People first notice your face, then your shoes and finally how you dress when you first meet. Whether we like it or not and whether we accept it or not, people judge us by how we dress and similarly, we judge others by how they dress. Most of us want to give a good first impression but we inadvertently commit fashion mistakes and give off the wrong vibe.
It takes little conscious efforts and a few changes in your wardrobe to dress well and be taken with the seriousness you deserve. You don’t need to dress in the latest designer clothes either to look smart and presentable. Avoid the following common fashion mistakes if you want to look impressive.
Ill-fitting clothes
Ill-fitting clothes not only make you look and feel uncomfortable but also make you come out as disorganised person. Oversized clothes do not do any favours to your appearance and make you look bigger and bulkier than you really are. Attempting to hide a beer a belly in oversize shirts is a common fashion mistake men make. If the belly is bothering you, work on it, not cover it.
Clothes that are too tight aren’t good either. Clothes that are a size too small look appalling on you and lower your confidence.
A well-fitting dress shirt should fit snuggly around your shoulders and you should still be able to button it up. For pants, the hem should ‘flirt’ with your shoes; neither covering them or totally avoiding them.
‘Over-recycling’
Jeans are a man’s favourite piece of clothing in a wardrobe. Reason being that they don’t need a wash after every wear and they can always be recycled. Even when dirty, dusting is enough and you are good to go. It is acceptable… once in a while! Do not do it to the extent your pair of jeans loses its original colour and assumes an entirely different one.
‘Recycling’ a pair of jeans also depends on what activities you undertake in your jeans. If you are blue collar, then it might need regular washing.
Here’s how to know if your pair requires a wash: take a look at its pockets and hemlines. If they look dirty, then it is time for a wash.
Sagging
Look, you are a grown adult, and therefore you should know that your underwear shouldn’t be visible. The colour and design of your underwear should remain private. If your pants are a size too big, have it adjusted or get a quality belt to hold it up.
Continuously pulling up your pants after a few steps is also inappropriate and will attract stares from by-passers wondering why such a grown man can’t invest in a belt.
Pairing sandals with socks
Sandals are ideal for when your feet need a feel of fresh air. Having socks on with your sandals is defeating the whole purpose of wearing sandals. Let your feet ‘breathe.’ If your feet feel cold, get some comfortable closed shoes.
Promo t-shirts and tracksuits to work
We all have that one friend or relative who works for a brand and got us a free branded t-shirt. Please take note that these are not fashion items. Leave it for lazy weekends. Do not wear it to work, unless it is for your company.
If you love t-shirts, then you design personalised ones for yourself using a mophorn.
Unless you are a gym teacher or a coach, you shouldn’t wear tracksuits to work. They are meant for work our sessions and it should stay that way.