We live in a time where many traditional masculine skills have been forgotten, like how to change a tire, navigate with a compass and a map, or play a game of poker.
Sadly, this also applies to the realm of style.
Without the right skills, you’ll never fulfill your potential in the sartorial department. Even if you only use these suggestions a few times a year, you’ll always be better dressed than the guy who simply doesn’t know how.
Luckily, these eight skills are all simple. You can learn them with just a few minutes of practice and some basic tools. So let’s get started.
How to Tie a Tie
Whether you’re a fan of the tie or not, you’re going to wear one at least a few times in your life.
Often, it’s going to be for some of those important occasions, when it’s more vital than ever to look and feel your best.
Considering how casual society has become, it’s no surprise many men don’t know how to tie a tie if they didn’t grow up wearing one as part of a school uniform.
Although I hated my school tie, at least the four-in-hand knot is ingrained in my brain for life.
You never want to wear those clip-on ties because they look artificial and cheap.
Besides, you’d be missing out on the sense of pride that comes when you tie your own tie.
There is a confusing myriad of ways you can tie your tie — which is fun for some style geeks but a nightmare for most people.
Fortunately, it’s okay if you only know one knot.
The four in hand is the most versatile and easiest to learn.
One way you can separate yourself as a truly stylish man is by adding a dimple to this knot.
To achieve this, pinch the tie at the top as you tighten it.
Want to take your style skills to the next level? Learn to tie a bow tie.
How to Iron a Dress Shirt
It’s shocking to me how many men don’t own an iron.
When I have been at friend’s houses or stayed in an Airbnb and asked for an iron, very often the answer has been, “We don’t have one.”
But nothing says “I can’t take care of myself” like going out wearing creased and wrinkled clothes.
Every man needs to have moved on from relying on his mother to take care of his ironing.
If you don’t have one already, invest in an iron with a variable temperature dial and a sturdy ironing board.
Before you get started, check the care label of your garment to see what fabric it is made of.
Dress shirts will normally be made from cotton, which can withstand high temperatures.
However, if it is a synthetic performance fabric, it may need a lower temperature.
There’s no need to overcomplicate the method of ironing a dress shirt.
Simply gently run the iron over each section of the shirt at a time, working from the edges to the middle.
At first, you might find that you are ironing in more creases, not ironing them out.
But this is a normal beginner’s mistake, and it may take a few shirts before you get the hang of it.
How to Combine a Tie and a Pocket Square
How to tastefully match a tie with a pocket square is just as much an art as it is a skill.
The most important thing to know is that the two should never match exactly.
What makes this even more confusing for a guy who is trying to figure things out is that many stores sell matching ties and pocket squares as a set.
Just as with the clip-on ties, there’s a whole section of the fashion industry that depends on men not knowing any better.
Instead of falling for this trap, slowly build a collection of separate ties and pocket squares that you can mix and match.
As a general rule of thumb, you want to introduce some element of similarity between the two.
For example, in this outfit, my tie has a dominant tone of red.
So I chose this pocket square for its subtle element of red.
But the other colors in the pocket square, and the differing patterns, mean they do not match too closely.
You could also just keep things simple by wearing a plain white pocket square in a presidential fold any time you are wearing a white shirt.
Basing your necktie collection around solid colors and simple patterns will also give you an easier time creating elegant matches as a beginner.
How to Shine your Shoes
In a world where most men wear sneakers seven days a week, the skill of shining your shoes has been sadly forgotten.
But your dress shoes deserve to look their best — whether you wear them every day or just a few times a year.
To shine your shoes properly, you’ll need a few things.
First, remove any surface dirt using a damp cloth.
Next, take a tin of cream polish in a shade that matches the color of your shoes.
Apply the polish using a cotton shammy cloth, massaging it into the leather.
After giving the leather a few minutes to absorb the nutrients of the polish, it’s time to buff it off with a brush.
A horse hair brush is the best option, and it’s wise to have one for brown shoes and one for black shoes.
Use firm, brisk strokes with the brush to create a strong shine.
If you want to be able to see your reflection in the shoes, you could take things one step further with a hard wax.
Apply it in the same way you did the polish, before buffing it off again.
How to Sew a Button
Although you can take a button to the alterations person at your dry cleaners, buttons rarely fall off at convenient times.
Nope. They fall off just as we’re getting ready for that big presentation, or to go to that wedding.
