How hard is it to put together a shirt, pants and jacket, and throw on a pair of respectable shoes? Well, considering that someone with the money and power of Donald Trump seems to make a mash of it, it's not as easy as we blokes assume.
The problem is, we see ourselves a lot differently to the way the rest of the world sees us. Matter of fact, due to a phenomenon psychologists refer to as 'Self-Enhancement', we think we're a hell of a lot hotter than we actually are. And our sense of style is often lost in this strange disconnect.
So, while we can do little about the face and body we were born with, it's certainly a good idea to have an extra pair of eyes to help us at least look our sartorial best.
They're there to help
Melbourne-based stylist Jamie Azzopardi says style is about more than simply what we wear; it's also about how and where you wear it.
"Men need to be taught how to wear clothes properly and what that even looks like," says Azzopardi. "My job is not only to make people look good but how to feel good about themselves; that's really what I do…make people feel confident about the clothes they are wearing."
When you know yourself, you dress accordingly.
Louise Edmonds
Azzopardi says every man should have at least one piece in their wardrobe that makes them feel amazing. "It could be something as a simple as a pair of jeans, or even your socks," he says.
And the biggest style mistake? "Gravitating towards a certain brand without understanding how it will fit within the rest of your wardrobe. A piece by Prada doesn't buy you style, it just buys you a millionth of what Prada have in their inventory. Some of the best pieces in my wardrobe have cost me less than $20 from an op-shop."
Lessons in corporate dressing
Annie Sophia of Annie Sophia Personal Branding says these days, more than ever, companies want to ensure their employees are aligned with their company values, and this is expressed in what they wear to work.
Sophia works with both businesses and employees to arrive at a style that everyone is happy with. "Employees often don't want to be told what to wear," says Sophia. "My job is to work with them to come up with a style that captures elements of their personality, while still presenting the right image for the company."
"A client once came to me after he had a close call at work on 'casual Friday'. He thought he would just be doing admin at his desk, so wore shorts to work. But his boss came in in the morning and told him they have an important client meeting in half an hour. Big mistake. His boss was furious. He had to run out and buy new trousers, shirt, and shoes."
Invested development
One off Sophia's clients is Chris Jordan, a 39-year-old architect from Sydney's Balmain. Jordan saw Sophia initially a year ago, with a follow up visit 6 months later.
"I needed to get some help with the way I presented myself for my business," Jordan says. "Running my own architectural practice and having two small children, doesn't leave much time for shopping, and so I tended to wear the same thing over and over again, along with the one horrible pair of black Adidas sneakers."
Sophia introduced Jordan to a variety of mid-level brands, from MJ Bale for suits, to shirts by Marcs, Ted Baker and Armani Exchange. "She also helped me find a couple of pairs of shoes from Lacoste and Lloyds, so I was able to toss out the Adidas."
Eye of the beholder
Louise Edmonds, Style Director with menstylepower.com says a stylist is a sound investment because they offer you an honest, objective opinion. "When you pay a stylist, you are paying them for their ability to look at you as a piece of artwork," she says. "A stylist has a natural eye for proportion, texture and colour, and this trifecta is integral to good style."
"Being well styled isn't about one particular item, it's a holistic approach and that comes from knowing who you are. When you know yourself, you dress accordingly to amplify your character…that's true style."