The Basics of Style
Introduction
On this forum, i've read quite a bit about how people say that clothing doesn't really mean sh!t, but i would disagree.
Maybe what i've read is actually a minority and many of you guys are into clothing taste and the like, and this post is a giant waste, but i digress...most high schoolers are unstylish, but it wouldn't surprise me if you guys are...
A lot of posts on the other hand say "Dress well" without really giving a clue as to how to do it. Not very helpful in the end
Alongside changing up my attitude this year, i've also worked a lot on my style. On that note, i'd say my style is a lot better off than my game, but anyhow...
Halfway through the year now, i just wanted to say that i would recommend you all work on your style and appearance if you haven't.
Last year, i was no DJ by any means, but i wasn't a giant douchebag either. For style, i suppose, i was one of the many kids who had exactly the opposite: no style. I had a rotation of a week of clothes that i would wear each week, and none of the shirts were particularly interesting, bold, or said anything about me.
At the start of this year, i found you guys, and i also resolved to work on my clothing and appearance. I don't have much money to spend, but i scrounged what i could and bought things that weren't necessarily expensive. I slowly phased out my old clothes (not that that was hard...) and replaced my wardrobe completely. I still don't have that many clothes, but its a lot more and all "fit" me and are unique.
Now, i know that it really has made a big impact. Ignoring the fact that i was completely unnotable for style last year, i now am probably one of the most stylish kids in the school. I don't talk about it or anything obviously, but i know that my reputation has spread around as "stylish." A lot of guys always comment in joking ways on my clothes, which is essentially just a direct compliment, but most guys are uncomfortable saying "You look really nice" to another guy. A lot of girls have told me as well, straight up, that i'm really stylish. This year, i've started to get approached by random girls in places like the mall or movies over friends who i would consider better looking than me in raw looks. How i handle these girls is a story of sad failure, but hey!
So, that was a bit long of an intro, but some things i wanted to tell you guys...
Style
I don't want to delve into style itself so much as giving a basic outline of what it is and what it isn't, and why you should do it.
Here are some things style is not
-Style is NOT about wearing the latest clothes you see in the display case at the mall
-Style is NOT about wearing the most expensive clothing you can buy without auctioning off your house
-Style is NOT about FASHION. That is totally different
-Style is NOT about impressing girls and people, although that is something you want it to do as well.
Here are some things style is
-Style is a way to reflect your personality
-Style is a way of improving yourself
-Style is about being an individual
-Style is something that stays, and does not change by the year
Why be stylish?
I'm starting to feel like a tool for talking about style so much already, but nonetheless...
In high school, it probably doesn't matter as much to you what you wear. I'm sure a lot of you don't give a crap, and thats fine. However, there is no advantage to being "boring," even if there are no disadvantages either.
Attraction
So, let me ask you guys a question:
Why do girls dress like they do?
Girls wake up earlier than us guys by far to do all sorts of their crap: put on makeup, pick out some outfit, do their hair, and whatever the hell it is they do in the mornings (sexy sleep over?
) They do it because they want to look good for us, unless we are talking about that pair of lesbians at your school. Certainly, they don't want to look bad to their friends either, but thats a result of their friends all trying to look good as well.
And obviously, their dressing affects us greatly. I mean, if a chick came into school wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and didn't have any make up on, she would easily drop from a HB10 to a 1. Now, i'm not saying that you guys should put makeup on, but the point is that appearance makes a big difference.
Who would you be attracted to more?
A girl wearing sweats, a hoodie, and flip flops,
or
The same girl wearing tight jeans, Uggs (if you are into those >.>), and a low cut tight shirt?
I'm fairly certain the attraction goes straight for the latter.
The same principal applies for girls looking at guys, although we obviously don't realize it so much. Why should a girl be different?
If you pull off a look, and do it well, you will make a much better impression on people you meet and people you already know.
Impressions
Look! A homeless man on the street. HIs clothes are mismatched, patched up, worn out, haggard, and dirty. HIs face is unclean and he needs a haircut.
But...wait a minute. Do you even know that he is homeless? If you put on a similar outfit of such clothing, then you would look the same.
So, whats the point? Although most homeless looking guys are probably homeless, what the look like leads you to believe that.
You see the man, and your mind is already jumping to hundreds of subconcious assumptions
"He must do drugs"
"He probably wastes his money smoking"
"He is homeless"
Now, lets look on the opposite end of the spectrum.
You see a well groomed guy in a business suit that fits him perfectly. You don't even have to see his face. Here, you have made all sorts of assumptions as well.
"That guy is probably rich as hell"
"Maybe he owns a business"
"He looks like he knows what he is doing"
But is it true? What if its just a hobo who STOLE the clothes? You don't know, but you think you do.
THAT is the effect of looks.
Starting off
If you guys are like most other guys, you probably don't like shopping. You probably don't want to be seen alone in the mall or something (i guess if you are confident, but i imagine most guys don't find the appeal in high shcool). Whatever.
