Guest post by Debbie Anderson

There is nothing sexier than a man who smells good. A hint of sandalwood, musk, or tobacco on the neck, which we smell when you leave in for a hug or to speak in our ear, is a huge turn on. That’s because scent evokes all kinds of good feelings by bringing back memories of special – or comforting – places, and most important of all, tells us women that you take care of yourself and pay attention to details. Women love the details (pocket squares, a manly watch, shoes – you get the idea).

With all the men’s fragrances out there, it’s admittedly hard to know which one is right for you – and the answer will be different for every man. So how do you choose? It takes some time, but it’s worth it in the end because you’ll have a signature scent all your own, which is as significant as any piece of clothing or tool of seduction you have in your repertoire.

Hugo Boss Elements has woodsy and aqua undertones of hotness.

Here’s how to find your “scent:”

Browse: Get out there and look at the bottles, the packaging, the names. If something resonates with you (say you love James Bond and so anything with “007″ in the name calls to you), look more closely at it. This phase of scent selection is crucial because it allows you to pick a fragrance that fits your personality and guides you in narrowing down the choices. You’ll also start to see a pattern in the scents that speak to you. For instance, you  might find yourself drawn almost exclusively to fragrances with leather notes, or water scents, or even grassy layers.

Dolce & Gabbana is a manly scent of cedar and tobacco.

Test: Once you have your short list, try the fragrances on and see how they smell against your skin. Your body chemistry determines this part, because some scents won’t mix well with your natural odor. Try the potions on different parts of your body (don’t get kinky) and see if the scent still works for you. It’s usually best to keep it simple by smelling four or less fragrances in one test session, otherwise your nose won’t distinguish the different notes. In between tests, sniff a piece of clothing to “reset” your nasal palette.

Armani’s men’s fragrance is a sexy blend of clove, coriander, nutmeg, and wood.

Wait: Not all fragrances age equally. Some break down quickly on your skin, leaving you with no scent at all after an hour; and some continue to mix with your body chemistry and become a completely different fragrance than you initially liked. If the scent still smells like you want after a day, go back and get it.

Your signature scent becomes a part of your style and how people see you; make it a good one.

Guest post by Debbie Anderson.

Sometimes you just need the inspiration. You know, to see how dapper men dress and conduct themselves with the ladies or the job or the heist, as the case may be.

We’ve compiled a short list of some movies that give good style, and so the curtain parts for:

Oceans Eleven
This heist movie was a remake of the ’60s Rat Pack film with the same name, and takes place in Vegas, so you know posh, glittery style abounds. Starring Brad Pitt, style master George Clooney, Andy Garcia, and Matt Damon, Oceans Eleven is good fashionable fun and a great comedy crime caper. (See the 1960 version too for a glimpse at the skinny-tie, buttoned-suit fashion of the day.)

The Godfather’s fashionable don.

The Godfather
One of the best films ever in all of history, EVER. Then there’s the double-breasted suits, felt hats, and impossibly shined shoes. This embodied gangster style before THERE WAS gangster style from some remarkable actors and shady characters.

Wall Street
Come on, Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen? Dressed to the nines in business suits and awesomeness? Sign us up.

Inception

Inception
This sci-fi thriller stars Leonard DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine and more, all impeccably tailored and styled. Apart from being a fun mind bender, Inception stars characters with charismatic style.

Casablanca
If you haven’t yet seen this classic melodrama starring the suave swagger man, Humphrey Bogart, get thee to NetFlix.

Tomorrow Never Dies
James Bond – in all his incarnations – is an international man of style. This Pierce Brosnan version is particularly stylish.

The Rebel Without a Cause “uniform.”

Rebel Without a Cause
Want some vintage, retro dressing inspiration? This James Dean film shows why his jeans-white-shirt-red-jacket combo inspired a nation of teens to dress down – fashionably.

What movies inspire your style?

Guest post by Debbie Anderson.

Let’s say you’re at your place after the bar closed, and let’s assume things are going well. You’ve got the drinks on the table, you’re both on the couch, maybe her head is on your shoulder… Now what? As in what are you going to play? (We’re talking music-wise.)

Speaking as a woman, I can tell you that music can make or break the pre-move-to-the-bedroom. If I am in a guy’s living room, and he’s blasting Barry White (God rest his soul) or Marvin Gaye (love him), I’m outta there. This is because those artists are so overdone in the seduction department, it’s time to mix it up. (And please, whatever you do, don’t play Sade. Talk about cliche.)

Usually – and especially – when it’s after midnight, we women don’t want to hear overly peppy music, rap, or Weezer (although they rock), what we DO want is music that sets the mood and is a bit more on the mellow side.

Below are some other suggestions for what to put on your “seduction playlist.” Keep in mind that these songs are sexy because either the singer’s voice does it for us, the lyrics make us feel something, or the melody is hot. Here you go:

-Almost everything from U2′s “Achtung Baby.” Standouts include One, Until The End of the World, Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, So Cruel, and Acrobat

-Dead Can Dance’s The Carnival is Over

-Portishead’s Glory Box

-Dave Matthews’ Steady As We Go, Crush, Grace is Gone

-Waterboys’ The Whole of the Moon

-Lenny Kravitz’s This Moment is All There Is

-David Gray’s Sail Away

-Stereophonics’ Maybe Tomorrow

-Pearl Jam’s Just Breathe

-Norah Jones’ In the Dark

-Eva Cassidy’s Fields of Gold

And if you must play something higher-tempo, make it:

-Maktub’s You Can’t Hide

or

-Pitbull’s Feel This Moment

And hey! Good luck!

