40+ Fashion Mistakes That Men Need to Stop Committing

This article appeared in Bridesblush and has been published here with permission.

Men’s Awful Fashion Mistakes

Fashion changes all the time. This applies to men’s fashion as much as it does to women’s fashion. Just as there have been many fashion faux pas in the ladies’ niche, the same can be said for men. Today, we’ll be focusing on the mistakes committed by men. We have compiled a collection of unforgivable men’s fashion and style fails that have been committed. There’ll be laughter, cringes, and maybe even tears for these poor men.

Avoid Holes in Socks

All men seem to have holes in their socks, yet they avoid getting rid of them at all costs. The problem with holes in socks is that these don’t look any good. Unfortunately, if a worn area is starting to appear on the sock, you need to throw it away ASAP. Time for new socks!

Avoid Holes in Socks

If you’re prone to wearing out the toes faster than the rest of the sock, consider socks that offer more padding in the toe area in order to prevent holes. Throw out old socks and you won’t have to worry about holey socks anymore!

Prevent Product Build-Up

Men won’t admit it, but they secretly love their hair care products. From gels, hairsprays, and leave-in conditioners, there’s plenty for men to add to their hair. It‘s all good and well until you end up applying too much. Hair gel, especially, looks greasy and hard when you use too much.

Prevent Product Build-Up

You don’t need to apply much when it comes to hair gel and mousse. A small amount rubbed between your hands and spread evenly through your hair is sufficient enough for styling.

Get Rid of Denim Shorts

Many men wear denim shorts. Normally, they sit just above knee height. They’re popular for all different ages, from teens to adults. Unfortunately, we have some bad news for you… Get rid of them, now!

Get Rid of Denim Shorts

These shorts don’t look good and often have a too-relaxed look. Since pulling off the short denim look can be hard, avoid it altogether. Opt for something comfortable that still offers plenty of styles – like chino shorts.

The Classic Fanny Pack

Your eyes will hurt if you look at someone wearing a waist bag, or fanny pack as they used to be called. It’s a good idea for your sanity to avoid wearing one of these annoyingly popular items.

The Classic Fanny Pack

If we’re honest, we can’t say this trend made sense the first time around. Yet, here it is again, making most of us feel uncomfortable. Skip this one, gents! There’s no redeeming quality here.

Control the Sunglasses Look

Our friendly advice is to get rid of the sports sunglasses look; they no longer give off a cool vibe. If you want your shades to look like a fashion statement, then you need to stop buying cheap sunglasses.

Control the Sunglasses Look

If you want to come across as someone with style, opt for brands such as Ray-Ban and Tom Ford. If you’re budget-friendly, spend more money on other accessories for your outfit. Sunglasses don’t add much value.

Don’t Look Like a Costumed Character

Men seem to think that wearing more colors and patterns at once is a good idea. Let’s get one thing straight – it’s not, under any circumstances. You may be able to pull it off with dark or neutral colors.

Don’t Look Like a Costumed Character

When it comes to bright-colored patterns and shades, you can mix one or two. Any more than that and you’ll look like something from a kid’s cartoon. You may even get asked where the dress-up party is located!

Sports Jerseys Are Not Daily Attire

Let’s be clear on this one: Sports jerseys are great for getting in the mood to watch a game on TV or to show your support when going to a live game. Unfortunately, men seem to forget that the jerseys should come off after the game.

Sports Jerseys Are Not Daily Attire

Sports jerseys aren’t something that you wear around the house for daily wear. These types of clothes don’t work well for everyday wear. Stick to normal shirts or tanks for around the house and leave the jerseys for the next game.

Avoid the Clunky Look

Women can pull off jewelry, from bangles to rings and earrings. Men don’t have the same privilege. Men can’t wear a lot of rings on their fingers without looking messy. Forget the oversized jewelry and aim for one or two pieces of petite jewelry.

Avoid the Gangster Look

Avoid any big buckles, stones, or thick banded bracelets and rings. Work with silver more than gold, as gold can give off an obnoxious look more than silver.

Say ‘No’ to Fur

This look has been out of fashion for a long time. If you’re going camping in winter, then you can wear this. However, don’t let anyone see you wearing one of these anywhere else.

Say ‘No’ to Fur

For that matter, you can’t be seen in public wearing a fur coat or hat. You might be mistaken for someone living in the past. Putting a fur coat on leaves you open to many looks of confusion.

The Socks With Sandals Fad

Why do men think wearing socks with sandals is acceptable and looks good? The only way to describe this is simply ugly! Socks go with sneakers, and bare feet go with sandals. That’s the right way to wear them.

The Socks With Sandals Fad

If you feel a little self-conscious about your feet, then your best bet is to go ahead and just pop socks on and wear sneakers. Wearing socks with sandals at home is okay but slip on sneakers when you leave the house.

