My reason for not wearing sandals with socks has nothing to do with a rule, it's about common sense: if it's hot enough to wear sandals then it's too hot to wear socks, and if it's cold enough to wear socks it's too cold to wear sandals.
The main exception where in my opinion it can look good is when someone is dressed entirely in gym wear and they have white socks with slides, they just look like a athlete who's prioritizing recovery.
When I first started caring about style I followed these rules religiously. But as I've started experimenting and having fun with my outfits more I've intentially broken them and gotten some cool results! It's definitely good advice to not take rules too seriously, but to see what works best for you. Great video as always!
"Never wear blue with black" I literally have never heard this all my life is this a thing in America only? I've always wore blue with black and have seen many do so where I live
It depends. I think a black leather jacket works with dark denim very well. Also black dress shoes with navy suit work just as well as dark brown shoes.
Wearing a white t-shirt, especially in some super casual outfits, can look great - it sends a subtle message of cleanliness. Plus it's another layer. A couple things to be cognizant of: 1) make sure it's a white t-shirt, not an undershirt, and 2) make sure the crew neck fits your neck well - no stretched out t-shirt neck.
Twenty, thirty, and some 40 somethings who have the looks and build can pull off any tweak of the rules and make it an attractive fashion 'statement'. But as gravy and gravity take its toll, a half tucked in shirt with no belt becomes just that.
Regarding no wearing belts, I personally don't think a pair of pants/jeans have a "cleaner look" without a belt. A belt is a great accessory to your wardrobe, with the purpose of keeping your pants in place, looks good when matching with your shoes, and it can be useful for other stuff like spanking your kids when they throw a tantrum ha ha, you can use a belt as a weapon when needed, you can use a belt as a torniquete, pull someone to safety etc. It can be a good tool
Summary guy here 1. Your shoes and belts have to match (2:24) 2. Your metals have to match (3:22) 3. Don't wear blue & black together (4:05) 4. Always wear a belt (4:39) 5. Never wear graphic tees (5:24) 6. No logos or branding (5:59) 7. Your undershirt shouldn't be visible (6:35) 8. Don't wear neck ties, with button down collars (7:54) 9. No socks with sandals (8:52) Remember to like the video :) - Have a great day!
One rule I see all to often is that everything needs to be slim fit. There's nothing wrong with them but it can just get boring after a while. I love look of oversized tops, wider pants, chunky shoes, all that good stuff.
rule 4: always wear a belt with dress slacks. if you don't it either looks sloppy or that you forgot to put your belt on. also, a nice leather belt is a fashion piece that adds to the look of your outfit.
If i were to try using socks with sandals (and that is a BIG IF) i would try to match the color of the socks with the color of the sandal. The contrast of the white sock seems ridiculous to me (maybe i am too old lol !!!). Great video, as always
I've intentionally broken at least half of these. A semi-buttoned up or open flannel with a henley underneath is my favourite thing to wear period. Once I purchase a knit tie, I am absolutely breaking the button-down collar rule as well. BTW, the upfront ad is way better than trying to shoehorn it into the video, keep this up.
Brock, I totally agree with your thoughts on Rule #8. My personal style tends toward East Coast traditional. An oxford cloth button down collar shirt with a knit or repp striped tie, tied with a four-in-hand knot is a timeless classic. Heck, I sometimes wear an OCBD with a bow tie. Talk about old school.
In Mexico City mornings are cool enough that socks with sandals are comfortable,. By noon things warm enough that you can comfortable take your socks off. I think comfort should be the rule when it comes to socks with sandals
I’m all for avoiding logos, aside from those that are considered part of the design (the aforementioned Ralph Lauren polo logo and the like) but what are you supposed to do, have the logo removed? There is no excuse for socks with sandals, buy the comfortable shoe you’re looking for.
@@giacomo8875 I disagree. If you never learn the rules, you can unintentionally break them when trying to look good, which might make you look like an idiot
@Pelloo rules aren't written in stone and menswear are constantly changing, even the classic elegance will fade away someday. Not in a far future. The vast majority of the people already dress in a casual way or wear streetwear all the time.
