Whenever we encounter something new, something life changing, we have this weird tendency. We see that shiny new light a the answer to everything. We focus on it day in and day out. We see it as the answer to everything. But is it?

Men’s style has made a tremendous difference in my life – there’s no doubt about it. I get everything I want easier, people trust me more, my decisions weigh more and I’m doing a lot better with the ladies.

But, after so many years of trying new outfits and writing about them, things have finally started to settle down for me. The big white light that is men’s style that has given me unrealistic expectations has started to allow me to see other things… some of the things that I used to enjoy and that I’ve somehow forgotten about.

That’s right. It takes years, years of practice to reach that balance of passion and ability to focus on on other important things. Years to realize that it’s not this or that thing that makes your life complete – it’s ALL those things put together.

Right now I’m getting at least a couple of style questions each and every day. I see newbies very excited about this, yet I can’t pretend not to notice some of their unrealistic expectations.

Since I don’t want to write the same thing over and over again, I decided to make this article to set things straight for everyone.

Unrealistic Expectation #1

Style will make me rich

I know you don’t buy this 100% but there are still people who dress rich in order to be liked by the rich. And when the real money makers of this world find out the (horrible)truth, what happens? They spit you out.

My advice: yes, it’s great to dress to give off the impression that you have a lot of money. But don’t overdo it.

A rich person with a net worth of $1,000,000 dollars will try to give the impression that he has $5,000,000 but not 50 or 100 million. They know their financial limits.

You must learn to do the same: if you’re really poor, dress to look like you’re doing ok. If you’re doing ok, dress like you’re doing pretty good and if you’re doing pretty good, dress like you’re doing great. You get the idea.

Unrealistic Expectation #2

Style will get me women

Don’t get me wrong, style will improve the way women see you A LOT. I just got a number last night from this good-looking blonde without even trying too much.

But you still have to do your part. You still have to be the guy that girl wants in her life. Think of it this way: would you date a fat girl if she wore hot clothes? You’re most likely to make fun of her than even talk with her.

So get your personal style to the level that you want but remember to take care of the way YOU ARE. Clothes are just a means of expression. They make the man, they are NOT the man.

Unrealistic Expectation #3

Style will make me very popular

Popularity is based on the amount of value you have to offer. Take a celebrity like Michael Jackson. Why do you think he became so well known? Why did he have hundreds and hundreds of girls screaming at his concerts across the world?

Hint: those white socks and those flashy suits are only part of the equation. He had a great voice, a unique charisma, he changed his skin color. But, more importantly, the biggest thing with which he contributed to this world were his songs. The more he offered the more popular he became.

So If you’re on your path to success (no matter what success means to you), style is only the beginning. Your unique style will make people remember you and the way you dress. But after that it’s up to you.

George

And I did. I bought a cool white dress shirt (any man should have at least one) and a green top whose price was 30% off since the last time I was there.

Let’s start off with the shirt.

Item: Dress shirt
Fabric: 100% cotton
Color: white
Brand: Zara
Store: Zara
Price: $27 (on January 24th 2012)
I’ll be wearing it with: vests, ties, sports jackets, suits etc.

And here’s the rounded-neck blouse:

Item: Blouse
Fabric: 100% wool
Color: green
Brand: Zara
Store: Zara
Price: $21 (on January 24th 2012)
I’ll be wearing it with: white shirts, yellow shirts, jeans, dyed blue jeans etc.

I’m sure you’ve taken this into consideration at some point. Hair straightening is a process that will give you that relaxed, smooth hair which will allow for a higher variety of haircuts.

If you have think or curly hair and you’re sick of it, this article will be of particular interest to you.

Using a flat iron is now acceptable for men. That’s the good news. Knowing the tips and tricks to using it at home is another story. This is why I’m going to give you the essentials to straightening your hair by yourself.

Of course, you should take my advice as informational. Don’t go blaming me if something goes wrong. If you’re not confident you can pull it off by yourself, go to a hair stylist, let him show you how it’s done for a couple of times and THEN try it. Ok?

What are the best straighteners

I want to start with this because it’s the most critical part. Choosing the wrong straightener can cost you money and even your hair.

The best straighteners are those based on the ceramics technology. Choose one of these and you can’t go wrong.

The second criteria is to look at the label. If you see 5 flat irons brands in a row, skip the ones you haven’t heard of.

The third criteria is the price. This goes hand in hand with the previous one. The more well known the brand, the higher the price. Think of this as a long-term investment.

