At this stage of the 21st Century it can feel like the idea of being a man has been hijacked. A particular, aggressive definition of masculinity is vociferously screamed out online by people a real man would never defend. Part of being a kinder, more traditional man is looking the part and that’s what we’re presenting a guide to today.
Shaving
A real man is always well groomed and well presented. Making time to shave properly in the morning doesn’t leave you looking good: spending five minutes in front of the mirror is a meditative experience that leaves you feeling relaxed, confident and ready for the day.
Whether you just make more regular use of your usual cartridge razor or invest in a traditional shaving kit, making sure shaving is part of your routine makes sure you’re presenting a professional and well groomed face to the world every working day.
Dress
The real man dresses appropriately for the situation. It’s not a competition, and nor are dress codes pretentious challenges to be defied or ‘won’. Meeting the expectations of the day so you can express your personality without causing a stir is the way a ‘real’ man would behave.
This can produce problems when you’re not sure of the expectations for an event. Many invitations will include a dress code, allowing you to pitch your outfit appropriately, but when they don’t it can be hard to make a decision. One example is that perennial tricky situation, the job interview. Any professional job used to require the wearing of a suit, but many companies are now more liberal. Judging what will be a good fit on the day is a gamble.
You can, of course, use this as an opportunity to exercise your judgement. If you’ve been called to interview you should have some idea of the culture of the company, allowing to make a decision. If you’re interviewing to work in a lawyer’s office, or as an accountant, you can expect a higher level of formality to be expected than if you’re going to meet a digital marketer!
In general, a smart jacket, shirt and trousers will be out of place in very few situations – they allow you to cut a professional profile without the stuffy formality of a suit. You can easily smarten up or dress down if you need to, so, like a real man, you’ll look the part in any situation!