Sean Deacon

Men can do the same thing. There are some schools of thought that say you should wear loud outrageous clothing and/or accessories when you go out to meet women, that it shows confidence and is attractive.

Here’s a couple things to keep in mind about this:

In theory, peacocking gear gives the girl a reason to open you. If you are wearing a funky this-or-that and a girl wants to talk to you, she can comment on it and safely open you. That’s one approach to this. In this case, find something that works for you. I wear a leather jacket with metal studs on the lapel, girls open me by commenting on it or touching it a lot. Same thing when I used to wear a steel chain as a necklace with a padlock (R.I.P. Sid Vicious). If this is the angle you are going for, find somethign that fits you, and who you are. I can wear that shit because I was a punk rock muthufucka back in the day.

The other thing to keep in mind, peacocking is mean to show confidence by wearing loud, flashy clothing. The wilder and louder, the more confidence and social savvy you have to have. One time I saw a guy wearing big old aviator shades and a loud tie in a club, and he was just resting against the wall, trying to look hardcore. In reality, he looked like someone that was trying to dress up for the night, but couldn’t really pull it off. When you wear loud, flashy clothing, people will expect you to be just as loud and social of a guy. If you’re not, it’s incongruent, and end up looking like a tool. This is just another thing to keep in mind. Your peacocking has to match your social gregariousness.

So what shoes do I buy? I like Kenneth Coles. I own 3 pairs. 2 are basic dress shoes in black and brown. Another is a more stylish brown loafer. Kenneth Cole makes quality shoes that are comfortable and stylish. They are a good staple.

I have a couple other pairs of nicer shoes that are cool or funky in some way.

For more casual shoes, I like Pumas. I have a few pairs of things that are more stylish, like a pair of Diesels and a pair of HipOppotamus (similar to Diesel).

Remember to take care of your shoes. Keep them polished, and make them last.

A few rules I follow when picking out shoes:

1) Brown shoes are always more stylish than black shoes.

2) Don’t skimp on shoes. $175 isn’t too much to spend for a high quality shoe that is comfortable and stylish. Plus, you’ll feel great walking around in a great pair of shoes.

3) Get a selection. Don’t buy three pairs of black shoes. Get one pair of black, a pair of brown, and a pair of a lighter color (cream, tan, etc). This is much more versatile.

4) Make sure they are comfortable. If a shoe isn’t immediately comfortable when you put your foot in, don’t buy it. I don’t care if they are the perfect shoes that were sent down on a cloud from heaven. I’ve learned this lesson the hard (and painful) way. Also, if two shoes seem really similar, but one is a bit more expensive but more comfortable, spend the extra for the comfortable ones. Your feet will thank you.

…and, since summer is coming,

5) Don’t ever buy sandals. Flip-flop sandals are OK, but those Teva style sandals have to go.

If you really want to get your style in gear, check out PickUp 101’s guide to style, Dress to Impress. It is a 3 DVD set that goes into detail about fashion and style and how to make it work for you. The DVD set goes into detail about how to use style to help give a great impression to women. It also includes real world fashion make overs of men that attended the filming of the set. Click here to check it out now.