Developing a Style

R

Rubato

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Does anybody have any advice on how to do this? I'm talking about style in terms of the clothes you wear and how you present yourself. I've been having a hard time coming up with look I feel congruent with. I can post some pictures of the different things I've tried out if that would help. Thanks.

EDIT:

Here is a link of some pictures.

http://s1110.photobucket.com/albums/h441/RubatoSS/

I'm going to admit off the bat, I feel a bit self conscious sharing pictures of myself with a bunch of guys. This is all I have available to me conveniently to post. I can start posting an image of my outfit from day to day if it would be helpful. I don't take many pictures of myself.

Last semester was the first time in my life I stated taking this stuff seriously and the first time I started to think about how I dressed. I would characterize my former "natural" style as that of a bro. Sweatpants or baggy jeans, a solid colored T-shirt (usually dark), white Reboks, and a zip up hoody (in the winter). If I was really feeling it, I might put on a polo.

I started reading on here and several other places that in essence, it's going to be hard for girls to accept you as a sexual entity if you can't present that image to them comfortably. Dress sexual -> be viewed as sexual. My style had started to change last semester because the semester before I got more serious about ballroom dancing and started competing with my school. You have to dress nicer to do that sort of thing, so I had to go out and buy some button up shirts from Express. I started going out with the team to Salsa clubs, balls, and other dancing events and the expected dress was always something along the lines of a slim fitted dress shirt, either dark slim fit jeans or slacks, nice shoes, and some sort of hair style thing. That helped start to bring me out of my "bro" look.

When last semester started, I paid very careful attention to what my peers were wearing and I realized I had been doing absolutely nothing to differentiate myself. Everyone dressed like a bro and I couldn't hope to stand out positively by continuing to dress the same way everyone else was. I started to apply the style from my ballroom dancing adventures to my every day college life. I would typically wear a slim fit dress shirt, slim fit dark jeans (sometimes slacks though), dress shoes, and on occasion even a blazer. A few times I'd wear a tie. I'd also tend to do something with my hair. I would switch things up too though, I have a silver necklace I'd put on occasionally and a fake earring. Sometimes I'd incorporate a nice sweater in to the mix.

Another point of importance is that I also lost a lot of weight last year... somewhere around 50lbs. I noticed that the reaction I got from women at the beginning of last year when I was bigger (fatter, not more muscular) was different in a nuanced but still important way from the reaction I got when I radically changed my style towards the halfway point of last semester. When I was a chubby guy, I used to long to be skinny. But now I am a skinny guy. And I realize that's not necessary something to aspire for. When I was bigger and dressed well, I looked "handsome". Now I look like a "pretty boy" or a "prep". Those aren't labels I'd like to aspire for. If I had a fashion icon I would say I was attempting to emulate, it would probably be Pierce Bronsnan, Richard Gere in American Gigolo, Brad Pitt, or Niel Patrick Harris from How I Met Your Mother. None of them, except for Maybe Neil Patrick Harris, could be characterized as pretty boys. When I hear the phrase pretty boy, the first thing I think of is a "nice guy".

I wasn't insecure about the way I was dressing at all last semester, but every since I started to hear the word pretty boy it's started to make me feel self conscious. I've also thought that the issue may be that I just need to gain some good lean muscle mass and that will eliminate the skinny pretty boy vibe (which, I have been doing. I've been following the advice the dudes gave me in the Health and Fitness section and I can feel my shirts getting tighter).

This is all more than enough typing Let me know what you think.
 
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McMotherLover

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Clothes are very important imo. After losing about 20 lbs and becoming lean and cut I decided to wear clothes that were more fitted than I was used to. I don't wear tight **** but I also don't want too much fabric.

If I'm going to an upscale bar or club or a special event I buy new clothes most of the time. The right look will do wonders. It will give you more confidence and women will sense that.
 

TheMusic

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Maybe you should indeed first post what you usually wear. On a day out, but also on a day to school.
 

Scrub

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http://s1110.photobucket.com/albums/h441/RubatoSS/?action=view&current=1027111318.jpg

That one is probably my favorite look for you out of those pictures.

http://i1110.photobucket.com/albums/h441/RubatoSS/3.jpg

This is about how I dress during the winter months (as in right now). I've got nothing but compliments from women at my school, I've even had a few guys ask me where I get my shirts from. It does make me feel like I stand out, as I look around and most guys just throw some extra hoodies over their baggy 'gangster' clothes.
 

Diaforetikos

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You have the clothes down, but your face isn't consistent with your clothing. Your not ugly (pause), it's your facial expressions. Its hard to tell your style if your face looks constantly excited. I like the facial hair. It gives you a more serious look. The few before the cowboy pic look cool. I'd stick with that look. Maybe try one more hairstyle.

Your well on you way, just a couple adjustments, and you'll look good. (pause)
 

IamJosan

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You look good in that polo shirt. I say stick to that! Maybe with some fitted slacks and cool dress shoes.
 

MaudGrimes

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I'm from the UK and I know the fashion here will be slightly different here from you guys in the US but this website is pretty good and covers everything from the basics to the more 'catwalk' kind of stuff. Anyway it has some solid advice.

http://www.fashionbeans.com/
 
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Rubato

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Diaforetikos said:
You have the clothes down, but your face isn't consistent with your clothing. Your not ugly (pause), it's your facial expressions. Its hard to tell your style if your face looks constantly excited. I like the facial hair. It gives you a more serious look. The few before the cowboy pic look cool. I'd stick with that look. Maybe try one more hairstyle.

Your well on you way, just a couple adjustments, and you'll look good. (pause)
Can you elaborate on the facial expression thing a bit?
 

Mike32ct

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I looked at each one.

1. The polo shirt works pretty good for you. You have the height and some arms to pull it off. Plus the darker color helps counter any "nice guy" vibe. Good hairstyle too.

2. Same as 1.

3. The band look would be killer for an online picture. Great style there. I wouldn't change a thing in this one.

4. Stay away from the white jacket. It makes your face look too light. I'm very light skinned myself and can't pull off white. Blazers are great, but stick with black, navy blue, etc.

5. Same as 4.

6. The red Express shirt is so so. I like red myself, but few guys can pull it off well. Experiment with some other colors. Maybe tuck in the necklace too rather wear it out.

7. Same as 6.

8. The messy hairstyle can definitely work for you. Just don't leave one or two big strands sticking up in the back. Mess up the whole thing.

9. Pretty good hairstyle. Totally works.

10. Same as 9.

11. Please NO HAT :)

12. Facial hair and hair are very good. Aviator sunglasses are so so.

13. Excellent. At the risk of sounding gay, the cowboy look looks hot.
 

FairShake

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T-Shirt, jeans, sneaks, ball cap, one ring or necklace. That's what I wear 90% of the time and it never holds me back.

Polo and khakis sometimes and once in a great while dress shirt and chinos.
 

Aaron B

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i wouldn't worry about your facial expressions

its not as if you will be interacting with women thru a mirror while taking a picture of the two of you

personally i don't photograph that well but i'm considered decent-looking in real life so why sweat it?
 

krishnavi

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There are ways in which we can make our dress time as easy as possible. Add on your favorite accessories. Invest in pants and jeans that flatter your figure. Make sure you choose your shoes wisely. Choose some vibrant colours.
 

The Gambler

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Ahhh, a thread from the past.... It's amazing how helpful all the responses were!

Ya'll dig?
 
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