Brands Don’t Define You

Are you one of those people who are loyal to brand names? Do you feel good about wearing brand-name clothing? Think about it for a minute and realize that brands don’t define you or your style.

Brands Don’t Define You

Try out new clothes and see how they fit and feel. You may find other branded clothing to feel more comfortable than those with an expensive price tag.

Forget Beaten-Up Shoes

Now, if there’s something that ruins a good outfit, it’s dirty and beaten-up shoes. These shoes have the effect of ruining even the plainest, most casual look. If you’re prone to ruining shoes, have a nice, clean pair for outings and keep the more beaten-up pair to wear around the house.

Forget Beaten-Up Shoes

No matter how well you design your wardrobe and how expensive your outfit is, you’re ruining the look by wearing beaten-up shoes.

Monochromatic Suits

We only see monochromatic suits in movies like The Matrix. Quite often, these suits are only worn by movie villains. Wearing everything in the same color as a suit is a no-go.

Monochromatic Suits

The problem with doing this is it makes it hard to be noticed. You end up blending in, and people need to take a second look to notice you. Add some color! It doesn’t need to be bold, just enough to break the monochromatic look.

Tie Clips and a Vest

Never wear this! You already have a waistcoat that works well to hold the tie in place, so why would you need a tie clip? It just seems like overkill.

Tie Clips and a Vest

In this case, you need to choose one or the other – there’s no in-between or compromise, sorry folks. Going into a hurricane, well, maybe the two might prevent the tie from swirling around, but we think the waistcoat will do just fine.

Suspenders With a Belt

Why, oh, why would someone wear suspenders with a belt? Isn’t the whole point of wearing a belt to hold your pants up? Do you wear suspenders to hold your pants up? Why would someone wear both?

Suspenders With a Belt

Unfortunately, you need to choose which one you’re going to wear. Suspenders seem to be old and outdated now. Perhaps stick to a belt to appear normal, rather than overkill with the whole holding your pants up thing.

Get Yourself Some Collar Stays

Nothing looks worse than having a limp collar floating around in the wind. The good thing is you can buy a collar stay that’ll flatten the collar and keep it in place. There’s nothing formal about a limp collar. Collar stays are affordable and easy to use. You can’t even tell they’re there!

Get Yourself Some Collar Stays

So what’s your excuse for not wearing one? You can purchase a collar stay from any formal clothing shop that sells men’s shirts. Consider buying one when you buy your next shirt.

Correct Your Tie Length

One thing that we see too often is men wearing ties that are either too short or too long. Both look out of place and are easily noticed. A tie’s length needs to be around belt level. Sometimes, you can get away with it being longer, but never go shorter!

Correct Your Tie Length

Short ties are something to laugh about. It’s also important to consider the width. If you’re thin, then a thick one won’t suit you; a thin one won’t suit a larger person.

How Many Buttons?

There’s controversy over how many buttons are best to button on your suit jacket. The general rule is to open the last button on waistcoats and jackets. Some men might not worry about this, but it tends to interfere with the aesthetics and proportions.

How Many Buttons?

Remember to undo a couple of buttons on your jacket when you sit down. Doing so will take pressure off the threads. But in the same way, don’t walk around with all the buttons undone – it looks sloppy and ruins the impact of a suit.

Sneakers With Suit Pants

Well, we can’t say we agree with this look. We can’t bring ourselves to agree with it, but there is a way to make the whole outfit look better. We all own sneakers, but it doesn’t mean they’ll look good with a suit!

Sneakers With Suit Pants

Plain low-line white sneakers are the best to use if you really have to wear sneakers with a suit. Anything like high tops or bulky shoes is going to look ridiculous. This rule also goes for black sneakers, but it depends on what color suit you’re wearing.

Match the Socks

You might think it’s not a big deal, but socks can break or make an outfit. There are a few general rules when it comes to wearing socks. Don’t think it doesn’t matter because people can’t see them because, at times, they can.

Match the Socks

When you sit down, the pants slide up, and there are your socks. Avoid white socks at all costs, and cartoon characters or patterns go in the same category. Do everyone a favor and match the socks with the outfit.

Consider the Length of the Pants

Seriously, men don’t have fashion sense if they think the length of their pants doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what type of pants you have on, the length is important. Pants that are too long or too short look bad.

Consider the Length of the Pants

If you buy pants that are too long, a simple hem alteration will do the job. You have two options for pants: Over the shoes or just sitting on top of the shoes.

The Right Arm Length

This is another common issue that men seem to overlook often. It doesn’t look good to have your sleeves over your hands, whether it’s a suit coat, shirt, or casual long-sleeve. The sleeve should be positioned just over the wrist.

