If you’d like the specifics on Kyle’s new date look, the button down shirt is by French Connection, it’s layered over my favorite better-than-basic-T-shirt by Diesel. The grey denim is Lord & Taylor’shouse brand, Black Brown. Belt by Levi’s. The sneakers are John Varvatos for Converse, and the vest is a traditional suiting piece I grabbed from the Ralph Lauren suit separates.

For more men’s casual style goodness check out the MANifesto.

If a blue shirt & khakis is the boring uniform of business casual, its Luke Wilson off-hours equivalent is the untucked dress shirt & jeans.

Here’s how to take this casual pairing from “Eh.” to “Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?” with some easy adjustments.

Button down – An untucked traditional dress shirt, especially if it’s a standard fit can look sloppy, opt instead for an actual casual button down; these really do exist I swear, it’s not like the virgins waiting for you in heaven thing.  Typically casual button downs posses a fit and print better suited for ‘hanging out’.

Jeans – Even though the typical sartorial rules for pant breaks don’t apply to jeans, there is such a thing as too long (no TWSS jokes please). If the denim starts to to buckle and bunch up to the knee or higher, that jagged silhouette is a sign your jeans have gone too far, literally.

Layer – Layering is the casual man’s secret weapon, well that and ordering off the dollar menu. Even a simple, non logo emblazoned sporty zip up like the one above adds visual interest and can eliminate suspicions that you just rolled out of bed in your t-shirt.

Noggin - Men tend to update above the neck at an even slower clip than below. Exhibits A and B, glasses and hair style. If you’ve been wearing the same glasses for a few years now consider upgrading frames or getting contacts. Lastly, when it comes to your hair, even small changes can make a big difference like brushing your bangs to the side rather than having them lay limply across your entire forehead.

Q:  For my girlfriend’s birthday I got her tickets to the symphony. I knew I’d have to go with her but I think I’ve been in denial, the show is this Sunday afternoon and I have no idea what’s appropriate to wear. I don’t own a tux or a suit. Help!

A:  Your sacrifice is commendable so don’t worry about dressing up too much, the last thing we’d want is for you to be bored and uncomfortable.  You’ll be happy to know that the symphony is rarely a black tie affair.  Formal attire is only expected on opening night and for the rest of the shows it’s suggested you wear something you’ll be comfortable sitting in for a couple of hours.  For a Sunday afternoon performance business casual dress is perfectly appropriate. Depending on how long the show lasts you may also want to take along the ultimate accessory, a full flask.

When it comes to online dating, men lose out on countless opportunities to meet a quality match simply because they fail to recognize that a grainy, at-the-computer, “bleary eyed after a few beers and givin’ you the look of tough love in my sweatshirt” photo does not send a compelling message. Or at least not the kind of message that anyone would be interested in without first consuming something equivalent to a six pack.

Bedraggled is not desirable except to a very small sector of the population – and you don’t need to spend the money for an online dating service to find them. If you are a good catch (and you know you are) your photo must capture that – because your photo is the first thing a prospective interest will inspect. There is no way she will find out about all those puppies you rescued from a shelter or the senior citizens you read to on the weekend if what she sees first resembles the love child of an ice road trucker and a fashion-challenged (redundant?) football fan. Here are some tips to maximize your odds:

- What’s sexier than a double chin? Take test photos of yourself from different angles to determine an angle that best flatters your features.

- Don’t go it alone. Have a friend help with photos and don’t rush through it, take many shots. Narrow down the favorites by sending them to trusted friends of the opposite sex and have them vote.

- Look out behind you! You want to be the star of the photo so keep the backdrop simple. Don’t photograph yourself with anything that will vie for the viewers’ attention. For indoor shots, make sure the background behind you is tidy. It is not sexy to be photographed in front of the world’s largest beer can pyramid.

- Some clouds definitely have a silver lining:  for outdoor photos, overcast weather – not high sun – make for the best light.

- No fakers allowed. Don’t force your smile. While your friend is snapping away, keep your mind on the things that make your heart light. Your genuine happiness, a highly desirable trait to potential mates, will come across in the photo.

