Twenties Life

With the rodeo quickly approaching in Houston and already taking place in San Antonio it is key to pull together the cutest rodeo apparel to wrap up the rodeo in San Antone and to kick it off in Houston. It’s time to kick up your boots and get down to it!

For all of you rodeo queens it’s all about a effortless boho meets cowgirl look for a fashionably fun rodeo 2010!

Must:

Turquoise is always a must! It is easy to get carried away with our favorite pieces of turquoise. Keep it simple and don’t over do it. It’s all about layering your outfit with tone on tone pieces and keeping it simple for an effortless look. The turquoise will keep the earthy tones simple but will act as a loud and beautiful piece with your apparel.

It is essential to start with a base piece like a solid color tank top, layer it with something edgy and fun, possibly a long cardigan or vest, play with your look and add dark denim to it and a nice pair of boots.

For all of you girly cowgirls instead of layering with a tank, start with your favorite cotton dress layer it with a fun vest or long cardigan. This is a comfortably effortless look. Play it up with fun boots and rhinestone or turquoise jewelry. Have fun with it but don’t go overboard on all the jewelry. Create an eclectic look by adding two different necklaces to your outfit.

If you plan on going to the rodeo a few times, like every Houstonian does, create several different outfits with a few items out of your wardrobe just by changing out boots, denim, or cardigans to create different looks. Staying penny wise may allow you to buy that extra concert ticket or turkey leg instead of buying extra clothing to rodeo. It pays to pinch pennies!

http://www.abejasboutique.com/
A simple layering piece made boho rodeo.
Styled by Ryan of Abejas boutique in Houston

http://www.abejasboutique.com/detail.aspx?ID=67186

The Green Turquoise Ketoh cuff from Abejas boutique is absolutely lovely and perfect with any rodeo apparel for a touch of turquoise.

Lust:

Miss Me Jeans and Old Gringo boots are a must for the rodeo this year!

Miss Me Jeans have a rodeo chic feel with rhinestones adorned on the back pockets that give a touch of sparkle and shine to your earth tone apparel these jeans will be sure to shine. They are available at Cavender’s Boot City and at Dillard’s ranging in sizes that start at size 25.

Old Gringo boots give a hippie chic rodeo feel and are a perfect touch worn with denim or a dress. My favorite style “Checruda” from Old Gringo instantly spices up rodeo attire giving any outfit a flattering feel that is effortless. Just throw on your boots and your outfit already has a touch of character fit for a rodeo queen!

Abejas has Rocio round tote bags handmade in Argentina. The flowers are hand painted and the bag is absolutely stunning! A quick add on to your apparel before heading to the rodeo to dress up any outfit in a flash!

Quick link to the Rocio tote online: http://www.abejasboutique.com/detail.aspx?ID=67194

Places to shop for rodeo attire:

If you’re over on the south-east side of Houston, Norma’s Country Dreams has a select amount of Miss Me Jeans & Old Gringo boots that are sure to stand out! There were a few different styles available and one pair stood out in my mind called the “Checruda” on the Old Gringo website which are available at Norma’s Country Dreams. For all of you boho fun lovin cowgirls this pair has your name all over it!

http://www.oldgringoboots.com/

If you are anywhere near Kirby, Abejas boutique has neutral rodeo attire and lovely layering pieces that are one of a kind. ‘Ketoh’ cuffs. For a unique rodeo look, stop into Abejas and ask for Ryan, recently featured on CW 39 for Mia’s Style Files.

For boots, jump over to Nordstroms, Cavender’s Boot City, Dillard’s, Abejas Boutique, or Norma’s Country Dreams. If you’re in a hurry to the rodeo after work these are just a few places to quickly grab boots before heading over to Reliant Stadium.

Have a blast at the 2010 Houston Rodeo!! Hope you have a blast creating a rodeo look that will keep you comfortable during the cook off and concerts!

Let’s be honest.  Sometimes things at work get stressful.  And nobody wants to be the person who looks like he’s tweaking because he’s always so stressed out.  Nor do you wanna be the person who bottles up stress until one day… BOOM.  With that in mind, let’s explore some simple yet effective ways to relieve some of that stress.

