’s, Guess, Eddie Bauer, L.L. Bean, Calvin Klein, Gap

Style 8: The Avant-Garde

The definition of marching to the beat of your own drum, this man is an enigma.  He will wear whatever he feels like wearing, and it will look good.  Not just good – impressive.  There is a solid chance everything he wears is a different color and pattern, even if it is all different shades of khaki.  His can of cheap beer accentuates his beard every time they meet.  He knows what music is good, and lets everyone in on the secret.  His favorite outfits are handmade crosses that cost mere pocket change at a thrift store down the block.  His style is retro, because his horn-rimmed glasses say so, but he adds his own spin on the past because he knows it’s cool before anyone else does.

Who sells it: American Apparel, H&M, Zara, Urban Outfitters, Consignment Stores, Thrift Stores

Every man deserves to know he looks good, but that doesn’t mean he needs to look like someone else.  Your clothing should match your personality, and hopefully these eight descriptions of how to dress well will help you realize your style potential.  Don’t be afraid to walk into a store and ask for help – it is their job to find what you’re looking for, and chances are they know more about clothes than you do.  Most of all, be confident in what you’re wearing – that will take you further than you think.