One important piece of social etiquette for every gentleman to be able to carry out well and often is apologizing. Inherent to the process of any apology can be feelings of failure, regret, insecurity, defensiveness, and indignation. But even though these are natural emotional responses when you find that you’re at fault in a given situation, knowing how to apologize politely and with class is a skill that should be in every gentleman’s arsenal.

The simple fact to remember is: no one person can be right 100% of the time. You may think you’re right all the time, but if you do, I’ve got news for you! Not only does everyone else around you think you’re insufferable, but it’s also simply not true. Of course, this is an extreme case that’s easy to condemn, and we believe that most readers here are aspiring to be gentlemen–and therefore, probably don’t believe that they’re right all the time. Still, even if you do apologize when you’re at fault, there are skills that you can improve upon to make sure that your apologies will be received effectively.

Apologizing Doesn’t Make You Weak

Some men are hesitant to apologize when they’re in the wrong, because they believe that it will look like a sign of weakness. The fact of the matter is though, never apologizing for anything will be a losing tactic for you. By never apologizing, not only would you deny other people in your life the respect they deserve by getting a proper apology, but you’ll also end up with the result that you’re trying to avoid; by never apologizing, you will actually look weaker.

Apologizing is not actually a sign of weakness and it doesn’t mean that you’re “less;” less intelligent, less competent, less successful, or have less potential. In fact, just the opposite. If you never apologize for anything, what this actually signals to others is that your ego is too fragile to ever admit being wrong. In other words, you’ll just end up looking insecure rather than stronger in your convictions.

Others will think that you’re trying to avoid feeling bad for doing something you did, which is something that we all need to go through in order to grow as people. In other words, not apologizing to someone for something you did shows that you value your own ego more than the other person’s feelings. Being strong in this regard (or if you prefer, being a gentleman) means doing the hard emotional work that’s inherent to any strong relationship. This, in turn, means that you should apologize well and apologize often, when it is warranted.

Why Is Apologizing Good For You?

There are actually several benefits to good apologies; the first of these is that you will have a greater understanding of what is and isn’t workable in any given relationship. Also, you’ll be able to create a balance between your own needs and the needs of other people, and clear the air in rough patches with open and honest communication. After an apology, everyone involved will be able to deal with the given situation and move forward, and ultimately, you’ll probably learn something more about yourself.

How To Apologize Like A Gentleman

Actively Listen

When you’re called out as being in the wrong, start by not putting up a defensive wall, but rather by genuinely listening to the other person. You may think that you don’t need to apologize, but studies have shown both that men and women have different levels of tolerance for offensive behavior, and that women (on average) tend to apologize more than men. In other words, men are the ones who most likely will put up this defensive wall as a first reaction.

Another component of actively listening to what the other person is trying to say is keeping in mind that no one will ever be able to share your perspective on a situation 100%, because they just aren’t inside your head. And of course, the reverse of the situation is true, so you won’t be able to know exactly what the other person’s perspective is. Still, by listening actively and keeping calm, you’ll be able to get a better sense of it and move forward. The most important thing here is to get to the root of whatever caused the offense in the first place.

Say “Sorry” Immediately

If it becomes clear that you are, in fact, in the wrong in a given situation, don’t drag out the time it takes to make an apology. Rather, it’s best to apologize promptly, as soon as you realize it’s necessary. When apologizing to someone, doing it in-person is the best course of action.

The second best option here is to apologize over the phone, and the third best would be textual communication, such as text messages or email. However, we wouldn’t recommend that you use a textual apology unless it’s an absolute last resort and you don’t have another alternative. One big reason that text-based apologies should be avoided is that some of the nuance of in-person conversation can be lost over text, and therefore, there’s a greater potential for things to be miscommunicated. More generally though, a textual apology just removes some of the sincerity of the apologizing process, and the other person will probably find it less valuable.

Sincerity Is Key

Think of it this way: when a parent demands that their child apologize for something that the child has done, this apology is often not delivered with very much sincerity. The child is just apologizing because they think they have to. In a similar vein, if you’re only apologizing because you think you have to, it won’t come across as sincere and the other person won’t find it to be meaningful. What’s the best way to communicate this sincerity, then? It’s a matter of perspective and how you phrase your apology. In other words, you should only be focusing on what you did, the actions that are actually at fault. This is the key difference between a genuine apology like, “I’m sorry I did this” and a heavy-handed non-apology like, “I’m sorry you feel that way.” In this latter case, what you’re communicating is that you’re not actually sorry for anything you did; you only think that the other person reacted in the wrong way.

Also, don’t add any qualifiers to your apology by saying something like, “I’m sorry, but…” If you try to add anything else onto the apology, it will probably cheapen the sincerity and may also have the potential to again shift blame to another party (which you’re trying to avoid doing). So, what happens when you’re not the only person or party who’s at fault in a given situation? In this case, you can acknowledge that everything wasn’t entirely your fault, but also still apologize. You could say something like, “I’m sorry for my part in this.” That way, you’re still acknowledging responsibility, while also communicating that you weren’t the only one who was at fault.

To sum up, just keep it simple: start by saying you’re sorry, then explain why, and be sincere. If you feel like it, you can also add on what you plan to do in the future to avoid similar situations. The other party will probably appreciate an effort for proactive action on your part.

What Should You Do After Apologizing?

Moving forward can be a simple process, but it can also sometimes be complicated. People may hold a grudge for a little while based upon something you’ve done–and frankly, it’s at least somewhat in their right to do so, if you did commit an act of wrongdoing. You shouldn’t expect that an apology, even if it’s one that’s well worded and sincere, is going to completely nullify any wrong thing you may have done in the first place. Instead, just make a commitment to be the bigger person and avoid committing the same mistake again. If you can actually show that your behavior is changing, the other person will be more likely to regain the respect for you that they had. In other words, not only should your apology be sincere, but so should your follow-through as you proceed into the future.

How To Accept An Apology

Another imprtant thing to note here: if someone apologizes to you, it’s important to accept their apology gracefully. In other words, don’t meet them with hostility or dismissiveness, just take their apology (especially if it’s genuine) for what it is, and then hopefully you’ll both be able to move on.

Conclusion

We’re not saying that any man should necessarily think that he has to be a “shrinking violet” and apologize for everything under the sun. Instead, when situations arise where you are actually at fault, it’s important to give a sincere apology to the parties who were affected. That’s a mark of a true gentleman.

What situation have you been in where you had to apologize? Share how you dealt with it in the comments below!

If you’re a suit wearer, you may already be aware of how popular a choice blue is when it comes to men’s suiting. As you’re shopping, you might notice that in suiting departments, there’s always a lot of blue options. This is because it’s considered a staple within menswear. But what’s the best way to pair blue suits with other wardrobe elements?

Some ground rules before we answer that question: the reason why blue is so popular in menswear is because it’s neutral. There are many options to be able to create different outfits at different points in time throughout the year. You could always opt to wear a blue suit with a crisp white dress shirt, or you could opt to wear a suit jacket with a pair of contrasting trousers and no tie. One area some gentlemen struggle with is selecting the right tie and shirt to wear with their blue suit. Now, you might be thinking: since the blue suit is neutral, couldn’t I simply wear any shirt or tie with it? The answer is no; unfortunately, not all shirt and tie combinations are created equal. Throughout the color blue, in terms of suiting, there’s a lot of different shades being made available.

Shades Of Blue

Midnight Blue (AKA Midnight Navy)

The midnight navy shade of blue is very deep and rich, and as such, it’s often mistaken for black. I find that this looks best with a crisp white dress shirt most of all. The midnight navy color is also something that is traditionally seen in evening wear.

Navy Blue

The navy suit option is a very classic choice, often used for people who are going to work, to church, or for just day-to-day functions. This looks best with a variety of shirt colors, including white, pastel blue, or even a pastel pink.

Medium Blue

The medium blue shade is a little bit more understated. This can certainly be dressed up, like the others that were mentioned, with a white dress shirt. You could also try a deep navy dress shirt; this will provide more of a casual look, but also help elevate the overall outfit. If your shirt color is more conservative (white again being the simplest example), a bolder accent piece like a purple tie would be a smart choice. This is going to add a little bit of life to your overall outfit and draw some attention, so when you’re speaking to someone, it just looks a bit more lively. For a stark and modern look, try a white shirt and a solid black necktie.

Tips On Color Matching

I’ve worked with some gentlemen in the past that sometimes would prefer to wear a full navy suit, a light blue dress shirt, and a solid navy tie; they consider this to look a little bit more clean and refined. Although the navy tie offers a nice contrast to the white or light blue dress shirt, this is actually not the best choice, as a navy tie will clash with the navy of the suit, looking nearly the same but not exactly so. To best counteract this, always choose a tie that offers some contrast to the suit. You could try a light pink, or even something in yellow or green. Lighter or pastel colors will offer you the opportunity to have contrast with the suit but not clash with the overall outfit.

Textures

Wool

The year-round wool material found in many suits serves as a great foundation to use when mixing in different textures of shirts and ties. In fall and winter, try wearing a wool-based tie against your navy suit; the tie itself being made of wool helps suggest some warmth. You could certainly choose warm colors like burgundy or mustard, or even cooler tones like something in an emerald green. These will all look quite smart in the spring and summer, as well.

Silk, Cotton, Or Linen

Another great option is silk-based ties, as well as ties made from linen (or even cotton) with your blue suits. Keeping the color palette colorful yet pastel will be seasonally appropriate, especially in the spring.

Shirt Colors

If you were to ask any man today what shirt he would pick to wear with a blue suit, most likely he would say white or light blue–and he wouldn’t be wrong! These are very popular choices. However, these two colors have remained the dominating force of what is purchased for many men who choose to wear a blue suit. Other options you could choose to wear for a little more liveliness are pink, ecru (which looks more like a cream or kind of a light pastel yellow), or even a light gray.

Patterns

Patterns help give a little more visual interest to your outfit. Some of these choices include a herringbone, a stripe, or even a Glen plaid. There are also many different pattern options made available in men’s suiting. It’s important to remember that when choosing to wear different patterns, you should vary the scale; each item in the outfit, say your shirt or your tie, should have a pattern of a different size.

Small patterns are great when you want to remain understated, but still maintain a little bit of visual interest. Medium sized patterns like a sharkskin or a Glen plaid offer a nice way to remain noticeable but still subtle. Large patterns like a broad windowpane or wide chalk stripe can sometimes be seen as more whimsical and very eye-catching, so wear them with care.

Footwear

Because blue is neutral, as we’ve mentioned before, you always have the option of wearing a variety of shades of brown with your blue suit–and of course, a classic black dress shoe will be fine, as well. When wearing a navy or midnight blue suit, one great option is the black cap-toed dress shoe. Chocolate, chestnut, or medium brown shoes would look great with a classic navy or a medium blue suit.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a multitude of options when it comes to blue suits; not only can the color of the suit itself vary greatly, but the other wardrobe elements can be equally diverse. Get a few blue suits into your wardrobe, and you’ll be well on your way to having a dapper look for most any occasion!

What is your favorite shade of blue suit? Let us know in the comments section below!

Over the last 10- 15 years, the underwear market has changed dramatically. While it used to be something that was just pushed to the dark corners of the department store, with big brands like Calvin Klein and Hanes, there are now a number of specialist brands just focusing on underwear–with many more materials than the old standard, cotton. Today, we’ll find out what’s worth your money, no matter if you’re on a low budget or if you can afford something closer to $30.00.

What are the Different Underwear Materials, and What are Their Features?

Cotton

Speaking of materials, let’s start our rundown with the most traditional: cotton. It is a great fabric and a well-known staple for most men. Overall, it’s a great natural material, except for one reason: it is very absorbent. For underwear, you don’t want moisture to be stuck next to your skin, but rather wicked away.

You can opt for cotton with a bit of spandex if you are not very active and you don’t sweat a lot, because it still does the job, it’s somewhat breathable, and it’s very affordable. Of course, you can also get very luxurious cotton that costs over $100 a pair. What about longevity? Shorter cotton fibers twisted into yarn are less expensive, but they’re more prone to pilling.

Modal & MicroModal

This material is made by the Austrian company, Lenzing. It is a semi-synthetic fiber, meaning it’s made from cellulose derived from trees or bamboo. Modal is stronger and softer than viscose (a more traditional cellulose fiber), and not as absorbent as cotton. You can dry it in the dryer without any damage, and it doesn’t pill like cotton or nylon. A variation of Modal is MicroModal. The fiber is even finer, meaning it can be woven more tightly. It’s also softer, but it still has the same characteristics as the regular Modal. The result of it is often that the touch is almost like silk, but because the fiber is a little finer, it may not last quite as long as a regular Modal.

For underwear, MicroModal is considered to be “the cashmere of synthetic or semi-synthetic fibers.” Lenzing manufactures MicroModal only in Europe, so even if the underwear is made overseas or in Asia, the material was still produced in Europe. It has only been around since the ’90s but Lenzing did some good marketing and they have a really good product. It’s softer than cotton, moisture-wicking, and shrinking-resistant. Again, you can put it in a dryer without any damage. It’s also breathable and has a low heat retention, making it the ideal fabric for an undergarment. On top of that, it has a very high stretchability and again, it’s not prone to pilling. To my mind, MicroModal is the best material you can have in a pair of underwear. That being said, regular Modal is still a good material.

