Style Advice

5 style mistakes to avoid for a polished look

In this post, we go through five style mistakes that should be avoided if you want a more polished look. It's about small details that are easily forgotten but can be decisive for the overall impression.

Text: Ebba Lundberg
Photo: Alamy & Care of carl team

Published 2024-08-24

Often, so-called style mistakes can be overlooked since personal style is largely based on individual taste and preference. However, within the dressy style segment, there are specific rules that should be followed. Below, we highlight some common mistakes that can easily occur when you're in a rush or haven't paid close attention. Unfortunately, these missteps should not be ignored, even if they come with a touch of charm. Some might even consider them nearly unforgivable.

Incorrectly buttoned blazer

Leave the bottom button of the blazer unbuttoned.

Buttoning a blazer may not be rocket science, but it’s still an area of frequent misunderstanding, as we’ve noticed at various events and festivities this past summer. Fastening all the buttons on a jacket seems to be more common than a style expert might expect. It’s understandable, though—knowing which buttons to fasten and which to leave undone can be confusing, especially since different jacket models have varying button configurations. For those who are even a little uncertain, here’s our straightforward guide to buttoning:

• On a two-buttoned blazer, only fasten the top button.
• For a three-buttoned blazer, button the middle one; the top button is optional.

No matter the blazer, always leave the bottom button undone—got it? Great.

To keep the label on the blazer sleeve

Remove the label from the blazer sleeve.

The label on a blazer sleeve is not a stylish detail or a subtle way to flaunt the brand. It should be removed before you even think about leaving the house. Given that this style blunder has been spotted at several weddings, one might wonder if people hesitate to mention it out of discomfort or simply because they aren't aware of the etiquette themselves. Whatever the reason, it's wise to double-check your cuffs before heading out to avoid this common and slightly embarrassing mistake.

Pilled and wrinkled garments

A well-maintained garment creates a polished impression.

Wrinkles and pilling have no place on clothing—they diminish the entire look. Even an expensive shirt will appear less extravagant if it's wrinkled. Your cashmere sweaters require care and attention. No matter the price, knitted garments will pill over time because they are made from natural materials. Our simple advice is this: iron your shirts and regularly use a fabric shaver or wool comb on your knitwear. This will give you a more polished and well-groomed appearance.

Read more: How you remove bobbles from clothes with a fabric shaver

Dress shirt outside the trousers

The dress shirt should be tucked in.

This point is worth mentioning again, as we still see this style mistake all too often. Whether it's due to a lack of knowledge or indifference, this misstep is hard to ignore. The dress shirt is both versatile and elegant, but to achieve a polished and more refined look, it should be tucked into your trousers. There are plenty of other shirts that look great untucked, but the dress shirt is not one of them.

Unkempt shoes

Make sure your quality shoes are clean, fresh and looked after.

It’s usually said that shoes can "make or break your style" and in this case we couldn't agree more. If the shoes are unkempt, it doesn't matter how polished the rest of the look is. Imagine that you have invested in those trousers you’ve had your eye-on for a long time, proceeding to match with your favourite shirt. For this, you wear a pair of muddy loafers that took a beating from yesterday's walk home. The style just doesn't look very flattering.

So how do you keep your shoes in good condition over time? If you own shoes made of leather, consider investing in a pair of cedar shoe trees. These have more advantages: they absorb the moisture from the shoes, which prevents wrinkles, in addition, they retain the shape of the shoes, which is one of the most important factors in keeping the shoes in good condition for many years. In addition to this, it is important to polish the shoes regularly to maintain their immaculate condition.

Read more: Care of Carl's Definitive Guide to Shoe Care

Take a look at your shoe collection and see if you can give your shoes some extra love to elevate your look this autumn. It doesn't have to be more difficult than that.

Don't forget that in the end it's entirely up to you to decide whether you want to follow the rules, break them or ignore them, after all it's you who decides your personal style. But it can be good to be aware of the style mistakes that will make some people raise their eyebrows.

Read more: 5 mistakes that raise the eyebrows of the style conscious

Do you agree? Please share your thoughts with us.

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style advice Ebba lundberg

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