If you could give your 13-year-old self one style tip, what would it be?
Have you ever been picked on because somebody didn’t like your outfit or physical appearance? The chances are, most probably yes. In fact, new research from Promundo, conducted in partnership with Axe found that half of all guys have considered changing their appearance in order to avoid being bullied. We’ve pulled together some top tips from our favourite fashion bloggers and we’re 100% here for their responses. Don’t forget to check out their Insta feeds for more style tips and advice.
Sam Gray
“If I could give my younger self any advice it would be to trust myself. Of course I made a lot of style mistakes growing up, and still do now every once in a while, but that’s part of growing up. Sometimes trends go out of style as fast as they came in and certain pieces don’t suit everyone. That being said, if you like something then give it a go! Fashion and style is all about having the confidence to wear something and making sure it’s an extension of your personality. Feel free to experiment with different styles as eventually you’ll find the one that suits you the best.”
Jamie Cullen
“Don’t dread ‘Own Clothes Day’. If there is one thing I could tell my 13 year old self, it would be that. The dread of laying out outfit after outfit – which let’s be honest were all questionable at best, no one needs to wear a graphic print tee saying ‘California Sunset’ on it – it doesn’t matter. No matter what people might think, or what people might say, it doesn’t matter. Be confident, be proud, be who you want to be. Rock that California Sunset tee with pride regardless of judgement – in 15 years’ time Jamie, people will be copying what you wear!”
Jordan Bunker
“Do not listen to others and do not copy what everyone is wearing. Style is personal and it is a chance to express yourself through what you wear. There will be those that might comment negatively on what you choose, but that is their insecurity, not yours. Do you and feel good about it.”
Joel
“When I was 13 I didn’t care what I wore, I lacked confidence at school and was bullied a lot. I’d now say to my younger self, your style represents who you are as a person, it speaks for you before you can even open your mouth. Take some time and think about how you want to dress, put some effort in and you’ll make yourself feel more confident. Now the way I dress can make me feel unstoppable, something so small yet so empowering.”
Carl Cunard
“If I could jump in a time machine and pop out in 2004 to visit my 13 year old self, I would slap myself on the wrist for following other people’s trends. School can be a place where you follow the crowd trying to fit in with what the popular group would be wearing, now being older and finding myself I like to wear my own style and set trends rather than follow them. Wearing what makes you comfortable will always give you a confidence boost as that’s the outfit you chose not what someone else picked out. Be a shepherd not a sheep.”
Chris Beastall / Ape to Gentleman
“When I was 13 it was all about wearing Nike Air Max 90 sneakers, adidas Predator football boots and Kickers shoes. Firetrap and Sonneti were popular too. But also, the likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Calvin Klein and Armani were on my radar albeit expensive. We all fell foul of following trends, not style. So my advice would be to keep an eye on trends, as at 13, being totally different can bring trouble. But regardless, be educated on trends and learn what you like personally. And mix the two. Ultimately you need to be comfortable, and as such confident.”
Liam Hackett
“I think I was still figuring out who I was in the world and I did fall into the trap of taking myself too seriously. My advice would be to relax a little bit, avoid mixing navy and black and to put the jet black hair dye down.”
Ed Lemont
“One piece of style-related advice that I would give to my 13 year old self is, enjoy and experiment with fashion! Why follow the crowds and dress the same as everyone else, that’s so boring and just because an outfit looks good on someone, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will look great on everyone – the person you want to dress like may not look as good as you in a certain outfit! Experiment, make mistakes! I often look back on how my style has developed from when I was a teenager to now, and it’s all trial and error and after all, it’s fun to look back and laugh at fashion disasters! Finally, hold on to all your clothing and accessories! Compress them down in an airlock bag and put them in your parent’s attic. I recently paid a premium for some Fila shorts, which I most certainly paid ¼ of the price I paid for them back in the 90’s!”
Wanna talk?
There you have it! Some of our favourite guys share their number one tips on embracing personal style. Got a faux pas of your own, or got something else on your mind? From bullying, to body image and self-esteem, there’s no question too big or too small. Head on over to our Community now to start a conversation. Our trained mentors are on hand to give you as much advice and support as you need.
