How to Dress for a Nightclub - Men
If there’s one thing that impresses a lady, it’s a well-dressed man. And where better to amaze women and show off an impeccable style than in a club? Whether it’s a smooth and sultry jazz club, a music-bumping dance hot spot or a classy bar, you need to know what you should and shouldn’t rock to keep the ladies lining up all night long.
Overview
Spending a night out on the town with your friends (and some beautiful ladies) can be a ton of fun. What's not so fun? Deciding exactly what to wear for the occasion. Luckily, there are a few key style rules for dressing for the nightclub, whether you're heading to a smoky jazz club, a hoppin' dance spot or an upscale bar. Use these tips to master the dos and don'ts of nightclub fashion.
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Get Comfortable
Whether you’re hitting Beale Street in Memphis or just heading to your local jazz club, your style needs to be on key. Although a tailored coat and sleek trousers are a great go-to outfit for this type of nightspot, Rosie Philidor -- a celebrity stylist whose clients include Jay-Z and Idris Elba -- suggests donning a nice sweater, a pair of dark denims and dress shoes, like the outfit seen here on “True Blood” star Alexander Skarsgard at a 2011 Golden Globes kickoff party.
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Play With Patterns
Step up your style game even further in a smooth and sultry music venue by rocking a pair of pants with an unusual pattern, like the one seen here during the Michael Kors Fall 2012 runway show. Pair them with a button-down shirt, a fitted blazer and a pair of oxfords for a cool, casual look, suggests Alexander MacGregor, Jr., editor in chief of digital men’s magazine “The Boulevardier.”
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Leave the Tees at Home
Sorry, fellas: Your favorite white T and everyday sneakers won’t fly at any nightclub, even at a hot dance spot, Philidor warns -- unless you’re a superstar like rapper Kanye West, pictured here at the Spring 2012 Christopher Kane runway show. For a similar but more stylish look, throw on a crisp button-down with a pair of ultra-dark denims and a great pair of casual loafers.
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Be Bad
To capture the wild and cool energy at a dance club, try rocking hip pieces like a leather jacket (“Think the Fonz,” Philidor said). To really capitalize on the bad-boy look -- seen here on “Twilight” star Taylor Lautner at the 2011 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards -- pair it with some dark denim and eye-catching footwear, like a pair of loafers with a neon outsole.
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Play it Sharp, Cool and Casual
Because you head to a dance club to, well, dance -- make sure you’re rocking an outfit that looks great, but allows you to move, too. “A man can skip the jacket in favor of a silk or satin-blend dress shirt with sheen,” advises Grant Harris, owner of image consulting firm Image Granted. Step it up a notch by wearing a shirt with an interesting pattern, MacGregor suggests, like the one seen here on funny man Russell Brand at the 2011 Academy Awards.
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Go Hard in Soft Fabrics
Heading to an upscale nightclub or elegant bar? Then you’ll need to outfit yourself in soft, decadent fabrics like velvet -- seen here on Ryan Gosling at the 2011 Golden Globes -- suede, silk, satin or grosgrain in dark shades, Harris says. “Upscale nightclubs ooze class, sophistication, relaxation and decadence,” he notes. “A man’s style should do the same. It should be softer, finer, less stiff and more fluid.”
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Break the Mold
Scared the typical coat-and-trousers formula at upscale bars will have you looking like every other guy in the joint? Differentiate yourself with a cool tie or pocket square, like the colorful one seen on New York Giants star Victor Cruz at the 2012 Grammys. “If the dress code is fairly strict, such as a jacket required, then you can still keep your individuality,” explains Alexander Bailey, director of men’s luxury brand eboutique MilanStyle.co.uk. “Change it up with a pocket square or tie in your favorite color to stay true to your personality.”
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Change Colors
Want to further distinguish yourself from every other man at the bar? Instead of rocking a black suit like everyone else, try wearing a well-tailored suit in a different color -- MacGregor suggests a nice shade of gray or blue-gray, like the one found here on singer Joe Jonas at the Calvin Klein Spring 2012 runway show. Instead of your typical oxfords, throw on a pair of leather or desert boots.
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Don Designer Duds
Not all man have (or even want) high-end designer shoes, accessories and suits -- like the sharp Tom Ford suit pictured here on actor Bradley Cooper at the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscars party -- hanging in their closets. If you do, an elegant nightclub is the perfect place to show off these pricey pieces, notes James Lungi, co-owner of Las Vegas concierge service Vegas Luxury Group VIP. “Make sure you look flashy, but not too flashy,” he said. “Your attitude should be confident and you should feel comfortable at all times.”
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Pass on Pricey Footwear
While looking like money can help your luck with the ladies every now and then (and the bouncers, too), Philidor advises you never to rock your priciest items. “Don’t wear your most expensive shoes and expect for them to not get stepped on,” she warns. Instead, compromise by wearing a good-quality pair of shoes -- like the oxfords worn here by singer/actor Justin Timberlake at a 2011 "In Time" premiere in California -- that’s well within your budget, in case you need to replace them after a night out.
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Add 'Em On
When you’re heading out for the night, no outfit is complete without a few well-placed accessories, such as watches -- like the one worn here by actor Kellan Lutz to the 2011 Teen Choice Awards -- tie pins and clips, and even colorful socks. “The best way for a man to distinguish himself from the crowd is through his accessories,” Harris explains. “The key is to coordinate accessories with the rest of the environment and not to overload on them -- no more than three pieces should be used at once.”
