Science of Style: Introducing the Highly Awaited Series

By Jae, July 24, 2011

The Science of Style

Welcome to a series of articles called the Science of Style THIS IS HUGE. Ive been working with a team of people to make sure all this content is at the HIGHEST quality, and that the information will not only be super helpful but completely change the way you view style and how to develop your own. Through all my years of being out in the field of working with people on looking and feeling their best, Ive broken down the process of how a guy can go from having no style to making an amazing impression. Theres a lot of what to wear and what not to wear type of advice out there, but nobody is talking about a method on how to really develop your own unique sense of style. What makes a man stylish? Is it the clothing he wears? Is it the way he wears it? Does the man define his image? or does the image define the man? How is it that one man comes off as attractive, while another, wearing the same outfit, comes off as try-hard and awkward? Why is it that some guys can follow all the style laws to the tee yet still look bland, while others can break all the rules and still look stunning? These are just a few examples from the mountain of questions that overwhelm the average guy when it comes to style. On the surface, mens fashion seems to be full of rules, contradictions, and vague complexities. This is because style is more of an art than an exact science. Its really more about a personal expression than following a set of rules set out by some style expert. We chose to call this series the Science of Style because we believe that by distilling the art form into as much of a science as possible, well be able to guide you in becoming an artist of your own image cultivating one that ultimately fits your personality and goals. Not Your Typical Mens Style Guide The majority of style advice out there is about what you can fix on the outside. Now you may ask, Uhm, isnt that the point? Yes and no. Its just a part of it. You can read tips on how to shop for a suit, or what type of shoes you should wear to the office, but within the larger goal of achieving your ultimate sense of style, isolated bits of advice become pretty useless.

This series will take a very different approach by giving you a system that will bring to the surface the most raw and attractive version of yourself by working from the inside-out, and ground- up.

Real Life-Exercises for Lasting Change In the same way you cant fix your love life by simply reading a bunch of romance novels or self-help books, Ill tell you right not that just reading the content will not help you. This new series was strictly designed to teach you the much harder, much more demanding science of totally transforming your image from the ground-up. Its going to be an action guide with straight-forward and high-yield exercises for you to get your hands dirty with. Many of these exercises are the very exercises given to our consultation clients to dramatically transform their style! In other words, if you do the exercises, we guarantee you will see some serious results. At the end of the day, thats all that we care to bring you. Results. Like anything in life, you will only get out what you put in.

The 4 Stages Model

The 4 Stages Model is the system at the heart of the Science of Style. Distilled out of over thousands of hours of live consultations, it is Kinowears proven system for building a unique, attractive sense of style from the ground up. The 4 Stages Model breaks down the style development journey into four different stages:

Stage 1: Knowing Yourself This is the first, and foundational level of your style journey. A highly attractive style only comes from having clarity in who you are. All the exercises in this stage are designed to bring out and articulate your personality. Learning style is like learning a language, and in stage 1 you are building the ideas to express in the subsequent stages. This information will be integral when it comes down to expressing yourself congruently and authentically through your image. Stage 2: Modeling Next comes the Modeling stage. In this stage you are now beginning to practice speaking the language of style through imitation. Through a series of exercises, we will guide you through the art of copying looks. As you get deeper into this stage, youll begin to see patterns, as well as begin to expand your style vocabulary. Stage 3: Building Proficiency Once you can imitate other complete looks with ease, youre ready to work on your proficiency. In this stage, youll begin to dive deep into the fundamentals of stylesuch as understanding what makes something attractive or unattractive. As you have a clear understanding of why the looks you copied in the modeling stage worked, youll begin to develop your own unique sense of style. Stage 4: Mastery This is the stage of style fluency. This marks a stage where you not only have a complete grasp of all the fundamentals behind an attractive style, but understand how to convey any message, down to the smallest of details. In this final stage, you will also be able to make statements by breaking the rules. Weve also included benchmarks at the end of each stage to help you gauge whether youre ready for the next stage. As you read this, you may find that youre already at one of the later stages. Honesty is key here. The stages are designed so that without a proper completion of each level, youll find yourself susceptible to fall into many of the style blunders such as incongruence. This is why we recommend all our clients to go through the entire process from the beginning, even if you think youre a Stage 4.

Starting next week, youll see a part of the series go up every week or so, giving you enough time to read, process, and to go out and implement what youre learning. If this sounds like a series that youre excited about, make sure you subscribe to our RSS email feed to receive updates straight to your email.

Science of Style: Stage 1 Knowing Yourself

By Jae, August 6, 2011 Welcome again to the Science of Style series! If you havent read the brief introduction to what this is all about, read this before you continue. Caveat: This series will not be about Kinowear telling you what to wear or who to be. That would not help you find your own unique style itll just be Kinowears style being projected on you. This series is about guiding you towards fully expressing your best self through the art of style.

This post is going to focus on Stage 1 of the 4 stages model we talked about last week. Stage 1 is all about getting clear about who you are, what you want to communicate, where you are now, and becoming aware of the changes you need to make to get to where you want to be. You will be presented with action exercises that will help you build the foundation to your unique and best style. Once you follow through with all the exercises and pass the checklist, youll be able to move onto stage 2.

Before we go on, what is your first impression of this guy? What does his image communicate to you? Jot down your thoughts about his personality examine the details of his image, and write down the reasons behind your observations.

Within the blink of an eye, this analytical process happens in our brains every time we meet someone. Were seldom aware of it, but most of our attitude and how we respond to them is result of our gathered assumptions. Id say the guy in the photo is pretty stylish in his own way, but its just a photo of a model. Whats even better is seeing truly stylish people in the street. I met a man who was absolutely a master of style at a local Starbucks recently. I kid you not, the moment he walked in, the entire cafe did a double-take. The first thing I noticed was the intricate tattoo of jet black angel wings on the back of his shaved head! It wasnt anything like Mike Tysons horrendous tattoo, it was intriguingly attractive on him. As my eyes quickly moved, expecting to see him dressed like a UFC fighter, I was jarred by the sight of a perfectly tailored peak-lapel suit , and when he turned I noticed that tempering the edgy look of the tattoo were a pair of extremely stylish, silver rimmed eyeglasses. He looked super smart and fashionable at the same time. I was very curious as to who he was and what he did. He busted out his sleek Apple laptop as he sat down, and I noticed a second tattoo of a treble clef on the upper side of his neck. I was curious as to whether he was a music artist or producer. I was so drawn by his image that I went over to compliment his style and asked him what he did for a living. He smiled a humble smile and told me he was a former drummer of a rock band, and that he was working as a producer for a friends band. When I told him that I was in the fashion business, he told me he had his own clothing label that he started with the money he made during his days making music. In that moment, I realized that this man was at a level of mastery with his own style, masterfully communicating who he was with such harmony and congruence. I mean before I even got to know more about him, he was the most magnetic person in the entire place! Remember, your image is fully loaded with messages. Everything that is seen with one glance carries a message that makes up your first impression. A message that not only translates into your attractiveness, but who you are inside. So we kick off this journey with a very important question What are YOU saying about yourself?

