I asked a few Effortless Gent readers to tell me what they struggle with when it comes to matching.
Do any of these sound familiar to you? Maybe you've found yourself having trouble with the same things?
"For quite a long time I bought different clothes that I just liked but didn't think about matching them with the ones I already had. I ended up having shirts or jeans I never wore."
"Which color slacks go with what shirts, and what color should my sportcoat be?"
"I would say the biggest challenge right now is putting together outfits. I'm kind of thinking of just sitting in the room one weekend and figuring out combinations of coats, shirts, and pants with shoes and recording them to make it easier."
"It is deciding how to buy clothes that will pair well with other things I have... just trying to buy clothing that will produce as many combinations as possible."
Imagine your Monday morning going like this...
You wake up early after a great weekend spending quality time with friends out in the sun and getting stuff done around the house... tasks you’ve been putting off throughout the week.
You even had a chance to stop by the mall and pick up some new clothes, but that was last Friday, and you haven’t even taken them out of the bag yet.
Now that it’s Monday, you’re ready to put them to good use!
Nowadays, you look forward to getting dressed every morning.
It was once such a pain in the butt, but now? You’ve got matching and putting together outfits down to a science.
Out come the new shirts, jeans, and pair of shoes you bought.
You decide to wear the new purple gingham dress shirt...
...which you immediately know goes great with:
your mid-grey wool trousers,
navy sport coat with the patch pockets, and
dark brown Allen Edmonds brogues.
You literally imagined up this entire combo in seconds with no hesitation.
Your new shirt fits perfectly, and you can't help but laugh when you realize purple gingham isn’t a color or pattern you would have normally chosen just a few weeks ago… but when you were at the mall this time around, you were confident it was the perfect addition to your wardrobe.
You could instantly tell that it’s something you can pull off and would go with all the new stuff you bought, plus everything you have at home.
These outfit decisions that once took an agonizing 5-10 minutes are now done within seconds.
You can take a quick gander at all your clothes, put together a combination in your head, throw on that outfit, and continue with the rest of your day. No more standing and staring at all your options, paralyzed by uncertainty and the paradox of choice.
After learning a few keys to matching, plus how to shop smartly so whatever you buy goes with everything else you already own, your morning routine is finally a breeze. matched patterns.jpg986.82 KB
Figuring out what to wear was a pain in the a*$
Getting dressed every morning or figuring out what to wear to special events wasn’t always this easy.
Not being sure about what matched and what didn’t (decisions that are trivial to you now) once delayed you like crazy when getting ready.
Every time you shopped, you bought random pieces you liked and thought looked good, but didn’t stop to think about how they would work with your current wardrobe, which just made matters worse once you actually tried to put together outfits and were short on time.
You used to wrestle with indecision.
You were never sure if the shirt you wanted to wear coordinated with your pants and your sport coat, and even on the weekends, you weren’t completely positive your chinos matched your shirt and your casual jacket.
You thought they looked OK together… but how could you tell for sure?
You wished there was a way to know… you wondered if there was a secret formula, some way to have confidence in your decisions each and every time.
Introducing 👉🏼 Match Clothes Like A Pro
Your downloadable PDF eGuide that will take you from combo catastrophe to pro-level outfit assembly. mcpro_mockup.png100.46 KB With the lessons in this eGuide, you’ll be able to put together sharp-looking outfits in seconds, in ways you never even thought of before. You’ll also learn how to shop strategically, so the clothes you buy match well with everything else you already have at home.
Barron’s managed to take one of the trickiest things to talk about—matching—and show guys a path to effortlessly mastering it. He goes deep without bombarding you with too many rules. If you’re an Effortless Gent fan, this one is a no-brainer.
Peter N., Private Personal Stylist for Tech Entrepreneurs, Founder of The Essential Man
Here is everything you’ll learn in Match Clothes Like A Pro
Two Different and Unique Approaches To Matching
Why You Should Master The Color Wheel, Then Forget About It And Use This Simple Method Instead
The Key To Wearing Stripes With Dots (And Other Pattern Combos You’ve Always Been Unsure About)
One Easily-Ignored Clothing Characteristic That Takes Your Style Game Up Three Notches
How To Dress Like Your Favorite Style Icon, and How To Combine Two Or More Styles Together
Correctly Matching Pants And Socks, Shirts And Ties, And Other Common Pairings
Three Useful Shortcuts And Real-Life Examples That Will Fast Track Your Morning Routine
Answers To Your Most Common Matching Questions
How To Get From Basic Bro to Fashion Forward
"I’m able to put together so many different outfits"
Before reading this guide, I’d be getting dressed and my wife would look at me with a confused face and say, ‘That doesn’t match at all.’
Now I know what colors and patterns go well together. Even with a smaller wardrobe, I’m able to put together so many different outfits. Thanks Barron!
Caleb W., Videographer / YouTuber, San Diego, CA
A small sample of what the eGuide covers
An easy formula with surefire color combos that you simply can’t mess up (page 11)
Easily wear two or more stripes (or checks, or dots) by following a few guidelines (page 16)
Identify a few style archetypes you like and exponentially step up your style by mashing them together (page 22)
How to pair the formal (a suit) with the casual (a military jacket) stylishly (page 30)
Which colors go with everything, even each other? (page 39)
How to take it to the next level with your personal style after mastering the basics (page 51)
Where to draw inspiration from when you need better outfit ideas (page 54)
Ready To Stop Wasting Time and Start Matching Like a Pro?
mcpro_mockup.png100.46 KB What You Receive: A 58-page PDF,instantly-downloadable, in two formats (iBooks and PDF)
60 DAYS, 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE, NOTHING TO LOSE
You have two whole months to use this guide and apply everything you learn.
