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FIT WERE UP TO YOU, YOU'D NEVER STRAY FROM your favorite pair of beat-up jeans and college football T-shirt. But they won't always fly with your girlfriend, or the office dress code. And if you don't have some backup duds, you've got a problem. The solution: Get more options in your closet, without abandoning what feels comfortable.

To help you, we're presenting the second installment in our MF Overhaul series--a sequence of strategies designed to make you as successful in your life outside the gym as you've been inside it. Last February, we transformed one fit couple's basement into the ultimate home gym. This time we've focused on style and grooming. After getting to the bottom of the mountain of readers' letters we received asking for help, we settled on Seth Hill, a 24-year-old student at the University of Washington, Tacoma.

Hill wrote in telling us how he'd recently lost 85 pounds by working out and eating right. He'd been heavy most of his life, hiding behind baggy shirts and jeans, and now that he'd worked out and built the body, he needed some help finding the right clothes to fit it properly. "My weight loss has given me a boost of self-confidence;' Hill wrote, "and I think I need a new look to go along with it." After checking out his current wardrobe, we readily agreed, and a few months later, Hill was in our New York office meeting with our style experts.

Here, we'll show you how MF fashion director Kimberly Kelly mixed and matched a few key items to create three unique looks for Hill. Then, we'll divulge the techniques Kelly used to help Hill whiten his smile and modernize his hairstyle. All of which should help you achieve your own personal transformation.

IN THE BOARDROOM

Since he'll be job hunting soon, Seth needed a professional look he could wear on an interview. "Because I was so overweight, I always felt frumpy and disheveled in dressier clothes," Seth admits. "I'd never actually worn a suit before" (MF rule No. 1: Every man should own at least one well-fitting suit.) To remedy that, we chose a charcoal pinstripe suit by Perry Ellis and paired it with a shirt and silk knit tie by Robert Talbott. Pinstripes elongate your frame, making you look taller and leaner. At the same time, buying a suit with a versatile charcoal hue will allow you to make an easy transition from the office to dinner and drinks after work. Another perk of having a charcoal suit? It can be worn with either brown or black shoes. In Seth's case, we set him up with a chocolate-brown pair by Geox.

Contrary to popular belief, suit shopping doesn't have to set you back a couple of months' rent. The secret to a great-looking suit is having it tailored to fit your frame--a reputable tailor can make any off-the-rack suit look custom-made. Start with the cuffs: Your jacket sleeve should be approximately half an inch shorter than your shirt sleeve; exposing a line of your shirt breaks up the monochromatic look of a suit. Also, when buttoned, your jacket shouldn't look boxy. If it does, have it taken in at the waist to create a slight hourglass shape for your upper body. There's nothing worse than having a suit that fits in the shoulders and hips but leaves you looking thick in the middle. As for dress pants, a pair that fits well should sit at your waist, with the hem falling about a quarter of an inch above the bottom of your heel.

WEEKEND WARRIOR

For the ideal weekend look, we put Seth in a pair of jeans by Replay, a tee by Perry Ellis, a hooded cardigan by 7 For All Mankind, and a blazer by Lucky Jeans. Though it's a casual style, dress shoes and a quality leather bag (like the one at right by John Varvatos, and the Geox shoes from the boardroom look) add polish. Seth's verdict: "It's comfortable but still seems like I pulled it together without overthinking." To emulate this casual style, try a deconstructed blazer (no shoulder pads; unfinished edges) in a casual fabric, such as cotton. Combine that with a good, medium-rinse pair of jeans. "Opt for a pair that's a little snug in the hip and thigh area, since most jeans stretch over time; says Keily. The rinse is key--a darker color is too dressy, while a light one is too casual. Medium-rinse blues can be worn just as easily running weekend errands as they can on an evening date.

GOING OUT

Speaking of dates, every guy needs his own personal dating armor. So for Seth's third look, we wanted something a little edgier that would be perfect for a night on the town. You won't believe how easy it was: We put him in the suit jacket from his first look, the jeans from his second, and an untucked button-down by American Eagle Outfitters. After that, we added a skinny tie by Robert Talbott and a pair of Converse sneakers. Seth approved, calling it "very punk rock." The secret to making it work was mixing dressy pieces like the jacket and shirt with casual ones like the jeans and sneakers. Choice of neckwear is also essential. "Go for something a little funkier than what you'd wear to work," says Kelly. Try ties in a different fabric, pattern, or width.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:09 AM