To dress better as a man, get your clothes to fit, own a small set of versatile basics in neutral colors, upgrade your shoes and outerwear, and stop buying things you haven't seen on yourself. Most men don't need more clothes. They need fewer, better-fitting ones. ChangeMyFit helps with the last step: drag clothes from any website onto your photo and see the whole outfit on you before you buy.
Start with fit
Fit is the single biggest upgrade, and studies back it up: in one experiment, the same man was rated more confident and successful in a tailored suit than in an off-the-peg one. More in does dressing well make you more attractive?
- Shoulders: the seam should end at your shoulder bone, on shirts, tees and jackets.
- Sleeves: shirt cuffs at the wrist bone; jacket sleeves show a little shirt cuff.
- Chest: buttons shouldn't pull; tees shouldn't cling or billow.
- Trousers: sit at your waist without a belt doing the work, taper slightly, and touch the top of your shoe with little or no break.
A tailor can shorten hems and take in waists cheaply. Shoulders are hard to fix, so buy for those.
The ten pieces to own
- White and gray T-shirts, plain, heavy enough not to be see-through
- A white or light blue oxford shirt
- A navy or gray crew-neck knit
- Dark straight or slim-straight jeans, no rips
- Chinos or wool trousers in gray, navy or khaki
- An overshirt or casual jacket, like denim, chore or field
- A navy blazer, unstructured if you'll wear it casually
- A warm coat: wool topcoat, trench or quilted jacket
- White leather sneakers
- Brown leather or suede boots
Everything above goes with everything else. That's the point. If you want to go further, read how to build a capsule wardrobe.
Keep colors simple
Build on navy, gray, white, olive, brown and black, and keep each outfit to three colors or fewer, not counting denim. Add one color that suits you, usually in a knit or a shirt near your face. See what colors suit me.
Shoes and outerwear do the heavy lifting
The rest of the outfit can be simple if the shoes and jacket are good. Clean, simple sneakers, one pair of boots and one smarter shoe cover almost everything. Keep them clean.
Grooming counts as much as clothes
A good haircut, a beard that looks intentional, clean nails and a lint roller do as much for how you look as a new jacket.
Try new styles without the risk
Most men stick to the same few outfits because trying something new feels risky: buy it, wear it, feel off, never wear it again. You can test first:
- Add a selfie and your height to ChangeMyFit once. It makes a full-body photo of you at your real proportions.
- Drag a piece you'd never normally pick, like a double-breasted blazer, a statement knit or a leather bomber, into its slot.
- Add the jeans and shoes you'd actually wear with it, from any shop, and hit try on.
- If it works on the photo, it'll work in real life.
For this season's ideas, see 5 pieces every man should try this fall and 10 fall outfit ideas for men.
Frequently asked questions
How can a man dress better on a budget?
Spend on fit, shoes and one good jacket. Keep basics plain and neutral, tailor cheap trousers, and avoid mistakes by trying clothes on a photo of yourself before buying.
What clothes should every man own?
Plain tees, an oxford shirt, a crew-neck knit, dark jeans, chinos or wool trousers, an overshirt, a navy blazer, a warm coat, white sneakers and brown boots.
How should men's clothes fit?
Shoulder seams at the shoulder bone, cuffs at the wrist, no pulling across the chest, and trousers that touch the top of the shoe without bunching.
How do I find my style as a man?
Collect outfits you like, notice what they have in common, and try those looks on yourself. Our guide to finding your personal style walks through it.