Dapper dudes I

Everyone has had a moment in their lifetime where they looked at all the clothes in their closet and thought “I have nothing to wear.” There are many feminine fashion inspiration outlets, but fewer masculine fashion advice columns. For all the blokes out there who are not sure what to wear, now introducing, ‘Dapper Dudes’. 

For the first lesson to becoming a Dapper Dude, a person must establish the basics to looking good and feeling good with what they are wearing. By having confidence in one’s own clothing, and feeling good in one’s own skin, a person can maximize his or her look. Clothes that look good and provide confidence do not have to be purchased new. There are many secondhand thrift shops where one can purchase cheap and unique clothing that can fit anyone’s personal style. Purchasing clothing secondhand is a smart way to try out multiple different looks to find what suits oneself. Trying out new looks is essential to find what fits one’s personality, because fashion is a way of expressing oneself for others to observe.  

For that awkward time between summer and fall, khakis and a short-sleeved button up are comfortable and have a pleasant appearance. This look pairs well with the French tuck, a way of subtly tucking a shirt into the front of pants/shorts and leaving it untucked in the back. By utilizing the French tuck, the look is neither too preppy nor sloppy. Dressing this look up with a subtle loafer, boat shoes, or even a casual boot is simple and practical. Adding a pair of sneakers would dress this look down quite well, converse or vans could potentially work with the outfit. 

There are many different outfits a person can make based on one original outfit. For the previously mentioned outfit, one can substitute colored khakis for plain ones and add a little flare to the look. Colored khakis look nice when worn with a patterned button up that has the color of the khaki in the pattern. Another option for colored khakis is limiting the outfit to three colors. If one were to wear a button up with two different colors, a third color could be introduced with khakis.  

Another way to wear this look would be adding a simple bomber jacket or cardigan to the look. The bomber added to the look gives off a more laid back, chill presence whereas the cardigan gives off a distinguished, studious vibe. Adding and blending different materials and textures can improve a simple look by making it more unique and individual to one specific person. 

Currently, different places to look for male fashion inspiration are Queer Eye (Netflix reboot series 2018) and Scout Dry Goods and Trade. Queer Eye is a television series featuring five men that travel around the southern US consulting different men on ways to improve their lives. Queer Eye focuses on five different parts of life, and one of the five specialties is fashion. Tan France is the fashion expert on the show and he helps men to find styles that work for them. Scout is a local thrift store located in the Dundee area that buys and sells men’s and women’s clothing. Scout employees have clothing racks around the store featuring very different looks that they compile from the clothing in the store. Inspiration can be found in Scout from the different employee’s personal tastes and different clothing that is found around the store.  

Finding a look that is personal and fits with one’s persona becomes easier when a person searches for different influences. Patterns, moods, music, celebrities, and so many other common things can be inspiring for choices made in fashion! Caring about one’s appearance and feeling good about what oneself is wearing will make a person more confident. Confidence generates positivity coming from oneself and others, which is why putting effort into one’s appearance is important.