STAGE 1: Knowing Yourself (and Who Youre Trying to Attract) Its important that as a foundation to your best style, you need to know who you are, your core purpose, and the type of people you want to attract or build stronger relationships with. Stage 1 is a very important foundation to building your unique sense of style. Skipping this first stage is the root cause of many common image mistakes such as being incongruent with your personality, looking try-hard, or merely following trends that come and go. At first, its very hard to avoid incongruity. Naturally, youre going to come at this from an outside-in approach. We want the fastest visible change possible. We want results now. But to truly have an image that is unique to you, you need to take an inside-out approach and take the time to get clarity on who you are, who you want to become, and what you want to convey to others in the process. The first Action Step in Stage 1 will help you examine yourself to the core. This may be a simple exercise for you if youre naturally introspective, or a bit difficult if its your first time asking yourself soul-searching questions. However, these action steps were created and tested with hundreds of clients, and the results were astounding, so I guarantee that if you take the time to do the exercises, itll bring you more clarity and understanding about yourself than you probably have in years.

* Action Step #1: Know Thyself Materials needed need for this exercise: Notepad, pen To complete this exercise more effectively, make sure youre somewhere where youll be free of distractions. Youre going to have to focus on answering yourself some highly valuable questions. The most stylish guys, and I mean the very upper echelon, the rare few that turn heads on streets, in clubs, at the office, or in the classroom, are the ones who know themselves and decide to project their identity to the world in all their unstifled glory. This is where we want you. To know yourself so well that your style will become a natural overflow of your grounded personality. Lets get started.

~ Your Identity/Roles Who are you? What roles do you play in your life? In your career? (with your pen and paper, freely write down everything and anything that comes to your mind) Example: Im an adventurous, fun, man on a mission, someone who is going places and has his life balanced, etc. Roles examples: Im a musician, artist, a student, a father, a businessman, etc. Knowing your roles is very important because they make up who you are. Its what you represent every single day. Knowing exactly what your roles are will give you the ability to dress the part. (Keep writing until you you have at least 10 things)

~ Your Values What do you represent? What principles do you live by? Example: Being adventurous, being open-minded, I value excellence over mediocrity, I value taking smart risks, I value hard work, etc. (List at least 20 of your values)

~ Vision/Purpose What is your vision and purpose for your style? This is where you set your overarching target and the purpose behind your image transformation. (Write down your where you want to be with your style, and why you want it make sure its emotionally charging it should connect with genuine reasons you care about) Examples: Communicating my best self through my image and as a result, being highly charismatic. To have a commanding presence, to display my qualities before I even speak, to define my look, feel great, and enjoy the process, and so on. Have you written it down? STOP now, and before you read any further, make sure you answer the questions above. Once you are clear on who you want to be and what characteristics you want to portray, you can begin to translate all of it into your image.

Okay, you are done with Action Step #1! Go back and do a quick review your answers until you are satisfied. Once youve done that, congratulations, now you should take a break and come back for Action Step #2 when youre ready. Note: If you havent done the exercise because of time or location, schedule it for later and make sure you wait until youve gone through the exercise before reading further. If youre too lazy to do the action steps, well thats really none of my business, but trust me when I say youll be wasting your time reading on. Like the saying goes, You cant get something for nothing.

* Action Step #2: Knowing Your Target Market

Amazing, now that youre more clear about yourself and the qualities you want to present, lets really drive it home by specifying the type of people you want to attract into your life. Note: While some of you reading this may want to focus on your style or image related to your work or career, the majority of guys that I work with want to upgrade their style to improve their social life with women. This next exercise is especially for the guys looking to improve their image for the purposes of attracting the opposite sex (who isnt?) I dont know, maybe you already have the girl of your dreams, or your goal is not specific towards attracting women (for your career, etc.), if thats the case, by all means tweak the questions to your liking. The important part is that you think about your target market as you dress for success. The next exercise will focus on getting clear on your ideal woman. Was the previous action step hard for you? This may be easier for you then, because nine times out of ten, its so much easier for a man to describe the type of woman he wants then to talk about what he admires about himself.

This exercise will be very helpful to you because a certain image will appeal to a certain type of woman, and when youre building your image you should have always keep this woman in mind. (Get out your pad and pen or open up a word processor) Have you gotten it? Okay good. So what kind of girl do you want to meet and attract? List all her physical traits first. For example you might want your girl to have perfect teeth that are pearly white, dimples, long dark hair, etc. What are they? Write them all down. Get really specific. Dont hold back. There are no rules here. Take it to the extreme and get down to the tiny details.

For example: How tall is she? I want a girl who is 56 Whats her body type? My ideal girl would have a body like [favorite female celeb?] How is her hair styled? Her hair is a little longer than shoulder length and styled in big curls.

Keep writing down every little detail that you want, and dont hold back: Her teeth is straight and white, she has a captivating smile, she has perfect skin and does not need to cake her face with makeup, she only wears mascara, etc. What is an example of an outfit she would wear? (It may be helpful to find a picture of a girl whos style you really like to help you answer this question)

What would she dress like on a night out with you? Would she be wearing a dress or is she a jeans type of girl? Would she be showing lots of skin? How much? (Does she dress more modest or edgy?)

Now its time to write down all of the personality traits you want her to have.

10

Whats her personality like? (make a list) For example: Great sense of humor Witty Intelligent Ambitious Classy Knows how to have fun Confident (If you have trouble thinking of these traits, think about any woman you find attractive and pick out the things you like about her) What It All Means This exercise is super helpful because you want to display that you have similar values as the type of woman you want. The values from the first exercise should be your foundation, but this second exercise is what will help you generate ideas on how you can express those values. When it comes to people, like attracts like. If you make an effort to keep white teeth, youre going to enjoy a girl who has a great smile as well, and vice versa. Its about the art of communicating similar values, which is at the heart of attraction. Youll have a MUCH better chance of sparking instant attraction if you display more of the qualities she values. Make it an aim to be on par with her on all the things you would enjoy from her. She might show her rebellious side by having a tattoo, but you might show that same value with a studded belt. You display the same attitude, but in different ways. Do you want a girl who works out and has an amazing body? Well shell probably want the same in her man, not a slob who doesnt take care of himself. Now were really starting to build the foundation of your style. You should be starting to get a good idea of what type of image you want to carry. If you dont, no worries, youre going to learn that in the next stages, and what will be great is that youll have all these answers at hand later on to look back on. Now that youve done 2 action steps to help you get clear on how you want to express yourself from the inside-out, the next 2 action steps will focus on assessing how well youre actually doing right now in accordance with your values and ideals. In other words, well see how well your outside actually matches with the inside through image awareness.

