In our humble opinion, your wardrobe and personal-care habits are good places to start. Which is why we’ve pulled together a handy list of style and grooming resolutions that every man can benefit from.
From whittling down your wardrobe to adopting a healthier skincare routine, these are the pledges to make in 2021. There’s a lot this year that’s out of your control, but you do have complete jurisdiction over your style and grooming. Make it count.
Out With The Old…
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to take a deep dive into your wardrobe (not literally) and have a proper clear out. And we mean proper. Be brutal. If there are garments in there that haven’t been worn since this time last year, get rid of them to make room for things you will wear. Your local charity shop, clothing recycling service or even someone on eBay will be able to put the stuff you aren’t using to good use, and you’ll feel better for it.
If you can’t face the challenge just yet, try this handy trick: turn all of the hangers in your wardrobe the same way round; after you wear something, put it back in your wardrobe with the hanger the opposite way around. After a few months, you’ll be able to see which clothes aren’t being worn as they’ll be the only ones that won’t have been turned.
In With The New
Asket
While the beginning of the year is a good time to rid yourself of old things, it’s also the perfect time to update, upgrade and reinvent. Now that you have some extra space in your wardrobe, it’s time to fill it with some new clothes and start your year off on the right track, from a style standpoint at least.
The January sales are great for picking up premium pieces at bargain prices, but put some real thought in before buying. Impulse purchases tend to be the things that get worn least, so have a think and shop for timeless garments that you know you’re going to get a lot of use out of. It’s good for your wallet, and for the planet too.
Broaden Your Olfactory Horizons
Aside from using too much, one of the most common pitfalls when it comes to fragrance is only having one. Perhaps you think of it as your signature scent. That’s fine. It’s good to have a day-to-day ‘uniform’ cologne. However, it’s good to mix it up and vary your fragrance depending on the season and/or occasion.
Rich woody, smoky, leathery and spicy scents work best in the winter months as they tend to last longer on the skin without being sapped by the cold, while fresh, floral and citrusy scents are better suited to summer. Outside of that, it’s worth splashing out on a premium fragrance to add that final olfactory flourish on special occasions.
Buy Better
Everlane
We’re staunch advocates for buying the best you can afford. Quality garments may seem expensive, but when you factor in that you’ll still be wearing them for years or even decades to come, prices begin to feel much more justifiable.
What’s more, you’ll also be doing your bit to reduce waste. Because paying more for something that’s built to last is always better than paying less for something that’s destined for the dump. If you make one style resolution in 2021, make it this one.
Learn To Use Clippers
As we continue to dip in and out of coronavirus restrictions, lockdown hair is becoming a real issue. But even though the barbershop is closed it’s no excuse to go full Captain Caveman. Instead, buy and learn to use a set of clippers. You don’t need to get too technical about it. Even a fortnightly buzz cut is going to look sharper than no haircut at all.
Upgrade Your Gym Style
Castore
New year, new you. And New You would look even better in some new gym gear. Rid yourself of the sweat-stained cotton T-shirts, stretched jersey joggers and barely-holding-it-together sneakers, and treat yourself to some stylish workout garb instead.
The key things to look for are sweat-wicking tees in technical fabrics, tapered sweatpants or athletic-cut shorts, some purpose-built footwear and a quality gym bag. Good-looking gym gear may not make you any stronger or faster in a direct sense, but it will certainly motivate you to get off the sofa and put the work in.
Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise
Lockdown is forcing us all to spend a large portion of our time indoors. Depending on where in the world you are, that means one of two things for your skin: it’s either going to get dried out by air-con or dried out by central heating. So, what can you do about it? Simple, get moisturising.
Invest in two good-quality moisturisers – one for your face and one for your body – and get into the habit of using them religiously every day. Your skin will thank you for it.
Create A Capsule Wardrobe
Asket
It may sound counterintuitive, but having fewer clothes at your disposal can actually make it easier to look good. It’s called having a capsule wardrobe and the idea behind it is to arm yourself with a core selection of quality garments that cover all bases and work in perfect harmony together.
Building a capsule wardrobe will allow you to be well dressed in any situation without having to think too hard about it. Shop for classic pieces like plain tees, Oxford shirts, raw denim, a slim-cut navy suit, boots, Derby shoes and white leather sneakers.
Use SPF Daily
News flash: if you’re outside in the sun, you’re being exposed to harmful UV rays that can lead to skin damage or worse. That’s why starting to use SPF every day is one of the most worthwhile grooming resolutions you can make.
It doesn’t have to mean lathering up in factor-50 sunblock every day either. In fact, there are plenty of great SPF moisturisers on the market that’ll do the job while keeping your skin hydrated, thus allowing you to kill two grooming-resolution birds with one nourishing stone.
Try Something New
Try something new, even if it’s something as simple as a piece of jewellery. Photo: Le Gramme
Whether it’s experimenting with colour and texture, adding a piece of jewellery to your look, or just trying a new beard style, a new year is an ideal time to try something new. Plus, with most people working from home, you won’t have to worry about what co-workers will say when you rock up at the office on Monday morning with a moustache.
This is a golden opportunity to experiment and see what works in the safety of your own home. Seize it.
The post Style Resolutions: 10 Ways To Look & Dress Better In 2021 appeared first on Ape to Gentleman.
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