The fourth criteria is to ask one or more hair stylists. Each of them will give you their opinion about which brand is best but, the most important thing is that none of them will recommend you low-quality products. So, for at home use, make sure you choose a hair straightener that’s medium priced and has a high perceived reputation.

Last but not least, don’t go for any hair straightener that has any red or pink on it. It’s girly and men should be banned from ever touching them. If the brand you want has these colors, ask the store supervisor to get you something in black, grey or brown.

Things to watch out for before you do it

Before I tell you the steps to strengthening your hair, there are a few things you MUST know. If you make these mistakes, you ca easily get your hair burnt!

The first mistake you could make is not heating your flat iron enough. Believe it or not, this can be damaging to your hair as you’ll have to use the straightener for a longer period of time.

Another mistake is to use low-quality products. Everyone know this so make sure you only buy products which are in line with what I told you in the beginning of this article. The last thing you want is to shave your hair or, even worse, stay indoors for a couple of weeks! Always use professional hair care products to avoid damaging your hair.

The “how to”

OK, so let’s see the steps to straightening your hair. Ready?

Step 1: Wash your hair

Step 2: Use a hair straightener conditioner. This is critical as it greatly reduces the chances of burning your hair.

Step 3: Dry your hair as well as you can

Step 4: use the flat iron (also called the straightening iron) to straighten your hair. Starting from the back, use the flat iron to straighten the hair in a curvy motion. So don’t just pull the flat iron in a straight manner.

Let’s start with this amazing dress shirt from Zara (which needs some adjusting, of course).

Item: Dress shirt
Fabric: 100% cotton
Color: white and purple
Pattern: houndstooth
Brand: Zara
Store: Zara
Price: $30 (on January 21st 2012)
I’ll be wearing it with: vests, ties, sports jackets, suits etc.

Item: Winter scarf
Fabric: 100% wool
Color: red
Brand: Cavaliere
Store: Cavaliere
Price: $20 (on January 21st 2012)
I’ll be wearing it with: my red pocket square, my black vest, my navy blue pea coat

Item: Slim tie
Fabric: 100% silk
Color: browns and greys
Brand: Zara
Store: Zara
Price: $12 (on January 21st 2012)
I’ll be wearing it with: my brown dress shirt a (future) green shirt

Item: Colored socks
Fabric: 78% cotton, 20% polyamide, 2% spandex
Colors: purple, pink, turquoise, green and yellow
Brand: Pull & Bear
Store: Pull & Bear
Price: $9 (on January 21st 2012)
I’ll be wearing them with: loafers, lace-ups, rolled up jeans, rolled-up khakis

A few final questions.

What do you think, is red something that works well with my darker skin complexity?

Do you think wearing pink socks are ok to wear? What would you pair them with?

I can’t believe I didn’t write this article sooner. I can’t imagine how Be Stylish, a mature men’s style blog, didn’t have a page dedicated to one of the hottest Hollywood actors.. who also happens to be the worlds’d most famous men style icon.

I think one of the funniest stories I ever head about Johnny was when this school girl wrote to “Jack Sparrow” (the name of the character he plays in Pirates of the Caribbean).

She wrote to him that she and her colleagues got sick of their teachers and that they’re planning to start a mutiny. Just like pirates, who rebel against taxes social norms. At the end of the letter, she (obviously) wrote down her school where she was studying.

You’ll never guess what happened. Jack Sparrow (or Johnny Depp, cause they’re the same thing) decided to pay her a visit… while wearing the full costume of the most famous pirate character in the world.

How cool is that?

Well, I’m not going to post any pictures of that costume… I’m sure you already know it. Instead, I’ll show you some of the hottest outfits Johnny has ever worn… and comment them from a style perspective.

By the end of this article, you’ll not only think he’s a great movie star but also that he dresses really really well.

His unique style…

Johnny Depp chooses a really relaxed casual look. He wears a lot of t-shirts but compensates with many accessories.

Let the show begin!

Outfit #1: brown t-shirt, grey hat

We’re starting off with this apparently simple outfit… if you don’t count the tattoo and the accessories, that is.

The t-shirt isn’t much and I’m sure you could get one yourself right now.

But what about the hat? Would you wear one? Mixing black and dark-brown isn’t such a great idea but mixing GREY an brown can make you look damn hot!

And what about the wrist watch? The brown leather strap matches the t-shirt and gives him that “I’m a busy man” look, along with the glasses.

