We get it. There were very few reasons for you to dress nicely in college, since chances were, you were going to get laid by no matter what you wore if enough alcohol was factored into the equation; but if you’ve recently graduated, your wardrobe needs to graduate with you, because outside that academic bubble the standards start to get higher.

So to help you go from beer-bonging to board room, we have Everyguyed’s top 5 college fashion habits to drop, presented to you in no particular order since, let’s be honest here, all of these habits need to go.

1. Avoiding the Laundry Room

A couple of months ago, yours truly was sitting in a room full of college students and the question “Yo, who’s going commando right now?” was asked. Five people raised their hands, convinced that “I haven’t done my laundry in a couple of weeks…I mean months” was a reasonable explanation. You should never, ever be one of these people.

Start doing your laundry, get your girlfriend to do it (& if she does, marry her already!), or hire a cleaning service, we don’t really care what option you choose, but wearing dirty clothes should never be one of them.

2. Wearing School-Branded Gear

Hanging up your letterman jacket for good is a tough time in every man’s life, but everybody needs to do it at some point. This goes for college and high-school (especially high-school) crest/emblem/logo-encrusted sweats, bags, hats, jackets, scarves and shirts as well.

This all may seem a bit extreme, but strutting around in school swag when you’re no longer attending it will make you look like a perpetual student. Trust us, no self-respecting man wants to go out to a bar and be mistaken as part of the drunken frat-pack in the corner.

3. Dressing Like You’re Still 16

There is a plethora of minor changes you can make in your daily routine that can seamlessly upgrade your style from student to man with relatively little effort.

For instance, unless you are a pro-skater, overly baggy pants are generally to be avoided. Check the fit of all of your pants and grab a couple of new pairs of dark washed jeans, khakis, and dress pants, along with a classy leather belt or two.

Instead of automatically slipping on your sneakers before going out, choose a pair of casual loafers, boat shoes, or oxfords. Finally, start wearing a blazer or a nice leather jacket instead of the usual hoodie when you go out.

4. Thinking Grooming isn’t for ‘Real’ Men

Gone are the days where it’s perfectly ok to roll out of bed, grab something clean-looking off the floor, and begin your day. Now that your days of communal bathrooms in residence halls are far behind, you can ditch the bottle of Axe 3-in-1 and begin to incorporate a larger range of men’s care products into your morning routine. Investing in quality products tailored to your hair and skin type is a good foundation to build on.

FinerCut has tons of product suggestions if you have no idea where to start looking. Making the extra effort in the mornings to look put-together is both a short and long-term investment in your appearance that you’ll thank yourself for in the future.

5. Holding on to a Look from Your Past

Here are some items that all could potentially fill the aforementioned blank:
Converse Chuck Taylors, fitted baseball caps, long dangling lanyards and/or chains, ‘artfully’ ripped clothing, neon colors, studded belts and/or wrist cuffs, overgrown haircuts, cheap plastic knockoff sunglasses, beanies, and any Marvel comic graphic t-shirts.

Keep in mind that this article is not one of the Ten Commandments, and the items mentioned above are not banned under pain of death. Wearing your Chuck Taylors every now and then, or a beanie when its cold outside is perfectly understandable, but slowly fazing these pieces out is a good step in the right direction.

Summary:

Updating your current look to a more mature version can be relatively easy if you know which old habits you should cut, and which ones to keep and upgrade. One should always dress as one wants to be perceived.

• Graduating from college means that your appearance needs to graduate as well.
• Clean clothes are a must, there is no such thing as ‘kind of’ dirty
• Avoid wearing an abundance of college and high-school emblazoned clothes
• Making minor upgrades to your everyday wardrobe can yield surprisingly noticeable results
• Your appearance is an investment you should begin taking seriously

Comments:

Have you recently made a successful transition from student to working man? Share your tips and stories in the comment section below.

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Sophia Herbst

Sophia Herbst is an American citizen currently hiding out in Canada. Born and raised in Seattle, she is mildly addicted to coffee, rain, Starbucks, grunge music, Seattle’s Best Coffee, ponchos, Tully’s Coffee, and neon rainboots. When she’s not interning with Everyguyed or attending McGill University, she's usually baking, writing, and… well that’s pretty much it to be honest.

Latest posts by Sophia Herbst (see all)

• 5 Skincare Products Worth Stealing From Your Girlfriend - May 18, 2012
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• 5 College Fashion Habits to Drop - June 20, 2011