9 style tips for young professionals
Many of us realize that once we get into our 20s, and especially after joining a fraternity, there are suddenly a lot more occasions that we dress nicely for. Whether you are dressing up for a formal, or expanding your wardrobe for a new job or internship, these tips will help you out when transitioning into the professional world.
Tip #1 for Sharp-Dressed Young Men: Dress Your Footwear Up
A traditional school of thought that’s still alive and well claims you can judge a man by his shoes. A good pair of dress shoes will last you years and stay good-looking with nothing more than some light cleaning and the occasional shine.
Owning a nice pair of dress shoes is definitely a must for a young professional, and I’m talking about real dress shoes. Wearing a pair of Sperrys with a suit is not a professional look.
Tip #2 : Dress to Look Older
The way you dress is the way you are perceived. If you’re still wearing clothes that scream “student days” you’re going to be treated like a boy with no experience in the real world. Buck the trend, age your look a little, and get the respect you deserve from older men.
Tip #3 : Ignore Fashion Trends
Most young men don’t have the budget to buy new pants every month or two — so stay away from pants that are only presentable during an “in” season.
Stick to classic clothing staples for the core of your wardrobe and avoid anything that’s too far out on the cutting edge — even if you see something that makes it look good.
Tip #4 : Take Care of Your Clothing
If you’ve shelled out for a few pieces of good, quality clothing — a custom suit, a pair of expensive dress shoes, what have you — it’s worth a few bucks more to keep the clothes in good shape.
That means using good hangers for your suits, shoe trees for your shoes, and a little tender loving care with the washing machine.
Tip #5 : Have at Least One Good Suit in the Closet
No matter what your job is, you’re going to need a decent suit at some point.
If you’re in a field where you’re going to wear one regularly you should look for a variety of colors and styles; if you just need a single suit for infrequent dress occasions stick with a classic single-breasted, two-button suit in charcoal gray or navy blue.
For those on a college budget, you can find hidden gems at your local thrift store or second hand shop. Name brand suit jackets and shirts can go for around $10.
Tip #6 : Build from White and Blue Shirts
White and light blue cotton dress shirts are the backbone to a sharp wardrobe.
Much of this lies in the fact both of these colors make up approximately 90 percent of the dress shirts sold worldwide and that either color looks good on most complexions and body types.
Patterns can liven up the basic white and blue color palette, and there’s nothing wrong with branching out into some other colors as your personal style evolves. Just have a good core of white and blue dress shirts.
Tip #7 : Own Dark Fitted Jeans & Know When to Wear Them
Jean styles are always changing: rips, tears, acid and bleach washing, distressed, stone washed, boot cut, wide leg, low rise, skinny; baggy.
Keep it simple by sticking with fitted jeans in a dark color, sans fading or rips.
You can wear them with a fitted T-shirt for a relaxed, casual look or dress them up with a buttoned shirt and a sport coat for a business-casual style.
Tip #8 Look Beyond Denim
Well cut and classically styled trousers will make you look a little sharper at social occasions than jeans.
They’re less common in a young crowd, so you’ll already be standing out, and a good pair of slacks has a drape and crease that looks much crisper than denim.
Tip # 9 : Replace T-shirts with Polos and Sport Shirts
Wearing T-shirts to the gym or when you are performing house chores is fine.
But wearing T-shirts to social events or to work is a no-no, especially when the shirt is too big and made from a shoddy fabric advertising the company who gave it to you a decade ago.
(Via RMRS)
Hopefully these pointers can help step up your dress game. Whether you’re in your post grad years or still in college, it is never too early to start dressing nicer, feeling better, and looking sharper for the world of a young professional.
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