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Thanks to one of my managers I found myself in possession of a $25 gift certificate to amazon.com, which I used to buy two of the personal style-related books - Trinny and Susannah's "Trinny and Susannah Take on America" and Carson Cressley's "Off the Cuff". Naturally, I read "Take on America" first (let's face it, I am after all a girl). You may laugh all you want, my friends, but this book is the first work of what I would like to call psychology of fashion. It's not just a list of what to wear and what not to wear, it is a journey into what larger, more painful and serious issues might be lurking under someone's inability to enjoy dressing well and looking good. I absolutely recommend "Take on America" to everyone - of either gender, I can guarantee you will not regret reading it.

Sadly, there are not as many similar books for man, as I would like to see. So, following "What Not to Wear's" Trinny and Susannah's model, my husband and I have identified a group of male fashion disaster archetypes and provided a brief summary for each group. Obviously, some groups overlap and the ultimate solution to every style-related problem depends on the individual. However, we hope this would be helpful as a starting point for the sartorially challenged.

For some of the archetypes the remedy does include some extensive shopping. However, please keep in mind that what we are offering are ideas - if you can find similar items for less, good for you. Second, better quality clothes usually cost more, but last longer and wear better (keep their shape), so you'll be saving money in the long run. Third, think of all the money some of you saved over the year by either not buying anything new or buying only cheap clothes. Surely there is a wardrobe budget hiding in your bank account somewhere. Finally, looking better changes more than just your appearance - it changes your entire attitude and helps you achieve things you haven't thought about before. It's true! A hot date or a long-awaited promotion is well worth the trouble and the money.

1. Can't dress down

The look: This guy is permanently stuck in a suit; if he is going somewhere casual after work, all he does is take off his tie and unbutton the top button of his shirt (which doesn't look casual - it looks like he...umm... took off his tie and unbuttoned the top button); if he switches to a casual work environment, he just wears suit pants and a white shirt, sometimes all he does is leave out his tie; he doesn't have an intermediate

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