1. Close Your Eyes – This one works well with visualization.  It’s like a 1 minute vacation.  You just imagine some beautiful place where you are relaxing on the beach (or whatever gets you mellowed).  For me, I imagine myself on a white sandy beach in Antigua (I’m going soon for my honeymoon!). It really helps relieve the stress.
2. Count to Ten – Though I’ve never used this method, some people swear it relieves stress.  Sure they look a little weird when the do it out loud, but whatever gets the weight off your shoulders…
3. Take a Walk – This was my method of choice during my undergrad career.  If studying got too heavy, I’d just take a short walk.  Of course my college campus was on a 540 acre nature reserve, so it was much more beautiful and zen than some concrete jungles.  But it was super effective.
4. Get a Drink – Hydration is key to managing stress.  People who drink a lot of coffee and other caffeinated drinks tend to have more stress, because caffeine is a diuretic, which means it dehydrates you.  Always drink water, you can never have too much.
5. Tea – Tea is a magical drink.  It has a chemical called theanine which reduces cortisol.  This in turn reduces both mental and physical stress.  Try to drink a cup or two a day… or 5.
6. Take a Day Off - A real day off.  Like a day to stay home and watch tv, go to the park, see a movie, listen to your favorite album, cook your favorite meal, sit on your porch or balcony and enjoy the sunlight, etc.  Make it a real vacation day.
7. Get a Plant – Plants are like natural air filters.  They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.  You should have a few around your work station.
8. Declutter - Clutter on your desk is like a visual representation of your stress.  Nobody expects your desk to be perfect, but believe me, a cleaner desk is a clearer mind.
9. Vibe Out To Some Tunes - Nothing can take you away from your stress like some good tunes.  I love “feel good music” like Beach Boys, or for music that people our age actually listen to, Owl City.  In fact, I’ve found a decent happy music playlist for you here.
10. Make a Personal Call – Sometimes a familiar voice can turn your day around.  Take a few minutes, and make a personal call.  Have a conversation with someone who really makes you feel good.  Obviously you don’t want to make a habit of this, but once in a while is understandable.
11. Get Fit, Stay Fit - There is nothing that helps relieve stress more than exercise.  It releases endorphins, relieves stress and frustration, helps you sleep better, and makes you look better.
12. Stretch – I stretch in my office every day, every couple of hours actually.  It’s a great feeling, and it helps fight bad posture and things like carpal tunnel syndrome.
13. Eat Lunch Outside – Any way you can get out of your office is a way you can relieve stress.  People tend to associate their offices with work, and therefore with stress as well.  Get outta that place as often as you can!
14. Relaxing Scents – It’s no surprise that aroma therapy is real.  So why is it that people don’t use that knowledge at work?  Get a relaxing scented candle or spray.  Scent up your office a little.  Not only will it be relaxing, but it will be more inviting to your co-workers.
15. Help Someone Else – Nothing helps you forget your troubles like helping someone with theirs.  It’s one of the greatest feelings in the world being able to help others.  Do it now and do it often.
16. 5 Minute Online Vacation – Hit up Youtube.com and search for your favorite destination.  See the sights (digitally) and learn a thing or two about it.  Take a 5 minute online vacation.
17. Work Hard, Play Hard – A healthy separation of work and play is key to managing stress.  When you leave work, leave work.  Keep personal things personal and business things at work.
18. Forgive Yourself – You are going to slip up.  We all do.  Forgive yourself for your shortcomings and take steps to improve.  In that way, every day will be better.
19. Leave Work On Time – Don’t be the person who stays at work for hours after closing time.  Leave work on time.  Work isn’t life, it just provides you with what you need to do and have the things you want.
20. Read A Joke – Comedy, nature’s cure for all ailments.  Laugh a little and you’ll feel better in no time.
21. Make a Funny Face – There is just something about making funny faces that takes us back to age 6.  And how many of you had a stressful life at age 6?  Exactly.
22. Take Care of Yourself Regularly - If you aren’t taking care of yourself, you’ll never be able to get the stress off your back.  Do the little things that make you feel pampered.  Eat well.  Get outside.  Nurture healthy relationships and cut off bad ones.  Do everything you can to ensure that you are in tip top shape, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.  If this is the case, it’s easy to let the stress roll off.

There you have it.  Our 22 easy ways to relieve the stress.  But I’m sure we missed a few.  So help us out. What do you do to get rid of stress?  Leave your great tips below and help us get this stress off our backs!

Here at TwentiesLife, our mission is to invigorate and re-invent what it means to be a twenty-something. The transition into one’s twenties is rarely acknowledged and is something of a radical change that should involve transfigurement; a deepened sense of one’s perspective, life goals, and a push for a progressive lifestyle.