11

* Action Step #3: Image Awareness As an image consultant, Ive seen so many clients gain massive eye-opening awareness through this ONE simple exercise. Materials needed: Camera, Pen and paper

We all know that a truly important beginning step towards positive change is always AWARENESS in what you are doing wrong. For example, you may have some quirks or unattractive mannerisms that you dont know you are doing like touching your face in a weird way when you talk, or looking down frequently when youre nervous. Maybe your pants make you look shorter than you are, or your dress shirts are too baggy and make you look sloppy. Most of the time were totally unaware of the image were projecting. If we knew some of the negative things we were communicated to others, wed immediately want to change them. So lets get into the next important action step in Stage 1. 1) If you have a video camera (a webcam or even a camera on your phone will do), record yourself talking about your day or how youre excited to be on your way to a better version of yourself for at least 1 minute.

12

If you dont have access to video, thats okay, take full-body photos of the way you look today. Style is more than just the clothes on your body, its also how you carry yourself. This is why I recommend recording video if you can, because it goes beyond the surface and will help you examine more deeply into how you express yourself overall. Youll get to see everything that others see. Ive learned that many actors know how to present themselves well because they consistently watch themselves through recorded videos. This automatically gets them in tune with how they express themselves and the way that it looks to other people. In order to reach mastery later on, you want to start going deeper than surface level fashion and make sure you look at style as the complete expression of who you are. Another reason why taking video of yourself is great is because it can be watched over and over again. You might notice something new each time you watch. When you see yourself on video, it shatters all these delusional beliefs that you have of yourself, and youre faced with reality. Then all youre left is a clear path to what you have to change. 2) Watch your video or look through your photos (trust me, its going to be eye-opening for you). 3) Take notes on the way you talk, your facial expressions, the way youre groomed, and dressed. (What do you think you communicate?) Write down on a piece of paper all the assumptions you would make as if you were looking at a stranger. This exercise is going to be the springboard for your greatest improvements. Done? Okay, onto the last and finale Action Step

13

Action Step #4: Image Feedback Survey

Okay, so youre done with Action Step #3, great! I bet at this point youre ready to make some serious upgrades. But, were going to take it a little bit further with one more exercise. You may have been biased from the last exercise to save yourself the pain. You need to get some direct feedback from others. What kind of image are you really projecting? This is an area that is almost impossible to be aware of without the proper feedback. Perhaps you break eye contact every time you talk to someone new or theres that weird thing you do with your hands when youre talking. Your weird mannerisms and behavior make an impression on people probably an impression you dont want to be making. The best way to fix these areas is to first bring awareness to them through constructive feedback. Ask a few friends if you have any weird or funny mannerisms. Next time youre out with friends, bring it up as a conversation topic itll be fun bringing up everyones strange mannerisms just be nice about it. All you have to do for this exercise is send this pre-made survey to as many of your friends as possible, as well as some good acquaintances. Try to send it to more women than men. Tell them to be honest and not hold anything back. If they ask, tell them its an assignment youre doing for a special project. Just copy paste, and e-mail it!

14

Subject: Image Feedback Survey Hi, I would love your feedback on the following questions, and please be completely honest!

Describe your first impression of me in one or two sentences:

What are three words that you believe describe my personality? 1. 2. 3.

What are three words that you believe describe my image/appearance?

1. 2. 3.

What are three words that you believe describe the way that I dress? 1. 2. 3.

15

What are three attractive qualities about me? 1. 2. 3.

What are three unattractive qualities about me? 1. 2. 3.

If any, what are three unattractive mannerisms or quirks that you notice about me? 1. 2. 3.

And lastly, for fun, if I was a stranger that you saw on the street, which of the following might be your assumption?

1. Most likely is with someone 2. Most likely single 3. Most likely very popular with women

Feel free to edit as you want. The first time I sent this to friends of mine, I was shocked at some of the things they were saying. It brought a lot of awareness to things that I was projecting with my image that I didnt want to be.

16

Youre done! Once you get your feedback survey back from your friends, enjoy reading all the comments they made. Try not to take things too personally, and save this for future reference. Later on, after youve worked on some changes, you can send out this survey again.

So how do you know when youre ready for Stage 2? ( ) Youve completed all the exercises in this stage ( ) You are clear on who you are and how you want to express yourself, as well as the flaws you want to change ( ) You are aware of the image you project (i.e. impression that you make, quirks and mannerisms, personality) If youve really done all the action exercises, Im very excited for you in the next coming weeks as you continue to read this series and get SUPER clear on your BEST style. If you havent subscribed to our rss feed yet, enter your e-mail here, or become a fan of our Facebook page here! Also, make sure to share this special series with your friends so you can share feedback and enjoy watching their style develop as well! I hope youve found these exercises helpful. If youre ready for the next step, check out Stage 2 Modeling of the Science of Style series.

17

Science of Style: Stage 2 Modeling

By Jae, August 21, 2011 Heres Part 2 of the Science of Style! Welcome back! Before you read on, have you read the introduction, and Part 1 Knowing Yourself,? If not, itll be helpful to do so.

This post is going to focus on Stage 2 of the 4 stages model towards style mastery. Stage 2 is all about modeling off the best, gaining understanding of the language of style in our culture, and building important shopping habits to set yourself up towards realizing your unique and best style. Once you follow through with all the exercises and pass the checklist, youll be able to move onto stage 3. STAGE 2: Modeling Do you understand fashion? Or do you feel completely lost when you find yourself in a clothing store? In order for you to master your own style its necessary to learn the language of style by studying how our culture defines it first. Like learning any new language, the fastest way to learn is by imitating after others who are more fluent and experienced. Look around, and youll notice that there are stylish people all around you. You might see someone on the street whos outfit catches your eye, or love the way your favorite actor is dressed on the big screen. Sometimes you get inspired by these people to try a new look, but most of the time this desire dies quickly. You might have thoughts like, Eh, thats not me, or I cant pull that off. But be aware that these thoughts only suppress your creative expression and is why you havent become a master of your own style. Well, those days are over. Its time to learn take some action on those moments of inspiration.

