Fathers play an integral role in teaching their sons how to dress well as a man. Some fathers do better than others when preparing their sons for life after childhood.
If a man is never taught certain things about using style to present his best self to the world, he may find himself not attracting the women he wants, and maybe even losing money.
For those men, we are here to help. In this article, we explain the 11 men's style tips your father should have taught you.
These tips are:
- Develop A Great First Impression
- Leverage Style To Gain Confidence
- Focus on Fit
- Master Tying A Tie
- Learn How To Get The Best Shave
- Polish Your Shoes
- Invest In A Tuxedo
- Maintain Your Clothes
- Pay Attention To The Details
- Lead By Example
- Building A Wardrobe Takes Time
Style Tip #1 Develop A Great First Impression
First impressions are powerful and should be the first thing that a dad should teach his son about his style.
We would like to believe that people don't judge by appearance, but the reality is that they do. Knowing how to dress well as a man will send the right message at the crucial meeting point with new people.
Impart to your son that the way you look will tell a story about who you are. It will communicate perceptions (true or false) about things like your level of education, criminal history, success level, and intelligence level.
The message you convey reveals who you are before you open your mouth. Teach your son that sending messages of competence and respect will open opportunities that he may have never had.
Our sons have to know that looking nice is “that important”
Tip #2 Leverage Style To Gain Confidence
A father has to tell his son that the most important thing about style is confidence. It takes confidence to be stylish and push the envelope of your comfort level.
If you or your son is the conservative “Plain Jane” type, wearing double-breasted suits or bright patterned pocket squares might be a stretch for you. So being a confident man is necessary to take you to the next style level.
Teach your sons that people will notice how nice you look, and the compliments will start pouring in no matter the environment.
Tip #3 Focus On Fit
Learning how to dress well as a man oftentimes begins with learning how to get the right fit. None of the rest of these lessons matter if the clothes you get hang off of you.
Children often time are slaves to the trends. They see their favorite athlete or Hollywood star wearing something, and they want to imitate it.
As dads, we have to educate our boys about the timeless wardrobe when it comes to style. The first thing they should know is that a suit is the fundamental element of style. Owning a quality suit will allow them to build a wardrobe around it. When the suit fits properly, there will be no more important piece in their wardrobe.
Show them how shirt, tie, and pocket square combinations can completely change the outfit's look. Explain the history or tell your son how to differentiate a suit from a sports coat and a blazer.
Tip #4 Master Tying A Tie
We know that neckties set a gentleman apart. It's a subtle element of a man's outfit that speaks refinement and professionalism.
Our sons must know that a necktie or bowtie is the hallmark of a stylish man. His collection doesn't have to be vast, but it must be quality. Learning how to tie a necktie or a bow tie is like a rite of passage into manhood.
It's not necessary to get into all the different types of knots. Quite frankly, some of them are too trendy and won't last long. Dads should instead show their sons how to master the Half Windsor or Full Windsor knot basics.
Tip #5 Learn How To Get The Best Shave
Dads should prepare their sons for the business world by teaching them how to shave. When I was young, I remember that I desperately wanted to grow a mustache. I'm sure that you were the same way. When the time came, and facial hair grew, dad was all too happy to pass down to me his shaving tips:
- Choose the correct type of razor for your hair and skin
- Keep your razors/shaving kit clean and sharp
- Trim your beard using clippers before shaving
- Wash your face with an exfoliant
- Apply a natural pre-shave oil to nourish the skin and lubricate the razor
- Heat your pores with a warm towel
- Apply shaving cream, preferably with a brush
- Shave with the grain of your hair
- Rinse your face with warm water
- Apply a natural, non-alcoholic aftershave balm to clean your skin without irritating it
You should underscore the importance of shaving. Treat it as a ritual.
Tip #6 Polish Your Shoes
Polishing his shoes has multiple life lessons attached to it. Learning how to dress well as a man incorporates aspects of life outside of style.
First, it teaches the importance of discipline. Keeping shoes shined is tedious and often has to be planned out.
As fathers, we have to teach our sons about paying attention to details. They must know that success often rests in the small things, and polishing their shoes is a way to stand out from the crowd stylishly.
It is also an indirect lesson on saving money. Correctly polished shoes extend the leather's life and save you from having to dish out dough on new shoes as often.
We have to show them that shoes make an outfit, and poorly maintained shoes are a style faux pas. Our sons should know the differences between quick shine, classic shine, and spit shine.
#7 Invest In A Tuxedo
This one comes as a surprise to many men, but a tuxedo is a classic style element for the quintessential gentleman.
Young men must know to prepare for anything. Owning a tuxedo will all but force the owner to seek out opportunities to wear it. Tuxedos are for the most formal occasions.
They are also generally reserved for culture-rich and upscale events. A tuxedo prepares a young man to enter into a new realm of manhood filled with new experiences.
#8 Maintain Your Clothes
Learning how to dress well as a man is pointless if you cannot maintain your clothing and keep them in great condition.
Ironing is not something most young boys worry about until they are old enough to handle a hot iron safely. Before then, the parents are the ones who do it.
When your son is of age, this is key in teaching him about presentation. Helping him understand things like the iron's settings; when to use steam, and how to use starch will aid in keeping him looking polished.
Learning how to iron a shirt takes practice. Go through and show your son how to iron first, then have him try it step by step with you watching. Make necessary corrections along the way until he is comfortable doing it himself.
#9 Pay Attention To The Details
Teaching our sons to focus on the small details early on is a great way to help them relax when it comes to the bigger things in life.
For instance, if your son is a performer, teaching them to pay attention to their wardrobe, their hair, and all of the more minor aspects of the performance will alleviate any worry so they can focus on the performance itself.
Starting this with their style is the same way. Focusing on colors, fits, and the small details of their outfits will train their eyes to see the more minor details in life.
#10 Lead By Example
Gentlemen, if any of you guys have kids, you'll understand what I'm saying here. They don't always listen to what you say, but they watch what you do. Gentlemen, this is very important.
It doesn't matter if you don't have kids because there is somebody in your life watching you. Realize that people are looking up to you, be the man they believe you are and that you know yourself to be. Don't be afraid to be the best-dressed man in the room, to be the guy who goes out there and sets the tone.
#11 Building A Wardrobe Takes Time
Often children want what they want when they want it. Patience is not a virtue to a young person. It is up to us fathers to teach them that building a quality wardrobe is an investment that takes time.
Let them know that it will be better if they purchase quality pieces when the time comes for them to shop for themselves. Sometimes quality comes at a premium price, so they will have to be good stewards of their finance, which is a lesson that's even more important than anything dealing with style.
Tell your young prince that understanding how to dress well as a man takes patience and commitment. In that same respect, buying and maintain quality will save them money and time in the long run.
Click below to watch video – 11 Things I Wish My Dad Taught Me:
Read more:
How To Dress Like A (Cool) Dad
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