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©The Renaissance Man Image Consulting
15 ESSENTIAL
MEN’S STYLE
FUNDAMENTALS
Allan Cortes
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©The Renaissance Man Image Consulting
INTRODUCTION
better way to instantly gain a boost in
When I ask men how often they invest
in themselves, they talk about the new
car, TV, vacation, or whatever they
bought. Rarely, do I hear about the new
course they bought into to continue
learning, or finding ways to strengthen
their weaknesses, perhaps executing
on living a more fulfilled life for
themselves. We are often consumed
with material things as a way of
measuring success or happiness. Very
rarely
do
men
continue
growing
mentally, physically, and spiritually
after formal education. Very rarely do
how you feel, in terms of self-worth,
image, and your daily mood than
dressing well. I’m talking about looking
at the man you see in the mirror,
smiling, and knowing you are going to
CRUSH today. It is with great honor
that I share with you 15 Essential Men’s
Style Fundamentals as a way to get you
started in the right direction. So, I raise
a glass and toast to a better, more
confident you. May you live the life you
envision for yourself! And remember,
you have one life to live. Why be
average when you can be great?
we consider investing time and energy
”My days are numbered walking on
on how we can improve on aspects of
this earth so…I’m milking the game for
ourselves such as confidence to take
all it is worth.” – Unknown
action on that idea we’ve been putting
off, ask the pretty girl out on a date, or
go after that promotion at work that
can take our career to the next level.
Very rarely do we stop and think, “I
know I am good now, but how can I be
better?” When it comes to the subject
of building confidence, I know of no
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VISION
get where I’m coming from? 90% of the
time, the ideal you emanates success,
confidence, and the image that is
associated with it.
Get excited to build a wardrobe that
fits you well, that embodies the person
you want to be, look up to and want to
emulate in terms of success, lifestyle,
and style. When you envision the
person you want to be and what that
person
looks
motivated.
This might be the most important style
tip I can give you. It has nothing to do
with style or dressing well rather, the
precursor to it. Vision is key to getting
you started on your style journey! I
need you to envision the person you
want to look like, the ultimate version
of yourself, your best self. What does
that person look like in terms of health,
wealth, career, family, social life, love,
and happiness? Now envision that
ideal version of you being complete
through an immaculate wardrobe.
Someone that encompasses all the
ideal traits you wish to possess. You
like,
it
Motivation
gets
is
you
nothing
without action! Motivation gets you
started, achieving your small goals
keeps you going! Don’t let excuses
keep you from becoming the stylish
man you deserve to be.
How would the most stylish and
groomed version of yourself benefit in
terms of social life or interacting with
women? In business or your career?
How others treat you? Your status as a
man and confidence? When you look
good, you feel good, and you give
yourself
permission
to
personal
success.
starts
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It
achieve
with
imagination, a desire to change your
shirt it will fit nicely on my shoulders
current situation, and have a vision of
but, I have a lot of extra fabric around
what the new, improved, powerful,
the waist. Hence, I look like a dope.
version of you will look like!
Instead, if I go for an extra-slim fit shirt
one size larger, there is a perfect
FIT
amount of room in the shoulders,
Fit makes the difference between
looking ok, to looking like $1 million
bucks. Seriously, this is the thing 90%
of guys get completely wrong. Some
gentlemen don’t even know their
clothes fit them incorrectly. But, it’s not
their fault. It’s confusing as it is! You go
to one store and the medium shirt fits
you one way. Then, you go to the other
and you realize you’re a small size? No
wonder guys get it wrong, how clothes
tapered around the chest, and a lot
less fabric around the waist. Boom! I
went from ehh to… who’s that guy!?
Of course I don’t expect you to know all
this. The point I am trying to illustrate
is you need to place emphasis on fit to
bring out your best natural features.
Why be average looking, when you
could be the best version of you? You
know you deserve the best.
fit is unique to every person. There is
no one size fits all and it sure as hell
does not come in a box via mail. It has
to be tailored to you.