18

* Action Step #1: Studying and Modeling after the Best

When I work with a client, one of the first things I do is show him a portfolio of different looks that might work for him. I usually use photos from top tier fashion magazines such as GQ or Details. I dont care much for their articles, because most of the time its the same rehashed crap, but I like to rip out the fashion ads. When people ask me how Ive grown my eye and taste for fashion, I show them my photo collection. Ive literally collected thousands of fashion photos from magazines and the internet. Theres no other way I know thats as simple and effective as this for anyone to learn our cultural language of fashion you can see a photo of my photo binder here where Ive written a short article on this topic. Its going to be super helpful for you to have a collection of photos to flip through because as you refer to it regularly, the photos will go directly into your subconscious, so that when you go shopping, youll be turned onto items and looks that have never caught your attention before. I recommend subscribing to a fashion magazine such as GQ or Details. You can find deals online (like Amazon) for $1-$2 an issue, but since its going to take some time for you to get your first magazine in the mail, buy one at your nearest magazine stand. Once you have your mag, what youre going to do is rip out all the clothing advertisements. Save them in your binder or folder so you can look at them at any time, or refer back to them whenever you need. Recently I met one of my clients who had amassed a really nice collection of photos which he neatly slipped into plastic covers and placed them into a binder so he can look through them more easily. This is a great idea if you want to avoid a mess of photos.

19

The whole point of this exercise and habit is that youll quickly learn all the trends and pick up the language of style. Whats great is that these models in the advertisements are literally dressed by professional stylists, so if you look closely at the details of the way these guys are dressed, youll start to see patterns. Youll develop an eye for what goes well together, why it does, and gain loads of ideas for outfit combinations. Here are some examples of what youll find in magazines and what you can learn from them:

The man here looks like hes going to take his dog out for a walk. He wears a casual white collared shirt (linen with pockets) underneath his zip-up hoodie. This collared shirt adds a dressier element than if he wore a t-shirt. At the same time, he opens his buttons down to the second button this always gives a more relaxed vibe. If you notice, he adds chinos as his bottom, rather than a pair of jeans or sweats, which balances the outfit out towards classy, but counteracts it with a pair of sneakers not to mention without socks for a more relaxed look. The pants also look like they are linen, which is a light-weight summer fabric that is much more breathable and comfortable in warm-weather. Simple, right? By focusing your mind on analyzing the elements of an outfit, and asking yourself questions like why was that put together? youre fashion sense will develop very quickly.

20

Below are some stylish examples of how many looks you can pull off with just one blazer. You can pick any outfit from this picture and model it for whatever occasion you need. Whether its lounging with your friends at a cafe, a night out at the bar, an upscale cocktail party, or a wedding.

1st outfit (from left to right) Get a cotton blazer as a casual jacket thats both classy and stylish. Pop the collar or push up the sleeves of your blazer for a laid back look. Pair that with a casual polo, and wear chinos for a more sophisticated style. A pair of boat shoes or loafers will give your outfit a stylish marina theme. 2nd outfit This look is nerdy chic, perfect for a formal occasion, still showing a hip and fun personality with Van sneakers. Try on a bow tie for bold style, if you dont like it you can switch it out for a necktie. 3rd outfit Perfect look for an upscale party. Loose tie, pocket square, perfect fit. All class.

21

4th outfit Want to look youre bringing the party? This low-cut v-neck carries a cut of sensuality, and the blazer adds status. The pocket square upgrades the look a notch but the whole outfit is kept simple with no belt and some fresh white sneakers. 5th outfit The sophisticated guy with edge. Show a bit of your edgy personality with a studded belt and a striped shirt, then show your class with some sharp dress shoes and a blazer. 6th outfit Simply dashing. Eye catching on the bottom, classy gentleman up top.

Alright, so with these examples, youve gotten a taste of how you can model off fashion photos and the creative ideas you can extract from them. You can also collect inspirational looks from the web, but I like having a physical collection I can flip through rather than tons of files on my computer. You can print photos but its not worth the money because printer ink just costs too much these days. However, if you want to collect photos on your computer, Kinowears Lookbook is a great place to start. Some of my other favorite websites are YesStyle.com, TheSartorialist, ThisIsNotNew.com, and LookBook.nu.

22

* Action Step #2: Shopping Okay, once youve collected a good amount of inspirational photos, theres no point in them collecting dust on your desk. You want to start hitting the stores with all your new outfit ideas. Remember these words forever: Try it on. You may be tempted to laugh at these three words, but I cant even count how many times I have to say this to people. When your brain resists an outfit, and it will resist anything you havent tried on, just remember the three very important words: Try it on. When I say this I dont just mean try on the safe purchase youve already decided on. Im talking about trying on everything from pieces that grab your interest to pieces that you could NEVER see yourself in. Grab it all and take it to the fitting room. Disregard price, the annoying store clerks, and everyone whos staring at you and your giant pile of clothes. Most of the time clothes will look intimidating, foreign, and not you when its on a manikin or hanging from the store walls. You must get past this and decide only after youve seen it on your own body. Sometimes its the silhouette, the way it fits your body, or how it accentuates certain features of your image that change your entire view. There have been many pieces that I thought looked horrible on the shelf, but after trying it on, became one of the most flattering pieces in my entire wardrobe. This one exercise of trying on anything and everything will teach you more about style than reading a thousand style articles. Its true. If you ever do a consultation with me, youll watch as I raid the entire store for you. Sometimes, my clients are a bit embarrassed. Jae, wont they mind if we try on all this stuff and not buy it? I just say, For all they know, we might just buy out the store. Besides, this is what a fitting room was built for. On to the fitting room we go, and we throw together dozens of full outfits. Its practically a fashion show, and a glorious learning session. 100% of the time, my client discovers a whole new look that he never thought hed love. Like with everything else in life, you can only grow to a level of excellence in style if youre willing to be shameless about going the lengths to achieve it. I cant remember how many times clients of mine have said Thats seriously not me, to which I quickly reply Try it on. Many times, after trying it on, they actually love it. Remember these words forever: Try it on.

23

* Action Step #3: Congruence Experiment Now that youre used to shopping and getting into the habit of trying things on, its important to make sure youre stepping out of your comfort zone. You probably have a few favorite stores that you go to most of the time and this is great however this time pick a few stores that you dont frequent. Go into these stores and pick out clothing that you would never imagine yourself wearing, then try it on. If you have a camera, bring it with you and take pictures of yourself in the fitting room. If its only one piece, ask one of the store clerks to help you find the pieces that compliment this. Its also quick and easy to ask for an entire outfit that you see on a manikin. However, dont forget that the key is choosing pieces that are completely outside your comfort zone, unlike anything youve worn before. Maybe its that military jacket. Maybe its a pink blazer. Maybe its a pair of slim-fit premium jeans. Try everything that youve collected, and check yourself out. Take some pictures if you want, but without the flash (they wont allow that inside stores). The pictures will be helpful if you decide to go back and get the piece later on, you have something to refer to. You can also use the photos to get feedback from others. Whether youre just beginning to improve your style or youre a seasoned veteran, this exercise shatters the comfort zone. You open yourself up to outfits you may have never touched in your life. I guarantee you that your idea of what is you and what isnt will change for the better.. You will discover tons of new looks. Most importantly, you will be one step closer to true style congruence.