The first step is to get off your ass and buy some clothes. Its not that hard. Personally, i kind of like shopping if i am actually doing it, but its part of my personality to like things like that.
Look at your wardrobe. What do you see? Do your jeans fit you well? Are they long enough? Are your clothes just simple clothes? Probably.
So, it probably seems a daunting task to replace, but its not so much.
What you want to do is slowly buy new pieces of clothing and experiment as you phase out your old stuff. I wouldn't recommend buying a load at a time, because this is a time for you to feel around and test. When i first started off, i overdressed sometimes and i realized it. However, if i had bought all my clothes at once in that manner, i'd be fvcked.
Expressing yourself
If this post applies to you, then your clothes are probably like this: simple, bland, dull colored. You don't have any particular style, and none of your clothes tell about you. They actually say that you are boring, whether you are or not. You most likely don't have a lot of color either. I'm not talking hot pink or something, but just color. Grey, black, and white look great, but its very common.
Clothing should be another way of expressing your individuality. It shows other people about you and gives a positive expression. Girls will think that you care about what you are wearing and how you look, and hopefully be more attracted.
Common clothing
There are probably a lot of guys at your school who wear bland clothing, and there are probably a lot in brands like American Eagle and Hollister, all day, every day. Maybe its even you!
Me, i'd say, step away. AE clothing looks pretty good compared to the crap that some wear, but there are some fundamental problems i have with it.
No, i do not think people wearing those clothes are preppy...hell, people throw preppy around and thats not even what it means.
No, i do not think people wearing those clothes are fags either...they just wear what they think looks good.
HOWEVER
I do know that they have no style
I do know that everyone and their mom has AE clothing
Its generic, and thats the bottom line. Thats why I don't wear it.
Your clothing
Your clothing should tell people about yourself. First off, as mentioned, it says that you care about yourself. However, it should also mark you off as an individual.
When someone looks into the crowd and their eyes glaze over you, they should stop and think "Damn."
The important thing to do is to not overdo it. Don't walk around in a blazer in high school. People will think you have some important event, and since you don't, just make fun of you.
Furthermore, bearing in mind that this is about style, i don't recommend buying crazy clothing that is neon green or something.
The bottom line is that it should make a statement and set you apart. Now, your clothing says "I'm no different that that guy over there, there, and there." That needs to change
Now, it is important to not dress up as something that you are not. Don't dress up as a punk rocker if you aren't a punk rocker.
Introduction
On this forum, i've read quite a bit about how people say that clothing doesn't really mean sh!t, but i would disagree.
Maybe what i've read is actually a minority and many of you guys are into clothing taste and the like, and this post is a giant waste, but i digress...most high schoolers are unstylish, but it wouldn't surprise me if you guys are...
A lot of posts on the other hand say "Dress well" without really giving a clue as to how to do it. Not very helpful in the end
Alongside changing up my attitude this year, i've also worked a lot on my style. On that note, i'd say my style is a lot better off than my game, but anyhow...
Halfway through the year now, i just wanted to say that i would recommend you all work on your style and appearance if you haven't.
Last year, i was no DJ by any means, but i wasn't a giant douchebag either. For style, i suppose, i was one of the many kids who had exactly the opposite: no style. I had a rotation of a week of clothes that i would wear each week, and none of the shirts were particularly interesting, bold, or said anything about me.
At the start of this year, i found you guys, and i also resolved to work on my clothing and appearance. I don't have much money to spend, but i scrounged what i could and bought things that weren't necessarily expensive. I slowly phased out my old clothes (not that that was hard...) and replaced my wardrobe completely. I still don't have that many clothes, but its a lot more and all "fit" me and are unique.
Now, i know that it really has made a big impact. Ignoring the fact that i was completely unnotable for style last year, i now am probably one of the most stylish kids in the school. I don't talk about it or anything obviously, but i know that my reputation has spread around as "stylish." A lot of guys always comment in joking ways on my clothes, which is essentially just a direct compliment, but most guys are uncomfortable saying "You look really nice" to another guy. A lot of girls have told me as well, straight up, that i'm really stylish. This year, i've started to get approached by random girls in places like the mall or movies over friends who i would consider better looking than me in raw looks. How i handle these girls is a story of sad failure, but hey!
So, that was a bit long of an intro, but some things i wanted to tell you guys...
Style
I don't want to delve into style itself so much as giving a basic outline of what it is and what it isn't, and why you should do it.
Here are some things style is not
-Style is NOT about wearing the latest clothes you see in the display case at the mall
-Style is NOT about wearing the most expensive clothing you can buy without auctioning off your house
-Style is NOT about FASHION. That is totally different
-Style is NOT about impressing girls and people, although that is something you want it to do as well.
Here are some things style is
-Style is a way to reflect your personality
-Style is a way of improving yourself
-Style is about being an individual
-Style is something that stays, and does not change by the year
Why be stylish?
