Hi, I am chris, the author of this blog : Style Lab For Men.
Can you believe that there was a time in my life where walking around in sweat pants was an acceptable choice for me? It’s true. Before I became the man that you see now, I didn’t care about how I looked, what matched, fabric cohesion, what choices were appropriate for the occasion, or even if things were clean.
I’d grab the first thing off the shelf (or the floor, let’s be honest here) that I could find. I didn’t pay attention to anything outward at all. Clothes, grooming, how I smelt, it was all a horrid sort of chaos that would make Vogue’s Anna Wintour scream!
What I, and many men who don’t give their looks a second thought, didn’t realize was that the effort I put into my appearance was directly proportionate to what people thought of me. I’m not talking in a, “oh, that guy’s lazy, ha!” sort of way.
I’m talking about that fact that I missed opportunities, real opportunities, because I didn’t look like someone who commanded respect. I didn’t look capable. To be frank, I didn’t look like someone who had their sh*t together. And looking back, I didn’t feel like I did either.
The Wake up call
The realization one isn’t an easy one to come to. When I finally realized all that I had likely missed out on in love, in jobs, in friendships, and who knows what else, it hit me like a wall of bricks.
The first day I dressed better, when I wore my first suit to an important interview, I realized how differently I was treated. More importantly, I realized how differently I felt. I was more confident, energized, and felt ready for anything I might come up against that day. It was then that I decided a change was in order.
Men’s style isn’t an easy field to navigate. We’re not raised being told the ins and outs of how to dress, how to smell, how to have good taste. For the first decade and a half of my life it was basketball shorts and baggy t-shirts, and now I am more into suits and bowties. It takes a lot of learning. Books, magazines, blogs, interviews, articles… they became my home for a while. Step by step I reinvented myself.
Our Blog Mission
Those changes I had to make to respect myself and garner the respect of others have changed my life. The confidence I developed has bled into every aspect of myself, making me a more well-rounded and overall happy man. I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of a killer outfit, a clean face, and a signature fragrance. And now, you can too.
I want to share the feelings that learning to dress like a man has given me. On this blog, I’ll be sharing all the knowledge that I’ve gathered throughout years of studying and paying close attention, a knowledge base that is still ever growing (so feel free to share books or blogs you stumble upon!).
I feel it is my duty to help guide those lost men out there into a world that is tailor made for them.