You’re no longer an intern sleeping on a futon, right? So pay more attention to the details when preparing for work. Here are the common style points many men muck up and how to make them right.
FAUX PAS
Wearing-loose fitting clothes for comfort; it only makes you look sloppy.
FAST FIX
A suit that’s well tailored hugs the body without cinching. The shoulder sits straight, and the sleeve falls where the base of your thumb meets your wrist, allowing no more than a half inch of cuff to show.
FAUX PAS
Letting your eyebrows to grow like kudzu for that Chris Noth or Joe Jonas (or Joseph Stalin) look.
FAST FIX
Maintain your hedges: comb your eyebrows straight up and then trim any sprouts that stick above your brow line using snub-nosed scissors. After a hot shower, pluck hairs between your brows so you have two distinct arches.
FAUX PAS
A skinny tie next to wide lapels makes your neckwear resemble a swizzle stick.
FAST FIX
Make sure your tie is proportional to (and narrower than) your lapels. For instance, a tie that’s 2 1/2 inches wide works well with a 3-inch lapel.
FAUX PAS
Your nails and cuticles tell the world how hard you worked weeding your garden over the weekend.
FAST FIX
Keep a nail clipper, cuticle tool and file in your work desk. Don’t worry: No one really notices if your nails and cuticles are well manicured. They notice only when they’re not.
FAUX PAS
You wear your trousers too low on your hips and your crotch hangs below your upper thighs.
FAST FIX
Your trousers should be slim but not snug with the waist belted over your hip bones (you’re not in prison). The crotch should not fall below your upper thighs even if you need “extra” room.
FAUX PAS
Attempting to hide your “five-head.” Those gelled strands combed carefully across your scalp are not fooling anyone.
FAST FIX
Be bald and beautiful and embrace the power of a sexy, sleek scalp.
FAUX PAS
Wearing a suit with a sports watch because, well, you’re a triathlete.
FAST FIX
Match quality with quality. Pairing a tailored suit with a lesser bag or watch is like washing down a Kobe steak with Bud Light.
FAUX PAS
The guys from Friends called, and they’d like their square-toed shoes back.
FAST FIX
Avoid shoe profiles that are too pointy or too square. Traditional almond-shaped or rounded-toe dress shoes translate as elegant.
FAUX PAS
The break on your trousers is so low you risk tripping and breaking your coccyx.
FAST FIX
Tailored trousers are a sign of a smart dresser. Most men should opt for a medium break — that is, a slight crease where pant leg meets shoe.
