How to Expand Your Wardrobe Without Emptying Your Pockets!

Welcome back to the Modest Man Style Guide!

Tonight I am going to tell you guys how I have personally built my wardrobe on the cheap! Also how I have found some of my favorite shirts.

So, as most if not all of you know of eBay right? Well eBay has been the key to my wardrobe, I have bought most of my clothes from there. eBay is an excellent source for find name brand clothing at budget costs!

I am a big fan of anything Levi, but if you have ever gone into a Levi outlet store, you know just to buy a pair of jeans is typically $50 or more. However, I have purchased many pairs of Levi jeans from eBay for less than $20!



As you can see, a quick eBay search will produce A LOT of Levi jeans at a very affordable costs!

BUT BE WARNED: eBay is also full of counterfeit clothing brands! It is crucial you research how to spot authentic clothing! 

Another good indicator of if an eBay seller is selling authentic garments, is by viewing their sellers reputation.

Notice on the sellers information: they have 99.9% positive feedback, as well as a top rated seller award. These are also good indicators that they are selling authentic garments.

So while this may seem as a no brainer tip, I have found a lot of my friends still buy their clothes at retail stores, and while this is not a bad thing at all, if you are like me and on a budget, it is simply not a feasible option if you want multiple pairs of jeans, shirts, etc.

Another great option if you are looking to buy clothes directly from a wholesaler is 6pm.com. 6pm is a discount wholesaler of both men and womens designer clothes. They carry everything from major names brands, such as levis, to designer brands like Mavi or Kenneth Cole. while you won't find as good of deals like on eBay, you will likely find a better selection of upscale clothing that is brand new and at a marked down price.

In comparison, here is a sample of their Levi jeans selection and their respective prices:




This site is also a great tool for you to expand your brand awareness of clothing brands that are not quite on the mainstream attention.

here is a direct link to 6pm.com:

http://bit.ly/2fU6TkC


If any of you have other great sources for discount clothing sites, please share them in the comments! Have a great week, and practice smart clothes shopping!


- Connor


* As always, I am not paid to endorse these brands or websites*

Finding the Jeans that "Fit" Your Style. A Crash Course in Denim!

Good evening!

Tonight I want to talk to you guys about buying the right pair of jeans. Jeans are great because, just like my previous style recommendations, they are so versatile! 

What I mean by that is they can be dressed up or down. A nice pair of all black denim jeans can really pull together a classy, yet casual look for a dinner date; or those same jeans can be worn with a simple t-shirt and still get you complements! (It worked for me!) 

However, the big key factor is finding jeans that not only fit your personal style, but actually fit you as well. 

So tonight's post will be less focused on direct style recommendations in terms of specific clothing, but serve as a guide for what to look at when buying a new pair of jeans.

Also, I strongly encourage you to TRY ON THE JEANS IN STORE! At least when buying the first pair of jeans, so you know the fit works for you. 

So without further adue, let's get started. Below is a list of terminology and what it means in terms of fitment of jeans: 

Waist:  At face value, you may think this is the overall diameter measurement of your waist, and it is. BUT, does that mean if you measure your waist and get 34 inches, you would buy a  pair of jeans with a 34 inch waist size? 

Probably not, because for whatever strange reason, most major clothing brands do "vanity sizing", which is when a clothing company produces clothing labeled in smaller sizes, when in reality they are bigger! Which I find a bit funny that it is even done in guys clothing! 

So in reality, the waist size listed, could in reality be an inch or twolarger, depending on brand. Which is why I cannot stress enough, the importance of actually going in store and trying the jeans on for a fit reference!

Rise: The best way to describe the rise of a jean, is the measurement from the crotch of the jean to the top of the button at the waist.

So, a lot of times when you are shopping for jeans, you will likely see jeans either labeled high or low rise jeans. Here are examples of low and high rise jeans:

Levis 514 Low Rise Jean



(Photo obtained from Macys.com)



(Photo obtained from levi.com)

See the difference? The low rise has a much shorter cut from the crotch to the top button. The rise of a jean is purely a preference of what you like more. I personally tend to prefer a lower rise jean because I like the way it looks and fits better. But it all depends on your body structure and whether the jeans are comfortable.

