LOOKING GREAT WITHOUT OVERDRESSING

You walk into the reception area for your interview with that cool Tech Start-up... and all eyes are on you... for the “wrong” reason! You wear a suit into a casual work environment. Embarrassing! And you’re likely to lose the job before the interview has

Most guys don’t overdress on purpose. They just want to make a good first impression... but it can backfire if they don’t consider their surroundings.

There’s a difference between dressing up and looking sharp. And it has everything to do with understanding certain things...

1 Know the Dress Code. Your environment matters. That doesn’t mean you must dress exactly like everyone, but be aware of the status quo. Always refer to the local uniform so you don’t stick out – in a strange way – wherever you go.

Is everybody buttonedup or in T-shirts? Do they stroll around in dress shoes or sneakers? What’s the norm when it comes to trousers? These are some observations you should make if you’re new to the place.

Consider these common examples where it matters to dress appropriately:

• You wouldn’t be all suited up in a suburb or small country town since people there go casual.

• You wouldn’t don flashy expensive clothes in a neighborhood with a high crime rate. • You wouldn’t attend a baseball or football game dressed the way you are in the office. • You wouldn’t stray from what fellow students at your school normally wear. In the end, it’s striking a balance between personal style and blending in. The last thing you want is to attract the wrong kind of attention with what you wear.

2 Upgrade the Quality. Clothes of better quality sharpen your look further with small details – or lack of them. Take dress shirts for example. Are there loose threads? Are the gussets and placket sewn neatly? Those are some ways to tell whether you might want a new shirt from a different brand.

But remember not all occasions call for top-quality clothing. Sometimes it’s about modesty. You wouldn’t volunteer at a soup kitchen or attend a funeral wearing your best gray suit. If you’re not the star – don’t dress like you are. So never overthink the situation. Take it for what it is.

3 Understand Your Fit. This is the #1 rule to wearing anything well. Fit reigns supreme. You wouldn’t want to look less in shape than you really are!

Why do most suited-up celebrities own the red carpet? The key is understanding size. Take it directly from some of Hollywood’s expert stylists:

Jeanne Yang, Alexander Skarsgard’s stylist: “Every 38 thinks he is a 40, and every 40 thinks he is a 42… Too big of clothes makes you look bigger, shorter, and slovenly.”

Jeff K. Kim, Michael B. Jordan’s stylist: “Buy something that fits you properly, and looks amazing on you, you’ll end up training yourself to buy the right size all the time.”

Avo Yermagyan, Nick Jonas’s stylist: “Whether you are on a budget or not, adding some simple darts to the back of a shirt to slim it down, or tapering a pair of jeans changes everything.”

4 Discover Your Colors. That’s right – everybody has their colors that look best on them. The key point of reference is your skin tone. Colors that flatter you the most create a strong contrast with your skin. Darker tones contrast with light-colored clothing while lighter ones contrast with darker shades and deeper hues.

Monochrome generally works for most people. Studies show that black, white and gray are neutral colors – meaning most clothes don’t look strikingly odd in them. They also denote someone of authority (gray) or someone who means business (black). So remember the psychology behind these colors.

5 Wear Versatile Outfits. There are cases when you’re not 100 percent sure how to dress. You might be heading to different places on the same day. What if it’s a sales role between rural and urban settings? Or what if you’re heading straight to a date after work?

The solution is an outfit that can “transform” into something less formal while still looking good. A shed jacket or fancy tie makes a couple good options. These are items you can easily take off or put back on – and they make a huge difference. You need flexibility to send the right messages in back-to-back situations.

6 Use Accessories. Some people get so fixated on clothes and forget about accessories. Bear in mind that other people might notice an accessory before they look at everything else. It might be a nice watch – crystals like synthetic sapphire and mineral glass make excellent watches. Or maybe it’s your bag or pair of shades.

Women have purses, men have bags. Don’t underestimate what the bag you bring to work says about you. It can complement your outfit. It can make you look smarter and more respectable. For sunglasses you want to choose something timeless. The wayfarer and aviator are two types that come to mind. Wayfarer sunglasses go well with most face shapes and come in different colors or styles. Aviator sunglasses appeared in “Top Gun” and made waves ever since.

7 Practice Wearing the Outfit to Build Confidence. Personality carries just as much weight (if not more) as dressing right. Your outfit should highlight – not replace – the charm and confidence you can exude. Clothes alone don’t fully impress. You must be personable as well.

If you do find yourself overdressed for something, remember how easy it is to break that wall between you and the rest. There’s power in smiling and giving firm handshakes.

Just keep it in the back of your mind to never be too serious about your outfit (or anyone else’s). Clothes don’t tell the whole story. (www. realmenrealstyle.com)