Take it away Gabi..

Spring cleaning is a role traditionally reserved for the woman of the house. The wife cleans her husband’s closet, the mother cleans her son’s, and maybe the girlfriend cleans her boyfriend’s closet and it leads to a huge fight because she throws out the only remaining memorabilia of his high school garage band that lasted exactly one fortnight.

A closet every mother would love  á la Doug Funnie

So maybe to save yourself from heartbreak and your lady from the extra work, you should learn to clean it out yourself. You don’t lose any of your favorite things, and she has one less thing that she can say she did for you that you were ungrateful for. Sounds like a win-win to me.

The first step is to decide what you will discard.

Get rid of anything….

1. you haven’t worn in the past year

If there are things in your closet that haven’t been touched other than moving them out of the way, maybe you should move them out of the way for good. Even if it still has the price tag on it, if you haven’t worn it yet, you probably aren’t going to wear it in the future. The exception to this rule is clothing reserved for special occasions, because you’re just not going to wear that as much as your other clothing, so you might as well hang on to it.

2. that doesn’t fit

Plain and simple, YOU KNOW what does not fit you. If you don’t know if it still fits, try it on. Don’t lie to yourself, if its too tight because you gained a few pounds, or too tight because you lost a few, get rid of it and treat yourself to something that fits you NOW. If you reallly don’t want to part with it, bring it to a tailor and see if they can make it work.

3. that is damaged goods

This means anything discolored, faded, stained or holey. It’s past its prime, and you shouldn’t want to be seen wearing it.

The next step is to decide HOW you will get rid of this stuff.

Your options are…

1. SELL

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a hoarder, so I need a good reason to part with literally ANYTHING. And every piece of clothing I have has some minute sentimental value, so you can imagine how hard it is for me to clean out my closet. Getting paid for my clothes makes me feel better about losing a part of me, because I justify it by saying I will spend that money on new parts of me. I like to think that line of thinking is very shui of me (SG note: I have no idea what that means, so I guess Gabi is much more shui than me?).

So how do you determine what you can sell? If it still has tags on it, if it was only worn a few times or wasn’t worn at all, if it’s a well-known brand and if you bought it in the last two years, there is a good chance the store will take it. Check out stores like Plato’s Closet or any local secondhand or thrift stores. Each store has their own guidelines, but the worst case scenario is that they’ll pass on it. And if that happens, that’s more things that you can potentially…

2. DONATE

Get the good vibes by giving your clothes that are still in pretty good condition to someone who needs them. Anything that you think was worth selling is DEFINITELY worth donating. You can add a few more things to this pile, like maybe your bootcut jeans that have extra whiskering from wear. As long as the button and zipper work, they will be of help to someone else.

3. THROW OUT

This is for all things that fell into category 3 above: holey, stained, and faded. This is also for underwear, because second-hand underwear is not something that should exist.

If you have a copious amount of clothing left that you can’t bear to get rid of due to its sentimental value, consider making a craft out of it. Make a t-shirt quilt, a pillow cover, frame it – the possibilities are endless. But if you aren’t really willing to do that, there isn’t really a good reason to let them sit in mothballs. Like Andy and his toys in Toy Story, the right thing to do is to let them go.

Tell Me:

Who does the spring cleaning in your house? Have any tips to add?

The post Spring Cleaning appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

“I met this great girl at the bar last night…”

…but HOW did you get her?

I know that (when you’re not Ryan Gosling) it can be hard to meet girls. And even if you are some modern-day Adonis it can still be difficult; Maybe you’re shy, or you don’t want to be shot down for being “not their type.” But you have something to offer, and – if you can find the right angle – you can make it work.

In college, the bars are the watering hole where pretty much EVERYONE goes to have fun, relax, and live up the best years of their lives. Lots of my closest friends met their current significant others at bars, and I’m sure the same thing will happen in the future. But how do you A) find a girl that is as stylish and engaging as you are, and B) interested in you?

