You might be looking at the title and be already thinking to yourself: “fashion just isn’t for me.” I get it.

But you also might be interested in trying to learn how to dress better. And to answer the question that might be hovering in your mind about not having a sense of style: well, nobody starts out knowing exactly what they’re doing. 

Growing up, my mother instilled it in me that ‘dressing well is a form of politeness and self-respect’, so my siblings and I were always lectured on looking our best, even without expensive clothes. I was once the guy that had no idea how to put himself together. My clothing was bought by my mom and I thought, hey this isn’t so bad since I didn’t care much. As I grew older (college), I got to a stage where flipping through GQ magazines made me envious – just because of how good some guys looked in their clothing. Although I had no idea what I was doing, I started wanting to dress like those guys.

They say that clothes make a man, and in fact, they do – because first impressions tend to be lasting impressions.

The way to start is by simply finding inspiration and seeing what works for you

Which styles stands out to you? Try to start with the basics of an outfit to establish the foundation of the look. Most of the time, you can add more pieces and accessories to the essentials. You can even experiment with pops of colour if you’re into that, but it’s best to work with neutral tones starting out. Even as my style continues to mature, I still stick to neutral colours since you can’t go wrong – all the time. Colour coordination goes a long way when it comes to dressing well, so it might also take you a little while to figure out what colours work best with your skin tone and your style in general.

I firmly believe that developing a sense of style takes time and growth, so like anything else requiring time, it won’t happen overnight. But you’ll slowly realize how much better you look and feel when you’re putting in a little more effort. And once you begin to get the hang of it, you will begin inspiring people too!

Make sure your clothes fit you right

This is a very important point. Often times you’ll see guys with oversized garments that simply look sluggish. I understand some styles nowadays revolve around that baggy element, but if we’re talking menswear in general, you want to look like you know what you’re doing. Wearing something that fits you great elevates your style to another level. For example, you could wear a great fitting suit from Banana Republic, and that will look a lot better on you than an oversized Hugo Boss suit. It’s a game changer – and in addition to that, it’s flattering.

It’s important to mention that you should be feeling comfortable in your clothing. So if you’re completely okay with a tighter or looser fit, adjust accordingly. Sometimes you want to transition to a different fit, and it’s not easy getting out of your comfort zone, I know. So you can try working your way down through a few steps. For example, if you wanted to wear skinny jeans and you’re in the boot cut phase, try experimenting with a straight leg fit first, and see how that goes for you.

It also isn’t a bad idea to invest in tailoring your clothing, especially your suits. If you have a suit that you don’t wear as much anymore because of the way it fits, take it to a tailor and get it altered. It’ll cost you much less than buying a new suit and you’d be surprised at how good it looks afterwards. The same goes for casual pants, don’t hesitate to hem them if they’re too baggy or long.

You don’t need to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on great clothes

You simply don’t need to, especially when you’re starting out. A lot of people have this misconception that dressing well equals a whole lot of spending. Well, they’re wrong. When I started building my wardrobe of essentials, I began shopping at the GAP, UNIQLO and the sale section of Club Monaco (and you get an additional 20% off if you’re a student at Club Monaco). It helped me establish a solid lineup of essential pieces that I still wear today.

Wearing expensive designer labels isn’t a bad thing, but a lot of essentials are very similar, regardless of price point. What you also want to stay away from is super cheap clothing. I understand many of us shop on a budget – there’s nothing wrong with that, but many of the fast fashion brands use unethical practices while making clothes and the clothing itself can be harmful to the environment.

Here are a few suggestions of where you can start shopping for stylish, quality and reasonably priced garments:

–UNIQLO

–J.Crew

–Frank and Oak

–ASOS

–GAP

Make sure you’re having fun and not taking it too seriously

At the end of the day, you don’t want the process to be strenuous. If you’re not enjoying it – then there’s no need to waste your time and effort. Stick to what you like about the way you dress and try to elevate that in a way that’s most comfortable for you. You don’t need to be anybody but yourself, so let your personal style reflect that in the best way possible. If you love your t-shirt and jeans combo, don’t ditch it. Instead add a classic watch, play around with the colour of your socks, or even pin-roll your jeans. It’s simpler than you think!