I first heard about Style Con (a men's style conference in Atlanta, Georgia) while reading another men's interest site that I occasionally visit. Initially I overlooked it because I'm not what you would call a "style guy."
But, when I read the line-up of keynote speakers, I knew that I had to be there. I was intrigued at the chance to rub shoulders with some of the most successful men in the business. You should know by now that I believe building a strong network is one of the most important decisions that you can make as a man.
Man, am I glad that I went. It did not disappoint. Not only did I get a ton of style tips, strategies, and tools, but I had the opportunity to meet extremely successful men. I was impressed by them and what they have built but, most impressive to me, was their genuine desire to help guys like me succeed.
There is no substitute for attending the conference (which will be held March 11-13, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia if you want to go with me) but, in an attempt, to give you a glimpse of the caliber of men that I met, networked, and built relationships with, I've compiled this list of men's blogs, sites, and resources that every man should know about.
Aaron Marino has built an amazing brand with I Am Alpha M. In addition to being one of the co-founders of Men's Style Con, he is the founder of Alpha M. Consulting which is an image consulting firm dedicated to helping men realize their full potential. He has also built a big name for himself through his YouTube Channel.
His videos are incredibly entertaining and engaging. He offers advice on style, grooming, confidence and more. I highly encourage you watch them and subscribe.
With that said, the thing that I like most about Aaron is that he is extremely approachable and down-to-earth. He shared some of his personal journey with me. The man has overcome some big trials to get to the level of success he has today.
[quote cite='Aaron Marino' align='none']A man is comfortable in his own skin, he is confident without arrogance and strives to impact the world in a positive way.[/quote]
I'm a hug fan of AJ Harbinger with The Art Charm and their mission-Where Ordinary Guys Become Extraordinary Men. AJ and I (along with the rest of the crew) had the chance to go to dinner in Atlanta. He shared a lot about what they're doing at The Art of Charm.
The most impressive component of The Art of Charm is their week-long Bootcamp held at their headquarters in Los Angeles. Now, I'll admit that I initially thought it was a pick-up school but, after listening to AJ explain their bootcamp, I was intrigued.
I've done a lot of studying as it relates to psychology, persuasion, and sales and I can see that the guys at The Art of Charm know what they're doing! These guys can teach you what you need to know to enhance your dating life, your professional experience, and your personal life all wrapped up in a week-long intensive course.
Check them out at The Art of Charm!
Andrew with Primer Magazine was one of the first men that I met at Style Con which was incredible because I've been a long-time follower of his work.
Primer Magzine is a man's post-college guide to growing up. They focus on affordable style, how-to's, and self-development for the everyday 20-something man. I'm a big fan of their section, The Field Manual, where they post a lot of those how-to articles and videos.
Another popular feature is "The Getup" where they put together a clothing guide for various occasions and events.
Again, Andrew was easy to approach and had a ton of valuable information to share with me about how to grow an audience and subscribers (he currently has over 600,000 readers!). I encourage you to become one of them!
[quote cite='Andrew Snavely' align='none']Being a "man" doesn't have anything to do with drinking your coffee black and your whiskey straight. Being a man means striving towards the best possible version of yourself, every day.
Are you strong but compassionate? Do you give back as much as you take? Are you willing to shed social pressures and lift those up who others may believe don't deserve it? Lifting weights is easy – the real question is are you strong enough to be the man you know you can be?[/quote]
In addition to co-founding Men's Style Con, Antonio has built an amazing resource for men's style at Real Men, Real Style. He's build a great YouTube Channel as well with close to 300,000 subscribers!
I've learned a lot about style and fashion from his videos like how to wear a jacket with jeans, trimming my nose hair, and whitening my teeth. But, he also covers topics like how you can build more confidence and land your dream job.
Now anytime I can talk about a fellow military veteran, I'm excited to do it (even if he happens to be a Marine and I happen to have been in the Army). But, Antonio is the also the Real Deal when it comes to creating a ton of valuable men's content. He is the author of over 1ooo articles and videos and the creator of the internet's best presentation course for professionals, The Personal Image System.
[quote cite='Antonio Centeno' align='none']A man should be courageous, committed, hard-working, honest, thrifty, kind, a leader, passionate, positive-thinking, respectful, tolerant and have initiative. Everyday, I try to be a man.[/quote]
Alright guys, it's time to get real here for a minute. Any man that wants to upgrade his style know how frustrating and overwhelming it can be. That's where Barron Cuadro with Effortless Gent comes in.
It was great to get to know Barron over the 3 days in Atlanta and learn about his philosophy of the "lean wardrobe."
You probably know as well as I do that building a fashionable wardrobe can be expensive but Barron Cuadro has the solution. His concept of a lean wardrobe (his keynote covered this topic) focus on maximum versatility in a wardrobe while maintaining it's function and style.
