
Ask HN: Men's fashion/style/grooming advice for software engineers? - Fr0styMatt88
In the areas of fashion and style I&#x27;m.... your somewhat typical (?) software engineer -- I think I might know some of the basics but don&#x27;t really give it much thought.<p>I&#x27;m looking to change that and I&#x27;m keen to hear if there&#x27;s any good fashion advice &#x2F; guides geared towards us engineer-brain types? Ideally something starting right from the beginning &#x2F; first principles.<p>What online resources have you all found useful?
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GW150914
This may sound daft because it’s overwhelmingly focused on women’s fashion,
but the basics are universal; watch some episodes of the American version of
What Not To Wear. Concepts such as quality, matching and “going together” and
the role of color are all presented in a way that works for either sex. Plus
it’s sort of entertaining which makes the learning process memorable and less
painful.

A couple of common pitfalls to avoid are wearing baggy clothing that doesn’t
fit, going monochromatic because hey black and black match, right? I’d also
recommend, basic as it may be, cleanliness and quality being paramount.
Something a little boring or a bit outlandish is forgivable in most cases if
it’s not cheap, dirty. To start off find some basic, well fitted clothes and
don’t worry about lots of color and styles, but focus on one or two accent
pieces to add a personal touch.

Shave. If you have a beard or mustache, keep it well trimmed and be honest
with yourself if it looks healthy or sort of weedy. If the latter, lose it.
Keep your hair properly cut, stay clean, and try to find a fragrance that
works with your body, and then use it sparingly! Wear comfortable shoes, but
make sure they’re clean, and in good shape. Get some decent socks and make
sure they match your shoes. Invest in a suit, preferably tailored, and a
couple of nice silk ties, and learn how to tie them. Even if you don’t wear it
often, it’s good to have in the bag. Have at least one truly nice pair of
leather shoes, keep them in good shape.

Above all, start looking at people and thinking about how what they’re wearing
and how they’re presenting themselves makes you feel about them. I’m not
talking about being judgmental, just aware.

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DoreenMichele
You want a good haircut and good grooming. If you know a fashionable friend,
ask if they would be willing to let you tag along when they shop or if they
would be willing to go shopping with you. Fashionable people are often
socially oriented. They may enjoy the company and you may learn a lot.

Quality: Most high quality clothing is made of natural fibers, like cotton,
silk, linen, wool or leather. Learn what those feel like and skip all the
polyester crap.

Cotton-poly blends are wrinkle resistant and hold color better than 100
percent cotton. So 80-20 blends can be practical and sometimes are decent
quality. But 100 percent polyester is usually terrible stuff.

Nylon is an exception to that general rule. Some, for example, nylon
windbreakers are good.

When I met my ex, he looked like something out of _Revenge of the Nerds_. I
got him a decent haircut and took him clothes shopping because it bothered him
and causer him social problems. I don't think he ever read fashion advice, but
by the time we divorced, he had developed an eye for what worked for him. My
eye was better than his, but he was no longer trapped in _Revenge of the
Nerds_ -land. My sons also have developed an eye for decent clothes, though
either actually cares about fashion. They were just raised by me.

Best.

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narak
A great starting point for me was reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice (and the
associated wiki)

Some advice: focus, above all, on fit. Learn what each of the basic garments
should fit like for your body type. Even the most basic budget wardrobe
tailored to fit well will look great compared to expensive but unfitting
clothes. Then focus on fabric quality, color combinations, and experimenting
with your own styles (pinterest is great for exploring this).

Good luck!

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archagon
+1, mfa is a good reference. Also, be aware that this process will take a
while. Try on lots of clothes. Eventually, you’ll find a perfect item of
clothing that will make picking out others a lot easier. Take photos and
videos of yourself, especially from the sides and back. Watch people around
you and if you think they look good, write down what they’re wearing. And
although I hate to say it: sometimes looking good means being a little less
comfortable. For example, sneakers will always be more cozy and versatile than
classic leather shoes. (I get around this by wearing Eccos, which come close
enough.)

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abledon
Never ever use axe body spray if pair programming in same room, or any heavy
cologne for that matter

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darrelld
First off it will take you a while to change your wardrobe. Don't rush out to
try and fix it by buying all new stuff in a weekend. This never ends well.
Think of dressing well more as a journey rather than something you can just
change immediately.

First some links of places that helped me out: reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice
[https://www.youtube.com/user/RealMenRealStyle](https://www.youtube.com/user/RealMenRealStyle)
[https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaMconsulting](https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaMconsulting)
[https://www.youtube.com/user/Teachingmensfashion](https://www.youtube.com/user/Teachingmensfashion)

(Note: The youtubers will keep trying to sell you stuff in their ads, some of
it is good, some of it is trash. Probably best to just ignore the advertising
while you're starting out.)

The /r/malefashionadvice subreddit has a good wiki. Check out the links for
beginners and people getting started. Also look through their WAYWT
threads(What Are You Wearing Today) to get an idea of what looks good on
others. It's easier to copy what others are getting right. For example see a
guy that looks your age and size and you like what he's wearing? Copy it.

The youtube channels have a lot of good information especially real men real
style. Check out the videos that are relevant to you.

Overall the biggest thing you can do to immediately dress better is to wear
clothes that fit. So focus on understanding what a properly fitted pair of
pants, t-shirt, polo, and dress shirt and suit should look like on you. Get
your measurements so you know what your sizes are, and make friends with a
good tailor.

After you nail the fit, everything else is really extra credit IMO.

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awaywopassd
Also depends on look you are going for. And it is better to match your look
with your personality.

Personally, when first I started making real money, I bought a lot GQ style
clothing. But my personality was not as smooth. Maybe other people noticed,
maybe not but I felt conflicted internally. Perhaps if I wore GQ style
clothing longer, I would have gotten used to it.

The book that helped me most with my style/clothing was "The Life-Changing
Magic of Tidying Up." The basic idea was to get rid of everything that doesn't
make you feel great. This led me to try all my clothes and get rid of all my
clothes that didn't make me feel great.

Now I am not fashionable guy but feel I wear clothes that line up with my
personality better. Mostly, outdoorsy/sporty style.

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Star86
I'm an Image Consultant/Fashion Stylist based out of San Francisco and a lot
of my clients are Software Engineers. I realized a lot of my clients had the
same questions, so I launched a site to give practical style advice to men. I
hope it can help you!
[http://www.pocketstylist.io/](http://www.pocketstylist.io/)

If you're still overwhelmed, consider hiring a stylist and we'll do the work
for you :)

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sh87
Clean clothes that fit well. This is non-negotiable and surprisingly
overlooked.

Also, last year, I bought (discounted) brown/tan leather shoes that fit my
feet perfectly. I feel that was a good move. Was my wife's idea to get it
though :)

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tmaly
I think the book The Game by Neil Strauss actually hit the nail on the head in
regards to this topic. He imparts how your external appearance is part of the
whole process.

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Fr0styMatt88
Thanks everyone for the great advice, it's really helpful. I'll definitely be
checking out these resources.

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dylanhassinger
You might like this blog -
[https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/](https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/)

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sh87
Nope.

