Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The 10 Style Principles PDF
The 10 Style Principles PDF
CONTENTS
7. THE IMPORTANCE OF FIT
15. WHY GOOD SHOES SHOULD BE YOUR BEST
FRIENDS
20. PAY ATTENTION TO ACCESSORIES
22. HOW TO BOSS A SUIT
26. BECOME BETTER LOOKING
30. WHY TIMELESS
STYLE IS THE WAY FORWARD
32. BUY LESS.
36. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMFORT
37. ITS ALL IN THE DETAILS
39. 20% CASUAL/80% FORMAL.
Page 2
Ready?
In this guide, were going to show you 10 style principles that
when applied, will have a huge impact on your overall
appearance.
But first
The MFM Philosophy (READ)
Well here you finally are, youve found yourself have a willingness
to download this guide and you probably stumbled across a
magazine that, by first impressions, would solely be about mens
fashion.
Catwalk run-downs, fashion trends and how to wear meggings
maybe what youre dreading right now, but fear not youre in
the right place.
Comfort zones may of been broken, but the improvements youre
going to see will be worth it.
I dont know you, but if youre like 90% of todays generation, I
know a little bit about you. I know that:
1. However much you like to play it down, you take care in your
appearance often (I bet youre playing it down right now.)
2. Youve also probably checked yourself in the mirror at least
three times today (reflections from windows count too.)
3. And lastly, over 90% of the things in your wardrobe you had
an input in purchasing.
Right?
From someone who used to dress pretty appallingly, I learnt that
enhancing the way we look through the way we dress is all down
to one thing Education. Im not talking about a PHD either, or a
Page 3
Page 4
Now were not asking you to wear a suit every day, and always
tuck in your shirt but as generations have passed, and the
modern day man, along with fashion and style has changed, the
normality of what us men should wear has taken a lazy approach.
Theres a huge divide between casual and formal, and its been
proved theres a strong belief among the majority of men that
formal clothing should only be worn on formal occasions. Once
again, were not telling you to suit and boot every single day,
were simply looking to educate todays generations on ways to
enhance the way you dress.
Style and fashion is of course about individuality, and our aim isnt
to mould your style into something youre not, but were aiming to
give you that gentle nudge to go against the norm.
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Two good examples of fit for the bigger gent from TSBMen.com
Page 8
Your clothes should almost skim the body, smoothing out your
shape without pulling or looking tight.
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Forget your lucky pulling pants, brown shoes should become that
best mate you can rely on.
Compare the two...
Youre heading out to a bar, wearing dark denim jeans and a
white polo shirt, which both fit immaculately. You decide to opt
for a pair of new balance sneakers to go with it...
Page 15
Impressions? Casual.
Wear the same thing, but pair it with a pair of brown shoes
(maybe a Brogue or a Double Monk) and BOOM.
The formality of your outfit has increased.
Just one simple minor change, which doesnt take any effort
whatsoever will dramatically increase your look.
Shoes are more important than you think, and its something
people do pay attention too.
Again, heres a visual representation. What looks better?
Above Simon Cowell (left) shows you how clothes shouldnt fit, and the black
shoes dont do much justice. On the right, a casual look is bought to life with
the brown shoes.
The Brogue
A classic staple, and every man should own a pair of brogues.
Work well with formal attire alongside casualwear too. Opt for
either a light or dark brown or black.
The Monk
I prefer double straps, but you could also opt for the single strap if
you prefer it. Again, a real classic staple that works well with both
jeans and formal trousers.
Page 17
The Loafer
A more relaxed choice of footwear, they have an Ivy League feel
about them. Perfect for the summer, as they can be comfortably
worn with shorts too. Feeling brave? Go for a tasseled loafer to
add a touch of detailing.
Page 18
The Oxford
Similar shape to the brogue, the Oxford is subtler. Again, it can be
worn with both formal and casual wear.
Casual Options
The Desert Boot
If formal, leather shoes really arent your thing, then the desert
boot is a great alternative. Casual and easy to wear with a touch
of style. If you see 12 months of sunshine though, these might not
be for you...
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
But look, Im not asking you to walk around in a suit all day and
night.
Youre not Don Draper.
But every man should own at least 1, GOOD suit.
Why?
Because you dont have to always wear it as a suit.
Dress it down with a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and wear the jacket.
Make a t-shirt look more formal, pairing it with suit trousers and
some good shoes.
Wear the full suit with a polo shirt, with a shirt, a t-shirt, dress it up
with a tie if needed and accessorize accordingly.
With just 1 suit, your options are unlimited.
You need to make sure you suit fits you though... theres nothing
cool about a suit which hangs off you like a hammy down from
your pap.
Follow the rules of Fit from the beginning of this guide and the
previous guide you received, to see exactly how a suit should fit.
Opt for a simple Navy two button suit in a wool or a good cotton
and you really have a winner on your hands.
Page 23
Dont stop at one suit though, invest in more as you get used to
exactly how they should fit and also invest into separate blazer
jackets and formal trousers.
Page 24
Dont be afraid to pay more either. You could easily spend 100
on a suit that will last you at most a year before it starts to wear.
Or you could spend 500 on a suit, which lasts you for 10 years...
Its all about investing wisely, which Ill discuss later.
I recommend buying suits from:
SuitSupply
Reiss
Topman
Mr Porter
H.E By Mango
InStitchU (Made To Measure)
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
4. Face Wash: Wash your face daily, and even go to the level of
exfoliating. This will help remove dirt from the face, removing
spots and blemishes in the process.
Page 28
6. Keep Trim: I suppose this could mean a few things, but most
importantly keep body hair in control. Trim where needed, and
remove that back hair of yours. Talking of keeping trim, exercise
more! We spoke about the importance of fit, and even why you
should still consider it if youre overweight. But most importantly if
youre overweight, you should be striving to lose it. Youll feel
better in yourself, and your appearance will improve.
