Guys N Ties

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My First Principle of Style

Introduction A person’s style is based on predetermined principles. These principles are the foundation upon which dress standards are built. Your style is your identity. Your style is a reflection of who you are, not whom who are among.

As you build your wardrobe, your poor taste in style is what allows you to wear socks and sandals. This is expected of the untrained soul, so do not require perfection of yourself right now. Go ahead and wear your socks with sandals, but be sure to have valid principles and reasons for why you are wearing them. Otherwise, do the world a favor and shed yourself of that terrible image.

Having confidence in your outfit is a benefit of your predetermined principles. As a test, allow me to ask you why you are wearing what you are wearing right now? Do you have a principle for your current color scheme?

Deep down, we all tend to have some sense of style. This is obviously built from our life experiences, but sadly, our experiences tend to be faulty and we can sometimes be underdressed and look foolish. This is why we must have principles for our dress. Below is my first personal principle for style.

“One must lay a foundation of simplicity, in order to reach the height of sophistication” Principle number one:

1. Dress for the occasion. I know that this principle isn’t life shattering or world changing, but as embarrassing as it is, some of us have been guilty of showing up to our first work party in shorts and a t-shirt only to find that our CEO was going to be joining us in a suit and tie.

In the day and age that we live in, there seems to be a majority of people that throw on whatever seems to be the most comfortable material and they choose to care less how they look. I call this being underdressed. It’s not that these people are wearing “less” clothing than other people, but their style is too plain or informal for the occasion.

Granted, comfortable clothes should be a go to, but never at the expense of loosing your style. Doing this every once in a while is not going to kill your reputation, but overuse is certainly not suggested. Being underdressed can harm your image as you will: Give off the impression of either not knowing or not caring what dress standard the occasion calls for.

Be perceived as having no sense of style. Lose respect (I am in no way suggesting that you should judge someone for the clothes they are wearing, but at the same time, respect is earned and lost in many ways - including style of dress)

Solution: When you are unsure of the attire of where you are going, never be afraid to slightly overdress. Being slightly overdressed allows you to stand out in a good way.

The reason I say slightly overdressed, is the fact that a person can be overdressed to the point where: They stand out as being insecure They can put the people they are with in an uncomfortable state.

Although some eccentric personalities allow for this “overdressed” sense of living, it is pretty safe to say that most of us don’t have the personality - nor do we long for it.

Being slightly overdressed allows you to give off a greater impression. Removing articles of clothing is definitely an option, but on the reverse of that, you cannot put on what you do not have.

If I were to describe this first tip in one word - it would be wisdom. Be wise about your clothing. Discern what the occasion is and rise to the occasion. Style is a predetermined mediation - not an after thought.

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What should you be wearing this time of year, and why!

Easter, the oldest and most important festival of the Christian Church; a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Western Church it is commonly held between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday, after the first full moon, following the first day of spring--the northern equinox. (Source – Google) It is also the long awaited symbol of the beginning of Spring.

Spring, of course, is the season of transition between winter and summer where we see the colors of nature renewed. It is the reemergence of flora and the birth of young fauna. Inside we feel a time of growth, so much so that it's almost like a rebirth. It is a season filled with work and rainy days, but the anticipation of the coming summer  drives us to dig in and get the work accomplished. Therefore, the vibes and emotions of the environment around us should coordinate with what we wear, and how we wear it.Traditionally, a spring wardrobe has been associated with any pastel color; which may have worked with the clothing people used to wear, but with the variety of colors and styles that we have at our fingertips, we should go a little deeper than just any pastel color. 

Allow your environment to determine the details of what you are wearing, and use the seasons to base your colors and styles off of. Spring, as we mentioned, comes after winter, and the type of winter you had, should somewhat dictate which pastel colors you choose. With a light winter, where spring comes early and where the plant life is well on its way to full bloom by the time the first day of spring comes, one should wear brighter pastel colors. When someone has had a heavy winter, the pastel colors they choose for spring should be duller and more mellow. As the days grow longer and the temperature starts to spike, you should start to wear brighter colors. This concept can and should be used year around. 

So, here is a contest for our readers. Take a picture of you in your Easter outfit, use the hash tag #FreeCollarStays on Instagram, and the top three submissions will receive a free set of our Collar Stays.

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A Few Helpful Suit Tips (Part 3)

On this third Installment of the illustrated series, we will lightly talk about shirts, ties, and shoes. 

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Style is a Reflection of your Attitude

Style is based on a set of principles. We have also discussed the inability to have style without first knowing who one is. However one’s style is also a complete reflection of his attitude.

 One’s wardrobe should not only mirror who one wants to be, but it also should be a way to express one’s confidence in the fact that, that it is what one wants to be. Of course, one should believe in himself, as this should be a fundamental belief. If one can not believe in himself, then he should make the necessary changes that he has to so that he can believe in himself.

 Don’t let the past hold you back from believing in the person that you want to be, as your past is only relevant to where were at. One can change where he’ll end up, but that starts with immediate action and believing in himself so that he can change his future.

