How to dress for success when at a bar, club, or night on the town

August 3, 7:43 PMPortland Singles ExaminerMichael DeFiore

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Alexander McQueen's 'Spine-Low' design for Puma Sport Fashion.

I get a lot of questions from my guy friends (and their friends) about style. A lot of young men have a tendency to strut around in oversized t-shirts and ill-fitting jeans with ball caps, or from the opposite end of the spectrum, in skinny-leg jeans and lots of black layers. There's nothing wrong with dressing in either of these styles. The music and film industries play a large role in popular fashion these days and the fact is that these styles sell....very well. The way a person dresses should be an extension of who they are inside. Although assimilation should be avoided, being well-dressed can mean the difference between remaining single and finding Ms. Right. If you're a goth and are looking for a girl who is also a goth, then lots of black, lots of hair-dye and piercings will probably help your cause immensely. If, however, you're a young guy who is looking to adapt a more polished, professional style in hopes of attracting a mature, maybe even sensible young woman, then these tips will come in handy. Your aim here is to remain smart and stylish, but without blending into the background. You want to stand out and be bold, but not so bold that you'll become the walking equivalent of a Christmas tree in July.

The key to success with dating is to develop a keen eye when it comes to clothes. While such age-old wisdom as "the man makes the clothes, the clothes don't make the man", and "you can't judge a book by its cover" are true, adding a little 'x' factor into your personal style can highlight your sparkling personality (which you will absolutely need to attract an intelligent miss).

Starting from the ground-up you will need:

Shoes.  For a casual night out on the town, a trip to a club or to an upscale bar, some nice shoes or dressier sneakers will do the trick. You want your footwear choices to be somewhere between going to work at the office and walking down the red carpet. Avoid anything that screams "skateboarding!" at all costs. Try some leather slip-ons or solid-color wing tips. Classic. Or if you'd prefer even less formal, and have excess cash to burn, Puma has some nice options available. Since it is summer, keep the socks short. Ankle length is as tall as you're allowed to go. Not only is it an easy way to help you stay cool, it acts as a flag. Showing off a little bit of skin here at just the right moment can cement your standing as the best-dressed man in the place. If there's one thing girls love, it's a guy that's number one.

Pants.  As long as you're not going to a ball, some nice jeans will work just fine. Dark or light, it doesn't matter. You can't go wrong with classic styles and brands. Levi 501's are a timeless choice. There should be no tears, fraying or holes anywhere in sight. Leave the battered trousers to the young'ns with a tendency to misjudge the steepness of a railing and wind up with two halves of a skateboard and a bloody nose.
If you'd like to turn it up a notch, slacks will do the trick. Steer clear of pleated options unless you're trying to look like your elementary school principal. Remember, even Kerouac wore khakis.
With summer sun over our heads, some inexperienced dressers might immediately consider wearing dress shorts. After all, summer nights can be downright humid. These can be an excellent choice as long as the sun is shining down, but when the bright round thing in the sky disappears, so should your calves.
Shorts are never, ever, ever, ever nightclub material.

Shirt.  You're going to need one. Having toned abs and an all-over tan are great, but shirtless options are mostly for guys working the chain gang or any fit fellow at a beach. Others need not apply. When going out at night, you want to have the right shirt. Tees are a solid option but they shouldn't have so much as the word "Aero" on them unless you're aiming to attract the type of person who would probably still choose their cell phone text messaging service over you, six months into a relationship. Leave the brand names to the preppy kids wearing the shorts after dark. No designs, no slogans, no logos. V-neck is the gold standard, but classic crew cut works just fine. White if you've got it. Keep in mind this is as casual as you can go here. Your best bet remains a fitted button-up. If the shirt buttons all the way down and the bottom is more than a couple inches below your waist, tuck it in. One of the best ways to stand apart from the crowd when at bars and clubs is to tuck. Bars are filled with guys who dwarf their stature by leaving these flailing in the wind. Girls absolutely love tall men, so even things out if you're a shorter fella and hide the bottom in your pants. If you were born with the gift of height, then kick it up a notch and tuck. Just do it. These shirts should also remain understated. Logos and designs are the current trend, but they're never all right unless you're the guy crushing beer cans with his forehead at the frat house. If that's the case then just forget everything you've read so far because it won't help. Once again, make a statement by showing the ladies you're bold enough to attract attention with your style, not the pseudo-tattoo on your shirt.  This Ed Hardy shirt would be a perfect example of what not to wear.

Jacket.  A blazer or suit coat is optional. The important thing here is that your shirt goes with any coat you decide to wear. The colors should blend, not engage in a visual skirmish. A white shirt will go with any coat, any time, so if you're unsure how to piece this together, keep the bottom layer white. When it comes to wearing a button-up with a coat, this is the bottom layer. Do not wear an undershirt. You're a man so show off that chest a little. Don't head for Tom Jones territory, but don't hide it either. Leaving those top two or three buttons undone will really knock the girls off their feet. Any more and you risk entering stereotypical horn dog domain. Think Larry from 'Three's Company.' Also, no leather elbow patches! Linen may seem like an appropriate choice given the extreme heat of summer time, but linen has a nasty habit of wrinkling after even short-term wear, so that makes cotton your go-to fabric for suits in the warmer months.

Jewelry.  Typically too much works entirely against you. Some might recommend that you wear absolutely none. However, a class ring, a simple, sentimental necklace or something of the sort might make for an interesting conversation piece if you find yourself running out of things to talk about. Plus, a lot of the time when a girl notices you have a ring, it's almost instinct for them to want to see it close up, or even hold it. This allows for some harmless touching. If she breaks this barrier and either grabs your hand and pulls it closer to her face to inspect it or attempts to pull it from your finger, you can bet good money that she's interested in you enough that you could pull a phone number, e-mail, or maybe even set up a date.

Face/hair.  A clean appearance and a neat haircut may be the most powerful visual weapons in your arsenal. Nothing too over-the-top. There's a lot you can do with hair, so be creative and not boring. Use your own discretion here. Shave shave shave. Beards are great but things like goatees tend to work against you in this arena. Well-groomed sideburns are a timeless decision, but only as long as they're an appropriate length. To maximize your charm, keep them no more than a half inch below your ear lobe and no longer than their width. Straight works. Triangular versions and mutton-chops are for Civil War generals, Vegas singers and X-Men.
Good oral hygiene is your ever-present wingman. Brush your teeth, keep some mints or breath spray on hand, or chew gum before heading inside wherever you happen to end up. Gum works to freshen your breath, but smacking away while chatting up the one who caught your eye will kill your appeal pretty fast.

One last thing to remember: nose hair grows fast. Invest in a trimmer designed specifically to cut those weeds.