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Get Cuffed Up
If you’re wearing a button-down, a great pair of cuff links -- like the ones shown here on HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales -- is the perfect way to add some elegance while expressing your personal style. “I believe a man can do no wrong if he accessorizes with a handsome pair of cuff links,” MacGregor notes. “Even if you’re wearing an outfit made up of the most basic shirt, jeans and shoes, a pair of cuff links brings an instant dash of sophistication.”
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Belt It
One accessory that can take an outfit from just-there to just-right -- and that men often forget to add -- is a nice leather belt. “Belts don’t get enough attention,” MacGregor says. “A slim leather belt with a simple or classic buckle can really bring an outfit to life, and you’d be hard-pressed to find an outfit that a belt couldn’t enhance.” Just avoid a clashing look by making sure your belt and shoes are in the same color family, as singer D'banj did here at the 2011 BET Awards.
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Just Say No
Fortunately, men have a ton of choices when it comes to what to wear to a nightclub. Unfortunately, there’s a pretty long list of what not to wear, too, style experts say. This list includes sunglasses, big chains, baggy jeans and baseball hats, to name a few, Lungi reported. MacGregor insisted that shorts -- even if they're paired with a coat and tie, like the pair stylist and reality TV star Brad Goreski wore here at a Trevor Project red carpet event -- are a big no-no. “No one wants to see your calves after 6 p.m.,” MacGregor says.
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Club Style: Now & Then
Decades ago, guys went all out when hitting the clubs. Think John Travolta in the disco days or go back even further to the Rat Pack's suave style during their Vegas heyday.
Clubs like Studio 54 and the Copacabana had unwritten -- and sometimes written -- dress codes. "Men wanted to dress up and they did,” said Grant Harris, chief style consultant and owner of Image Granted, a Washington, D.C.-based image consulting firm.
"The nightclub is no place for your comfortable fail-safes that you wear around the house." Alexander Bailey, style writer and director of men's e-boutique MilanStyle.co.uk
But times have changed. “Today, it’s just as easy to get into a nightclub in jeans and a blazer as it was in the past in a tuxedo,” Harris said. But while there’s no strict universal dress code when it comes to nightclub attire, one thing is for certain: You’ve got to dress to impress.
“The nightclub is no place for your comfortable fail-safes that you wear around the house,” said Alexander Bailey, men’s style writer for “Huffington Post” and director of men’s luxury brand e-boutique MilanStyle.co.uk. “You need to stand out and define your individuality.”
Getting Club-Ready
To guarantee you’ll look your best, know the club’s vibe and atmosphere ahead of time. “Men should be aware of the type of club or party they’re attending before deciding on their outfits,” said Rosie Philidor, a celebrity men’s stylist whose clients have included rappers Jay-Z and T.I. along with Golden Globe winner Idris Elba.
Men need to take into account everything from the type of venue and the club's usual clientele to where the club is located; after all, partying on the Vegas strip might be a little different than what's going on at your local dance club.
To impress no matter where you are, Harris suggests donning soft fabrics in dark and muted colors, as well as “simple accessories that call less attention and allow the man himself to shine,” like slim leather belts, watches, tie pins and clips, and cuff links.
If you’re still concerned about your outfit once you're dressed, seek advice. “Ask a few women what they think, and take their advice into consideration,” said James Lungi, co-owner of Vegas Luxury VIP, a Las Vegas concierge service. “After all, it doesn’t matter what your guy friends think because they’re not who you need to impress.”
Comments
View all 16 Comments-
Rosie Philidor speaks on "How Mens Should Dress For The Nightclub".
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Who wrote this article? Most men don't have the money for expensive, tight designer jeans, designer t-shirts or polos. This is the look I go for when I go anywhere, but everyone's different. Besides, a guy dressing in trousers like he just came from the office might just give girls the impression that he's gay and unavailable. The guy that wrote this article needs to not try so hard to impress.
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shannon89
Jul 21, 2009
Wear what you are comfortable with and what suits your personality. There's no point following this advice if you don't feel right dressed that way. As long as you look clean and well presented you cant really go wrong. It also comes across in your body language if you feel good & comfortable....
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Jul 22, 2006
My friends and I all agree that one of the first things we notice are shoes. Bad shoes can kill any attraction, no matter how attractive, funny or charming the guy is. I think certain types of athletic shoes are acceptable. For me, guys that wear Converse Chucks with dressier clothes show that they have an interesting sense of style, and the shoes also partially reveal their type of music preference as well (often the wearer of Chucks are into rock music). Either way, match a pair of well-worn (not destroyed) brown, white, or black Chucks (neutral colors only--leave the flame, argyle and flashy print chucks at home--dark green, solid blue would probably be fine as well, given the outfit).
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Jul 22, 2006
My friends and I all agree that one of the first things we notice are shoes. Bad shoes can kill any attraction, no matter how attractive, funny or charming the guy is. I think certain types of athletic shoes are acceptable. For me, guys that wear Converse Chucks with dressier clothes show that they have an interesting sense of style, and the shoes also partially reveal their type of music preference as well (often the wearer of Chucks are into rock music). Either way, match a pair of well-worn (not destroyed) brown, white, or black Chucks (neutral colors only--leave the flame, argyle and flashy print chucks at home--dark green, solid blue would probably be fine as well, given the outfit).