The Right Arm Length

Again, a simple hemming job will do the trick. It’s easy to learn how to do it yourself or take the shirt to an alteration shop to have it fitted and hemmed correctly. Don’t leave yourself looking sloppy when there’s a simple fix.

Incorrect Suit Fit

Sometimes, men like to splurge and buy expensive suits for a wedding or a special occasion. Unfortunately, there’s no point in buying an expensive suit if it doesn’t fit you correctly. There’s no in-between, it either fits or doesn’t.

Incorrect Suit Fit

A suit that seems to flow around you will give the impression that you wear clothes that are too big and you don’t care about your appearance. Men can change their whole image, for the better, with a suit that fits properly.

Big, Bold Slogan Icons

These T-shirts basically allow you to show people what you think. Unfortunately, these shirts don’t offer much in the way of fashion. There’s also the fact that many are meant to be funny, but the public doesn’t see it that way.

Big, Bold Slogan Icons

Small logos are ok, especially if they’re for a brand. Many t-shirts that say stupid things like “I paused my game to be here” are seen in a negative light. Keep these at home and go for something a little more stylish for outings.

Say ‘No’ to Extreme V-Necks

Some v-necks are okay if they’re small. You should stay away from the types that are just plain dramatic. You’ll get more frowns than anything else when wearing one of these. You might get a few ladies looking at your chest hair, but overall, these are bad.

Say ‘No’ to Extreme V-Necks

V-necks were once in, and some people still wear them. However, they’re more of a gym-wear option than something you’d wear when going out. Stick to something a little less overboard.

No Words to Describe It

What exactly is this? Is it a tank top, fishnet, or something else? Does it even have a name? The question is, why is a man wearing one of these?

No Words to Describe It

That’s certainly not gym wear, nor does it even fit in the casual department. What purpose does this “shirt” serve? Please don’t buy one of these.

Hats, Hats, and No Hats

Well, the whole hat thing that was once in has settled down now and barely exists. Seeing someone wear a bowler hat is a good conversation starter… when you’re in the mood to complain.

Hats, Hats, and No Hats

Sure, sun hats in summer are great! But hats for fashion? No way! If you’re wearing a sporty outfit, you may pull off the whole cap look, but that’s as far as that one’s going to go.

Not All Sunglasses Are Good

Some people wear sunglasses thinking they look good. Unfortunately, most of them don’t look good at all. Many people wouldn’t want to be seen without sunglasses.

Not All Sunglasses Are Good

Not because they shield their eyes from the sun but because they believe it makes them look good. If you aren’t using them for eye protection, avoid them at all costs.

Use Less Hair Products

What good advice! The problem men have when it comes to styling their hair is using too much product. This isn’t good, as too much gel and hairspray can make the hair look greasy and hard. We don’t think this is a good look.

Use Less Hair Products

You can achieve the same look when you reduce the amount you use. The thing to remember is to use the right product for the job. Some products are meant for spiking hair, which gel works great for but hairspray doesn’t.

Failing to Groom

When men don’t groom properly, it’s very noticeable. Many males reading this will state that they don’t use a moisturizer or pluck the hairs from their noses. Many are overdue for haircuts and can’t remember when they last used shampoo and conditioner.

Failing to Groom

A simple haircut, a good wash, and a proper shave can go a long way regarding your appearance. Did you know that men can take 10 years off their appearance when tidying themselves up?

Take Action and Brush Your Teeth

While it’s not only yucky to look at, it also feels gross when your teeth are dirty. It can be costly to go to the dentist, that’s for sure, but a good clean might be all you need.

Take Action and Brush Your Teeth

If you don’t clean your teeth, they turn yellow, and you end up with gum disease. Avoid kissing anyone, as your breath will be disgusting. Everyone’s happy when you have a fresh, clean mouth.

Don’t Overdo the Accessories

Too many men love to go crazy with accessories. Unfortunately, they can give off the look of someone trying to appear rich, which doesn’t look good. You can achieve a stylish look just by using a nice watch and even some cufflinks.

Don’t Overdo the Accessories

The more you wear, the more you look silly. Sometimes less is more. For men, a simple look with two accessories looks more appealing. There’s no need to overdo it.

Uh-Oh

Oh no, this hurts our eyes to look at! What on earth is going on in this picture? The black and white for a whole suit is wrong, not to mention the fact there’s so much going on with the pattern!

Uh-Oh

It looks like he chose this outfit to draw attention to himself, but he may have attracted the wrong kind of attention. A stylish outfit like this belongs behind a closed door. Patterns don’t suit men. If you must wear patterns, consider it for a handkerchief in your pocket.