Effortless Gent is for regular guys who want to learn the basics of style without all the fluff. You'll learn the mindset, basics, how to balance quality and quantity, and how to care for your wardrobe. I highly recommend his free guide Lean Wardrobe.
Brett McKay with The Art of Manliness-need I say more? If you're a man and you're not familiar with Brett's work, shame on you!
Art of Manliness is the largest independent men's interest magazine on the web. It is Brett Mckay who has been one of the largest motivating factors for me starting Order of Man.
I had the privilege of bumping into Brett in the elevator at the conference and I felt as excited and anxious as a kid in a candy store. Brett was easy to have a conversation with and told me he was honored and humbled that it was his work that inspired me to do my own.
His keynote presentation was geared toward the importance of the role men play in our society and how we can and should pursue our passions, eliminate fear, and keep moving forward.
Art of Manliness helps men get back to the core of masculinity by teaching the virtues, characters, and skillsets necessary to be a successful man.
I'm excited to introduce you to Brock McGoff with The Modest Man because he was arguably the sharpest dressed man at Style Con. Everything from his head to his toes were impeccable.
If you're like me, you've questioned why focusing on style and fashion is important as a man. After seeing and interacting with Brock McGoff, I no longer question why. He exudes confidence and professionalism at every turn and, although I didn't get to talk to him at length, I think extremely highly of him because what his clothes and persona said about the man.
His site, The Modest Man, focuses on style and fashion tips for the shorter or smaller man. Brock is 5'6" so he knows first-hand the trouble in finding the perfect fit and look for anyone that fits into that category. If that is you, I would recommend his free resource, Dress Taller: 11 Style Tips for Short Men.
Dilan Prema and his sites The Greatest Man Blog and Dilan Prema are great resources for the modern man. Dilan and I had some deep conversations about the psychology of men and what it means and what it takes to be successful.
We talked a lot about his unique, live workshop, Your Hero's Journey. For any man looking to transform his life, this is an event you need to look into! Dilan is a likeable man with confidence and a willingness to help unlike I've seen so I know those traits spill over into his coaching and consulting practice.
His goal is to help men reclaim their masculinity. If you're looking for more clarity and purpose in your life, you have got to connect with Dilan Prema.
[quote cite='Dilan Prema' align='none']Being a man is having the integrity to own your truth, and that means fully embodying and living it.[/quote]
Eric Bandholz is someone that I did not expect to meet at StyleCon. But, Eric is someone who prides himself in standing out in a crowd so he wasn't hard to miss.
I enjoyed getting to know Eric so much that I recently had him on my podcast to discuss his favorite topic, Beards. You can find that episode, How to Grow a Beard Like a Boss, here.
His company, BeardBrand, is a premium grooming company of beard oils, mustache waxes, and kits. They also have a community magazine that can be found at Urban Beardsman.
Eric is someone that takes beard maintenance very seriously and, as an inspiring beardsman myself, BeardBrand is my go-to resource for beard care.
Kyle Ingham has built his site, The Distilled Man, around teaching the essential skills for the modern gentleman. He put a few of those skills to the test at Style Con by teaching us how to mix 3 cocktails during one of his classes.
Kyle and his site are yet another inspiration for Order of Man so I was extremely happy to have met him. On his site, he covers a broad array of subjects from cocktails, grilling, relationships, style, manly know-how, and so much more.
His articles and videos are top-notch. In addition to checking out his site, I would recommend that you also visit his YouTube Channel where he teaches guys how to fold a pocket square, tie a tie, and make and Old Fashion.
One last thing-you'll definitely want to check out his free 42 page guide, 48 Hour Gentleman.
I've been a follower of Kyle's blog, Mantelligence, for some time now and, frankly, I didn't know that I would get the chance to meet him at Style Con. But, I'm glad that I did!
Not only does Kyle have one of the coolest website names for men, his concept is incredible. The idea behind Mantelligence is to help men learn what it takes to be a real man. This is all done through his iPhone App.
I've personally played Mantelligence and I can tell you that it is well-designed, entertaining, and addicting! I am sad to say that I don't know as much as I thought I did about manly skills and knowledge.
His blog articles are amazing too. They are long and well-researched! A personal favorite of mine is The 50 Best Hobbies for Men. Who knows, you may find yourself picking up whittling or beekeeping in your spare time.
[quote cite='Kyle Boureston' align='none']A true man must be courageous when he is scared, dutiful when he is needed and honorable when no one is looking.[/quote]
Nate, with Iron & Tweed, and I had some great conversations over the 3 days we spent in Atlanta. Not only does Nate look the part of a man's man (big, stylish, and a killer beard), he is a man of substance.
He shared a lot with me about his goals and vision for Iron & Tweed. When I asked about the name of his brand, it made perfect sense-how a man can connect fashion and manliness. His tagline is one of the best that I've heard-"Train like an animal. Dress like a man."