Spandex, Elastane, or Lycra

So what about spandex, elastane, or lycra? They’re all made from polyurethane, which means they’re derived from oil. It’s basically all the same stuff; in the US it’s known as Spandex, and in Europe it’s known as elastane. Lycra is a brand name for elastane. You will never find a pair of underwear made out of 100% elastane; it’s usually blended with other fibers such as cotton, polyester, or nylon. The threads are nearly invisible, so it’s very easy to weave it into other fabrics. The fiber’s characteristics are that it’s very elastic and durable, and it has a low heat retention. On top of that, it’s lightweight, so it’s a good fiber to be blended into underwear.

Polyamide

This is a category that contains a number of different products, including nylon and Kevlar–yes, that’s the material they use for bulletproof vests! Polyamide is a product derived from crude oil. When blended with other fabrics, it adds an element of elasticity and a silky smooth finish, and is sometimes also a little bit cool. Unfortunately, it has a low breathability and it’s very prone to pilling. It also has only moderate heat-retention and moisture-wicking properties. Because of this, nylon or polyamide is not the best material you can have for your underwear.

Jersey

Jersey is actually a style of weave, not a type of fabric. It can be made by many brands and made of different materials, so it’s difficult to give a blanket statement about Jersey. In the past, it was often made from cotton or cotton synthetics, and usually was very stretchy because it was a knit. It was a popular material for underwear. It’s usually very soft, has a high elasticity, but also a high heat-retention. With other materials like Modal and MicroModaI now on the market, Jersey has become less and less popular.

Polyester

One of the most popular materials found in less-expensive underwear (other than cotton) is polyester. It is made from a synthetic polymer that’s essentially a kind of plastic. So what does that mean for underwear? Well, polyester has a high stain-resistibility. It’s also wrinkle-resistant but unfortunately, it has a very high heat-retention, which means you’re more likely to sweat. It’s also not very breathable, it has low moisture-wicking, and it’s very prone to static buildup. So again, not a good material for underwear. Why is it so widely used, then? Simply put, it’s cheap to produce!

What are the Characteristics of A Good Underwear Fabric?

First of all, you want it to be soft, breathable, elastic, resistant to pilling, moisture-wicking, quick-drying, have a low heat-retention, and low-maintenance. So, that means Modal and MicroModal are your top choices. In theory, they check all these points, and in practice, I saw those results when I tested them. Next in line for me are cotton (ideally with some elastane), or maybe a cotton-Modal blend. In last place come polyester and nylon, because they’re just not made for underwear.

What’s the most important thing for a pair of underwear? For me, it’s definitely that there is as little skin-to-skin contact as possible. Because of that, pouch underwear has come onto the market in multiple different variations–but not all special pouches are constructed equally. That being said, a specific pouch to prevent skin-to-skin contact isn’t always necessary if the cut, otherwise, is very ergonomic and the fit is close enough that skin doesn’t touch skin.

One other thing to look at on your underwear is the rise. Even though longer rises are more popular, I found that a shorter rise of about two to three inches is ideal, because it makes for a better fit and less skin-to-skin contact. While in the past, seams were a big deal, all the brands we tested had the same kind of flat, comfortable seams, and I couldn’t even tell that my underwear had any seams, so it’s really a non-issue these days. When it comes to the waistband, bigger isn’t always better. We found that you want something that is soft but has a certain structure that doesn’t give you a muffin top.

Top Underwear Brands

For this review, we tested 10 different brands of underwear. In some cases, the companies we profiled also sold underwear that was a lot more expensive, but we did not get those simply because we wanted to be fair in the under-$30 segment. By the way, this review is not sponsored; this is 100% my unbiased, honest opinion. 

Calvin Klein

First, let’s start with the classic: Calvin Klein. Ever since the ’90s or even the ’80s, it has been somewhat of an underwear staple, especially in the US. They are not exactly innovative, but they’re a pre-innovation classic. How do I know? Well, I’ve personally worn Calvin Klein underwear for over 10 years. In the past, I’ve had cotton versions and polyester versions; over time, I really came to prefer the cotton ones because they make me sweat less.

Just to see where things are at today, we ordered a three-pack of Calvin Kleins in a cotton and elastane mix with 95% cotton. The cut has improved compared to their old cotton underwear, I think. Overall, for $8.32 a pair, they do a pretty good job. The waistband on the Calvin Kleins is noticeably tougher than on other pairs we tested. Otherwise, the seams and the cut on the Calvin Kleins are very similar to many other brands out there. The Calvin Kleins were made in Kenya, which is unusual; they’re the only pair of underwear in our lineup that was made there. Looking at the workmanship and stitch quality, it’s all top-notch and there’s no reason to complain. There is some skin-to-skin contact because there is no pouch, but overall, I think a good value pick. My rating would be 3 out of 5 stars.

Saxx

I’ve personally owned Saxx since 2012, and they were probably one of the first companies that introduced a pouch-style underwear that reduced skin-to-skin contact (and therefore sweating, increasing the comfort). Back then, pretty much all of their models were under $30, but these days, there are few that are above $30, like the Volt and the Vibe. Now, all Saxx underwear is made in China, and the only pairs under $30 are the Undercover, the Daytripper, and the Sport Mesh. The Undercover costs $28 and is made out of a blend of cotton, Modal, and Spandex. I find the fabric to be really comfortable and I think, for $28, it’s a fair price. If you want a slightly shorter inseam, go with what they call trunks, as the boxer briefs are a little longer. The Daytripper boxer briefs cost $25, just like the Sport Mesh. Both are made of a blend of polyester and Spandex, and I would suggest you stay clear of both of them, because I don’t like the way they insulate everything down there and make you sweaty and uncomfortable.

The main feature of Saxx underwear is what they call the “Ballpark Pouch.” Basically, they use mesh panels on the left and right side to keep everything away from your thigh skin. Overall, I’ve always found that the Saxx construction was an improvement over having nothing there at all, but that the mesh was too thin to really provide a good separation. Personally, I would prefer if they used the same material that they use for the underwear. Overall, I would say my comfort was increased and it was an upgrade from a Calvin Klein pair. If you look at the marketing materials, they tout their flat seams–but again, everyone in the industry has flat seams today. They also highlight their nine-panel construction, which in theory sounds like a good idea to yield a better three-dimensional fit. However, in practice, I found that when I was wearing Saxx underwear, it didn’t feel any different than most of the other brands that had a good cut.

In terms of colors and patterns, they come in solids and a few patterns. That being said, one of the most underrated things in men’s underwear is the color. In an ideal world, I would only wear skin-tone underwear for regular fabrics, especially thinner ones, so as to not be seen. In the case of white pants or a white lining, I would even go with a white pair of underwear, so you wouldn’t see that contrasting line between the pants’ lining and your underwear. Otherwise, if you have a striped pair of underwear that you wear underneath a pair of seersuckers, you can see it through and it doesn’t look very good. The same is true if you have a gaudy pattern like pineapples, or a bold color like red. Overall, the Saxx have good material composition and I would give them a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. Why not five? Well, I think the pouch is a step in the right direction, but it’s not perfect.

MeUndies

MeUndies retail for $24, but they also have a monthly subscription plan where you just pay $16 per pair. They’re made in Sri Lanka, which is a big textile sewing center in the world. The material composition is 92% MicroModal and 8% elastane, which is a very good blend that checks all the boxes as discussed before. I also like their inseam of about two and a half to three inches. MeUndies are flyless, but on the inside they don’t have any extra fabric layers that prevent skin-to-skin contact. However, for me, I found they were anatomically very well cut. They had a rounded pouch rather than just straight, flat seams, and so there was a very minimal skin-to-skin contact despite the lack of a separate pouch.

So while MeUndies doesn’t make any claims beyond the basics, I found their pouch to be rather three-dimensional and large. They offer quite a wide range of colors (seven classic hues), but at the same time, they don’t have a single skin tone. They also offer a brighter color lineup, as well as very adventurous patterns with dinosaurs and pizza which I think no self-respecting gentleman should ever wear. Of course, I tested all of them, including the patterned ones, but the material and weave is all the same, so there’s no difference there. To my mind, MeUndies provide a great value, especially if you buy them as part of the membership deal–even if you don’t, $24 is less than other underwear brands charge you for a MicroModal pair with a very good cut. I would also give them 4 out of 5 stars, because there is still a small amount of skin-to-skin contact which could be improved with a pouch.

BN3TH

An odd name for this brand, right? Prior to this, they were branded as MyPakage, which was likewise weird. I guess they can’t really wrap their heads around a proper brand name!

Their classic boxer brief costs $30, you can buy them in packs for $55 and they also have sales. The material composition is 95% tencel Modal and 5% Spandex. Overall, very soft, very breathable, and an excellent choice for underwear. It’s made in China and has an inseam of 3 and a half inches (though I think maybe half an inch or an inch less would even be better). That being said, it’s ultimately not that important because it has a special pouch. Unlike the Saxx with their mesh strips on the sides, the BN3TH has the same fabric that is sewn in a u-shape all around. It’s a little more noticeable than the Saxx underwear, but it does a much better job at preventing skin-to-skin contact. Overall, I prefer the “MyPakage Pouch” of BN3TH to the “Ballpark Pouch” from Saxx.

Overall, the cut and material here are very good. While their pouch is functional, I think it could be slightly improved to make it even more comfortable. At the same time, their color choices are very bold, and I don’t want a pink–orange–purple, desert-inspired pair of underwear. That being said, you can get them in more muted colors–but not in skin tones, of course, because why would anyone do that? Nevertheless, 4.5 stars from me.

Ex Officio Give-n-Go

This brand costs $26 per pair, and you can also get them in two packs which brings the price down to $23.50. They are made in China from a 94% Nylon and 6% Spandex blend. It has a very interesting weave that’s really light and airy, and has a cool, silky-smooth touch, but overall it’s a fabric that will eventually pill and retain heat more than MicroModal, making you uncomfortable. Now, what I really don’t like about this pair of underwear is it’s very roomy and airy so for me, this underwear is a no-go. If you like this style of underwear, go for it. Otherwise, I will just give it one star out of five.

T-Bô

Beyond just having an unusual name, T-Bô underwear are also different in the sense that they use a blend of 95% viscose with 5% Spandex. They heavily advertise that their viscose is derived from bamboo–but we should note that for any type of viscose, you need to start with cellulose. Whether that cellulose comes from bamboo, a tree, or other sources is largely irrelevant in regard to the end product and the quality of it. It’s made in China and has a two inch inseam, which is a bit short, but that allows for a tighter fit and therefore less skin-to-skin contact.

At first, I thought their label was quite rough, but then I realized it’s a tear-off label, which is actually a smart idea. A pair costs $24.95 and has a waistband made out of the same fabric, reinforced on the inside, which I find quite comfortable. Overall, they felt good in day-to-day wear, they had very little skin-to-skin contact, no extra special pouch on the inside or any bells and whistles. Still, I’m not a big believer in viscose; it’s popular mainly because it’s cheap. So, overall, I would give it a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

RibbedTee

This one’s out of the ordinary in the sense that they produce in the US, but still for under $30. I think if you buy three pairs, they are even just $28 each. For an American-made product, it’s really affordable. They come with a six-inch inseam (which is a little longer), but the cut is good overall, so there’s not much skin-to-skin contact. The material is what they call a “cool Nylon and Spandex” blend. Touch and feel is silky-smooth and good, but again, Nylon isn’t the best material for underwear because it pills and retains heat. The pouch is very three-dimensional and the waistband is non-existent, so it’s very soft and comfortable to wear.

I’ve tested different RibbedTee products over the years. Originally, they came out with kind of a silicone strip on the sides of their underwear that was supposed to keep shirts from coming untucked. I didn’t think it really worked and they probably didn’t either, because they don’t do it any longer. They then switched to the Nylon-Spandex blend and adopted a shorter inseam, and the cut wasn’t ideal. I think the cut of their latest iteration is really the most superior one of all of them thus far. I just wish they would switch to a MicroModal material, because that would be even better, and elevate their rating from a 3.5 to probably a 4.5. That being said, if “Made in the US” is important to you, they’re a really good choice, and pretty much the only choice in our lineup.

Mack Weldon

Most of their stuff is made in Thailand these days, but they have different options in a below-$30 price segment. I’ve had some of their older pairs of underwear in cotton and comparing them to the newer ones, I can definitely see an improvement. The two kinds we looked at were the “18-hour Jersey” for $24, and the “Airknit X” for $28. The “18-hour Jersey” is a blend of 47.5% Modal, 47.5% cotton, and 5% Spandex. It is super soft, a very comfortable fabric, and even though it has cotton which absorbs moisture, I find it to be very comfortable if you just go to the office and live in a climate that’s not super hot. The waistband is noticeably improved from the old underwear, it’s much softer now and it’s advertised as “no-roll.” I’ve had no issues with it. This style has a flyless pouch and areas with mesh that’s supposed to increase breathability, but there’s no separate inside pouch the way we know it at Sheath, Saxx, or BN3TH.

One thing that’s weird about them is that they put the material composition information on the outside of the underwear, which makes me feel like I have a big tag on the outside (which I don’t like). Meanwhile, the Airknit X is made of a material that is a blend of polyamide, polyester, and elastane, which they call “Breathable Microfiber.” To my mind it’s an attempt to recreate some of the characteristics (such as the softness and stretchability) of Modal or Micromodal, but it’s simply not as good of a fabric. The other thing Mack Weldon does is put “FOR DAILY WEAR” on the inside of the waistband, so I have accidentally worn them inside-out. I think they are a decent pair of underwear, but nothing special; I’d say 3.5 out of five stars.