Knowing who one is and how one wants to come across is only part of the battle that lies within. One must have the confidence to believe in himself in order to possess style. Now, how does one show confidence in a world filled with insecurities?  That can be a hard question to answer. Part of answering that question goes along with knowing who one is, and where one wants to be in the future. Sometimes, one has to have the attitude of “faking it, until he makes it”. This thought process is not a form of lying, but is a form of believing in himself even when  he feels like no one else does.

 Here are a few great ideas to study up on to build your confidence.

• Body Language - The way in which one carries himself is a huge indicator to the people around him of how his attitude. Do some research on developing good body language. - “You are never fully dressed without a smile”  (Be wary of being over confident and coming off as an arrogant person . From my experience, the more pride someone has, the deeper his insecurities run.)

•  Body Pampering - Take care of yourself! Find a good stylist and have him help choose a a hair style suites you. Secondly, one’s skin is important! Don’t be afraid to do some research and find some great skin products. Thirdly, keep your nails clean and in good condition. Lastly, keep your teeth clean. Dental hygiene plays a very important role with your style.  

 Those are some very basic ideas to supplement the clothing one wears, but all of it is vital to developing style.

 Now, by only making these changes one will not attain style. Remember, style is based on a set of principles, and these are built with time. Style is based with knowing who one is, and this comes with mediation and an inner searching of ones purpose in this world. Style is also the reflection of your attitude, which comes with building your body language and knowing how one is perceived by the world around him. Style is not attained overnight, but it is built as one continues his journey in life. As long as one continues to develop his principles of style while finding out where he wants to end up, and he self improves; then he will have attainted style before he can realize it.  

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A Few Helpful Suit Tips (part 2)

In a 3 part series, we will illustrate some helpful tips on how you can look better and dress nicer.

[sikmabrothersco]

A Few Helpful Suit Tips

In a 3 part series, we will illustrate some helpful tips on ho you can look better and dress better.

[sikmabrothersco]

Starting On Your Principles Of Style

One can never have style, without first being able to understand who they are, and how they want the world to perceive them. Your wardrobe is a book in which everyone that you pass by can read… The real question is, How do you want to be “read”?

 I understand that this question of, “Who am I” can be a complex question. As some of us have no idea who we currently are, much less how the world we live in perceives us. Which, not knowing what direction that someone is going in life can cause a real conflict when choosing how to dress. Now, I am not saying that someone has to know where they want to end up before someone can have style, but a person needs direction in life in order to attain style.  

Now, the direction you are looking for doesn’t have to be in depth. Please, don’t complicate this part of the process of style, as it is as basic as you make it. Finding that direction though, will be a key to developing the principals of style, which transfers into someone attaining style.

  The direction I choose to go is a business/prep fashion, like the model in the pictures. I want the world to perceive me, as business oriented person, who has a sense of style. (This relates to the shirt/tie/suit coat) I also want people to see that I have a unique personality, which is the prep look. (This relates to the non-traditional dress socks, the pocket square, and the use of a wider range of colors which is not something seen in traditional business fashion) Which, this is the type person that I believe I am, as well as the person I strive to be each day.

Now, I do understand that a lot of fashions are starting to collide, and I see this as more of a blessing than a curse. As it allows you to not only dress for which direction you are going, but it also allows you to add some flair to your wardrobe which translates to you adding your own personality to your clothing. All of this will be discussed later on in different blog postings.

Therefore, I encourage you to sit down and find out which direction you are wanting to go, and then use that as a guideline for your principals of style.

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Style, fashion… what is it really?

Style, by definition means - a distinctive appearance, typically determined by the principles according to which something is designed.   

By definition, style is an appearance based on a set of principles…  But, what set of principles? We no longer live in a world where navy blue should never be worn with black, as there are some occasions where one could easily pull it off. The principals of fashion seem to be ever changing, but where do we find them, and how do we define them? I believe the answer to that question lies in your journey in life. As you should develop principals of style for your life, and then apply them to your wardrobe.   

That question, “What is style”, has plagued me, and it something that I have been in consideration of for a while.  We observe style on a wide variety of people in the world. Yet, the ratio of people who are stylish, to those who are not, can seem rather small. Who are these “stylish” people, and what do they possess differently from the rest of the world?

Style is not something that can be bought at the store, but I rather tend to view it as a mindset one has, by how they dress. Along with the confidence someone gets, by the clothing they wear. Now, some would say, that yes, all of that can be bought, but I beg to differ. You can have the nicest suit in the world, but to have someone wear it who has no interest in ever wearing a suit, and hates the feeling of it. This would be a ridiculous waste of time and money for the person attempting to “pull off the look”. As the suit doesn’t fit their personality, and therefore has little purpose being in their wardrobe, unless it is for special occasions.  

Your attitude and your body language are your keys to style. The body language you possess when you wear clothing is how people really see you. If you are not confident in what you wear, people will notice it instantly. You have to believe in what you are wearing, and show the people around you that you put on your outfit with intent and integrity.  

Your wardrobe is a great way to express yourself to the world around you. Use the way you dress as a medium to convey who you are, and what you are to the environment you live in. Now, some people seem to naturally do this, and if that is you, great! But, if you feel that you somehow have a disconnect from clothing, then by all means, check in with this blog once a week, as I try to show you what I have learned about clothing, about style, and what the principles of style really mean to me.