What's a good style for guy in his early to mid 20s
So I'm 26 and wanna improve my wardrobe. I was told to try softboy but what else would fit me?
16 Replies
generic advice, but don't pigeonhole yourself to a style you read an article online about. Go to https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191 or https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1289384841346814052 and see if there's anyone there that you think has a style that you could see yourself dressing in and start from there. Start looking for fashion content on social media and sooner rather than later the algorithm will start feeding you posts and accounts of the things you seem to enjoy the most.
If you rush it you'll spend a lot of money only to realise you've bought into a style that maybe looks good on some people, but says nothing about you as a person, doesn't reflect your lifestyle or interests.
I know it's descriptive and you were probably looking for prescriptive advice, but think of it like deciding your favourite music genre. You listen to a bit a bit of everything before you decide something is for you. You don't just wake up one day and make avant-garde grindcore your whole personality.
basically took the words out of my mouth
only other thing i'll add is that trying on clothes is helpful as well - pictures don't often convey things like the volume in three dimensions or how it feels on the skin or how it drapes on you
First start by wearing different than your regular style. So, if you wear jeans and T everyday, now try some trousers/chinos with shirt. Something basic like a navy chino, oxford shirt.
Once you do that and get comfortable, you will start exploring different styles and discover your own.
not great advice tbqh. Chinos and oxfords aren't for everyone.
It's much more feasible to start by looking at fits you like, figuring out why you like them, and making informed purchasing decisions that way than to buy a bunch of stuff and figure out your style by sheer process of elimination.
so any tips?
the first post says everything I'd recommend
so should I try softboy attire then?
yeah, that's the obvious conclusion of this thread
to add to it, this isn't a straightforward math equation to balance where you solve for 'x' (different style of dress) and suddenly your style improves
there is nothing based on the pictures you've described (both the clothing styles or the personality traits) you've given for me to say what 'different' style would suit you - not just visually but in terms of personality as well
you're gonna have to do some extra work here similar to the extra work i'm doing in summarizing @Tudorica123 already concise points
- see what other people are wearing, either on #waywt or in #inspiration or on instagram/tiktok (search for #ootd or #menswear or even #starboy as a start).
- see if you like an image and save it (on pinterest, on are.na, on your phone, whatever)
- try to identify what you like or dislike about it (a particular style of shirt, where the hem lays, the ~vibe~)
- ask questions of the person in the picture if possible (where did you get this? how did you decide on that?)
- as you do this, common themes will logically come up (is everyone wearing button downs? big pants? jeans? sweater vests? etc.) and those will help form your personal style
- from there, you can start to ask questions like 'i like big pants, where can i buy them for less than $[z]?' or 'i like big coats, what are things that go wth them?' or just buy stuff (secondhand stores or ebay/depop/reseller websites are great ways to go about this, as the cost investment is less)
ultimately your style isn't always going to have a nice and neat name with a list of things to buy. that's okay, because you're a human being with lots of different aspects of yourself, many of which are still forming. give this time and some thought, and your clothes will grow -with- you to reflect who you are as a person
or to cut to the chase, if you want to know 'should i wear starboy?' i counter with 'do you want to dress like this regularly? because if so, then go for it and if not, see above
oh said softboy but sure gonna try and mix and match
also how long should I put into or fit into my schedule
real talk i'm not sure how different softboy is from your current style
you should put in however much time you feel you need
i can't tell you how much time you should spend on this; you have to decide how important this is, whether it's five minutes a day or five hours a day.
i was told my style isn't softboy
I was told my attire dresses like a HS student
different names mean different things to different people
it's why it's more effective to find individual fits that speak to you
do you recommend shopping online or in person?
yes
shopping in person means you're likely able to try on clothes (ideal) or at least see/feel them in person without studio lighting
shopping online may mean saving money and more convenience, especially if you're able to batch things together
my -usual- strategy is
- figure out something i want to buy (checking #waywt or #inspiration or ig)
- find a stockist or store to try on in person to see if i like how it looks and feels on me [if unavailable skip step]
- see if i can find the same product for less online, factoring in shipping and condition. if so buy, if not, buy in person