One of the most common mistakes that a great number of people make during this transition is sticking to the same monotonous style that haunted them from the decade past. (You would never see a teenager wearing baby booties and a sailor’s outfit, because it isn’t deemed proper for a person of that age and it doesn’t project the best qualities of the person.) The majority of people at this stage in life are in their final stages of schooling and looking forward to some of the following: looking forward to a career, committing to a more meaningful relationship, getting their own life plan in order, and individualizing oneself from the pack.

This typically means seeking out a new sense of self. A metamorphosis into one of societies butterflies. While many mature inwardly, they lack the perception to change externally. (To a lesser extent, it’s like a 40-year-old mom that wears her teenage daughter’s clothes.) Next, we shall talk about the bare-bone essentials, every man should have in his wardrobe.

The Essentials:

Full Sleeve Dress Shirts:

1. 2-3 White Shirts : A white shirt is/can be an any occasion shirt. A classic timeless look that always looks crisp, clean, and fresh.  Can be worn anytime and anywhere.  Being that a white shirt gets dirty pretty easily, it’s always a good idea to have a spare.
2. French Blue:  A French Blue Shirt is one of the only colors that any man can wear and still compliment the man’s complexions. It has become proper to wear at almost any occasion. It adds a little pizzazz to a wardrobe without being ostentatious or brash. It’s has become the contemporary man’s white shirt.
3. Casual Shirt: This shirt is has sole purpose of being the “cool” shirt. It can have anything; vertical stripes, solid, plaid, graphics. Something that bring out the personality of your wardrobe without appearing gaudy. As long as it looks good with dress pants and a sports coat, or a great pair of jeans.

A navy/black/charcoal suit: Read Suit 101:  Your First Suit
A dark pair of jeans: A darker wash blue jean has become the iconic everyday wear attire. It can be dressed up or down, and still look fresh. It has become a staple in modern America.
A pair of black slacks: For those days that men need to be a little bit more formal. A nice pair of black trousers can be used over and over without seeming old and tiring. Look for a slack that is of lighter weight, high twist wool, flat front, and plain bottoms. No heavy fabrics here guys, these aren’t made to look and feel like jeans or khakis.
Black belt and dress shoes: IMPORTANT:  For the contemporary man who wants a clean-cut look, dress shoes and belt must match! Black is versatile.
Black Dress socks: NOT athletic socks! No thick socks here, something light and dressy. You socks are an extension of your pants. The colors MUST match or can be a shade darker! No hyper-pink sock with olive slacks.
Power Tie. A striped tie characterized by diagonal lines that is typically red or burgundy. These types of ties are very versatile when used in a formal atmosphere. Can be worn to interviews, weddings, work, or any formal occasion.
Polo’s (Green, Blue,White) – Polo’s shirt can be worn on those day you want to be casual but still look proper. Go with a classic logo, nothing too extreme. Make sure it’s made out of piqué cotton, has banded arms, and a shallow shirt tail (so it can be worn untucked.)
Khaki Pants – For those days that jeans seem a little too relaxed and black slacks seem to formal. Avoid pleats, tapered cuts, and elastic waists. A darker khaki in a softer cotton fabric can be worn year-round and still seem appropriate.
Leather Wallet: Get rid of the Velcro. Get rid of the external zippers. Get something classic and timeless.
Sneakers
Athletic wear: Should be worn only when you are working out.
“Home” Clothes: More on this at a later time.

Listed above are just the core necessities to a wardrobe, and is always allowed to expand. If you start with these pieces first, you will have an outfit always at your fingertips. No extra thought involved. Look for timeless outfits and you will never have to worry about the new fashion trends that come around.

Did we leave out any wardrobe essentials?  What are the essentials in your closet?

We all know that some celebrities are really talented and beautiful.  But would you believe that some of them are pretty damn smart too?  We dug up a few celebrities pasts to find what kind of brain power was behind the beauty.  The results are pretty impressive.  Read on.

Natalie Portman

Natalie has been in tons of movies, including Starwars, Garden State, Closer, The Professional, V for Vendeta, Mars Attacks, and many more.  But you probably didn’t know that she’s pretty brainy as well.

Natalie graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA.  She then went on to Harvard (ever heard of it?) and graduated with a degree in Psychology before continuing to pursue her acting career.  She later pursued graduate studies at Hebrew University.  And if that isn’t enough, Natalie is also fluent in Hebrew, French and Japanese.  Wow, right?