For example, I have an athletic build. I
tend to have a wide back, broad
shoulders
and
a
smaller
waist.
Somewhat like an inverted triangle.
Therefore, if I wear a medium dress
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COLOR COORDINATION
beginning. I.e. greys, blacks, blues,
browns maybe some whites. Then as
you become more comfortable mixing
and matching the neutrals, try adding
hints of bolder color in the mix.
A properly color coordinated outfit
makes the difference between an
average and a well-dressed man, don’t
just throw on whatever you reach for in
This subject alone can tie fit for the #1
the closet. Give it a little bit of thought
thing men struggle with in terms of
and effort, then watch the heads starts
style. I hear you, I was there once. Not
turning!
only do you have to make sure clothes
fit you right, you have to color
HYGIENE
coordinate your outfits? Oh yeah! It can
This fundamental rule is so
be confusing at first, especially with
important it almost made it to number
that damn color wheel. Maybe you
one! No matter how great you look,
weren’t
how sharply you are dressed, not
the
most
gifted
color
coordinated kid in elementary school
having
art. Just follow the guideline I am about
guaranteed to ruin your image. The
to layout to give you a good starting
olfactory nerves in your nose which
point.
transmit smell as a sensation to the
To get you color coordinated with the
lowest amount of risk so you don’t
have to stress about how you look,
stick with neutral or dark colors in the
good
hygiene
habits
are
brain are one of the oldest parts of
your brain that relates sense to
emotion. If you are on a date, at a bar
or the club, and you are with women
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who are innately driven to be more in
before you put clothes on. Have the
tune with their emotions, they will have
discipline to do these things every day
a lasting perception, impression, and
until it becomes a habit. Habits make
memory of you based on smell alone.
your life easier (positive habits, in this
Hence, if the olfactory nerves in the
case). At work, buy a second set of your
nose relate to emotion, and you smell
hygiene products and store them
like a middle school locker room, then
inside a tote bag. Place it in your desk.
she will forever connect your smell as a
After lunch, repeat your morning
negative emotional memory every
routine i.e. brush teeth, cleanse face,
time she thinks of you. You just struck
and reapply deodorant (as needed).
out before getting the opportunity to
This will ensure your breath, pits, and
bat my friend.
face are in good shape after half a day
To facilitate good hygiene practices,
make it so easy to do you never forget!
For example, develop a grooming
station. When you wake up, start in the
bathroom,
keep
all
the
at work. Not only will you feel
refreshed, you will feel confident
knowing you are presentable and clean
interacting with your coworkers.
hygiene
Bad breath? You don’t stand a chance
essentials in one spot so you don’t
with her. Stinky pits? No one wants to
forget instead of having to move back
go near you. Unkempt hair? You look
and forth around your place getting
like you just rolled out of bed, it’s not
ready. You are already in a rush or time
attractive. If you have all of these
constraint. This makes remembering a
things taken care of. Just the opposite.
lot easier. Such as, in the bathroom
Go get em’ tiger!
station, brush your teeth, wash your
face, put on deodorant, spray a bit of
cologne on, and style your hair even
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SHOES
message. You can gauge a man’s
attention to detail and his personality
by the shoes he wears and how he
maintains them. It sounds so
unimportant but, look at it from
someone else’s perspective. If you are
trying to take someone serious in
business, the workplace, or if you
were a girl looking at you, what
message would you want to send? “I
am a man who is in control, takes
pride in taking care of himself, and
confident in my appearance”. These
This is so underestimated that I added
to the 15 style rules. When a women
checks you out for the first time when
you‘re out with friends, at the coffee
shop, at the bar, where do you think
she starts? Look down and you shall
see! Shoes! A well-rounded stylish
man has the finishing touches of his
appearance down. His hair and shoes!
