DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME

20061226 OVERCONFIDENCE

1802404

Style: some guys have it, some don’t. For the unfortunate set who need help with their sense of style, help is available. It usually begins, not with your selection of clothing, but with your grooming habits — or lack thereof.

Good grooming, like good posture, instantly changes an entire look. It transforms shabby to chic; unkempt to polished; rumpled to ravishing. If you are among those in need of a grooming transformation, consider first the things you should not be doing. They are as follows:

1. The comb over

It makes everyone in the room feel uncomfortable, including your head. Rather than shamefully deny that you’re balding, we recommend taking the guard off the clippers and embracing the look. We can give you three very sexy reasons why: Michael Jordan, Ed Harris and Vin Diesel. But do learn to apply some self-tanner. White patches where hair once grew aren’t sexy either; they’re just as bad as the comb over.

2. Over-tweezed brows

Leave that embarrassing mishap to us, please. Unless you intentionally want to be mistaken for the sixth member of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," don’t do it. Tweezing for men shouldn’t be the chore it is for women. Defined, high arches don’t carry a single masculine attribute. Rather, your tweezers should be concerned with two things and two things only: unibrows and stray hairs. Clean it up, yes. Completely rearrange the furniture, no.

3. Chapped lips

If you ever want another pair of lips to touch yours, don’t sport this look. The next time you pay for gas, instead of adding the magazine behind the counter to your total, reach for a tube of Chapstick. Yes, it’s that easy. Women would certainly prefer to gaze at a pucker for its sensuousness as opposed to its close resemblance to the rough side of our nail file.

4. Outdated hair

We won’t even mention the business in the front, party in the back ‘do — too obvious. We would like the guys who rock the faux hawk and Caesar cut to pay close attention to this one. If you open a Details, GQ or Esquire and can’t find a single page with your hairstyle on it, it’s time for a new one. You don’t have to follow the latest trends in the men’s hair world to look good, guys. More than likely, it’s a brief fad anyway.

5. Sprawling nose/ear hair

It reminds us of Grandpa. Enough said. Our eyes would much rather not be distracted by this.

6. Excessive gel

Boy bands made this one popular. We repeat, boy bands made this one popular. If emulating a look that pubescent kids crooning "Bye Bye Bye" are responsible for sits well with you then be our guest. If not, we suggest going easy on the sticky stuff.

7. Unkempt fingernails

We can’t decide which bothers us more, long or dirty. Both tell us you don’t care enough to clean and properly care for your hands. What are we supposed to think you do with the parts we can’t see? And we surely don’t want those paws touching us. All it takes is a quick clip and a bar and soap session under the sink — voilá!

8. Ingrown hairs

They just make you look like you sat on the sink the day before while Dad taught you to shave. Surely you don’t want us to start thinking of you as an amateur in other fields too. Invest in an exfoliater.

9. Overkill on the cologne

When you press the pump 10 times before walking out the door, the effect is always the opposite of what you intended. Make us want to get closer, not as far as is humanly possible. Don’t let your scent overpower your presence.

10. Exposed chest hair

Your chest hair is not the Superman emblem; it’s nothing to display with pride. Don’t mistake this as a plea for a chest wax, either. We merely ask that you keep it under wraps unless further advised. Then you don’t wind up looking like the last guy Tony whacked on "The Sopranos." It simply comes off as trying too hard. You want your savvy style to appear effortless and intentionally exposed chest hair is anything but.