By Noor Ibrahim

For a couple of years now, I have had great interest in creating, styling, and analyzing menswear. Because fashion is such an important element of society, I have researched the different kinds of style and what they symbolize.

Some styles can symbolize many things. For instance, bomber jackets are often seen as sporty, while at the same time, they can be worn with a dress shirt. Such combination can project a youthful yet well-put-together look. Another example: Combining a black turtleneck shirt with ankle-length khaki pants, and accessorizing it with gold-framed glasses will not only look classic and vintage, can also give off a sense of effortlessness.

My research has led me to look for a connection between how a man chooses to dress and his personality. This connection, however, is quite difficult to analyze. For instance, some businessmen and inventors may present themselves differently than would be expected. People like Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs dress casually rather than in high fashion, despite their social and financial status. They do invest in deceptively simple clothing items that can also be ridiculously expensive.

Should the general public also dress down, because these influencers do? What are the benefits for an ordinary man to put a little more effort into the way he dresses?

Although many may argue that an individual should do whatever he pleases, there are social norms involved. These social norms exist because for centuries (if not millennia), we were programmed to believe that a person’s external appearance reflects what is on the inside.

I personally do not support this idea fully; however, some parts of it are somewhat true.
From my personal experience, when I started to pay closer attention to my external self, I understood my inner beauty better. Or, in simpler words, when individuals put effort in how they present themselves to the world, it is in fact how they see themselves.

So, how much effort should you actually put in? The answer depends on your personality. For example, if you wish to achieve a preppy-casual look, you will only need a polo shirt and a pear of a nicely fitted bottoms. Tuck the shirt in, and voila. Even if you choose to dress extremely casually, you can invest in other elements that will highlight the T-shirt or the ripped jeans you are wearing. An element that you can invest in is perhaps how you style your hair! This feature has been quite trendy in many forms of media. The reason is it helps to refine and refresh an individual’s appearance.

Men’s fashion can be complex and difficult, but it will never reach womenswear complexity. The general rule to follow is “less is more”! Not only will fashion help you dress up and allow you to express yourself, it might even inspire and motivate you to do incredible things!