Become More Stylish in 2026: 13 Fixes To Make Today
Stuck in a style rut? We get it. Falling into the trap of wearing the same uninspired outfits again and again is all too easy, particularly when work and family commitments start eating into ‘you’ time.
Maybe you’ve left your wardrobe to stagnate for so long that you don’t know where to start. Or perhaps you’re beginning to realise that none of your clothes really fit you all that well. Whatever has prompted it, you know it’s time for something to change, and we’re here to make the process of reinventing your style that little bit easier.
From full-scale wardrobe clearouts to enlisting the help of a proper barber, we’ve pulled together a list of steps that might help you on the road to a more stylish version of yourself. So sit back, get scrolling, and let us help you unlock your sartorial potential.
Purge Your Wardrobe…
First things first: if your current wardrobe options aren’t serving you, get rid of them. It can be hard to part ways with things, but be brutal and extract anything you haven’t worn in the past year. This way you can sell your unwanted garments on eBay or Depop, making yourself some cash for new clothes while clearing space in the process.
If you’re unsure of which items to ditch, start keeping track of what you wear most often. You don’t have to create an elaborate Excel spreadsheet or anything (unless you want to!). Just start turning your hangers the opposite way when you hang things you’ve worn back up. After a few months, you’ll be able to literally see what has and hasn’t been worn.
Then Streamline It
ASKET
We’re huge advocates of the concept of a capsule wardrobe here at Ape. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s essentially a tightly curated selection of clothing that can be mixed and matched with ease to cover all eventualities. It’ll include things like a versatile suit, lots of plain tees, an Oxford shirt or two, and a big winter coat that goes with everything.
Not only will this approach help declutter your wardrobe, but it’ll also make putting outfits together much easier. If you have a selection of clothes that work well with each other, you’ll be able to throw things together that look great without even thinking about it.
Define your style reference points
Buck Mason
Before you start buying anything, work out what you actually like. Not in a vague “I’m into minimalism” way, but in a concrete, repeatable way.
Spend 20 minutes saving outfit photos you’d genuinely wear. Instagram, Pinterest, brand lookbooks, street style — wherever. Aim for 20–30 images, then look for the overlaps: are you saving relaxed trousers and boxy jackets? Tailored coats and knit polos? Mostly neutrals with one colour pop? Those repeating themes are your blueprint.
Once you’ve got them, you can shop with intent. Instead of randomly picking ‘nice’ pieces, you’ll be able to ask: does this fit the look I’m trying to build? It’s the quickest way to avoid buying clothes you like in theory but never wear in real life.
Dress For Your Body
L’Estrange
One of the most common ways guys let themselves down in the style department is by settling for a poor fit. We believe this is largely down to people not having an understanding of how to dress for their body type.
Getting this right is one of the most effective things you can do to make yourself look better. There is a wealth of information out there on this subject, but in short, skinny guys should steer clear of anything too baggy or oversized, larger guys stay away from skinny fits and tall guys should avoid anything overly cropped that could serve to elongate their limbs even further.
Wear Colours That Suit Your Skin
One expert-level hack that can make a huge difference to how you look in your clothes is to choose colours that work with your skin tone. If you’ve ever noticed that a particular colour just doesn’t seem to look good on you, it’s probably because it’s a poor match for your complexion.
If you’re pale, light pastel colours might make you look grey and washed out. Or if you have dark skin, you might find yourself lost in certain earthy shades. Use contrast to your advantage.
Classics First, Trends Second
Dressing head to toe in the latest trends is the most effective way to ensure your style dates as quickly and ungracefully as possible. Instead, focus on classic, time-tested pieces with proven staying power.
Use these pieces to lay the foundation of your style, and mix in more trend-led pieces that speak to you. This way, you can stay relevant without becoming a fashion victim.
Sort your footwear situation
Velasca
If your wardrobe feels a bit ‘meh’, there’s a decent chance the problem is happening from the ground up. Shoes have a disproportionate effect on how an outfit reads — smart, scruffy, modern, dated — and most men either own too many niche pairs or not enough solid go-to options.