As I work towards my own self-development, I look as Nate as a perfect example of someone trying to become the best version of themselves. I would really encourage you to read through his "about me" page as it will give you some insights into his own journey and the needed motivation to make some big changes in your life.
Nate's site is on a short list of sites that I will continue to refer to as I work to improve my own self-image.
[quote cite='Nate Lewis' align='none']It would be convenient to define manhood by simply listing a series of “manly” traits (a full beard, big muscles), skills (chopping wood, fixing a car), interests (beer, sports), or accomplishments (earning a lot of money at your job, having kids).
But to me, being a man means being bold enough to pursue what you’re passionate about and confident enough to live as your authentic self. Real men take responsibility for themselves and their actions, and they act as a source of strength and protection to those around them. Most importantly, they constantly seek personal growth and strive to be better men.[/quote]
You can tell a lot about a man by his desire to help and his willingness to ask you tough questions. That is the case with Rafael Schneider with Gentleman's Gazette.
Rafael actually introduced himself to me and asked what I did and if I had a blog. When I responded that "I help men become better men" he asked me, "What does that even mean?" Now, I could have taken that one of several ways but I could tell by his voice and the look in his eye that he had a genuine desire to help me define my message. I respect that.
Gentleman's Gazette is a men's fashion site and has everything you'd expect from a high-quality online magazine. But, I am most impressed with the articles! They are well-researched and include incredible photographs. I'd encourage you to join a quarter of a million monthly readers but if you read just one article from his site, you need to check out his controversial article titled Al Capone: Gentleman of Style.
I used to believe (before I started my fitness journey) that guys who were in great shape had all the luck. I now know that luck has nothing to do with it.
Let me introduce you to Ryan Masters with Sparta Strength. One look at the guy and you know he lives his message which is The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence. It has little to do with luck that Ryan has built an incredible brand with Sparta Strenth and more to do with his daily habits of success.
Ryan is a beast and can teach you everything you need to know about mental, physical, and spiritual strength. You seriously need to consider subscribing to his YouTube Channel. His videos are entertaining and informative. If you're ready to take your physique to the next level, Sparta Strength is where you should start.
Ryan Magin is one of those guys that seem to have it all figured out. He has a ton of confidence and is a man who knows who he is.
You can find his blog at 51 Handsome Guy Secrets and Ryan Magin but I'd really recommend that you start at his YouTube Channel. His short, educational videos will teach you a ton about style and all you need to know about attracting women. You'll find videos on how to have the perfect first date, men's style basics, 3 types of shoes that repel women and a ton more.
I have to give Ryan a big shout-out as he is the one who gave me the final motivation to start our own YouTube Channel. Thanks for the push!
If you're looking to improve your game with the ladies, look no further than Ryan Magin with 51 Handsome Guy Secrets.
Before Style Con, Tanner Guzy and I had only talked once over the phone (you can listen to our conversation here) but we are like an old friends. He is the founder of Masculine Style and helps run Beckett & Robb, a men's clothing company built around custom suits and shirts.
In addition to reading his blog, where he talks about men's fashion and masculinity, you should also be a listener of his podcast, Masculine Style. Tanner has a great conversational style and shares some of his insights into fashion and how it has changed for him over the years. You'll especially like the section of his podcast titled "Icons and Embarrassments" where he sheds light on men who are nailing it when it comes to fashion and other men who are, well....embarrassing themselves.
Tanner is someone that I consider a deep thinker about the implications of men and fashion. In fact, I've learned more about this topic from Tanner in the couple of months that I've known him than my previous 34 years of living on this planet.
[quote cite='Tanner Guzy' align='none']Being a man means existing as a male of self-determination. Men are self-sufficient, strong, courageous, males who shape the world around them and invite others to participate in the creation of that world. [/quote]
Okay, I know this is a shameless self-promotion but, you know what, it's my blog, right?
I don't consider myself an expert in men's fashion. In fact, I wouldn't even call myself a stylish man. That's why I attended Style Con in the first place. Most of what you will find on this site has to do with self-mastery, purpose, leadership, relationships, and manly skills.
Now, I've had some people question why I'm qualified to talk about these topics. I will be the first to tell you that I am NOT an expert. The only thing that makes me worthy of doing this work is that I'm a male and I have a desire to improve myself.
What I've come to realize is that somewhere in the transition from boy to man we lose the sense of ourselves. The world tells us that we need to grow up, get a job, and be "responsible." I'm all for those things but we've got to stick to our roots. As men, let's keep getting dirty, keep experimenting, and be men again. If you'd like to join me on this mission, I invite you to join the order!
[quote cite='Ryan Michler' align='none']A true man is rugged, resilient, and strong. In many ways he is self-made and claims his own victories but he understands what it means to be a member of the team. He understands the strength that comes from his tribe. He is stronger when he is beside his men and his men are stronger because he is one of them.[/quote]
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