Tina Fey

Tina is another girl who’s captured our hearts and kept us laughing.  She’s been in Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, Mean Girls, Baby Mama, and has made plenty of other appearances.  But she isn’t just an actor.  She is the creator of 30 Rock and she wrote Mean Girls.  She’s got some serious comedy in her blood.  But just how smart is she?

Well, first of all Tina was the first female head writer at SNL ever.  She also wrote and starred in Mean Girls, before getting into television where she created, wrote, and produced 30 Rock.  Did I mention she’s also an actress on 30 Rock, and that she received an Emmy and a Golden Globe for it?  Basically she’s the funniest hot chick you’ll ever meet.

Alicia Keys

As if Alicia Keys beauty and musical talent wasn’t enough, it turns out she’s quite the brainy babe herself.  She attended Professional Performing Arts School (in Manhattan) and graduated at 16 as valedictorian.  She also won a scholarship to study at Columbia, and she attended class there until leaving to pursue a career in music.  And as if education, beauty, and musical talent wasn’t enough to satisfy her, Alicia also co-founded the “Keep a Child Alive” foundation, a non-profit organization that provides medicine to families with HIV and AIDS in Africa.  Bravo Alicia, bravo!

Shakira

Shakira, Shakira.  This girl is beautiful, exotic, and has the voice of a Goddess.  But that’s not all she’s got.  She’s pretty much a genius.  Shakira has an IQ of 140.  That’s right, 140.  She also speaks fluent English, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish (obviously), and can even sing Classical Arabic.  I’m probably not the only one, but I could listen to this girl sing anything in any language pretty much for the rest of time.

Ashwarya Rai

Ashwarya is already a world-wide superstar, but her name is only now making its way to our side of the pond.  She’s a Bollywood actress who’s been in dozens of films.  You may know her as 1994 Miss World.  She was also declared the most beautiful woman of all time by many polls and magazines.

In case you haven’t already guessed it, she’s quite smart as well.  She went to the prestigious Ruparel College in India, and majored in architecture.  She’s also fluent in several languages, including Hindi, Marathi, English, Tamil, and her native tongue, Tulu.

Cindy Crawford

Recognize the face?  If you were alive in the 90s, and ever saw any magazine, chances are it was her on the cover.  She’s in her 40s and still drop dead gorgeous.  She’s probably the most famous supermodel of all time.  Of course, she’s also got some major brain power.

Cindy was the valedictorian at her high school, with a 4.0 GPA.  She enrolled at Northwestern University to study chemical engineering on a full academic scholarship.  She dropped out to pursue a modeling career full-time, though there is no doubt she could have finished.  I’m sure she doesn’t regret her choice, and neither do all the men, everywhere…

Brooke Shields

Actress, model and author, Brooke Shields can do it all.  She’s been working since the ripe age of 11 months, and by 16 was making more money than the president of the United States.  She’s also done many on stage Broadway productions.  But did you know she was a graduate of Princeton University?  That’s right, and with a degree in French Literature.  Impressive indeed.

Michelle Obama

Our first lady herself.  Michelle is married to (arguably) the most powerful man on earth.  She has 2 children.  She also has the best arms I’ve ever seen on a woman.  But did you know that she is damn smart too?  Maybe even smarter than ole Barack.  The salutatorian of her high school, Michelle went to Princeton University, where she majored in Sociology and minored in African American Studies.  She then went to Harvard Law School and achieved her JD (law degree). Yep, she’s pretty much smarter than anyone you know in real life.

There you have it, ladies and gents.  As it turns out, some people really do have it all.  The fame, the fortune, the brains, and the beauty.  To the women above, I commend you.  You never took your beauty for granted, and you decided that it was important to be more than just the pretty girl.  You strived for excellence, and you achieved just that.  Kudos to you all.

Here at TwentiesLife we try to give you tips to enhance your life.  These tips come in many subjects.  One of those subjects includes fashion and dress.  Sadly, it’s becoming blatantly obvious that some of you aren’t listening.  Here’s what we are talking about…

PoorlyDressed.com |  PeopleOfWalmart.com |  PeopleofPublicTransit.com | AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com

I’m sorry I had to bring this up.  But we work so hard, and some people look so bad that it makes us wonder, what have we done to deserve this?

The moral of the story is simple.  Read TwentiesLife or this could be you!

