Man editor Ryan Vrede hopes you find some guidance on your own style journey by sharing style rules for men that he lives by.

Timeless trumps trends

I used to be a slave to trends, even wearing ones that didn’t suit me (hello, drop-crotch trousers) just to engineer the perception that I was on-trend. I got tired of it. Now, I buy whatever the hell I like. That usually means timeless pieces that form the base of my wardrobe. If the trend is military-print, I will introduce it through a basic, like a shirt.

Double up on great buys

I often catch myself wearing a piece of clothing – sneakers, a great fitting T-shirt or a pair of jeans – often. It accelerates wear, and then I have to scramble to replace it. Now I double up if I fall in love with a certain piece. One to rock and one to stock is a great style philosophy.

Walk away

There are times when I’m absolutely certain about a purchase. But, for all other times, I’ve learnt that I need
to walk away and think about the purchase in a less emotionally heightened state, and ask myself a couple of critical questions such as: ‘Can I really afford this? Do I really need it? Will I be wearing it in five years? Do I have any other financial priorities?’ 

Get all the style tips from Ryan in your September issue of Man.