Follow these tips (FROM A GIRL) on how to get Miss Right at the bar:

1) Dress Appropriately

If you’re going somewhere that you’ve never been to before, don’t be afraid to ask what other people are wearing. If you and your friends are going to a cocktail bar and they are all wearing blazers, it wouldn’t hurt to follow their lead.

Dressing properly will at the very least keep you from feeling out of place and at the most get the girls to come to you! I know I’ve gone up to guys and asked where they got a piece of clothing they’re wearing, and I’m sure other girls have done the same.

2) Find Your Environment

Maybe you ARE John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, in which case you should definitely stick to the club circuit and find a girl who can keep up. If you like to follow around the local band, introduce yourself to that girl that you see at all of their shows!

Or maybe you’re more reserved but know a lot of fun facts, in which case you should try out some bar trivia games, like Quizzo. Go with a friend or two instead of a big group, and sit so you aren’t closed off to the room. I went with my boyfriend once and we thought it would be just us two until the second half . Instead, two girls asked if they could join our table, we said yes, and we spent the whole night having fun getting to know each other even though we didn’t win. Find your niche, and stick to it. A place that you like should have people that you like.

A slip from bar trivia I played when I visited Madison: We didn’t win, but we had a blast.

3) Bring a Wing-Man AND a GalPal

A girl knows what another girl wants. We have a secret language that you guys can’t speak. A guy can tell you a girl is into you, and that might make you be more inclined to make a move, but a girl can give you a more accurate perspective. She can also throw in a good word for you. If you’re interested in a girl you see but don’t want to make the first move, your GalPal can be the bait. Think about it: GalPal approaches first, engages in a familiar, non-intimidating conversation; compliments her shoes, asks where she got them, tells her a life story and then she can invite her over to take a shot with you. Now you have to make your first impression. GalPal can gauge her interest, try to increase it by building you up, but you are responsible for final verdict. Just be yourself; don’t try to be ‘cool’ or you’ll totally come off as Seth (Jonah Hill in all his smarmy glory) in Superbad. Evan (the nerdy but adorable Michael Cera) is himself and the chick he’s after is all about him, even though he threw up on her bed.

Be Evan: Be Yourself! {hotflick.net}

4) Don’t Be Creepy

You may think you have all the moves. You see this girl from across the bar, and she gives you ‘the nod.’ So what do you do? What DON’T you do? THE LAST thing you want to be called is “creepy“. So how do you avoid that? I’ll tell you, and none of you can ever say “I didn’t know that was creepy,” again. Ready? Here goes:

Guys, you cannot just start grinding up on a girl on the dance floor.

It’s so disgustingly primal to just approach from the back. Dance in front of her WHERE SHE CAN SEE YOU. You can make a fool of yourself, and if she laughs with you and doesn’t avoid making eye contact, then you can dance a little closer. Don’t try to force eye contact by staring; just accept that she isn’t interested and move onto her friend who is probably just as cute and will be more your type in the long run anyway.

Don’t be this guy. Or any of these other guys.

Tell Me:

Have you met any ‘bring home to mom’s’ at bars? If so, how did you do it?

The post The Style Girlfriend Guide to: Meeting Girls at Bars appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

{too late to jump on the Ryan Gosling “hey girl” meme bandwagon? I didn’t think so}

This week, a young reader asks about how to work on the stylish pick-up:

Hey! I’m 19 and a sophomore in college…well kind of college. I go to a military college and not too much goes on here. I can’t drink or go to bars, but I love to dress well with the expert advice of your blog! The thing that I want to know is where to go to meet smart, stylish girls without competing with hundreds of other guys at the club or bar. I go to the city quite a bit, but I haven’t had much luck with meeting decent girls! Thanks for the help!

First of all, you are clearly on the right track to meeting a great girl if at nineteen you’re already thinking about your appearance AND thinking about meeting smart, stylish girls. You could be concerning yourself with much less noble pursuits like hazing freshmen or trying to meet stupid, slutty girls, so way to go.

In college, I loved a good house party for meeting people.

Heck, I still do, though they’re less frequent in a city like NYC where houses come much smaller than in rural Pennsylvania. I agree that clubs and bars can be a hard place to successfully meet girls. It’s hard to hear one another, and the whole BOOM-KA-THUNK-A BOOM-KA-THUNK-A soundtrack pounding in the background is just not conducive to connecting over where each of you went on family vacations as kids.

