Grooming Regiment

Something that extends beyond just personal appearance, even into the field of general health, is grooming. While I've heard varying opinions on this, I personally think grooming is actually one of the areas that a lot of men, perhaps most, are already aware and practicing. They shave or trim their beards and hair appropriately, they keep themselves clean (showering, brushing their teeth, etc), and they wear clean clothes. There might be the stereotype otherwise, but personal experience tells me that most men I know already do these things.

That said, though, I think a lot of men limit themselves to a particular range, aiming to find a balance between keeping clean and well-trimmed while still maintaining a 'manly' lifestyle. In doing so, though, I think they overlook or avoid beneficial options to avoid a stereotype, or they completely ignore certain fields, as they never really think about them.

For this post, I wanted to discuss grooming options for men that I feel are a good idea to take into consideration. These aren't in any great detail, though I might cover that at a later time. Note, I am taking brushing teeth and showering as given, so they're not included.

Shaving

This one's kind of a gimme. The vast majority of men do pay attention to their facial hair and regularly trim it. Even those that just let it grow on its own do so with an appreciation for a full beard. However, there are some things to take into consideration.

What sort of look do you want, with a beard? Do you want a well-polished, clean look, and so opt for a clean-shave every day or two, or do you prefer a more edgy look and prefer some well-kept stubble? Do you want to go a little bit rugged, and so let it grow out a little? Do you want a certain style of short-kept facial hair to emphasize or hide your features?

How much hair can you grow? I would love to be able to grow thick set of stubble or a short beard, but there's a problem. I physically CANNOT grow a mustache. There's what we want to grow, and there's what we can grow. If you can grow a full beard, that's great, but as unfortunate as it is for those of us who can't, we have to take this into consideration as to what we want.

You need to evaluate your own lifestyle and determine what you want and what you can do.

Hair

When it comes to hair on your head, I think a number of men view it as something that just needs cut when it gets too long, but there's more to it, not even taking into consideration body hair. There are a zillion haircuts out there, but I don't honestly consider your haircut a part of your grooming regime so much as how you keep your hair clean kept. By this, I mean making sure your neck hair and upper back are clean and well kept.

Also, if you're like me and have the body hair of a gorilla, there's the option of trimming your shoulders, chest, etc. By this, I do NOT mean shaving it off (been there, looked twelve, stopped doing it). Instead, just taking some clippers to it to keep it under control. If you don't feel comfortable doing so, understand, but it does help to give a more clean appearance around the opening of a button down shirt or at a beach.

Skin Care

This is where we start into territory that many men are uncomfortable with. However, the truth is that, as we age, our skin starts to dry and develop wrinkles, and while a regular shower every day might clean some, there will remain dead skin. And, by just sticking to a shower, we're stripping some of the oils from the skin, thus further enhancing the problem.

To start, unless you sweat a lot, do vigorous workouts daily, and/or have a dirty profession, you don't need to shower every day. Instead, in my opinion, showering three times a week is roughly your best bet.

Next, it is actually important to use things such as moisturizers, facial cleansers, and sunscreen regularly. These will protect, clean, and or nourish the skin. In the long wrong, silly as it may seem, these are actually good for your general health.

Scent

I've covered the idea of colognes before, but when it comes to scent, this is actually a biggie in how others see us. I don't care if you have the body of a Calvin Klein model, if you smell bad, people don't want to be around you. And I don't mean one should obviously wear some sort of fragrance. Instead, this is just to recommend paying attention to how you smell and making an effort to either smell good, clean, or not at all. A quick hit, but it needs mentioned. Quick note, this goes for feet, too! If you think they're going to sweat, foot powder is wonderful stuff.

Nail Care

I think a lot of men view nails solely in the realm of keeping them trimmed, but the truth is that this is neither good hygiene nor good presentation. Besides the cleanliness factor of bacteria that builds underneath the nails, there are also a good number of people that notice dirty nails and are repulsed by them.

There are elements that can be included, such as keeping the cuticles clean cut, smoothing and moisturizing the nails, etc. However, in my personal opinion, there are just two things to take into consideration: are they trimmed and are they clean? A simple pair of clippers and a file will keep them at a good length and shapely, and just to clean out under the nails about once a week will help with the rest.

Conclusion

The above are, for me, the aspects I pay the most attention to, outside of brushing my teeth and showering. For me personally, it boils down to keeping clean and well-kept, and I find paying attention to the above aspects keeps me covered in the majority of situations.

How about you? What do you feel is all you really need? Disagree with anything I've said, or have anything to add? Comment below!

Shoes

Something I've heard mentioned before is that, for any man trying to rebuild his wardrobe, the first place to start is with his shoes. Being a lover of shoes, I would have to agree. They can serve as a sort of foundation (not meant as a pun, but it works) to any outfit. Though apparently a small detail, if done right, it can emphasize the overall positives of the outfit, but if done wrong, it can actually make the whole thing look a bit silly.

In my opinion, there are actually a variety of tiers to take into consideration, when it comes to footwear. How one approaches these tiers and their own needs not only will determine how many shoes they would need to have, but also the quality and price point involved. Each man has to take his own lifestyle into evaluation and buy accordingly.

However, while I may go into a variety of different options in later posts, I wanted to cover what I consider perhaps the most fundamental and basic option that most men can have in their closet: the black, cap-toe dress shoe. (Note, take this opinion with a grain of salt, as this is just my opinion, and there are a great many who disagree with me.) But while there are several options out there, there are certain aspects I feel should be taken into consideration. (Note, this is more to try to get as many of these conditions as possible, because finding one that matches all of them within a reasonable price range... is exceptionally difficult.)

• These should be real leather shoes. Top or full grain leather upper. These will mold better to your feet and last you much longer.
• Goodyear welt construction. These stand up better to the elements and are easier and cheaper to replace at a cobbler, when the time DOES come.
• While it's not as important, an oxford version of this shoe will be more versatile than a derby.
• I'll be the first to admit that broguing can make for a gorgeous shoe, but in this case, you want the shoe to be simple.
• A matte finish. A shoe with a significant amount of shine works in dressier situations, but it doesn't transition as well into casual wear, whereas a matte finish works equally well in both. Remember, this shoe is meant for its versatility.
• Leather insole. While there are padded insoles that provide cushion for the feet, a leather insole will adjust to the shape of your foot over time and eventually provide better support and hold.
• Non-trendy design. Something like a sharp toe or the outdated square design can look very fashionable for a time, but eventually they do go out of style. An overly rounded toe will somewhat resemble a clown shoe, too. A basic, but sleek, design may appear a bit conservative, but will also stand the test of time better.
• It should be instantly comfortable the moment you first put it on and stand up. You should not need to break the leather in for your toes to be comfortable. The heel should not chafe, and the opening rim should not press into your ankle bones.

This is a shoe that can be worn to such events as a guest at a wedding to a casual night out in a pair of jeans. As with most versatile items, it should not stand out or draw attention to itself, but if done right, will easily compliment the outfit of the wearer.

Have any versatile shoes you prefer? Disagree with anything or have any corrections to make? Comment below!