Recently, I was working with a guy doing our 1-day in-person program. He had been trying to figure a lot of the style stuff out on his own, watching YouTube, reading blogs, etc., but that only led to wasted money and time, so he decided just to do it right rather than spin the wheels longer.

He was starting from a good place, though. After years of watching YouTube videos, reading magazine articles, etc., he picked up some helpful nuggets. He knew of some good brands and had a grasp on how to put together some outfits.

However, he also picked up a lot of unhelpful advice.

During our time together, he kept referencing different style “rules” that he had heard from a few of the YouTube channels he had found.

One rule he referenced was that when you’re layering tops, the darker-colored item must go on the outside and the lighter color on the inside of the outfit.

I smiled and said, “Why?”

He said, “I have no idea.”

Of course, if two colors pair together, it doesn’t matter what order you put them in. But somehow, he got this and several other “rules” stuck in his head.

Such rules as the “Sandwich” rule, “the “Light/Dark/Light” rule, and, of course, the notable “2-1-3 Pyramid Rule.”

Ever heard of them?

Don’t worry; neither have I.

I get it—guys like rules. Rules seem to make things easy. You just follow the rules, and then…presto! You’re stylish.

The issue is that these “rules” are based on nothing other than an influencer's creativity, personal preferences, and burning desire to go viral.

Over time, when you start to listen to every rule someone has devised, you back yourself into a corner. Eventually, you’ll find yourself in nothing but your underwear, as any additional clothing item would somehow violate a “rule.”

Know that there are no rules. There are only principles.

And all the principles can simply boil down to this...

Wear stuff that makes you look good.

So next time you hear someone say “you MUST follow THESE rules”, laugh and tune out.

Instead, learn what looks best on you, and you’ll never have to worry about funny fashion rules again.

Hope that helps.

x Patrick