7 Men’s Fashion Misconceptions Debunked

With so many people offering advice on fashion and style, both off and online, it is only natural that there are many misconceptions in the world of men's fashion and style.

Some of the information that is going around in the men's fashion world is simply not true, while other "rules" come from older times and have been passed on generation from generation. Now, this doesn't mean that our great-great grandfathers were so wrong about fashion, but many of the outdated fashion rules we hear today are simply based on what was thought a while ago to look well. Since then, we have broken new barriers and discovered that other things actually look better that that what was the norm back then. Again, this does not mean that our grandfathers could not have a timeless style; it simply means that we have discovered ways to create better aesthetics.

Let's take a look at some men's fashion misconceptions and what the reality surrounding them is.

Back a while ago, the norm was for pants to fold twice at the bottom. This was a rule that does no longer apply. For a more conservative look, you can opt for one fold, but no fold is great too. Not only do shorter pants look better, but they also showcase some (colorful) sock or ankle, which gives you more elements to play with. Many men still wear pants with two pleats, but we believe that these pants should get a trip to a tailor.

It is often said that if a pair of leather shoes or a bag creases, it is of poor quality. This is not true at all. In fact, leather is supposed to crease. Being a natural fabric, in time it will change. This is why you should keep shoe trees in your shoes and newspapers or a pillow in your bag. Even though leather does crease, this does not mean that it is not a strong and durable fabric, as leather tends to become stronger, more flexible and more resistant in time.

Many thin guys and especially guys who have thin ankles, believe that wearing boot cut pants (pants that are wider at the bottom) will make them look bigger. This is not true at all. Wearing boot cut pants will only add a lot of fabric to a thin ankle. That's all it does. For a better result, go for a classic cut and make sure that the pants are tailored to your size. In fact, this rule applies to any over- or undersized garment. Which brings us to our next point...

Many people believe that comfort and style are antagonists and that they have to choose one over the other. This is not true. The key to having both is fit.

Fitting clothes are clothes that look great on you and for your body type and that feel comfortable at the same time.

Wearing clothes that are bigger or smaller than your size will not look very good. A small guy who wears clothes that are too big for his size will look as if he is drowning in the garments he's wearing. If you are a small guy, and want to appear bigger by wearing smaller clothes, that won't work either: you will look even smaller and strangled by the pieces you wear. On the other hand, if you are a bigger guy, wearing clothes that are bigger than your size will make you look even bigger and wearing clothes that are too tight will make you look as if you are hurt by your clothes.

A dress shirt is a shirt that features no pockets, 6-8 buttons and that can be properly tucked in. Shirts that feature one pocket are considered casual and should be worn only in casual environments. Shirts that have two pockets (or more) are either utilitarian shirts (for police officers, airport employees, engineers on sites, etc.) or hiking / work shirts.

A very common misconception is that if you want to have only high quality clothes, you should spend top dollar. Even though many expensive garments are financially motivated, as you pay more for better craftsmanship, more hours spent developing the design, better materials, etc., this is not always the case. If you are considering in investing in a rather expensive piece and cannot find the motivation behind why it costs what it costs, then simply don't buy it.

Oh, if it were only that easy. Many people believe that if you put on a designer suit, or any designer piece for that matter, there is no way you will look bad. Even though many designer pieces (that are generally more expensive) are made from better fabrics and have better structures than average clothes, this does not mean that you will look in them.

Labels and money have nothing to do with style. You can be very rich and have extremely bad style and you can be poor and have great style, it's all about knowing how to select the right pieces. Fashion and style don't go hand in hand: fashion is the clothes, style is what you choose.

In the end, it needs to be said that everything comes down to your taste and that confidence is all you need to look stylish, but knowing what looks good from an aesthetic point of view and what doesn't will help you make wiser choices when it comes to your outfits and looks.

Fraquoh and Franchomme

Further reading:

Fact or fiction: Men's fashion myths clarified

P.S. What do you think about these misconceptions? Have you heard them? Did you follow any? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!