Buying the storefront wardrobe from the Kenneth Cole window will certainly make you a sharp dresser. But will it say anything about you? Have you considered accessorizing?

Sometimes, the simplest attempts to put a little zing into your attire make all the difference. Here’s where to start…

Your Shoes

Don’t wear the same shoes day in and day out. It says you’re boring. It says you’re cheap. It’s impossible for the same pair of shoes to help complete your idea of a stylish outfit every day. Add a white pair, black pair, brown pair, retro pair, and colorful pair to your collection. And that’s just your casual wear. For formal occasions, one pair of black dress shoes can get you by, but a second brown pair can expand your options.

Your Belt

Do you wear the same belt every day? Sporting the same old black or brown belt from college (or high school!) needs to stop. The problem is your waistline needs some variety. My belts are different every day, but I only own a handful of belts. How? I prefer belt buckles to change up my style. For $5-$20, a buckle can support your clothes’ statement and shouldn’t be overlooked.

A buckle also overshadows any of your belt’s imperfections. If you’ve been wearing the same belt for a long time, you may have noticed your leather friend is no longer straight. Personally, I don’t find this to be a problem, or a reason to part ways if it’s a good belt. When it’s around your waist, people are none the wiser.

Your Hair

When I think of my dad and men his age regarding their hair, one thing comes to mind: their cut hasn’t changed in a decade! Yours should! Yes, there are some people who have hair that only looks good in one style. I understand that. But the majority of guys can wear many different styles. One celebrity with great hair is Brad Pitt. He constantly changes his cut, adding to his appeal. Altering your cut shows you take risks and care about how you look. Ditch the barber, head to a stylist (it’s okay to go to a salon guys), and you’ll never look back.

Paying a little thought to these three categories, combined with a great graphic tee, slimmer-fitting jeans and a confident attitude will be sure to garner the attention of anyone.

Shoes: Onitsuka Tiger, Adidas Originals

Belts: Pink Floyd Dark Side Belt Buckle, Sterling Silver Belt Buckle, Find more at Buckle City

Invitations

Image Credit: Kathryn Rotondo via FlickR

1. Invitations are not like Evites - you can’t forward them to your friends. Covet your invite because you were chosen, not mass emailed to.
2. The invitation tells you exactly how many people you can bring in addition to yourself, so pay attention!
3. Your name “and family” means you and your kids/spouse.
4. Your name “and guest” means you and ONE guest.
5. Your name only means you are lucky to have gotten an invite to begin with.
6. Don’t RSVP your children unless they are explicitly invited. Hire a sitter instead.
7. Don’t assume you can bring your baby because the couple doesn’t have to buy a dinner plate. Some weddings are purposely designated adult only.
8. You must always send an RSVP, even if you aren’t attending. RSVP’s are not just for affirmative responses, and if you don’t send an RSVP the bride and groom have no idea if you are going to just show up.
9. When sending an RSVP, follow the bride and groom’s process. Don’t email them if they’ve included a response card in your invitation - it just adds extra stress for them to keep track of multiple communication channels.
10. RSVP’s must be mailed ahead and reach their destination by the deadline. Having them postmarked by the deadline is not good enough.
11. RSVP’s must actually give the correct number of attendees. Do your best to give an accurate figure at the time of RSVP.
12. If your plans change before the RSVP date, let the bride and groom know ASAP.
13. If your plans change after the RSVP date, you should give a gift equivalent to your original RSVP.
14. Don’t ask your mutual friends if they’ve received an invite. Choosing who to invite to your wedding is a difficult task, and people get cut for cost reasons.
15. If you do ask a mutual friend and they were not invited, you will put stress on the relationship between the bride/groom and the mutual friend. So just don’t ask.
16. Invitation time is the best time to notify the bride and groom of any dietary restrictions you or your guests may have.
17. Note that I wrote “dietary restrictions,” not “food preferences.” Don’t add extra tasks for the bride and groom unless necessary!