Making It A Habit
Simple.
You clean your teeth right? Every day? (I HOPE SO)
Well every time you clean your teeth from now on, make sure you
floss, clean your tongue and use mouthwash. Also use this time to
apply some moisturizer.
You wash your body every day right? Well now every time you do
so, apply some face wash and have a trim up.
Page 29
Page 30
Flares? No.
Slogan T-Shirts? No.
Gold chains? No.
Ink died clothing? No.
Keep it classic, keep it timeless and your style will improve
dramatically.
Dont be afraid to introduce trends into your style, but dont let
them dictate it.
That moves on to the next tip.
1. A GOOD Navy Suit (You can wear the blazer and the
trousers separately like Ive already mentioned)
Page 32
2. A Knitted Tie (Other ties will suffice, but I prefer knitted ties.
They offer more of a style edge)
10. A White T-Shirt (Classic. Perfect for casual outfits, but also
you can dress it up when you need to.)
Now I could easily create a wardrobe based around just them 10
items. Yes, pants and socks I havent included but come on...
give me some praise here.
Here are just a small percentage of the looks I could put together
with the above.
Look 1: Navy blazer, white t-shirt, jeans, watch and brogues. (The
perfect smart/casual combination I could wear to a date or a bar)
Page 33
Look 2: Full Suit, White Shirt, Knitted Tie, Watch and Brogues
(The ultimate formal look. Perfect for the office, weddings or other
formal events)
Look 3: White T-Shirt, Jeans, Jumper and White Sneakers (A
casual look perfect for a quick coffee)
Look 4: Jumper, Shirt, Trousers From The Suit, Watch and
Brogues (Again, another smart/casual look I can wear to a bar)
Look 5: Overcoat, V Neck Jumper, White Shirt, Jeans, and White
Sneakers (A smart/casual look which can be worn on colder days)
Thats 5 looks already, and I could easily piece together some
more...
Yes, I know youre going to have to wash them in-between wears
but this just goes to show how its more about quality over
quantity.
You dont need a lot of clothes; you just need to right clothes.
Page 34
Having a wardrobe filled with timeless pieces you know fit you,
and knowing what and when to wear them is exactly what being
stylish is about.
I always say if you gave me 3 minutes to get ready for a night out,
and you asked someone who had no insights to these
fundamentals Im sharing with you youd get a huge difference.
Why?
Because I know whats in my wardrobe, I know what goes with
what and I know everything in there fits me. It takes 30 seconds to
think about what to wear and to pull it from the wardrobe, and
then Ive got 2 and a half minutes to put in on.
Watch this, I love this video. Its Patrick Grant whos a Savile Row
tailor showing how he gets dressed in 30 seconds.
Watch it here (short video)
The end result is decent right?
He just knew before hand that the look would go well together,
and he knows that it all fits him, as it should.
Its also important to note that if you want to focus on quality over
quantity, then you need to invest.
A 30 blazer from H&M isnt going to last you long... where as a
more expensive, but a better made and a better fitting blazer will
last you much longer.
We want to create less fuss, so spend a bit more and focus on
buying clothing that is well made and timeless.
Simple.
Page 35
Page 36
If you get a suit that fits your body perfectly, whats more
comfortable than that?
Whats the difference of wearing a hoody to wearing a relaxed
deconstructed cotton blazer? Not a lot. Both are comfortable just
one looks a lot better.
Dont believe that dressing smartly means youre going to not feel
relaxed. Focus on fit and youll have no issues with discomfort.
Page 37
It could be the size of the lapels, the way the trousers are cut, the
fabric, the buttons, the pocket-handkerchief you add to the blazer
pocket, the amount of cuff you show, buttons undone or done
up? The lapel pin, a scarf... all of these are finer details which
make a huge impact.
These smaller details showcase the fact you know what youre
doing...
They show character and they show individualism.
Anyone can put a Navy suit on; its just what you do with that
navy suit.
I see so many guys Ive consulted before apply the principles Ive
shown them, but they let themselves down in the detailing.
The tie they wear isnt tied right, their laces are undone, and
theyre not adding detailing through accessories...
It does sound really minimal and really fussy but it creates a big
impact.
People notice them.
So focus on the detailing.
The white shirt is a style staple every man should own.
Why?
Because it can be worn with anything.
Jeans, a suit, worn with or without a tie, it can be worn for
weddings, funerals, a date, on a Sunday... Its the must have
piece.
But its just a white shirt right?
No.
Page 38
Again the finer details make a white shirt the DADDY of all white
shirts.
Page 39
Pareto.
If not, dont worry.
In a nutshell it basically is a principle which is used for multiple
reasons, and its based on the fact that 20% of the things you do
produce 80% of the outcomes and vice versa.
I like to use this principle with style.
Meaning that if you wore 20% of formal pieces in an outfit, youd
create an 80% style impression.
Meaning that a look based around casual pieces can be
transformed with a small 20% of formal pieces. It could be a pair
of formal brown shoes with a casual look, or a blazer... these will
create a huge effect.
I like to keep a basis of 80% formal, 20% casual where possible
though.
Youll make more of an impression this way, and its easy to
achieve.
Page 40
GET DRESSED
There we have it.
10 style principles that will transform the way you look.
Apply them all, and youll see huge improvements. Apply just the
first 3 and youll still see improvements.
If you want to improve your confidence, your career, your love life,
and your overall life the way you look plays a huge part in it.
Questions? You can email me
Want to learn more? Head over to
www.mensfashionmagazine.com for hundreds of style, grooming,
fitness and fashion articles.
Paul McGregor
Email - paul@mensfashionmagazine.co.uk
Follow me: www.pmcgregor.com
Page 41