Happy 2025! We hope that the festive season went perfectly for you and that you’re looking forward to the year ahead. But what about those resolutions?
New Year’s Resolutions, otherwise known as; the rules that are meant to be broken. None of us are saints, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that the resolutions often don’t last the entire year. Real life gets in the way of best intentions, and priorities shift back to normal once the year gets underway.
However, we’d like to suggest a resolution that will benefit how you feel, affect how people look at you and best of all, one you might actually keep - dress better!
As we all know, the death of good plans can be setting your goals too high, so we want to make sure that this resolution is a sustainable one. We’re not suggesting you change your style drastically, spend loads of money on extravagant outfits, or really to change your routine in any other measurable way. As we stride confidently into 2025, let's see if we can give you a map to continuing sartorial success.
Smarten up…occasionally
Dressing better doesn’t mean a sea change. Neither does it mean getting out your gladrags at every available opportunity. Do you have a big meeting that day? A date with your partner you’ve been looking forward to? Or maybe you have someone you want to impress? Making an effort with your outfit is something that can be most rewarding when done with restraint. These days, people are dressing up for work less and less, and the chances to go out can seem fewer and fewer as venues close and responsibilities get in the way. However, if you have something good to put on when you have the opportunity, it’ll really help the occasion feel that bit more elevated.
Don’t be afraid of colour
Take a look at the racks in a smart men’s clothing shop - what do you see? Beige, taupe, charcoal, chestnut, maybe some maroon or navy if you’re lucky. This at first glance may seem a little limiting. We’d like to add one enormous caveat to that however, and say that these are perfect base tones for more interesting accessories.
Bringing some interest and detailing into your outfit with well chosen accessories is a signature move for fans of Cravat Club. Making a subtle statement with a colourful cravat print or artfully-placed pocket square is the stuff of true sartorial flair, making your outfit not just more interesting to look at, but for you to wear too. Furthermore (and much as it pains us) this shouldn’t be limited to cravats and pocket squares either; the right shoes or a confident tie can be the thing that lifts an outfit from middle-of-the-road to outstanding. As any fool knows, the devil is in the details.
Avoid the ruts
Finding a style and sticking to it; perhaps the biggest fashion sin that men regularly partake in, especially as they get older. Now, we’re not suggesting that having a “thing” is bad, far from it. We’re just saying that sartorial ruts can be easy to fall into, limiting your aesthetic potential and eventually turning boring for everyone.
Changing up small things about your outfit, such as your accessories, is a great way to keep your look fresh and evolving while not undermining the core “message” it’s giving. For example, the same suit can pair beautifully with several ties or cravats, providing the colours and/or patterns are chosen properly. In fact, wearing such an outfit slightly “out of context”, such as dressing slightly up for a casual event or down for a formal event can make you stand out, proving your look’s versatility.
What’s more, accessories are a great place to invest your money. Think how much a woman spends on a handbag or a necklace versus what she may spend on a t-shirt. Do you know why that is? Because a bag is versatile, genuinely useful and must be employed successfully with more than one outfit. What’s more, it always needs to look great and fit with her personal aesthetics when in use. When you apply the same logic to your own choices, it’s obvious that it’s accessories, not basics, that mark you out as a fashionable gent.
A slight change means a big change
One thing further about details - they tend to really stand out if you have a signature style. This of course only works if you’re consistent; your accessories need to work and look natural, but also add something to the outfit that simply would not be there otherwise. Emanating style can look easy, but we can’t lie to you; it does take practice. Who hasn’t worn something ill-advised in their fashion career? Choose accessories on the basis of rotating around the fixed point of a favourite outfit; you’ll be astounded as it becomes way more than the sum of its parts.
Look the part, be the part
And so, we come to the final point about why keeping your new year’s resolutions matters - they make you feel good! The entire reason we suggest keeping your stylistic cues in tip-top shape is to get you feeling your best. Ever hear of dopamine dressing? Looking like a good fit for something can make you a good fit, putting you in the right mindset for whatever you intend to conquer. A work meeting where you’re presenting new ideas? Shove those shoulders back with your elevated look. A night out? Feel like the man and emanate those few percentiles of extra confidence. It’s no myth that dressing well helps set your mind to the task ahead. It may be a well-known trick, but it’s shown to work time and time again.
Are you about ready to find the perfect accessories for the new year? Have a look at our luxurious range of silk accessories and find the very thing to help your inner self shine.
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