If you’re like any other man, at some point in time you’ve probably asked yourself what you can do to impress women.
You know that you could land a good job, get a better car, join a gym, or take a few pointers in how to talk to women. But if you’re like most men, you might have overlooked the very first thing a woman will notice when you approach her:
Your style.
Clothes make the man. Successful, charming, and attractive men rarely look like hobos who camp out under bridges. Before you even open your mouth, a woman has looked you up and down and decided whether or not she’s attracted to you, and your style is a huge part of that. But if you haven’t given yourself a wardrobe overhaul since you graduated from college, you’re going to start looking like that hobo and losing points with the ladies. It’s time for a change.
But before you go out and spend your hard-earned cash on the clothes that make a statement about you before you make a statement about yourself, check out these ten style tips for Asian men and avoid wasting money on a fashion disaster.
1) Buy decent quality clothes.
Most Asian men make at least one of several cardinal mistakes when buying new clothes, but we’ll get to the rest of them in a moment. For now, let’s talk about the most important – quality. It doesn’t matter how well your clothes fit, how incredible the color is, how fashionable they are, or how perfect your outfit is if it looks like you made it out of a burlap sack. Cheap t-shirts from Target are great for washing your car or going to the gym, but the fabric is thin and wears out quickly. Who wants to look like a frat boy forever? If you want to excel, you don’t, but unfortunately a lot of Asian men are too eager for a bargain to hunt beyond the bargain bin; it’s like we’re genetically predisposed to want to pay as little as possible. You don’t have to spend a million bucks to look like a million bucks; just make sure your clothes are well-made and made to last.
It might be a little more expensive, but you’re saving money in the long run.
2) Invest in a good vest.
Every man needs to own a suit – period – so I’m just going to assume that you already own one. But do you have a vest? Vests are excellent options for more formal occasions, but they can also be worn over a t-shirt to dress up a casual event. It’s a quick and simple way to take your outfit one step above everyone else. And for the Asian man who is often more slender than his American counterparts, there’s an added benefit: vests can give your slight frame a more masculine shape. Think about it, what’s great about a woman in a corset? It emphasizes her hourglass figure and makes her waist look smaller. What’s great about a man in a vest? It emphasizes the “golden triangle” of his torso (think Superman) and makes his shoulders look broader.
A vest makes your torso look a lot better.
3) Befriend a tailor.
Tailor, tailor, TAILOR your suits! A suit that is too small is only going to make you look fat and broke, even if you’re not. A suit that is too big makes you look like you’ve hastily purchased it for your upcoming DUI hearing. Many Asian men who lack the cheap gene make the mistake of thinking that if they purchase an Armani or a Brooks Brothers that they’ve got it made, because money is money and money is king. It’s great if you can afford that kind of top-notch quality, but if it doesn’t fit, you’d have been better off at Sears. A good tailor can shorten a hemline and make short men look taller. He can also cut suit jackets so they don’t fall off your shoulders or adjust the length so it falls at the appropriate level (this can also make you look taller), and he can sew darts into your slacks so they don’t bunch up when you belt them because they’re one inch too big. Always assume that suits are made to generic sizes and factor the price of tailoring into your clothing budget.
A tailored suit makes all the difference.
4) Dress for your body type.
It’s okay to acknowledge that you’re different from everyone else. Maybe you’re tall and lanky. Maybe you’re short and stocky. Maybe you’ve got broad shoulders and rippling chest muscles. But the same fashions won’t work as well on you as they will on other body types. A lot of Asian men, for example, tend to have pretty short legs. You can always try the nifty shoe tip I mention below to make you look taller, but you can also alter your style to your height. Wear pinstripes – the vertical striping will help elongate your frame. Wear one color – this will eliminate any breaks in your frame, keep a woman’s eyes moving, and make you look taller. Avoid heavy fabrics – these weigh you down and make you look stumpy. If you’re unsure, just ask someone who works at the store, especially someone female (she’s more likely to be fashionably inclined, and maybe you can get her number).
Pinstriped shirts make you look taller.
5) Pay attention to your shoes.