We are past the 2 week mark, and that means that all of our launch date giveaways are over.  We would like to thank everyone who made the launch of TwentiesLife such a huge success, and we would also like to congratulate the winners of the items we gave away.  Thanks to everyone who entered and is continuing to support TwentiesLife.  We are glad you chose us to be your online place for lifestyle tips!

The winners are as follows:

Uneetee.com and TwentiesLife T-Shirt Giveaway

Jim F. of Georgia and Krystle A. of Texas!

CuffDaddy.com and TwentiesLife Cufflink Giveaway

Nadia R. of Florida and Farah K. of Texas!

SharkStores.com and TwentiesLife Pearl Earring Giveaway

Mariam K. of Texas!

SharkStores.com and TwentiesLife Watch Giveaway

Keith Lai of California!

Congrats again to each of our winners.  We hope you enjoy your winnings!  To everyone else, keep tuning in to TwentiesLife, as we’ll continue to be giving away cool prizes and hosting great contests.

Life is Beachy

Spring is in the air and bathing suits are on the rise! Good bye winter and hello golden skin, sun rays and lovely swim attire! With Spring Break just around the corner you’ll want the perfect suit! Victoria’s Secret now has bathing suits on the floor; Betsey Johnson is having a fabulous sale on swim wear at the Houston Galleria, and is introducing a retro chic swim line too cool for school.

Fun bathing suits make me think that spring break couldn’t come any sooner!! We’re ready for you summer, and you’ve got us knocking at your door. For now, spring break will have to do! It’s the perfect weather and we’re well aware that the temperature is rising not only outside but in all the swim ad campaigns from Victoria’s Secret to Betsey Johnson. We’re ready to get our hands on the swim wear to make our spring break oh-so lovely!

Must:

Target has an array of bathing suits already set out for the warm Texas spring. It’s not uncommon to lay out mid March to start working on that tan! Target’s swim wear is fun, sleek, & chic depending on what brand you go with but it definitely doesn’t hurt the wallet to get a few bathing suits. Use the different tops and bottoms to mix and match to make more of what you have.

Victoria’s Secret bathing suit apparel is definitely a must! There isn’t one girl who wouldn’t like to get their hands on the Victoria’s Secret catalog as summer approaches. It may well be our favorite part of the season just to show off what bathing suits we purchased at VS. 500 new suits are just in for this summer! Check out the website to find your perfect match!

Lust:

Welcome to Betseyville!! Betsey Johnson has playful colors on the bikinis available on the floor at the Houston Galleria. What’s even more appealing about these little beauties? They’re on sale! Catch the sale while you can to get your little paws on these fun suits!

Beauty Products of the Week:

Icon from Benefit is an eye product that is perfect for the mornings. You wake up with puffy eyes after no sleep. What gives? Squeeze a little drop on your finger, no bigger than the size of your finger tip, and dab around your eyes (top & bottom). Remember to always use your ring finger (which is the weakest finger on your hand) to dab around the eyes. Wall-ah!! The cream works in seconds to give you a quick lift! You’ll never leave without your new morning side-kick. Ask for a sample if you’re not sure how it will react with your skin. I promise you’ll be back to buy the product!

Also, bring it along in your weekender bag for spring break. You’ll definitely need it after a long night!

Listen of the Week:

“Backwell” by Beak

Listen to it here.

This song was featured in the Chanel 2010 fashion show shown on Chanel’s website. I love this song. Not only is it fashion forward it makes me want to shop!

One of the worst things that could happen to you (guys) is when you are with your girlfriend shopping and suddenly, she sees shoes and wants to check them out.  You say to yourself, alright, we’ll check out a few pairs of shoes, no big deal.  Then out of the corner of her eye, she sees another pair she likes.   Now she’s in shoe shopping mood and there is nothing you can do about it. Or is there? We’ve got a few tricks that might just get you home in time for the game!