The fix is simple: build a small rotation that covers 90% of your life. Clean, minimal sneakers for everyday. A smarter pair (loafers, Derby shoes or sleek Chelsea boots) for dinners, dates and anything that needs a touch of polish. And a more rugged option, like a lace-up boot or chunkier shoe, for winter and casual looks.
Keep them clean, replace them when they’re past it, and avoid pairs that only work with one specific outfit. Good shoes don’t just finish a look; they make the rest of your wardrobe feel better.
Upgrade your outerwear
Velasca
In the UK, your coat is basically your outfit for half the year. Which means if your outerwear is tired, ill-fitting or too sporty, everything underneath has to work twice as hard.
One great jacket or coat instantly sharpens even the most basic combo of jeans and a tee. Start with the stuff you’ll reach for most: a proper wool overcoat for smarter days, a clean bomber or Harrington for everyday, and a decent waterproof shell that doesn’t make you look like you’re about to climb Ben Nevis on the way to Tesco.
Focus on fit through the shoulders, sleeves that end where they should, and a length that works with the way you dress. Outerwear is where ‘investment piece’ actually means something, because you’ll wear it constantly and everyone will see it.
Invest in better basics
Luca Faloni
Basics are the scaffolding of your wardrobe. If the foundations are flimsy, nothing looks quite right — even if you’ve got a couple of great jackets hanging up.
Better basics don’t mean designer logos. They mean T-shirts that hold their shape, knitwear that doesn’t pill after two wears, shirts that sit cleanly across the shoulders, and trousers that drape nicely instead of clinging in all the wrong places. When the fabric has weight and the fit is right, your outfits automatically look more considered.
The bonus is versatility. A great white tee works under a suit, with denim, with an overshirt, with joggers. The same goes for a solid Oxford shirt, a navy crewneck knit, and a pair of well-cut chinos. Upgrade these and you’ll feel like you’ve upgraded everything.
Stop ‘saving’ your best clothes
Luca Faloni
A lot of men have two wardrobes: the stuff they wear all the time, and the ‘good’ stuff they’re saving for some imaginary future where they suddenly start going to better places.
That future rarely arrives — and in the meantime you spend your life in the average version of your style. The fix is to bring your best pieces into your weekly rotation. Wear the nice coat to the office. Put the good knit on for a casual lunch. Pair the smarter trousers with a plain tee and trainers for day-to-day.
Great style is consistency, not occasional brilliance. If you’ve got clothes you love, wear them. Otherwise, you’re just running a storage unit with hangers.
Befriend Your Local Tailor
Again (and we really can’t emphasise this enough) fit is everything. You can be wearing the most expensive designer labels on earth, but if the clothes don’t fit right, they’ll never look good. Obviously, buying clothing the right size to begin with is always a good idea, but if you really want to get your fits dialled in across your whole wardrobe, the best way to do it is to find a tailor you can trust and have them help you out.
Getting some adjustments made by a professional doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but it’ll make a massive difference to how you look and feel. Why not test the waters by getting a few small alterations made to a couple of garments and take it from there?
Focus On Fitness
If you’re comfortable in your skin, great. More power to you. But if part of the reason you don’t like what you see when you look in the mirror is because of what’s underneath the clothes then know that you have the power to change it.
Sign up for the gym, get out for regular runs, or just bump up your daily step goal. If you do this, and reduce your daily food consumption to put yourself in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. It literally is that simple. If you want to build muscle, eat lots of protein-rich foods and lift weights.
The most important thing is consistency. So don’t be put off if you’re not seeing the results you imagined after a few weeks or even months. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Level Up Your Grooming Game
Clothing aside, another way to step up your appearance in general is to get your grooming routine in check. Keep those nails clipped, body hair trimmed, skin moisturised and facial hair sculpted (but not too sculpted!).
It’s also worth getting a decent trim too. Treat yourself to a haircut from a proper barber and let them help you find a style that works with your face shape to bring out your best features.