A word of caution! If you like a lower rise jean, pay attention to the rise measurement! A low rise jean from Levi's and a low rise designer jean can be totally different. I have seen designer jeans online for men that were labeled low rise and were barely at the hip line because the rise was so short! 

Inseam:  So when it comes to jeans and their seams, there is an inseam, and an out-seam. The out-seam is the measurement of the outside seam of the jean from the cuff of the jean, to the top of the waist. The inseam is the measurement from the cuff to the crotch of the jean.

This measurement should be an actual measurement that is labeled on the jean.



(Photo obtained from eBay.com)

So on this pair of Levis, they are labeled as W 32 and L 30. W stands for waist size, and as I have said, that is the vanity size and is not a true measurement. The L stands for length, or inseam length. so the length of this particular pair from crotch to cuff is 30 inches.

The inseam is not always 100% accurate, so I personally air on the side of caution and buy a jean about an inch longer that my measurement. I also roll my cuffs with my boots so the extra length helps to give a good looking rolled cuff. 

Hip/Thigh Build: This category pertains to the overall style of jean. You likely have heard of jeans listed as skinny, slim, regular, or relaxed fit. These labels are pertain to the cut of the jean around the hip, buttocks, and thighs. This cut is the single most important fit to get right for a successful fitting jean. 

Again, this fit is completely dependent on your body structure and will require you to TRY THE JEANS ON! (have you figured out yet that I cannot stress trying the jeans on first enough yet? :) )

Personally, because I am a slim build and have longer legs, I prefer jeans that are slim fit cut because the contour my lower half properly.

Another word of caution! I would avoid any jean labeled skinny, or even loose or relaxed fit. Skinny jeans just look weird and like a denim spandex in my opinion, and loose or relaxed fit are likely going to be a baggy jean that does nothing to contour.

For most guys, you are going to want either a slim cut or regular cut.

Leg Build:  The leg build of a jean refers to the type of cut below the knee. Common labels are tapered, straight, and bootcut.

Tapered



(Photo obtained from Pinterest.com)

The tapered cut is more of a form fitting cut which sits closer to the calves and ankle over the other two. This is my personal favorite cut because, just as in this photo, I roll my cuffs with my boots. The tapered cut allows for the rolled cuff look and still remains nice and close to the leg.

If you are going for the rolled cuff look, or just want a jean that fits close at the calve and ankles, this is the way to go.


Straight



(Photo obtained from levi,com)

The name of this cut says it all, it is a straight line cut and is one of the most common cut for jeans. The straight cut is also a good option in my opinion because they can still be worn with rolled cuffs, or can go down around the the shoe or boot better than a tapered jean.


Bootcut




(Photo obtained from kohls.com)

Again, the name of this cut says it all. The bootcut is made to easily accommodate a boot around the inside of the jean. I would personally stay away from this cut of jean because the cut flares out the bottom leg of the jean, and if the cut is too much, the bootcut jean could take you back to the 70's bell-bottom jean style!



So, some closing thoughts for tonight's post. Most of what makes the right fit of jean for you, depends on your preferences and body structure. The key is understanding what the different names for cuts mean and also knowing that most major brands do vanity sizing.

Most importantly, TRY ON YOUR JEANS BEFORE YOU BUY THEM!! 

I encourage you to comment what fit and brand of jeans you have found to work for you!

Also here is a link to Levis website, where I buy 95% of my jeans!

http://bit.ly/2cOCotp


* As always, I am not paid to endorse any of the brands I promote in my blog posts* 

The Three Style Essentials for us Guys

Good evening everyone,

As I stated in my first post, I have had a lot of compliments on my so called "style sense", and I have always thought of myself as a pretty simple dresser.But then it dawned on me, maybe that is my own key to success, keeping it simple!

