It’s a common complaint. Men hate shopping. Many of them hate it so much that they’ll wear their clothes to shreds before they’ll submit to being dragged off in search of clothes. I speak from experience. I’ve literally had to take my man shopping with a jersey tied around his waist because his last pair of jeans had split! After that episode, I took to buying him clothes whenever I notice that he’s starting to look down-at-heel. He usually has some criticism or reason why he wouldn’t have chosen what I bought, but he wears it, looks neat, and that’s me: satisfied! Tired of your man’s lazy shopping habits? Here’s what you need to get him to keep him looking good.
1. Get Him Some Dress Shirts
I like to make sure that my man has at least three good dress shirts hanging up in his closet. I go for dark, neutral colours like a black or navy blue dress shirt. Men’s fashions may be changeable, but I think this one will always be with us and will always look smart. If your man isn’t averse to white, that’s the most classic option, but I do find that they don’t last as well because my action man invariably ends up getting his stained somehow.
2. Buy a Couple of Pairs of Chinos
The man in my life prefers cargo pants. I hear they’re making a comeback (shudder), but even when he doesn’t cram all those pockets full of stuff, the profile isn’t any too neat. He’s really not crazy about the chinos (pockets not roomy enough, he says) but they do look neat and they’re good for going to work. He even wears them on weekends sometimes, but that could just be because they were the first things to come to hand.
3. Look for Basic Jeans
You’ll be surprised by just how hard it is to get straightforward jeans without rips, stone washing, stovepipe legs, and other fashion fillips. Since he’s not there to try them on, choosing the right pair might seem like a tall order, but I find that he’ll usually be happy enough to have a pair of slim fit jeans. The black ones look nice enough for his work as a goldsmith where he deals with upmarket clients, and they take the punch when he decides to wear them on his backwoods adventures. All in all, a good buy.
4. Shop for Good Leather Boots
This might not work for your man, but I think a heck of a lot of guys like leather lace-up boots. I usually find that the workwear stores offer good prices on sturdy boots, and as long as they’re kept polished, they look neat enough for city wear while being practical options for walking and motorcycle riding. If your lazy shopper isn’t a boots kind of guy, take a look at what he usually chooses and try finding something similar. If he doesn’t like them, he can always take them back to the shop and exchange them. Mission accomplished. New shoes!
5. Every Man Needs Plain Tee Shirts and Golf Shirts
Does your man have a favourite tee shirt that looks like something the cat dragged in? It can be hard to get him to part with it. But if he has a range of neat, perfectly unobjectionable shirts to choose from, you might be able to wean him off it before discreetly causing it to “disappear”. Try to avoid logos and motifs. He might not like them and they make the shirt less versatile.
It’s not every man who couldn’t be bothered with style, but I think a great many of them are inclined to wear whatever’s handy and not be too bothered. If this is your man, keeping him looking neat might be easier than you think. Shop smart and accept his tidier appearance as thanks because that might be all the thanks you get!