Guest post by Debbie Anderson.

I have a friend who swears that the secret to a life well lived is “exfoliation and communication.” There’s probably more to it that that, but those two rules seem a good a place to start as any. And while we’re usually here to wax poetic on the “communication” part of the package, today we’re going to focus on exfoliation.

That’s because look, your skin is often the first things someone sees when they look at you. After all, you have a lot of it and it covers your whole body. You can wear all the right clothes and say all the right things, but if dry skin is falling onto your dapper jacket from your chapped lips as you say it, that’s just a turnoff in the worst way.

So listen up: take care of your skin. We’re not asking you to be a chick here, just practice some simple skincare that can make a lot of difference. We’ll keep it easy – just a few steps which you can do mostly in the shower.

1. Cleanse. It’s surprising how many men forget to do this. Or they wash their face with Dial soap, which after the age of 13 doesn’t work so well. If you do nothing else, be sure to wash your face with a non-drying agent formulated especially for your top third. This will cut down on oil slick face and reduce the size of your pores should they be large and noticeable. Look for a cleanser that’s able to degrease your skin while still being gentle.

Lab Series Cleanser – labseries.com

2. Exfoliate. Ah there it is. Even if you do it once a week (recommended is two to three), this will make a difference. Exfoliators are cleansers with granules that work to clean deep down and remove the sludgy, dull crud that clogs your pores and roughs up your skin. Don’t go bananas with exfoliation, but do use a good scrub with non-irritating granules that don’t redden your face. Bonus? Exfoliation softens your hair follicles and prepares your skin for shaving.

Lab Series Exfoliator – labseries.com

3. Moisturize. If you live in the colder climes, this is a necessity. And if you live in the warmer parts of the world, get a moisturizer with an SPF so you don’t look like a leather face when you’re over the age of 40. Once your skin is cleansed and exfoliated, it’s ready for a dose of softening that only moisturizing can deliver. Plus, you’ll avoid dry patches and promote elasticity. Believe me, if you’re past your 20s, you want elasticity.

Anthony Oil-free Lotion with SPF – anthony.com

Bonus Steps:

We’re trying not to go overboard here, but if you’re serious about good skin, you can’t forget your eyes and lips. Most early wrinkling happens around the eyes because the skin there is thin and prone to crinkling. Using a cream under your eyes helps to smooth this area and protects it from crow’s feet before your time.

Remember the aforementioned dry skin falling from chapped lips? We’ve seen it happen and those flecks of rough skin peppering your lips is most unattractive. Just carry some lip balm and you’re instantly more kissable (providing you use it).

Hopefully, this skincare regimen is doable. And if nothing else, rest easy knowing that most women spend many long minutes a day on their skin and all we ask in return? Is clean skin and zero lip flakes.

Guest post by Debbie Anderson.

How you treat your clothes is a big part of how long they’ll last and how good they’ll look. In other words: don’t skimp in the wardrobe maintenance department. You might have the highest quality trousers in all of Manville, but if they’re fuzzy, crumpled, and thinning at the knees, who cares?

Style encompasses a lot of factors: fashion, grooming, body language, confidence, and attention to detail, which includes taking care of your clothes. Clothes that are properly maintained look sharper and more expensive. Here how to do it:

Polish

Let’s start from the bottom: your shoes. Make sure they are polished and treated for the weather (i.e. waterproofed if you’re in a rainy or wintry part of the country). Shiny shoes is very attention to detail, indeed. Get yourself a basic shoe shine kit comprised of wax polish, a shine brush, shoe polish applicator and a shine cloth and use it to recover your shoes from scuffs and worn spots.

Speaking of shoes, a shoe tree is also a must. Buy a wooden tree to keep the shape of your shoes alive and prevent leather from warping and cracking. Shoe trees also position your shoes for greater air flow so excess moisture is absorbed (and you want this because excess moisture can be damaging and smelly).

Hang

Go wooden here, too. Wooden hangers are substantial enough to properly support your clothes and they don’t create the ugly creases that wire hangers do. As you hang your clothes, be sure there’s enough space between pieces to allow each to breathe and to resist the crumpling that comes from crowding your clothes. Hopefully, you have a closet in which to hang because clothe should be stored in a dry and cool place to prevent UV damage that causes color fading.

As for sweaters and ties, it’s best to not hang these items or they will stretch and lose some shape. For ties, fold them lengthwise and roll from the narrow end. Store in a box on their sides. For sweaters, fold and store. Never ever hang a sweater because the arms and shoulders become misshapen and out of sorts.

Treat

Deal with stains immediately – the sooner the better or the mess will set and be harder to remove. The Internet is full of stain removal tips, but here’s a few for you: always treat a stain before washing the item, and blot the stain (don’t rub) with the cleaning agent, and finally don’t use hot water – it sets the stain.

For the most common stains – ink, food grease and blood, use rubbing alcohol or hair spray; baby powder, Spray n’ Wash, and hot water (this time only); and salt and cold water, respectively.

Protect

Use cedar chips or balls to protect wool from moths, hand wash delicate items (i.e. cashmere), and don’t overuse the dry cleaner because the chemicals can cause fabric breakdown. Hang dry quality pieces because heat will also eat at fabric and when you iron, watch the steam and heat setting.

We just covered the basics. sure, but follow the guidelines above and your clothing will look better and last longer, and unless you’re a billionaire with money to blow, who doesn’t want that?