I guess what I would say is it takes just going out MORE. My entire freshman year of college I had terrible luck in love (ha! oh my god I can’t believe I just wrote that); I dated a couple of guys but they didn’t really stick. I found myself retreating more and more into my studies, going to the library on Friday and Saturday nights until they closed at midnight. My school was really tough about ID’ing, so I couldn’t get into bars like I had in Madison as a junior and senior in high school (sorry Mom and Dad! No 18-year-old likes bowling as much as my friends claimed to). And I hated hated hated (hated) the frat scene.

I had no interest in standing on a sticky floor in the basement of some frat while a guy in a Hollister polo that was identical to every other guy in the room’s Hollister polo tried to tell me about their next car wash with beta theta who gives a crappa.

So I studied. And studied some more.

But I realized that I wasn’t going to meet any guys if I didn’t get my butt out of the library. Sure, maybe if I’d looked around a little I may have locked eyes with some similarly geeky, straight-A determined guy and falling madly in academic-minded love. We’d have bonded in the stacks and lived happily ever after. But, well, I went to the libraries in sweats most of the time and my twenty-pound backpack and massive headphones didn’t really say, “Hi there, handsome; wanna chat?”

One Friday night, my friends convinced me to take an evening off from the library and go to a house party. An apartment party actually. I got all gussied up (which, as a freshman at school then meant bootcut jeans, thick-soled heels and a sparkly cotton top…ah those were the days) and headed into the night.

I walked in and the school’s star basketball player was sitting on the couch. All seven feet, Germanic blonde hair and blue eyes of him. Our eyes locked. I beat him in flip cup. We dated for three and a half years.

But hey, that’s just getting to the girl. Not getting the girl.

I’ve been out of college for awhile now, and if a recent episode of The Mindy Project is to be believed, my age group has no idea what “kids today” think. About anything.

So I asked Intern Gabi for her tips on what to do once you MEET said-smart, stylish college girl. I’ve got you out of the library, now let her get you into …her heart. GOD what did you guys think I was going to say?

GABI’S TAKE

Here’s a few pointers for the college guy pick up approach:

Don’t be over flattering.

You can tell me that my haircut is cool, or my pants are “sweet,” but don’t tell me I’m the most beautiful thing you’ve seen all day, or I’ll get a big head and think that I’m too good to talk to you. You can even throw in a couple punches about what ever you commented on. For example, if I’m wearing bright tights you can say they’re pretty cool, but also if I plan on returning to 1965 today or tomorrow.

If you want to initiate conversation and you’re on the shy side, just comment on something or ask a question.

For example, if your at a coffee shop, ask the girl what she ordered, and then maybe if she had it before if it’s something interesting.

And if you do succeed and get my number, wait a day or two to text me, but not much longer.

That same night is too soon, and I’ll assume you aren’t interested if it takes you a week.

…..There you have it! Love advice from Dr. Megan and Intern Gabi.

Tell us: What’s the best non-scuzzy pick-up advice you’ve ever received for picking up rad chicks like me and Gabi?

The post A Smart, Stylish Woman’s Advice on Meeting Smart, Stylish Women appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

Or, sometimes, more to the point – “Just tell me what cologne girls like and I will go buy it.”

I mean, I get it. Most guys I know want to streamline their style – searching out clothes that match everything they already own, mastering a morning routine that takes ten minutes or less from shower to out the door. This desire for efficiency extends to nailing a signature scent. Some men swap their cologne when the weather changes, but many would prefer to keep only one bottle on the dresser all year round.

Unfortunately, my knowledge of men’s fragrance is pretty limited. Memories of my father’s green glass bottle of Brut gave way to an unfortunately long love affair with Abercrombie & Fitch Fierce in college. Today, I may admire a scent on a man but rarely think to ask the name of what he’s wearing.

