This year, we had the opportunity to attend an event that attracts men’s lifestyle businesses, top content creators, and menswear enthusiasts alike from all over the world. The event in question? Men’s StyleCon, hosted by RealMenRealStyle’s Antonio Centeno and I Am Alpha M.’s Aaron Marino. What started as a one-day gathering in a small brewery in Orange County, CA, has since evolved into a three-day extravaganza of some of the most stylish gentlemen in the world sharing thoughts, opinions, strategies, stories, drinks, and everything in between. There’s a lot to be said about men’s style. As is evident throughout this convention, men everywhere are starting to take note of the effects that one’s personal image can have. An overarching idea from StyleCon was that, in addition to the immediate impact that dressing well has on aesthetics and impressions, a well-dressed gentleman will also benefit from personal growth and development. In addition to awesome new friendships and style inspiration, we left StyleCon with a few ideas that we thought the ever-evolving modern gentleman should know. Read on for our 6 takeaways from StyleCon 2016.
Table of Contents
Pursue Your Passion
If whatever you’re doing doesn’t make you happy, find out what does, and do it. Many of the guys at StyleCon knew they wanted to inspire other men to better themselves. They started small, and are now leaders in the blogging and menswear industries. Take it one step at a time. Be persistent, and if you want it it badly enough, your passion can become your career.
Find Inspiration Beyond Social Media
Ever since menswear found its way online, your access to valuable inspiration and information has been a fingertip away. With a simple search you’ll find the likes of EffortlessGent, Primer Magazine, the Modest Man, and the Distilled Man, amongst others. Don’t limit your searching to the internet, though. Make a point to step out of the anti-social bubble that the web has created. Reach out to people in real life, attend events like Men’s StyleCon, and be open to ideas. You’ll find inspiration everywhere if you look.
Be Proactive
No point in being inspired if you don’t do anything about it. Right? Acting on our intentions is one of the hardest things to do, but it is without a doubt the most fruitful. Figure out a plan with milestones, too. The small victories will be gratifying, and you’ll start reaching your goals before you know it.
Don’t be Afraid to Fail
Failure is far from being the end-all, be-all. What you should do is take any failure for what it’s worth, and regard it more like a lesson. Take it, grow from it, and have a better go at it on the next attempt. The influencers and businesses at StyleCon didn’t find success immediately. They tried, failed, and improved to find success. Ask them if it was worth it, and they’ll certainly tell you it was.
A lot of people can get greedy about sharing resources they’ve gained with others. Paying it forward, be it by offering information or sharing your network, will benefit you more in the long run. Sharing knowledge will reinforce the lesson given to you. Sharing a network will open you up to another person’s network as they both grow. You’ll gain more from sharing and teaching others than from keeping them in the dark.
Together We Can Accomplish More
You can go pretty far on your own, but when you have a lot of like-minded people pushing you forward, and you do the same for others, everyone can accomplish more. The event brought together people from all types of backgrounds, and it quickly became evident that people are very willing to help each other. It just takes coming to the realization that not everyone is out to get one another.
Men’s StyleCon is a movement. More so than men simply coming together to talk style (not that there isn’t plenty of this), the event was a movement of men that want to improve themselves and others. It’s men that want to instill better values, ethics, and aesthetics in themselves and in generations to come. Do yourselves a favor, gentlemen. Join the movement, even if it’s just by dressing and thinking the part, and you’ll be on the road to bigger and better things before you know it.
