Men’s Style, Men’s Fashion, Men’s Clothing

There are no stock answers to dressing formal, as it is situational. Formal dress for a high school graduation will be different than formal dress for a black tie event. A black suit would be considered formal for a funeral, but over the top for a speaker at a local community club. Do your homework, and find out the definition of formal for the event in question.

In general, a black tie event will require a black tuxedo with all the matching accessories, no top hat. You can choose between a black belt or cummerbund. Black shoes and socks are a must. A black tie or bow tie will complete this look.

Some other formal attire requests are; white tie, semi-formal, informal, and dressy casual.
For white tie, you will add a top hat and white kid gloves to the black tuxedo. Semi-formal and informal both require a black suit and tie. Dressy casual will be nice dress pants with a sport coat or classic navy blazer.

If you can afford to do so, and your social calendar will generate many black tie invitations, consider investing in a custom made tuxedo. The fit and appearance will be your reward. Renting a tuxedo can be worse than trying to buy an off-the-rack suit. You can have the suit tailored to fit better, but may not be able to accomplish that with a rented tuxedo.

Before discussing what to do to dress casual, consider the don’ts. Hats should never be worn indoors. Sweat pants and jogging pants belong at home, as do ripped, stained tee shirts. For the classic casual tee shirt look, think of James Dean. Pristine white tee shirt, jeans that look starched, pressed and trim. That’s casual!

The rule of thumb for casual is to avoid extremes. Your company’s corporate casual culture may be very relaxed, another environment may be more rigid. Dress moderately and use good taste, and you will feel well dressed in any situation.

Khaki trousers, a golf shirt, and deck shoes will always present a well-put together appearance. Shirts should be tucked into pants. Buy a shirt that fits well (not baggy), but not so tight the fabric is stretched and strained. A little looser fit will always be more flattering. Pants should be the proper length and socks should match the pant color. When you sit down and cross your legs, no skin should show.

Once again, if you will invest in the best quality casual clothes, you will find that your investment will pay future dividends. Your clothing will look neater and less worn. Quality garments last longer than cheaper clothes.

For the man who wants to dress well, but still stay at the forefront of fashion, a good clothier is a must. Find someone who has experience in the field, but is flexible enough to be open to new trends and styles. Many excellent tailors do their clientele a disservice by only recommending certain styles. They may have a designer or style that they prefer, and allow that bias to creep into their recommendations. If you don’t like the clothes your fashion adviser wears, chances are you won’t like the styles he recommends.

Good sartorial advice can be found online, in men’s fashions magazines, and right in your own neighborhood store. When you see a gentleman whose style you admire, ask him where he purchases his clothing.

Buy a complete outfit, not just a suit or tie. Purchase everything you need, even socks, and make your life easier. Keep your wardrobe simple. If you have four or five white shirts, and a color shirt for variety, all you have to do is change accessories for a different look. Ties, pocket squares, a brooch, or a scarf are good ways to add punch to a basic suit or business look.

Find a tailor who can alter your garments to fit your body type. One problem with buying off-the-rack clothing is the garment has been sized to fit an average body type. Chances are, your body is not going to fit the “average” type as well as the manufacturer hopes it will. A little tuck here, a nip there, cuffed pants, and a more tailored waist can all make the difference between bespoke and unkempt.

When in doubt, go with the basics. A putty linen suit with a fuchsia open neck shirt may be haute couture, but if putty makes your complexion sallow and drawn, stay away! Your basic navy suit can be just as fashion forward with the addition of a vivid neck scarf, or an eclectic patterned tie.

For complete how-to on dressing well for the corporate gentleman, visit www.dressingwell.com. The tips and advice found all conform to the way a gentleman should dress. There is a trend back to the male wanting to dress in a more classic, time-tested way. Men want to be well-dressed, but there has been a dearth of information available, as styles have centered on urban and hip-hop icons. A quote from an article found on http://enterstageright.com says it all: “We all want to be the stylish equivalents of dandy icon Cary Grant but as the late actor famously said, “Everyone wants to be Cary Grant; even I want to be Cary Grant.”