Style matters. That’s just how it is because no matter how often people claim to “look underneath” and that “character beats looks”, you are still judged by how you look and what you wear. At least, those factors have a huge impact on the first impression, and we all know how important those are.

So, style matters. But what if you don’t have a distinctive and attractive style yet?

In this case, the following tips will help you develop one.

• Know your basics

Body type, environment, and personal preferences, these are three main pillars of a great style. Therefore, the first thing you need to do when developing your own is to determine what kind of clothing will fit your body type.

The second major factor to consider is the environment. This one includes both the climate and your work environment. The climate will dictate fabrics and, to some extent, designs, because you really can’t go out wearing silk shirts and stylish suits in the middle of winter in Alaska.

Your work might not be a factor at all if it doesn’t have a dress code or some “unwritten style rules”. For example, if you are a lawyer, you really shouldn’t turn up in court wearing old jeans and a flannel shirt.

With these two factors accounted for, it’s time to consider what you like and feel comfortable in. But this might be very hard to determine as your preferences might change based on your mood or a multitude of other factors.

Therefore, you should put this step on hold and start experimenting. Take notes on how you feel wearing different styles of items so you can gradually work out what works best for you personally.

Bear in mind, your likes and tastes will change with time. Therefore, style isn’t something fixed and solid. And if you feel like changing, you definitely should go with your gut.

• It’s all in the details

For all that men’s fashion has gotten much more diverse today, you will often be restricted in your choices by your environment or body shape. Therefore, accessories usually are the main “channel” for your style.

The good news is that these are extremely versatile today. You can see this by looking into the many styles and types of watches or a range of leather suspenders for men. There are also belts, shoes, hats, ties, and jewelry to help you turn plain clothing into something classy and screaming “individuality”.

Shopping for accessories might become the formative step of your personal style. Go out (or go online) and just browse the hundreds of options on offer. Pick the ones that “call” to you and the ones you can imagine yourself wearing and enjoying it.

Then, lay these items before your eyes at home and start thinking about how you’ll need to adjust your wardrobe to create the looks that you want based on these defining features.

• Build a capsule wardrobe

“Capsule wardrobe” is a fancy way of calling basic essentials that should be in every man’s wardrobe. The most basic wardrobe of this kind includes underwear, socks, a blazer, a casual jacket, a pair of jeans, a pair of slacks, a pair of boots, and a pair of sneakers. You should also have about 8-10 tops in different styles and neutral colours.

The need to include a suit in that setup varies depending on your social position and environment.

This kind of wardrobe is practical and should be the basis of your style-building project. Note that these items work best when they are neutral, so the only thing you should concern yourself with when shopping for them is how well they fit you.

The style is added through items that exceed this basic list. Like some fancy jacket or alligator-skin boots.