Science of Style: Stage 4 – How to Be a Master of Style

What is mastery?

Take a look at these amazing professional snowboarders who embody mastery.

This epic video captures the passion behind men who desire to push past their limits. Watching it stirs that same part of us.

We all want to be “masters” in something. Nobody wants to be stuck on mediocre. Whether facing fear through death-defying stunts on a freezing mountain, or executing on lucrative business ideas, a man needs challenges to thrive.

Personally, I love challenges. I love outdoing myself and making incremental gains. I want to run faster, lift heavier weights, be a better businessman, and someday a great husband. Tweaking and improve my style is very easy and enjoyable compared to other things. Even though it comes easy to me (after years of working on it), taking care of my image each morning sets the pace for the day. Looking like the person I want to be, keeps me focused on my goals. This attitude and psychology spills into other areas of my life.

If you study anyone who encapsulates greatness, all of them share something in common: a burning desire to continually grow and improve.

Regardless of whether you resonate with adventure-seekers like Travis Rice, the fact that you’re reading this blog says something about you. Think about it: you perceive where change is necessary, and you desire growth enough to pursue this topic.

You’re here because you want full control and confidence in shaping your image. You want to look and feel your greatest. Why else would you be reading this?

In fact, you need to become a master of your style. Why? Because you know that your image will shape your interactions with people – whether you’re working or having fun – and also affect your psychology, productivity, and your ability to seize opportunities.

Through the S.O.S. series, I’ve taken you through the necessary stages towards mastery:

1. Knowing Yourself– It all starts with knowing what your values, purpose, and goals are. Your values will shape your purpose, and your purpose will shape the goals you have – giving rise to the direction you want to take your image.

2. Modeling – Trying on what is already working for others, and being aware of what is popular, will help you discover what works best for you – developing your unique fashion sense.

3. Building Proficiency – You move past the trends, and become knowledgeable on the principles of great style. You take your understanding of fashion “rules” and creatively come up with one-of-a-kind outfits.

Mastery is the final path.

For a master, there is no finish line or arrival. This may be discouraging for some, but I write this to remind you that the point of all this is what the Japanese call “kaizen” or “continuous improvement.” I love what Travis Rice says in the Art of Flight trailer. He says, “You know it’s not the destination, it’s the adventure along the way…”

The mark of a truly stylish man and a guy wearing a stylish outfit for a day is that the man of style is constantly refining, experimenting, and expressing himself in better ways.

If you want to be a master, first make sure you’ve gone through the previous stages and have adopted the action exercises as continual habits.

Revisit the methods you’ve gained regularly for improvement: 

1. Re-align with your values, purpose, and goals at least once a month. Life situations will constantly change, and whether you’re looking for a new job or a new girlfriend, your latest goals will give fresh direction to your style.

2. Continue to model off looks. When you see something that catches your eye on a store manikin or fashion blog, try to gather the necessary pieces and try it on for yourself. When you know what’s out there, it’ll come back to mind when you have that special date, important interview, or party.

3. Continually seek more knowledge on fashion trends, as well as guidelines for your own body type. Keep working on building complete outfits through layering, and experimenting with creative outfits that stand out.

Here are some more powerful ways to keep improving your style:

People watch.  When you’re at a crowded public setting (like a mall, or a busy fashion district) take some time to people watch. Have fun making assumptions about people according to the way they look. Think about their career success, personality, and even their love life.

Pay attention to what they are wearing, and ask yourself these powerful questions:

Is this person’s image attractive? What is about this person’s image is attractive? What about this person is unattractive?What it is it specifically about their image that is responsible for it?

This is one exercise that has helped countless men backwards-engineer attractive style. In fact, some of my clients have said that this single exercise has been one of the most helpful learning exercises in transforming their style.

Set a clothing budget. Decide on putting aside a percentage of your pay each month for shopping. With a set budget, your image never stagnates from a lack of finances, and you can consistently update your wardrobe without feeling guilty. It also helps you set the pace for improvement. Shopping consistently is more important in the long-run than frequency.

Subscribe to your favorite fashion blogs and/or magazines. Stay updated on the tips and trends by having them delivered to you. If you haven’t subscribed to Kinowear’s blog, you can do so here.

Work with an expert. Cut the learning curve, and take a huge leap forward towards your style goals with a professional stylist. If you want to to become a master of style today, head over to Kinoimageconsulting.
Thanks for reading the Science of Style series!

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