Say ‘No’ to Shark Tooth Necklaces

These were once the ‘in’ thing, as they were considered fashionable. Unfortunately, that was many years ago. No one wears these anymore, apart for one or two surfers.

Say ‘No’ to Shark Tooth Necklaces

If you like wearing jewelry, opt for something a little more stylish and definitely in the current era. These are nothing more than novelty items when people wish to dress up as Crocodile Dundee.

Avoid Crocs

Unfortunately, Crocs never made it far in the fashion world. These weren’t popular among children and certainly not among men. Crocs look silly, and that’s all you need to know.

Avoid Crocs

Avoid wearing them. You’d probably look better wearing a pair of slippers. In fact, you’d probably gain more respect in slippers, or even bare feet, than you would while wearing Crocs.

Canvas Slip-On, No Way!

Canvas slip-ons are easy to put on and comfortable to wear. However, the truth is coming out and it’s going to hurt! Get rid of your canvas shoes. Don’t, under any circumstances, wear these in public.

Canvas Slip-On, No Way!

These shoes are in the same category as Crocs. They get dirty, are hard to clean, and simply look bad. You can do so much better! Even a pair of flip-flops would be better than the old canvas slip-ons. Time to up your game!

High-Waisted Pants, NEXT!

Oh dear, please avoid wearing old high-waisted pants. The style comes and goes for women, and most can pull it off without any hassle. Men, on the other hand, must steer clear of these. If you must wear these, don’t wear tucked-in shirts with them.

High-Waisted Pants, NEXT!

Men don’t need to highlight their hips. An oversized shirt might hide most of these pants. They may have worked back in the day but not anymore.

Toe Shoes

We have the Crocs and the canvas shoes, but unfortunately, we also have toe shoes. As if toe socks weren’t horrible enough, they were at least hidden by your shoes. Can anyone tell us what these shoes would pair well with?

Toe Shoes

These shoes shouldn’t have been invented in the first place, and we struggle to understand why and how they’d offer any benefits. Do you wear toe socks or no socks? Don’t answer that. Instead, throw them away!

Men Don’t Wear Earrings

Earrings were a thing that was popular in the 80s, and that’s where they need to stay. There’s no room for male earrings in this day and age.

Men Don’t Wear Earrings

A necklace or ring is a much better alternative. Lose the earrings and stop traveling back to the 80s – which is in the past for a good reason.

Ugg Boots and Men? Nope!

Sorry, but we have to say ‘no’ to men wearing Ugg boots. Ugg boots for men aren’t a thing, and they never should be. Sure, everyone likes to relax, so wearing them at home is fine.

Ugg Boots and Men? Nope!

Ugg boots are not leaving-the-house shoes that neither males nor females should wear. Let’s hope they don’t become a fashion statement again anytime soon.

Backpacks and Suits, Hmm

Yes, it’s a thing, men wear suits with a backpack on. Such a look is not a good one, and they often get frowned upon by many. A crossover body bag, or even one on the shoulder, isn’t as bad as a backpack.

Backpacks and Suits, Hmm

Perhaps it’s time to downsize your possessions if you need to carry a backpack. The other option is to carry it in your hands and try to look as casual as possible.

Dirty Shoes

You’ve just washed your white sneakers, and they’re sparkling. But then you look down and see the stains all over your laces. Not cool! It can be hard to remove stains from laces, and they often need stain treatment.

Dirty Shoes

The best thing to do here is to replace the white laces each time you wash your shoes so they look fresh and new each time the sneakers are clean. It’s a good thing that laces are only a few bucks!

A Male Midriff? Please, No

There’s nothing good about this! Men shouldn’t be showing off their bellies unless they don’t have a shirt on at all. A half-shirt? No way!

A Male Midriff? Please, No

It looks like he either put his daughter’s clothes on in the dark or his shirt had a fight with the dryer, and the dryer won. Surely this just shrunk, right? This can’t really be a thing, can it?

Tucked-In Shirts

Are you proud that you tucked your shirt in? Sorry, but there’s nothing good about tucking your shirt in. It looks old-fashioned and like you’re stuck in the past.

Tucked-In Shirts

Younger males can add 20 years to their lives when wearing one of these. Don’t expect to get anyone to accept you on a date when you’re still tucking your shirt in. Most likely, they’ll ask you if you still live with your mom.

Say ‘No’ to Square-Toed Shoes

You should avoid square-toed shoes at all costs. While they might seem good to wear if you like them, they aren’t acceptable under any circumstances. These shoes are outdated and make men look awkward.

Say ‘No’ to Square-Toed Shoes

These are the opposite of really pointed shoes. These shoes are just like real pointed shoes, except they offer a dramatic look which is something to avoid. Just stick to normal shoes for the best outcome.