@@giacomo8875 a style rule does not equate that you need to dress formal. And I didn't say that these style rules will exist forever. But they have been implemented as a "rule" for a reason. And it is important if you care about style that you are aware of that reason so that if you break the rule, you are ignoring the reason purposefully, and not ignorantly
During the 80s I used to wear neckties as belts. Did a lot of thrift store shopping back then and got a lot of cool ties for 50 cents. A lot of great suits from the 50s and 60s for $10. It would cost me more to have them tailored afterwards. I was into the New Wave and Rockabilly fashion trends so I wore those suits and skinny ties for a retro New Wave wibe.
Had never heard the “don’t wear a tie with a button down collar shirt” 😅 definitely a weird “rule”. The socks and sandals is a no, no for me! Hehe. I rarely wear sandals regardless 🤷♂️
I've watched modest man for a long time, but I've noticed recently that the styles presented have migrated from being more classic to just overly trendy. I realize this is entirely subjective, but t-shirts tucked into pants, socks with sandals, or his kimono cardigan are just really odd trends in my opinion. Keep doing you though and making great content!
Rule: "no socks with sandals".... Redundant, it should be just "no sandals". Period. The socks dont even enter this. Grown up men should never be seen in public wearing sandals (except perhaps on the beach and at home).
I always have a bit of undershirt show with my button down collar shirts, and most of my dress shirts & button up shirts have button down collars...for some reason, any other collar looks like a 70s disco shirt on me if left opened.
I love Rule Nr 9... For me personally I would update this rule slightly and say "Never wear sandals instead of to the beach". Reason being, I really dislike sandals personally and I never wear them. But then again, there are people that can pull it off - but I am certainly not one of them :) That's the beauty of it. Style is personal, so do as you feel comfortable!
An awful lot of the videos on style I see are sets of "RULES". More than half I have broken very successfully, and the others I follow simply based on my own personal style, but would break if it were to appeal to me. I know that You Tube and blogging both promote the idea of rule sets as topics, but we need more videos like this where style influencers openly challenge these rules productively. So many of the other rules you don't talk about here relate more to how bad they can turn out if broken in the wrong way, or if you have the wrong silhouette, than to everyone needing to actively avoid breaking them. They are more like areas of style to tread with some self awareness and intentionality. I appreciate how you often offer your viewers more of the base tools to help them make some of these decisions on their own.
Socks in sandals are a problem because they tend to roll off, especially if I walk at a brisk pace. I usually wear socks in sandals off season, when for comfort or medical (!) reasons I cannot wear full shoes. I prefer sandals to house slippers (or flip flops) because they're fastened on the heel so they don't fall off accidentally, so if anyone sees me with socks in sandals, is because I wear them as outdoor-friendly slippers.
I will have to disagree on the metal, 2 tone Rolex works because it’s a single piece, but is also a versatile piece that allows you to wear other silver or gold accessories with it. But if you are wearing an all metal gold watch and a jacket with a silver zipper it looks way off. The only reason the combination you show at 3:55 works is because watch IS NOT gold, but HAS gold, which makes it acceptable to wear with silver. Another clever way of mixing gold and silver is by using transitional items like a silver watch with gold needle or indices like a Silver gold Tissot PRX. I agree with you but I don’t not agree with your delivery
You had me until the socks with sandals thing. Now I'm questioning the whole video. I had never heard the black/blue rule, and do mix those together anyway. I personally think it looks great and it's just a different look than brown.
Never wear a button down shirt with a suit, a sport jacket is fine, but not a business suit. A button down shirt, such as oxford cloth, is not a dress shirt. It's a sport shirt. It looks fine with a rep tie and a navy blazer.
Or just adhere to the classic rules and look dapper and stylish no matter what year. Always be a tad over-dressed for the occasion. Keep clean. Be polite but assertive when need be. And remember the good old adage. Fashion comes and goes but style stays.
Agree so much with #1, #2 & #3. As for #4, one less step, oh yeah ;). Never heard of #8 though. I have worn socks with sandals and still do it some times, it's comfy.
I never understood the button down no tie rule. I think it straight up looks appropriate. Can someone tell me why the button down/no tie thing is a thing, besides button downs are informal? Ties don’t necessarily mean formal.
I personally would never wear socks with sandals however, I think white socks could work if it has coloured soles like white socks with grey soles, white with dark blue soles, or white with black soles. Even grey with coloured soles.
