Guys have the perfect excuse for not taking care of their appearance: fashion is for women. While this is true to some extent, grooming and some basic knowledge about how to match clothes is not something to be ignored. Most guys think they can have messy hair, unclipped fingernails and clothes two sizes too large without anyone noticing. I’ve got news for them: people do notice, they just don’t tell you. It’s time you take a closer look at yourself and your personal image, and identify the mistakes that are most likely killing most opportunities in your life right now.

I won't go on and on about how personal image is important, how changing the way you look will turn you into a new person, one that’s going to get more respect and admiration than it can handle. I’ll take it easy on you. I’m going to give you the top five biggest mistakes guys make when it comes to their basic fashion. Chances are you’re doing 2 or 3 of them right now. Not only will I tell you how to fix them immediately, but I’ll give you some helpful tips that will put you ahead of most guys. If sneaky tactics to look good is what you’re after, you’re going to get those too.

1. Not taking care of their hygiene

I know this may offend some people because I talk about it but I was offended too when I had to smell some guys’ bad breath on the bus. Hygiene is something we easily forget. We don’t have to have smelly hair and bad breath and a big beard and unclipped fingernails to screw up. Any one of them will make that happen – guaranteed.

Before you leave the house, make sure you go through this checklist:

Take shower
Wash hair (no dandruff)
Brush teeth + floss + mouthwash
Exfoliate + shave + tonify + hydrate skin (this is the normal skin-care routine)
Haircut looks good and hair length is not too big (get a haircut at least once a month)
Fingernails clipped
Eyebrows look good (for those who have unibrow or think eyebrows)

Easy, right? It just takes a little discipline. And here’s a sneaky trick pertaining to personal hygiene:

Add a little cologne (not too much and make sure it fits the occasion)

The right cologne says so many things about you it’s not even funny.

2. Wearing clothes that are stained or have holes in them

No, I’m not talking about big stains. The little ones that go unnoticed by us will stand out in front of other people. I’ve seen this happen dozens of times and I don’t want it to happen to you. Make sure you check your clothes regularly for holes and stains. You don’t have to do it with all of them at once. Just take a moment to check them as you wear them.

3. Wearing clothes that don’t fit

I’ve seen a lot of guys wearing pirate shirts. You know, shirts 2 or 3 sizes too big. Shirts and other clothes come in slim fit nowadays and will give you a clean, sharp look. If you can’t find the exact shirt or pants on your size, take it to the tailor’s to have it adjusted. It makes absolutely no sense to think about color matching, expensive colognes or high-end watches if your clothes don’t fit you. You’ll end up sending mixed messages about yourself that will create more damage than good.

4. Wearing inappropriate clothes for the situation

Before you wear something, you have to know where you’re going and the kind of people that are going to be present. It doesn’t mean you’re dressing for somebody else, just that you need to be aware of the social situation you’ll be involved. In other words, think about the level of formality that is required wherever you’re going. Based on that, you’ll choose the clothes you want and, in the end, you can add a touch of your own personality. Sure, you can do more and wear something that’s out there something that attracts attention  it’s up to you. The main thing I don’t want you to do is to make a fool of yourself.

5. Not wearing something to make them stand out

As I said in the previous mistake, wearing something that makes you stand out can go a long way. Girls love it and people in general will be more receptive to what you have to say. I consider this to be a mistake (rather than a bonus) because wearing generic clothes can literally rob you of great opportunities’ in your life. Courageous people are the ones that get all the fame, recognition, money, women - you name it.

If you have high expectations of yourself, you need to have high expectations of your personal image as well. Sure, there are plenty of other fashion mistakes that guys make, but these are the critical ones. Once you advance in style, you’ll detect more and more of them and fix them.