A Deep Dive Analysis Into Men’s Style

What is style? Style is something that can be interpreted in many different ways. Some people say it’s how you dress, while others say it’s who you are on the inside.

The truth of the matter is, style is a little bit of both. Putting your best foot forward means striking the right balance, so you can really understand what it means to be a stylish man.

We’re going to explore the men’s fashion style and what goes into determining your personal sense of style!

What is men’s style?

Your style is how you express yourself to the world. It’s the total combination of the way you dress, talk, move your body, or do anything.

It’s how we express our inner being outwardly. This includes all of our thoughts, emotions, interests, and values. Everything on the outside is merely a reflection of what’s on the inside.

A lot of people think what Kinowear does is just help guys upgrade their fashion. This is what they think of when they hear “style coach” or “image consultant.”

They’ll come to us for a personal shopping session – wanting mainly to focus on their fashion style.

But Kinowear is about “self-expression,” because we firmly believe that fashion is just one part of your style.

Style = Expression

 

Most of us aren’t aware of what we’re communicating most of the time – it’s too much to expect us to keep track of what we’re presenting all the time.

When someone informs us of how we’re perceived (usually to our dismay), it seems far from our ideal vision.

We make it our job at Kinowear to pinpoint all the factors that are contributing to an image you don’t want, and how to fix them.

For example, the character of Steve Rogers (Captain America) is the typical nice guy when he starts out. He has a good heart and strong character, but his physical limitations are such that they severely limit him. His style is all heart but no looks.

Contrast these examples of style with the (early version) of Tom Hiddleston’s Loki. While outwardly attractive, he has an extremely questionable and deceitful character. His style is all form, no substance.

Both how we present ourselves on the outside and the beliefs we have on the inside guide our personal style. But if you think you have a bad personality, don’t be deterred.

We all have things about ourselves we’d like to change. It might be something deeper than the clothes you wear or the way you talk. But once you identify those flaws, you’ll have the power to change them.

We firmly believe that every man has the capability to achieve their charismatic ideal – being the type of guy that looks good and has a strong character. The style of person everyone loves and is drawn to.

This is the core of “style” and it is the core attribute that men should be constantly seeking.

So what parts make up your complete “style?” Let’s cover…

Kinowear’s Five Factors of Style

1. Your Reputation/Branding

Building a great self-brand or reputation is key to how much influence you’ll have in any setting, and I’m not talking about being a label junkie.

Now, more than ever, you need to guard your reputation above everything else. Once it’s tainted, it’s very hard to change people’s view of who you are. First impressions matter, a lot.

People will believe anything about you at first, and then they’ll keep their eye on you to see if you’re for real. Then whatever information is consistent with their perception of you will get added to their current picture, whatever is not, will be changed or removed.

Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean to lie or focus so much on managing people’s perception of you from the outside-in.

Whether it’s for business or building relationships, make sure your positives enter the minds of others. Usually, this is accomplished just by genuinely living it.

2. Clothing/Fashion Sense

While not everything, what you wear makes up over 80% of your first impression.

Your fashion style kick-starts the impression you make on others before you even open your mouth. This is the point where people will filter everything you say and do.

But don’t place self-expression above an unbiased evaluation of the current trends in style and fashion.

There is a “language” that is spoken through specific fashion types. It’s important to be familiar with the styles of those you’re interacting with in order to make a good impression.

This is a primary tenet of our Kinowear Fashion course.

It can be the difference between looking like a million bucks, or a buck fifty.

3. Your Grooming

Your grooming reflects how well you take care of yourself. People tend to associate how well-groomed you are with the level of self-respect you have.

Compare the guy with well-kempt hair and the one who looks like he’s never met a barber. Being well-groomed projects a style of confidence and power.

Just think of the type of woman you’d want to date and how she takes care of her hair. I’m not looking down on anyone, but style judgments are being made every day by every single person.

4. Non-Verbal

Imagine asking a girl “How are you?” She replies “Fine” in a curt manner with a frown on her face, and her arms crossed, is she really “fine”?