How to Prevent Your Girlfriend from Shoe Shopping

• When you pass by a shoe store, hug/kiss/distract her - Grab her, give her a kiss, tell something to her, do anything to get her attention away from that shop. Have some lines ready, because if you pass multiple shops, your girlfriends starts to question you when you are kissing her all the time. Some lines: (Point at other store) “Since when is that store there?”  “What do you want to eat today?” “I love that birthmark in your neck.”  Anything will do, really.
• Only go shopping when you are really busy - In that way, you can just say: ‘Sorry, no time to shop for shoes, we need to get a gift!’ and nothing she can do about it.
• Set a store limit. Remind her of the last time you went shopping and the same thing happened. Say: ‘Ok, you can check out 3 stores, but 3 stores only, I don’t want to have the same thing happening like last time.’ She will understand (or call you a jerk… either way though things will be faster).
• Make her feel like she isn’t in a shopping mood - Hard to do, but highly effective. “You don’t seem to be finding anything today, do you?” “Maybe you should wait until for a sale.”   Those two are effective, she will stop shopping and you don’t have to endure the torture!
• Go with her. If you love her, laugh about it. Enjoy the shopping, enjoy running around to just look for boots. Give her advice, make sure she buys nice shoes. It isn’t that bad at all, you are with the girl you love, isn’t should be enough?

Of course, the last one is the hardest one . But if you go with her now, she’ll probably take you every time. Test these methods are your own risk.  They are proven to work when tested by professionals, so make sure you know what you’re doing.  Also, should you decide to go with the last method, realize that this will most likely set the tone for the rest of the relationship, so prepare yourself mentally.  If you love her, she’ll be worth it.  Otherwise, it may be time to tuck and run…

Guest Post written by Stefan Knapen, author of StudySuccessful.com

Follow him on Twitter @stefanSSF

There are 5 different ways to connect with TwentiesLife on a day-to-day basis. Let’s talk about them and see which ways are best for you.

Visiting TwentiesLife.com

Visiting TwentiesLife.com is probably the most enjoyable way to get our freshest content. You get to see the beautiful design of the content, it’s organized into each little section, and you get the full TwentiesLife experience. Also, you’re only one click away from leaving a comment below each post and becoming an integral part of the TwentiesLife community.

The only problem with visiting the site is that each time we have something new you have to keep coming back, over and over, clicking refresh to see if there is anything new. But don’t worry, we have methods in place to solve that problem. Keep reading.

RSS

RSS (the blue satellite icon in the top right) is an internet technology that allows you to get updates on web-based content that interests you. For instance, Let’s say you love to read TwentiesLife.com, Digitizd.com, HiLife2b.com, and JCDFitness.com. Rather than having to visit all of these sites, you can subscribe to each, using an RSS reader absoulutely free (Google Reader is my favorite). You just click the RSS icon, choose your reader, and magically all of your favorite blogs will start sending their content to your RSS reader. All you have to do is log into your reader and you can get the latest news from hundreds of your favorite sites. No more opening 50 tabs at a time to read the latest posts. Just one tab: your RSS reader.

Are you convinced? If so, subscribe to TwentiesLife via RSS here!

Email

If you are an email junkie (I know I am), then subscribing via Email may be your best solution (the big red envelope in the top right). You’ll get up to the minute coverage on new articles on TwentiesLife.com delivered straight to your email, and best of all, it’s completely free!

If email is your method of choice, click here to subscribe.

Twitter

Like many, you may have joined the latest online craze and registered a Twitter account. Well so have we! We put our best content up on Twitter, we remind you of giveaways, and we even chat with our followers about the different things that interest them. Twitter is our way of giving you the one on one attention that you deserve. If you have a twitter account, we totally recommend you following us.

Follow us on Twitter: @TwentiesLife

Facebook

Facebook is the cornerstone of our online community. We had over 100 followers before TwentiesLife even launched. We are always sharing important news and great feature updates on Facebook. Most of our subscribers are also Fans on Facebook. We even have a few Facebook only contests coming up soon. If you are really interested in joining the TwentiesLife community, Facebook is a must.

Become our Facebook Fan Here!

Those are the best ways to keep up with TwentiesLife. I’m sure as new things pop up we’ll be a part of it, but these are the community tools we’ve chosen so far. Be a fan, follower, subscriber and more and help us to make TwentiesLife the greatest online lifestyle community!

Fashion is a fickle creature. Sometimes is moves fast, sometimes slow. Sometimes it’s conservative, sometimes it’s racy. Fashion is sometimes trendy and sometimes timeless. If you aren’t the kind of person that would watch a fashion show or subscribe to multiple fashion websites, then a timeless style is the better fashion choice for you.

I have never been fashionable enough to keep up with trends. Nor do I have the bankroll to do so. But lately I’ve thought a lot about what it means to look good, and I’ve been really focusing on investment pieces. Investment pieces are the things that you spend the extra dough on to ensure quality, to boost your style, and to wear for a while. For instance, you wouldn’t call an ed hardy cap an investment piece, but a leather briefcase or a designer sports coat would definitely fit the bill.