- Ready for inspection? What you wear in your photo is what your potential dates will evaluate – looking for your level of success, your basic nature, and your desirability. Choose attire that is appropriate for a first date and infuses you with confidence. Make sure the fit is good – remember bulky clothing distorts your body and anything too tight is unflattering.

Items not to wear in your profile photo:

- Hat or baseball cap that conceals your face

- Sunglasses – again, the aforementioned face concealment

- Horizontal stripes, plaid or any large print

- Bulky sweater

- Turtleneck

- Anything over-sized or resembling a bowling shirt, ratty jersey, sweatpants, etc…

- Cut-off sweatshirt - if Bill Belichick can’t make it work, you don’t have a prayer

LED bras, only an appropriate gift if your valentine is a stripper. Otherwise, if you need that much help finding her breasts in the dark, you have no business touching them in the first place.

Any man who’s ever accidentally walked into the ladies room instantly understands how much more important good appearance is to women than men. In case you haven’t made that misstep lately – when’s the last time you saw a men’s room complete with potpourri, an assortment of grooming products, flowers, movie star lighting, and couches?

Why are these amenities commonplace for the ladies, while men get a hole in the wall, or floor, to be more accurate? Because women need to be surrounded by attractive things. It’s a primal desire of ours. Repeatedly, I see one archetype that does not grasp this basic rule and suffers the consequences. We’ll call him the Sloppy Obsitnate Seeker. What defines an SOS? Almost every group of friends has one, some friend circles are made up almost entirely of them. In a social setting the SOS is generally seen in the corner or talking with another guy, it’s not uncommon for him to be sporting tevas and a Hawaiian shirt. His clothing is generally oversized, wrinkled, and outdated.

The SOS is also the guy who laments that there is a shortage of quality women while thinking they themselves shouldn’t have to put in any extra effort or make improvements to attract said quality women. Their vehemnet battle cry, ”She should like me for me”. Let me draw a parable that perhaps will help the SOS get a better perspective. Imagine, in front of you are two empty pint glasses. One is clean and new and the other is scratched up with greasy fingerprint smudges and some dirt on the bottom. The bartender comes over and fills both glasses with your favorite beer (mmmmm… beer), and asks you to pick your glass. By now I hope you understand the point I’m making here, it’s normal to prefer the better packaging whether for our humans or liquid.

The good news is that it’s easy to be more attractive to women. You don’t suddenly have to go from wearing jeans to Armani suits, or complete a metro sexual night class at your local community college. Kick off your tevas and read carefully, these are the basics.

Good grooming is the foundation of being able to get close, without it, don’t even try. Being showered is a no-brainer but there are some other essentials more than a few guys forget, like cleaning the ears and clipping nose hairs. Particularly if the activity du jour is going out to a bar where one, women will be looking at your profile a lot, and two, women will have to lean in to your ear to talk over the noise. I assure you no one wants to see a hairy, sometimes linty, surprise waiting for them up close and too personal. Finger nails are also frequently overlooked. Have them clean and clipped. You don’t have to join the ladies for a mani and pediat the salon but your nails shouldn’t look like you clawed your way out of the cellar to get the bar either.

Modern means current, and women like men who can stay current. Men tend to keep stuff in their closets way past the expiration date and not get new items when needed. Remember that what you wear tells people plenty about you before you even open your mouth. What does a faded mock turtle neck say from across the room? “I promise I can talk to women better than I can dress?”, “Trust me, this to used to look great?”, “Hey, do you like the smell of moth balls?”. None of these are attractive to women.

Clothing that fits well is key. It’s not about what designer you are wearing or how much it costs (really), it’s about how the clothing looks on you. Not only must your clothes fit your body they have to reflect your personality (this is not an open invitation to wear your I Love Hot Moms T Shirt). Men’s styles have changed quite a bit in recent years and every man’s body is different and flattered by select cuts, styles, and colors. Learn yours! Either ask a trusted friend with good taste or better yet, get answers from a professional.

In the end what will get you in the door with most women isn’t complicated at all – look nice and be able to have entertaining conversations with us (nobody will even know if you practiced with your sister beforehand). If you can cover those two bases, your odds of making a successful connection increase exponentially.