“I want to look better.  What should I wear?” I get that question all the time. My answer, however, might surprise you. I don’t point people towards a store, a brand, or even a personal stylist. Before you buy the latest edition of GQ for fashion advice, consider the following:

You have to “feel” good before you can “look” good. Your outlook and attitude have more impact on the way you look than what you’re wearing. You can dress up in the most expensive designer suit, but if you’re a miserable, unhappy person, you’ll still come across as, well, a miserable and unhappy guy with nice clothes on.

All about the fit. Beyond style, well-fitting clothes will make you look your best. I cannot tell you how much better a man looks wearing clothing that fit, instead of over-sized shirts and ill-fitting pants. I wrote more about it here.  This is more on how to wear it than just what to wear.

Know your body. No matter the current trends, find styles and colors that are best for your body and skin tone. There are some universal rules in fashion that one should not break. If you are carrying extra weight, for example, you should avoid wearing horizontal stripes and solid whites. They make you look even bigger. Black, on the other hand, covers a multitude of sins.

Say “no” to fashion pressure. If you’re not comfortable in it, don’t wear it. If you don’t think you can “pull it off” then walk away from it. There’s nothing more unattractive than a man who’s uncomfortable in his own skin. And if your wife, girlfriend, mother (boy that’s a therapy session line up!) buys you something you just cannot see yourself wearing, be true to  yourself and just say no.

What other suggestion would you offer to help a man figure out what to wear?