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A classy epigram is a great way to start a conversation on a date, but a good wardrobe has an unparalleled impact. In fact, an elegant pocket square or a trendy aviator can introduce you to a woman without saying anything. “Clothes make the man” is a clichéd proverb, but that does not make it any less accurate.

Selecting clothes becomes easier when you know what not to wear. To guide any man struggling with fashion here is a list of apparel that is best avoided.

1. Pinstripe Fedora

Hats are the ‘it’ thing now and say a lot about how fashion forward the person wearing it is. But a pinstripe fedora is more of a fashion faux pas than a statement.

Mainly because most of them look like they have been tailored from excess suit material. Pinstripes are best limited to trousers and jackets.

2. Checker Neckerchiefs

Neckerchiefs are called so because they are handkerchiefs tied around the neck. They are not as long as scarves or woolly as mufflers.

There is an art in tying a neckerchief, but if it’s a checker neckerchief there is no right way to tie it, because more often than not it ends up looking like a hand towel around your neck because of the checks.

3. Bandage Strap Tees

Bandage strap tees have become the new sensation among men. Admittedly, they are comfortable.  A bandage strap tee is literally tailored from bandage like horizontal strips.

The problem is: you cannot roll up your sleeves and you cannot adjust your t-shirt because the straps overlap. One inadvertent fold in your t-shirt, which is inevitable, can make you look like a mummy.

4. A Knitted Cashmere

Of all the other garments that men should banish from their wardrobe, cashmere is still in vogue. The only reason you should cancel on them is the fact that your date might wear them too.

Wearing men’s clothes is the new millennial trend.  Affectionately called “the boyfriend trend” by fashionistas, it is what most women are opting for while going out on dates.

While it says a lot about how similar your tastes are, both of you wearing the same thing looks more tacky than cute.

5. A Baroque Waistcoat

A baroque is a conglomeration of various prints- floral, archaic and checks, and it is extremely chaotic.  And a waistcoat is a disastrous choice for dinner dates: because it’s tight by its very design.

Not only will it make you uncomfortable, but also because it’s a tight coat, each time you sit it will inevitably bulge around your stomach giving the illusion of a potbelly- a potbelly with chaotic prints.

6. Velvet Pony Hair Jackets

Velvet is a risky fabric because there are endless ways to go wrong with it. True, pony hair jackets (which are basically biker’s jackets with broader collars) are not entirely passé.

They borrow the edge of biker’s jackets and are yet sophisticated. The problem with velvet ones is that they come in jewel tones and along with the zips and buttons of a jacket: they look too glitzy. In this case, you might end up looking like an 80’s pop star.

7. Silk knot Cufflinks

Cufflinks are perhaps the classiest piece of jewellery any man can own. Their charm lies in their effortless élan. There are varieties to choose from, silk knot being the cheapest and commonest of them. But they are best avoided on dates.

Silk knots are made from pieces of yarn and are exactly what they are called – a knot. They rarely complement classy attires and can single-handedly bring down your fashion quotient.

8. Round Buckle Belt

The problem with a round buckle is that it gives the illusion of a circle right above the crotch area. This can be the most embarrassing thing not only for you but also for your date. Try avoiding any attention seeking buckle and go for the traditional rectangular ones.

9. Chainsaw Trousers

Chainsaw trousers are loose fit pants, but true to the name, they have plenty of chains and zips. Although an unusual choice, for a date outdoors they look really nice if styled properly. But here is the problem: the chains make a noise every time you take a step.

Women feel special when men make an effort to wear something different for them, but an arm candy whose pants make sounds like a bunch of keys is an embarrassment.

10. Sketchers

If comfortable shoes are the primary concern, boat shoes and oxfords are great options. But never wear sketchers to a date. The trend has passed.

These shoes are so detested by the fashion police (mainly because they puff up your feet), that in 2010 the creative director of Adidas, Dirk Schonberger refashioned an entire range of sketchers into the trendier sneakers.

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