You want to send a consistent
message from the bottom up. Wellfitted clothes with unpolished, scuffed
or worn out shoes do not send that
are all qualities of a physically
attractive man with a potentially great
personality. These are signals of an
alpha male’s personality. Who doesn’t
want to be in control of themselves?
Traits that women are attracted to,
employers seek, and people who
others want to do business with.
I’m not saying you have to wear a suit
and leather shoes at all times. Rather,
whatever shoes you do wear for the
occasion, take pride in keeping them in
good condition. When they have seen
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their final days throw them out and
solid, yet, simple variety. Shoes that
invest in a new pair. Stick to a
give
maintenance plan. Try wiping your
personality. Make a statement. It starts
shoes down once before your week
with your shoes!
starts. Once a month, invest in a good
shoe cleaner, remove any dirt and
scuffs on the shoes. For your leather
shoes grab a beer on a Sunday
morning,
invest
in
a
leather
you
versatility,
style,
and
(Bonus: for more in-depth information
about
shoes,
check
out
The
Renaissance Man Image Consulting,
“The 5 Must Have Men’s Shoes” on
YouTube.)
conditioner, put your back into it and
SMILE!
bring those shoes back to life!
When it comes to shoes you need to
have diversity in your closet for any
occasion. For example, something
formal for business, special events, or
an
upscale
social event.
Also,
a
business casual shoe, the go to
everyday shoe you wear to work.
Something casual yet still professional.
In addition, you need an all-around
weekend casual shoe or boot that can
be worn with almost everything. Lastly,
you want a shoe you can wear going
This isn’t so much about style as it is
out with the boys to hit the bars, or
about being charming, although, these
other evening social events. It sounds
two complement one another very
like a lot, however, when you have a
nicely. No one likes to hang out with a
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square or socialize with someone who
with
looks unapproachable. Women want
attractiveness
to hang out and flirt with the guys who
confidence to the mix, and a touch of a
are fun. The guys who have confident
Renaissance Man. Smile a lot. Smile
personalities. Then men who SMILE.
often. Be a Renaissance Man.
Your friends want to invite you out
because your fun, outgoing, and you
have a smile that is captivating. Would
you want invite that friend who doesn’t
seem to be enjoying himself, isn’t
excited, and doesn’t smile? Me either. I
am more inclined to want to hang out
with friends who smile and bring
Making an effort to genuinely smile at
sends
smile.
You
into
are
the
adding
equation,
POSTURE
This is one of those quick, yet, not so
easy fixes you can implement to make
your appearance more confident and
grounded. The reason I say it’s a not so
easy fix is because bad habits are hard
to break. If you have a history of
slouching when you sit, stand, or when
positivity.
friends,
a
coworkers,
a
message
and
strangers
of
positivity,
approachability, and likeability. Try it.
Smile at someone today with a dull
expression,
maybe
someone
who
looks like they might be having a bad
day. 90% of the time they will smile
back. You never know when you will
make someone’s day.
relaxing this can be an ingrained
unconscious process your mind and
body have adjusted to. As you might
know, habits can take a varying
amount of time alter. A Stanford study
performed on more than one hundred
people said, it took an average of 66
days for all the test subjects to change
a habit. The range was from 13 to 200+
days. Imagine a lifetime of poor
posture? The good news is, we are
In terms of style, the package you are
learning machines! With a bit of initial
presenting is taken to the next level
discipline
you
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©The Renaissance Man Image Consulting
can
re-learn
good
posture until it becomes a habit. If you
A couple good tricks to prevent
feel yourself slouching immediately
slouching include spreading your feet
correct it and tell yourself, “This is not
slightly. One foot in front of the other
good posture. I want to exemplify
while using your rear leg to support
charisma and confidence with a great
your back and prevent unintentional
posture, straighten up!” You will be
slouching. Your rear leg and butt act as
surprised at how you possess the
a support to straighten out your back.
ability to condition your mind!
