I sat down to lunch with one of my closest guy friends, let's call him Brad, the other day and the first thing he said was "Sela, am I unattractive." Truthfully, I responded "no." To which he replied "Do I smell bad?" Once again, I answered with a simple "no". I realized that his final question was the root of all the others when he said "So why don't women seem to be attracted to me when I first meet them?" This answer was going to be a bit more complicated. Examining my good friend from head to toe, I came up with the idea of this article, so listen good, men. Your appearance is half the battle. If a woman tells you that looks don't matter, she is a bald face lie... Well to an extent at least . You don't have to look like Brad Pitt to be deemed attractive, but having his style would be a big plus. So first let's start with the basics.

Any woman that you will ever meet will tell you that the first thing that they look at is a man's shoes. If your shoes are not nice and clean, then you have lost points before you even open your mouth. If you shoes and belt match, those are big bonus points. Next thing on the chopping block will always be the nails. Now I'm not saying that you have to be the type of man who goes out and gets manicures, although that is a plus if not overdone, but trimming and cleaning is a must. Simple manicure sets are available in the cosmetics department for about six dollars men. Trust me, it's well worth the investment. No if you are the type to get a manicure every blue moon, make sure to avoid the clear fingernail polish. I can not stress this idea enough. A nice buffed finish screams metro sexual, while a clear polishes yells homosexual. These are two areas where Brad was seriously lacking.

Although I answered honestly when Brad asked me if he smelled bad, I'm afraid that he was asking the wrong question. It should have been rephrased to say "Do I smell good enough to eat?" which would have been a definite "no". It is not enough to smell like fresh Zest fellas. Women want to be intoxicated by the small of you; so much so that they want to get closer so that they can further engage in your smell. But let's clear something up, smell good colognes are in no way cheap. So toss out the Stedman and Old Spice, and splurge a little on Armani Code or Vercace Man. If your looking to keep your budget below the thirty dollar line, try one of my personal favorites Unforgivable by Sean John. Remember that one bottle of cologne is simply not enough, you should be building up a rotation of about two to three colognes. Be spontaneous and switch it up for the women that see you on e regular basis. They will love it. Last but not least, never put cologne on your clothes, it will fade quickly and not mix with the natural pheromones that your body produces. Make sure to hit the "goody spots", the neck, arm pits, wrists, and my personal favorite behind the ear. I know that the last on seems a bit strange, but just think about it this way, when your in a crowed club and a girl leans in to talk to you in your ear, the first thing she will smell if that intoxicating scent.

Ok, so we've covered shoes, belts, and cologne...what else am I forgetting??? Clothes of course! I can not stress the importance of building your won personal style. Everything will not work for everyone, that is one of the most important things to remember. In this way I is kind of hard to advise on style, because each person's personality will effect the way their style works. But I can set down a few guidelines and tips that I'm sure will help you sort your way through shopping hell. As a foundation there are a few things that every trendy good looking guy should have in their closet, (Go get your pen and pad, don't' worry I'll wait............OK) they are as follows:

At least one basic black blazer

Two pairs of casual shoes (ie Kenneth Cole's, Steve Madden, ect) one black one brick

Matching belts for each pair of shoes- one black and one brick

2 pairs of dark washed straight legged relaxed jeans ( make sure they are the right length)

1 pair of light washed straight legged relaxed jeans (again... right length)

3 long sleeve button up shirts (At least one if not all should have a French Cuff)

At least 4 Polo shirts in alternating colors and patterns

3 or more graphic tees (IE Billabong, Ed Hardy, Fox, Famous Stars and Straps)

One pair of cool sneakers (This is your one personality gimme)

20 + pairs of boxer/briefs (try to stray for tidy witeys, they creep most women out)

20+ pairs of socks (This includes tube as well as dress socks)

And there, my dear boys, is the basis of your trendy wardrobe. I have given you more than enough to get you started. The rest is up to you. But if all else fails and you can remember nothing else, just think SOC. Women will always go crazy for Shoes, Odor, and Clothes. Simple as 123

XOXO

Sela