Effortless Gent’s 2011 Must-Reads

Hey gents,

2011 was a foundational year for EG. At the beginning of 2011, we we’re still relatively small and unknown, continuing to build our audience and find our voice. Our subject matter has become a lot more focused as the year went on, and it seems our readership grew exponentially because of it.

Here’s an example. The last post of 2010 drew in 278 visits total. Contrast that with the last post in 2011, which brought in 1775 visitors. 24,851 people visited EG in the month of December 2011. 5,103 people checked out EG in the same month, exactly a year before. That’s some nice growth right there.

Of course I’m not using these examples to brag (because really, who cares about those numbers anyway), but more to say thanks. Thanks for spreading the word, for recommending EG to your friends, and for coming back several times a week, leaving insightful comments, and asking great questions.

I’m hoping that in 2012, we’ll grow to twice the size of our best 2011 numbers, reaching even more people, assisting more dudes in finding their own sense of style, and demystifying the whole process, regardless of how the media, trends, or peers tell them to dress.

Here are the essential articles of 2011

If you have to read anything from the past year, these would be it.

• Seven things guys overlook when caring for their clothes (on Primer Magazine)
• My take on style vs. fashion, the differences, and why you should care
• Back to Basics: Which shoes with which pair of pants?
• The one thing you need to do to set yourself apart from every other guy
• When to spend vs. when to save
• The evolution of fashion (or, why classic style is the best style)
• Three Fs to consider when shopping for new clothing
• The endorsement: One thing every man must have in his closet
• The break: How to choose the best pants length + how to tell your tailor
• Sartorial evaluation: How to be stylish in your 40s and beyond (yes, this still applies to you young cats)
• Back to Basics: Choosing a casual shoe
• Get Measured: the one tool you need to solve all your shopping woes
• Do it anyway: improving yourself and dealing with those who don’t understand

How did YOU do last year?

2011 was a foundational year for you also, if you were following along. My goal is to write insightful articles that are easy enough to implement, so you can take action right away. If you started reading a year ago and applied everything you learned, you’d be well on your way to developing a great sense of personal style with an understanding that goes far beyond the basics.

If this is you, I’d love to hear from you. Please let me know in the comments below how much progress you’ve made so far.

If you don’t feel you have as good a grasp on this just yet, don’t worry, this isn’t a race to the finish line anyway. It’s more like a gradual progression, learning and applying at your leisure.

Understanding the basics of color, fit, proportion, fabric, and texture can be understood pretty quickly. It’s the application and combination of all those things that take time. If you haven’t already, let this be the year you start.

Here’s to an awesome 2012.