So I asked for advice on year-round fragrances from someone whose nose is much more refined than my own. Barney Bishop runs Fragrant Moments, a men’s scent blog aiming to help men discover “the greater world of fragrances.” I asked for his picks on fragrances that guys can feel confident wearing all four season.

….

“A good ‘anytime’ cologne should err on the lighter side of the fragrance wheel,” says Bishop. That’s because as the seasons change, our body temperature changes, which in turn affects how the fragrances we wear smell both to ourselves and to others.

In warmer seasons, our body temperatures rise, intensifying the scent we’re wearing “to the point it jumps off our skin,” says Bishop. That’s why many men (and us ladies too!) swap out stronger, musky scents in exchange for lighter fragrances during the warm summer months.

In the fall and winter, however, we don’t (generally) sweat as much. This means we can wear bolder scents, like the spicy scents shunned in summer, without fear of overpowering a room.

If you don’t want to change your fragrance routine from one season to the next, Bishop advises you “look for scents in the citrus, floral, or aquatic family. These notes are all good for everyday use.”

An added bonus when wearing scents on the lighter side of the fragrance wheel: they’re often more office-friendly, thanks to their subtle notes. 

Bishop recommends the following scents for year-round use. All are clean and floral, while possessing traditional masculine accents:

Cologne by Thierry Mugler ($50 for 4oz)

Tam Dao by Diptyqu ($88 for 50 ml)

06 Amanu by Odi($125 for 100ml)

Aventus for Men by Creed ($195 for 4oz)

Fougere Royale by Houbigant($170 for 3.3oz)

A big thanks to Barney for adding his two…SCENTS!! (I’M SO SORRY, I HAD TO)

Anyone still reading after that totally obnoxious (but let’s be serious, absolutely necessary) pun? All right, for you remaining guys, tell me:

Have you tried any of these fragrances?

If you guys have other scents you’re wearing daily, share them with in the comments!

The post The SG Guide to: Year-Round Colognes for Guys appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

I’ve never met anyone – guy or girl – who enjoys shopping for jeans, have you?

It’s a notoriously discouraging process. Before you can even make it into the fitting room, you have to sift through ten styles in twenty different washes and where are you supposed to start anyway? After a go-round in front of the fitting room fun mirrors, with those obnoxiously unforgiving bright lights (why do they light stores that way anyway? No one looks good under those things), you inevitably leave the store feeling too fat, or too skinny, or too short, or too tall to buy anything.

That’s why I felt reader Ben’s pain when he wrote to tell me:

I am working on upgrading my wardrobe. In your archive I came across a post from last year on jeans, suggesting “a pair of dark, straight leg denim. Un-whiskered. Non-faded. Just a simple, dark wash pair of good-fitting jeans.” For the first pair of jeans, are we talking black, deep navy, or something else? Where to start?

It got me thinking, it’s probably time for a refresher on the type of jeans that girls want to see guys wearing, so here goes. I want to make it easier on you – at least a little. I can’t do anything about the size of your waistband, or the length of your inseam, but I can tell you the kind of jeans a woman wants to see you in, and a few tips on how to find the right pair for you.

STYLE

Guys look best in a dark rinse, straight leg jean. Across the board. Universally speaking. End of sentence. Period.

The silhouette is slimming. The color is appropriate to dress both up with a blazer and dress shirt, or down with a t-shirt and sneakers.

At the store, let the tag’s descriptions guide you. Look for labels that read “slim” or “straight.” Avoid “classic” or “relaxed” fits at all costs. These will be roomy and, while comfortable, totally unflattering.

Straight leg jeans should be the same width from your knee down to your ankle. Before you take a pair of jeans to the fitting room for a spin, fold the bottom hem up to the knee – they should be the same size across.

AG Jeans ‘Geffen Easy Slim’ Straight Leg Jeans in Roast, $188

FIT

Your denim should hug your legs pretty closely, while still allowing for a normal range of movement. You probably won’t be able to join in a game of pick-up basketball, but you should be able to sit, stand, and walk comfortably – even run briefly if you do that thing where you trip on the sidewalk, but to save face you break into a short jog to convince people you totally meant to do that.

