A good fitted baseball cap should feel like it was made just for you. You don’t want it awkwardly perched on top of your head or uncomfortably squeezing your temples. You want it to fit like a broken-in pair of gloves or boots. 

The problem is, hats don’t come that way off the rack. Even if you pick the “right” size, you’re working with standardized measurements trying to fit a non-standard head. And most brands only size in quarter- or half-size increments, so the “right” size is usually just the closest size. Add in stiff materials and factory shaping, and most caps start out feeling a little off — a bit too tight or loose.

The good news: that slight mismatch is fixable. You can usually dial in a hat that’s just a little too big or too small. 

Materials matter in how much play you’ll have: wool caps will stretch and conform more easily, while polyester blends tend to hold their shape. Either way, don’t rush the break-in process. The best results come from a mix of light intervention and regular wear. Over time, the hat will do what it was meant to do: mold itself to you.

In addition to getting a hat to fit nicely on your noggin, breaking it in also involves curving the bill (we’re no fans of the flat brim at AoM). The same easy-does-it principle for breaking in the crown applies to breaking in the bill too: while the methods above can accelerate the process, you don’t have to force it — a natural curve will come gradually just by working it with your hands over time.

With that in mind, use the guide above to fine-tune your cap. And if you want to go deeper, check out our full-length article on breaking in a fitted baseball hat.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

In the world of watches, the word complication doesn’t mean something has gone wrong. It simply refers to any function beyond those of a three-hander, which tells the hours, minutes, and seconds.

There are dozens of possible complications and some of them are wildly elaborate: perpetual calendars that account for leap years, “tourbillons” that counteract gravity, minute repeaters that chime the time on demand. At the highest end, watchmakers compete to stack as many of these feats of engineering into a single case as humanly possible.

But for most men, those aren’t the complications that matter.

The vast majority of watches you’ll encounter and realistically consider wearing feature a couple of common, practical complications. They add useful functionality, distinctive character, and a certain mechanical charm that stands out in a sea of smartwatches.

Here are the five most common watch complications — and why you might choose a watch that includes one or more of them.

The Date

The date window is the most ubiquitous complication in modern watches. It’s simple, useful, and unobtrusive. If you routinely sign documents, schedule meetings, or just like having the date visible without pulling out your phone, it’s handy to have.

It’s also a complication that allows for a bit of variety and personal style. A small date window at 3 o’clock adds a touch of modern utility; a larger display near the bottom makes a bolder statement.

The Chronograph

A chronograph is essentially a stopwatch built into your watch. It allows you to measure elapsed time — useful for exercising, grilling a steak, or calculating speed when paired with a tachymeter bezel.

Chronographs undoubtedly add visual interest, but can also veer into busyness. You may run into multiple subdials, pushers on the case, and extra markings, which can give the watch an overbuilt, tool-oriented feel. Whether you like that or not comes down to personal preference; if you appreciate mechanical ingenuity or want a watch with a bit more presence on the wrist, a chronograph certainly delivers.

The GMT or Dual Time

Originally developed for pilots, GMT watches allow you to track a second time zone simultaneously. It could be a fourth hand that circles the dial once every 24 hours or a small separate dial.

If you travel frequently, work across time zones, or have family overseas, this complication is genuinely practical. It also carries a subtle air of adventure and the romance of global exploration.

If your life is firmly rooted in one time zone, it may simply be a perfectly acceptable aesthetic choice.

The Moonphase

Few complications are as poetic as the moonphase. It tracks the lunar cycle, displaying the waxing and waning moon through a small aperture on the dial.

It’s certainly not necessary, but often beautiful and just plain fun.

This is a complication that’s less about utility and more about tradition and craftsmanship. Long before modern calendars and digital displays, watchmakers devised moonphase complications to track the lunar cycle for navigation, agriculture, and religious observance, making it one of the oldest features of horology — the science, study, and art of measuring time. Because early watchmakers had to mechanically replicate the moon’s 29.5-day cycle using gears alone, the moonphase became a showcase of both technical skill and decorative artistry.

The moonphase complication thus connects modern wearers to centuries of horological heritage. If you’re drawn to watches for their romance and history, this complication may speak to you.