Initial Resistance (where many guys stop) Why are you so dressed up? This is what some guys hear from their peers when they change suddenly and dramatically. Most peoples ideas of clothing is a sweatshirt and ill-fitting jeans, so of course theyll think youre overdressed. Hahaha, hot date tonight?

24

Of course, there is the opposite end of the spectrum where theyll absolutely love it. However, if you get this initial resistance, know that its feedback that something is working, you are changing and its getting attention. The truth is that people may start to feel insecure around you as you outshine them, and will try to bring you down to protect their egos. Essentially, others dont hate you for changing, they hate the fact that you are putting their reality to question by your change. Many times they will do this without even realizing that they are putting you down. Its a natural reaction. Remember what I said about taking into consideration the source of the criticism. If its coming from one of your more stylish friends, then maybe dig for some more constructive feedback, but if this guy is wearing sneakers he hasnt replaced in years, and hand-me downs from his older cousin, ignore and keep moving forward. Youd be surprised how many guys dabble in improving their style, buy themselves some stellar pieces, and then end up shoving it back in the closest because of some uncomfortable attention they were getting! Once you maintain that new level of style, your friends will get used to it, and will probably start modeling off you! So how do you know youre ready for Stage 3? ( ) Youve completed all the above exercises ( ) You can imitate an entire look from head to toe ( ) Youve been on at least three thorough shopping sessions where you modeled different looks and tried things on ( ) Youre beginning to get feedback from others about your changing image

If you can honestly check off all these points, you are amazing. I hope you enjoyed the exercises and have developed habits you can take with you for life. I also hope that if you havent already, youre starting to appreciate and enjoy working on your self-expression through your style as much as anything else in your life. Thank you for letting me share my knowledge with you and Im humbled by the chance to guide so many of you guys out there. I appreciate all the positive feedback and comments many have sent me ever since this blog has launched and throughout this series. If youd like direct and personalized guidance on your style development, dont hesitate to sign up for one of our consultation programs, check out our program page at www.kinoimageconsulting.com. Ill gladly help you take your style to the level you want. If you have any questions about our programs, send your message to Jae@kinowear.com. Make sure to check out Stage 3, but not before you test yourself through this stage!

25

Science of Style: Stage 3 Part 1: Building Proficiency

By Jae, September 10, 2011

STAGE 3: Building Proficiency Welcome back to the Science of Style series! If youre reading this, I hope youve read and completed all the action steps in Stage 2 Modeling. If you havent done so yet, itll benefit you tremendously and youll see exactly why each of the action steps are so helpful towards your best style. If youve been trying on some new looks from the modeling stage, you should be getting some positive feedback from your friends, but were not finished yet.

This post is going to focus on Stage 3 of the 4 stages model towards style mastery. Stage 3 of mastering your own style is focused on getting you proficient in the art of phenomenal style. Youre going to implement timeless principles that will help you look your personal best. Once the fundamentals are down, well also get into how you can add special touches that will really make a statement.

26

[This is article is Part 1 within Stage 3] After some feedback from others, Ive broken down this series into smaller parts for easier reading. It also gives you time to do the steps and gain real understanding rather than just reading long articles and feeling overwhelmed. If youre serious about growth, taking this information and putting it into action is very important. This is my purpose and motivation in writing this series to really deliver the most effective guide I can give you towards creating your best look. Alright, with that, lets get to it. Learning the Fundamentals 1. Fit Its better to look like youre wearing something that fits than like youre wearing a trend. - Sean Combs This is the fundamental of fundamentals. If you forget everything and just fix this one aspect of your style, your image will take on a dramatic improvement. Too many guys wear clothing that isnt the right fit for them. Without a good fit, it doesnt matter what youre wearing. When I go wardrobe shopping with my clients, the first thing I teach them is how to shop for their body type. My clients quickly learn that I am ruthless about fit, an okay fit is unacceptable it has to be perfect or we dont buy it. Im understanding of guys who wear ill-fitting clothes though, because sometimes it just wasnt a choice. Most men grow up getting help from women who know nothing about mens clothing sizes. Who can blame them? Its like having a man find a great dress for his girlfriend nine times out of ten the dress isnt going to fit right. It could also be that you just havent taken the time to adjust your wardrobe to bodily changes. Sometimes you dont notice that youve gained weight until a button goes flying into the trees, or that youve lost weight until your pants slip off even with the belt still buckled.

27

Whatever your reason, its not going to be because youre ignorant or lazy. Theres no place for that here. If youre infected with what we call Bad Fit Disease (BFD), get yourself treated and tested with these action steps.

Action Step #1: Get Your Measurements Do you know your measurements? Knowing your true measurements by heart will ensure you get the perfect fit, every single time. If you think you know your measurements but havent measured yourself in awhile, take a minute to get measured just in case youve grown or shrunk. If you have measuring tape at home, you can ask someone to measure you, or it may be easier and more effective for you to go to your nearest dry cleaners or tailor and ask them to measure you. Measure your neck, chest, waist (one inch below navel) and inseam (inner leg length from your crotch to your feet). Write these measurements down. These are the basic measurements you must know so you can shop more effectively for yourself. Youll need to know your neck size for dress shirts, chest size for blazers, and the waist and inseam is the measurement youll look for when shopping for pants, for example: 30/32 = 30 inch waist, 32 inseam Kinowear tip: If you have your measurements, and want to go the extra mile, choose a staple item such as jeans or a blazer and test out your best fit. For example, since most guys love to wear jeans, my suggestion is to go to a designer store that specializes in jeans and ask them to help you find the most flattering fit for your body type. You dont have to buy anything, but at the least, you should leave knowing what fits you best. If you go to a high-end jean store like Diesel, you should ask one of the store clerks to suggest some pairs for your waist size. Also, ask them what type of jeans are most flattering for someone with your legs (stocky, slim) and height (tall, short). Hell probably respond with the exact style of jeans including whether its boot cut, relaxed, straight, low-rise, etc. Once you get it, try it on, and then get the feedback of the store clerk if theyre around. Do this at a few stores and get the style and measurements of the jean that is most flattering on

28

you. The reason I say high-end designer store is because the store clerks at a Gap will probably be a lot less trained when it comes to this kind of stuff (and rightly so, theyre selling $30-40 jeans instead of $200-300 jeans at Diesel). But before you do this, make sure you know your measurements! Fit Checklist Heres a short fit checklist for you, it will be very helpful to keep in mind when shopping for yourself. Its not a comprehensive list, but its the essentials you need to know. I suggest printing it out and locking this into your memory for life-time use! Key Fit Points Clothes should neither be too tight nor too loose try to have it close to skimming your body. For jackets and shirts, the shoulder seam should line up at your natural shoulder line right above the armpit. Too much sloping means you should try a smaller size. Raise your arms to your sides, there shouldnt be too much extra fabric under your armpit. Shirts For dress shirts, make sure you buy the right neck size. When the top button is closed, you should only be able to fit two fingers between the collar and your neck. If you can fit three fingers, the shirt may be too big for you. If you can only fit one finger, then the shirt may be uncomfortable, especially if the fabric is going to shrink after washing and drying. Whether its a polo or a t-shirt, always follow the general fit points above. A shirt should skim your body, and the shoulder seam should match your natural shoulder line. If it fits your shoulders but its still baggy around the waist, you can get it taken in by a tailor. Dress shirts that fall past your buttocks are meant to be tucked in! Note: The reason why dress shirts are made long is because they are meant to be tucked in. This is so that when you are sitting down you sit on top of your shirt and it prevents your shirt from rising out of your pants. If you like to wear your shirts out of your pants, try to find one that is already cut shorter or get them altered by a tailor.

