Being a gentleman isn’t just about being well-mannered or having good table manners. It goes way beyond these surface things, which is why there are many gentlemen who have those qualities and still aren’t exactly what you would call a “gentleman”.
This doesn’t mean that being a gentleman is something that can be faked easily. In fact, it takes more than just dressing the part to become one. However, that doesn’t mean you can never become a real gentleman if you don’t have it in you at the moment. All it takes is some work and effort to get there – so read on for some tips on how to dress like a modern gentleman:
Blend in, but don’t match
One of the most important things to understand about being a gentleman is that you don’t want to stand out too much. This doesn’t mean you should dress like a slob, but you don’t want to be the guy who is wearing a three-piece suit to a casual frat party.
This means that if you’re going to a more formal event, you should try to blend in with the other guests at the event. Don’t wear something that is obviously out of place, and make sure that you don’t wear something that is too formal either. You want to find that happy middle where you are dressed appropriately and nicely but not in a way that makes you stand out.
Find your own style
The next thing to keep in mind when dressing like a gentleman is to find your own style. This doesn’t mean you should dress like anyone else or try to copy someone else’s style – but rather that you should develop your own sense of style. You should be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses and should build your wardrobe and style around that.
For example, if you’re shorter than the average person, you might want to avoid wearing loafer dress shoes because they can make you look even shorter. There are so many different styles of clothing and types of garments out there that you could have a completely different wardrobe and style for each day of the week if you wanted to. The only thing that matters is that it works for you and that it makes you feel confident.
Dressing for your body type
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can also help you decide what types of garments and clothing types would work best for your body type. For example, if you’re a bit overweight and aren’t very tall, you might want to avoid wearing a three-piece suit because it can make you look even fatter and shorter. On the other hand, if you’re tall but skinny, you might want to avoid wearing a two-button suit because it can make you look even taller and skinnier.
You might not be able to completely avoid these issues, but you can certainly try to mitigate them with the right clothing choices. In fact, you might want to visit a tailor or a fashion consultant and have them help you figure out what clothing choices would work best for your body type.
Go for quality, not quantity
Another important thing to keep in mind when dressing like a gentleman is that you should always strive for quality over quantity. This doesn’t mean you should only own one pair of pants, but rather that you shouldn’t buy as many cheap garments as you can. For example, you might want to invest in a nice wool suit jacket instead of owning a few cheap ones.
You might also want to invest in a high-quality pair of dress shoes instead of buying a new pair every few months. In fact, you should be careful about what you buy and where you buy it. You don’t want to be that guy who buys his clothes from a discount store or who buys something just because it’s on sale.
Don’t be afraid of colour
Finally, one of the most important things to keep in mind when dressing like a gentleman is that you shouldn’t be afraid of colour. In fact, you should try to avoid the black-only-for-formal-occasions type of wardrobe. Instead, you should embrace colour and pattern.
You should avoid only wearing black and grey and should instead add in some other colours and patterns, depending on the situation. You don’t have to go overboard with it, but you should try to avoid looking like you only own black jackets and blue shirts.
A few more tips
Keep in mind that clothing isn’t everything. You should also keep your hair clean and well-groomed and should have clean, nicely groomed nails. You should also be sure to smell nice at all times and to keep your teeth clean. And, of course, no matter how fancy your outfit is, you shouldn’t forget about proper table manners – you can’t be expected to be a real gentleman if you don’t know how to eat properly!
Conclusion
Dressing like a modern gentleman isn’t as easy as it sounds, and it’s something that many people struggle with. But if you keep these tips in mind, you should be able to dress like a gentleman in no time – even if you don’t consider yourself a naturally “well-mannered” person!
Now all that’s left to do is for you to put these tips into practice and to make the effort to become a real gentleman. It won’t happen overnight and you might stumble a bit along the way, but if you keep at it, you should be able to reach your goal eventually.