But that “good guy” look is quickly toned down by the tattoos on both his arm and the rest of the accessories.

The interesting thing about this is that no single item of clothing stands out – yet the overall look is amazing.

Outfit #2: Johnny in a brown leather jacket and wearing a green scarf

I’m sorry I don’t have the full attire but, even so, we have a lot to learn about matching colors from this second outfit.

Breakdown: light-brown jacket, green scarf, grey hat and glasses with purple lens. Don’t forget the 2 rings on his right hand.

The trio brown-green-purple works well together but it all depends on the quantity. If you’re afraid you’ll screw up, just finish the outfit with greys (grey chinos, grey shoes, a light-grey t-shirt etc.)

Neutral colors are your lifeguard when you’re playing around with colors.

Outfit #3: lots and lots of bracelets

Well, you don’t have to wear them if you don’t like them. The thing is, once you’ll reach a certain point in your style evolution, you’ll begin to love certain clothes and accessories… and there’s no doubt Johnny Depp is in love with bracelets.

Outfit #4: a white shirt and a black vest

Outfit #5: Johnny Depp in a white t-shirt, jeans and lots of accessories

The lesson here is simple. You can wear the most generic item of clothing possible (such as a white t-shirt) and look unbelievable.

Outfit #6: black sports jacket, black and white striped shirt and a brown hat

Outfit #7: khaki trench khaki hat, black t-shirt and pendants

Outfit #8: Light-gray blazer, a black shirt and pendants

Outfit #9: Grey and whit jacket with an orange top

Outfit #10: Charcoal grey sports jacket with orange and grey shirt

Outfit #11: White shirt and hat

Outfit #12: Brown leather jacket and blue shirt wrapped araound waist

Outfit #13: Brown sports coat, t-shirt and hat

Outfit #14: Light-brown sports coat and blue polo shirt

Outfit #15: Black pinstripe suit with a blue striped shirt

Outfit #16: Brown sports coat with a blue shirt

Outfit #17: Rugged jeans, brown hat and black shirt

photo: harristweedandknitwear.co.uk

When it comes to choosing the right patterns for you outfits, there are plenty of options available. You’ve got horizontal and vertical stripes, checks, micro-checks, glen check, floral prints (such as paisley) and geometric. Aren’t we forgetting one that’s important?

Let’s talk about the fishbone pattern.

The fishbone (a.k.a. the herringbone pattern) looks something like this:

It kind of looks boring, doesn’t it? Wait until you see it on some real outfits.

Fashion Items That Come in This Pattern

They aren’t many but you only need one or two, anyway, in your wardrobe.

Take a look at this sports jacket (from Dries Van Noten):

And how about this coat?

The herringbone coat can look great if you make sure it fits your body perfectly. Still, you nee to try to make the outfit stand out a little more with… you know… colors and patterns.

And, if you don’t want this pattern to be the center of attention, go for a tie:

If you’re looking for something less obvious, go for a herringbone tie. The Style Blogger himself will show us how we can pull this off:

photo: TheStyleBlogger.com

Notice how Dan Trepanier is actually wearing two patterns in the outfit above> fishbone and checks. Another thing I want you to notice (and this is really important) is the colors he’s using: grey (on the tie), navy blue (on the vest and pants) and brown (on the sports coat, the shirt and the bag). Grey plus dark or navy blue plus brown is a great color combination that you can use in any outfit. There are a lot more color combinations, which I highly encourage you to master (it’s really not that hard!).

Now let’s see how the same fishbone tie can be worn with a suit. Dan is showcasing this and, even though the outfit is “black-and-white”, the overall look is fantastic! Take a look:

photo: TheStyleBlogger.com

Looking for something more advanced?

Let’s take a look at this amazing herringbone suit from Lookbook.nu. This gentleman likes patterns a lot as he’s wearing FOUR of them!

If you’re afraid to stand out this much, all you have to do in order to make the outfit look more “normal” is to drop the patterns. Go for a solid colored shirt, a uni tie or a uni pocket square. Keep the fishbone suit, though.

Question: ever thought of trying fishbone on fishbone? Take a look and tell me what you think.

This last photo shows pretty well that one of the best colors you can pair with herringbone patterned clothes is light blue. You may be wondering: what other colors work well?

Let’s take it logically. Fishbone patterned clothes have greys on them, right? Greys are all neutral colors. This means you can match them with pretty much any color.

So, if you were to replace that shirt with one in another color, what would that color be? Among others, purple, yellow and pink are all good options, as long as you stick to lighter shades. That way the color won’t be too powerful and it will make good contrast with the rest of the outfit which is dark grey.

