Think about the great men’s style icons you’ve seen – Bob Dylan, Johnny Depp, Dos Equis’s Most Interesting Man in the World. What do they all have in common? They have a distinctive style.
Having a signature style takes you from well-dressed, to a stylish icon. And that starts by creating a personalized wardrobe.
Now, we can’t just tell you what to wear to find your own signature style, but we can certainly guide you there. Building your own style is simple as knowing how. Which happens to be what we’re exploring today.
How do I Find My Signature Clothing Style?
Before we dive into tips, it’s important to note that finding your signal clothing style will take some fashionable exploration. It’s as much a journey of self-discovery as it is looking good. That means taking a look at what looks good with your body type, lifestyle, and personality.
Know Your Body Type
When you begin designing your new personalized wardrobe, you should start by understanding your body type. Certain outfits and styles simply look best on certain body types. That’s to say, we’re looking for clothing that highlights your best features.
Each body type has its own recommended fashion tips, and understanding your own is the first step to finding a men’s style that is uniquely you.
For example, if you have the body type known as the inverted triangle, you’re broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip. That means you’re looking for close-fitting clothing that highlights the natural clean lines of your torso.
Alternatively, if you have the opposite body type, the triangle shape, you’ll want to do quite the opposite. This means you have hips wider than your shoulders. Rather than picking slim outfits that build bulk around the midriff, build bulk around the shoulders. This will balance your outfit from top to bottom.
Dress According to Your Lifestyle
If you live a particularly active lifestyle, you don’t want your personalized look to revolve around restricting clothes. You’ll be uncomfortable every day. People will notice. It’s an all-around bad idea.
In this, we see how our lifestyles dictate our fashion choices. A signature style will revolve around that.
Regardless of the life you lead, you’ll want both casual and formal clothing. Unless you frequently find yourself at formal events, you’ll only need a few of those outfits. Your casual clothes will see the most action.
So, building a casual and stylish signature wardrobe is particularly important to men’s style.
Dress to the Season
Okay. We have your body type and lifestyle down. What about your environment?
If you live in a particularly hot climate, you’re not going to invest heavily in winter clothing. You’ll build your wardrobe around warm-weather clothing. That means shorts, t-shirts and the like.
Perk has you covered there. We have the best tee for any wardrobe no matter your signature style. Our Feel Good Tee comes with a tailored midsection to avoid that boxy look and stay flat collar that’ll stay in place no matter how active you are.
Looking for inspiration for the perfect summer season outfit? We have a guide for that. Check out how you can build the perfect men’s summer outfit.
Match Color to Your Complexion
We can’t forget color. Even if you dress in neutrals and muted tones, color can make or break an outfit in men’s style. And that means understanding what colors work with your complexion.
You’ll want to opt for warm shades if you have a warm complexion. So, look for browns, tans, reds, and greens.
Cooler complexions should look out for any shade with blue undertones.
It’s that simple. Color matching with your complexion will pull your entire outfit together with you in mind. Speaking of which, check out our guide on the 5 Chinos colors every man needs in their wardrobe.
Be Genuine to Yourself
At the start of this list, we said that finding your signature style is a journey of self-discovery which brings us to the most important men’s style tip we can give you. Know yourself.
The biggest key to a signature style is more than just the clothes you wear. It’s a style that matches who you are and where you come from.
If you have a working-class background, you might want to incorporate a sturdy pair of work boots into your daily outfit. Did you go to a college that you’re proud of? Get yourself a custom class ring. The options are limitless.
Finally, remember to dress your age. If you’re 30 or older, it’s time to pick out a mature wardrobe. So, wear the band shirts around the house and stop buying short pants.
Perk Chinos are perfect for adding the right amount of class and maturity to even your most casual outfit. The soft, stretchy fabric provides a perfect fit every time that never sags. Plus, the curved waistband creates a flattering look for your backside.
Find Inspiration
Everyone has that one person from real life or media that they point at and say, “I want to look like that.”
And that’s actually the first step in our next step! Look for an icon that matches your body type, and simply adopt some of their style. If it works for them, odds are it’ll work for you. Just don’t copy everything they do. We’re building a signature style unique to you.
It’s important here to note that much of the men’s style we see today is built on the styles that came over the last century. So, it’s worth looking into men’s fashion icons over the years to help you understand the development of men’s fashion and look for more iconic figures from days gone by.
How do I Create a Signature Wardrobe?
With all of these tips in mind, you’re probably wondering how you can create an entire signature wardrobe. And that can seem daunting all by itself. So, start small.
Begin a single outfit, and keep it simple at first. A pair of Chinos and a tee that matches your complexion is a solid starting point. Then you can build your wardrobe around that outfit. Add accessories, and experiment with the outer layers.
As you discover more and more what your signature outfit looks like, you’ll build a complete wardrobe based on your new signature style. To get you started, check out how to style with Perk chinos and how they can work with everything in your wardrobe. This versatility will be essential when you’re getting your wardrobe started.
