Three men's fashion myths

 #1.  Never wear double denim. Double denim can be done! Many a style conscious type may tell you that you should never wear a denim shirt or jacket with jeans as it makes you look like you're about to go rodeo riding up Broke Back Mountain. Well that quite simply isn't true. It is a look that can go horribly wrong very easily, but if you get it right the double denim look can actually make you look like a confident style king who really knows his stuff. Sometimes the best way of showing you understand the 'rules' is by breaking them! The importance here is achieving contrast between the shirt or jacket and the jeans, both in terms of colour and texture. Having both your top and bottom half in the same or very similar shades is a big no no as a certain Justin Timberlake kindly demonstrates here (thankfully he has completely overhauled his style game from his boy band fronting days!). David Beckham often carries the double denim look off with aplomb! Notice how he always achieves the kind of contrast I am referring to with different shades, textures and finishes of denim between garments to achieve a subtle, style-forward balance to the point that you don't pay attention to the amount of one material he is wearing. Double denim isn't one for the fashion novice, but once you start to feel confident and to trust your eye, it can really work!

 

#2. Always wear a belt. Wrong! David Gandy, arguably the most recognisable male model in the World right now, very often opts to wear no belt with his jeans, even when pairing them with a smart blazer and more formal shoes. For me David Gandy above any other contemporary style icon emphasizes the importance of good fit. Admittedly he has the weight of Dolce & Gabbana behind him, among others, so it is far easier for him to have everything perfectly tailored than for the common you and I. However, there are still important lessons we can learn about fit from David and adapt to our own budget and means, such as buying jeans that fit properly in the waist whereby wearing a belt becomes a style option rather than a necessity. Many claim that not wearing a belt, especially with a tucked in shirt makes your outfit look unfinished and lazy. Actually sometimes a belt can be a detail too far and detract attention from the rest of your outfit by centralizing and dividing up your torso and legs too aggressively. I think these images of David show how going beltless can provide an unexpected and really interesting and stylish touch. A belt should always be worn with suit and tie office wear, but for after work drinks why not try a light-mid grey suit, replace your light coloured office shirt for a black one and ditch the tie and belt – an instantaneous and easy surefire way of transforming your office outfit into something more appropriately relaxed yet sharp for a night on the town.

#3. Don't mix patterns. Some people might preach the need to stick to one heavily patterned item within your outfit at a time whether it be striped, pinstriped, checked, paisley, gingham, dotted or plaid. This really is an unfounded myth and mixing patterns can really add depth and a sense of individualism to your look. Again there is a thin line between getting this look right and catastrophically wrong and hitting the dreaded 'my mum still buys my clothes' look. Some helpful tips towards achieving the former are to pick out a matching or complimentary colours between items and to go for a mixture of detailing and sizing of pattern between items. As you can see from the Tom Ford advert here, If you shirt has a small intricate gingham check design for example, make sure the tie has a larger more spaced out plaid check or vice versa for example. Pair a thinly striped shirt with a tie with much more spaced out pinstripes or thick block stripes. 

So to conclude and repeat myself to drive the point home; sometimes you show you best understand the so called 'rules' by breaking them! Ultimately style is about confidently looking like you know what you are doing. What better way to do that than by confounding expectation and deliberately going against the grain?

Drew Sykes