Clothes make the man on campus, too

If I had a dollar for every flip-flop enthusiast in a torn T-shirt that has told me fashion is a waste of money and time, I could probably buy a new Christian Dior suit.

For some reason, young men seem to be prone to disregarding their own physical appearance in the name of comfort, laziness or both. What they don’t understand is that how you present yourself to the world via grooming, clothing and style affects your life more than just your dating prospects.

While not exclusive to men, it would be intellectually dishonest to not think of pajama pants worn in public as an inherently male issue. Every day there seems to be a parade of loose, plaid cotton pants strolling up to Benedum Hall or toward the Cathedral of Learning. Usual accompaniments include a beaten hoodie, sandals and uncombed hair.

It baffles my mind. If I didn’t know better, I would think I was attending a university with a large student population of tired, lazy dads.

Before we as men even think about what we’re wearing, we need to establish our grooming routine. Far too many pencil mustaches and neckbeards go untrimmed on college campuses, and you can do your part with a simple Bic razor.

As a smooth-chinned man with a beard that grows roughly a centimeter a year, I can’t give you my own personal advice on the issue, but I have first-hand experience with the dreaded neck hair and my fair share of mustache issues.

It’s only after you’ve figured out what you want out of your hair and mustache that we as men can begin thinking about what we clothe ourselves with.

Look, I’m a poor college student too. I can’t afford a Louis Vuitton backpack or a Givenchy scarf any more than the next guy, and I can empathize. We all need to understand, however, that you don’t need to be stacked to dress decently.

Pittsburgh is home to a variety of thrift stores, namely the tried and true Goodwill in South Side. There’s also the student-run University of Thriftsburgh near Old Engineering Hall. Both offer extremely cheap clothing selections.

Now, if you have the yearning and the retailers, you just need the style. There are a variety of sophisticated fashion magazines, along with thousands of male fashion blogs and websites.

GQ is always at the forefront of layman fashion trends, and offers celebrity advice on style and swagger. There’s not a man alive that wouldn’t be better off with some fashion advice from Justin Timberlake or Dave Franco.

Even if you want to adopt an incredibly specific style, the Internet has you covered. Hypebeast can teach you how to buy the right thousand-dollar pair of sneakers, and Mr. Porter will keep you up to date on the latest high fashion from Paris and Milan.

I’m not here to tell you what looks good. My style has been variously described as “wannabe hipster” and “failed poet.” I am not Marc Jacobs.

Instead, I only seek to encourage effort in crafting your outward appearance. Your personal aesthetic can do far more for first impressions than body language or a charming personality.

Clothing and grooming are the first things people notice about you, and you have the power to control how the world perceives you.

Timothy primarily writes on free speech and media culture for The Pitt News.

Write to him at thn17@pitt.edu