Sheath

The line I like from this brand is the “Sheath V” sports performance underwear. It’s made out of 92% Modal and 8% elastane, and costs $29. Now, just like Saxx or BN3TH, Sheath heavily advertises their pouch–but honestly, I found that their pouch is designed so poorly that it doesn’t really do its job, and I have skin-to-skin contact all day. The pouch is cut so high that you can constantly feel it, which I don’t think it’s beneficial. So while the material is nice, having this extra layer on the inside which I can feel isn’t ideal, so I’ll just give them 2.5 out of five stars.

Tommy John (& Other Premium Brands)

Regarding Tommy John, we looked at their offerings, and most of it really comes in at above $30. They had one option that had a really long inseam, almost all the way down to the knee, which I’m not a fan of at all. Another option was just plain cotton, but we refrained from testing them because I think their heart is really in more expensive underwear. As such, we’ll test them at a later point in time when we talk about premium underwear. So what about brands like Tani, Hanro, or Zimmerli? Again, just like Tommy John, they are more premium brands and we’ll discuss them at another time.

Conclusion

Overall, my favorite in this lineup was BN3TH, just by a short margin. If MeUndies had a pouch system, I think they would have been my favorite. The best American-made option would be RibbedTee, and if you really want to go “budget,” I’d suggest Calvin Klein. If you can afford a little more, maybe MeUndies represents the best “bang for the buck.”

Did you find this review useful? What underwear brand do you think is the best? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Many big and tall men can often find shopping an event to avoid. It’s pretty difficult, sometimes, to find a really good assortment of things in your size if you are in the big and tall category, and it’s our hope to help alleviate some of this frustration by giving you some great ways to help navigate your style.

For many years now, we’ve seen repeatedly how designers often miss the mark, failing to recognize that all people are not made in the exact same shape. Because of this lack of awareness of what their customer base actually looks like, their sales can actually suffer. These companies often have many men who would enjoy shopping from them, but are left with very few options. Thankfully, there are still a small handful of retailers who cater to big and tall men. Beyond stores themselves, there are also some great online destinations, including Kingsize.com, Destination XL, Brooks Brothers, Men’s Wearhouse and the Nordstrom big and tall section.

Finding The Right Fit for Big & Tall Men: Shirts

First of all, let’s look into shirts, which at first glance may seem like a simple task. However, there are a few key areas to make mention of when you’re trying to make sure your shirt fits appropriately.

Shoulders

One main area you’re going to want to focus on with your shirt is the shoulders. You want the shoulder seams to fall naturally, just off of the edge of your own shoulders. If the shoulder seams are falling too wide and sitting too long off of your shoulders, the entire shirt starts to look a little bit blousey.

If the shoulder seams are too short, it will affect the overall width of the shirt (and will look too small on you). If you happen to be someone with a larger back, or happen to be a little bit more muscular, this will feel quite uncomfortable. You might feel that there’s too much tension or pressure across the chest or in the armpit area.

Sleeves (and Their Length)

The next big area we’re going to pay attention to is sleeve length. Whether you’re shopping for a casual shirt or even a dress shirt, the same rule applies. It’s best to have your sleeve length fall about a half inch below the break in the wrist. Now, by doing this, this ensures that when wearing a blazer or even a sweater, you’re going to have about a quarter of an inch to maybe even 3/4 of an inch of your shirt cuff exposed. By keeping this sleeve length, you will also ensure that the sleeve does not feel too taut.

Many times in my retail experience, I’ve seen high-quality garments being returned by customers who are frustrated by the fact that their shirts were ripping in the exact same spot; their problem was that they were buying their shirts with a too-short sleeve length. If a sleeve is too short, it causes excessive tension around the elbow area. If you’re someone who works at a desk, you might notice feeling this tension around the elbow as you’re working on your computer or writing at your desk. 

Chest

If you happen to be someone who is a more flat- or narrow-chested individual, you might find it a little bit easier to shop for different shirt options than a more muscular individual. However, there are times where it might be equally as frustrating for someone who is of a narrow chest to find an appropriately fitting shirt, as well. If you’re still not satisfied, consider speaking with the tailor about making minor adjustments to the garment to make it fit better for your frame.

Now, if you have a wide and more muscular chest, you will probably find that your issues stem from too little room in the overall chest circumference of the shirt. When this happens, this usually causes a lot of gapping between the buttons on the front of the shirt, and a lot of pull lines all over the shirt, as well. One way to resolve this is by selecting a larger neck size; this allows for broader shoulders and also more room in your chest. 

Shirt Dimensions

The next area we’re going to talk about is the shirt length. The average shirt length of your dress shirt is going to fall just at the base of your backside. This is because the designer will usually account for the fact that you’re probably going to be tucking your shirt in and to prevent it from being untucked to give a little extra length.

The next area we’re going to talk about is the shirt width. Now, this is something that you usually won’t be able to fine-tune too much off the rack, outside of the usual classic, slim, or athletic shirt width options. If you’re a gentleman whose waistline extends significantly beyond your shoulder width, custom or made-to-measure shirts might be an option you would like to consider. 

Jackets

It’s important to know your best jacket size and the exact fit you should be in. As with shirts, one area we want to pay attention to with a jacket is the shoulders. You’ll want to make sure that the shoulders are actually falling gracefully off of your own natural shoulders. We want to avoid extremely tight jackets (which create a lot of odd tension around the shoulder area). You’ll notice this is happening if you see your shoulder almost fully protruding out of the shoulder seam itself.

We also want to make sure that we’re avoiding overly wide shoulders in the jacket. You’ll notice this is happening if the jacket seems to droop off of your natural shoulder, almost as if you are the coat hanger. This is also going to provide too much extra room in the chest, to the point where you’ll be able grab the fabric and ball it up–you don’t need all that excess material! Over the rest of the torso, you’ll want to avoid jackets that are too tight (causing a lot of horizontal pull lines across the front and back of the jacket), or too loose (looking like a tent).

Trousers

We want to make sure that you’re in the correct size of trousers. If you don’t know your size and you don’t want to figure it out yourself, you can always visit your local menswear store or local tailor and ask them to give you a simple measurement. The ideally fitting waist of a trouser will allow you to be able to stick about two fingers into your waistband comfortably.

This will ensure that when you put your belt on, there’s not so much fabric that it starts to resemble a trash bag–but at the same time, it’s not so tight that you feel uncomfortable sitting down or having your lunch. You also want to make sure that you’re in the correct length (inseam) of trousers; make sure that your trouser leg is falling just over the top of the shoe. Any shorter and it starts to look like a bit of a high-water trouser and any longer, it looks a little bit sloppy.

Where Should You Buy Classic Garments?

As mentioned earlier, there are great options for buying classic garments for your unique size and shape. Deciding whether or not you’re going to go completely off-the-rack for your wardrobe or include a few custom pieces will come down to a few factors: budget, time, and your overall build.

Off-The-Rack

Your first shopping option is the one that most men familiar with, off-the-rack. It’s a very easy way to shop; we can go into a store or go online and get our purchase fairly quickly, put it on, and go about our day. Off-the-rack is a very popular option, and it’s seen as quick and efficient.

Bespoke Tailoring

Custom or bespoke pieces are seen as something much more unique. They often involve more time and money but the quality of the end result can’t be beat. Although custom garments are usually much more expensive than off-the-rack items, I do recommend (if you have the disposable income) to try it out. Some men might find that having custom garments tailored is almost a necessity for their wardrobe because of their frame.

Made-To-Measure

If you’re finding that going custom is a little bit too expensive, there is one area between off-the-rack and custom that you can utilize: it’s called made-to-measure. This method is template-based (with the customer providing a few basic measrements on a standard form), and a bit more cost-effective than going full custom. You can choose different options to personalize the garment for yourself.

Styling Tips for The Big & Tall Man

Once you’ve got a great-fitting outfit put together, whether you bought it in-store or had it made for you, we’ve got to add some great details to make it stand out.

Ties

If you’re a man who already wears a tie, I’m sure you already know the importance of finding the correct length. Big and tall men, in particular, usually have a much more difficult time doing so, however. This difficulty can sometimes stem from having a large neck circumference and/or a very long torso. Some brands, like Fort Belvedere, carry ties in several lengths, to ensure that any man can find his proper fit.

Patterns

As a big and tall gentleman, you might be looking for some ways to appear leaner. One way to do this is by paying attention to the scale of the pattern in which you’re dressing yourself. The pattern you’re choosing to wear can make you look larger or smaller. Wide-scale patterns like a buffalo check tend to make the wearer look much broader.

If this is not your goal, try wearing small- to medium-sized check patterns, for example, and avoid horizontal stripes. Having narrow pinstripes on a shirt or pants, or a chalk stripe on a jacket of a suit, are also great ways to make the wearer appear a little bit leaner. Our research has shown that exceptionally small patterns can also make a big and tall gentleman look bigger, because they accentuate how much “real estate” they’re actually covering, so medium-sized patterns are usually the best way to go.

Colors

Hand-in-hand with utilizing patterns is doing the same for color. A light and bright color like a white or pastel blue is more eye-catching and can add volume to the wearer. To avoid appearing larger than you are, try wearing darker colors over a light color. Colors like black and navy, for example, have the tendency to make things look a little bit smaller.

Eyewear

Here, it’s important to understand what your face shape is. Many people who have an oval-shaped face find that they have a wider variety of options when shopping for eyewear. Meanwhile, those with diamond, heart, or square-shaped faces will need to find other choices that will help balance out their face shape. Take note, though, that not everyone will easily fall into one of these different face-shape categories.

Some people might have attributes of a multitude of different face shapes. Once you have found the correct face shape, it’s important to also find the correct width. For men with widers heads, it’s important to find eyewear that lands squarely over the ear as opposed to something that is too narrow. It’s also possible to find eyewear that looks too wide, so make sure the width of the glasses falls naturally just off the width of your temples.

CONCLUSION

Remember: fortunately, there are a number of places to shop for the big and tall gentleman. When it comes to shirts, make sure you’re in the right fit, you know your neck size, and you’re getting enough length in that sleeve. With pants, we want to be in the correct fit and have the right waist size and inseam. Also, don’t try to follow fads or different design trends that might not complement your physique. Instead, choose small- to medium-sized patterns and a color combination you enjoy. If you have the disposable income, you could always get one or two pieces from a custom clothier, as well.

If you’re a big and tall gentleman, how do you stay on top of your style game? Share with us in the comments below!

Louis Vuitton is one of the most valuable and recognizable fashion & luxury brands in the world today. They have a long, innovative, and at times controversial history, but most people today know the brand for the LV monogrammed logo that’s plastered all over their products. But are said products (and in particular, their carryall duffle bags) worth your money?

Despite the fact that now, even mainstream consumers aspire to have a Louis Vuitton item, it remains as fashion’s great status symbol. Because of that, their procuts are heavily counterfeited, so we bought our Keepall BANDOULIÈRE 55 at the local Louis Vuitton store to ensure it was a genuine product. Before we get to the bag itself, here’s a history of the company and its founder.

A Brief History of Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton was a remarkable man. Antagonized by his stepmother, he left his small Swiss border town in France in 1835 and made his way towards Paris over the course of the next two years. After apprenticing with another trunk maker in Paris for 17 years, he finally opened his own store in 1854. By that time, he was also servicing royal clientele.

Back then, pretty much only rich people traveled and they had staff, so their luggage consisted of huge trunks that were carried along by those people. Mr. Vuitton was inspired to create a flat-topped trunk that was more easily stackable than the previously domed or round ones. He also experimented with canvas versus leather, which resulted in a lightweight trunk. Because of that level of innovation, Vuitton trunks were a big commercial success. Unfortunately, in 1870, the Vuitton Atelier (along with the rest of Paris) was destroyed during the Franco-Prussian War. After successfully rebuilding the business, he launched a new line of trunks with a characteristic bright red and beige stripe, as well as a brown and a beige stripe which became some of the hallmarks for Louis Vuitton trunks. Looking back, it was an early attempt to fight off imitators of his products.

To keep its competitive edge, Vuitton kept innovating. In 1886, he developed a lock system with two spring buckles that was so effective that not even Harry Houdini could escape from it. By 1888, Vuitton’s business suffered from numerous imitators, and so he came up with a checkerboard canvas called Damier canvas, which is still around today. In 1896, his son, Georges created an “LV” patterned canvas with quatrefoils and flowers. This was another attempt to prevent counterfeiting, and that same pattern is on the keepall we’re reviewing today. It seems to have worked at least somewhat, because by 1900 Vuitton had expanded to around 100 employees. However, it took until 1930 for the first Keepall bag to be introduced by Vuitton.

During World War II, the house (then run by Louis’ grandson, Gaston Louis Vuitton) was forced to collaborate with the Nazi regime in Vichy France. They actively aided the puppet government run by Marshal Philippe Pétain, and they enriched themselves by working for the Germans. Vuitton even set up a factory to create busts of Marshal Pétain. Fast-forwarding to 1959, the way people travelled had changed and so smaller leather goods were introduced into the range of Louis Vuitton.