Another trick, have your feet shoulder
So where is a good place to start? Start
small by reminding yourself to hold
your head upright when standing as if
someone was pulling at an imaginary
string attached behind the lower part
of your head. Your chin not too high,
width apart and toes pointed slightly
in. It may feel awkward, although, this
acts as a subconscious reminder to
stand upright because of the unnatural
yet, intentional direction of your feet.
HAIRCUT
shoulders slightly back and chest
subtly pushed out. Your feet should be
shoulder with apart, hands on your
waist.
This
confident,
posture
dominant
is
but
grounded,
not
too
intimidating or threating. It says, “Hey
everyone, I’m here, I’m present, I am
confident, and I am not intimidated by
the crowd.” Throw a smile into the mix,
and well, I’m no expert but some might
say, you look like a Renaissance Man!
The
last
aspect
of
your
overall
appearance someone looks at when
they interact with you is your hair.
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When the ladies are checking you out,
complete strangers that will tell you
when you are networking, or at the job
like it is. The beautiful thing about hair?
interview. You should implement a
It ALWAYS grows back. (Yes, even if you
consistent routine for maintaining your
have a bald spot or two).
appearance including your hair. Maybe
a haircut every two weeks? That way
GROOMING
you will be confident and prepared for
any occasion. Like shoes, a proper
haircut helps define you. It gives off
personality.
haircut
Done
can
masculinity
to
well,
the
right
add
definition
and
an
otherwise
soft
appearance of the face. It’s not just
about the look. You know the feeling
you get when you have the fresh
haircut before that epic night out? That
feeling of completion and readiness to
tackle the week? It’s not just a feeling,
its confidence. Don’t neglect your hair.
Try out different hairstyles. Maybe
there is someone you look up to? A
celebrity with locks any man would
envy? Don’t be afraid to explore. You
will try some styles you like and others
you might regret. That’s okay. Get
honest input from people you trust or
The essential manly daily basics. If you
stink
you’re
screwed.
Scent
is
memorable. A bad scent even more
memorable. If you grooming routine
resembles looking like Chewbacca, you
need a professional to help you out.
You must make sure your grooming is
on point before you step out in your
flawlessly planned outfit. If you don’t
get this right it doesn’t matter how
awesome your outfit is, people will
have a tendency to focus on your
overgrown nose hairs, the gunk in your
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ears, or your uneven beard. A good
morning.
place
cleanser in the morning and before
to
start
with
grooming
is
Wash your face with a
maintenance. Brush your teeth twice a
bed.
day. This is to ensure your breath
acne/blackhead free skin. It adds to
smells good and your teeth are
your overall appearance. And who
healthy. Clean your ears at least every
doesn’t like having awesome skin?
other day. You would be surprised how
fast ear wax can build up. You might
not see it, but people can.
Trim overgrown nose hair. This
You
want
to
have
clear
I may sound like your mother here but
a lot of simple things done on a regular
basis go a long way. Like I mentioned,
make
this
part
of
your
helps you look more presentable. If
morning/evening ritual and you will
you have eyebrows that resemble a
make a good habit of it. You can even
fuzzy caterpillar, trim them up a bit.
invest in a travel kit with all these
Trim your facial hair. If you can’t grow a
essentials, should you ever find the
beard, ditch the patchy attempt at one.
need to freshen up on the road or at
Go clean shaven or work with what you
work. It may seem like a lot of work but
have (soul patch, goatee, etc.). Keep it
you are worth all the time it takes. This
all under control. If you decide to rock
will all benefit you long-term. Other
the beard, awesome! You should still
people including your boss, women,
keep it defined and trim any areas that
friends, and co-workers can all notice
do not make it look symmetrical.
the little details in grooming.
Deodorize. Body odor is not
flattering to anyone. I would not feel
the most confident wondering if I stink
or not. Bathe daily! Either before bed,
after a workout or first thing in the
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still look average in well fitted clothes if
you are under or overweight and
neglecting your health. The best cure,
FITNESS
beyond decent tailoring, for an illfitting wardrobe is to get in shape.