The jeans should be fitted in your upper leg, which may feel strange at first, but don’t worry – you’ll get used to it.

At the store, sit down in the fitting room to make sure the jeans you’ve chosen aren’t too tight across the hips and waist. See if you can do that awkward thing your seventh grade math teacher did when he put his foot up on your desk while lecturing to seem “cool” and “with it.” If you can pull it off without splitting your pants, you’re good.

Naked & Famous “Weird Guy” in Dark Blue, $158

COLOR

Look for a deep, saturated blue that’s almost navy. If you’re not sure, the words “raw” “inky,” “selvedge,” and “dry” are good indicators of a dark wash. Avoid shiny fabrics, superfluous patches, and any whiskering or fading.

RISE & WAIST

Go for a medium rise – approximately 10-12 inches, though you may need to go into higher numbers if you’re on the taller side. With jeans that truly fit you, you shouldn’t need a belt (though I think they help a guy’s outfit look “finished”).

WEIGHT

Look for heavy-weight and mid-weight fabrics. Jeans that feel too light probably won’t last very long.

Don’t be afraid of denim that feels rough or stiff; they’ll soften up with wear.

CLOSURE

Okay, real talk. I like a button fly for its dogged determination not to do that thing that a zipper does where it starts to slowly split apart, like a married couple whose communication has broken down after years of comfortable silences.

But I get that if you are trying to get your pants off in a hurry (gahhhh), then a button fly can be, umm, cumbersome. A heavier weight denim should help keep jeans in their place, but if you are afraid of accidental exposure, go button.

LENGTH

Your jeans should sit on your shoe or just below it – no bulgy, sharpie-like wrinkles from an excessive break for your grown man denim. If the jeans you’ve found are perfect but too long, don’t be afraid to take them to the tailor. Sometimes guys think tailoring should be reserved for “bigger” or “more important” projects like suiting, but a pair of denim that fits you just so and hits at just the right point is definitely worth the extra money spent.

For even more on the in’s and out’s of a grown man’s denim wardrobe, check out Esquire’s “How To Buy Jeans”

And for more of my straight leg denim picks, head over to Polyvore

The post The SG Guide to Denim appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

What’s this? A guest post on Style Girlfriend? That’s right!

 My friends at men’s style site Chubstr look out for every guy who’s ever cursed the lack of good-looking clothes for a bigger body. Knowing not all my readers are on the slimmer side of skinny jeans, I asked them to put together a list of things  for men of larger means (I’m talking bones, not bank accounts) to keep in mind when shopping for new clothes. Because it shouldn’t be so hard for bigger guys to put together a closet full of clothes they love.

Keep reading, then head over to Chubstr  and see what else Lindsey and crew has to say about dressing the man of substance.

…..

The seat’s worn completely through on your favorite pair of jeans or maybe you’ve got a closet full of clothes and you’ve made an inch of space you need to fill. No matter the reason, it’s time to replenish or add to your wardrobe. Shopping in general—for men and women—presents various sets of challenges, but when you’re a big guy and you’re shopping in the Big and Tall section, those challenges increase exponentially.

No worries, that’s kind of our raison d’etre at Chubstr. We love to tackle these challenges for you and with you and from that love was born this list of the top five tips for shopping in extended sizes.

Fit.    

More than most other things you might think, believe, or be told about fashion, shopping, and style—it’s the fit that matters most.  If you’re shopping Big and Tall, fit matters more than it might in straight sizes. Every single body is unique, but most clothes, especially when you get into Big and Tall sizing, aren’t made to accommodate this uniqueness. So, pay special attention to the fit and get as close to perfect as you can, then (and hopefully by now you’ve got a tailor on speed dial) head over to your tailor and get each item altered to complete that perfect fit. You’ll spend a little more, but it’ll pay off in confidence and compliments.

Quality.

Second to fit, you’ll want to pay attention to quality. The sad fact is, most Big and Tall shops are going to charge a little more in general so pay attention to how the clothes you like are made. You don’t want to shell out a ton of cash on a shirt that’s going to show signs of wear after the first run through the spin cycle.  What’s more, when you’re bigger, higher quality clothing is going to get you closer to the perfect fit prior to alteration. And let’s face it, shopping can be a real chore when you’re bigger, so the higher quality you buy, the longer you can go before your next necessary retail trip.