Bottom line: if you have a fishbone vest or jacket, you’re lucky. It’s probably one of the most versatile items of clothing in your closet because you can pair it with pretty much any shirt.

I needed something with red. And, although I wondered for hours in both our malls to find them, I decided o buy them from the very store that sold me the shirt.

Item: cufflinks
Fabric: brass and artificial crystal
Brand: Artigiani
Store: Bigotti
Price: $75 (on December 31 2011)
I’ll be wearing them with: my french-cuff shirt

All in all, this is an acquisition I’m really proud of. Very few guys wear jewelry except for watches… and it’s time for things to change.

I’m intending to wear these buttons not just at weddings and special events, but every time I feel like it.

A brief recap of what french cuffed shirts are. They look just like regular dress shirts except for one thing: the cuffs don’t have any buttons! They make use of some (really stylish) cuff links to hold the cuffs together.

Item: french cuffed shirt
Color: white with blue microchecks
Fabric: cotton
Brand: Artigiani
Store: Bigotti
Price: $106 (on December 24 2011)
I’ll be wearing it with: cuff links, vests, suits, sports jackets, chinos, khakis and so on

So let’s start with this really amazing scarf:

1. The scarf

Item: scarf
Color: Camel
Pattern: Burberry check
Fabric: 100% lamb’s wool
Brand: Be You
Price: $21 (on December 17th 2011)
I’ll be wearing it with: my camel-colored pea-coat

2. The vest

Item: vest
Color: black
Fabric: 80%cotton, 20% viscose
Brand: H&M
Price: $40 (on December 17th 2011)
I’ll be wearing it with: my red pocket square, blue dress shirts, jeans and chinos

3. Grey chinos

Item: Chino pants
Color: grey
Fabric: cotton
Brand: Pull and Bear
Price: $30 (on December 17th 2011)
I’ll be wearing it with: my suede boots, dress shirts, vests, t-shirts, polo shirts etc.

4. The boots

Item: lace-up boots
Color: black
Fabric: leather
Brand: Fabio Lenzi
Price: $65 (on December 17th 2011)
I’ll be wearing them with: grey chinos, dyed blue-jeans

Dressing on a budget is great but luxury has always been like a magnet to people. Luxury cars, luxury hotels and, you guessed, it luxury clothes and clothing brands.

Burberry Prorsum is one of those brands and for good reason. It has an entire history behind it but, more importantly, it makes quality clothing.

I grew up with Burberry being the ultimate brand in chic, elegance and history. My granny, the chicest lady I ever knew, had a Burberry raincoat. Now it’s a cool and edgy fashion house, too.

Burberry Prorsum is a British label which focuses on luxury clothing and accessories. It was founded over 2 centuries ago (in 1856) when Thomas Burberry, a poor man with a dream, opened up his own clothing store.

Ever wondered what “prorsum” means? It’s actually Latin and it means “forward”. As you’ll learn in this article, Burberry is all about stories and meanings.

Probably the biggest contribution that Burberry brought to us was the – you’ll never guess – the trench coat. The birth of the trench coat happened near World War I. The British Army needed an overcoat that would keep its soldiers dry during war. When the wars were over, the trench became popular with the masses and made its way into today’s fashion.

I won’t debate whether you should spoil yourself with a $1,500 (1,2000 euros) coat – that’s for you to decide. But I do want to point out a few of the items that I found pretty cool.

Let’s start with these two outfits which will definitely stand out in any crowd:

Burberry always stood out through its intriguing colors and sophisticated cuts.

Farfetch.com has some nice burberry coats that I want you to take a look at. Just make sure, as always, that you only buy things which you KNOW will work with the clothes you already posses.

This double breasted military jacket will definitely bring the man in you to the surface:

To make the pea coat above work, go for lighter colored sweaters and/or pants.

And how about this McKinley Jacket (no, it’s not like the ones you saw in hiking stores)?

Last but not least, take a look at this amazing ebsworth coat.

Brown will make you stand out more than black or navy ever will. The part I like most about this coat is that you can raise the lapels and get a nice funnel neck which will protect you from cold and make you look intriguing:

Those were few coats that I really liked (hopefully you will too). Each has a name and a meaning behind it, which is why big labels such as Burberry manage to stay on top. No, quality isn’t their biggest secret… it’s the story.

Stay stylish!

George “The Transformer” Lazar