In 1987, Louis Vuitton merged with champagne brand, Moët & Chandon, and cognac brand, Hennessy, to create the large luxury conglomerate known today as LVMH (or Louis Vuitton, Moët, Hennessy). These days, the conglomerate has revenues of around $50 billion a year, and Louis Vuitton is a high-fashion brand that produces clothing including sneakers, watches, leather goods, and accessories. It seems like they maintain workshops in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the US, so they have not outsourced production to low-cost countries. They are rated as the #12 most valuable luxury brand in the world, and they’re highly profitable.

What Do We Think About The Louis Vuitton Keepall BANDOULIÈRE 55?

Now that you know a little bit about the history, it’s time for an in-depth review of the Louis Vuitton Keepall BANDOULIÈRE 55. We chose the classic color combination of a brown monogrammed canvas with undyed cowhide leather accents. Essentially, you could buy the bag without the shoulder strap, but then it would simply be a Keepall 55. The additional shoulder strap (which costs $400) makes it the BANDOULIÈRE.

Handles

Frankly, the leather handles on the bag are so small that without the shoulder strap, the use of the bag would be very limited; you can’t even carry it over your shoulder. In the US, with the strap, it retails for $1,820 without tax (or $1,420 without the shoulder strap). If you add the tax, it gets you over fifteen hundred or close to two thousand dollars, respectively. Four hundred dollars for a leather shoulder strap is definitely a lot but honestly, without it, it’s just not as useful. 

Material

Before we bought the bag, of course, we did some research–but their website provides pathetically little information about the bag, the origins of the materials, or how it’s made. The biggest point of uncertainty for most people is whether the bag is made of leather or canvas; many assume that this Louis Vuitton Keepall is made out of leather because it has a leather-like texture underneath the logo canvas. On the website though, they call it a canvas and not leather, so they’re not trying to be deceptive about it.

Essentially, it is an unknown fabric coated in PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride and is also known as vinyl. It’s the world’s most widely produced plastic polymer, and it is a very cheap material. Because of that, I wasn’t surprised that the whole PVC part was not marketed or advertised on their website. If you look at the backing, it seems to be a cotton, but it also could be nylon or a polyester-cotton blend. The only real way to figure it out would be to send it to a lab or maybe do a burn test, but we refrained from doing so. Ultimately, finding such a cheap material was a little disappointing for a bag that’s this expensive.

While the material is quite lightweight, which is great for travel, the “con” list is a lot longer. First of all, it’s a lot less durable than leather, and it doesn’t develop as nice of a patina. Generally, PVC is a very pedestrian material that is used in cheap bags or as a tile alternative in your kitchen. Now, the Louis Vuitton Keepall doesn’t feel as cheap as some other vinyl bags, but it doesn’t feel as nice as a high-quality leather bag either.

It seems that this vinyl is not really meant for traveling. When I went to their website and checked their care instructions, I thought they were just flat-out ridiculous. “Beware not to scratch or rub your product against abrasive surfaces, especially the leather trim. Keep your product away from damp or humid environments, avoid direct exposure to sunlight, keep it away from any direct source of heat like radiators, car interiors or heat from the sun, etc.” Really? When I travel, I’m not supposed to keep my bag in the sun? I mean, how is that possible? It goes on about keeping the bag away from greasy substances, cologne, water, dirt, and all those things that naturally happen when you travel. They also suggest to store the bag in a cotton pouch when not in use. This is fine, but overall, I’m getting the feeling that this is a bag that you should pamper and take care of, rather than a bag that you can just travel with and forget about.

Another thing that surprised me was that there’s actually no feet or reinforced corners that protect the vinyl coated fabric from wearing out at the edges, so it’s really not a bag that’s meant to be put down on the floor (another difficulty for travel). While properly taking care of the Louis Vuitton product according to those instructions may allow you to keep the beauty for years, it’s also a huge pain.

My bag isn’t just all vinyl-coated fabric, as it has cowhide leather trim and handles. Everything that is that beige color that you see in the bag is made of what seems to be an undyed, vegetable-tanned cowhide of high quality. I really like the look of the combination, with this semi-translucent burgundy edge-painting applied throughout. Their workmanship is very detail-oriented and not sloppy at all. But for a bag of this price, I would expect that. Because the leather is open-pored and uncoated, it will pick up dirt and scratches, but I think that’s part of developing a patina for a travel piece. To me, that’s not a downside. For some people, it may be.

Zippers

Now, let’s look at the double zipper, which opens or closes from both sides. It’s sturdy and machined out of brass, rather than injection-molded. On the inside you’ll find a smaller zipper that is likewise machined and not injection-molded. It seems like a 24-karat gold plating, but again, I’d have to send it to the lab to figure out exactly what the alloy is. Upon closer inspection, the zippers are marked with Louis Vuitton logos; this is atypical, because most brands have a YKK zipper. Louis Vuitton zippers are made by Riri, which are the best zippers money can buy, and they’re made in Switzerland. So you pay a high price for the bag, but you also get a quality zipper

Workmanship

It seems to me that generally, Louis Vuitton makes their Keepall bags in France, Spain, and the US. This particular one was made in the US, and the workmanship is very neat and of high overall quality. The yellow contrast stitching looks nice; it’s doubled up so it won’t come apart, and it will likely last you for a while. It also comes with a nice leather luggage tag on the strap, and the stitch density is very consistent and good. There was just one area on the strap where I thought it could have been better, but this was minor.

Hardware

Prior to 1970, Louis Vuitton used exclusively brass on their bags. Today, it only uses brass on some of its bags, not all of them. For the specific bag that we bought, the online listing didn’t provide detailed information about the hardware. The same style of bag in the darker monogram eclipse canvas said it had “silver colored metallic pieces,” which sources outside of Louis Vuitton say means a metal alloy rather than brass. On the other hand, the Damier canvas bag on the website (which is also the same style) says it comes with “metallic pieces in shiny silver brass” which I had to look up to clarify–it’s actually brass that is then plated. Anyhow, for the specific bag we bought, we don’t know exactly if the hardware is made out of brass or of an alloy. Overall, that’s pretty sad if you ask me, because at that price point, I expect to know exactly where things come from and how they’re made.

Also, the gold plating here is rather inconsistent. For example, if you look at the d-ring and the zippers, they have a yellowish, greenish gold. If you then look at the gold of the strap, it’s more red, and the lock is a more intense yellow gold. If you put them all together, you’ve got two zippers, one d-ring, and one lock, in three different gold tones. It’s probably because they plate things in different facilities, but from Louis Vuitton, I would expect it to be uniform.

Sizing

The bag is 55 centimeters long, which is where it gets its name from. It’s also 31 centimeters tall and 24 centimeters wide. In inches, that means 21.7 inch long, 12.2 inches high, and 9.4 inches wide. That means it’s slightly shorter and slimmer than my brown leather weekender bag, but it’s also slightly taller and the capacity is about the same. It’s a good carry-on size so you won’t have to check your luggage, and you can still fit a decent amount of stuff in the bag.

THE VERDICT

So, is a Louis Vuitton Keepall BANDOULIÈRE 55 bag worth it? In my opinion, the one word answer is no, and here’s why. In summary, here are the upsides of the LV bag:

1. The zippers are of superior quality.
2. It comes in a very good size–a weekender, indeed!
3. The leather is of high quality. But unfortunately, it’s not used in very many places.

The list of cons is a whole lot longer. First, PVC vinyl coated fabric, seriously? I wouldn’t even buy a $100 bag made from such a material. For me, that’s an absolute no-go! Now, I know that most Louis Vuitton customers don’t care so much about that, because it’s more of a status symbol. Being able to communicate “I’m rich and I can afford to spend two grand on a bag” is definitely more important for some people than the quality of the bag itself, and this is often true for modern Louis Vuitton. Since we really care about the quality and workmanship, we’re not the perfect target market for Louis Vuitton bags. While they had a great tradition of innovation, craftsmanship, and workmanship, I think that today it’s all far overshadowed by the brand and its status. I think if you spend close to $2,000 for a bag, you should be able to know where things are made, what materials are used, and why. But hey, who am I to tell Louis Vuitton what to sell or what not to sell? They obviously know their customer, they’re highly profitable, and they have a very high revenue, so kudos to them!

Personally, I don’t appreciate the vague language on their website; it’s just supposed to sound nice, I guess, but it doesn’t tell me what I’m actually getting. I also don’t like the fact that I have to pamper and take care of my bag to a very high degree, making it more of an object that needs maintenance rather than something that is helpful to your lifestyle. If I would have to guess how much the material and the workmanship of the bag costs, I would say anywhere from 5-10%, which means 90 to 95 percent of the bag’s cost is going toward brand building, marketing, and status symbols.

Conclusion

Truthfully, though, that’s what great brands do. They’re able to sell you a product of similar or equal quality to another brand for a lot more money. It takes time to do that, and it requires a really long-term strategy. At the same time, I feel that if you want a true luxury product, Louis Vuitton seems just like the pedestrian entry into that market. For example, if you look at a weekender keepall bag from Goyard, it costs around $6,500–almost three times as much as the Louis Vuitton. If you look at Hermès, their bags cost $13,000-$14,000. So if you want true luxury, modern Louis Vuitton will not get you that.

Also, keep in mind that because of its popularity, Louis Vuitton is still one of the most counterfeited bags out there, so a lot of people may see you and think you’re wearing a counterfeited bag even if it’s genuine! Regarding alternatives, you can find plenty of options under the sun in leather, without logos, in all kinds of different sizes that will allow you to get something that works for your lifestyle, for your needs, and your budget. 

Are there any details of the Louis Vuitton Keepall BANDOULIÈRE 55 we missed? What do you think about the bag? Let us know in the comments below!

A quick look at any celebrity tabloid magazine will show you that various celebrities like Christian Bale and George Clooney frequently wear monochromatic looks on the red carpet and elsewhere. And let’s not forget the tone-on-tone look popularized by Regis Philbin around the turn of the millenium–it even spawned a clothing line from Van Heusen! But our question today is whether these sorts of looks have any place in the wardrobe of a gentleman who follows the tenets of classic style, and if there are better types of outfits that could still be considered monochromatic.

What Does “Monochrome” Mean?

The word “monochrome” is derived from the Greek “monokhrōmatos” meaning, of a single color. Actually, the word “of” is important to latch onto here. It suggests that all of the elements of color may not be exactly the same, but are just derived from the same source color. Another definition of monochrome is used more in fields like photography, meaning something that is rendered in black and white. However, in the world of menswear, black-and-white looks correspond more to evening formal wear like black and white tie, so we won’t be talking about them here.

Monochrome Menswear

So, what are we then considering a monochromatic look to be? Essentially, it’s a look that is, again, derived from one color. However, not all elements of the outfit have to be in exactly the same tone, like all black or all navy, for example. Rather, said elements can use tints or shades of that color. A tint is where white is added to the regular hue, and a shade is where black is added. For more color theory, check out our color wheel overview.

In addition to it being a misconception that a monochromatic outfit must feature pieces that are all in exactly the same shade, it’s also a misconception that everything in the outfit has to be a solid. You can incorporate patterns and textures into different garments–more on that below.

Do’s and Don’ts for Monochromatic Outfits

Don’t: Wear Exactly the Same Shade or Tint

Let’s use the aforementioned all-black or all-navy outfits as examples here. One of the reasons why you should avoid attempting a look like this is that it is going to be extremely difficult to match the blacks and navies in the same outfit between different garments. This is because different garments are composed of different fabrics and are also dyed differently. If they are not coming from the same manufacturer or are in the same fabric treated with the same dye, their color won’t be exactly the same.

The fact that you’re going to be wearing various garments that are almost the same color, but not exactly so, will leave people thinking something is just a bit off about your outfit–refer again to the photo of Christian Bale featured above. Another reason to avoid looks of this nature: if your outfit is comprised of all elements of one single color, your body is just going to recede in photographs. You will look like one large mass and there won’t be any definition to your form.

Do: Try To Experiment with Patterns and Textures

With exceptionally dark colors like black and navy, patterns and textures aren’t going to stand out that much, so trying to incorporate some visual interest using these techniques won’t help if your base color is exceptionally dark. Trying to assemble a truly monochromatic outfit like this can be seen as sort of an “easy out” in the fashion world, but isn’t great for the reasons we’ve outlined above. In other words, Christian Bale’s all-black red-carpet look and Regis Philbin’s Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? wardrobe aren’t really smart style choices. No disrespect to either of these talented guys, though!

Do: Choose A Base Color That’s Not Too Bold

For a more monochromatically inspired outfit, we recommend that you try to choose a base color that is not so bold. For example, instead of centering a monochromatic outfit around black, think about using the grayscale more broadly. In addition to the grayscale, you could base a monochromatic outfit around staple colors in menswear like blue or brown, or also go for something like green or even burgundy. Phrased another way, it’s easy to assemble monochromatically inspired outfits around neutral tones or tones that occur in nature.

Do: Wear Different Tints and Shades of Your Base Color

Also, we recommend that you wear various shades and tints of your base color in a monochromatic outfit. Varying the brightness of your source hue in an outfit is going to keep everything in the same harmonious overall mode of color, but it will also provide some definition and visual interest between the various elements in your outfit. And as we said before, do try to experiment with textures and patterns in your monochromatically inspired outfits.

