Guys! It’s Intern Gabi’s last day! I know; I’m as distraught as you are. After you’ve returned to your desk from a discreet crying jag in the men’s room at your office, send her off with some good vibes and best wishes in the comments.

 I have learned so much during my time with Style Girlfriend. 

When I first started working with Megan – waaaaay back in August of last year – I didn’t know the ins and outs of menswear. I didn’t personally know any guys who really cared about what they wore. You can only imagine how excited I was to find members of the opposite sex who would date me AND (potentially) dress better than me! (Elated, if you were still imagining.)

I thought I knew a lot about fashion, but I was only studying one half of all closets everywhere. I learned a lot about guy’s style here at Style Girlfriend, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear every little detail. So I’ll just give you the  topline, burned-into-my-brain-forever quick hits.

Here are the top 10 things I’ve learned in my time with Style Girlfriend:

1. Guys have just as many accessories as girls

a few from The Knottery

We have purses, you have wallets. We have necklaces, you have neckties. You guys also have pocket squares, socks, watches, hats, cufflinks, and kerchiefs if you’re Fred from Scooby Doo. There’s plenty of ways for you guys to add personality to your outfits, it’s just that most of you don’t take advantage of all of these things as readily as we ladies do. Just know that you can make a subtle statement a multitude of ways, and you should whenever possible!

2. Guys can do color just as well as girls (maybe even better!)

Some amazingly colorful OOTW entries

Some of the best uses of color I’ve seen, on guys and girls, have been in the #OOTW submissions that YOU GUYS sent in. Your entries inspired me boldly colorblock primary colors with aplomb. Pat yourself on the back and keep doing what you’re doing.

3. Suits are difficult to understand

Three-Piece from Asos, Pink Linen from Brooks Brothers, … Suit? from Calvin Klein

So many fabrics, cuts and colors – all for different occasions. Some suits even have names (here’s looking at you, Tux). I now know that linen suits are totally office appropriate in the summer, but I still haven’t figured out what body type is most flattered by double breasted jackets.

4. “Button up” and “button down” *aren’t* interchangeable terms

2 Frank & Oak shirts, each with a different identity

Button ups are any and all collared shirts with buttons. Button downs are button ups that let your button the collar down to the shirt. THE MORE YOU KNOW.

5. Not all shirts with buttons are created equal

I knew long ago that flannels and dress shirts were at polar opposite ends of the spectrum of dressiness, but I didn’t know that there were styles in between. I’m still not totally keen on which shirts are for which occasions, BUT I can tell you if it looks goods to me.

6. The Short Sleeve Henley is the gamechanger of the shirt scene

The Hemsworth Henley Hijinks

I never even thought of this shirt as a shirt and now I understand that it is so. much. more. It looks equally amazing on lumberjacks and celebs pretending to be lumberjacks as well as guys who would never be a lumberjack. If a shirt ever fit the idea of the traveling pants, this would be that shirt.

7. I would rather pack your outfits for a semester than mine for a weekend

I enjoyed packing your bags for a weekend getaway and a semester abroad, but still can’t seem to manage packing my own bags in real life. Maybe I should start writing a blog post of things I should pack for “xyz occasion” a week before I’m supposed to go, for my own reference.

8. You’re part of a community

I once included square toe shoes in an outfit post and you guys went CRAY. I totally deserved it;  I slipped up and tried to say that some old man shoes were okay. They weren’t, you showed me the way, I replaced them with something acceptable, and we all grew from it. You guys are a great, positive community, and I hope you’re the same outside of the internet. Promise me the next time you see a guy wearing pleated pants, you’ll pull him aside and show him the error in his ways – in a kind and friendly manner. Let no woman think she has better style than you if she  wears running sneakers with jeans. Share your knowledge.

9. There’s more to style than clothing

A smile is your best accessory. We don’t say this over and over again because we’re supposed to, but because it’s true! A great personality will get you a lot more girl time than an eggplant-colored deep V-neck, even if it is in the friend zone. Great clothing is a big, BIG help, but what’s inside is the clincher.

10. The learning never ends

I’ll probably still be reading this ten years from now, as I try to dress my husband and child as stylishly as Scott Disick and his baby.

The only sect of the Kardashian Klan I can get behind

Bonus 11. I know what it feels like to get “Hey Girl’d”

So I guess this is it:

Thank you Megan for the BEST INTERNSHIP EVER! I’ve had so much fun, learned a lot and wouldn’t change a thing!

BYE GUYS!!!! I will miss you all! Maybe I’ll see you on Twitter or Instagram?

XOXO,

Intern Gabi

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