The Power Reserve

On mechanical watches, a power reserve indicator shows how much stored energy remains before the watch needs winding. It’s especially practical if you rotate watches; while a daily-worn watch is either continuously wound (automatic) or regularly wound by habit (manual), one worn only occasionally can unexpectedly run down.

A power reserve also adds a subtle technical character to a watch — a reminder that what you’re wearing is a human-engineered machine.

Choosing What Fits You

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you should choose a watch based on its complications. But the truth is simpler: pick those that align with how you live and what you think looks nice.

If you value clean design, a simple three-hand watch may be your best companion. But depending on your tastes, one or more complications may be exactly the fit for your life and your personal style.

A watch is one of the few pieces of gear you’ll wear every day. Function matters, but so does the way it looks and feels. A watch’s complications should serve your daily life while also bringing some subtle satisfaction each time you glance at your wrist.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

Having a signature scent is a great way to express your personality, but no single cologne is ideal for every situation, or even every time of the year. Just as your clothing changes with the seasons, your fragrance “wardrobe” can too. In fact, fragrance experts suggest having three go-to colognes: one for spring/summer, one for fall/winter, and one versatile scent you can wear year-round. Different fragrances mix more or less well with the distinct atmosphere of each season — both its literal weather and its intangible mood — and choosing the right one ensures your scent acts as an ideal complement to the time of year.

Below, we break down what to look for in each seasonal category, plus a bonus pick for the holidays.

Spring & Summer

When the temperature rises, heavy colognes can turn sour fast. Heat both amplifies and breaks down fragrance, which is why richer scents often smell muddy in the heat. So in the warmer months, you want something light and clean.

Look for citrus, herbs, green leaves, or a hint of floral. Those give off a fresh-air brightness that fits the season.

Spring & Summer Fragrance Notes to Look For

• Citrus: bergamot, lemon, grapefruit, neroli
• Greens & herbs: basil, mint, green tea, violet leaf
• Light florals: lavender, jasmine, lily-of-the-valley
• Marine notes: sea breeze, salt, wet wood

Spring & Summer Fragrances to Try

• Bluegrass by EastWest Bottlers. This is my personal spring/summer signature scent. Smells like a fresh field after mowing, with a dash of mint julep.
• Acqua di Giò. Citrus and ocean air. A summer standby since the ’90s.
• Tom Ford Neroli Portofino. Smells like stepping off a sunlit terrace on the Italian Riviera. Starts with a bright burst of citrus and orange blossom, then mellows into a green wood note. It’s crisp, clean, and effortlessly elegant.
• Nautica Voyage. A long-time favorite for its crisp apple, green leaves, and marine notes.

Fall & Winter

Cool weather calls for richer, deeper scents that would be too strong in summer but now feel just right. Think of the cozy, robust smells of autumn and winter: warm spices, wood smoke, leather, and amber. They project better in cold air and last longer on heavy winter fabrics, enveloping you in a seasonally on-point aura.

Fall & Winter Fragrance Notes to Look For

• Spices: cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper
• Woods: cedar, sandalwood, pine, vetiver, patchouli
• Leather & smoke: tobacco, birch tar, incense
• Amber & vanilla: tonka bean, amber resin

Fall & Winter Fragrances to Try

• Sportsman by EastWest Bottlers. My personal signature fall/winter scent. Has notes of leather, musk, flint stone, red clay, and pine. Outdoorsy but still polished.
• Tom Ford Oud Wood. Smoky, dry, refined.
• By the Fireplace by Maison Margiela. Sweet chestnut, smoke, and vanilla. Smells like sitting by the fire after coming in from the cold.

The Year-Rounder

Every man needs one scent that fits any season. One that’s balanced and dependable. An option B for when you don’t feel like wearing your seasonal scent and want to mix things up.

Your year-round fragrance should open clean and end warm. Nothing too bright, nothing too dark. Think citrus or aromatic herbs up top, and woods, musk, or amber underneath.

