Letโs be honest. At some point, weโve all committed sacrilegious fashion choices. Remember the polka dot suit you wore at senior prom and thought, โHey, I look good in this!โ Yeah… you may want to forget that one.
But now, youโre wiser. Your fashion sense is starting to take shape. You told yourself that each time you step out the door, people will never give you that โlookโ again.
Avoid these 15 fashion faux pas at all costs and watch others say, โMan, this dude knows his stuff!โ
1. Deep V-Necks
V-neck shirts are still a thing. Itโs just that the super-deep ones look seriously outdated. Unless you really want to rock a mid-2000s vibe, your best bet is to replace your deep V-necks with crew neck t-shirts.
Traditional round-neck shirts are more versatile, meaning you can layer jackets or sweaters on top without them looking out of place. Plus, you want to build your wardrobe with timeless pieces, and deep V-neck shirts arenโt exactly what youโd call timeless.
So ditch the uber-deep V-necks and opt for the classics, like crew necks.
2. Mismatched Belt and Shoes
Most men are guilty of this offense without even realizing it. After all, itโs not even that noticeable, right?
WRONG! Mismatched belts and shoes are a cardinal sin in the world of menโs style, and a distinguished gentleman knows better than to wear a belt and a pair of shoes in different colors.
When it comes to menโs style, itโs all about cohesiveness. You want your outfit to flow seamlessly, and mismatched belts and shoes just ruin your overall look.
If you canโt match your belt and shoes, at the very least, they should have few contrasting colors between them. Some examples would be a tan belt with brown shoes or a dark brown belt with black shoes.
3. Statement Shirts
Sometimes itโs easy to deviate from conventional fashion trends because, quite frankly, it can get boring. And besides, who doesnโt want to stand out from the crowd and make a bold statement?
If you want to wear a statement shirt, go ahead. As long as the text is subtle and not ostentatious, youโre in the clear.
What is not acceptable in menโs fashion is announcing your love for almond milk (seriously, does anyone need to know that?)
4. Fastening All Buttons on a Suit Jacket
Now this one is more of a rookie mistake rather than an outright style blunder. Sure, itโs only a minor detail, but it does speak volumes about how well a gentleman knows his style.
Typically, you want to always fasten the top button and leave the bottom one unfastened (this applies to single-breasted suits with two buttons).
If you have a single-button suit jacket, keep it fastened at all times and remove it only when sitting down.
Not only will you look like โthe manโ, but youโll also feel comfortable wearing a suit on formal occasions.
5. Unpolished Dress Shoes
Speaking of attention to detail, you want to make sure that your dress shoes are always polished before showing up to an event.
Nothing screams major fashion faux pas than a pair of raggedy-looking dress shoes, and the people around you will never not notice it.
Youโve already invested so much in your wardrobe, so why not take the time to polish your dress shoes as well?
It only takes a couple of minutes, and the impact it will have on your overall look will leave everyone impressed.
6. White Socks With Dress Shoes
There are a few fashion offenders who get away scot-free for wearing white socks with dress shoes. But not anymore! This egregious attempt at wearing your favorite pickleball socks to a formal event ends here.
Thereโs a reason why dress socks exist, and itโs to complement the appearance of dress shoes. Theyโre plain and simple, and they get the job done.
Boring, you might say? Worry not, because patterned dress socks are also available.
But please, for the love of menโs fashion, just leave your pair of white Dri-Fit socks where they rightfully belong (in your gym bag).
7. Too Many Bright Colors
There comes a point in a manโs style journey where he will find dark, neutral colors to be bland and monotonous. And thatโs completely fine!
But be careful, though, as itโs easy to get overboard and go all-in with the seven colors of the rainbow.
If your outfit makes you look like a bottle of Pepto-Bismol, stop immediately. Wearing too many bright colors can clash with one another and leave you with a rather uncoordinated look.
Stick with a dominant color (red, yellow, or orange) and balance it out with darker silhouettes for a more modern appeal without going too over-the-top.