Don’t: Put On Too Many Layers

As you’re trying to maintain harmony between the different pieces but also stay centered around the base hue, the difficulty will increase with the more pieces you add. Also, if you’re incorporating patterns and/or textures: the more garments you add, the more difficult it is going to be to keep everything harmonious. Sometimes, if you are going for a monochromatically inspired look, it’s better to keep things simpler.

CONCLUSION

With all that said, though, our final “don’t” today is this: don’t feel like you have to rigidly stick the rules we’ve outlined. While we do think that the guidelines we’ve put forward will help you to successfully build monochromatic outfits that look good, at the end of the day you can still wear whatever you think will make you look best. After all, if what you’re wearing is making you feel confident and more like yourself, that’s the main objective.

Do you find these styling tips helpful? How do you assemble monochromatic outfits? Share with us in the comments below!

Few modern American designers have been as influential on the style of the post-Boomer generations as Ralph Lauren. His unique ability to blend classic materials and silhouettes with modern styling is unique in a fashion environment that singlemindedly pursues the next trend.

Ralph Lauren: Gentleman of Style

After 50 years in the business, Ralph Lauren is being honored this month by an HBO documentary Very Ralph. Alan Flusser’s long-awaited book, Ralph Lauren: In His Own Fashion, is set to publish the same day, and the man himself is also releasing an Anniversary edition of his massive, epoynomous book. It’s only fitting that we also weigh in on Ralph Lauren’s incredible legacy as a Gentleman of Style.

The Early Years

Ralph was born in 1939 in the Bronx, NYC, to Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant parents from Belarus. His last name was originally Lifshitz, which eventually he changed to Lauren at the young age of 16 after years of teasing at school. Even as a young man, he developed a taste for fashion. He studied business at college, but ended up enlisting in the military for two years.

In 1964, after leaving the military, Ralph met Ricky Ann Low-Beer at the eye doctor’s office where she worked. Just before Christmas that year, the couple married. They would go on to have three children, Dylan, David, and Andrew. Ralph worked briefly for Brooks Brothers before moving on to work for Beau Brummell, a tie maker named after the famous 18th century dandy.

Ralph Lauren Begins Designing

In 1967, Ralph convinced his manager at Beau Brummell to let him create is own tie line. As a sports fan, Ralph named his line “Polo” hoping to convey the athletic sophistication of the sport. In the 1960s, ties were being mass produced in synthetic materials with a trim shape; bucking the trends, Ralph cut his ties wide and had them handmade with classic fabrics. He made $500,000 in his first year alone.

Lauren’s interest in resurrecting classic fashion didn’t stop with ties; even though he had no design experience of his own, he would have his own clothes custom tailored to to mimic the look of the traditional English gentleman. For this kind of man, his clothes represented his wealthy, wordly, chic lifestyle that Lauren wanted to emulate. After the success of his tie line, he was able to expand into tailored suits and shirts the following year. A reporter at the time, Buffy Birrittella, noted that Lauren was “merging the tailored heritage of Europe with the American senibility of sportswear and way of living.”

Ralph Lauren Builds His Empire

The 1970s was a decade of significant milestones for the now-household name of Ralph Lauren. In 1971, Ralph Lauren expanded into women’s wear. In 1972, he introduced a polo shirt in 24 colors bearing the iconic polo logo. In 1974, Lauren outfitted the male cast of The Great Gatsby almost entirely from pieces already in his Polo line. Only the famous double-breasted pink suit worn by Jay Gatsby was designed just for the film. The success of the movie prompted a trend in the “Gatsby look,” vaulting Lauren’s 30’s influenced designs into the spotlight.

In 1976, Lauren was elected to the Coty Hall of Fame for menswear, and in a celebratory ad, Saks featured Lauren wearing a tuxedo jacket and jeans. The mixing of traditional tailoring with western-inspired work attire would become one of his style hallmarks. Not long after, Lauren designed the costumes for Annie Hall, inspiring the menswear-themed trends that would round out the end of the ’70s and the early ’80s.

In 1978, Ralph Lauren’s first fragrances, Polo for Men and Ralph Lauren (for women), were launched. Polo for Men in the original green bottle is pine-forward and still considered an icon among men’s classic frangrances. In the same year, Westernwear debuted, closing the loop on the quintessential Lauren look of American West meets English Tweed. Not long after, the Laurens bought the 16,000 acre Double RL ranch in Telluride, CO, where Ralph could immerse himself in the weather-worn aesthetic of the West that he loved so much.

In 1983, Ralph Lauren became the first clothing designer to launch a full Home collection. The endeavor perfectly suited his desire to have a lifestyle brand, and the line continues to be an excellent resource for men who love classic interior design.

In 1986, Lauren opened his first flagship store in the Rhinelander Mansion on Madison Ave & 72nd Street in Manhattan. When Lauren acquired the mansion, less than 5% of the original interior remained, but Lauren meticulously restored it to its former Gilded-Age glory. It boasts over 5 floors and 20,000 square feet of retail space.

Through the mid-’90s, Lauren continued to launch satellite collections, including Polo Sport, Polo Golf, RRL casualwear, and Lauren by Ralph Lauren. In 1995, the Savile Row-inspired Purple Label collection was launched even as “casual Fridays” were starting to become a trend.

In 1997, Ralph Lauren Corporation went public on the NYSE. In the next 20 years, Lauren would go on to be the official outfitters of the US Olympic Teams, the US Tennis Association, and Wimbeldon. In 2015, Ralph Lauren stepped down as CEO, but remains on the board as the executive chairman and Chief Creative Officer.

Ralph Lauren’s Legacy

My vision continues to be as it was in the beginning. It hasn’t changed. I don’t want what I created in 1967 to be old or what I created in 2017 to be new.

Ralph Lauren

Even though Raplh Lauren is no longer the CEO of his company and he has reached his 8th decade, his legacy in the fashion world still endures. Over his career, he has been featured on more than 100 magazine covers, is heavily involved in cancer philanthropy, and became a famous collector of rare cars.

Style Lessons from Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren was not afraid to dress exactly the way he wanted, even if it made him an outlier. He managed to revive ’30s classics like wide ties and DB suits even when it appeared that the market didn’t want them. He reminded the world that the classics will always have a place in a man’s wardrobe. Though it would be impossible to distill Ralph Lauren’s incredible legacy into a single outfit, he has left us with some important lessons about style.

Find your style and own it.

Ralph’s love of Americana as well as English country style is quirky, to say the least. But in this case, he loved it and found a way to sell it, which comes from a deep-rooted confidence in his look. Even if your interests don’t align with his, every man should find the style that works for him and wear it with confidence, regardless of the naysayers.

When you suit up, go all in.

Take a quick look around the Purple Label of Ralph Lauren’s collection and you’ll quickly realize that despite his love of western wear, he takes suits very, very seriously. He wanted Purple Label to be the closest it could be to a real Savile Row bespoke suit, and while few men can afford to shell out $6,000 for a suit, you can still imitate the look. When Lauren suits up, he favors a double-breasted 6×2 jacket with wide, peaked lapels, structured shoulders, and a suppressed waist. He doesn’t try to water down the suit look; he goes all in. In principle, this might be a touch overwhelming for a man who stands 5’6″, but he loves the classic look enough to make it work.

You can like and wear completely contradictory styles.

Fashion is about expression, and Ralph Lauren taught us that no man needs to pick just ONE style to wear. While it’s classy to stick to the rules sometimes (see the previous lesson), it’s also fun to break them. Just because you love a good suit doesn’t mean you can’t also like or mix the classics with other more rugged styles.

Invest right and wear things hard.

Ralph Lauren is one of the few figures in men’s fashion that proudly wears worn, battered jackets and pants on the red carpet and in his everyday life. Ralph reminds us that “loved” garments still have a place in our closets, and that throwaway culture is something we can all opt out of. Wear that beat-up leather jacket with pride!

What to Buy (and Not Buy) from Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren sells thousands of clothing types, shapes, and looks, so dressing like him is both easy and hard. There are many things to choose from this full-fledged clothing brand, but not everything truly represents what he stands for, or the quality he espoused. In this video, we take a closer look at what is worth buying from this icon’s eponymous brand.

Are there other style lessons from Ralph Lauren that we missed? What are your thoughts on his brand? Do let us know in the comments section!

In the last two decades, fragrances and colognes for men have exploded online and in blogs, as well as YouTube channels. There are things like Basenotes, Jeremy Fragrance, or Fragrance Brothers that are all about just the scent.

Why Should Men Wear Fragrance?

Colognes can create really powerful emotional ties. Style authorities such as Bruce Boyer argue that you should have a wardrobe of fragrances just like you have a wardrobe of clothes. That way, you can pick and choose depending on the season, your outfit, your mood, and the needs of the moment. The problem is fragrances are often expensive and not everyone wants to own 50 different fragrances or let alone 20. This issue is perpetuated by the fact that many colognes contain stabilizers meaning that they will smell differently five years down the road. So no matter if you have 10, 20, or 50 bottles, chances are you have to just throw them away after five or six years and do it all over again. Colognes are also heavily faked and because of that, you can’t return the bottle once you’ve removed the cellophane wrap from the packaging. Fortunately, there are samples so that’s the way to go.

Fragrances are profitable and so pretty much every brand under the sun out there has its own fragrance. Today, we wanted to choose a selection of classic fragrances that have stood the test of time. These days, the scents launched with the biggest hype and marketing budget are usually ones that sell the most but it doesn’t mean that you actually get the best quality scent for you. In fact, most large fragrance companies have a goal to have the content cost less than a dollar or two, with the bottle costing a little more depending on how intricate it is but ultimately, it’s a high margin business. Of course, there are also very high-end colognes on the market that sell for thousands of dollars. 

8 Classic Fragrances for Gentlemen

Today, we’re just focusing on scents that have been around for at least thirty years. We narrowed it down to the ones that got the best reviews then got all of them, smelled them once, put them on, or then smell them twice. So we talk about the base notes, the heart note, and the top note but also about our just personal impression, review, how long it lasts, and we’ll share how much the bottle costs, what the top, heart, and base notes are, our personal views on it, and how they compare to one another.

1. Acqua Di Parma Colonia

Translated, the name means “Water of Parma” which is a city in Northern Italy. The small fragrance house created their first Cologne in 1916. The Colonia scent became a symbol of Italian chic in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. Both David Niven and Cary Grant were admirers of the scent and someone even said, it smells like the golden era of Hollywood. Even though the brand struggled from the 60s onward, it was purchased in 2003 by the luxury conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy.

Like many colognes in our lineup, it’s considered to be a citrus fragrance because the top note is Sicilian citrus. After a little while, it fades a little bit and you get heart notes of lavender, rosemary, verbena, and damask rose. Base notes include the vetiver, sandalwood, and patchouli. Right out of the box, we felt that the hint of citrus was light and pleasant and unlike that of a strong cleaning product. Acqua di Parma Colonia is not a strong scent, it’s more on the lighter side and therefore, suited for spring/summer, in our opinion. It is by no means heavier or substantial, it’s the kind of scent that anyone likes. It’s not offensive at the office but at the same time, it’s not the most unique fragrance out there.

Personally, I think it’s a bit too light for the fall/winter season nevertheless, it can still be considered a great all-rounder. On a very personal rating, I would give it a four out of five, maybe even more if it would have lasted a little longer. On my skin, it only lasted about sixty to ninety minutes and it was not very strong, to begin with. Considering the eau de cologne cost around $160 for 3.4 ounces or about 100 ml means that you pay a lot for something that doesn’t smell very long or strongly.

2. Guerlain Vetiver

Even though Guerlain is better known these days for their cosmetics and skincare, it was originally founded in 1828 by Pierre-Francois Guerlain as a perfume. So over much of the 19th century, Guerlain created scents from their headquarters in Paris for the entire royalty of Europe. The company was passed down through the generations of the Guerlain family until the 4th generation master perfumer created the Guerlain Vetiver in 1959. Just like with so many other luxury brands, Guerlain was eventually sold in 1994 to Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy. Now, while some saw it as a cheapening move for the brand, it is successful today and in 2000, the Vetiver formula was reformulated probably to save some money or to just update it for more modern tastes. Usually, it’s described as a scent that is woody, earthy, it smells like leather or balsamic notes. Vetiver is often used in men’s fragrances because it’s a very good stabilizer and it has a more masculine smell to it.

So what does the modern Guerlain Vetiver smell like? You have top notes of bergamot, lemon, neroli, and coriander. After a little while, the heart note of the vetiver and the cedar comes out a little stronger. In the base note, you have a tobacco, nutmeg, a little bit of pepper and tonka bean. Out of the box, we didn’t like this one as much as the Acqua di Parma Colonia because it was sharper and stronger smelling. The bergamot, vetiver, nutmeg, and cedar is just a little too strong. When I tried it a second time around, I found it more pleasant than when I originally smelled it. I don’t know if that had to do with the fact that I had it before but it was definitely growing on me.

Personally, I would rather wear it during the fall/winter season rather than summer. With it being a little sharper, it’ll last a lot longer than the Acqua di Parma. On my skin, about 6 to 7 hours. For the price of $99 for the 3.3 ounces or 100 ml bottle of eau de toilette, I thought it was pretty good. Generally, eau de toilettes are supposed to be less strong than an eau de Parfum but in this case, it lasts quite a while. My rating for the Guerlain Vetiver alone is 3 out of 5.