I am sorry to inform you there is no
“quick fix” or “magic pill” you can take
to improve your overall fitness, lose
weight and reduce body fat. Years of
negligence
to
your
body
from
mediocre nutrition or lack of exercise
cannot be fixed overnight. But, it can
be improved over time by having
discipline to build good nutritional and
There is only so much you can do to
make you clothes “fitted” or “tailored”
to your body type. How your clothes
look on you can take a whole different
form based on your physique and
whether you are under, average, or
exercise
habits.
For
example,
transitioning away from unhealthy
foods, incorporating exercise daily, and
most importantly, mentally letting go
of the person you were for who you
want to become.
overweight. Perhaps you have a little
The great news is, no matter what walk
extra junk on you that you’ve been
of life you come from or whatever self-
neglecting the past few years, maybe
imposed limitations held you back in
reaching for too many cheeseburgers
the past, you do have an awesome
and neglecting your fitness. You can
body, it’s just hiding under some junk.
All you have to do is put in the sweat,
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focus, time, and nutrition in order for
accidently threw them in the dryer
you to get it out. You will have to say no
right? As a quick reference, buy your
to more things than you say yes to but,
clothes
I promise you it is worth it. It will pay off
instructions on the tag. This is your
for your style, image, and most
best bet on how to get the most out of
importantly
them over the long run. When all else
for
your
health
and
longevity.
and
read
the
wash/care
fails follow this rule: wash your clothes
CLOTHING CARE
with cold water, normal wash cycle,
similar colors, mild detergent, and
hang them to dry. Whatever you do, do
not put them in the dryer. This will
shrink
and
discolor
your
clothes
quickly. You thought you looked sexy in
a medium huh? Well try a small sized
cropped top instead (you should have
been an 80’s child).
(Bonus:
adding
those
delicious
smelling soft pads when in the dryer is
a mistake, the chemicals in in them will
damage the quality of the fibers in your
clothes.)
Smell or style? You choose, live or die!
In terms presentability and return on
The only clothing items you should put
investment, clothing care is a must.
in the dryer are those no one will see
You don’t want to ruin all the awesome
(i.e. undies and most socks) or stuff you
clothes in your wardrobe because you
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are okay with getting beat up, think
items you most frequently use i.e.
workout clothes, towels, and such.
dress shirts, pants, jeans, dress shoes,
(Extra Bonus: take some time to learn
about the different types of fabrics you
usually wear, this will determine how
you wash, dry, and handle your
boots, accessories, etc. The casual
weekend stuff need not break the
bank! As for the items you decide to
invest more $ into, if your new to the
style game invest in medium to
clothes.)
medium-high quality/priced items in
QUALITY
neutral colors, think whites, blues,
greys, blacks! These can easily mix and
match. As you step up your style game
your will become more confident in
throwing some color into the mix.
Nothing hurts more than when you
buy an awesome shirt you saw on the
manikin with crazy colors and designs
Ah yes, the age old debate, to quality or
only to realize, “Dear God, what have I
to affordability or to both or neither?
done!? I don’t know what to wear with
The answer is one, but not the other,
this (begin sad music)”. When you
but not both. Just kidding. Quality in
invest in better quality you get more
your wardrobe will be determined by
bang for your $ in the long-run. Not to
your style, profession, and budget. For
mention, if your industry involves with
example, if you work a 9 to 5 job in a
working with people or sales, others
business casual setting five days a
will notice quality and this becomes
week. The majority of your wardrobe
part of your overall image.
will consist of business casual clothing.
Hence, quality will be placed on the
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(Bonus: invest in quality outerwear
THE OCCASSION
such as a grey peacoat, or authentic
brown leather jacket to layer on the
style! You will only buy these once
every few years.)