Fragrance Notes to Look For in a Year-Rounder

• Top notes: light citrus or aromatic herbs like bergamot, lemon, lavender, or sage; keep things bright and open
• Heart notes: green florals or soft spices to add texture without heaviness
• Base notes: woods, musk, or amber; gives your year-rounder a masculine backbone that works in any weather

Year-Round Fragrances to Try

• Bleu de Chanel. Grapefruit, cedar, and incense. A modern classic.
• Dior Sauvage. Crisp, peppery, and easy to wear anywhere.
• Old Spice Classic Aftershave. Clean, spicy, familiar. Easy to wear year-round and immediately recognizable.
• Rich ’90s Dad by Ranger Station. This has been my go-to year-rounder. I discovered it this year. Bergamot and lemon give it a fresh opening, while lavender, sage, and geranium add sophistication in the middle, all grounded by a rich base of musk, sandalwood, and amber. Plus, the name is great. I love how this cologne doesn’t take itself too seriously yet still delivers a quality fragrance.

Bonus: A Holiday Scent

Not required, but nice to have. Around Christmas, reach for something that smells like the season: pine, spice, and smoke, with a hint of sweetness.

Holiday Fragrances to Try

• Burberry London. Port wine, cinnamon, and leather. Smells like a Fezziwig party.
• Angel’s Share by Kilian. Cognac, vanilla, and oak.
• By the Fireplace. Already mentioned as a fall/winter scent, this one’s especially good around the holidays.
• Stetson. When I think of Christmas and cologne, I think Stetson. And it’s all because of its epic holiday commercial campaign from the ’90s. Easy for you.

Fresh scents when it’s hot. Warm scents when it’s cold. Something steady you can wear year-round. That’s an ideal set of fragrances for a man.

Whichever colognes you decide on for your signature scents, make sure to apply them correctly!

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

You’re about to go into a big business meeting; your suit is perfectly fitted, your shoes are shined, and your shirt is pressed. Which necktie knot do you go with? It has to make an impression, but not be flashy. It needs to convey power, confidence, and authority. The choice is simple: the full Windsor (also sometimes called just the Windsor or the bouble Windsor). It’s on the larger end of necktie knots, maintains a classic feel, and shows that you mean business.

Because of this, it’s a knot that is to be worn for more formal occasions and meetings. Think weddings, very important business meetings or pitches, and, should you find yourself in the highest echelons of politics, presidential debates.

Because it’s a large knot, the Windsor should be worn with a spread collar. For men who are stout, or have wider faces and necks, the knot will look appropriately proportional with your build and mug, and should be your go-to tie knot.

Learn how to tie other necktie knots:

• Four-in-Hand
• Half-Windsor
• Shelby
• Simple

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

When it comes to personal style, an oft-overlooked aspect is your fragrance. But fragrance is part of the impression you make — it influences how people perceive and remember you. Our sense of smell is much more sensitive than our sense of vision, and smell triggers memories better than any of the other senses.

Picking out a signature cologne can help set you apart from the pack. It could be one of Grandpa’s drugstore colognes, one of the colognes favored by history’s famous men, or something that’s unique to you (I’m a fan of Sportsman, myself). Whatever fragrance you select, you want to make sure you apply it right in order to optimize the results. The above guidelines will help ensure you don’t overpower people with your cologne, while allowing folks to smell the full range of scents in your fragrance. 

For more insights on colognes for men, check out our in-depth article on the subject. 

Illustrations by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Whether it’s a shiny set of cufflinks, a vibrant pocket square, or a stylish chronograph watch, it’s the little things that make a man a gentleman when he dresses up for work or a special occasion. If you’ve already mastered how to tie a tie, consider stepping up your style game by adding a subtle dimple, sure to make you stand out in a room of flat Windsor knots.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Scarves are a great way to stay toasty warm when the winter winds come biting. But many men don’t know how to tie a scarf in a masculine and confident way. There are actually a bunch of options to avail yourself of, the five best of which we’ve illustrated above.

The first three ways are for medium-length scarves and will serve you well in cool temperatures — above freezing and up into the 50s. The final two methods are for longer scarves and are better for days when the thermometer dips below freezing and things feel downright frigid.

Sport any of these different styles, and you’ll be a dapper fellow about town. For more details on them, as well as two additional tying methods, check out this article.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

The Half-Windsor is the first necktie knot men should learn. While the Four-in-Hand is the easiest knot to tie, the Half-Windsor looks more symmetrical and formal, while being less bulky than the Full Windsor. It’s a very versatile knot, appropriate for all occasions, and goes well with nearly every collar type, except narrow collars.