I'm starting to feel like a tool for talking about style so much already, but nonetheless...
In high school, it probably doesn't matter as much to you what you wear. I'm sure a lot of you don't give a crap, and thats fine. However, there is no advantage to being "boring," even if there are no disadvantages either.
Attraction
So, let me ask you guys a question:
Why do girls dress like they do?
Girls wake up earlier than us guys by far to do all sorts of their crap: put on makeup, pick out some outfit, do their hair, and whatever the hell it is they do in the mornings (sexy sleep over?
) They do it because they want to look good for us, unless we are talking about that pair of lesbians at your school. Certainly, they don't want to look bad to their friends either, but thats a result of their friends all trying to look good as well.And obviously, their dressing affects us greatly. I mean, if a chick came into school wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and didn't have any make up on, she would easily drop from a HB10 to a 1. Now, i'm not saying that you guys should put makeup on, but the point is that appearance makes a big difference.
Who would you be attracted to more?
A girl wearing sweats, a hoodie, and flip flops,
or
The same girl wearing tight jeans, Uggs (if you are into those >.>), and a low cut tight shirt?
I'm fairly certain the attraction goes straight for the latter.
The same principal applies for girls looking at guys, although we obviously don't realize it so much. Why should a girl be different?
If you pull off a look, and do it well, you will make a much better impression on people you meet and people you already know.
Impressions
Look! A homeless man on the street. HIs clothes are mismatched, patched up, worn out, haggard, and dirty. HIs face is unclean and he needs a haircut.
But...wait a minute. Do you even know that he is homeless? If you put on a similar outfit of such clothing, then you would look the same.
So, whats the point? Although most homeless looking guys are probably homeless, what the look like leads you to believe that.
You see the man, and your mind is already jumping to hundreds of subconcious assumptions
"He must do drugs"
"He probably wastes his money smoking"
"He is homeless"
Now, lets look on the opposite end of the spectrum.
You see a well groomed guy in a business suit that fits him perfectly. You don't even have to see his face. Here, you have made all sorts of assumptions as well.
"That guy is probably rich as hell"
"Maybe he owns a business"
"He looks like he knows what he is doing"
But is it true? What if its just a hobo who STOLE the clothes? You don't know, but you think you do.
THAT is the effect of looks.
Starting off
If you guys are like most other guys, you probably don't like shopping. You probably don't want to be seen alone in the mall or something (i guess if you are confident, but i imagine most guys don't find the appeal in high shcool). Whatever.
The first step is to get off your ass and buy some clothes. Its not that hard. Personally, i kind of like shopping if i am actually doing it, but its part of my personality to like things like that.
Look at your wardrobe. What do you see? Do your jeans fit you well? Are they long enough? Are your clothes just simple clothes? Probably.
So, it probably seems a daunting task to replace, but its not so much.
What you want to do is slowly buy new pieces of clothing and experiment as you phase out your old stuff. I wouldn't recommend buying a load at a time, because this is a time for you to feel around and test. When i first started off, i overdressed sometimes and i realized it. However, if i had bought all my clothes at once in that manner, i'd be fvcked.
Expressing yourself
If this post applies to you, then your clothes are probably like this: simple, bland, dull colored. You don't have any particular style, and none of your clothes tell about you. They actually say that you are boring, whether you are or not. You most likely don't have a lot of color either. I'm not talking hot pink or something, but just color. Grey, black, and white look great, but its very common.
Clothing should be another way of expressing your individuality. It shows other people about you and gives a positive expression. Girls will think that you care about what you are wearing and how you look, and hopefully be more attracted.
Common clothing
There are probably a lot of guys at your school who wear bland clothing, and there are probably a lot in brands like American Eagle and Hollister, all day, every day. Maybe its even you!
Me, i'd say, step away. AE clothing looks pretty good compared to the crap that some wear, but there are some fundamental problems i have with it.
No, i do not think people wearing those clothes are preppy...hell, people throw preppy around and thats not even what it means.
No, i do not think people wearing those clothes are fags either...they just wear what they think looks good.
HOWEVER
I do know that they have no style
I do know that everyone and their mom has AE clothing
Its generic, and thats the bottom line. Thats why I don't wear it.
Your clothing
Your clothing should tell people about yourself. First off, as mentioned, it says that you care about yourself. However, it should also mark you off as an individual.
When someone looks into the crowd and their eyes glaze over you, they should stop and think "Damn."
The important thing to do is to not overdo it. Don't walk around in a blazer in high school. People will think you have some important event, and since you don't, just make fun of you.
Furthermore, bearing in mind that this is about style, i don't recommend buying crazy clothing that is neon green or something.
The bottom line is that it should make a statement and set you apart. Now, your clothing says "I'm no different that that guy over there, there, and there." That needs to change
Now, it is important to not dress up as something that you are not. Don't dress up as a punk rocker if you aren't a punk rocker.