3. Dior Eau Sauvage

Dior is known as a fashion house, but their fragrance history dates all the way back to 1947. Eau Sauvage was launched in 1966. It’s considered to be a classic citrus fragrance. Out of the box, we like the citrus woody and spicy base. It’s about more substantial than Aqua Colonia without having the sharpness of the Guerlain Vetiver. Top notes include lemon, bergamot, a hint of cumin and rosemary. The heart note, you have petitgrain, jasmine, and patchouli, as well as a bit of carnation, basil, and coriander. For the base note, you have vetiver, sandalwood, amber, oakmoss, and musk. to me

To me, Eu Sauvage is the perfect year-round fragrance. It is light, it has some citrus but it has a substance that makes it office appropriate or also suited for a cocktail party or basically, any other event. I’d happily travel with just a single scent. While the top notes faded rather quickly, the base notes were still there solidly for about two to three hours. Afterwards, it turns more into a skin scent. For an eau de toilette, that’s okay. It’s priced at $95 for the 3.4 ounce or 100 ml bottle. My rating for the Eau Sauvage from Dior is 4 out of 5.

4. Knize Ten

Knize is a Viennese tailoring house known for their store designed by Adolf Loos. I have been at their Vienna headquarters twice and it’s quite an experience. The scent Knize Ten was developed in 1924. The number 10 didn’t mean it was the tenth fragrance but it was a dedication to the polo game because Knize was associated with polo long before Ralph Lauren was. The fragrance was famously designed to imitate the scent of a leather.

While some people may describe Knize Ten as a young Marlon Brando scent, personally, it was my least favorite of all eight of them and honestly, I wasn’t alone. Our entire team felt the same way. Knize Ten is definitely a little more unique. It is a heavier scent, more powerful but to me, it doesn’t quite smell like leather and it has a certain kind of sweetness to it, definitely smells old-school and heavy and because of that, in my mind, it’s not at all a spring/summer scent but maybe only suited for the fall/winter season. That being said, personally, I would likely never wear it. Of course, for the review, I tested it a few times and I got top notes of bergamot, a hint of lemon, a bit more orange, but also petitgrain and rosemary.

While these ingredients are similar to many of the other colognes, the ratio makes all the difference and it makes this one smells a lot different than the others. The heart note, for me, was more flowery, there was carnation, rose, and geranium but also a little bit of wood in there like cedar, maybe even a hint of cinnamon and sandalwood, as well. In the base note, it has more like leather, musk, moss and amber and with this being a perfume from 1924, I think the recipe is a lot stronger than modern colognes. So when I put it on, I could still smell those base notes the next day if I didn’t take a shower, which I thought was quite impressive. Price of $120 for the 125 ml bottle, it’s quite fair and even though it’s just an eau de toilette, it’s just very intense, strong, and long-lasting. That being said, it’s just not for me and so I gave it a 1 out of 5 stars.

5. Green Irish Tweed from Creed

Creed, today, is one of the longest standing fragrance houses in the world. It was launched in 1760 in London by James Henry Creed. He was supposed to create a scent for King George III. The scent is known today as Royal English Leather. So even though the brand is more than a quarter millennium old, Creed fragrances didn’t become available to the public until 1970.

Green Irish Tweed wasn’t launched until 1985 but today, the house of Creed is still run by the 6th and 7th generation of the Creed family. Creed’s most popular scent was launched in 2010 that is named Aventus. I own the scent but we didn’t include it in this lineup simply because it is not 30 years or older. On the other hand, Green Irish Tweed has been around for longer and it has stood the test of time. It’s considered to be a classic Fougere fragrance which means as much as “fern” in French.

It comes from a family of perfumes that is based on lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin. Coumarin is a scent derived from the tonka bean and it’s often described as the smell of newly mown hay. If you read the reviews about Green Irish Tweed, it’s often described as an herbaceous and woody scent. It also plants notes of verbena, sandalwood, violet leaves, and iris. So on the top, you get the lemon and the verbena which is a very nice scent that I typically like in soaps. The heart note is more the iris and the violet leaf but I can always smell this freshly mown hay which is very pleasant, in my opinion. In the base note, there’s a little more sandalwood and ambergris.

Frankly, in this group, it was my personal and the group’s favorite by a long shot. Maybe it’s because it was the youngest scent in the lineup but it had this unique scent that was very mesmerizing. It was masculine but had a level of freshness, it can be worn year-round and is office appropriate. Unfortunately, it is quite pricey, 100 ml or 3.3 ounces retail for $395 to $415 dollars depending on where you buy it. And for some reason in Europe, it just costs a little more than €210 which is a lot less expensive. It seems like, overall, they definitely increased their prices over the last decade. With it being so expensive, it, at least, last for quite a while.

On my skin, I could notice it for six to eight hours and then even the next day there was kind of a skin scent similar to the Knize Ten in intensity. So honestly, my rating is 5 out of 5. My wife even said that her gift to herself would be a bottle of that cologne for me so she could smell it. Obviously, I won’t argue with that and she was so excited about it that she showed it to all her girlfriends which, for the record, loved it too.

6. Floris London No. 89

Even a little older than Creed, it was founded in 1730. Even though it’s less well known than some of the continental European counterparts, it is still family-owned today. Winston Churchill was a fan of their scents and so was Ian Fleming, the author of James Bond. Floris no. 89 was launched in 1951 and is reminiscent of the number of their German Street shop in London, 89. It is, by many, considered to be the quintessential scent for the English gentleman.

When we tested it out of the box, there was a spicy nutmeg in the top note. The base notes were more like sandalwood, cedarwood, and vetiver. In the heart notes, I got a lot of florals. The first impression I got from this scent was an old-school barbershop. Overall, it was not offensive by any means but it wasn’t as great as, let’s say, the Green Irish Tweed and also not like the Eau Sauvage from Dior.

In my mind, the scent felt a little more dated rather than like a great vintage classic. It lasts about five to six hours on my skin which is quite good and a 50 ml bottle of the Eau de Toilette costs 80 bucks. Overall, my rating is 3.5 stars out of 5 for the Floris no. 89.

7. Blenheim Bouquet from Penhaligon’s

Launched in 1902, it is another one of Winston Churchill’s colognes. In my mind, it smells like a classic cologne even though it has more lemon and citrus notes than the Floris 89 does. I can also get notes of lavender and overall, it’s not too overpowering but in my mind, very well befitting of an English gentleman. I definitely prefer it over the Knize 10 or the Guerlain Vetiver. For the top notes, you got lemon, lime, and lavender so it’s very fresh. Interestingly, there’s not much of a heart note but it goes right into the base note. There is a bit of pine, musk, and black pepper.

In my mind, this is a great spring/summer scent for men, not so much for fall/winter. I would also call it much more linear and straightforward and less complex than, let’s say, the Green Irish Tweed. The Blenheim Bouquet lasts about 4 to 5 hours on my skin which is quite good for an Eau de Toilette. At $132 for a 100 ml bottle, it’s not cheap but it’s a classic and not a bad investment. If you like a citrusy, limey, summer classic, I think it’s a 4 out of 5. For an all year round one, it’s more like a 3.5.

8. Polo by Ralph Lauren

There’s also a modern one in the blue bottle but this is the classic from the green bottle. Ralph Lifshitz created the eponymous Ralph Lauren brand in 1968 starting with ties which, at the time, were quite wide because that was opposite the trend of slimmer ties. He launched his first two scents ten years later in 1978. The Polo in a green bottle was one of them. Top notes include basil, thyme, and cumin, but for me, the strongest one was pine. In the heart note, there is some coriander, patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver. In the base note, there is more leather, tobacco, and thyme. In my mind, the green bottle Polo is in an intense masculine scent. I also think the green bottle is befitting of the strong pine top note. The heavy pine notes in combination with the herbals make it a very woody and earthy scent.

Interestingly, it disappears more over time and also the second time around I smelled it, the pine wasn’t as strong anymore as it was initially. In my mind, this is a great cold-weather scent where you can put it up in a club bar or if you go to some of his restaurants. I think the scent fits right into the aesthetic that he wants to create. For office wear, it may be too bold for some, it is definitely bolder than, let’s say, the Blenheim Bouquet or the Floris 89. It lasts for about 6 hours which is quite nice and overall, my rating would be a 3.5 out of 5 stars, maybe a 4 if you like the pine scent that disappears over time. The eau de toilette costs $85 for four ounces or 120 ml.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, scents are a deeply personal and emotional thing and just because we like something, doesn’t mean you will. That being said, these eight classics have stood the test of time, there are a lot of people who like them and some who dislike them so if you want something classic that’s befitting of a gentleman, you can’t really go wrong with any of them, as long as, of course, you enjoy smelling them. Also, keep in mind that super strong scents that are not office appropriate can be a bother to others so it’s probably best to only use them outside your work environment.

If you want to learn more about fragrances, make sure to check out our general guide on men’s colognes which contains a number of videos and all about the history and just more information about men’s colognes and how to choose one that you like.

What’s your favorite classic scent? Share it with us in the comments section!

Owning a tuxedo is certainly better than having to rent every time you need formal wear. However, if you’re unsure of making the investment, is renting a worthwhile option? In search of a definitive answer, we gave it a try. Find out what we think about rental tuxedos in today’s video!

Review Transcript

Sven Raphael Schneider: For today’s video, we did something I thought we’d never do.

Preston Schlueter: We rented tuxedos.

SRS: So why on earth would we do that?

PS: Well, we wanted to see if you could get something that fits reasonably well, just by ordering from different locations.

SRS: Or if you’re just better off buying something and having it tailored so you actually look the part. I was under the assumption that it’s always better, because something that you own that you can tailor [will be better no matter your] budget, even if that means it’s secondhand, versus something that’s rented and ill-fitting.

PS: Right, it’s always better to have your own formal wear, if for no other reason then it’s just going to be more cost-effective to buy once than to rent continuously.

Sven Raphael Schneider in a vintage tuxedo

SRS: Even if you think you’re just going to wear it once, I still think you can find something very inexpensively and have it tailored. It’s maybe a little more expensive at the end of the day but you actually look better and you can always sell it afterwards.

PS: True! Cost-per-wear is important too; upfront cost may be higher, but if you can wear it over the years, that’s going to be a lot better than continuously renting.

SRS: I mean once you have a tuxedo, you are much more likely to wear it again.

PS: Absolutely, yeah! I’ve got a couple of different black-tie ensembles now and I wear all of them fairly frequently.

SRS: I guess you’re an exception though, because you’re a jazz singer so there’s more use for that, anyways.

PS: This is true!

SRS: And you work for the Gentleman’s Gazette so…

Preston at the mic during a jazz concert

PS: Right, two good reasons. Now, in fairness, part of the reason we did this today is because the industry has made strides over the last decade or so. It used to be you would have to go into a brick-and-mortar location, you’d have to get fitted, that might be a continuous process–but today, there are several online companies that just do back and forth through the mail.

SRS: Yeah, most notably Menguin, The Black Tux, and even like traditional [outlets like] Men’s Wearhouse now offer online rentals.

PS: Right!

SRS: So with that being said, there are a bunch of major pitfalls to renting, right? And the biggest one of all of them is not being able to tailor something exactly to your needs.

Renting Prevents an Exact Fit

PS: Right, I mean everybody has slight differences in how things are going to fit them. The fact of the matter is most rental garments are kind of fitting into a general mold and they’re symmetrical but humans are naturally asymmetrical, we’ve all got little differences in how we’re built.

Know your measurements; everyone has their own unique build

SRS: Exactly. I mean, my right shoulder is like two inches lower and everything. you have fitting issues, and even people who don’t think they have any issues in terms of symmetry, they just don’t realize it yet. Once you actually look at it with a critical eye, you’ll see everything.

PS: Yeah, I happen to have long arms for my build. I’ve got one leg that’s decently shorter than the other. So there are all kinds of things that you’ve got to be aware of that you’re probably not going to pick up on until you see how poorly something like a rental garment might fit you.

SRS: True, I mean in all fairness, you could argue that you can adjust the sleeve length and maybe your inseam length but that’s just a start and if you’re asymmetrical, that will still show in wrinkles on your garment.

Correct Sleeve Length, Width and French Cuff

PS: And another big issue with several of these offerings from any of the various tuxedo rental companies is a lot of them just fail to actually nail down with the basics of true Black Tie really are.

SRS: That is true and you can find all these out there adventurous combinations, right? They have mixed black watch tartan and stripes and very light colors but it’s very hard to find the classic Black Tie tuxedo as outlined in our Black Tie guide. I mean information is all there, right? and you can check out all the details because it’s a very extensive guide but the basics are, you know, peak lapel, no vents, a nice galon strip and then you have either a flat front, traditionally, like a pleated front. That single button, you don’t have any flaps but even that, it’s already so difficult and for black-tie, right, it’s just something where you choose something that’s very traditional. It’s the quintessential time, especially if you just wear once or twice or you go classic. There’s no need to wear this bright orange dinner jacket.

PS: And unfortunately, because they don’t really offer this quintessential classic style by and large, it ends up falling into trends which may look good now but as we all know, if we’ve looked back on wedding pictures from the past, you’re going to regret some of those trends because they haven’t stuck around.

By the sartorial nadir of the 1970s, powder blue leisure suit ensembles were considered “formal attire.”

