Men’s Style Journey: Tips and Resources for Beginners
When people say “fashion,” more often than not, what springs to mind is women’s clothing. It’s true that most fashion courses, articles, and guides are primarily targeted at women. In fact, until very recently, there wasn’t even a formal menswear degree in the United States. I’ve tried searching everywhere and haven’t found one anywhere else in the world, either.
Despite these challenges, I decided to embark on a journey to learn about men’s fashion. I’d spent a lot of time doing Pinterest marketing for brands that largely target women, and I quickly realized how little I actually knew about menswear. Let me share with you what I’ve discovered about this underrepresented niche and my ongoing efforts to deepen my knowledge.
From Women’s Fashion to Men’s Fashion
The Pinterest Perspective
When people hear “Pinterest,” they often assume it’s a platform that predominantly caters to female audiences. This assumption isn’t wrong, men represent only about 30% of Pinterest users in the United States. That still amounts to roughly 32 million men, but you’d never guess it when you look at the content. After working on Pinterest for six years, I’ve seen firsthand how men’s content is vastly outnumbered by women’s. If you identify yourself as a man on Pinterest(meaning you actually select “male” as your preferred gender), you might see a few men’s outfits in search results, but the majority of pins will still be women’s fashion.
That imbalance is one of the reasons I became interested in men’s fashion: I wanted to help this underrepresented group of guys find solid, useful information, especially for everyday style.
Limited Resources and the Search for Structured Learning
Once I set out to understand men’s fashion better, it became clear that aside from YouTube, structured learning materials like courses or degrees were hard to come by. In my quest to learn faster, I did something every guy in his mid-20s would do: I consulted ChatGPT. I got a mix of good suggestions, bad suggestions, and some ideas I still need to try. Let me share a quick rundown of what I’ve learned and what to avoid.
What I Avoided (or Found Unhelpful)
1. Most Courses
There are only a handful of men’s fashion courses out there. After checking reviews, lengths, and costs, I decided they weren’t worth it for me. The only one I’m still considering is The Style System by Antonio Centeno. If you’re remotely interested in men’s fashion and searched for it on YouTube, you’ve likely come across Antonio’s work, he’s the real deal.
2. GQ
This might be a controversial take, and I could change my mind later, but here’s my reasoning: I want a timeless, interchangeable wardrobe, while GQ focuses heavily on current trends each season. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s just not what I’m aiming for right now.
3. Instagram Influencers
Not all influencers are unhelpful, but I’ve noticed many of them showcase outfits (often suits and ties) that aren’t practical for everyday wear: office, church, casual dates, etc. While these looks are inspirational, they’re often not the kind of outfits I personally need. If your style goals are similar to mine, proceed with caution before following every influencer’s lead.
What Has Helped Me So Far
1. Articles
There are plenty of useful online articles on specific men’s style topics. Here are a few I’ve personally read and found valuable:
- Capsule Wardrobe Guide by The Essential Man
- Capsule Wardrobe by Men’s Fashioner(Ashley Weston)
- How to dress for your body type by Real Men Real Style
- How jeans should fit by Real Men Real Style
The first two guides focus on essential wardrobe items, while the latter articles drill down on fit. Fit is crucial when it comes to menswear, no matter how great a piece looks on the rack, it won’t shine if it doesn’t fit properly.
2. YouTube
YouTube is a goldmine for targeted men’s fashion topics. I suggest starting with the essentials:
- The must-have pieces in a basic wardrobe (e.g., white tees, dark denim, navy blazer).
- How each item should fit.
Try searching for phrases like “how a T-shirt should fit,” then repeat the process for pants, dress shirts, polos, and so on. Once you feel confident about fit, move on to more advanced topics like color theory.
What I’m Working on Now
1. Color Theory
One of the toughest aspects of men’s fashion is understanding how colors work together, especially considering personal factors like skin tone and body type. Many resources say men should stick to neutrals, especially if you’re building a timeless, interchangeable wardrobe.
After countless hours of research the most useful information I’ve found was a YouTube video from One Dapper Street, who is a content creator I highly recommend. He mentioned color theory was a whole semester at the Fashion Institute of Technology: Here’s the video.
I’m planning to learn more at an upcoming color theory workshop in my hometown. I’ll be sure to share what I learn in a future blog post.
2. Fabrics
I tackled polo shirts pretty quickly. My advice? Go for pique polos, they’re versatile, breathable, and can be dressed up in a business casual environment. Here’s a quick summary on polos:
- Jersey polos (more casual)
- Pique polos (can be casual or business casual)
- Textured polos (often more formal and stylish)
The challenge arises when understanding the nuances of cotton (Egyptian, Pima, Supima, etc.) and the countless non-cotton blends. Dress shirts are where I’m still struggling, but I’m determined to figure it out. Once I do, expect another blog post to break it all down.
As for pants, there are so many new blends available that it can feel overwhelming. Picking the wrong one can be an expensive mistake, so I’m taking my time to learn.
What I’m Planning To Do Next
- Attend the Color Theory Workshop: I’m hoping this workshop will answer many of my lingering questions about color pairing and personal palettes. I’ll write a post about what I learn.
- Learn More About Fabrics: My best friend is a fashion designer, and her mom teaches sewing at a specialized school. I plan to tap into their expertise to really understand the fabric world, then share it with you.
- Read Up on Classic Menswear: ChatGPT recommended several books, but I couldn’t find ebooks for them. After watching some YouTube recommendations, I settled on:
- Dressing the Man: Mastering the Art of Permanent Fashion by Alan Flusser
- True Style: The History and Principles of Classic Menswear by G. Bruce Boyer
- I’ll be traveling to Miami soon and plan to pick these up. I also discovered Dress Like a Man by Antonio Centeno (Real Men Real Style), which I’ll read and review as well.
- Take a Short Course: I’m considering a short online menswear course through Milan Fashion Campus, then potentially traveling to Italy for a more in-depth course. Italy is known as the world’s capital of menswear and Florence hosts the biggest men’s fashion conference each year: Pitti Uomo
Where to start?
If you’re brand new to men’s fashion, start with the articles I mentioned above. Focus on learning about each essential piece and how it should fit, this alone can transform your style. Once you’ve nailed the basics, you can move on to more nuanced topics like color coordination and fabrics. Wherever possible, get hands-on experience. Workshops, talking to tailors, and meeting professional designers can provide insights that online tutorials often miss.
Final Words
This journey into men’s fashion is ongoing, and I’m excited to keep exploring new avenues, whether that means taking a workshop, consulting a tailor, or even pursuing a specialized course. If you share this passion or simply want to upgrade your wardrobe with timeless pieces, I invite you to follow along. Subscribe to my email list, and I’ll keep you posted on everything I learn and discover.
Men’s fashion might be underrepresented, but with the right resources, mindset, and a touch of curiosity, we can build wardrobes that are both stylish and practical. Here’s to our continued exploration of men’s style, one well-fitted polo at a time!