Once you’ve mastered the Half-Windsor, branch out and learn how to tie other necktie knots, and the bowtie as well.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

You may not wear a tie very often, and when you do, you’re likely apt to layer it over a white dress shirt and call it good.

That’s certainly a safe option.

But it’s also a rather boring one.

A lot of guys are intimidated by the idea of mixing different color/pattern ties with different color/pattern shirts. But once you learn some basic guidelines, it’s not so difficult to do, and can result in your making a much more stylish and striking impression.

Here’s how to work your way up with mixing shirts and ties, from the easiest combos to more advanced pairings:

Beginner: Match solid shirts with solid ties. Use analogous colors, contrasting shades of the same color, like a light-blue shirt with a dark-blue tie, or two contrasting colors, like a light-pink shirt with a navy-blue tie.

Intermediate: Match a patterned tie with a solid shirt or vice versa. The trick is to make sure there is a unifying or matching color between the shirt and tie.

Advanced: Match a patterned tie with a patterned shirt using these rules of proper contrast: One, when mixing the same pattern styles, make sure they contrast in size, e.g., pair a broad-striped tie with a thin-striped shirt. Two, you can mix two different patterns that have a similar scale, e.g., a small-polka-dotted tie with a thin-striped shirt, but avoid combinations where both shirt and tie have a small pattern size that blends the two pieces together, e.g., don’t match a tie with tiny polka dots with a shirt that has a tight plaid pattern. Three, ensure there is a unifying or matching color between the tie and shirt.

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in October 2019.

A lot of guys would like to improve their personal style, but they feel a little overwhelmed as to how to start. Men’s sartorial blogs and magazines often showcase photo spreads of male models wearing expensive, fashion-forward clothes that seem inaccessible and/or undesirable, and don’t point that helpfully towards a way forward.

Fortunately, taking your first steps towards upping your style game doesn’t have to be intimidating or involve making dramatic changes to how you dress. Instead, it requires only modest purchases that anyone can make with a minimum of effort and some very basic knowledge. Together, these wardrobe additions will significantly upgrade your look from the basics of jeans, t-shirts, and tennis shoes, all without breaking the bank, or making you break much of a sweat.

Think of the following items as the starter set for any well-dressed man:

1. A Couple of Plain White Dress Shirts

They may look like serious business pieces on the rack, but plain white dress shirts can go with pretty much any outfit.

You can wear them with slacks and a tie, or a suit if you have one, but you can also throw them on with blue jeans and a pair of beat-up work boots.

You want a couple of these because they’re never going to be wrong. While you figure out the rest of your style, basic white shirts hold the fort.

Point collars are a little nicer than button-downs, but the casual look of the latter will probably best fit your day-to-day style. Get ’em for $20 or so at any department store, or keep an eye out for sales online. Secondhand is fine too, so long as the pits aren’t yellowed or you’re confident in your stain-removing abilities.

Most importantly, make sure your dress shirts fit really well, checking out this full guide to how they should look and taking them to a tailor to get them altered.

2. A Casual Sports Jacket

It might not seem like a high priority if you’ve never been a jacket-wearing kind of guy, but don’t underestimate the value of a sports jacket.

This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, or even new. Secondhand is just fine — if anything, a little wear and tear around the edges adds authenticity. Look for sales or thrifted pieces and you can expect to spend anywhere between $10-$100.

Try for something simple and casual when you’re just getting started. Gray tweed or a brown tone of some kind should work well, in textures or patterns if you like that sort of thing.

Experiment with throwing the jacket on over a simple dress shirt and jeans when you go out to dinner or to a party. It’ll be a painless upgrade to your usual look — and one that’s not so dressy that it’ll rock the boat.

3. Nice Jeans

Upgrading your style a little doesn’t mean saying goodbye to blue jeans forever. In fact they’re a staple (or at least should be) in every man’s wardrobe.

So rather than ditching them, you’re going to improve the quality of your jeans. Skip the offerings from places like Target or Macy’s and head to a store that specializes in denim instead — a Levi’s or a Lee’s outlet works great. You can also shop online, where you’ll have your pick of everything from the major brands to small batch raw and selvedge denim jeans. Expect to spend a little bit here if you’re buying new — $60 is a good price, and it can go higher for specialty brands.

