For many guys, a lot of their style frustration comes from not knowing what to buy in order to reach their goals of looking good.

I find that most of the time, guys have closets that are unbalanced. They have too much X and not enough Y. They'll find something that works and then stick with that. I recently worked with a client who had a MASSIVE amount of short-sleeve button-up shirts, but hardly anything else. He was overweighted in that category and neglected other areas (henleys, polos, long sleeves, light jackets, etc.). These others items would have played the same role in elevating his upscale casual wear, but he couldn't see it. Every time he went out shopping, he just defaulted to the same type of item.

You don't know what you don't know. You likely have blind spots that need to be illuminated. This comes from taking a "top-down" view of your closet rather than shopping blindly, which will only lead you to buying more of your default items. Taking a top-down view of the closet is the first place I start with clients.

Your goal should be to create diversity and range in the closet. Have 5 pairs of the same color blue jeans? Why not black, gray, or white? Why not add in some chinos? A wool/linen trouser?

Go take stock of what you have (which is certainly much easier when you know how to organize your closet). Have a look at the areas where you have so much stuff you couldn't possibly wear it within the span of a couple of weeks. That's where you're overweighted. Then, weed that down. You don't need it all.

Then, think about the other types of items that you have very little of, even if it's something you've been adverse to in the past, and then go try some of that stuff on. Some thought exercises...

- Do I have too much pattern, or too little? Could I afford to add some in?

- Do I have too many loud colors just for the sake of it? Do these colors pair together and look good on me? Or, do I always default to black, white, or gray?

-Do I have a lot of one color and need to brand out?

- Have a gotten myself into a rut with the brands I buy from? When was the last time I bought from a brand I haven't tried before? What brands do I own that I know I should stay away from in the future, and which ones do I know where everything has been working well for me?

-Have I lost or gained weight and have items that are no longer my size that need to go?

-When I look at pictures of guys whose style I like, what items do I not have that they do?

-Have I been cheaping out and unwilling to break a certain pricepoint with my clothing budget and it's keeping me stagnant? Have I been spending too much on stuff I never wear?

Go forth and purge. Once you do, you'll have a clear view of the gaps that exist that need a plug.

Much love,

Patrick