Menswear is my passion.
The history, the self-expression, the art; it invigorates me.
A little over five years ago, I was lucky enough to begin working as a custom clothier and menswear consultant.
I wanted to learn, grow, and share my passion with other like-minded men. I have definitely learned a lot. But the best part is having the opportunity to help men dress better and feel confident in doing so.
I want to help you the same way I help my clients. In this article, I’ll share things I’ve learned that have helped me, but I will also share things I’ve learned that will help you. Let’s get to it.
Mistakes Will be Made
This goes for both me in my position, and you as a style-conscious consumer.
Have I made mistakes when working with clients? Absolutely. No one is perfect.
One instance that I’ll never forget is designing a suit for my very own grandfather. He wanted a green suit and a particular fit. I swore I knew what I was doing, but in the end, the suit was the wrong shade of green for him and the fit just wasn’t right.
It wasn’t even close to what he was looking for. And although he was kind about it, I knew from the moment he put it on that it was wrong and that he was unhappy.
To be fair, I was relatively new to the game at this point. The process was completed in the way I’d been taught. But I should have studied on my own. I should have taken more time to learn about the fit he wanted. I should have been willing to suggest other shades of green that would have better complimented his aesthetic.
I could have done so much better. But I didn’t. He has never worn the suit and I feel bad about it to this day.
Man, did I learn a lot from that experience, though. There are always things to learn and I should never assume that I know everything I need to know in a particular moment.
The same goes for you. You’ll assemble outfits that totally flop. You’ll find yourself looking back on pictures and wondering “was that really me?” It happens. Style changes, and so do we. But in confidence, we flourish and continue to rise above our blunders.
Admit Your Mistakes
Though unpleasant, admitting your mistakes is the only way to truly grow and improve. Be willing to admit your mistakes to yourself and anyone you may have affected.
Then, go and make things right.
Confident, Not Cocky
As a menswear consultant, I learned early on that confidence is key to customer satisfaction. People trust me and are much happier working with me when my confidence is on display.
I can’t, however, allow cockiness to take hold and puppeteer its way into my attitude. I am happy to admit when I don’t know the answer to something, for example. Simply asking the client to pause for a moment while I acquire the answer goes much further than blurting a fabricated reply.
Read the Client
And read the room. There’s a bit of intuition at play here. And implementation can be tricky to grasp. But I must read each client individually.
Within moments of greeting, I’ll formulate an idea of what that particular client may be wanting while still allowing myself to confidently inject my professional opinion regarding their concept.
Understanding how to communicate with each person is detrimental to creating a wonderful experience and dialing in on their vision. I need to express my opinions and educate the client, while understanding—that in the end—the customer is always right.
It’s Okay to Have More Than One Aesthetic
Got Western in your blood, but fancy yourself an Anglophile? Does the rock-and-roll aesthetic excite you, yet you find equal elation in 1920s-era tailoring?
For lack of better terms, I think that’s super rad. Use those various aesthetics to your advantage. Too many people (in my opinion) find one look and adhere to it with religious resolution.
Wear a stage-worthy fit one day, then rock your best pool-side cabana look the next. Who cares?? I say, do what fills your bones with joy.
You could also try kicking things up a notch by mixing your favorite genres. Rock a leather biker jacket with a waistcoat, trousers, shirt, and tie. It’s your style. And no one can do you better than yourself.
Everything Can Benefit from a Good Tailor, Not Just Your Suits
If you’ve ever wondered why clothing looks so good in pictures, it’s because they’ve usually been tailored for the model wearing them.
On occasion, you can find something that fits just right. But more often than not, you’ll want to get some slight adjustments made with your tailor. It’s usually the smallest details that differentiate clothing of higher caliber from those of inferior construction.
Small alterations can be that differentiating factor.
Most Men Want to Dress Well, They Just Don’t Know Where to Start
At one point in time, this was me, too. In fact, from a young age I wanted to dress differently than other people. I wanted clothing that stood out and was interesting. I bought clothes (or rather, my mom did) that I thought were cool. But I didn’t know how to style them.
This is the case for many men that I meet. Some are even too afraid to buy things they like to begin with. A lot of this issue arises from a lack of confidence. Trying something new can be a challenge. So they’ll stick with clothing that’s easy and comfortable.
The issue with that is the outfit won’t communicate the full personality of its wearer if it’s nothing more than an easy go-to.
Now that I work as a menswear consultant, it’s my job to help draw people out from their shells and into the light of personal style. Just a little nudge in the right direction can be all one needs to emerge as a confident and style-conscious man.
Quality Over Quantity
Investing in unique and quality pieces will be of much more value to you than buying a closet full of trendy, fast-fashion Items.
It may seem essential that you have an abundance of pieces to choose from in your wardrobe. After all, you’re a style-conscious guy who loves to dress well. But this isn’t the case.
Of course a large wardrobe is the dream. But make sure you’re taking time to fill it with items of quality that mean something to you. Don’t fill your closet with fads while obsessing over all the new trends. Instead, choose your pieces carefully and methodically. You’ll be glad that you did.
Classic Choices Never Fail
This statement ties in nicely with the previous list item. There are classic articles of clothing that can do you no wrong. And I think it’s important to have timeless, go-to pieces like these in your line-up.
When designing clothes with new clients, I’ll always be sure to determine whether or not their basic, timeless wardrobe is covered. If it isn’t, I’ll suggest pieces that they can leverage to greatly improve the versatility of their current collection.
There’s Always More to Learn
It may be my job to help men know how to dress. But that doesn’t mean I know everything. In fact, I’m constantly learning new things. I definitely like to think I know everything at times, but am easily re-grounded in not-uncommon moments of humility.
It’s important not to get ahead of yourself and deny your mind opportunities for growth and further knowledge. Remember; confident, not cocky.
Conclusion
I love menswear and men’s style. I have really enjoyed my time as a menswear consultant and will continue to enjoy it for the foreseeable future. I love the things I’ve learned and can’t wait to learn more.
Being a menswear consultant is fulfilling. I love helping guys figure out how to embrace their style journey and move forward in confidence.
If you’re one of those guys, I hope I have provided some enlightenment as you pursue your own style journey. Keep it up!
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