Quantity.

Any successful shopping trip should result in quality and quantity. No, you don’t need to buy three identical graphic tees or plaid button-ups. But you do want to remember to buy in multiples for your wardrobe staples. When you’re shopping Big and Tall you’ve got fewer options—it’s a problem we’re trying to remedy at Chubstr, but until we do, we recommend that you pick up at least two pair of those jeans you love that fit well. You never know when certain styles, cuts, and colors are going to be discontinued, so when you find those foundational items like denim, plain dress shirts, chinos, etc. that you love, take advantage.

Color and Patterns.

It’s a common myth in fashion that people of larger stature should stay away from prints and bright colors. Let me just re-emphasize—that’s a total myth. Sure, there are fashion “rules” and “best practices,” but you should never sacrifice your own style and comfort in service of these arbitrary guidelines. Bottom line—if you like color, wear color. If you see a pattern you like, go for it. We do take a position of moderation only in that it might not be a great idea to pair that hot pink button up with those salmon-colored chinos. Use your common sense and when in doubt, get a second opinion. But don’t think for a second (no matter what the store displays might try to tell you) that just because you’re shopping Big and Tall, you have to stick with blacks and browns and all those so-called “slimming” colors.

Accessories.

Accessories are probably the last thing on your mind when shopping, and probably even when dressing, but it’s true what they say—accessories can really make an outfit. This is especially true if you’re shopping in bigger sizes that don’t necessarily cater to the specific style you’d like to present, accessories can be a huge help. If you find yourself losing inspiration after hours of shopping and coming up short on interesting and stylish pieces in your size, give yourself a break and head over to the shoe department. Or check out the watches, wallets, belts, suspenders, socks, and yes, even scarves. Think of the foundational items you’ve found in your size and ask yourself how you can add a little of your personal style to that plain white shirt—it could be as simple as an interesting belt buckle or a brightly colored pair of socks.

Above all, when you’re shopping—no matter your size—have fun with it and stay true to who you are.

The fashion world and retailers, in particular, don’t always make it easy for big guys to have a positive experience buying clothes, but you can fight that by getting creative and keeping your own taste and comfort in mind. And remember, you don’t always have to come home with six bags of clothes, don’t be afraid to leave a store empty-handed if you’re just not feeling it. There’s always tomorrow and another shop on the horizon!

(Images: 1, 2)

Lindsey Davis is a writer and editor at Chubstr. In her non-big & tall fashion-related life, she spends too much time making her own clothes, experimenting with nail polish colors, and watching, talking, and writing about television. You can find her on Twitter, @the_lin_see (when she remembers).

The post 5 Things to Remember When Dressing A Bigger Body appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

When it comes to clothes, I tend to get distracted by the seemingly little things. Maybe it’s the time I spent as “visual merchandiser” for Abercrombie & Fitch in college, aka, mannequin dresser. There were books – literally huge binders – you’d get from HQ every time the displays on the tables and at the front of the store had to be changed. Every detail was called out and explained how to do just so  – every cuffed pant, every rakishly thrown open collar, every layered bracelet. No look happened by accident.

Maybe that’s why my eye flits to the excessive break in a pair of pants, the suit jacket with all the buttons buttoned. Not to say us ladies don’t make style mistakes (we do, constantly), but I think more of us know these little styling tips and tricks from…well, from where? Working at the mall growing up? Maybe magazines? Probably most of all from trading tips with our friends, chatting at brunch.

“Hey, how do you make your hair do that swooping thing in front?” “How do you cuff your pants like you have them now?”

I can’t really see guys having these same conversations while watching the game.

So I thought I’d throw a little knowledge your way on styling tips from time to time. Without further ado, here’s how to roll your shirt sleeves up for that “Oh this old thing?” look we love:

1. Unbutton your cuffs. If your shirt fits looser on your arm, keep the gauntlet button buttoned to ensure the upcoming folds stay tight against your arm. If the shirt hugs your arm more closely, leave it unbuttoned to allow the fold to go over your elbow without cutting off circulation.