SRS: Yeah and I mean even now, I would say they look bad. Some people just may like it because it’s different, right? Those contrasting silver vests with a matching long necktie, stuff like that it’s just maybe with a notched lapel tuxedo and flaps, it’s just not good because tuxedos should be a little different right so you have the silk face lapel. Oftentimes, I think with those, it’s just like polyester faced because silk is just too expensive. Overall, it just makes you look like you’re going right to prom and it screams like I either can’t or I don’t want to buy a tuxedo and instead I am wearing this kind of polyester crap that’s just not properly sized to my built.

PS: And another piece of that, too, is if you’re wearing something that is very obviously not your own, it’s often going to be communicated in how you’re holding and carrying yourself. You’re probably just going to look stiff and out of place and like you’re in clothes that you’re not used to because that’s what’s happening.

SRS: Yeah, they’re also not as comfortable as if you get something that really fits so it makes you look uncomfortable and out of your skin.

PS: So with that said, even though we think the cards may be kind of stacked against renting, we wanted to give the experience in the industry a fair shake so we still went ahead with it.

How bad were the rental tuxedos we ordered?

SRS: So that meant we got three different tuxedos, we got one for Men’s Wearhouse, one from The Black Tux and one from Menguin, which was bought by Generation Tux.

PS: They’re both owned by the same holding company now, Generation Tux and Menguin are. So they’re essentially offering the same product at this point. Both of those companies are overseen by George Zimmer, who used to be the CEO of Men’s Wearhouse, but he is no longer in that position.

SRS: Got it! By the way, this video is a hundred percent not sponsored, we just ordered them just like you would. I went to their website, you know put in our information, our credit card information, and got the tuxes.

PS: We wanted the truest experience as possible so we could have ultimately the same fair result as any of you might.

SRS: Otherwise, if we show up there and say we’re from Gentleman’s Gazette, they’ll probably treat us slightly differently and we didn’t want that. So to start, when you rent your tux, there are basically two options, these days, right? There’s a free home try on where they send something out to you and before the event, if you don’t know when it’s going to be and then you have to send it back within 48 hours.

PS: I think the other option is they’ll essentially just send it to you sight unseen and you hope that based upon what measurements you get, that’s what you’re going to wear for the event itself and you hope it fits.

SRS: Yeah but I think some of them sent it early enough so you can exchange it, in case something goes wrong, right?

PS: I believe that is the case, yes.

THE BLK TUX

SRS: So without further ado, let’s jump right in and go through the tuxes. The first one is THE BLK TUX.

Rental from THE BLK TUX

PS: Correct, that’s the model that I am wearing here. This was a midnight blue model. Out of the three that we ordered, we wanted to have one that was a little bit different in that regard, so this one is midnight blue instead of black.

SRS: Well, you know they call it midnight blue but honestly, it’s more like a navy.

PS: I think I would agree.

SRS: Because it looks, maybe the idea of midnight blue is that something looks blacker than black under artificial lighting versus this, looks navy under artificial lighting.

PS: I think so. I think it’s a trend among a lot of these tuxedo companies these days to want to accentuate the fact that the tuxedo is blue but as a consequence of that, it becomes so light that it’s really more just almost like a navy suit with tuxedo styling than actual midnight blue.

Sven Raphael Schneider here wears a midnight blue ensemble featuring a double-breasted jacket with a 4-on-1 buttoning pattern.

SRS: Yeah. Talking about trends, they also have the double vents which traditionally, was not something you had in a tuxedo. I think these days, side vents are very popular because they’re comfortable, you can put your hands in your pockets, at the same time, I think the tuxedo is already rather similar to a suit so why make it even more similar, even though you want a special garment? Makes no sense to me.

PS: Right. I would agree. I think, probably the reason that a lot of these companies will go with side vents is because part of the reason of having a ventless jacket is that it provides that perfect silhouette and it fits your body just the way it should but that probably isn’t super cost-effective from that sort of “one size fits most” perspective that the rental companies have. It’s going to be harder to fit multiple men and their different body types with a ventless jacket.

SRS: Especially, people with a big bum like myself.

PS: You said it, not me! [Laughs]

SRS: So styling wise, we got you a single breasted peak lapel with a single button closure.

The most traditional model of tuxedo jacket: black and single-breasted with one closing button, peaked lapels with silk facings, and no rear vents.

PS: That’s right and honestly, on this one, I thought all of that was decent; the the lapels have a nice sort of satin sheen to them. I liked the width, the button placement here seemed good. I would say the the downside, at least, in this area, is that there was some collar gapping that was fairly visible there.

SRS: Yeah and if you compare satin to your bowtie, you can tell it’s not a rich deep like silk satin and it looks more like gray, in a way, so we can tell it’s not the utmost in quality, right. The other thing I thought was funny was there were no buttons on the cuffs. I don’t know if they, looks like there’s a lot of fabric on the inside, I don’t know if they kind of actually opened it up and changed the sleeve length based on their needs or how it works but I could see how having actual cuff buttons would be more of pain for them, of course, it’s a classic look and it’s something you’re not getting by renting a tuxedo.

PS: Another thing we noticed with this tux in regard to the pants is that the stripe down the side here, the galon, was actually sewn into the side seam rather than being sewn over the top.

SRS: Yeah, I found it on my tuxedo, as well. Maybe that’s just a cost-effective way to do it for them, these days, I don’t know but it’s not the proper way to do it and it’s just a cheap workaround.

PS: This was also a feature that we found in the Menguin tux, as well, so all three of them were guilty of that particular style element.

Typical black-tie trousers, featuring side adjusters and a silk stripe (or galon/braid).

SRS: Now, let’s talk a little bit about the website of the whole ordering process. I think THE BLK TUX tries to make it really simple to the point where it’s extra quite vague, there’s no way to kind of see what size they pick for you, and you can’t even make adjustments. It pretty much assumes that you’re like a child, you don’t really know what fits you, and they’ll just take care of it for you.

PS: I think probably they’re coming at it from a perspective of the average guy who might not know a lot about formal wear. They want to get him through the process as quickly and painlessly as possible so the website is pretty simple but the downside of that is for somebody who is actually passionate about formal wear and cares about the details, as you say, the website is almost overly simplistic to the point of being vague and you know, you don’t really get to see a lot of those details that you’d want.

SRS: And you know, I guess they know their customer and so it’s easy for them to say we just focus on that part of the demographic but if they don’t end up looking great, what good is that? Now, personally, I was positively surprised by the fact that they’re all made of wool or at least that’s what the label says. Sometimes, they have like a super 100, it’s like in Men’s Wearhouse or I think super 140s. Now, it doesn’t tell you what weaver the fabric comes from so it’s meaningless because it’s not a protected term but at least, it’s a step up from a 100% polyester tux.

A description of fine worsted wools from Vitale Barberis Canonico

PS: Absolutely. Out of the three that we got, I did notice that this model from THE BLK TUX does actually have a label on the inside of one brand.

SRS: That’s trying to kind of provide some high quality stuff. Okay, it is not a well-known brand, it’s not like Vitale Barberis Canonico or Cerruti, it’s just a smaller mill probably but at least, they are trying.

PS: Yes, and that’s important.

SRS: Now, when it comes to construction, they don’t share whether it’s glued or padded. At this price point, it feels like it’s glued.

PS: That would be my assumption, as well, yes.

SRS: What are your thoughts in the construction, otherwise?

PS: Generally, I thought this model from THE BLK TUX was not bad, certainly as compared to the others. I didn’t happen to see any loose threads or odd or uneven stitching, any thing of that nature. So at least as far as covering those more simple bases, that was done fairly well.

SRS: I mean in terms of fit, it was pretty good considering it was just an off-the-rack thing. The pants seemed to be the right length, right? You’re a slim guy so it’s harder to fit you, in general. The jacket was okay. I think it was that maybe a little on the long side for you.

PS: Yeah, it was a little long, not only in the torso but also directly visibly in the arms, there was definitely more length than needed to be there. As we already mentioned, there was a little bit of collar gapping and I think some extra room, generally, in the in the torso of the jacket.

Altered photographs showing effect of proper suit fit.

SRS: Which I guess is something you experience most of the time when you get something off the rack. That being said, the sleeve length is something you can always correct. For a rent tuxedo, you want to have a little bit of cuff showing about the same amount you can see in the back in the collar. If that’s not the case, it just looks odd.

PS: So out of all of the tuxedos we rented, I think I was most pleased with this one. On a scale of zero to five, I think this one might go maybe as high as a three, I would say. I think that’s, overall, where I would place it and in fairness too, this was an at-home try-on model so in the ideal scenario of how it would work, I would send feedback to the company with how this fit and then theoretically, further alterations would be done on the finished tux that I would get for an event.

SRS: If that is possible. Because they also have the option that you just rent a tux and then you get it and then that’s basically what you get.

PS: True.

Men’s Wearhouse

SRS: So like with anything in life, if you plan ahead, you will ensure that you get better results. Next up, let’s talk about Men’s Wearhouse. It’s kind of the 800-pound gorilla in the tux rental business. If you just Google tuxedo, it’s the number one search result. Even though what they provide is actually quite disappointing, in my opinion. Overall, I have to say, you know, I had high hopes, because the packaging has improved and I just thought maybe they just have a better product by now that was especially reinforced when we went to the website. I mean they were the only ones who wanted to know what the inseam was, what the waist measurement was, so I had hoped they would actually like nail it. But even though I told them my inseam is 31, it came out to be wrong.

Men’s Wearhouse – Would you want to be seen wearing this ill-fitting rental tux?

PS: I think 27 and a half or so, which is just a very big difference.

SRS: Three and a half inches on an inseam length, I mean that’s terrible, right? Apart from the fact that my pants make me look like a clown, the opera jacket which is different because the pants are made in China, the opera was made in Mexico, it has a Calvin Klein label, 44 regular, and it’s the typical tuxedo jacket you think of when you think of rental, right? How would rate the fit?

PS: Well, I think, as you said, the pants are very short but in addition to that, they are full to the point of being a little bit baggy and I think the jacket is, as well. Of course, traditional styling, you know, if we’re talking about a drape cut or what have you, there’s a little bit more fullness but this just really looks more like a potato sack than anything fitted.

Summer 1938 – typical white tie and black tie ensembles with full cut, wide lapels, drape and shoulder padding

SRS: They have a fabric here, there’s room in the sleeve but still, when I moved, everything moves with me and so it’s not even comfortable. At the same time, it looks s****y. And here, we have the same issues right? No cuff buttons, like there was a lot of fabric in here but it’s too long when I stand yet it shows a lot of cuff when I sit, which is just less than ideal.

PS: It’s kind of the worst of both worlds, really.

SRS: Now, the lining is polyester which makes you more prone to sweating which is also not ideal but overall, this makes me extremely uncomfortable wearing it and it has all these flaws even though stylistically, right? Peak lapel, single button, that’s good. It was the only vendor that had no vents which is nice but it still didn’t have a flattering cut which is the point of the no vent and then it has these flaps which are not traditional and the pockets are full like on any other jackets. The problem is if you have a full pocket, you can’t even tuck the flaps a way to create a classic look, right? So it just sucks.

A jetted hip pocket (shown here on a dinner jacket with a patterned weave).

PS: So with all of that said then, what do you think you would rate this Men’s Wearhouse tux?

SRS: You know, that tux I received out of the box I’d give it like a zero out of five because there’s no situation I would ever wear this and I’d rather skip the event than show up wearing something like this. Now that being said, once we received this and reached out to Men’s Wearhouse, they were like, “We’re sorry, will either send you something else or we’ll refund your money.” Now, that’s good customer service in the sense that they take responsibility and they want to make it right. At the same time, I mean we all know how much “fun” it is sending back packages numerous times, right?

PS: Yeah.

SRS: And then also, when I have an event where I need it by, I want to know that they send me something that fits especially if they ask for or measurements. I don’t want to hope that something arrives and then it’s completely different then I have to take care of it again. I mean, it’s time, it’s money, and it’s going to UPS and FedEx. I mean I don’t want that.

Menguin

PS: The remaining company from which we ordered was Menguin, of course, as we said, also owned by the same holding company as Generation Tux, and we were a little bit surprised to see that it came in a Menguin box but the inside of the jacket did have a Generation Tux label so the products are fully integrated at this point.

SRS: Yeah and it was kind of a funny style because we wanted to get a shawl collar style because it’s also a traditional style. Their understanding was very fashion-forward, like it was extremely slim. They also, the way they ironed it was kind of funny.

PS: Yes, I definitely thought so. Not only were the lapels very skinny to start out with but they were lopsided and kind of mismatched. It looked like the jacket had maybe been sent back to be ironed or pressed one too many times and one of the lapels just looked very strange.

SRS: Yeah so when you ordered on the website, what kind of stuff did they ask you?

PS: They were also not terribly specific with the measurements they asked for. They wanted height, weight, general build, and then my waist size but that was it.

SRS: So no jacket sizing or inseam length?

PS: Nope.

SRS: Okay, I mean that’s a very low standard.

PS: Right! As far as the materials of that one were concerned, it was, again, made from wool. I’m not necessarily sure of the grade or the quality of the wool.

SRS: I mean they say super 140s or something but again, you know, it means nothing and it can feel extremely cheap.

PS: Right! And in my personal experience out of the box of the three that we have here, that one definitely felt the cheapest to me.