Contrary to popular belief, those of us
on a budget run for popular “stylish”
low cost retail stores like H&M, Zara,
Cotton On, etc. I get it, it’s cheap so you
can buy a lot of it and for the most part
it looks good. Wouldn’t it be better to
have less clothes that fit you right and
are good quality? You end up buying
lots of cheap clothes that damage
easily, end up not wearing, and are not
Dressing for the occasion is one of
all that comfortable. I recommend
those issues us men face often. “Hmm,
purchasing quality that only needs to
what should I wear today? Brown
be replaced every so often, fits great,
shoes with jeans? Do these colors
and is versatile.
“match”? Who will I be meeting with
(Bonus: for some addition style, outfit
tips and ideas, follow The Renaissance
Man Image Consulting on Instagram:
@real.renaissance.man)
today? Is that business casual or
casual?” This is conversation most of us
have on a daily basis. Don’t just wing it,
first impressions go a long way. You
never know who you will meet where
you are going. At work, a properly
coordinated, clean, and presentable
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outfit can make the difference for that
occasion. The small details and overall
promotion
style knowledge comes together when
you’ve
always
wanted.
Don’t be the guy who wears the same
thing to every event. I.e. the shorts and
sandals guy, or the cheesy graphic tshirt and sneakers man. Yes, you want
to be yourself but, we live in a
judgmental world. So if you want to
impress women, the boss, or feel
better in what you wear. Take the time
to coordinate what you wear. Have fun
doing it! It feels good knowing you not
only fit into your surroundings, but that
you went above and beyond. Taking
your style and presence in the room to
you dress for the occasion.
TERMINOLOGY
It sounds like I might be getting too
technical here but knowing clothing
terminology is important when you are
going to make purchases and weigh
out quality over price. Are those shoes
really worth what they are asking for?
What type of clothing pieces should I
invest more money into? How often
will I be wearing it? Not to mention the
season and physical temperature.
Would you wear a wool fabric in the
the next level.
You know what I mean, that time you
looked so good with what you had on
that everyone in the room was giving
you second looks, the time you caught
that chick checking you out. Why not
have the same results every day? You
need to bend over backwards to dress
for the occasion, then you just look like
you tried too hard. Just give it a little
thought and effort in dressing for the
summer? Unless you are trying to
sweat profusely and looking to lose
some water weight, go right ahead.
Instead, try some breathable fabrics
like linen or seersucker. You get my
point here? Some fabric/clothing types
are
more
expensive
and
require
special care i.e. silks, cashmere blends,
wools, etc. Becoming familiar with
some basic terminology can go a long
way.
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BUILDING YOUR
WARDROBE
off with more conservative or neutral
colors in your wardrobe. As you get
more comfortable add a touch a color
here and there. Perfect your look by
always being groomed, having good
hygiene, and getting the perfect haircut
for yourself.
Lastly, I want to say that most men
overlook their image and how they
present themselves to the world. This
is a direct reflection of your beliefs,
competence, personality, and other
personality traits. More importantly
than for others, invest in your image
because it will make you feel more
confident daily, change how women
The task of building that effortless,
immaculate, and versatile wardrobe to
bring out the best version of you that
you have always dreamed of can sound
daunting. It is. Unless, you know where
to start. I recommend staring off by
investing in essentials you will need on
a daily basis with respect to your style
goals, profession, and budget. Get the
perceive you, give you social influence,
and will command respect.
Dressing well builds confidence,
confidence is a foundational pillar to
your success and that success begets
true happiness. So here’s to your
happiness! Become a
#RenaissanceMan.
most return on investment by starting
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Exclusive Offer: If you are interested
in taking your style to the next level, I
can work with you one-on-one to help
build you a tailored made wardrobe,
confidence, and results. Schedule a
free phone consultation via email at:
[email protected]
The Renaissance Man Image
Consulting
www.RMimage.com
YouTube: theRMimage
Instagram: @real.renaissance.man
Facebook.com/theRMimage
Snap Chat: theRMimage
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