In an effort to spend less and build a timeless, classic wardrobe, I decided I need to define exactly what kind of man I want to be. Knowing this would allow me the luxury of judging every fashionable purchase on whether it accentuates that specific style. Without trying to define what kind of man you should be, I’m going to outline a few timeless pieces that are sure to add a few style points to any man’s wardrobe.

Top Coat

Every time I see a man wearing a good fitting, classically styled topcoat, I automatically give him more respect. It’s not a conscious effort, but rather that a topcoat is such an important piece that if a man took the time to choose wisely, tailor specifically to his shape, and dress appropriately, you just know he’s a serious dude. The beauty of the topcoat is that it’s designed to look good on any body shape, providing you choose the right style. I’ve seen bigger guys looking just as fit as the leaner guys because of a well-tailored coat.

Check out GQ’s How to Buy a Topcoat

Pocket Watch (or Classic Timepiece)

The timepiece is the second on my list of important investment pieces. The timepiece is probably one of the most accentuating pieces to add to a man’s wardrobe. Since we don’t wear a lot of jewelry, and probably aren’t wearing what was shown at the latest NY/London/Paris Fashion show, a timepiece is a great way to show the world we know what we’re doing here. It’s a pure expression of self, and should be treated as such. In my humble opinion, a watch or timepiece is the last place you want to show that you keep up with trends. It’s a place for timelessness, a place for professionalism and maturity. Leave the fossil watches to your teenage friends, it’s time to step up. It’s a good idea to have a good metal bracelet watch as well as a leather band. Take your time and choose something that really expresses the man that you are. See my article 7 Watches and the Men Who Wear Them for ideas.

Shoes

Second only to a timepiece, shoes are your voice when it comes to fashion. What you wear on your feet tells the world who you are. Think of your shoes as an afterthought and the world will see you as an afterthought. Pick the right shoes, and you’ll be taken as seriously and as respectfully as a real man ought to be. Again, I’m not here to tell you which shoes to choose, but believe me when I say that if you are the guy who wore Chuck Taylor’s with your wedding tux, you are a joke to everyone around you.  Don’t be “that guy.”

Leather Goods

Leather is the material of manliness. It’s timeless, classy, and just great quality stuff for all of your accessories. Things that you should own include a good leather wallet, belt, briefcase or laptop case, portfolio or notebook, and a simple leather bracelet. Though these may seem insignificant, when added to the things listed above, these are the accents that will make you seem like you just stepped off the cover of GQ, regardless of the fact that you’ve owned that belt for 7 years and the briefcase was your dad’s. Remember, style doesn’t have to be about trends, it just has to look good.

Signature Scent

There are so many types of cologne out there that for a newbie it can be overwhelming. Luckily for all of us, Stanly has taken the time to outline the basics here: Cologne: The Last Frontier. Choose a scent that you wouldn’t mind wearing 10 years from now and make it your own. I’ve worn the same cologne since high school, and I still get daily compliments on my ’signature scent’. Oh, and no I’m not going to tell you what it is…

Other Accessories

Glasses, handkerchief, rings, bracelets, necklaces, hats, a good pen, the list goes on and on. There are so many ways to take a t-shirt and jeans and make it into a rock star outfit. You just have to keep it simple. Let the women wear their diamonds and gold. Stick to things that don’t scream for attention, but rather let people know quietly that you know what you’re doing. Never more than one ring per hand, don’t wear a bracelet and a watch, and bling is almost never proper. Simplicity is key here.

Hairstyle

Though this isn’t part of your wardrobe, it’s a great part of your fashion sense, style, and who you express yourself as. There are two ways to go here, and each has its own merit. The first is trendy. It’s usually a much younger look, and is more popular among hipsters and trend followers. The second is a classic hairstyle, like the ones you’ll see on the TV series “Mad Men.” These classic hairstyles will look good no matter what time of year or what Ashton Kutcher and Justin Timberlake happen to be wearing. Take great care in deciding which way to go, but remember that either one requires maintenance. Invest in the products to pull off the style you’re going for and learn to use them correctly.

The key here is not to tell you that you can’t be trendy. Our goal should be to look good above all else, and investing in a few good pieces can help you achieve that without breaking the bank. You don’t want your style to tell the world everything about you, you just want it to open the door enough that you can tell them yourself. So go forth, choose your investment pieces, and show the world that you are a man to be taken seriously!