Gifts

1. If you receive an invitation you must send a gift! Even if you don’t attend.
2. If you can’t attend the wedding, you should send your gift before the wedding with a card expressing your regrets about not being able to attend.
3. The gift should be worth at least the # of people you’ve RSVP’ed x the cost of one person’s plate for the reception.
4. The exception to this is when a couple chooses *really expensive* plates.
5. *Really expensive* depends on your geographical area, not your preferences. Nice try though.
6. If you don’t know what a wedding plate costs, call the reception hall and investigate. This will at least get you in the ballpark.
7. The gift should be monetary or come from the bride and groom’s registry.
8. The wedding registry will not be listed in the invitation unless the couple is very tacky. You are supposed to call the maid-of-honor (MOH)/mother of the bride (MOB) to find out where the couple is registered.
9. Anyone in the family or wedding party is appropriate if the MOH/MOB cannot be reached.
10. Don’t get the couple something they didn’t ask for! It’s not clever and/or original, it’s annoying.
11. Money should come in a wedding card.
12. Gift cards are like throwing money away, so don’t give them.
13. If you insist on giving a gift card it should come only from a store where the couple is registered.
14. Don’t get the couple something they didn’t ask for! It’s not clever and/or original, it’s annoying.
15. Gifts should be removed from the registry to avoid the headaches of double gifts. Ask for help from a store assistant if you are confused.
16. Gifts should come wrapped in wedding paper with a wedding card.
17. Don’t get the couple something they didn’t ask for! It’s not clever and/or original, it’s annoying.
18. It’s nice to give the couple more than what covers your dinner plates, if you can and want to.

What to Wear

1. Dress attire may be specified in the invitation. Pay attention and look at the details of the invite.
2. The ceremony determines whether the wedding is daytime or evening, as receptions are usually in the evening.
3. For men, daytime formal dress means a suit in neutral colors like black, brown, or gray.
4. For men, daytime informal/semi-formal dress means a dress shirt and pants.
5. For women, daytime formal dress means a cocktail dress.
6. For women, daytime informal/semi-formal dress means a nice floral printed dress or a business suit.
7. For men, evening formal dress means a tux. Preferably black, with a white shirt.
8. For men, evening informal/semi-formal dress means a suit in neutral colors like black, brown, or gray.
9. For women, evening formal dress means a formal gown or a cocktail dress.
10. For women, evening informal/semi-formal dress means a cocktail dress. If in doubt, a little black Betsey Johnson dress works beautifully, or any solid colored dress in cool colors will do.
11. Rules are meant to be broken, but do not step too far outside these guidelines unless it’s a themed wedding.
12. In the case of a themed or destination wedding, all bets are off.
13. If dress attire is not specified, you can take hints from the websites of the church and reception hall.
14. Do not wear anything too revealing, particularly to the ceremony.
15. If you are still unsure of how to dress, you can call the MOH/MOB to ask what is appropriate.
16. For women, do not wear white! White is reserved for the bride, even if she doesn’t wear it.
17. If purchasing your clothing in advance, consider the season.
18. Try not to wear the same colors as the bridal party. You can find out the wedding colors in advance by speaking with the MOH/MOB.
19. Consider your shoe choices carefully. Because you may be wearing these shoes for a good portion of the day as well as the night, choose something comfortable, yet stylish.
20. Do not call your friends to see what they are wearing! Unless you know for a fact they were invited.

Before You Leave

1. Make sure you have directions to both the wedding and reception sites.
2. With any large gathering, parking can be an issue. Make sure you are clear on where to park, and consider carpooling if parking is limited.
3. Check the weather and traffic patterns, and plan accordingly.
4. If you are attending a religious ceremony, get a brief overview of how a traditional wedding plays out in that religion. This will help you to be a respectful guest at the reception, even if you do not share the same beliefs.
5. If there is a gap between the wedding and reception, have a plan to occupy yourself and your guests.
6. If you have dietary preferences, make sure you pack some snacks, just in case. Or have a plan to eat something before the reception.
7. Perform a checklist before you leave: make sure you have directions, addresses, gifts, snacks, and an extra pair of shoes just in case.

