Golden Rules:
Rule methodology found here. Click each
to expand details.
Items to Avoid:
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Flannel |
Tank-tops, wife-beaters
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Floral / Hawaiian |
Plaid |
Thin turtleneck (thick sweater turtleneck OK) |
Standard "Can't-Go-Wrong" Suggestions:
Please note: the items listed below are girl-approved examples. Although each item is linked to a vendor that sells the item, we're not advocating any exact make, model, or vendor. Each example is linked to an online vendor. We highly recommend vendors which offer free in-store returns or free shipping on certain orders, such as:
NOTE ON LAYERING: See that
hint of white undershirt showing beneath heartthrob Viggo's collared button-up? It's little touches like this that women love. Even the lowly t-shirt can be dressed up by a good blazer. Make sure that the undershirt is not the same color as the overshirt, and doesn't stand out too much.
Men's Undershirts & T-Shirts |
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1. Undershirts, or 'essential t-shirts', are a necessary part of every wardrobe. You should probably never wear these on their own, but they provide a clean base for your other shirts. Build up a collection base of neutral colors - white, grey and black. 2. Graphic T's are a fine casual choice, but a couple of tips here. First, keep the graphic simple - and it shouldn't stand out too much. Second, you don't want the shirt to appear too crisp or new - you're going for a casual comfortable look. Lastly, fit is very important - that is, the shoulder seam should actually be sitting on your shoulder, and the rest of the shirt should not look like it's hanging off of you . Avoid potential offensive jokes and writing gimmicks. Layering T-shirts is OK - for example a short sleeve T with a long sleeve shirt underneath. |
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Men's Polos |
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| Another good casual choice. Again - most of the time, go with a layered look - just make sure your undershirt is not the same color as your overshirt. On the other hand, you don't want your undershirt to contrast too much with your overshirt - this is pretty easy to do - just avoid wearing white under a black shirt - i.e. go with gray. | ||
Men's Sweatshirts |
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Everyone needs a good hoodie - throw one of these on, and one of your essential t-shirts, and you're good to go. Plus it can double as a light jacket on its own. Sleeve length should come down to your first thumb knuckle. |
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Men's Sweaters |
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Not too much to say about the standard sweater. Sleeve length should come down to your first thumb knuckle. For a preppy look you can wear a collared shirt underneath. One advanced tip is to try going with a sweater color that matches your eyes (this goes for all shirts.) |
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Men's Collared & Dress Shirts |
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1. It's hard to go wrong with a collared shirt in most circumstance - if you stay away from bright colors or crazy stripes. A collared shirt (layered, of course) will serve you well at the club, on date or at a party. Remember, if you're not wearing a tie or sweater over it, then no tuck-in! 2. Everyone needs a white dress shirt. The key here is to go with thicker material - see through is not cool. Also, as soon as you wear a shirt with a tie, it needs to be pressed and neat. When wearing a tie with a colored collared shirt, try to have a color in the tie match the shirt. |
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Advanced Options:
- Rugby and golf shirts are fine to wear casually, but not at a club
- Don't wear shirts that are too tight (i.e. don't fit properly). Women are more interested in how well you dress than how large your muscles are
- No offensive jokes on t-shirts
- One idea is to have your shirt color match your eye color
- Ties - have one color in the tie match the color of your shirt (except for white)
"Never tuck in a golf shirt - that is death."
Sarah, 23, Grad Student
"Free t-shirts are great, but don't wear them to work, on dates, or to any bar where you actually hope to talk to girls."
Jodi, 25, Business Consultant
"Experiment with layering... but never wear a zip-up sweater with nothing underneath. We don't want to see chest hair - ever."
Maureen, 24, Law Student