- I wanna talk about something that is a piece of advice
that is often given to guys looking to up their style game,
but that I personally kind of think is a bad idea.
You see it in magazines, you see it on YouTube,
you see it in hastily written captions
on your favorite influencer's Instagram posts.
What is it?
What is this thing that I just really don't like?
Well, you're gonna find out after this.
(upbeat music)
You're watching He Spoke Style. I'm Brian Sacawa.
If you're new here at He Spoke Style,
we are dedicated to giving you all the tips,
knowledge and inspiration you need
to help you dress well, feel more confident,
and unlock your potential.
Now I'm pretty sure some of you are going to disagree
with me here on this particular issue,
which is totally fine,
but please hear me out and listen to my rationale.
So the thing that I personally don't like,
especially when it's put in the context
of someone who is just getting into style,
just starting to make that transformation
into thinking about how they dress and trying to do better,
the thing that you will hear as a device,
as a method to having more style,
to having better style is to add a pop of color.
(dramatic music)
(Brian sighs)
This is something that I personally do not like,
and right now I'm gonna tell you why.
Let me start with a little bit of a story.
So typically, what happens when you get to that point
and you make that decision
that you are going to make a change in how you dress,
you're gonna put some more time and effort into it,
you're going to make that commitment,
it's a hard shift to make.
Not only in deciding what you need in your wardrobe
and where you're gonna get it
and how much you're gonna spend,
but I think the hardest part is dealing
with everyone around you.
They're used to seeing you dress one way,
and then all of a sudden,
if you show up in a nice suit or even just a very simple,
well put together business casual look, like nothing fancy,
it's a really hard pivot.
And the biggest issue with that is your personal confidence
and how much confidence you have as you make this change.
Now I'm gonna say that in general,
because it's a new territory for you
that confidence is probably going to be on the lower side.
You're just getting into it.
You don't have the confidence
and conviction yet to know if it works,
if you're wearing the right things, if they go together,
if they fit, if the shoes match,
what color socks should you have on.
It's a lot to have on your mind, so it's understandable
that you might not feel totally confident,
which can make you self-conscious.
And that is really the main issue here,
being self-conscious.
Now, how does this relate to pops of color?
Well, if you're feeling self-conscious at all,
the absolute last thing that you want to do
is to draw more attention to yourself.
So adding a pop of color, something bright to your outfit,
is going to make you stand out
and will call attention to itself and you.
It's something that says, "Look at me."
So I'm talking about like a bright, colorful pocket square,
red socks, or yellow socks,
or orange socks, or teal socks,
a loud, skinny, floral print tie.
These are all things that are going to attract attention
and this is like red meat to the haters.
So my recommendation, if you are just starting
to think about improving how you dress,
don't listen to the magazines.
Don't listen to YouTube.
Forget what your favorite influencers
are telling you on Instagram.
Just keep it simple, keep it basic.
Learn how that works and get your confidence level up.
Now I do wanna talk about two reasons
why I think the pop of color thing is something
that a lot of guys kind of buy into.
One is that, at least in my experience,
talking to friends who want to kind of level up in that way,
is that they don't wanna be boring,
and they tend to think that dressing in a classic way
isn't exciting enough for them.
And I can definitely understand that mindset.
If you're like me,
I'm someone who when I get into something,
I really get into it, and oftentimes a simple option
where the answer is so obvious and easy,
doesn't really track what the desire
to get really deep down into it.
But what I've realized over over time,
and I've definitely made my share of mistakes in the past,
is that kind of ironically,
it also takes confidence to just be okay
with dressing really simply.
I mean, what's wrong with it being easy?
We don't need to reinvent the wheel here.
Focus on more important things like fit, like fabric,
and the little subtle intricacies
that really make things interesting.
Now, the other thing that's at play here,
and I was talking to my wife about this the other day,
because we both think about and put time
into how we dress, and she's super chic,
but her approach is more focused on expression.
She really uses fashion as a way to say something
to the world about herself.
I do the same in that my choices tell the world
something about me, but the difference is
that she looks for these very unique,
very cool details that kind of become the focal point
of whatever outfit she's putting together.
Listen, if you wanna express yourself
and the way you feel like doing it is through
some colorful tie or pocket square or socks,
I'm not gonna tell you not to,
but I don't think you're necessarily the person
who has watched this far in the video.
Yes, it can be a way to express yourself,
but if you are someone who is just getting into this,
I would look for other more subtle ways
to express something.
So for example, maybe your watch,
or a monogram on your shirt, or even your fragrance.
Something that makes you feel special,
like you've gone the extra mile,
but not anything that really calls attention to itself.
So now you're probably thinking like,
"Okay, well you're telling me not
to do the pop of color thing
and to just do simple outfits.
Well, show me what simple and easy and stylish looks like."
Well, if you click on that playlist right next to my head,
there are seven or eight videos there
that are a great place to start.