The other day I had an employee of mine come by the shop after attending a networking event. We spent a good hour talking about things like the perception of our brand and our industry, along with ideas on how to help the average guy see the value in investing in quality menswear.

As we were talking, he told me about how he’s perceived amongst his own circle of friends. Whenever he goes out, even if it’s just to another friend’s house to watch Netflix on a Sunday evening, his default attire is a nice pair of pants and a button-up shirt. Whereas his friends almost always default to a T-shirt and jeans or sweats.

While he does get asked whey he dresses so well all the time, it’s not in a challenging way. In fact, more often than not, his friends will tell him that they wish they could dress like him, they just feel like they can’t pull it off.

Our conversation made me think of a bunch of different things, many of which I’ll be fleshing out in future posts and videos.

But the one that stood out to me the most was the inconsistency between the caliber of his friends and the way they choose to dress.

Watch the YouTube Video: Are Your Clothes Lying About You?

Watch the YouTube Video: Are Your Clothes Lying About You?

These guys are not slackers who are sitting around waiting for life to happen to them. They’re young men who are ambitious about their lives and are seeking to shape the world in their own image. The problem is that their clothing gives absolutely no indication of those ambitions or goals.

I want you to take a few seconds and think about the words you’d use to describe yourself. What are they? Do you like those words?

If not, I want you to think of the words you’d like to use to describe yourself.

Now stop reading and look down at what you’re wearing.

If I were to see you across the street from me, would I use the same words to describe you or the person you aspire to be? If not, then why in the world are you wearing what you are?

Clothing may not be a huge factor in determining the value of a man, his character, or his impact on the world, but it is the absolute first thing we use to tell the rest of the world who we are, and people are going to assess whether or not we’re worth getting to know better based on what we wear.

Are we wrong in that assessment?

Of course we can be. I’ve misjudged poor men favorably because of their clothing and vice versa. But, more often than not, we’re right. Because we can use our clothing to tell the world who we are, the tribe to which we belong, and whom we aspire to become.

Which brings us back to the original question: Are your clothes lying about you? Are they telling the world you’re something you’re not? Do they signal that you belong to a different group than you do? Do they adequately balance where you currently are with where you want to be?

If not, then you’re not dressed well and you’re missing out on opportunities to meet and develop solid relationships with people who can help you on your journey.

Why set yourself up to have to disprove the person your appearance says you are?

Be consistent in what your appearance says and what you actually are on the inside.

This post is sponsored by RibbedTee. For 20% off your purchase use the coupon code “MS20”

Believe it or not, undershirts are one of the more polarizing subjects in menswear. There are camps who argue vehemently that no man has any real reason to wear an undershirt and others who will contend just as forcefully that they should be worn every day.

This post will give you the three reasons I lean towards the wear-an-undershirt camp, along with some tips for buying the right kind of undershirt to avoid the problems the other team complains about.

Click Here to Watch the YouTube Video: How to Wear an Undershirt

Click Here to Watch the YouTube Video: How to Wear an Undershirt

Clothing Protection

I try to get as much bang for my buck when I purchase my clothing. As a result, I’m often willing to spend more on quality pieces than on cheap, Asian-made garbage that doesn’t even last an entire season.

That said, I’m not made of money and I want to ensure that the clothing I do invest in lasts as long as possible – a desire that applies to my shirts as much as to my suits and shoes.

One of the biggest advantages of an undershirt is the protection it offers your clothing from your sweat and natural oils, along with the substances and/or chemicals that can be found in things like deodorant.

The last thing I want in a nice, white dress shirt is yellow stains in the armpits. It’s aesthetically awful and breaks down the material in the shirt more quickly.

Dropping a few bucks on a quality undershirts and replacing them every year or so is infinitely easier on my wallet than having to replace an entire closet’s worth of shirts.

Sweat Protection

I sweat. You sweat. We all sweat.

