If you’ve decided to read this article, it’s probably because you’ve run out of ideas on how to influence the wardrobe of your lovable, stubborn man. A man’s wardrobe is a powerful communicator about where he plans to go and how successful he is going to be. Others are going to notice what your man is wearing, and will treat him differently according to his outfit. So, how can you make a positive difference in your man’s wardrobe to help both his career and private life? This article covers getting your guy on board for some changes, and the next article (Part 2) will go over specific wardrobe basics that every man needs. Take a look at these helpful tips to successfully convince your man to build his own personal and professional style:
Understand it’s a Process
Save yourself some frustration and realize that your man is not going to change his wardrobe overnight. There are likely a few reasons why he is going to put up some resistance to your attempts to change his clothes:
He probably feels attacked. If you pick up a relationship book, the first thing it will tell you is that men need respect and admiration, so if you are constantly nagging him about his clothes or are making negative comments about his style, you are turning something that could be fun into something that is tearing him down inside. Instead of saying negative things about the clothes he’s wearing today, trying saying positive things when the opportunities arise: “Wow, Ted, I think you would look really handsome in this sweater!” or “I love those shoes! You look so great in them!”.
You are asking him to spend lots of money on something he doesn’t think needs fixing. Good quality clothing for men is expensive. For my friends and I, this was probably the biggest obstacle we had to overcome in dressing our significant others. So, baby steps, baby steps. Introduce new things to him one at a time, not all at once. When he doesn’t feel pressured, and when he realizes how often he can wear his new things, the next big purchase you encourage him to make will seem more reasonable.
Refrain from showing your guy pictures of brooding men who are wearing fancy clothes he can’t afford. Make this about him, not about a mysterious fantasy man he might feel discouraged or confused by. You could trigger unwanted questions like, “do you actually like me for myself?” or “do you think I’m good-looking?”.
Understand What Motivates Him
The light-bulb went on for my then-boyfriend years ago when I told him that he would be treated by others with more respect if he started wearing leather shoes and nice shirts. The next time he had extra money he voluntarily spent it on two pairs of dress shoes. Whether he enjoys your praise, wants to look mature, or needs an outfit for a job interview, almost every man needs a good reason to spend money on clothes, so try to find one that makes sense to him. And when he starts to dress well, make him feel like the coolest, most stylish guy in the world. Every man loves to be admired.
Understand What He Will Realistically Wear
He’s probably not going to use an iron, go to the dry cleaners, or hand-wash a sweater. Take care to buy wrinkle-free dress shirts, clothes that can safely go in the wash, and comfortable shoes he will enjoy wearing. Test out things slowly and assume he knows nothing. My friend once spent $300 on wool sweaters for her boyfriend, who proceeded to simultaneously shrink them to 1/3 of the size in the dryer because he didn’t realize that sweaters are supposed to be laid out to dry.
Also, listen to his style wants. I tried to talk my now-husband into buying a peacoat for months, but when he told me it wasn’t his style I let go of my fantasy. He then felt encouraged to buy a stylish, edgy jacket that he loves to wear. A win for both of us!
Stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll go over the basic items that every man should have in his wardrobe.