The best outfit will be completely thrown off by ratty old footwear, but good shoes are often expensive, and for the money-conscious man they’re often the last thing replaced because he thinks nobody will notice (women notice). If you’re wearing dress shoes, shine them; it looks like you’ve put a lot more effort into your appearance when you pay attention to the small details. If you’re wearing sneakers, try to make sure they complement the rest of your outfit; those bright red basketball shoes might look awesome and flashy in the store, but they have no place in your outfit if you’re trying to impress a woman. And here’s a super-secret tip for my height-challenged Asian brethren: good boots or good dress shoes usually give you an extra inch in height through the heel and sole, but you can also purchase hidden heel supports you can put in the bottom of your shoe to give you another inch or two in height.
6) Take care of your greasy face.
If you’ve got acne, I sympathize with you. I know how hard it can be to control a problem that can hit hard and fast like an awful pimple. But consult with a dermatologist if over-the-counter remedies just aren’t helping. The most well-put-together outfit is meaningless if your date is distracted by the accessories Mother Nature decided to put on your face. If you don’t have acne but you sweat a lot, pick up the habit of carrying blotting papers in your wallet. These are insanely popular in most of Asia. They’re small and discreet, and they help absorb the oil and sweat that make you look like you haven’t washed your face today.
Make sure you treat your oily skin.
7) Beware the Asian chin pubes.
If you’re one of those rare Asian men who can grow a respectable beard, lucky you. Rock that, because beards are IN right now. But fess up to the fact that you can’t grow a decent beard if that’s the truth. Most Asian men can’t grow beards, and what little facial hair you produce is sparse, coarse, and scraggly like pubic hair. You know what you look like when you’re trying desperately to make those three scraggly chin pubes grow in? A little boy, a slob, or a trench coat flasher. You want to be none of these things. Being completely clean-shaven is a much better option (and will make you look far more mature) than desperately clinging on to patchy facial hair.
The chin pubes are nasty.
8) Be prepared to spend more than $12 on a haircut.
This is quite possibly the single biggest problem facing Asian men – hair. It’s coarse, it has a mind of its own, and it can be difficult to style. Too many Asian men attempt to tame their hair by getting a Kpop haircut; if it works for celebrities, why not you? Unfortunately these styles require a LOT of maintenance in the form of product and styling tools, and when you don’t style them, you end up looking like a Furby. Instead, go to a salon (not a Wal-Mart cut and run) and opt for something that takes five minutes or less to fix (like a fauxhawk) or is versatile enough to be left unattended and work-appropriate by day (like a pompadour). The advantage to these two long on top, short on the sides styles is that they help to elongate the extra-wide or round faces that many Asians are plagued by. A seasoned stylist will be expensive, but will be able to tell you what works for your facial shape and what products will control your hair. So definitely go find a haircut that works for you.
It’s very hard to make kpop hair work. Avoid this unless you have hours per day for your hair.
The fauxhawk is much easier to maintain and style.
9) Play with some color.
I’ve noticed a peculiar tendency among several Asian men to find something that works – just the one or two things – and stick to it like glue, like an overabundance of white button-ups or way too many identical indigo-blue blue jeans to make sense. But there’s a problem with that; it’s easy, but it’s seriously boring and you’re not going to impress anyone. If you’re on the pale-skinned side like my Korean and Chinese friends, try dressing in jewel tones, like a rich sapphire or stunning emerald dress shirt. If you’re on the darker-skinned side like much of Southeast Asia, you can pull off lighter colors without looking washed out and sick (just think how many black and Hispanic celebrities wear white suits). Buy dark jeans in addition to your standard plain ones. Here’s a tip: if your wardrobe is so bland that you can wash all of your laundry in the same load without having to separate it, you have too little color and you’re boring the ladies. Just don’t make the mistake of wearing a lime green suit with a pink button-up underneath. You’re not a pimp, you’re a gentleman.
“Adding a pop of color helps to make you stand out.”
10) Accessorize, but don’t overdo it.
So you’ve got a good suit, you’ve had it tailored, and you think you’re looking like a million bucks. Now what? You accessorize. Most Asian men fall into one of two categories: they either wear nothing but that Velcro-banded watch they’ve had since high school, or they pile on the gold chains and fedoras until Flavor Flav is jealous. The key to accessorizing is to not overdo it. A silk handkerchief or pocket square adds a little something extra to a suit that would otherwise be drab and boring. Cuff links can make you look more polished. The right watch can take you from overgrown teenager to sophisticated gentleman. Having no accessories makes you look like a novice in the eyes of women, but making yourself too flashy or attempting to peacock makes you look like a toddler in daddy’s clothes.
“Unless you’re Ben Baller, you don’t need that many chains.”
Written by Cindy Young