EDMONTON - I often get accused of expecting everyone to dress up. What people don’t understand is that I am not saying that everyone should “dress up” but that they just need to dress well. This is particularly true for men. I find it very troubling when I see a couple and the woman looks great but her gentleman looks as if he were just washing the car.

Here are six easy tips to get you started on a great look that will impress your date, and everyone else who sees you.

Get colour in your pants

Vivid colours for men's pants are very hot right now. Think royal blue, chartreuse green and even fuchsia pink. Coloured cotton pants and jeans are everywhere and very easy to find without blowing your budget. Make sure they are nicely tapered and a slim cut. Hem pants to the top of your shoe, but if you really want to have the hottest look, roll them up to show some ankle. And FYI, nothing should be put in the pockets; no wallet, mobile or keys. They totally ruin the line of the pants.

Get a great sport coat

The key to this piece will be the cut. Make sure it's short and tight to the body - but you still have to be able to button it up. The top button of the coat should hit you right under your rib cage and the bottom on the coat should hit you mid-buttocks. If you're going to just buy one sport coat, I would suggest navy blue. If you willing to stretch the budget to get a couple of sport coats, try something in a fun colour like melon or green plaid.

Get a pair of black lace-up pointed dress shoes

These shoes can go from casual to dressy and will prove very versatile. The best part about them being lace-ups is you can change their look by adding colourful laces. This is a great and inexpensive way to show your sense of style. Match the colour of your laces to an accent colour in your outfit and it will completely change the look of your shoes. Kunitz shoes has a great selection of coloured laces.

Get a bow tie and pocket square

A bow tie is a great way to show that you have your finger on the pulse of what's happening right now in fashion. It can easily be worn with your button-down Oxford shirt. If you can, get a matching pocket square. If not, get a pocket square in a complementary colour to your tie, or try this great little trick: Pull up the lining of the chest pocket on your coat to create a square. You can find these in most trendy stores.

Get some fun, patterned socks

A great look is to wear your shorter pants without socks, especially in the summer. But, if you feel more comfortable or it's more appropriate to have socks on, make sure they're worth looking at. Again, think fun patterns and colours. Since only a bit of sock will be showing, the more outrageous, the better. Look at places like The Briefing Room and Kunitz Shoes.

Get a white, button-down Oxford shirt

This is a classic shirt that looks great with or without a tie. If you want to add some flair to it, take it to your local tailor and get another button hole put into the cuffso you can wear cufflinks. Contrary to popular belief, cufflinks can be worn with shirts that don't have French cuffs.