At the Ceremony

Image Credit: babasteve via FlickR

1. First and foremost: Turn your cell phone off!
2. If you have any other devices that might make noise, turn those off too.
3. Don’t even consider vibrate. Vibrate is for people who plan to leave the ceremony if they get an important call. And yes, everyone can still hear your phone vibrating, so don’t be one of those people!
4. Arrive 30 minutes early.
5. If you normally arrive late to events, arrive an hour early.
6. If you arrive late to the ceremony despite careful planning, find an usher to seat you.
7. If you can’t find an usher, sit in the first empty row from the front. Quietly.
8. Be respectful of any religious customs you may see at the ceremony.
9. If in doubt, follow the family’s lead for standing, sitting, kneeling, singing, and praying.
10. Unless asked, do not take pictures at the ceremony. There may be rules against it, or it may ruin the ambiance of the ceremony.

At the Reception

1. It is appropriate to speak to the bride and groom, but do not monopolize the their time. Unless it is a small wedding, they have a lot of people to thank throughout the night.
2. One picture with the bride and groom is enough. Honestly. Most weddings will have a photographer who will take more than enough photos that you can purchase at a later date.
3. Do not give your gift directly to the bride and groom.
4. Most weddings will have a gift table where you can place your gift.
5. If there is no gift table, politely ask a member of the family or bridal party where to put your gift.
6. If you are worried that your gift will not reach the bride and groom, stop. You will know your gift made it when you receive their Thank You card.
   Image Credit: Manassas Cakery via FlickR
   
7. When the DJ announces the bride and groom doing any task (ie: cutting the cake, first dance, etc) it is appropriate to watch.
8. Remember this is their day, not yours. Curb your Wedding Crashers urge to steal the spotlight.
9. Only request a song from the DJ if he or she announces that you can. (The bride and groom may have pre-selected their playlist.)
10. If the dinner is buffet, wait for the DJ to announce a second round. Same goes for getting a second piece of cake.
11. Open bar does not mean you should get drunk. Please do not make the bride and groom regret inviting you to their wedding by making a scene.
12. If you forgot to tell the bride and groom about your dietary restrictions with your RSVP, do not bring them up now. Go without eating or discuss the matter with the MOH/MOB in private to find a suitable solution.
13. Don’t worry about saying goodbye to the bride and groom if they are busy when you leave. They understand and will appreciate your attendance.

After the Big Day

1. Do not call the bride and groom for at least a month, unless you are family or a member of the bridal party. A new marriage requires a lot of transition, and that takes time past the honeymoon.
2. Expect a Thank You card within 3 months of the wedding.
3. If you don’t receive a Thank You card in this time period you should inquire about your gift. But always frame it as “Did you receive my gift?” and not as “I didn’t receive your Thank You card.”
4. If you want to purchase pictures or a video, ask the MOB/MOH to notify you when they are available. But be prepared to wait, as these items take between 3 months and a year to become available!

Is there anything we left out or missed? Anything we got wrong? Leave your thoughts in the comments section!

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Putting together a proper casual wardrobe takes time, effort, patience, and the willingness to experiment. Your evening and weekend attire should not consist of old college shorts and T’s. Instead, it should define who you are. But what if you don’t know what your style identity is? Here are three ways to find out:

Read Magazines, Visit Websites, and Watch Movies

You need to be exposed to different styles to see what you might like. If you’ve hardly given a thought to your clothes before, this is an inexpensive way to dip your toes in the fashion world. GQ is the quintessential men’s style magazine. Invest in a subscription (a year of GQ and Details goes for around $20, combined). It not only has great clothing advice, but will help you with choosing wine and spirits and see what the latest designer trends are. GQ’s website is also highly informative and easy to navigate.

Movies and cinema provide interesting views on clothing as well. I remember the movie Blow really made me want to take my clothing to another level. Johnny Depp appears well-dressed, charismatic and the life of the party. The airport scene, with Depp in an all-white suit matched with aviators, screams style.

Visit Three Clothing Stores You Have Never Explored

Maybe what your wardrobe needs is to be expanded. Shopping at the same stores, over and over, won’t bring your style to the next level. Think of that friend or classmate who wears a polo shirt 6 out of 7 days. Is that you? That’s a problem. It says you want to look nice, but have no clue where to begin.

