Sometimes I question why I read and follow GQ Magazine. As a fashion-obsessed female it’s semi-justified, but doesn’t help much in translating the trends to my own style since as everything seems to be these days, it’s “for the boys.” This is more about my fascination for fashion and a chance to learn and teach those who frequent the other side of the department store.

So, of course every dude out there is going to run into a lady someday who wants to critique his wardrobe and offer suggestions on how to like, completely change his entire life as he knows it.

In the midst of all that, guys will argue that men’s fashion is boring, which is why they wear the same hoodie and jeans every day. Sneakers are a different story, where the collection can amass double-digit pairs in their collection, but often go unworn as to keep the limited editions in pristine condition.

While I can agree men do have limited options (i.e. skirts and dresses are off the table), it’s often the lack of imagination and unwillingness to take a risk that hurts their style street cred. This isn’t true for every guy (shoutout to the sharp dressers in our 2BD squad), but they’re the minority.

After stumbling upon this slideshow, I immediately expressed my interest in this particular topic to my 552 followers. 6 of those loyal thumb scrollers showed some love, too.

Since that’s a pretty decent ratio (lol), I figured we needed to dive deeper into how we can show our support for guys who accessorize –and teach those who don’t a little lesson.

__________ Candy

AKA eye candy, wrist candy, maybe even some waist candy?

Rather than throwing on the most convenient pair of sunglasses, guys can raise the stakes with an accessory add-on that isn’t the focal point but just a subtle nod to your fashion forwardness. Plus, the sunglasses example proves my theory that everyone looks hotter with them on, so a cool pair only amplifies that hotness, making it a no-brainer.

Every guy I know is adamant on wearing a belt at all times, though it’s a more practical item than a style choice. So if you’re going to wear one, spice it up a little bit by adding some texture or a tiny detail (I’m not talking about a title-weight emblem in the middle or anything). This braided example below is low-key cool.

Get [tastefully] graphic

It’s painful to admit this, but I actually don’t mind a graphic tee every now and again. This is not a free pass to wear a Coca-Cola t-shirt or Star Wars hoodie, but rather something trendy and meant to be a conversation starter for the bar or at a social event.

The plain Polo tees get old after a while, and if the rest of your look is simple, I’m fine giving a free pass to call a graphic tee an accessory. It shows personality and that you’re up on pop culture, crediting your ability to quickly browse the web for a way to capitalize on what’s trendy from a social perspective, not necessarily in fashion alone.

Tote-ally cool to carry a bag

All the credit goes to GQ on this one for identifying 17 men who rocked the sh*t out of bags –from briefcases to totes to satchels. It’s always been a grey area for guys since it’s not practical to leave the house with just a wallet some days, but they don’t want to carry a backpack that’s not allowed in any event venue or sporting event.

So, they usually go without –and I can guarantee that’s how things get lost (keys, phones, loose credit cards after a night out). So why not grow a pair and carry a bag? Kate’s brother, Jack, came into the marketplace to help you out with just that.

This accessory is more about confidence than anything else. If you’ve had to carry groceries out to your car or on occasion your girlfriend’s handbag, you’ve had enough proper training to pull off this look and use your free hand to wave to all the haters.

Layer up

This is true for any aspiring fashionista, but adding layers to your look helps position you as someone who can curate an outfit and wear every piece of it well. This works great for the man out there who is perpetually sweaty, since you can always remove something if you’re getting extra toasty…

Layering with a jacket like our man James Harden below elevates your style to a dressier level but doesn’t take it over the top, either. You can do this with an unbuttoned flannel or dress shirt, throw a sweatshirt around your waist (seriously I mean it) or something a little more out there like a vest or longer raincoat for weather’s sake.

Does the list seem a little short? No, because with boys of all ages, you need to lure them in slowly but surely and not overwhelm with too much info at once –especially when it comes to fashion. So all the ladies out there reading this (75 percent of views I will assume), put some thought into this and how you can help evolve your guy’s style to creep him up to a GQ-worthy level…someday.

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