2. Fold the shirt sleeve back to the uppermost part of your arm where you eventually want the top of the fold to sit, usually a little above the elbow.

3. Fold this initial fold nearly in half, leaving the cuff on the original fold peeking out. Tug at the ends a bit and rumple the material so it looks like you did it quickly.

(4. Open cold beer, bask in nonchalant-but-elegant look, welcome admiring glances from women in surrounding vicinity)

Got other styling moves you’d like to see? Leave them in the comments!

The post The Style Girlfriend Guide To: Rolling Your Shirtsleeves appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

   

{sadly, I don’t usually look this cheerful like while shopping}

Despite what countless romantic comedy movie montages have led you to believe, not all women love a shopping spree set to a catchy Top 40 song. For me, it’s a challenge I have to psych myself up for, and I think most men approach the task the same way. If you’re like me, you commit to your time at the mall the same way you commit to an afternoon with your significant other’s grandparents. It won’t be fun, but you’re going to get through it.

Below, a few tips to make shopping easier:

Prepare.
What do you need? An all-new fall wardrobe, or just a few new sweaters? A suit? What color? Make as many decisions about what you intend to buy before you get to the store. Bring a list, and check things off as you find them.

Shop solitary.
I’ve never shopped well with others. If you have a (really) patient wife or girlfriend, bring her along, but know that you’ll tear through the mall faster without anyone else in tow.

Buy for the season.
Try to tick as many items off your list as possible in one trip. Going out for a new tie here, or a replacement pair of jeans there eats away at your schedule, and you’ll probably spend as much time looking for one thing as you do for five.

Take your time.
This may sound crazy, but if you’re able, I highly suggest you take a day off from work to do your seasonal shopping. Hitting up stores after work and on the weekends when you’re exhausted and they’re fully packed can discourage you from even trying anything on. If you can take even a couple hours to do some shopping on a Tuesday, you’ll get through your list more quickly and with less hassle.

Buy in bulk.
If you find a staple that fits just so, buy as many as you can afford. If, for instance, you wear chinos all the time, buy two pairs so you can wear one when the other’s in the wash. If you want to buy the same thing in different colors, go for it, but be realistic about the shades you’ll really end up wearing.

Love what you buy.
This one should be a no-brainer, but if you find yourself reluctantly bringing an item up to the register just because you “need something like it,” don’t buy it. You won’t wear it, or if you do, you won’t feel very good about yourself in it. If necessary, wait a day to decide, then buy it online. Paying for shipping is worth the confidence you’ll have in making the purchase.

Ask a salesperson.

Okay, maybe not the Gap Girls. But otherwise, utilize these precious shopping resources! I’m the first to make a beeline for store employees, usually before they can even ask if I need any help, an offer usually turned down by shoppers with a quick, “No, just looking!” Exactly, you’re looking for clothes to buy, and the salesperson will be able to direct you to exactly what you’re looking for. On the other hand, if the store doesn’t sell what you want, you’ll know right away without hunting all over for it.

Treat yo’ self.
Searched through a stack of shirts twenty high and can’t find your size? Can’t fit in the same size pants you used to? Shopping is hard, and can make you feel pretty awful sometimes. When you’re feeling discouraged and want to just go home and watch trashy reality tv on your couch (or, okay, maybe sports, or whatever), treat yourself to an ice cream cone/Orange Julius/pretzel/[insert coveted random junky mall food here] at the food court. No, it’s not healthy, but whatever gets you back out for round two is worth it.

 

How do you prepare for your shopping trips? Do you do an online shopping drive-by so you know what you want? Bring a wing man? Bring a measuring tape?

(image, image, image, image, image, image)

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When it comes to style, there are plenty of classics that draw no arguments – items that are timeless and always appropriate, despite the trends that may come and go each season. Below, a few such pieces you should have in your closet (and if you don’t, go get them!):

A well-made suit

- And for the man who wears a suit every day, the five colors you should have them in:

• black
• navy
• navy pinstripe
• gray
• charcoal

Desert Boot

…worn with a slim jean, light-colored trousers or khakis

Leather jacket

…two great styles: motorcycle with a tab collar or a bomber. For the former, I’d go with black; for the latter, brown.

