How should I dress? Or what style best suits me? Read on to know more about me, and help me pick a style?

Question

I'm 26, male, 6'2, 210 (muscular). I don't work a white collar job (so suits and stuff are out) and I live in the inner city. I am a latino male.

Obviously the two styles that would suit me which I have incorporated in the past are either hip hop (early 90s till most recent) which I do not like since I grew out of it ( no offence), I can however dig some of that kanye or common "urban preppy style" ( I don't know what its called) The other alternative would be the spanish pretty boy slacks, shoes, colorful shirt (read ricky martin) look, which I used in my latin salsa dancing club days (coming to a close..hehe). The new style that is being incorporated in my neighborhood (nyc) is the reggaeton style thing (its kind of hip hop with a spanish twist--the clothes that is). I'm still kinda young, but not as young as I used to be and I wanna start phasing out that era of my life. I don't wanna be 37 dressing like a teenager.

So what do you think? What style should I use? thanks

EDIT:__________________

Thanks Fab!! Great answer, You'll get the best as soon as I can give it to you. I liked your ideas. BTW I'm not really against the white collar look, I think its awesome, just not appropriate for my environment and the places where I hang out. I kinda like the leather blazer look, like in Carlitos way (al pacino ), but my friend told me that its kind of going out of style (he must be crazy, the leather blazer look rocks IMHP!). I also can dig the 50s look (its kind of retro though). Anyway thanks for all the great answers, I'm surprised Ididn't get more though... all well.....

Answer 1

No one can go wrong with this look: polished, urban prep.

(aka Kanye West, but avoid the super large sunglasses and blinding chains around his neck).

To get the look:

1. Comfortable bootcut jeans in a semi-dark color

The best color is darker than stonewashed, but not a rinse color. Whiskering and fading at the thighs helps the jeans look modern and more expensive, but avoid the kind of whiskering that's very obvious, and the excessive fading that makes your knees look white.

A traditional bootcut ends up being too tight on thicker men, and look awkward on tall slim men. Gap carries a style called “relaxed bootcut” that I have seen look great on tall men, short men, stocky men and slight men. It has the stylish cut, but the room in the thighs and rear so that they don’t look too cowboy or too hipster.

2. A v-neck sweater in black, ivory, and a deep vibrant colour that you look good in like a ruby red, or sapphire blue. Also, you'll need a crew-neck sweater in a black or a dark grey (whatever your v-neck doesn't have), to have a bit of neckline variety.

A lightweight black sweater can look refined, elegant and even dressy. With a collared shirt and suiting trousers a man is ready for a party or dinner out. With a white tee and jeans or khakis, one is ready for a trip to mall or a business-casual office. The lightweight merino wool dresses up nicely and doesn’t get lumpy over collared shirts.

3. I know you said no white collar anything, but even blue collar guys can still wear stuff like that...

If you're up for it, try a white, button-up oxford shirt (doesn't have to be stiff, just go for a casual, washed, rumpled style, like what J.Crew has for guys), and wear it casually over graphic/printed t-shirts with those jeans I mentioned above. OR, even under your v-neck sweater that you're going to run out and buy right now.

I beg you to try it, but I can't force you so...... at least look at the pin-striped oxford button up t-shirts as an alternative to plain white.

At the very least, buy the graphic printed t-shirts that make it look more urban. Look for paint-splotch t-shirts, or industrial looking dark faded patterns and designs to wear casually over the jeans, or under your sport jacket.

Sport jacket you say? What the hell is this?

4. Sport Jacket.

It looks like a blazer, but is a more casual material like a dark blue or black denim, dark chocolate brown or black corduroy, etc.

It will spiff and dress up any wardrobe you own, when you go out on a date (and when you wear your v-neck sweater with that button up oxford under it), or can be dressed down when you wear it over your printed graphic shirts and jeans, and add that extra bit of polish. I dressed up a guy friend in a sport coat over a plain white shirt and jeans, and girls couldn't stop staring at him. But don't take it too far, or heaven forbid, you'll end up in super tight jeans and pointy cowboy boots and look too hipster for your own good.

I think I've covered the basics for guys.. who are a lot easier to dress than girls.

5. To top it off, wear an urban sneaker (no, not Nikes..) but something that looks like an old-style, Euro sneaker. This will keep the look casual, not too fancy (like if you were to wear slip on loafers), and are comfortable.

Pictures of what I'm talking about:
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3967/1060/1600/317736/hip%20shoe.jpg

I could go on, but my fingers are getting tired. If you need more direction, let me know!

Answer 2

How about starting something different?
Start a trend.

The sexiest thing for guys to do...go back to the 50s! Trust me, this style is making a huge comeback.

Tips
www.daddyos.com

Answer 3

I girl I know who has broad shoulders wore a strapless and it looked very nice! I think you should try on some dresses and see what suits you the most

Answer 4

Don't worry abou what's going on around you. Pick clothes that you're comfortable in, in colors that flatter your skin tone, and are cut to accentuate your body type.

Answer 5

Black & White strips and a number across your chest.

Answer 6

This will never go out of style. A button up shirt with a T- shirt underneath or Polos or Graphic Tees and some jeans and sneakers or shoes. My fave men's store is Century 21, Gap, Oldnavy and Kohl's... Footaction for sneaks.

Shirts- http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=26279&pid=410163

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=26279&pid=484938

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=26281&pid=468826

http://www.kohls.com/products/product_page_vanilla2.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=420180519&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=420201207&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=71240501&bmUID=1173379392465


Pants- http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=26273&pid=327416

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=35266&pid=464633&scid=464633002

http://www.kohls.com/products/product_page_vanilla2.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=429986627&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=345789641&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=71240501&bmUID=1173379664293

Shoe- http://www.kohls.com/products/product_page_vanilla2.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=427225551&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=429120317&bmUID=1173379917320

http://www.kohls.com/products/product_page_multiple2.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=420305903&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=429120317&bmUID=1173380040197

Answer 7

maybe a little baggy pants, NO sweaters, ummmm.....T-shirts, not to dressy, ummm.. striped collar shirts. hope it helps!