If, at the end of it all, you absolutely hate it and realize it did nothing for you, simply send me an email, and I’ll refund your whole purchase. That’s how much I believe in this guide, and how certain I am you’ll love it and learn a ton.
I have the same guarantee for all my eGuides and courses.
I stand behind everything I create for you, but just in case it doesn’t meet your expectations, I offer a 60-day, 100% money-back guarantee.
...a really helpful way to think about my wardrobe
Choosing colors and textures based on season was a really helpful way to think about my wardrobe. Also, building an outfit around one neutral. That takes a lot of stress off of trying to pick out an outfit!
Justin B., Rome, GA
...Easy for a beginner to digest
Having studied matching theory for years, this guide has it all. Barron lays it out in a way that's easy for a beginner to digest, while still offering up enough information that even experts can improve upon. This guide is one every man should not only have, but refer to often.
Tanner G., founder of Masculine Style
COMMON FAQs for MCPro
Q
IS THIS A PHYSICAL BOOK?
Nope. As with all our eGuides, they’re delivered digitally in a PDF format. Once you purchase, you’ll be able to download it immediately to your device. No waiting for a book to be shipped to you.
You’ll also receive a new copy whenever we release major updates to the guide. You will be notified by email and a download link will be sent to you. These updates are free for all students.
Q
WILL MCPRO HELP ME MATCH THESE SPECIFIC PANTS WITH THIS BUTTON-UP SHIRT? WHAT ABOUT [SPECIFIC ITEM OF CLOTHING] WITH [ANOTHER ITEM]?
While I’m not listing out every single pairing possibility (that would be impossible), MCPro is a very specific and detailed guide. It will help you understand and internalize the rules and guidelines of matching, so you can apply them to any specific pair of clothes.
By understanding these fundamentals, you will be able to take any item of clothing in your closet and be able to instantly see the outfit possibilities with the selection of clothes you have.
You’ll also be able to easily identify what your wardrobe is missing, so you can go and purchase these items the next time you're out shopping.
Q
DO I REALLY NEED THIS GUIDE? CAN'T I FIGURE OUT ALL THIS MATCHING STUFF ON MY OWN?
Sure, it’s possible, just like with any subject, to learn it on your own. But the whole reason this eGuide exists is to give you a shortcut.
Instead of spending hours and hours researching (separating the good advice from the bad), and then weeks and months figuring out how to apply what you’ve learned… I’m giving you the chance to bypass all of that.
Don’t waste time looking for the right information. Pick up this guide, have everything you need right in front of you, know exactly what you have to do, and give yourself a head start.
Q
I’M A DOCTOR / SOFTWARE ENGINEER / FARMER / STAY-AT-HOME DAD / [INSERT OTHER CAREER HERE]... WILL THIS STILL APPLY TO ME?
Absolutely. If you’re a man that wears clothing, you will find MCPro useful.
It’s one thing to throw on jeans and a T-shirt and call it a day. But once in a while, you may have to step it up and look a bit more polished. Or maybe you're in a suit five days a week, and you're unsure how to dress casually yet still stylishly, you'll love MCPro.
Whether your definition of "dressy" is a classic black tuxedo, or simply a shirt that has buttons and a collar, you’ll find useful matching strategies in this eGuide.
We approach the subject of matching in a way that’s easily understandable and applicable. And since we cover not only color, but patterns, textures, and even outfit looks as a whole, you’re bound to have all your questions answered (and if not, I’m always just an email away).
Q
WHAT IF IT TURNS OUT I HATE YOU AND I HATE THIS GUIDE? CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK?
Geez, this FAQ really took a dark turn.
I mean, I don't feel great about you hating me, and I'd be sad if this wasn't helpful to you at all—and surprised, frankly, because I PACKED this bad boy with value—but yes, if that were the case, I would gladly refund your purchase price.
Just let me know within 60 days.
"Now I have a go-to reference guide for any occasion"
The way Barron describes colors, styles, and patterns in this guide makes putting together an outfit simple. That’s what I want when I wake up in the morning: simple style.
Now I know I have a go-to reference guide for any occasion, with photographic examples to boot. Good work, Barron. Thanks for making an otherwise cumbersome process easy and accessible.
Barrett B., Portland, OR
Confused about matching? Not anymore!
It’s no surprise that questions about mixing and matching clothes are among the most asked (and most searched) questions on Effortless Gent.
There are countless resources, articles, and websites that help you pick out individual clothes, which is great when you want to buy cool stuff quickly and easily.
But once you have those new clothes, how do you wear them together? And what’s the best way to mix and match them with the clothes you have?
Could the way you shop be the issue? Or maybe mixing and matching is easier than you think, and you just need to learn a few key tips and shortcuts?
That’s why I wrote Match Clothes Like a Pro.
I want you to leave the house every day looking and feeling like a million bucks, and I know that starts with putting together a great outfit without the process taking up too much of your time.
Opening your eyes to these concepts and shortcuts is a game changer, and in Match Clothes Like a Pro, I lay it all out for you in one easy-to-digest eGuide.
No more fishing around for "Best Matching Tactics", or tips on "How To Put Together Outfits". I want matching to be second nature for you. I want to help you establish a system so you can easily put together any outfit and instinctively know what colors and patterns look good together.
I made sure to pack this guide with everything you need to know.
