Getting started with anything is tough. Trying anything new is hard. There are so many style "rules" now, and it can be hard to decipher which ones you should focus on. This post is for the gentleman just beginning his journey.

For some of you, this might seem a little elementary. This is just the first part of a 3-part series, covering intermediate and advanced style tips at a later date. But read this if you feel like brushing up on the basics.

If you're ready to make sure you're covering the basics, let's dive in...

As men, organization isn't always our strong suit.

The little nuances of clothing can be to detailed for our taste and our closets usually reflect this. We throw clothes about wherever and don't pay attention to how things should be ordered.

Sound familiar?

It wasn't until later on in life that I realized actually getting my closet in order made my life a heck of a lot easier. Getting dressed in the morning was no longer a chore. Finding a great outfit was easy.

So I run into this question from time to time. "What is it you do?" and it's kind of hard to fully define. I tell people I'm an image consultant and I get responses like
 

"Oh so you're in PR"... Sort of. 

or...

“You’re basically a personal stylist”… Sort of.

"So you're like Hitch?"... Sort of. 

To help clear up some confusion, here is my attempt at telling you what it is I actually do and my consultation process.

The great thing about the male wardrobe is that it can be broken down to the bare necessities and still keep you looking stylish. As long as the fits and the colors of your clothes are spot on, you can keep your closet relatively simple and still look great. It's one of the best parts of being a man...

On average, you’ll shake hands 15,000 times during your life. That’s a lot of opportunity for a great first impression or a spoiled introduction. How you shake hands, however elementary we think of it, is a big part of impression formation...

Trimming, scrubbing, shaving, pruning, etc.

Grooming is one of those mundane tasks that the everyman tends to neglect, especially as he gets older, even though it get’s more important with age as skin starts to wear and stray hairs pops up in irregular places.

There are plenty of articles out there that cover the basics of “grooming mistakes”, but I’ve found these are ridiculously common sense...

A lot of the work I do for you guys is related to skincare. Having great looking skin is an essential part of being attractive. Women dump boatloads of money into skincare every year, but men not so much. Most guys just don't know where to start.

Walk down a skincare isle in any drugstore and you'll be overwhelmed with product choices claiming to reverse the aging process. Because of this maze of lotions and potions, guys steer themselves away from skincare. The truth is we don't need much to have great looking skin. Men actually have thicker skin than women (heh), but they still need to care for it correctly. 

It's good to have a little flash to what you're wearing.

Something that makes you stand out, slightly. A little flamboyance on the border right before gaudiness. A gold ring, the recognizable Gucci Loafers, a detailed tie bar, noticeable cuff links, and some loud pops of color. They go a long way.

These things communicate that you care what people think, without caring what people think. You want to look good but you want to look good for yourself just as much as you're giving the gift of your appearance to the world...

What is the perfect body type for a 5'9 guy?" "How buff should a guy in college be?" "Do girls like guys with bigger arms or bigger pecs?" 

These are legitimate questions that many men tend to obsess over, and they're legitimate questions to ask, but only once you've build a solid foundation.

But a lot of those questions boils down to personal preference, both from what you want, along with what your potential mate wants. 

As far as attraction goes, there is a nearly universal law that applies to the men...

I hate buying T-shirts.

Not because I dislike them. Actually, it's the opposite. Behind a good pair of jeans and a well tailored charcoal suit, I think a great fitting navy t-shirt is one of the best pieces in a man's wardrobe...

Self-improvement is simple. All you need to do is ask yourself a simple question. Ask yourself this everyday. If you are always answering yes, then congratulations my man...

I've always said I could write a book on men's supplements. I really could. I've tried more supplements than I can remember. Why?

Cause I'm lazy. No joke. Like most people with most things, I'd rather take the path of least resistance and if I can take a few pills to help me improve myself, I'm going to do it...