A really crisp, clean pair of white sneakers

(L to R) K-Swiss, Converse, Nike

Properly worn-in apparel from one’s alma mater

…or the alma mater you’ve adopted for sporting purposes. Includes, but is not limited to: fitted cap, sweatpants, t-shirts and hoodies

Something passed down to you by your father

…and, if you’re lucky, it’s something passed down to you by his father
A field jacket and a sturdy pair of boots

…If you live somewhere cold

A pair of solid-colored swim trunks and flip-flops that will last more than one season

…if you live somewhere warm

The post The Style Girlfriend Guide to: Clothing Every Man Should Own appeared first on Style Girlfriend.

COLOR

This is not the time to get fancy. You want a set of sheets that will see you through any bedroom redecorating (a new wall color, a new bedframe), so go for neutral colors. Think gray, khaki, or, yes, even white. It’s not boring, it’s practical – and classic.

But please, no black sheets. Using black sheets on your bed is like installing those ultraviolet lights the contestants used on Room Raiders, as light bulbs. Everything shows. All the time.

MATERIAL

Let’s get one thing out of the way – satin and silk sheets are never an option. Yes, they’re soft; they’re also ridiculously tacky. Any self-respecting woman who sees a bed outfitted in the faux-romantic fabric will look at you like you’re Deuce Bigelow, then leave.

{Sorry, but this only happens in stock photos}

Since we already agreed on neutral colors, we know these sheets will be around a long time. So go ahead and spring for the good stuff – 100% cotton. Yes, poly blends are cheaper, but nothing beats cotton for a good night’s sleep. It’s super soft and “breathes” better than a blend – like the UnderArmour of bedding.

THREAD COUNT

When it comes to sheets, we’ve been conditioned to think, “It’s the thread count, stupid!” Thread count is the number of threads running horizontally and vertically in one square inch of fabric, and conventional wisdom says the higher this number, the more luxurious the fabric. To a point, that’s true, but thread count can also be misleading. That’s because some manufacturers artificially inflate their numbers by using 2-ply thread, letting them double their thread count without actually improving the quality of the fabric.

It’s sort of like a sunscreen’s SPF; above a certain number, it’s really not worth the extra cost. Aim for 250-300 thread count, and you should be set. (And yes, I expect a Dateline special report exposing this 2-ply scam any day now…)

WEAVE

More important than thread count is the weave of the fabric. Look for a long weave, which feels softer and will wear better than a basic plain weave (which just means it’s made from an equal number of vertical and horizontal yarns). Sound complicated? Just search out words like “pima,” “supima” or “Egyptian long-staple” on the label, and you won’t go wrong.

TOPPING IT ALL OFF

{Down Comforter from The Company Store, $189-289}

Now for the master class, a comforter versus a duvet. Much like the defining features of a skirt versus a dress, it’s come to my attention that many guys don’t know the difference between these two sheet toppers. So here goes. A comforter is the big fluffy bedspread you put on top of the bed. A duvet covers a down comforter, almost like a pillowcase.

You can, of course, get a comforter that doesn’t need a duvet (think those “bed in a bag” combos sold at Linens ‘n Things), but then you’ll have to wash the whole comforter when it’s dirty, as opposed to slipping off just the duvet. To me, that seems like an unnecessary hassle. Plus, a duvet is easier to replace when you get sick of it than a patterned comforter.  

{I love Calvin Klein for bedding. This one’s from Macy’s}

For the design, it’s up to you what strikes your fancy. You don’t need to play to the female audience with pastels or florals, but also know that if you go super masculine (pinstripes, paisley, naked ladies), it may turn some off.

MAINTENANCE

Wash often.

Sheets should be washed every week to two weeks (and that’s pushing it). A comforter or duvet cover should get laundered every month to two months. Seem like a lot? Two words: night sweats.

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