Dressing to impress women is one of the hardest things to get right and conversely one of the easiest things to get utterly card carrying fool wrong. But according to research conducted across a significant sampling of females, these are the clothing bye laws you should stick to if you want to create a favourable impression with the fairer sex.
The jeans
Jeans should be vintage and a little faded, not baggy, not saggy, not rock and roll ripped, and definitely not saggy-assed hip hop. Just well worn, almost as if you have left the house from painting your study or your sister’s new nursery and you’re out to buy more DIY supplies. Clean dark hues are also acceptable.
The shirt
Research suggests that a crisp clean white shirt is one of the major attractions for women even when matched with jeans. If you don’t want to wear a long sleeved shirt then opt for a quality short sleeved in cotton or linen, button down breast pockets always add an extra edge, but never go for a poly cotton Walmart cheapie. If you’re considering a polo shirt, forget it, it’s too dull and expected, and as for a tee shirt, well, unless you are young enough and sufficiently toned and tanned, 53% of women don’t like to see older men in anything so student casual.
The trousers/chinos
A large percentage of women are bored to death with pale beige chinos and wish men would add more of a splash of vibrant colour to their pants. Above all, flat fronts get the nod from over 64% of women, and the general consensus is that pleated trousers should be confined to history. Smartly tailored, well fitting formal trousers are also eminently acceptable.
The shoes
We all know that women make a big fuss about shoes and check them out on a man very early on in the approval process. 62% of women prefer to see men in casual leather loafers rather than trainers/sneakers. Loafers apparently hint of a life of Sauvignon Blanc aboard a boat, whereas sneakers are merely mall creepers for the mass market man. Personally I’d go for Adidas Originals over a pair of loafers, but I know this loafer obsession to be true as I am often encouraged to invest in a pair of Lacoste loafers. For formal wear, of course nothing beats well buffed quality leather lace up shoes.
The watch
76% of women like to see men wear a watch. It makes them appear responsible and aware of timing commitments. However, there is quite a bit of leeway here, because, let’s face it, the vast majority of women know only very little about watches, so whether it’s quartz or mechanical it could still create the right impression, whereas with the watch aficionado they are likely to get sniffy at the mere suggestion of a watch that requires a battery. To be on the safe side, here are a few choices that will be acceptable to both women, and at the top end at least, the watch connoisseur.
Vacheron Constantin 453
Vacheron Constantin watches with the calibre 453 while small by contemporary standards, they are typically larger than Patek Philippe watches from the same era, and hence a little more suitable for wear in light of our current preference for larger watches. But a watch of this era effortlessly exudes an air of old money.
Tissot PRS 516
The female approved Tissot PRS 516 series takes time to reflect on its 1960s motorsport-inspired origins. Wearers of the Tissot PRS models are equipped with timepieces integrating the innovations in Swiss watchmaking to complement nostalgic design elements from the racetrack. On some of these models, the movement can be seen in action through the distinctive case back shaped like the steering wheel of a pioneering sports car.
Michael Kors MK8208
The Watch Snob will be jumping up and down at the two tone cheapness of this choice, but fortunately you’re not after a date with the Watch Snob. The fact is, every woman on the planet is gaga for Michael Kors at the moment. This Michael Kors timepiece features a gunmetal stainless steel case with a rose gold-tone chronograph dial and a gunmetal and rose stainless steel bracelet to complete the look.
The warning
Be aware, that even if 99% of women agree with all of the choices above and you slavishly follow all of this advice, you could still get it hopelessly wrong, as I have done on several occasions. In my own experience I have been banned from wearing stuff I love and had stuff bought for me I would never have remotely considered. Do I look all the better for it? I haven’t a clue, because 99.9% of women never bother to comment.
