Mallory Sills is a Chicago-based personal stylist and Fashion Styling tutor at QC Makeup Academy. Today, Mallory talks holiday styling for the office professional!
As a personal fashion stylist, working with men can be a great way to grow your business. Gone are the days of it being taboo for a male to genuinely care about his appearance, particularly his wardrobe. In many cases, when a man is seeking the assistance of a personal stylist, it is because he genuinely wants the help of an expert like you. Since you are the expert, he will take your advice wholeheartedly. This is where working with men differs (more often than not) from women. They trust your expertise on style more readily. Men aren’t (typically) as hard on themselves as women, often adding to their trust in experts.
Some argue there aren’t as many options in men’s fashion as there are in women’s. But that’s started to change significantly, giving men more and more brand and retail options to choose from. Just like working with a female client, it’s essential that you spend some time getting to know your male client. Find out what his style goals are, what he struggles with, etc. In other words, communication is key, whether you’re working with a male or female. If a male is seeking the help of an expert, he wants you to fully communicate where he’s going wrong in his style choices and what needs to happen to improve.
Patterns and statement pieces are a great way to style a unique outfit. However, wearing too many in one outfit is a common mistake a see men making. Whether it’s wearing too many bold accessories, mixing too many prints, or even wearing too many layers – it can be overpowering. More isn’t always better. I recommend choosing 1-2 focal points of an outfit and working around those to prevent overstyling.
Trousers that are too long can ruin an otherwise great look. You will know trousers are too long when they bunch up at the ankle. Not only do too-long trousers make an outfit look less polished, but it isn’t the most flattering to a figure.
Similar to trousers that are too long, baggy shirts and jackets can completely alter a male’s overall look. Baggy shirts, in particular, are one of the most common style mistakes men make. In essence, proper fit is crucial to menswear for style and figure-flattering purposes.
Tie bars have grown to become a big accessory option for men. Not only are they a fun way to accessorize, but they are also functional and help keep ties in place. The mistake many men make with tie bars is misplacing them. First of all, tie bars should not take up the entire width of a tie. Second of all, the tie bar should generally be placed between the 2nd and 3rd button on the shirt. Any lower or higher and it tends to look awkward.
Let me preface this by saying that not all square-toe shoes are mistakes for men’s style. What I’m talking about here is a square-toe dress shoe worn with a suit. This shoe style instantly dates a male and his wardrobe. Round- or slightly pointed-toe dress shoes are much more classic and offer a modern aesthetic to the look. Shoes can be an area where men go wrong rather often, but they’re important to completing his look!
As you have probably gathered, fit is incredibly important in men’s fashion. Fit also applies to ties. Not all ties are created equal, and not all flatter every male. Ties that are too long or too short can create an awkward look to the overall outfit. Typically, the ideal placement for the end of a tie is where the belt is (or would be). This offers a flattering, sophisticated appearance. The width of the tie can also have an effect on how a tie complements (or doesn’t complement) an outfit. Ties that are too wide tend to look outdated, primarily because they are. The ideal width of a tie is 2.25” or 3.25”.
Socks have become a way for men to accessorize their outfits. While you don’t always see a lot of a man’s sock, wearing the wrong socks is a common style mistake. The most common sock mistake I see is men wearing athletic socks when they aren’t at the gym or wearing athletic shoes. Even if a man isn’t into all the colorful sock options, athletic socks are a no-no with dress shoes.
If you don’t have a lot of experience in men’s fashion now, I suggest going shopping with any male friends or family members in your life. Research brands and fits. Immerse yourself in learning as much as possible about men’s fashion. And just like with anything, as you gain more experience and knowledge, you will become just as confident working with men as you do women.
Any other cringe-worthy men’s fashion mistakes we missed? Leave us a comment!