How to Amp Up Your Guy's Style

My stylish boyfriend wearing an outfit from Forever 21 Men.
 I bought him the wool peacoat for Christmas!

Ok girls, here is the blog post you have been waiting for! First of all, you DON'T need to have boyfriend to read this. This information can apply to any guy you know- from a guy friend to your brother or even your dad! I know the last might sound silly, but I love giving my dad fashion advice and he is always happy to take it. In fact, there have been times when I helped my dad choose all his outfits for an important work trip. That being said, if there is any guy in your life you can think of who needs a little help in the style department this is a MUST READ. Plus, from my experience the best part about giving guys fashion advice is that they always take it! Girls, on the other hand, not always so much. So, use your powers and get him to start amping up his attire!

Ok, let's get started...

• How to Approach Him: First of all, you don't want to dis your guy's style, but you will need a way to nudge him into realizing he could use a little help to enhance his wardrobe and personal style. 
• Make him realize the importance of dressing well: Zias states, "Unless your boyfriend has a very particular style, chances are, he just doesn’t care or know any better." Let him know that you he could really improve his confidence and attitude with a more polished appearance. 
• Go shopping together: This is a great way to help him! Suggest a shopping trip to get something he's been needing, such as dress pants (all guys need a great pair). Turn the shopping trip into a search for other things he could use. You've already gotten him out the door, so take advantage of this shopping time. 
• Buy clothes for him you'll both love: This is the perfect way to get a guy to dress how you want. I started off buying my boyfriend clothes within our first year dating and he now has a well established wardrobe and great style. Look at his closet and think about what he needs. Maybe it's a nice pair of black jeans, woven dress shirts, basic cotton tees or a good pair of shoes. Clothes he can use and get excited about make perfect birthday and Christmas gifts. 

Great men's outfit ideas

• Fit is Key: This is probably the most significant tip and should be highly stressed to him. Make sure his clothes fit. It should seem simple, but a lot of guys wear clothes that are too big for them, which then makes them look sloppy and not put together. Guys dress for comfort, which is totally ok, but that means he may gear towards baggier clothing. However, assure him he can find clothes that are still comfortable, yet stylish and well-fitted. When shopping, have him try a variety of sizes and show you all of them. Pants should slightly skim the floor without shoes on if bootcut and hit just past the ankle on slim fit or skinnies. Have him cuff the bottoms if wearing lace ups or boots for a more stylish look.

• Accessorize the Right Way: Like.com advices that shoes and belt should match if made of leather. Black with black, brown with brown. However, if you're working with grey or khaki colored accessories, it would work best to match grey with black and khaki with brown. This will give more balance to the outfit and add a touch of uniqueness. 

• Cardigans and Sweaters Over Hoodies and... Plain Tees Over Screens: Replacing a sweatshirt for a button-up cardigan can do wonders for a guy. Button-up cardigans say, "put-together," whereas sweatshirts say, "don't care." Assure him he can still wear that comfortable t-shirt underneath. V-necks or scoop neck tee's in solid colors are excellent. If he's still wearing sports team or screen print t-shirts of any kind on a daily basis you need to put an end to this! In addition to cardigans, well fit sweaters can really class a guy up. Like.com advices getting one in cashmere or soft wool in a basic color like navy or grey to start. 

• Crisp Cotton White Button-Up Shirt: This is a staple item and will give any ensemble a clean and polished look. For a casual look, he can tuck it into jeans and for a night out, a pair of black pants or trousers. A simple, easy to pair with essential. Need I say more?

• Shoes Make the Man: Make sure he's putting his best foot forward with a great pair of shoes. Have him kick off that pair of sneakers, skateboard shoes or whatever athletic style shoe your guy's into for a great pair of dress oxfords or really any nice lace ups. "If you choose a pair of shoes made with real leather, sturdy stitching and solid soles, they will outlast almost all other items in your closet. You’ll be able to have them repaired over time at a fraction of the original purchase price, so spend as much as you reasonably can for a pair of shoes," says Lubarski at Askmen.com. However, shoes don't have to cost a fortune and a lot of times you can find great styles on sale. Check out DSW's selection: http://www.dsw.com/mens-shoes/collection/oxfords+.and.+lace-ups/dsw12cat1970002/page-1/

And lastly! 

• Compliment Him: "When your guy finally makes the move and wears something you picked out you need to encourage, encourage and encourage!" states Zias. If you want his great looks to be repeated, comment on the outfits that catch your eye. Guys love compliments on their style, and he'll be even more encouraged to maintain that great look. 

Give your guy time to let his style develop. "Good style doesn't occur overnight. A new wardrobe may take time to build and grow accustomed to," says Likes.com. Lucky for me, my boyfriend has great style. However, I believe I have had an impact on that over the last 5 years we have been together. Being a positive influence on his wardrobe can help a lot! So, go out there and get your boyfriend, friend, brother or dad to start classing up his dress and help him out along the way! 
Final thoughts: "It’s not that you love your boyfriend any less because of how he dresses, or that he’s less of a person in your eyes, but sometimes guys just need a little help to reach their full fashion potential," states Zias. 

How have you improved your guy's style? Any other suggestions to add to this list? 


Sources: 
https://likes.com/shopping/how-to-improve-your-boyfriends-style
http://thoughtcatalog.com/kristina-zias/2014/01/5-ways-to-get-your-boyfriend-to-dress-better/
http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashiontip_400/442b_shoes-make-the-man.html