Most of the time I sweat in the gym, but if I’m in a suit in the dead of summer, about to present in front of an audience, or am dealing with a particularly stressful phone call, I sweat.

And one of the last things I want people to see is me sweating – both because it looks bad and because it shows weakness.

A well-made undershirt isn’t necessarily going to stop all signs of sweat, but it does provide an extra layer that needs to be fully saturated before it’s visible through your shirt.

Protrusion Protection

And by protrusion I mean nipples.

There are many men in the world (myself included) who just seem to have a pair of diamond cutters on their chests. While it’s not exactly embarrassing, it can definitely be distracting. I know I don’t want a client to be paying attention to my chest as I’m walking him through the design of his new suit.

Whether it’s extra hard nipples, man boobs, or anything else that has a tendency to stick out, an undershirt adds an extra layer of suppression to help tone down the appearance of distracting elements.

How to Wear One

The difficulty isn’t in wearing it so much as in buying the right one – because it’s not just a matter of picking up a six-pack of white T-shirts at the nearest Wal-Mart.

Here are a few things to look for.

• A deep V-neck. You don’t want anyone to know you’re wearing an undershirt, and it certainly shouldn’t affect the clean lines of the rest of your well-fitting wardrobe. A deep opening in the chest means there won’t be any distracting material when you wear your collar open.
• A long body. Dress shirts are more comfortable and more effective when they’re tucked in. Make sure what you’re buying is designed for that purpose and is long enough to stay in place.
• Shorter sleeves. This applies for all the same reasons as the deep V. You don’t want the sleeves of your undershirt popping out from beneath your shirt sleeves.
• Snug fit. A properly fitting undershirt should be so snug you’d be uncomfortable wearing it on its own. A tight fit like this will ensure it doesn’t affect the drape of your other shirts and preserve the visual effect you’re after.

Where to Buy One

This is where my friends over at Ribbed Tee come in. I first met Mike at StyleCon back in 2014 and the guy is legit. He has invested a ton of time and energy into creating the ultimate undershirt and what he’s come up with is as near to perfect as I’ve seen.

Because Mike’s a friend, I’ve got a hook up for you as well. Head on over to Ribbed Tee and use the coupon code “MS20” for 20% off your purchase. These things are already a killer deal for their value and that extra 20% makes it even easier to stop destroying your nice clothes and embarrassing yourself in front of others.

Believe it or not, there are some improved techniques involved in cleanly tucking in a shirt – three in fact. In this video, I outline all three and show you how to maximize your ability with them.

Click here to watch the YouTube video: How to Tuck in a Shirt

Click here to watch the YouTube video: How to Tuck in a Shirt

Don’t forget to check out this post’s sponsor KK&Jay and use the discount code “MS20” for 20% off your order.

Proper Length

Casual shirts are designed to fall somewhere between the bottom of the rise of the pants and the top of the waist band. This helps them avoid looking like night gowns when worn untucked.

However, a proper dress shirt should extend as long as possible without going into the legs of the pants. Dress shirts that are too short are most likely a size too small (and will reflect this in other areas as well). They should be sized up for the ideal fit.

Undershirt/Underwear Tuck

It will feel as weird as it looks, but it’s a worthwhile tip in a pinch. By tucking the undershirt into the waistband of a pair of underwear, the pull and friction the undershirt places on the dress shirt is minimized – preventing the dress shirt from being as likely to come untucked through regular daily motion.

Just don’t get caught wearing underwear this way if you want to keep any dignity.

Shirt Stays

I was hesitant about this option at first, but KK&Jay really sold me on them.

Shirt stays are designed to clip to the top of your socks and the bottom of your shirt. The elastic provides tension against both anchors and keeps your shirt tucked in.

The visual difference is huge and, as long as they’re worn properly, they’re not any less comfortable than going without.

For men who want the added detail of a superbly tucked in shirt, this is the way to go.

The trend of sockless suits has finally crested, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an appropriate way to make the look work for you.