29

Blazers To judge a great suit jacket (or blazer) fit, the jacket lapels should lie flat against the entire circumference of your shirt collar. No more than half an inch of your shirt collar should be visible above the back of your jacket collar. The length of a suit jacket or blazer should be just long enough to cover your buttocks, but still afford your legs maximum length. Check the length of your sleeves and make sure they touch the line right under your palm where your wrist meets your hand (get them tailored if its too long). Coats/Casual Jackets The fit of a coat or a casual jacket depends on what youre going to wear underneath most of the time. If you are buying an overcoat that youll wear over a suit, you may want to go a size up from your usual size. Also, keep in mind that if its a fall/winter jacket, you may want a little extra room for a thick sweater. Still, jackets and coats should fit your shoulders well with correct arm-length, as well as being the best proportion for your height. Shoes Its recommended that you shop for shoes towards the end of the day, your feet swell up a little if you walk a lot Wear the socks youll wear with the shoes when shoe shopping (e.g. dont wear thick athletic socks when shopping for dress shoes) Stick one index finger into the back of the shoe behind your heel to ensure you have some room for comfort, while making sure they are not too big you shouldnt be able to fit more than that Always try on both shoes and walk around to determine comfort level Pants To test the right fit, you shouldnt be able to fit more than two fingers between the side of your hip and the waistline of the pants. Make sure the inner seam of the pants is close to your natural inseam (there shouldnt be too much room under the crotch but obviously enough room for comfort). Make sure they arent too baggy on the thighs, sticking out to the sides when standing straight. Make sure they hug your buttocks and fit correctly avoid a diaper butt.

30

 Get them hemmed if they are too long, you should only have 1-2 creases at the bottom. You can also roll them up for a hip look. Remember, chinos and dress pants will sit on your natural waist an inch below your navel, whereas jeans will usually sit on your hips.

31

Action Step #2: Check Your Current Wardrobe Go through your current wardrobe, and check all your shirts, jackets, and pants for optimal fit. Make a decision with each item to donate, sell, toss, or get tailored. In order to upgrade your style, you have to clear your current wardrobe of anything less than great. Now that you know the importance of fit, cut your losses and mistakes and move forward with a new standard. A great place to start for overhauling your wardrobe with the latest in menswear is my-wardrobe.com. When you have no mediocre pieces in your closet, itll be hard to look mediocre. Once youve done this, youll be a huge step towards looking your best all the time.

Read Stage 3 Part 2: Minding the Details

32

Science of Style: Stage 3 Part 2: Minding the Details

By Jae, September 18, 2011

Minding the details is the essence of styling. So if you aspire to become a master of your own style, its absolutely imperative you get good at spotting the details in fashion. The more you learn about creatively working the details of any look, the more youll appreciate and enjoy the little nuances that create your own unique style. Not long ago, I worked with a client who before I met was pretty stylish in his own right. He contacted me and was clear from the start the he was very goal-oriented and knew exactly what he wanted in life. Hes a very ambitious entrepreneur who started his own company and is doing pretty well for himself. He told me he had been working on building his style for awhile now, and was happy with his image, but wanted to take it to the next level. I appreciated the way he approached his style development with the same vigor and passion that he seemed to bring to every other area of his life. I was very interested in seeing the image that he had said to have been creatively working on for years. We first decided to meet up at his place so I could take a look at his wardrobe. When I walked into his living room, he showed me that he had built a habit of collecting inspirational photos from magazines and fashion photos online, a tip he took from reading this blog. I was impressed by all the stylish clothes he had in his closet, which he told me he grown from shopping all around the world as well as thrift stores in the city. He also added he didnt spend that much money through careful selection. Awesome. I was beginning to think that he didnt need my help, but I knew I had to see him in some of his favorite outfits so I could give him direct feedback. He agreed and went into his room to change into one of his favorite outfits. 33

He seemed to have a very good sense of putting together outfits, but he wasnt fully confident. After a quick glance, I knew exactly what we had to work on in order for him to take his style to the next level. We had to hone in on all the details.

His outfits were great, but with each outfit, one or two tweaks was all it took to reach another level. For example, one of his favorite outfits was a purple polo shirt, a tailored khaki blazer, a pair of tweed shorts, and boat shoes. He looked great, but to make his outfit even better (following his sense of style), I told him to push up his blazer sleeves, add a clean white pocket square, and a braided rope belt that he had inside his closet. It was hilarious watching his eyes get wider as he looked in the mirror, it was like he had an epiphany. He loved it. We then went to a nearby store and found a pair of brown suede loafers that he loved, and added it to the rest of his outfit. I told him to wear them without socks for a cool laid-back touch and it all came together into one killer outfit. We went back into his closet and tweaked every single one of his favorite outfits, minding the details and going over how he can take each look to a whole new level of expression all in ways that he loved. Sometimes it was just adding a tie clip or unique cuff links, other times it was bigger but still subtle things like pairing the right fabrics together, teaching him what colors worked better together, adding or removing a layer, using a special tie or scarf knot, and so on. Its hard for me to guide you on how you can mind the details of your own unique image unless I work with you 1-on-1. However, heres a very useful exercise that I did with my client during our time together that you can do as well to train your eye for details and take your look to the next level like my client. Action Step: Detail Spotting Blitz Using the fashion purchased in the earlier exercise, go through and circle with a sharpie all the details that accentuate an outfit. As an exercise, I usually rip out all the ads and then just blitz through the pile with my clients, circling every detail that stands out. I also do this at home with my own magazines.

34

Try to not only spot the clothing and accessories (i.e. scarf, tie clip, pocket square) but how certain pieces are being worn (i.e. ways sleeves are rolled, going sockless, tucked in/tuckedout, color pairing). Do this for at least 10 images. Doing this will develop your perception for details in outfits, giving you a better eye when developing your own outfits. Youll get quicker with each ad, and youll be a pro at spotting stylish details in no time. What youll then start noticing is that when you start dressing yourself in the morning, youll have a memory bank full of these details that you can access and incorporate into your look. Do this every time you read a fashion magazine, enjoy it and treat it like a game. Have fun with it. Trust me, if you make this a habit, and implement these details in your own way, it wont be long until you become a master of your own style. Try it today.