New stores are a great way to upgrade. It doesn’t necessarily mean cutting the cord with your old stores, but it does mean you will be exposed to new styles and influences. Don’t feel inclined to buy an item on your virgin shopping trips. It may be too soon.

Remember: just because you are at a new store doesn’t mean your style has been altered. Many stores sell polo shirts, so paying twice as much for one at a more trendy store won’t make any difference in what’s in your closet. Think outside your norm.

Take a Few Risks Upfront

You won’t see any fashion transformations without eventually making purchases. Once you have a general idea of what you want your style to be, or what you don’t want it to be, buy a handful of garments or accessories that move you into that direction. A slim fit pair of blue jeans in a different shade, a pair of sneakers, new sunglasses, or a graphic tee. After a few times of donning your new clothes, you can gauge how others respond, and more importantly how you feel wearing them.

Do you see more passers-by noticing you as you strut the sidewalk? Do you find yourself wanting to wear those new jeans everyday and wanting to donate your old ones ASAP? Has this prompted you to want to update more, such as a new hair style or a more trendy pad?

There are many aspects that define your style, and clothes are only one. Knowing where to buy, what to buy, and reason for buying are crucial in developing your personal style.

How did you find your personal style? Share your tips in the comments section.

If you’re in the same boat as me, I’ll let you in on a little tip: one style that is gaining momentum in women’s shoes is slingbacks. And if you play your cards right, you can get some cute slingbacks for summer that will also work well with your fall wardrobe. Here are my picks:

For business meetings and to get you through the wedding season, I love these Isaac Mizrahi Mariam Mid Heel Suede Slingback Pumps. I’m choosing it for the neutral color, closed-toe, and interesting texture. These slingbacks would go well with almost anything you would wear to a semi-formal event - cocktail dress, formal dress, summer dress, business skirt, or pantsuit.

For business casual settings, these Kenneth Cole New York black patent ‘Edged Out’ slingbacks are expressive, yet still appropriate to talk shop in. Patent is a great look that will continue to be popular through fall, so why not invest in a black patent clutch to go with these slingbacks? This pair might be my favorite because they could carry you from casual Fridays to happy hour with your coworkers to a night out with your girlfriends.

For evening wear or a night on the town, how about these BCBGirls Nora Metallic Leather Slingbacks? What I love about them is when I see the metallic colors I think of all the browns and bronzers I can wear to match. The colors in these slingbacks work well for summer, but will also transition to the early fall months when the leaves are still falling. Wear them with a pair of denim jeans for an instant upgrade to your evening date wardrobe.

For weekend wear, I love these Dolce & Gabbana Slingbacks. Though they are a little pricey for a casual shoe, I like that the design allows for your feet to breathe, and I like that the shoe is a comfortable yet stylish upgrade from the traditional ballet slipper look. Plus it’s nice to get out of heels for awhile, even when you aren’t squishing your toes in sand.

What do you think of these slingbacks? Love ‘em? Hate ‘em? Tell me about it in the comments section.

Here’s my secret: Brooks Brothers non-iron shirts.

When I first heard about these shirts, I honestly didn’t believe it was possible. The promise is a high-quality, fitted button-down shirt that you can throw in a home washer/dryer with your regular load. As long as you pull your shirts out of the dryer right away, they come out wrinkle-free, ready-to-wear. You can save the $3-7 you normally spend getting each shirt washed and pressed at the dry cleaner while enjoying the convenience of a low-maintenance wardrobe.

So if you are a young professional male who wants to look his best with little effort, try Brooks Brothers clothing line. It’s affordable, and you won’t have to worry about dry cleaning costs or your clothes falling apart. Furthermore, the Brooks Brothers men’s clothing line is incredibly stylish for the workplace, and it’s easy to create a matching outfit from their garments. Here is one that I like for summer:

Purchase:

Shirt and Tie (Shown Above)
• Non-Iron Pinpoint Cotton Button-Down Dress Shirt
• Mini BB#1 Repp Stripe Tie

Complete Outfit (Left)
• Non-Iron Supima® Oxford Button-Down Stripe Dress Shirt
• Guard Stripe Tie
• Plain-Front Non-Iron Chino
• Shoes - Cordovan Leather Blucher