I love belts and have a small collection of novelty buckles that are conversation starters. I even have one I bought in Mexico and has a real scorpion inside a transparent/purple resin ! hahahaha. My star sign (even thought I don't belive at all horoscope bs) is Scorpio so, hey, people love to look at it. Ha ha ha.
Not having your hand in or out of your pocket is not a fashion rule, its body language and sends a really bad message in different cultures. Moreover, the other 8 things are not fashion rules, there is massive difference between Fashion and style, people who say you should not do the other 8 things actually have style. Just because something becomes fashionable or trendy (mainly with the youth tying to look 1990s yawwwwn) does not mean it looks good and hence is devoid of style, aka the kids trying to look like its the 90s with baggy jeans and poorly fitting clothes, some things were mean't to be forgotten!
1. Your shoes and belt has to match 2. Metals have to match 3. Don’t wear blue and black together 4. Always wear a belt 5. Never wear a graphic T-shirt 6. No logos or branding 7. Your undershirt shouldn’t be visible 8. Don’t wear neckties with button down collars 9. No socks with sandals
Regarding your rule about ties with button-down collars: This type of collar is always on a dress shirt ..not a casual or sport shirt.. and is made to be worn with a tie. My longtime favorite is a classic Oxford button-down, which I usually wear these days minus the tie, but that's only because, between the pandemic and my age, I rarely attend formal occasions. I find this a very comfortable, relaxed look ...even with jeans, and looks good on guys of any age. This is the classic "preppy" look that still looks good with (another classic) Oxblood penny loafers or tan suede shoes or boots.
Most rules are based off old traditions and are followed just because of tradition, finding your style is hard, following rules are easy. You do you. I love Navy and Black together!
I like that traditional look with button down collars and ties (around 8:30), maybe because of school uniforms I had to wear. I remember always asking my mom to buy me a new tie. I still have so many ties, feels like a shame to not wear them. I'd feel overdressed in my work office or wearing it out. What are other elements of that look that I can incorporate into work and everyday wear?
Socks with sandals?!?!? I agree with everything else but I have to Strongly disagree with that point. I think a better look with sandals is to have well pedicures feet and toes and that says a lot more about how you like to look presentable in every aspect of your physique, that’s just my humble opinion. 🤙🏼
Are there fashion police to make sure people are keeping the fashion rules? What are the penalties for breaking the rules? I guess I'm lucky, I never got caught.
So many men have done the socks and sandals not knowing that its WRONG!! that we just got used to seeing it. I've tried it with black socks and in an Urban environment it can help keep debris like slivers of glass away from your feet.
Men's style today is to dress like a homeless person. No disrespect to anyone having a hard time. I can relate. But if you have belt loops and no belt you look like you could not afford a belt. Make up your mind. Black with blue is OK if you stand in front of a full length mirror and it honestly looks good to you. But. If you wear a navy or any blue suit with brown dress shoes or any kind of sneakers you just lost me. There are just certain things you don't mix if you want to look well put together. Would you wear a thousand dollar pair of gators with a sweat suit ? No. Also if you are over 21 please dress like an adult. If your outfit looks just like the outfit you sent your kids off to grade school in. Maybe you need to take a second look at yourself. Unless you are headed to the gym or cutting the grass or going to play basketball with friends. I personally think a grown man should appreciate quality and dress in a timeless way. Please go to Nordstrom Dillard's Macy's Von maur instead of Walmart. If I can put your outfit together out of a thrift store . Well you get the picture Please no peacocking No high fashion Just timeless and good quality and fit. Get a good taylor when alterations are necessary.
I disagree on belt loops, sorry! Belt loops = belt. I’ve said similar on GG; Whenever I see someone wearing trousers with belt loops and no belt it just looks to me like they haven’t got dressed properly or didn’t have a belt. Obviously, if your trousers have adjusters then that’s different. I agree on your “no black with blue” case. I wore a blue suit with black oxfords at my wedding and got compliments so that obviously works! Also agree about ties with Oxford button downs, I think it can look neat. Both those rules are stupid. Socks and sandals - No, no and thrice no. The phrase “cold day in hell...” springs to mind. The rest of those rules I’m fairly indifferent towards.
