Stephen Nash, CO Founder of CEIC aka PlayboyLA in The Game has written
a very good post on grooming which I haven't seen to much of lately.

1) Notice how long it takes women to get ready, consider how much time they spend on looking good for you. How long do you spend getting ready to go out? 15 min, maybe? Take some extra time and really put some effort into looking good, people will take notice.

2) Pick and choose which trends to follow. You don’t want to be too trendy or else you’ll end up looking like a fashion victim, however you should be on top of what’s current and new so that you can be selective with incorporating certain trends into your look.

3) Go to a department store and test out at least a dozen colognes. Instead of spraying them on tester paper, which won’t give you a good idea of how they really smell on your skin, ask for samples… most guys don’t know that they will give you free samples; take them home and try them out. Pick the one that suits you best.

4) Get at least one expensive haircut. The stylist will cut your hair according to the bone structure of your face, accentuating your best features. Remember the style so that it can be duplicated later on buy a less expensive place.

5) If you wear a sport coat or suit, pay close attention to how long the sleeves are; there should always be a half inch of shirt sticking out from under the cuff. This is a $10 alteration that could make your suit look custom made.

6) Make sure that all your clothes work with each other; try to have a common theme throughout. You don’t want to look like an urban cowboy one day and a DJ the next.

7) Go to a tailor today and have him take your correct measurements - put this on the back of a business card, and carry with you everywhere, it will come in handy when buying clothes, especially over the internet.

8) Work on building all parts of your wardrobe; make sure that you spend as much effort dressing casually as you do formally.

9) Keep you eyebrows in control, absolutely no unibrows, and if they are too bushy get them thinned out. Go to a salon if you have to.

10) Buy grooming products that are specific to you. Moisturizer if you have dry skin, deep cleaning shampoo if you have oily hair, etc…

11) No nose hairs ever. Trim these daily if necessary - this is an absolute MUST…second in importance only to having good breath.

12) Always make sure your belt and shoes match. If they are both leather, they must match up. Have at least one brown belt and one black. This is one of the indisputable rules in dressing for men.

13) Try layering up your clothing. Take a look at fashion ads and notice how the models are always wearing two or more layers. The more layers you wear, the more put together and sophisticated you will look. Wear up to 4 layers, with a tie or scarf counting as one layer.

14) Buy a pair of well made shoes and make sure you don’t skimp in this area. A great pair will last you for at least 5 years. In the long run you will actually save money because you won’t have to replace them every 6 months. Keep them well polished at all times.

15) Buy at least one sport coat in a versatile color such as charcoal or navy; better yet get one custom made. There are endless combinations you can do with this item. You can dress it down with a pair of jeans or dress it up with a pair of slacks and tie.

16) Buy at least one suit that you’d never be able to wear to work, something cool and stylish. Maybe it has a colorful pinstripe or is made out of a more casual fabric. You want at least one of these to wear out on the town and at parties. This will really make you stand out as being well dressed.

17) Try dressing down items that are more formal. Pair a luxurious fabric like velvet with well-worn denim. The contrasting pieces will create an intriguing look.

18) Fill your wardrobe with high quality classics items that won’t go out of style. For example, a leather jacket, a navy blazer, and a pair of good quality jeans.

19) The only jewelry a man should have is a nice watch and perhaps a wedding ring when the time is right. We’re against the whole earrings on men thing unless you are in a band…Also, avoid gold and diamonds or you’ll end up looking like a rapper - unless, of course, you ARE a rapper.

20) Avoid wearing black dress shoes. It’s not that we have anything against black shoes, it’s just that they always look better in a darker brown color; they are more stylish too. For the ultimate, try Cordovan (horsehide) leather shoes. They have a deep, rich color that only gets better with age. Cordovan leather was originally used to make army boots because it is so indestructible.

21) If you’re a khakis kind of guy, go out and buy some jeans; you need to mix it up and go for something more casual. Likewise, if you’re a jeans guy, go out and buy some dressier pants, perhaps a pair of corduroys or chinos.

22) Manicure - 1 x per week (do it yourself); for both toenails and fingernails - be sure your fingernails are clean and trimmed at all times. A woman will look at your nails before she looks at what brand your watch is.

23) Invest in a classic tuxedo that will never go out of style. Make sure it has peaked lapels and is one or two button. You will stand out from the crowd of guys who rent. Renting is a waste of money in the long run.

24) Always make sure you have good breath. A great way to make sure of this is to buy a tongue scraper and always wash with antiseptic mouthwash. Nothing is a bigger turn-off than bad breath.

25) Last but not least, never talk about how much effort you put into shopping, grooming, looking good, etc. Make it appear as if you do all of this effortlessly, be almost secretive about it. Brush off compliments with… “oh how nice of you to notice…”