Axiom 22: Clothes Make the Man

"Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance." -Henry Ward Beecher

"Keeping your clothes well pressed will keep you from looking hard pressed." 

-Coleman Cox

When it comes to fashion most men are clueless. A lot of men assume it is a topic that only women need to know about. In reality one of the quickest ways to change the world's perception of you is to change the way you dress. My rule for what clothes to wear is simple: dress one notch nicer than expected. In professional situations it sets you apart from everyone else. Managers and clients will notice you and take you more seriously. In personal situations it will help you exude self-confidence.

If you have plenty of money you can stop reading now and go find a personal stylist to make sure you're looking great. If you're not rich and you're just a regular clueless guy like I once was here are a few tips to help you dress to impress.

• Don't buy cheap clothes. Stop buying clothing at places that sell low end merchandise. I understand you may not have $120 to buy a nice pair of jeans, but the $20 pair of jeans at the bargain store will look like crap every time. From now on either pay full price for nice clothes and add pieces to your collection slowly over time, or search a little harder to find the nice stuff at discounted prices. I have no problem finding high-end jeans that normally sell for $120 for $35 at places like Nordstrom Rack or Dillard's Outlet. You can find the good stuff for cheap too if you look a little harder.
• Buy stylish clothes. Just because you spend a lot of money (or something is of good quality) doesn't mean that it is stylish or that it will look good on you. Try a bunch of stuff on to see what works best for you and make sure you're shopping at places that keep stylish brands in stock.
• Buy Clothes that fit. Every man should know what size suit coat, shoes, dress shirt, and pants he wears. Get professionally measured from time to time and save the info on your smartphone so you can refer to it quickly when you are shopping for clothes. Clothes that are too baggy or too tight will look stupid on you.
• Accessorize. The pants and shirt are the main pieces to any outfit, but the little things can add up also. Cuff-links, socks, a nice watch, a nice scarf, and other accessories all add to the synergy of your look.
• Know when to wear white socks. White socks are for working out or mowing the lawn. Wear dark socks or dress socks for all other occasions. 
• Dry clean your clothes. Take care of your nice clothes and always have them properly dry-cleaned. This includes jeans too. There's nothing more ridiculous than wearing a nice button-down shirt that is so wrinkled it looks like you pulled it out of the glove box of your car.

Axiom 21: Confidence is King

“There are two types of people - those who come into a room and say, 'Well, here I am!' and those who come in and say, 'Ah, there you are.'" -Frederick L. Collins

"He who has confidence in himself will gain the confidence of others." -Leib Lazarow

A Tale of Two Job Seekers

Let's suppose at work you are assigned the task of hiring a new employee. You narrow the applications down to two candidates: Bob and John. You call them both to come in for an interview. On paper it looks like John is the better choice. He went to a more prestigious school, has a higher GPA, and has more relevant work experience than Bob.

Bob comes in first for the interview. He is dressed in a nice, clean, pressed business suit. He has a firm handshake. During the interview he maintains strong eye-contact. He answers all the questions without hesitation and without stuttering or saying, "uh". He looks completely relaxed, smiles often, and makes a few light-hearted jokes to ease any tension. Bob knows his qualifications on paper are not as good as they could be so he makes sure to talk about all of the other ways he could add value to the company if he was hired.

Bob leaves and John comes in for his interview. He is dressed in business casual attire. His handshake isn't limp, but it's not exactly firm either. He avoids eye-contact for very long. He hesitates when asked a question before responding. The tone in his voice makes it seem as if he is unsure about what he is talking about. He appears nervous, sweaty, and extremely tense. John knows his résumé is great and it speaks for itself so instead of talking about his accomplishments he asks about employee perks and benefits.

Needless to say confidence will most likely win the day and Bob will get the job, even though on paper he is was not the best man for the job.

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This is just one exaggerated scenario to demonstrate how important confidence is. Confidence plays a role in almost all of our social endeavors. Confidence comes natural to some people, while others have to consciously think about it and practice it daily. If you were unaware of the importance of confidence until now take this chance to start making a change. We will go into some confidence building resources in the axioms to come.

Happy 1st Anniversary!

The Axioms of Success started one year ago today and is still going strong. I've had a great time sharing my thoughts and stories from years past. This website has been a great release for me and has inspired me to become a better person and try new things.

With 20 axioms now posted you may be curious as to what's coming next. I have notes written for at least 30 more axioms. Future topics include: A Simple Guide to Time Management, Change Your Handwriting-Change Your Life, A Modern Revision to Franklin's Chart of Virtues, A Guide to Sane Finances in an Insane World, and much more. 

Besides more axioms I've also got some new food experiences to post about including a review of Texas' best BBQ places. So check back often or subscribe via email to get updates as soon as they get posted. Thanks for your support and if you have any suggestions please email me @ shawngregory@gmail.com.