HIS 4 TIPS WILL HELP YOU DO THE SAME

Don't go head over heels
Some bikers insist on full regalia. Ryan Reynolds declines. "I can't wrap my head around wearing a full, one-piece leather outfit," he says. Good tactic. Wearing more than one or two of the same-style pieces looks like a costume. Instead, mix unexpected elements. A preppy can express a subtle bohemian vibe with leather bracelets or a silver pendant. Rock 'n' rollers can wear clean, unlettered T-shirts to balance the visual assault of ripped denim.


Know your essentials
When Reynolds hit the road in Australia, he took a single backpack. "It's alarming how much crap I was able to fit inside," he told us in an e-mail. "Rain gear, a small bag of laundry soap, as many pairs of underwear and socks as I could stuff in, old T-shirts (because they pack smaller), extra pants, first-aid kit, small tool kit. Pint-sized gas can. And freeze-dried food, which is-in a word?-disgusting." We can all pack less. A wardrobe of complementary neutrals, such as black, beige, and gray, can multiply your options. Likewise, a solid, dark suit is more versatile than a patterned one, and a blue-checked button-front will take you further than a white shirt.

Lose the bulk
The Triumph's trim silhouette allows Reynolds to slip into the centre lane of the highway without a snag. "It's very narrow, so I'm not taking off too many people's side mirrors. A hog definitely can't do that," he says. If your wallet is adding bulk to your frame, it's time to slim down by removing old receipts, seldom-used credit cards, and photos of your high-school girlfriends. Carry a thin billfold with exactly, and only, what you need for the day. Not only will you reduce the wear pattern on your pants and jeans, but you'll also smooth your profile while decreasing the pressure on your sciatic nerve.

Cross timelines
Reynolds can't pin down the date of birth of his beloved Triumph because so many replacement parts span the 70s and 80s. "It's kind of everything all at once, the best of the decades," he says. Build your wardrobe the same way. Wear those expensive new jeans with a vintage concert tee and a pair of classic Chuck Taylors.