35

Science of Style: Stage 3 Part 3: Creating Complete Outfits

By Jae, September 28, 2011 Creating Your Own Complete Outfits

The practice of building complete and attractive outfits is an essential skill on the road to style mastery. What I mean by a complete outfit is a look that attractively blends together from head to toe. My goal through this article is to have you step in front of your closet every morning, confident that you can put together an entire outfit that works for any occasion without blinking an eye. Lets do this. Action step #1: Thinking in Outfits When Shopping One thing I noticed from thousands of hours of shopping is that men just dont take the time to build complete outfits when shopping. Most guys will shop very fast with a single goal in mind like buying a new pair of jeans to replace their currently worn-out pair, or a single t-shirt to add to their rotation. Theres nothing wrong with this, unless your goal is to actually expand your wardrobe. If you want to become a master of your own style, you absolutely need to think in outfits when shopping. This one small paradigm-shift will be an enormous breakthrough in your style.

36

Instead of just shopping for what you immediately need, try creating a completely new outfit from head to toe next time you visit your favorite store. If you remember, in Stage 2 we went through Modeling where we copied looks from magazines or manikins. At this point, if youve done the previous exercises, you should have a good sense of what you like and a repertoire of outfit ideas. Now you can put yourself to the test try to put together a complete outfit without asking a sales associate for help at first, or copying a look straight off a store manikin. It can be helpful to ask for an opinion after you put together a complete look, but avoid asking for help beforehand. For example, if you see a jacket or a shirt you really like, go around the store and pick a pair of pants and shoes to match. If this isnt a challenge to you, pick up some accessories that you think will go with your outfit (e.g., belt, hat, scarf). Take it all to the fitting room and put it together. Chances are you need more practice than you first imagined. This is why its important to adopt this habit. I urge you to always think in outfits next time you step into a clothing store, and try to put at least ONE complete outfit together. You dont have to buy anything. Do it purely to exercise your creativity and for fun; and who knows, you could end up getting some killer wardrobe pieces that you never thought would work together. Layering

When youre out shopping and putting together full outfits, make sure youre experimenting with multiple layers as well. Any of us can pick a random shirt, pants, and a pair of shoes, but how are you when you have multiple layers and things get more complicated? 37

Experiment with layering and practice creatively mixing your clothing options into dozens of different looks. Become a pro at this, and you could even take your current wardrobe and discover a ton of new outfit combinations. When I was living in Asia, these guys were absolutely masters when it came to layering. I hung around guys who took less than 10 pieces in their closet and made it look like they bought something new every week. The key to layering flawlessly is to create an outfit that is totally complete. Making sure that every item is there because it needs to be and not because you threw it on in a rush. Each piece compliments the other to create a cohesive and attractive outfit. The key to layering is the overall affect. Step back and ask yourself, Is this too much? When in doubt, remove something. When youre layering, you shouldnt be wearing too many attention-grabbing pieces at once. Not only does this often come off as try-hard, but will look too busy unless done carefully. If youre at home right now, take a look through your closet and put together at least 3 different outfit combinations through layering. I do this with my clients all the time and theyre so surprised at how many new outfit possibilities there are in their own closet. Pick one to wear out tomorrow- something youve never worn before. Short on ideas? Heres a step-by-step guide on creatively coming up with outfits out of your own closet: Action Step #2: Creating a Wardrobe Module

38

A wardrobe module equals one jacket, two bottoms, three tops, and two shoes for each bottom. (Five wardrobe modules are a good number for each season.) When putting together a wardrobe module, you 1. Lay the third layer (for example, the jacket) on the bed as if its on the body. 2. Find the best two bottoms that work with that jacket by laying them on the bed with the jacket. 3. Find the best three tops that work with the jacket and either bottom. 4. (If youre wearing a suit) For each shirt that requires a tie, find at least one or two ties that work. 5. Find the shoes and belt that work with these combinations. 6. Find jewelry or accessories. 7. Find appropriate underwear for this module. 8. Find appropriate outerwear for this module (if the season calls for it). Now you have a great outfit combination that you can wear together. Apply these steps when youre out shopping and before you get dressed, and before you know it I guarantee that youll become 20x more creative naturally putting together new outfit combinations every single day.

39

Science of Style: Stage 3 Part 4: Dressing to Stand Out

By Jae, October 10, 2011

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. ~ Mark Twain Previously, I wrote about how to become an expert at putting together complete outfits. If you continue with the right habits, youll soon have the skill of building a flawless outfit combo with ease. Still, looking great isnt always enough sometimes situations call for us to look outstanding. Like when you want to make a killer impression during a job interview, or go all out for your birthday bash. My goal today is to push you a little out of your comfort zone and get you prepared for those special moments. So where do you begin? When youre dressing to impress, choosing a great outfit is easiest when you first consider the context that youll be in whether work, a romantic date, or a birthday party. As an example, lets choose a romantic date as your occasion. Where are you going with your date, what kind of impression do you want to make? Im going to say youre going to have a casual first date, hanging out at places that you can talk and enjoy each other.

40

For example, lets say you choose to hang out in the city with your date enjoying a nice brunch at a cafe hotspot and then hanging out on the grass at Bryant Park. Its a bit chilly out, so you choose to wear your favorite fall leather jacket. Its a casual date so you want to be relaxed for the park comfortable yet relaxed. You might want to sit down in the grass so you dont want to wear anything that will wrinkle easily like chinos, so you go for jeans. Lets say your leather jacket is pretty loud with a lot of zippers and buckles like shown in this photo, so you keep the rest of your outfit simple, without too much color or accessories. You choose to wear a white v-neck tshirt, layering it with a blue denim shirt to go with the rugged feel of your jacket. You wear your leather boots to match and your favorite shades for the sunny day. That was easy. Youre ready for your date. Dont you wish it was this easy putting together an outfit for any occasion? Ill break down what I do for my clients and the process you can use to put together a head-turning look:

41

Choose Your Stand Out Piece[s] Considering the occasion and how loud you want to be, begin by looking for a stand-out piece to add to your outfit. Sometimes, all it takes is a single piece to take your look to a memorable level.

Some examples would be:

unique neck-tie / bow-tie fashion-forward jacket a unique pair of shoes eye-catching accessory or jewelry memorable graphic t-shirt a fashionable pair of shades a bold colored item

42

Found something? Great. Now you want to take your stand-out piece and find items to go with it, creating a complete outfit. As youre doing this, I suggest balancing out your outfit around the first item you chose this makes it easier to create an outfit that works together. Think of your accent piece as the showcase, and everything else as supportive pieces. For example, if you have loud colorful jacket, you may want to neutralize the rest of the outfit with softer colors and little-to-no design. Start simple then build on it. Add a Stylish Touch Once you have a complete outfit, before you add any accessories, add a few stylish touches to bring life and fun to your overall look.