The way we carry ourselves and the way we act can communicate far more than the words we use.

You can use this to your advantage. For example, what do you think will make you seem more confident at a party?

Standing in the corner, trying to look cool? Or goofing around, not caring what anyone thinks? You needn’t be a total goof, but being fun is its own style.

Your body language conveys your style, but also the tone, pitch, and volume of your voice.

A person with a naturally loud voice can seem insensitive and domineering, or confident and sure. A soft-spoken person may be thought to be shy and insecure, or thoughtful and mysterious.

Take this clip of Alec Baldwin in the show 30 Rock for example. We can tell exactly what kind of character he is, even if we close our eyes and just listen to his tonality.

It’s a full package deal. Your overall demeanor in body language, voice, and action, determines how people perceive you.

5. Your Lifestyle And Values

Your values determine how you live.

If you value adventure, maybe you’ll seek hobbies like skydiving, bungee jumping, or riding a roller coaster. If you value safety and security, maybe you enjoy watching an exciting movie for your thrills.

Your style should reflect the values you believe in. Become the person you want to be rather than pretending to be that person.

I’m reminded of a familiar saying that “We’re human beings, not human doings.”

Like in poker, there are always “tells.” Who you are on the inside will always manifest outwardly in some way. You can’t hide behind the false mask for long.

Don’t underestimate the perceptiveness of others, if you are trying to be someone you’re not, people will see it soon enough. And until they do, you’ll live under constant anxiety of being “found out.”

This is why it’s so important to work on who you are on your inner style just as much as your outer style. Having true “style” means living in congruence with who you are.

 

Don’t settle for mediocrity when you were created for greatness.

We all have an ideal vision of who we want to be. Whatever part of us that isn’t matching up to that ideal version of ourselves leaves room for us to grow.

Only by pursuing our ideal vision can we experience ultimate joy and fulfillment.

The better we become the more we like ourselves, affecting our confidence and creating an upward spiral towards limitless potential.

The key is to continuously work on improving yourself and your style, rather than trying to manage the situations around you. Attract your ideal life through action, make it who you are.

Next Steps On Your Style Journey

Here are some things you can do to set yourself on the path to your best style:

1. Understand your current style

Collect all your current pictures into a file. Also film yourself, and keep this as well. This will give you the self-awareness you need to effect lasting change.

Most people don’t like seeing themselves in pictures or videos. But the best path to start your style improvement is to get an outside perspective.

You’re getting a taste of how others see you, and can start planning on how you want them to see you.

2. Get another perspective

Send the file to your friends. Ask them what they would think about this guy if they didn’t know him. Is he was successful? Intelligent? Attractive?

If you can’t do that, try pretending you’re someone else, looking at this guy for the first time, and write down everything you would think about this guy.

3. Check your notes

Are they in line with what you want to be communicating? Now that you’re more aware of how people see you, take control and decide where you’re going.

What kind of person would you like to be? What style do you want? Write down how you want the world to see you.

If you can, surround yourself with people who have the values and characteristics you want for yourself, and model them. Who we spend time with affects our thoughts, values, habits, and behaviors.

If you can’t find those people, find them in books, videos, tv, etc.

Model the style of your favorite celebrities, rip out ads from fashion magazines, or just watch confident guys in your day-to-day life.

4. Never stop learning

The journey you’re on has been tread before. Learn from those who have come before you. There are countless resources available to you on the internet. Find those you trust and learn from them.

If you like Kinowear’s content, we’ve written extensively on not just finding your fashion style, but also becoming congruent with the style you want. Or, cut out the guesswork with the Kinowear Fashion Bible.

Style development is a part of personal development. Your fashion may influence the way the world sees you, but personal development is for yourself. Both are essential to becoming a quality man.

Learning more about style, developing your competence in fashion, ideal body language and voice, and becoming an all-around more confident person will result in more fulfilling relationships with friends, co-workers, and the companions you’ll share your life with.

What part of your personal style do you think you need to work on most? What next action do you plan on taking towards improvement? Share with us in the comments!