Image via Complex Original
Since the number one rule of being stylish is never falling prey to self-doubt over your sense of style, what are the hallmarks of a really fresh dude? Every swag lord is different, but since that fateful day you committed to a life of styling on a world full of lames, you've probably shared a few experiences and common practices with your fellow fly dudes. How do you know you're really styling out here? These are a couple indicators that you know how to dress. Read on for 10 Signs That Prove You Have Good Style.
Outfit Advice
Your peers and co-workers text you for advice before making clothing purchases.
Everyone in your orbit knows you're both a swag lord and a guru of style for yourself and others. When they need to re-up their closet or want to know what the hottest new brand is, you're the person they hit up. And when said lost-in-this-world person is trying something out in the changing room or fresh from the UPS delivery, you're the one they FaceTime to see if they should keep it or nah.
Dudes that you know swaggerjack you.
Your co-sign carries so much weight that your friends and acquaintances bite your style. Sometimes it's by accident, and sometimes it's obvious, but everything from brands you fuck with to the shoes they pair their alphets with. All of a sudden your boy is a downright mirror image of you to the point where you have to sit dude aside and tell him you're flattered, but cut the shit before girls think you call each other each morning to coordinate.
Friends and family never buy you clothes as gifts.
They just don't get your taste, man. Maybe for a couple of years they tried to give you what they thought was a cool jacket or cozy sweater, only for you to turn around and flip that into store credit. Now, they don't even know where you shop anymore—probably because they haven't heard of any stores that aren't in a mall. Just ask for that AMEX gift card and call it a day.
Change clothes
You keep an alternate set of clothes at different locations.
You've got yourself covered on as many bases possible for any necessary—we're talking desk drawers at work, car trunks, anywhere you spend a good chunk of time and may need a quick change on deck. Went hard all night on a weekday? Couple T-shirts in the desk so you can work without having walk of shame tatted on your forehead all day. Weather report lied about there only being a 10% chance of rain? Beaters in the trunk so your fresh kicks live to see another day. You've got swag kits for any scenario, because it's always good to have options.
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Girls compliment your clothes more than your face.
Even if you're not the easiest on the eyes, if your alphet has girls breaking their necks for a second look, then congrats you've conquered the universe and taken your fate into your own hands. There's precedent for it in the past—guys like Serge Gainsbourg and Keith Richards had great style minus the high cheekbones and doe eyes of say, a Ryan Gosling or Paul Newman. If they can reap the benefits of great style, then so can you.
Guys you don't know pay you compliments.
When you're perfecting your fresh code before you hit the block, you may be doing it for yourself, but attention from both sexes is a byproduct you're definitely aware of. In fact, chances are dudes are going to be paying you the most attention while women barely give a second glance. The flourish is undeniable when male passerby give you that begrudging head-to-toe body scan. And if you're killing it so flawlessly dude is forced to throw pride to the wind and ask you where you copped, well, game over.
You're constantly street styled.
This one basically needs no explanation. Someone walking alongside you, maybe even working for a reputable publication, thought you were stunting on deez haters so ***flawlessly that they hopped on your jock right there like "yo dawg, can I take a picture of you?" Victory.
You have an in-depth knowledge for the history and context of fashion beyond the clothes.
No posers over here, you've done your homework. Style to you is much deeper than perusing the same three streetwear blogs and seeing what the rappers are wearing. But you also don't take yourself too seriously, you just really love clothes. You can justify what you're into and why it's fly beyond, Kanye said it's hot.
Anytime you and your skwad venture out it's a walking lookbook.
Anytime you and your skwad venture out it's a walking lookbook.
Of course, you're not going to put precious time into looking good just to surround yourself with bums. As is the case when developing a friendship within any context, if you're a swag lord in training, clearly your boys are part of the royal court. The streets won't know what hit 'em.
People confuse you for someone famous.
Walk into an event where most people are in suits on a wave that's more your own personal style, and watch how many people ask you where they've seen you before. Just go along with it, you've earned it.