I also explained to you in the last post that I had a "formula" for how I dress; and what I mean by that is, the basics my style revolves around. This can be broken down to three basic essentials:

1 - Boots - This one I covered in the first post. For me it is the Red Wing Classic Moc Toe Boot.


If you would like more info on why I chose these boots, please check out my previous post!



2 - Belt - Now a belt is more than just for keeping your pants up! it is a subtle accent to your style, or a compliment if you will. I choose a belt that would compliment my boots; the leather is the same color as the boots and creates a matching effect.

The belt I wear is by Fossil, called the 'Joe' belt.


You can find it here: http://bit.ly/2dnKngv

As you can see, this belt pairs very well with the boots, and as a result will pair with just about any everyday style!


3 - Watch - A watch is much more than just for keeping time, it is essentially jewelry for guys! Now I personally prefer a simple watch with a dark face; again the focus for the three essentials is to have it go with any type of everyday wear. But you can still choose to go with a more "flashy" watch and it will still look good!

Also the best part about watches is you don't need to exclude yourself to just one. You can have multiple watches for different occasions. But for me, my go to watch is the Fossil ch2905



I like this watch because it is simple, can be dressed up or down, and also easy to tell the time and date!

You can find this watch here: http://bit.ly/2dKiLDa



So, to conclude, this is my basic formula for style. Simple right? But it has gotten a lot of compliments! By revolving the rest of your style around these three basic ingredients, you will be on the road to lookin' good! 



Note - I am not paid to endorse these products. I promote them because they are what I wear and believe to be quality stuff! 

An Introduction / Red Wing Boots: A Style Essential

Hello Everyone!

My name is Connor, I am a mid 20's male living in Michigan. Growing up I never was one for fashion or style, I've never cared for what was the "in" thing when it came to clothes; I wore what I personally thought looked good.

I have always been a pretty simple and traditional dresser, a pair of boots, a belt, jeans, and a shirt. However, while sticking to this dress code, I have had numerous comments from women, friends, and family, such as, "you are the best dressed of all the guys I know", or "You have a great style sense!". By no means am I trying to brag (after all, this blog is called "The Modest Man"), I simply am saying that even a simplistic style view such as mine can produce big results!

Which brings me to the main point of The Modest Man Style blog: showing you tips and how-to's that can spruce up every guys style! I hope you find my blog helpful for you're personal sense of style!

Sincerely, Connor



Now, on to my first style tip!


One of the main focal points to any outfit are the shoes. The shoes complement the rest of you're clothes and can either complete, or ruin a look. This why it so important to pick a pair of shoes that not only look good, but are also very versatile; shoes that can both dress up, or dress down.

In my personal style there has been no other shoe I wear more than my pair of Red Wing classic moc-toe  boots.



These boots feature a 6 inch heel, Goodyear welt sole, and are proudly made in the USA. I have owned these boots for over two years now, and look even better than brand new! Which is an added bonus; with proper care, these boots can literally last a lifetime and the aging of the leather gives the boots a unique and vintage look.

The only real drawback to these boots is the price point. When I purchased these boots at a Red Wing store, I also had to buy the custom insole because I have a very narrow foot and I would have been swimming in these boots otherwise. So with the custom insoles and boots the total was a whopping $360 (about $60 for the insoles and $300 for the boots). Now I know what you may be thinking, "I can get the same looking boots for less than half that cost!", this is true, and if you cannot feasibly afford these boots, then by all means by the cheaper ones! But if you can afford the Red Wing's, buy them; I can tell you from personal experience they have been the single best shoe I have owned and may ever own.

These boots are not only great looking but incredibly comfortable as well! Also, I can wear almost anything (professional attire excluded) with these boots, and as if by magic they always pull the look together. Plus with Red Wing's re-sole policy the $300 price point has essentially bought me a pair of boots that will last me a lifetime of style!

So in conclusion, a key to any good men's style, are a good pair of shoes; and for me, they are the Red Wing classic moc-toe boot.

For these Red Wing boots and other great products by the company check out their site:

http://www.redwingheritage.com/us/USD?l=RWSC-Heritage-Site