I'm looking to change that and I'm keen to hear if there's any good fashion advice / guides geared towards us engineer-brain types? Ideally something starting right from the beginning / first principles.
What online resources have you all found useful?
A couple of common pitfalls to avoid are wearing baggy clothing that doesn’t fit, going monochromatic because hey black and black match, right? I’d also recommend, basic as it may be, cleanliness and quality being paramount. Something a little boring or a bit outlandish is forgivable in most cases if it’s not cheap, dirty. To start off find some basic, well fitted clothes and don’t worry about lots of color and styles, but focus on one or two accent pieces to add a personal touch.
Shave. If you have a beard or mustache, keep it well trimmed and be honest with yourself if it looks healthy or sort of weedy. If the latter, lose it. Keep your hair properly cut, stay clean, and try to find a fragrance that works with your body, and then use it sparingly! Wear comfortable shoes, but make sure they’re clean, and in good shape. Get some decent socks and make sure they match your shoes. Invest in a suit, preferably tailored, and a couple of nice silk ties, and learn how to tie them. Even if you don’t wear it often, it’s good to have in the bag. Have at least one truly nice pair of leather shoes, keep them in good shape.
Above all, start looking at people and thinking about how what they’re wearing and how they’re presenting themselves makes you feel about them. I’m not talking about being judgmental, just aware.
Quality: Most high quality clothing is made of natural fibers, like cotton, silk, linen, wool or leather. Learn what those feel like and skip all the polyester crap.
Cotton-poly blends are wrinkle resistant and hold color better than 100 percent cotton. So 80-20 blends can be practical and sometimes are decent quality. But 100 percent polyester is usually terrible stuff.
Nylon is an exception to that general rule. Some, for example, nylon windbreakers are good.
When I met my ex, he looked like something out of Revenge of the Nerds. I got him a decent haircut and took him clothes shopping because it bothered him and causer him social problems. I don't think he ever read fashion advice, but by the time we divorced, he had developed an eye for what worked for him. My eye was better than his, but he was no longer trapped in Revenge of the Nerds-land. My sons also have developed an eye for decent clothes, though either actually cares about fashion. They were just raised by me.
Best.
Some advice: focus, above all, on fit. Learn what each of the basic garments should fit like for your body type. Even the most basic budget wardrobe tailored to fit well will look great compared to expensive but unfitting clothes. Then focus on fabric quality, color combinations, and experimenting with your own styles (pinterest is great for exploring this).
Good luck!
First some links of places that helped me out: reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice https://www.youtube.com/user/RealMenRealStyle https://www.youtube.com/user/AlphaMconsulting https://www.youtube.com/user/Teachingmensfashion
(Note: The youtubers will keep trying to sell you stuff in their ads, some of it is good, some of it is trash. Probably best to just ignore the advertising while you're starting out.)
The /r/malefashionadvice subreddit has a good wiki. Check out the links for beginners and people getting started. Also look through their WAYWT threads(What Are You Wearing Today) to get an idea of what looks good on others. It's easier to copy what others are getting right. For example see a guy that looks your age and size and you like what he's wearing? Copy it.
The youtube channels have a lot of good information especially real men real style. Check out the videos that are relevant to you.
Overall the biggest thing you can do to immediately dress better is to wear clothes that fit. So focus on understanding what a properly fitted pair of pants, t-shirt, polo, and dress shirt and suit should look like on you. Get your measurements so you know what your sizes are, and make friends with a good tailor.
After you nail the fit, everything else is really extra credit IMO.
Personally, when first I started making real money, I bought a lot GQ style clothing. But my personality was not as smooth. Maybe other people noticed, maybe not but I felt conflicted internally. Perhaps if I wore GQ style clothing longer, I would have gotten used to it.
The book that helped me most with my style/clothing was "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up." The basic idea was to get rid of everything that doesn't make you feel great. This led me to try all my clothes and get rid of all my clothes that didn't make me feel great.
Now I am not fashionable guy but feel I wear clothes that line up with my personality better. Mostly, outdoorsy/sporty style.
If you're still overwhelmed, consider hiring a stylist and we'll do the work for you :)
Also, last year, I bought (discounted) brown/tan leather shoes that fit my feet perfectly. I feel that was a good move. Was my wife's idea to get it though :)