Ofc I agree with it being okay to not wear a belt if you don’t need it. But I always wear a belt cause it makes it more comfortable. It sound weird, I know. But you know when you bend down or sit down you will get this little gap/tention in the back of the trousers. I have always hated that and also thinks it can look quite unattractive… And it happens with all pants, no matter how well or poorly they fit… and I’ve tried with side adjusters and with suspenders but nothing does the trick like a belt🤷♂️ so that’s why I always wear belts (or drawstring). And when it comes to socks in sandals… I hate the looks of it… well some people can pull it off, especially if wearing them with like jeans or something. But I’ve tried myself and it was so uncomfortable and I don’t even understand why it felt uncomfortable?!? I mean… socks and crocs works well… but sandals just felt uncomfortable with socks… I usually don’t follow rules 100% and wouldn’t say that anyone should either. If you feel comfortable and think that you look good you should go for it even if the traditional rules says it doesn’t match or that it is just “wrong”. Two very non-matching colours can actually look good together if done in a certain way and with confidence
This is so true, I sometimes don't wear a belt with Jeans or Khakis and my colleagues question me about it. I just reply that I feel much more comfortable and not necessary look worse.
Funny story about socks with sandals. I am from South India. It is warm and people normally wear sandals over shoes. I don't know the current guidelines. But when I was in school & uni (a good 30 years back), wearing socks with sandals was a bad idea as it was usually done by people with skin conditions including leprosy ! Reminds me of those strict no-no rules!
Never have like graphic tees. My entire wardrobe is clean and simple. There are timeless styles that make building a wardrobe that has a lot of versatility. Im a General Contractor, so away from work I like to have a nice casual dress style. Chukkas and Chelsea boots. Nice pair of dark jeans or khaki pant. Multiple styles of button shirts. Then depending on the occasion, possibly a sport coat, or a peacoat if weather permits.
there are no such thing as "fashion faux pas", as long as you can pull it off anythings game. always annoyed me that people put all these arbitrary rules
I’ve always looked at them more as guidelines, i.e. if you follow them you’ll generally avoid looking like a complete train wreck. Not necessarily hard and fast rules sent down from God that cannot be broken. That being said, if you’re going to move away from them it helps to know what you’re doing.
Never heard or have abides by the no black and blue. If anything, I consider it a classic combination. I've been doing it since I was a teen and I'm 60 now. Agree with the no socks and sandals. In fact, during the 80s teen movies would show the sock and sandal combo being worn by who didn't care how they looked like nerds and geeks. Holds true for adult men. If you're a trendy teen, go for it.
It is good to know the rules, and know why you are breaking the rules. I think the rules are there because some men would look ridiculous if they didn't adhere to the rules.
When it comes to breaking Rule 8: *Brooks* *Brothers* *has* *entered* *the* *chat* But seriously I break that rule every now and then. I still think button downs look better without a tie, *especially* if you’re gonna wear a sports jacket.
First of all; Black & Blue was always my favorite period (Just like Picasso) Secondly; Wearing a Canadian Navy or even better Ink! mixed with Black in the evening is subtilely Awesome. 0
Quite a few of these "rules" are so silly and in fact in *contradiction* to traditional practice that I'd be loathe to ever again trust any style advice from anyone offering them. But I have to say the "no ties with button-down collar" one is so ridiculous I can't imagine anyone has ever actually said it. The collar is quite obviously designed to accept a tie. A better "rule," if one is to have one, would be to not wear it with a suit. The button-down makes the shirt sportswear, not businesswear proper. The fact that people nowadays most frequently go tieless at any level of formality below businesswear is the only thing that might make "no ties with buttondowns" in any way an approximation of good advice. Of course, it would be just as easy to give the actual, accurate description of the button-down collar, and then proceed to score some damage against the general and pervasive problem (as business dress codes become more casual and everything becomes more creative and levels of formality less distinct) of people mixing businesswear proper with sportswear in particularly inelegant looking ways.
I am really enjoying wearing a similar suiting to the one Daniel Craig wears in “No Time To Die’ in Matera Italy, recently! As a 55 year old man in great shape, the suspenders and button collared denim shirt feel just right for some reason?
I watched three of your addictive videos so far and found them educational and entertaining although borderline preachy. It would be fun if you took a field trip through a casino poker room and took volunteers aside to comment on their attire.
Revisiting this yrs later lol... But I always wear a belt bc fabric is maleable and flexibale and stretches and wont always fit the exact same at the end of the day as at the beginning. Also school uniform rules ruined me. Ive been wearing a belt every day for yrs; really since grade school