In this article I break down the three key elements necessary to wear a suit without socks.

Click Here to watch the YouTube Video: How to Go Sockless in a Suit

Click Here to watch the YouTube Video: How to Go Sockless in a Suit

Suiting Material

The primary element of being able to wear a suit with socks, is the cloth from which the suit is made.

While color and pattern can help make a finer suit look more appropriate without socks, the biggest factors are the material and the weave with which the suit is made.

Finely worsted wools – those that are traditionally associated with business and formal wear – should always be worn with socks.

The same goes for heavier winter-weight cloths like flannel and tweed – not because of a formal/casual contrast, but because these materials are worn in colder months – times when it’s inappropriate (and uncomfortable) to not have socks on.

Instead, focus on summer-weight cloths like linen and cotton and wools in thicker, more substantial weaves – such as hopsacks, basket weaves, and others.

When a suit has more texture, it appears more casual and is more appropriately worn without socks (or with the right kind of socks).

Shoe Style

Not all shoes will work without socks. Just like with suiting, the focus needs to be on the casual end of the spectrum, along with styles that are more appropriately worn in summer. No one wants to throw their bare feet into a pair of alpine boots.

Loafers, drivers, and derbies are all great options. As are nearly anything with a low cut that’s made in suede.

What should be avoided are heavier or more formal shoes like wingtips and captoes. Even when they’re casual enough, they have a more Rugged and outdoor association that makes them look off when worn without socks.

The one exception to the formality rule is a pair of double monk-straps. While they do dress up more than a pair of longwings, their design and versatility makes them entirely appropriate when worn sockless. Don’t hesitate to thrown them on with a pair of chinos or jeans either. They’ll help dress up a more casual look.

Proper Equipment

I’ve been spending my summers sockless for years now. And over that length of time, have tried many different approaches.

Some men can just slide their feet in or apply a little bit of baby powder to the insole of their shoes. Doesn’t work for me those as my feet get sweaty and the top will often get stuck to the inside of the shoes’ tongue – not fun or comfortable.

I’ve also tried to use washable cotton insoles. While these do help remove odor and prevent my feet from sticking to the insole, they do nothing about the top.

The best solution is to wear a no-show sock like these from BlackSocks. They provide all the benefits of wearing a dress sock, while still allowing you to embrace the sockless aesthetic.

I love two things about this brand compared to others I’ve used. First, they come in a few different sizes. My feet are on the smaller side and no-shows that are too big will often slip off the back of my heel. It’s uncomfortable and frustrating to deal with.

Second, the material they use is so small and light that they feel like a pair of dress shoes. Other brand will use thicker materials that can make my shoes feel too small.

Seriously, these from BlackSocks are the best I’ve used, and I’ve tried this a ton of different ways over the years.

The one caveat I’ll give is to avoid using these if you’re constantly slipping in and out of your shoes. The appearance they give off is a bit dainty and effeminate. If you’re in and out of your shoes often, you’re probably better off sticking with the insole route.

Conclusion

With these three factors dialed in, it’s easier, more stylish, and more comfortable to ditch your socks in the summer months.

It’s a style I recommend for guys who lean towards the Rakish Archetype. Embrace the fact that it’s a polarizing aesthetic and tends to be one people will either compliment or criticize you for.

Oh, and if you want a hookup on those no-show socks, I have one for you. Use the code MS20 for 20% off any order over $50 from now until September 1st.

Don’t know what I mean by Rakish? Well go check these out.

The Three Masculine Style Archetypes

Rugged Man

Refined Man

Rakish Man

Conclusion

Want to know where you fall into the Three Masculine Style Archetypes?

Take this quick quiz and I’ll tell you. CLICK HERE

Want more?

Skipping the socks while wearing a suit isn’t something the average Joe does. When you pull it off, you’re telling a story with your style.

Learn the how men throughout time and across all cultures have use their clothing to communicate specific, masculine virtues and tell stories that lead to more success, happiness, and fulfillment.