Sometimes, they fall off while we’re out and about, without us even noticing.
So it’s best to be prepared for the unexpected by knowing how to sew a button back on yourself.
I recommend carrying a very small sewing kit in your Dopp bag when you travel with a few needles, a small pair of scissors, and a few small spools of thread in navy, gray, light blue, and white.
As for the buttons, keep a small selection of generic ones in there too.
I always leave the spare jacket buttons in the pockets of their jackets just in case.
Sewing on the button itself is not hard to learn.
Getting the thread through the needle is the biggest challenge.
But once you have this skill under your belt, you’ll never sweat it when a button falls off again.
How to Roll Your Sleeves
Out of all the items on this list, how to roll up your sleeves might seem the most basic.
After all, everyone can roll up their sleeves one way or another.
But there’s a difference between simply getting the job done with disorganized scrunching, and doing it in a way that looks put-together and stylish.
There are a few methods to rolling your sleeves, but I have a clear favorite.
First, take your cuff and unbutton it, but leave the placket button (the one a few inches up) done up.
Then, fold the cuff back on itself once.
Next, do the same again, with the second fold going exactly over the first one.
Not only is this quick and easy, but shows just the right amount of forearm, providing your dress shirt fits you fairly snugly around your arms.
If you have bigger forearms and this feels too tight, try undoing the placket button first.
Not only is rolling your sleeves very practical, but women love to see your forearms.
So being able to do this the correct way will give you added confidence to roll up your sleeves whenever you feel like it.
Personally, I roll up the sleeves of my dress shirts anytime I’m not wearing a jacket.
With this simple rolling method, it’s easy to roll them back down when I want to put the jacket back on.
How to Care for Suede
Suede is one of the most grown-up and luxurious materials in a man’s wardrobe.
It projects an image of masculine sophistication.
I think of it as leather’s big brother who drives a Porsche and vacations on the French Riviera.
But suede that has not been properly maintained can quickly lose this appeal.
The way to keep either your suede jacket or your suede shoes intact is by brushing them.
For this task, you will need a special type of brush—either a wire brush, a crepe brush, or a suede eraser.
The right tool for the job depends on the type of suede and the thickness of the pile.
However, it’s best to try the softest tool first, which is the suede eraser, to avoid damaging the suede.
If that doesn’t do anything, try the crepe brush, and then the wire brush.
Suede is more delicate than leather, so go gently.
Brush in one consistent direction so the textured fuzz of the suede falls the same way across the shoe or jacket.
There’s another important thing to note when caring for your suede.
This material can be easily stained by water.
So if you need to take off any excess dirt or stubborn stains, choose either rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, or a specially-made suede cleaning solution.
To protect your suede from rain and snow, pick up a bottle of waterproof suede spray.
Make this part of your shoe maintenance routine by giving your suede shoes a spray whenever you polish your leather shoes.
You can also apply a top-up of this spray the night before you plan to wear them.
How to Change Your Watch Strap
We all know that a great timepiece is one of the best finishing touches to any man’s outfit.
Luckily, you don’t need to own a ton of watches to have fun and create some variety on your wrist.
Before you spend money buying a new watch, try just changing the strap and see how you like it.
It will have a major impact on the overall aesthetic but at a fraction of the cost.
For example, you could switch out the metal bracelet on your diver’s watch for a NATO strap, just like the one worn by Sean Connery as James Bond.
How easy it is to change the strap will depend on the watch and may or may not need some basic tools.
However, a watch care kit like this one on Amazon will include anything you may need.
Watch geeks on YouTube have made countless tutorials showing you the different ways to change the strap on all types of timepieces. Here’s a good one:
Having the skill of changing your watch strap means you will get a lot more use out of your timepieces.
For example, maybe you want to add a black leather strap before a black tie event.
Or perhaps you switch out the oyster bracelet for a mesh bracelet, totally changing the appearance of your favorite watch.
Although they have been forgotten by many, these skills are still essential for a well-dressed man.
What’s more, the fact that you have these skills under your belt will give you a new level of style mojo.
You will be confident that you know how to wear things properly, and confident that each of your garments are looking their best.
It’s important to enjoy taking care of your wardrobe and have pride in these tasks.
See them as a labor of love for your style, not another chore on your to-do list.
If you know someone who could do with brushing up on a couple of these style skills, politely share this article with them.
They will be grateful to know that taking pride in their appearance you two can have in common.
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