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approach a client one after another with the same credentials, same product, same handsome chiseled face, same go-getter attitude. One of them is wearing a black Armani suit fresh off the dry cleaning racks and a tie by Dior Homme. The other one's wearing a decidedly dapper vintage suit with an antique jacket pin he bought off Etsy and a totally hip silk tie his girlfriend made, with a pair of Terminator High Supreme Nike's in white & gold.

So, who wins this battle?

The verdict is decided entirely on the product. If they're selling a distance learning software platform to an ivy league university, the results will differ from trying to pitch a fresh, metrosexual menswear line to a boutique owner.

You needn't be a bohemian work-from-home DIY guru to apply these ideas to your own wardrobe. Whether you work in an office, a night club, or at a fruit stand, you have to speak to your customer, your boss, your co-worker, and potential networking opportunities with more than just words. Your outfit can say, "I am a straight shooting no B.S. kind of guy who can consult his way up and down this block and put the most money in your pocket." Your outfit can also say, "I am an avidly poetic painter of found objects that deserves a space in your gallery at the opening next month." The magic's in the image.

You can dress like a bonafide casanova but it's not going to sell the livestock any faster to your fellow farmers. Get the idea?

With the minor task of "knowing yourself" out of the way, know that the modern world requires you to take whatever your personal style is and kick it up a notch. That doesn't mean make it more flashy/gaudy/3-D. Enhance the look, whatever it is. Splashes of color, vintage (when it's oozing with class), and flawless fit are no-fail concepts. To rise above the competition through appearance, you'd better be a little bit different and a little bit superior. That requires creativity and a love of looking good.

If you don't love focusing on your image, you might want to start. It's what all your first impressions will be based on that don't occur over the phone. When you're networking at a party (or the local craft fair), or you're airing your own youtube broadcast, or on a door-to-door crusade, looking great will get your foot in the door. Looking totally stylish and relevant to your product will get a hand with a business card through the door.

The modern consumer (that's you, by the way) certainly has an increasing tendency to give up easily when a little work is involved. Looking totally stylish all the time is no easy task.

Technology has made it so easy to do so many things, that when faced with a challenging task (such as waiting for a website to load, reading a road map, or looking good in non-generic terms), the towel is thrown in far too quickly. We as a society want quick fixes, fast answers to problems of all sizes, and "satisfaction guaranteed".

With the menswear industry on an exponential rise, you have more choices than ever for grooming an identity through attire. So, as not to render this guide useless to the impatient, quick-fix consumer in you, here are a few great links to point you down the right path. Study hard, and you'll be dressed for success in every way.

Dress for the occasion. The occasion is your sparkling immediate future.

* men.style.com
* newdandyism.com
* highsnobiety.com
* asuitablewardrobe.dynend.com
* unrulyheir.com
* thesartorialist.blogspot.com
* bbcicecream.com
* urbanoutfitters.com

Learn more about this author, Michelle Christina.
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