There are certain things every guy should know.
From such kitchen knowledge as how to properly cook a steak or pour a cocktail, to a fashion sense like how to match your dress shoes to your suit and how to get the right haircut, these tips will make every guy's life a little easier.
Grooming
Roll your shirt sleeves the right way. Instead of rolling the cuff slowly up your sleeve, flip the cuff back and pull it to just below your elbow. Then take the bottom (inside-out portion) and fold it up so it traps and covers the bottom cuff. You’re shirt sleeves won’t unroll again.
Avoid razor burn with these steps: cleanse, lather, shave with the grain of your beard (each time rinsing the blade with hot water), and moisturize. Be sure not to go over the same area twice, which can irritate skin.
Pack a suit without getting it wrinkled. This method is really simple and easy, with only some tissue paper and a bag to keep the suit in good condition.
Get the best haircut every time by remembering one simple rule. If you have a rounder face, get a haircut that's tighter on the sides, and if you have a longer face, ask for longer hair on the sides and around your temples.
Learn the "sometimes, always, never" rule of jacket buttons. The top button should sometimes be buttoned (stylistic decision), the middle button should always be buttoned (it pulls the jacket together and is flattering), and the last button should never be buttoned (it messes up the tailoring and flare of the jacket).
Match your dress shoes and suits. Follow this simple chart to learn what colors and styles are best. If you're wondering which shoes to wear with shorts and chinos, click here.
Always buy full-grain leather goods. It's the highest-quality leather money can buy, it will last forever, and it’s superior to top-grain and genuine leather.
Home
Pour salt on any stain immediately. Say your date spills some red wine (it happens). Scatter some salt on it right away and work it into the carpet with your hands. Leave it there for a few hours and then vacuum it out.
Invest in quality shoe trees. They will maintain the shape of your nice work shoes, prevent the leather from warping or cracking, and absorb any excess moisture from your shoes so they don’t rot from the inside out. Lasted, bespoke shoe trees are the best for your expensive shoes.
Hang your suits and dress shirts on cedar wood hangers. The cedar acts as a repellent for moths and absorbs moisture. And unlike wire hangers, these thicker hangers will not damage or stretch out clothing
Fold your sweaters instead of hanging them. Even lightweight sweaters stretch out if they're on a hanger for too long. It's better to fold sweaters in your wardrobe and hang dress shirts and T-shirts instead.
Walnuts can get rid of wood scuffs. Seriously. Run your finger along the scratch and then rub the walnut into it, too. Your finger will warm up the nut’s oil and help it soak into the wood. Then buff with a cloth.
Fix your credit-card magnetic strip with cellophane tape. Place it over the magnetic strip if your credit card ever stops being read by those machines.
Wrap some duct tape around an old gift card. It's hard to find a small roll of duct tape to keep around your office or around the house. Instead of carrying around a huge roll, take an old gift card and wrap some duct tape around it for an impromptu, smaller roll. You can then either stick it in your wallet or keep it in a drawer so you always have it on hand.
Kitchen
See if a steak is done with the finger test. This is a tip that Old Homestead Steakhouse co-owner Greg Sherry told us: Bring together your index finger and thumb and feel the fleshy area below the thumb — that’s what rare feels like. Do the same thing with your ring finger and thumb — that’s medium. And the same with the pinky finger and thumb — that’s well-done. Easy.
Eat chicken wings the right way. Eating drumsticks is easy, but the wing is a little harder because there are two bones. This blogger figured out how to easily remove the bones and dunk the entire wing.
Own a really expensive, quality knife. It'll last you forever, won't dull as quickly, and will make cooking so much easier. In fact, you’ll even save money in the long run because you won’t keep buying cheap knives.
Sharpen your knives with a ceramic mug — a few strokes of the blade against the bottom is all you need. Just make sure the rough ceramic is exposed.
Bar
Know what kind of whiskey to drink and when. If you’re getting wasted with shots, well whiskey is fine. If you want a spicy whiskey neat or on the rocks, go for a rye whiskey. Check out our full breakdown of what whiskey to drink when.
Learn the difference between "strong," "weak," "sweet," and "sour" when it comes to cocktails. Strong means you want more alcohol, while weak means you want less. Sour means there will be a citrus note (lemon, lime, orange) while sweet means that sugar or syrup is involved.
Remember this simple "stirred versus shaken" rule: Stir drinks that are all spirits and shake drinks that have egg, dairy, or citrus (unless otherwise specified).
Let lemon and lime juices sit out to age. These two citrus juices taste best after they’ve been allowed to sit for 4 hours (you can keep them bottled, sealed, or refrigerated). Don’t do this with oranges though — freshly squeezed is the way to go!
Know how to make an Old Fashioned. Place a sugar cube in an old-fashioned glass and saturated with two dashes of bitters and plain water. Muddle together, and then fill with ice cubes and two shots of bourbon or rye whiskey. Then garnish with an organic slice and cocktail cherry. Done.
When adding ingredients to cocktails, always start with the cheapest. For example, add your citrus, then fruit juice, then alcohol.
If you don't have any sugar syrup, here's a cocktail-hack: mix up brown sugar with lime juice. It's a great substitute that won't change the taste significantly.
Just follow these tips and you’ll be golden.
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