Guys, admit it. You've all been there at least once. You step out of your room feeling fly, until you run into your wife/girlfriend/significant other, whereby she takes one look at your outfit and things go pear shaped. You get the dreaded vertical scan, refuse to elaborate, and you'll be left mulling about what's wrong for the rest of the day.
Does that mean you need to rush back to your closet when your lady raises an eyebrow at your outfit? Don't your choices matter? Of course they do, but you can also take her views into account – call it social conditioning from being exposed to the pressure of having to always look good from a very young age, but usually women do actually know better than men when it comes to fashion, and, well, it can't hurt to look good and impress her.
So how can you tell what she thinks of your wardrobe? Let us count the ways.
Eh.
If your favourite “Aflatoon” green parachute pants fail to get an excited or appreciative response from her, chances are, she's not that into them. In the interests of not getting personal, most women will refrain from giving you an overtly critical reaction (unless you've been married for years, in which case, get ready for a re-enactment of your favourite Zee Bangla family drama), so a doggedly neutral reaction is generally an unfavourable one. If you're wearing something she likes, you'll definitely see some reaction.
Alternatives
If she takes one look at what you're wearing and immediately suggests an alternative, your outfit is definitely not working. But take heart; she's probably trying to help you dress for a particular situation, and not judging your tastes or lack thereof.
Focus on me
Is she complimenting one specific part of your outfit? Does she sound more excited about your whole look on a given day? Take note. And if you care enough, ask her what she likes specifically, so you can recreate this win multiple ways.
How to handle wardrobe feedback
Particularly in these image-conscious times, having the woman in your life criticise your clothing choices can sometimes hurt more than you think it would. Here are two things to remember.
You're on the same team
Don't take the feedback as an attack; remember that you have a common goal: to look better. If it still feels like you're getting hen-pecked, agree that it goes both ways. If she can honestly tell you (nicely) what she likes about your clothes, you can tell her (respectfully) when her own outfit is giving you a migraine.
It's not a big issue if you don't make it one
When a woman is taking the effort to help you dress better, it means she cares enough. As long as it doesn't break the bank or offend your personal religion, what's the harm in giving her advice a shot? Worst-case scenario, you won't like how you look after you've tried it, and you can honestly tell her you tried, and then go back to your own style, no harm done.