Here are some techniques for accentuating some of your outfits:

push up blazer/jacket sleeves go sock-less with your dress shoes half tuck to reveal part of belt/buckle open one or two buttons of dress shirt and loosen tie knot to start at first closed button

43

Action Step: Building Your High-Octane Look Alright, lets put it all together into a killer outfit now. What is the occasion/setting? Where are you going? I like to start by picturing what I think the average guy might dress like where Im going, and take it up a few notches from there. This gives you a good base to start with. Whats your main stand-out piece going to be? Decide which part of your outfit is going to be the center piece if you will. Whether its your favorite jacket, unique pair of pants, or t-shirt, choose it first. Create a complete outfit Once you choose your main stand-out piece, decide what youre going to wear with it. Make sure you have a complete outfit that works together from head to toe. Choose your accessories Depending on the setting, can you add an accessory or two? A hat, scarf, tie, watch, bracelet, or necklace? If the outfit is already busy enough, make sure to maintain a good balance and not overdo it. If you feel that the outfit is very basic and it needs some flair, add a piece to bring some life into your outfit. Add your stylish touch Are you gonna roll up your sleeves? Leave a few buttons unbuttoned? Show off your belt? Maybe youll flip your collar up today. Go for it. Balance Once things start coming together, step back once more and assess whether youve gone overboard. You want to dress to impress but not be screaming for attention either its a balance. Sometimes when youre adding accessories it can get a little crazy (sometimes I find myself removing more pieces towards the end than adding). Make sure you have one main showpiece and have the other pieces complimenting it (not competing against it). Make sure that you dont have too much color (more than 3 different colors make an outfit too busy).

44

So how do you know youre ready for Stage 4 of style mastery? ( ) You are confident with all the basic style fundamentals (great fit, attention to detail, etc.) ( ) You can create a complete and stylish outfit from head to toe out of your closet with ease ( ) Youve been on at least three shopping trips where youve experimented with layering and creating complete outfits ( ) You are confident at layering and using high-octane items to create looks that stand out as desired

If you can honestly check off all these points, I respect you a ton for taking your style into your own hands. I hope youve adopted some habits you can take with you for life. I also hope youre having fun and enjoying the process of building your style! When youre ready, read the next article Science of Style: Stage 4 Becoming a Master of Style.

45

Science of Style: Stage 4 How to Be a Master of Style

By Jae, October 18, 2011 What is mastery? Take a look at these amazing professional snowboarders who embody mastery. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kh29_SERH0Y This epic video captures the passion behind men who desire to push past their limits. Watching it stirs that same part of us. We all want to be masters in something. Nobody wants to be stuck on mediocre. Whether facing fear through death-defying stunts on a freezing mountain, or executing on lucrative business ideas, a man needs challenges to thrive. Personally, I love challenges. I love outdoing myself and making incremental gains. I want to run faster, lift heavier weights, be a better businessman, and someday a great husband. Tweaking and improve my style is very easy and enjoyable compared to other things. Even though it comes easy to me (after years of working on it), taking care of my image each morning sets the pace for the day. Looking like the person I want to be, keeps me focused on my goals. This attitude and psychology spills into other areas of my life.

46

If you study anyone who encapsulates greatness, all of them share something in common: a burning desire to continually grow and improve. Regardless of whether you resonate with adventure-seekers like Travis Rice, the fact that youre reading this blog says something about you. Think about it: you perceive where change is necessary, and you desire growth enough to pursue this topic. Youre here because you want full control and confidence in shaping your image. You want to look and feel your greatest. Why else would you be reading this? In fact, you need to become a master of your style. Why? Because you know that your image will shape your interactions with people whether youre working or having fun and also affect your psychology, productivity, and your ability to seize opportunities.

Through the S.O.S. series, Ive taken you through the necessary stages towards mastery: 1. Knowing Yourself It all starts with knowing what your values, purpose, and goals are. Your values will shape your purpose, and your purpose will shape the goals you have giving rise to the direction you want to take your image. 2. Modeling Trying on what is already working for others, and being aware of what is popular, will help you discover what works best for you developing your unique fashion sense. 3. Building Proficiency You move past the trends, and become knowledgeable on the principles of great style. You take your understanding of fashion rules and creatively come up with one-of-a-kind outfits.

47

Mastery is the final path. For a master, there is no finish line or arrival. This may be discouraging for some, but I write this to remind you that the point of all this is what the Japanese call kaizen or continuous improvement. I love what Travis Rice says in the Art of Flight trailer. He says, You know its not the destination, its the adventure along the way The mark of a truly stylish man and a guy wearing a stylish outfit for a day is that the man of style is constantly refining, experimenting, and expressing himself in better ways. If you want to be a master, first make sure youve gone through the previous stages and have adopted the action exercises as continual habits. Revisit the methods youve gained regularly for improvement: 1. Re-align with your values, purpose, and goals at least once a month. Life situations will constantly change, and whether youre looking for a new job or a new girlfriend, your latest goals will give fresh direction to your style. 2. Continue to model off looks. When you see something that catches your eye on a store manikin or fashion blog, try to gather the necessary pieces and try it on for yourself. When you know whats out there, itll come back to mind when you have that special date, important interview, or party. 3. Continually seek more knowledge on fashion trends, as well as guidelines for your own body type. Keep working on building complete outfits through layering, and experimenting with creative outfits that stand out.

48

Here are some more powerful ways to keep improving your style:

People watch. When youre at a crowded public setting (like a mall, or a busy fashion district) take some time to people watch. Have fun making assumptions about people according to the way they look. Think about their career success, personality, and even their love life. Pay attention to what they are wearing, and ask yourself these powerful questions: Is this persons image attractive? What is about this persons image is attractive? What about this person is unattractive?What it is it specifically about their image that is responsible for it? This is one exercise that has helped countless men backwards-engineer attractive style. In fact, some of my clients have said that this single exercise has been one of the most helpful learning exercises in transforming their style. Set a clothing budget. Decide on putting aside a percentage of your pay each month for shopping. With a set budget, your image never stagnates from a lack of finances, and you can consistently update your wardrobe without feeling guilty. It also helps you set the pace for improvement. Shopping consistently is more important in the long-run than frequency. Subscribe to your favorite fashion blogs and/or magazines. Stay updated on the tips and trends by having them delivered to you. If you havent subscribed to Kinowears blog, you can do so here. Work with an expert. Cut the learning curve, and take a huge leap forward towards your style goals with a professional stylist. If you want to to become a master of style today, head over to Kinoimageconsulting. Thanks for reading the Science of Style series! I had a lot of fun writing it. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below or e-mail me at Jae@Kinowear.com. Id love to hear from you.

49