While women's fashion is fickle and changes year in year out, men's fashion, on the other hand, varies little according to fashion designer Nida Mahmood writing in the Indian Financial Chronicle. Men's fashion tends to turn around the basic components of a men's wardrobe: a shirt, jacket and trousers. What then can you do to add some variety to your look if you are stuck with the same type of outfit?
Attention to detail
Smaller details can be changed, such as the colour, the pattern and the cut of a shirt - a cutback collar this year or no breast pocket the next. Jackets can have a military cut to them or two, three or four buttons on the cuffs. These small changes can help keep a man's outfit and look fresh throughout the seasons.
Another way to prevent yourself from looking stale in the same shirt and suit combination day in day out is to mix and match the patterns and colours of your shirt, tie and suit appropriately as we explain here.
Plain shirts
A white shirt lends itself to a very contrasting tie. Go for a bold one that will stand out on the white background.
Alternatively, wear a plain coloured shirt and go for a more discrete coloured tie that yet contrasts the colour of the shirt. You can also try a tie with patterns or shapes on it when wearing a plain shirt.
Patterned shirts
A patterned shirt such as with stripes, herringbones or checks is a great way to add more variety. The combinations of stripe colours and stripe thickness are nearly infinite but stick to more toned-down colours, especially if it is for work. Usually the narrower the stripes, the more discrete the shirt is. When wearing a patterned shirt, stick at all cost to a plain tie.
Beware of patterns though
A patterned tie with a patterned shirt is a big no-no as there will be just too many patterns going on for the eye to take in. You don't want to look like a zebra.
Equally, a striped suit with a striped shirt don't mix well. There are just too many stripes for the eye. Remember - it's either a patterned shirt with a plain suit or a plain shirt with a patterned suit, i.e. with a stripes or checks pattern. If you're wearing a shirt on a date, it's crucial to get these details right.
You should now be able to juggle all your types of men's shirts, suits and ties to keep from wearing the same outfits all the time. That's the good thing about being a man - get a few basic items of menswear and you're all sorted.
