Sunshine and Sippy Cups

“Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.” – Coco Chanel… So, I love my mister. After almost 8 years together, I know his fabs, and his flaws. I accept ’em all, I love him no matter what… but that doesn’t mean that I don’t give him “encouragement” for changes once in awhile, lol. And one of those BIG encouragements come in the wardrobe department. When I met Mike, he was a pretty trendy guy. He was always really well put together, never one of those guys that needed a chick to tell him what matched. {I’ve known a LOT of those types of guys.} But, he’s suffered from the same problem I have over the past couple of years – as we both work from home, and it’s easy to get into a habit of sweats, tees, and other sloppy stuff. That’s ok – it’s comfy, it’s easy to chase a toddler in – but it’s not very stylish. And with a few big events on the horizon, I needed to upgrade us both to some new styles. If you have a mister in need of a mini-makeover, keep reading for a little inspiration…

“All it takes are a few simple outfits. And ther’s one secret – The Simpler The Better.” – CARY GRANT 

This is what I’m working with now – All Carhartt shirts, all the time. Ok, he might mix it up once in awhile with a racing shirt from one of his events. But mostly it’s a Carhartt shirt in some shade of blue or gray. Matched with jeans or sweats. And since he works on race cars so often, most of these shirts are pretty beat up. I mean, it’s not horrible – I am a fan of Carhartt. But it’s not exactly the type of thing for dinner dates or a night out, you know?

“Delete the negative; accentuate the positive!” – Donna Karan

We headed to one of my fave stores to shop for Mike’s updates – Target. {See my shopping trip details on Google+.} I love Target fashion – a good mix of basics and trends, at super affordable prices. I picked up a couple of new summer dresses for myself, some cutie patootie shorts outfits for Abby, then we headed back to the Menswear section to get shopping for Mike. He HATES shopping, so I knew this was going to be a bit of a challenge…

MaLo Underwear for Men from Mario Lopez – Now at Target

You can’t build something great without the right foundation, right? So new undies and tee’s were at the top of my list! I’m sure that many of you ladies have men with closets like my Mister’s – the oldest, dingiest, most worn out undershirts, and boxers from 10 years ago. Seriously, why is it so hard for them to buy new ones?? Luckily there was a big selection of the gear I came looking for – the new MaLo line from Mario Lopez. {Remember him? Saved by the Bell, and Dancing with the Stars?} He is just the most adorable guy, and a great example of good style. So we picked up a pack of these for Mike – and he was actually excited to get them. Score!

“The well-dressed man is he whose clothes you never notice.” – William Somerset Maugham

This is the outfit I picked out for Mike… He gave me a big ol’ “HECK no!” when I asked if he’d model his new gear for a pic to share. He hates pictures! But – here’s one of the outfits he agreed to – simple, still comfy, but much upgraded from his usual look. Here are a few of my style tips for guys:

• Flat front: Mike’s shorts are a clean flat-front khaki. Always get flat-front – please, oh please, do NOT get pleated pants or shorts. They add a ton of bulk, are not flattering, and make you look like an old college professor. Not a trendy look, guys.
• Layered: A layered look is always a good choice. In the summer it’s too hot for a lot of layers – but a cotton button up over a tee is perfect. In fall, you could add a hoodie or jacket too.
• Mix it up: When layering, don’t always grab the basic white tee. Try a bright pop of color for fun – or even just a new neutral, like grey or beige. There are some really great choices from MaLo too – in super soft fabrics!
• Keep it updated: Anything with stains, holes, or underwear that are over 10 years – it needs to go, guys. I know – it’s a shirt from your high school football days and it still fits {kinda} and you just can’t bear to part with it! Take a pic, put it in a scrapbook, and move on.

Even the most style challenged guy can handle some simple updates, like new undies and tees, and a shirt or two with a collar. And make sure to check out the MaLo Underwear section at your local Target, to pick up some great new gear for your mister while your updating his look.

Makeover Your Man!

Use these style tips, the great new line from Mario Lopez, {see more on Twitter with the #MaLoUnderwear tag, or follow Mario Lopez} and the affordable gear at Target to give your man a mini-makeover too. You can make it a total one-stop-shop experience too – you can pick up razors and shave essentials, new hair products, shoes and other dude accessories like a new wallet or watch, and even a new cologne. Then grab a cute dress and heels for yourself, and plan that much-needed night out. You deserve it!

MaLo is a Much Better Sight on Laundry Day!

Now, even though I still have to wash and fold a million old Carhartt shirts that are so stained you can barely even tell that hey have been washed, {seriously, so bad…} – at least there are new underwear and basic tees that are clean, non-stained, and hole free. And that’s a start, right? {I’m thinking that this Christmas, the magical closet fairy is going to come in on Christmas Eve and replace all those old ripped up tees with brand new Carhartt gear. He can’t get too mad about me throwing them out if I replace them, right? And maybe I can even sneak in a couple more shirts with collars…. }

Look for the new #MaLoUnderwear line at Target today!

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and MaLo#CBias #SocialFabric. All photos, opinions, and overuse of exclamation marks is 100% my own. We loved this new line from Mario Lopez, and I know you will too.