Find a pair you like and opt for a fairly close fit in dark indigo. These are your new “dress jeans,” for any occasion when you want to look comfortable and relaxed but still like someone who cares about his appearance.

The fit is important here. The denim doesn’t have to be skin-tight, but it shouldn’t have too much excess either. You want a little taper to the legs, and an overall more “tailored” look than the jeans you’d wear to work in the yard.

4. Casual Leather Shoes

A pair of decent shoes changes the entire outfit they’re worn with.

Swap tennies for leather footwear and you’ve suddenly got a much more respectable look.

You don’t have to spend much to get the effect. Most department stores will have leather shoes (generally with rubber soles) for around $50.

Leather footwear, of course, comes in a variety of styles, from brogues to loafers to work boots. Choose a pair based on your personal style and the formality of your outfit. Whichever way you go, they’ll be a big upgrade from sneakers.

5. A Lightweight Sweater

Sweaters are a little like sports jackets in that some guys love ’em and own about a dozen, and other guys never even think about putting one on.

Split the difference and grab one or two thin, lightweight sweaters. Solid colors are best — you’ll be layering with other pieces.

A good sweater can be a top layer or can go under a sport coat — wear that instead of a more technical-looking jacket for warmth on cool days.

Your price is going to vary depending on what the sweater is made out of, but you can get cheap knit cotton ones for around $30. Wool (especially cashmere) is going to be warmer and sturdier, but it’ll also cost more, in the $100 range for a good one bought new.

It may seem like a strange investment at first if you’re not a sweater-loving guy, but give it a try. For about half the year (in temperate climates), a plain sweater with a dress shirt under it and a decent pair of blue jeans will be temperature-perfect — and stylish.

6. A Handsome Overcoat

If you’re going backpacking or mountain climbing, bring the high-tech parkas and performance gear you need to keep your body warm. For bumming around town, however, skip the puffy fabrics, high-gloss plastics, and chunky pull-tabs of outdoors gear whenever you can. If you’re not going to be out in bad weather for hours on end, your overcoat doesn’t need to be high-tech. Rather, get a coat that’s both warm and classically handsome.

There are a lot of options here, depending on your climate and your style. Trench coats or dressier wool overcoats work well for suit-wearing men; guys who don’t have a suit jacket’s length to cover up can get away with shorter options like pea coats and fatigue jackets.

You can almost always find decent secondhand coats at thrift stores or online. Don’t pay more than $50-$75 for it unless you find one you really want; if you’re patient and willing to try some odd styles out you can probably end up spending as little as $20.

7. A Good Leather Belt

A nice belt is an accessory that can go a surprising ways towards pulling a getup together.

If you’re expecting to be wearing a business suit, you’ll need a slimmer black dress belt in your collection, but for most guys’ day-to-day wear, a brown, leather, thicker/wider “work belt” style is the real essential. The strap should be 1.5″ in width or more, and made of a natural or tan leather. The buckle should match the metals you wear (watch/rings). Here are all the details you could ever want for picking out a good one.

Don’t be afraid to invest up front in a really sturdy piece of leather. Leather goods companies sell high-quality belts for around $30-$50, and you can add handcrafted or vintage buckles for $5-$25 a pop, if you’re into that. 

Building Your Wardrobe Over Time

Take a quick look back over the estimates we made in this list and you’ll see that even the bare minimum investment is going to be more than $200. Depending on your current financial circumstances, that may seem like a lot.

But remember, this isn’t a package deal. You’re not going out and grabbing these overnight.

It’s easy to pick up one or two pieces per month, just by browsing around online and keeping an eye out for deals, or by swinging through the mall once in a while.

Many of these also make good gifts — relatives who don’t know what to get you for Christmas would probably be thrilled to hear that all you want is a leather belt or a couple of dress shirts.

Take it slow, and remember that the most important part of these upgrades is wearing them.

You’ll come to see that while the effort involved in trading in old blue jeans, a T-shirt, and sneakers, for fitted jeans, a dress shirt, and brogues, will be minimal, the difference in your appearance and the impression you make will be huge.

_____________________________

Written By Antonio Centeno

Founder, Real Men Real Style

Click here to grab my free ebooks on men’s style

This article was originally published on The Art of Manliness.