Does this sound familiar?
You’ve been working hard on yourself. Maybe your body has changed over the years, your confidence isn’t quite where it used to be, or you’re simply ready for a fresh start. You’ve been following fashion accounts on Instagram, saving outfit inspiration, thinking about your body shape, your colours and how you can reinvent your wardrobe. You know your style needs an update, and you’re excited about making those changes.
Then you look across at your partner and think, “He could probably do with a little style makeover too.”
Perhaps you’ve gently suggested that he untucks his shirt because it would be more flattering around his middle. Maybe you’ve mentioned that rolling his sleeves up properly looks much more modern than wearing short sleeved shirts. Or perhaps you’ve hinted that those loafers he’s worn for the last fifteen years aren’t quite as flattering now, or that he really doesn’t need twenty identical blue shirts hanging in his wardrobe.
If you’ve ever tried to make these suggestions, you’ll probably recognise the response.
“I’m fine.”
“I like what I wear.”
“I don’t need a stylist.”
The funny thing is, after styling men for many years, I’ve realised something. Most men aren’t against style. They don’t dislike clothes and they certainly don’t mind looking good. What they often don’t like is feeling as though they’re being told what to wear by their partner.
The moment it feels like criticism or control, the shutters come down.
That’s where a personal stylist can make all the difference.
Many of my male clients actually come to me because I’ve already worked with their wife or partner. She’s had her colours analysed, we’ve transformed her wardrobe and perhaps we’ve enjoyed a personal shopping trip together. He sees the difference. He notices that she’s more confident, getting dressed more easily and receiving compliments.
Suddenly, the idea of working with a stylist doesn’t seem quite so strange.
Instead of saying, “You need a stylist,” his partner might simply ask, “Would you like to have your colours done too?” That feels very different.
In fact, colour analysis is often where I begin with men because they absolutely love understanding the science behind it. They enjoy discovering why certain colours make them look healthier, younger and more approachable, while others make them look tired or washed out. Unlike many women, they don’t have hair colour or make up to enhance their features, so wearing the right colours can make an enormous difference.
From there, we move on to a wardrobe consultation at home. This isn’t about throwing everything away or telling someone they’ve got terrible taste. Quite the opposite. Most men already own plenty of clothes. They simply need someone to help them edit what they have, remove the pieces that no longer work and show them how to create outfits that feel current, flattering and effortless.
Once we’ve identified any gaps, we head out on a personal shopping trip together.
Before you ask, no, I don’t recommend that you come along!
Not because you’re not welcome, but because I know how these situations work. If you’re both there, it can very quickly feel as though you’re both trying to persuade him to wear something different. If it’s just the two of us, the whole experience becomes relaxed, enjoyable and completely free of pressure. I’m simply offering professional advice, and for some reason that lands very differently than hearing the same suggestion from a partner.
The best part comes afterwards when you meet us for a coffee or a drink and see the transformation for yourself. I can’t tell you how many women have smiled and said, “I’ve been telling him that for years!”
The truth is, men don’t usually need convincing that they want to look good. They simply don’t always want the person they love telling them how to do it.
Sometimes the best gift you can give the man in your life isn’t another shirt or another jumper. It’s the confidence that comes from knowing he looks his best. A personal styling session is a gift for him, but if we’re being completely honest, it’s probably a gift for you too 🙂
Love Nisha x