LEVANTE LIFESTYLE

MEN’S FASHION FAUX PAS

By Linda Moysey

1. TOO MANY COLOURS
Too many colours draw attention, but not the kind of attention that gets you dates. Limit each of your outfits to just three colours or shades to keep things as simple as possible. Also, find a colour wheel online or in a book. Colours opposite each other on the wheel are “complementary colours” (i.e. purple and yellow, orange and blue). Colours adjacent to each other are called “analogous colours” (i.e. orange, yellow-orange and yellow). When putting together an outfit, stick to complementary and analogous colours.

You can also avoid a lot of mistakes simply by matching pale clothes with pale shoes, and dark clothes with dark shoes.

2. TOO MANY PATTERNS
The key is to wear no more than three patterns, or to match just one or two patterns with one or two solid colours.

Of course, the easiest thing you can do is find one pattern you look good in (like chalk stripes or herringbone) and stick to it.

3. TOO MANY FABRICS
In the minds of many, fabrics exist in a certain “class.” Silk is generally considered more formal than denim, while linen shirts don’t exactly scream corduroy trousers! Leather will always be more masculine than, say, tweed.

You can dance around many of these fabric mismatches by simply keeping your winter and summer clothes separate. Winter fabrics tend to be heavier, denser and rougher, while summer fabrics are mostly made of natural fibres, single-layered and airy. Keep them away from each other and you should be fine.

4. STAINED CLOTHES
It’s always a good idea to have a stain stick to use on soiled clothes before they hit the wash.
Make it a daily routine to inspect your clothes when you take them off. Likewise, examine them when they come out of the wash to make sure you didn’t miss a spot.

5. DRESSING FOR THE WRONG SEASON
If you live in a warm climate, all your clothes only need to be for one generic spring/summer season. But here in the Levante the weather can be varied.

I recommend picking up a couple of clothing storage containers to store off-season garments. As the old saying goes: “Out of sight, out of mind.” The further away from your pea coat you keep that linen shirt, the less likely you are to match them together accidentally.

6. TROUSERS THAT ARE TOO LONG OR TOO SHORT
Always try on trousers before buying, even if you’re sure of your measurements. Different brands can have slightly different lengths.

And remember these rules: khaki and dress trousers should end at the top of your shoe’s heel. Jeans can be worn to the bottom of the heel. Anything longer - for all types of trousers - is too long.
Trousers should not reveal any sock when you walk. When you sit, they should not expose more than a couple inches of sock.

7. TROUSERS THAT SIT TOO HIGH
If you’re short-waisted (i.e. long legs and short torso), wear low-rise jeans or khakis/corduroy trousers with front pockets rather than side pockets. Another trick is to buy trousers with a slightly bigger waist size and a slightly smaller inseam than you normally wear. This will let the trousers hang low without tripping up your feet.

8. T-Shirts That Are Too Long or Too Short
If it’s long, make sure to never tuck it in your trousers; that’s a big no-no. T-shirts should end about midway down your fly. Anything longer is just too long, and anything shorter will make you show lots of skin when you bend over. The key is to find a brand that fits your body type.

9. BUSY T-SHIRTS
Stick to T-shirts in solid colours or two colours (ringer tees), and avoid shirts with garish designs or obscene language. In the long run, simple colours will actually give you more mix-and-matching options with regard to jackets, button-downs and sweaters.

10. WRINKLED BUTTON-DOWNS
It’s as simple as this: you need to own an iron and an ironing board. But if you’re travelling, you can do a quick-and-dirty ironing job by lightly spraying water on the wrinkles, heating the area with a blow dryer and smoothing it with your hand. Chaps have even been known to do this trick in public toilets with hand dryers! It’s a desperate move, but it works!

11. TIES THAT HANG AWKWARDLY
Ties should reach the top of your belt buckle and have a dimple in the centre of their knot. The best way to get this all-important dimple is to place your index finger on the area right below the knot as you tighten the tie.

12. SOCKS WITH SANDALS
For starters, get rid of the socks. If you need socks but still want to take advantage of the warm weather, get some ankle-length socks and wear them with canvas trainers or moccasins.

13. MISSING A SPOT WHEN YOU SHAVE
Use clear gel when shaving so you can see your skin, or buy a hand mirror and investigate your face up close after you shave to find any missed spots.

14. SPORTING A UNIBROW
Once a week, pluck or gently shave the area between your eyebrows. Of course, you can always go for laser removal. One or two sessions will likely clear you up for life.

At first glance, it may seem a tall order to remember all these fashion no-nos. But think of it this way: for every tip you remember, you are saving yourself from one more potentially embarrassing fashion blunder.