Dressing for the Man In His 30s

Dressing for work: business attire

Good suits in business style — dark colors with fairly restrained patterning or texture. White dress shirts (plain or lightly patterned) and some good silk neckties and pocket squares. Oxford dress shoes and matching belts.

Dressing for work: Business Casual

A good variety of trouser and jacket styles, with some lightly-patterned or light-colored dress shirts to complete the outfits. Casual leather shoes. Pocket squares for the jackets. Sweaters can work into the look too.

Dressing for work: Hands-on Labor

Clean, damage-free jeans or sturdy cotton trousers. Soft collared shirts like polos or work shirts. Leather work boots (or plain, dark-colored synthetic ones if leather isn't a viable option).

Dressing for Yourself: Daytime Errands

Almost anything neat and well-fitted. Sweaters, jackets, and light coats for top layers. Casual dress shirts or solid, dark-colored T-shirts, henleys, and other relaxed styles. Trousers in a variety of styles (jeans are fine, but keep them dark and fitted). Casual leather shoes.

Dressing for Yourself: Evening Socializing

Conservative business dress. Plain collared shirts with khakis or other “bland” dress-casual trousers. Gym shoes or other colored rubber/cloth footwear. T-shirts with logos, school or brand names, or other non-artistic graphics.

Dressing for Romance: Dating or Date-Seeking

Dark, fitted trousers and jackets. Light-colored collared shirts (white with light patterning works well). Nice leather shoes and matching belts. Some modest jewelry if it's your thing. A splash of decent cologne (nothing cheap, and no more than a dab on the back of the neck).