8. Wearing the Wrong Watch for the Occasion
No gentlemanโs outfit is complete without an appropriate timepiece on his wrist. Now, does it show irreverence when you show up to a formal occasion wearing a smartwatch? Errโฆ maybe.
Most gentlemen will agree that a simple dress watch is a million times better, but itโs not inherently wrong to wear a smartwatch either.
Just promise yourself to never, ever wear a G-shock to weddings or state dinners because that is sacrilege.
9. Armpit Stains on Clothes
A man of culture knows that he is the last person to get caught wearing a dress shirt marred with sweat stains in fear of endless ridicule.
If it so happens that your clothing has these unsightly marks, itโs only right to chuck it out of your wardrobe and never be seen again.
While sweating is a biological process, there is a way to circumvent these pit stains from appearing.
Sweat-proof undershirts are a great example, as these will act as moisture barriers between your skin and your dress shirt to inhibit the formation of sweat marks.
10. Wearing a Belt and Suspenders Together
This one we can understand. Some people might feel the need to wear both a belt and suspenders because it โcompletesโ their look.
But weโre here to tell you that these fashion accessories arenโt like mustard and ketchup. Why? Because they both do the exact same thing!
Unless you want to be the topic of discussion in your next formal gathering, play it safe and choose one or the other.
11. Socks with Sandals
Ah, the classic โdadโ look… For whatever reason, this combination has withstood the test of time, and thatโs despite our best efforts to keep it in the history books.
Get caught rocking these out in public, and itโs almost a guarantee your noble brethren will hose you for the rest of eternity.
Can you get away with them with a bit of creativity? Tough to say… Some will argue yes due to the fact that itโs becoming increasingly popular in streetwear as of late.
But in the eyes of a distinguished gentleman, the socks-and-sandals combo is an absolute no-go!
12. Pre-tied Neckties
In essence, menโs fashion requires a certain degree of skill. And by that, we mean knowing how to tie a tie.
But is there a time and place where pre-tied neckties are acceptable? Absolutely. You know, when you dress your kid up for a childrenโs partyโฆ
But youโre a man, and men should know even the basic half Windsor knot like the back of their hand!
If a man stares underneath your collar for more than five seconds, just whisper, โIโm wearing a pre-tied necktie,โ and heโll gladly show you the door.
13. Inappropriate Sleeve Length
If your suit jacketโs sleeves are too long or reveal more than an inch of your cuffs, get it fixed ASAP before you get your gentlemanโs license revoked.
Excess sleeve length looks sloppy, and you never want to be the guy in the room who resembles an uncultured primate with long arms.
Ideally, you want your suit jacketโs sleeves to show (at most) half an inch of your dress shirtโs cuff to create a sharp look that balances your entire outfit.
Having the appropriate sleeve length is also the perfect excuse to show off your favorite timepiece. Just bend your elbow and bam! Theyโll never even know whatโs coming.
14. Square-toed Dress Shoes
By this point, we can all admit that somewhere down our style journey, weโve come across square-toed dress shoes and thought, โYou know what, these would look good on me!โ
But hindsight is always 20/20, and now we know better than to slap these hideous creations on our feet.
Square-toed dress shoes were never really accepted by menโs fashion, and itโs because of the simple fact that they make your toes look wider than they really are.
Consider other alternatives like oxfords and derbies, just like how James Bond prefers them.
15. Excessive Jewelry
A little bit of bling here and there is fine for accessory purposes. But if all of a sudden you come out of the woodwork looking like Thanos with the infinity stones, wellโฆ
Letโs just say that jewelry in menโs fashion is like seasonings in a dish. The principle of โless is moreโ certainly applies here. When done tastefully, your jewelry will complement your outfit rather than overpower it.
It could be as simple as wearing an onyx ring on your index finger or a stainless steel bracelet wrapped around your wrist. Just keep it subtle, and your accessory game will be (chefโs kiss).
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