A polyester lining (in this case on the same dinner jacket as the previous photo) is undesirable for breathability and comfort

SRS: Okay, interesting! What do you think about stylistic and fit choices on the Menguin?

PS: I think in a similar fashion to how the lapels were very slim, other details were also slim and small too. For example, again, it had side vents but they were very short vents in the back and the jacket itself was also on the shorter side.

SRS: Well, typically, it’s something that you do on a less expensive jacket because a shorter vent means it gaps less no matter what the bum size is so it’s just a easy way to hide certain things but it’s not the proper way to do it.

PS: And additionally again, the sleeves on that jacket had no buttons either.

SRS: I guess that’s what they do. They may adjust the length of the sleeves to get it right and so they can’t really put buttons on without damaging the rest of the fabric.

PS: That would make sense.

The sleeve buttons on this vintage jacket number three per sleeve, and feature faint texturing.

SRS: I think it also had that galon strip sewn in in a weird way and overall, it was rather slim so if you like a slim fitting tuxedo, it was probably the slimmest of the bunch and it was also on the shorter side, in terms of length, but if it would have been longer, I think maybe would have bunched up.

PS: Yes, I think so. Specifically in regard to the trousers, they were definitely on the short side almost kind of an ankle level but because of how narrow the opening was, if they had been any longer, they probably would have puddled in an unattractive way around my shoes.

SRS: So what do you say, what’s the rating for this one?

PS: This one, I think I would probably just say a 1. In addition to not necessarily liking quite how it looked in terms of the styling and also how it felt, the construction felt like it was lacking a little bit. I did find some loose threads, it was just a cheap experience, overall, I would say. So I wouldn’t rank it any higher than a 1.

SRS: And I also think you know, this kind of tuxedo, you can buy off of eBay, right? Sometimes, they sell rental tuxedos or new tuxedos and sometimes you get a really great quality for you know 50, 70, 80 bucks. I remember on my wedding day, my best man didn’t have one so rather than renting him one, I just bought him on eBay for 100 bucks, 50 bucks in tailoring, and he looked pretty presentable. If you look at the waistband of all those pants, they’re all very adjustable which makes sense for a rental. You wouldn’t have that on your personal tux but I think I would like some suspender buttons because if something is too wide, having the buttons will make sure it stays at the same level all day long.

Better models of tuxedo trousers will incorporate buttons for suspenders

PS: Right, again, I was a little bit more impressed with the offering from The Black Tux. It does have suspender buttons–of course, there’s no fish tail in the back. It’s just a straight waistband all the way around but the buttons are there and also, there are side adjusters on this pair of trousers, as well. So that allows for a little bit more of a zeroing in on fit. Whereas with the Menguin model, there was just a piece of elastic running around the inside of the waistband.

SRS: Oh interesting. Men’s Wearhouse also had the side adjusters but no buttons. So yeah, once again THE BLK TUX is more comprehensive than others but on the overall scale, still, just average.

PS: One additional note for the trousers of THE BLK TUX, they do also have satin around the waistband of the trousers themselves. I think this is more of a modern innovation, if you’d like to call it that for guys who would either choose not to wear a waist covering or wouldn’t know to wear one. So there’s a little element of visual interest there but of course, you should most traditionally wear a waist covering with black tie anyway.

Black Tie Tuxedo Evening Waistcoat Vest

SRS: That means vest or waistcoat or a cummerbund. So it’s kind of a superfluous feature but I guess that’s what these companies do. In terms of boutonnieres, I think the Menguin didn’t even have a whole my Men’s Wearhouse had one but no like flower holder so you need a little pin to get it there. How about yours?

PS: Same thing here with the Black Tux. This one does have a functioning buttonhole in the lapel but it doesn’t have any sort of loop on the reverse to hold the stem. So in terms of a final verdict, how bad were the tuxedos we rented? Overall, they were pretty bad. If you take our ratings and put them all together, that’s an average rating of only one and a third out of five. Definitely, not a passing grade!

SRS: Exactly. So even the best out of the bunch, THE BLK TUX, is just three out of five and again, bear in mind, the sleeve length is not right, you know, it may gap. You don’t get the buttons and all the details that you want to in a traditional tux. So yeah, if you just want to look good and I think that’s the point of wearing black tie formal wear, then renting is your worst option.

PS: Right! I would agree. Rather than going with renting, it’s probably better, if you can afford it, to get something made but even if you don’t want to go to that high of a price level, find something vintage or second-hand. Spend a little money having it tailored and you’re going to have something that fits you better and you won’t have to go through this rigmarole of the renting process.

Midnight blue DB custom vintage 1930s tuxedo from a local consignment shop

SRS: Exactly! A great place to start is eBay. I think eBay.co.uk has cool vintage tuxedos but even in the US, you can sometimes find old Polo or old brands like Belvest or Loro Piana. It pays to know your measurements that are ideal for you so you can buy something that is very close to what you want. Especially, areas like the shoulder width where it’s harder and more costly to do alterations but in that case, I also suggest you check out the video on how a suit should fit because those same things apply to a tuxedo and once you know that and armed with that knowledge, you can then go out and shop and again, if you have more time, you can actually look for a longer period. You can probably get a better bargain and end up with something that ultimately can remain in your closet, doesn’t cost much more than a rental, and it’s still rather convenient.

Conclusion

PS: Yeah. In terms of searching for knowledge, once again, we will say that our Black Tie guide is a comprehensive resource on everything you would want to know for how a tuxedo should fit, how it should be styled, the different hallmarks you’ll be looking for, it’s really a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about tuxedos and black tie, in general.

Black Tie Guide

SRS: Yeah and hands-down the most comprehensive guide in the world and I’m not saying that bragging, it’s just what it is. No matter if you buy or rent your tuxedo, upgrading it with some high-end black-tie accessories will always make you stand out from the crowd. That means getting the right bowtie, the right neck size for you that you can untie just like this one or getting the right boutonniere, getting a pair of nice silk socks, a pocket square and everything else that you need including cufflinks and shirt studs, please head over to our shop here where we provide a really extensive selection of Black Tie tuxedo accessories.

What do you think of rental tuxedos? Let us know in the comments section!

In some ways, writing about British style is easy, since the United Kingdom is the place of origin for tailoring as we know it and so much has already been said about it. Paradoxically, this also makes it exceedingly difficult to encapsulate in a single article what British classic menswear is like. And, actually, if you Google “British Men’s Style” or something similar, it’s hard to find any sort of definitive guide to what it looks like. But I’m up for the challenge, and for this installment of our style around the world, we go back to the very roots to pin down what British men’s classic style looks like.

Sticking to the Rules

When you do the aforementioned search for “British Men’s Style” online, what you will find are various rules that have also been addressed in numerous articles from The Gentleman’s Gazette, These range from the basics of how many buttons to close on your jacket to how long a tie should be to how much shirt cuff to show, Such guidelines and rules, as well as the strict adherence to them, are typical of British style. This is part and parcel of the same cultural ethos responsible for British politeness and rules of etiquette as well as the continued existence of a class system. If “Manners maketh man” according to Sting’s “Englishman in New York,” we can say that manners also influenceth the rules of dress. So, whenever you see people objecting to some violation of style rules in an online comment section, note that you are witnessing the direct legacy of the British emphasis on correct dress. Ultimately, keeping to the style rules translates to a greater formality. If you need to remain correct and proper, you won’t leave the back blade of your necktie hanging lower than the front or leave your button-down collar unbuttoned; these examples of sprezzatura aren’t classic British style.

Greater Structure in Clothes

As discussed in our comparison of British and Italian suit styles, tailoring that originates in the UK traditionally has more structure. This means that shoulders on suit jackets tend to have padding that shapes them artificially as opposed to a natural shoulder. This sort of underlying structure even extends to the dress shirts you’d find for sale on Jermyn Street or Savile Row in London, which feature collars that are stiffer and more on the firm side rather than softly rolling. To paraphrase Spiderman, with greater structure comes greater formality (see above). Structuring is also reflected in skillful layering, often with a waistcoat, and you will be more likely to see a three-piece suit or an “odd” (unmatching) vest. This is “structured” because the wearer has to build the outfit and coordinate the patterns and colors across layers, for example a solid sport coat with a patterned vest and then a solid tie, all in complementary tones.

Attention to the Shirt Collar

When it comes to shirts, it’s really the collar that defines the garment, and British style admits a wide variety of shirt collars from the classic English spread to the contrast trim collar, which originated from the need to remove and replace dirty portions of the shirt in the days before super-efficient laundry machines and potent detergents. You may also be more likely to find vintage styles like the tab collar and the hardware that goes with it–collar pins and bars–being worn. Even the button-down collar (with buttons fastened, please) originated in the UK despite its incredible success among proponents of American Ivy style.

Dressing for the Weather

Of course, British weather is notorious for one thing: rain. And, while Scandinavian men may know how to dress for long winters, men in the UK are adept at looking good despite constantly wet weather. This means you’re likely to encounter more full-length umbrellas; waxed cotton Barbour jackets (even worn on top of suits); head gear, such as flat caps; and Wellie boots. I will not address the attractiveness of wearing Wellies with suits, but part of classic British style is its practicality, which can demand the sacrifice of style.

A Separation of City and Country Clothes

What one wears in wet weather can depend on location though, with umbrellas carried in urban settings and Wellies reserved for the country, with Barbour jackets straddling both domains. This speaks to the distinction between urban and rural dress that continues to be a prominent part of British classic style. As another example, in North American cities, you can wear brown almost anywhere; not so in London where a suit or sport coat combination containing any brown tones will make you look like a rube.

I experienced this realization firsthand on a recent trip during which I found myself in the vicinity of the Royal Exchange. As I grabbed lunch from a food truck while all the local employees were out doing the same, I noticed that while I wore a brown flannel sport coat and rust pants, everyone else in tailoring–men and women alike–were clad in navy or grey. I stuck out like a sore thumb and felt completely self conscious. Of course, I knew of the “no brown in town” rule beforehand, but I had also been reassured that it was dated not so! Brits who dress in a classic style still maintain the city/country divide reflected in their choice of clothes. Conversely, when I leave London and drive out to the country, navy clothes and black shoes would look alien. Although you’re more likely to see nylon windbreakers and hiking shoes when walking the Peak District, those wearing tailoring may be attired in tweed, often with a windowpane, houndstooth or plaid pattern, like the classic Prince of Wales or glen check. These will also feature tones of green, brown and tan that emulate the colors of nature. Each environment has its own distinct stylistic norms and the two traditionally do not intersect.

Embracing Color and Pattern

When we think about bright colors in menswear, we usually picture Neapolitan style with bright reds and audacious plaids worn by Southern Italians. However, it’s worth noting that Neapolitan style is actually very strongly grounded in British tradition, and gents in the UK freely embrace color and pattern more than one might imagine despite a reputation for conservatism. That’s why the founder of the quintessential Neapolitan tailoring firm Rubinacci, Gennaro Rubinacci, named his original location “London House”: as an homage to the roots of the style.

Indeed, British men will readily wear pink or lilac dress shirts to the office whereas these choices are somewhat rare in the US and Canada. Even in the most formal of occasions requiring morning wear, a bright blue cornflower or buff yellow waistcoat is common. In country clothes, you’ll find orange moleskin trousers worn with richly patterned odd vests, pink ties with repeated pheasants on them, tattersall shirts in two different grid colors, and tweed gun club jackets with three. All of these worn by older gents who are the epitome of upholding traditional British style. So, it’s high time we set aside stereotypes of stodginess.

A Greater Chance of Suspenders (or Braces)

Though belts are still the most popular means of holding up one’s pants in the United Kingdom like anywhere else in the Western world, braces–the British term for North American suspenders–are more likely to be worn there as part of a classic style. This could very well be because one of the earliest makers of suspenders, Albert Thurston, began there in the 1820s and is still operating today. Suspenders have a greater formality than belts and are more traditional, which makes them suitable for British classic style.

Loyalty to Heritage Brands

Speaking of tradition, given that tailoring originated in Great Britain, it’s not surprising that Brits are proud of the heritage brands that are still in operation today and wear their products whether a Burberry trench coat or shoes from Crockett & Jones or Edward Green. Indeed, many such brands have received Royal Warrants for supplying the Royal household with products for a number of years. These Warrants speak to the high quality of the craftsmanship available to the British gentleman who follows the advice of “buy less but buy better.”

Conclusion

In these days where the fusion of various international styles has reshaped classic menswear into a hybrid form, it difficult to separate out the influences of a particular national style. Given its status in the history of tailoring, British style has specifically permeated the classic menswear of numerous countries. With the information in this article, hopefully, you will be able to spot those elements that are quintessentially British.

When it comes to men’s toiletries, several questions often come up. Does it matter how much cologne I put on? How much lotion should I use? Is aftershave even necessary? Well, you’re not alone in asking these questions! Today’s guide will answer all of them, and provide more information on the what, why, and how of aftershave, lotion, and cologne.

What Do These Products Even Do?

Before we go over the process of how to layer these three essential grroming products, it’s key that we explain what each of them is for, and how it operates. As such, here’s a brief overview of each product type, beginning with aftershave.

Aftershave

When you shave, your enlarged pores are being exposed to bacteria. Aftershave helps clear out that bacteria from your pores. How? While most aftershaves usually contain a number of different ingredients, one of the main ones is called an astringent; this does the work of closing your open pores.

If you’re wary of the long list of ingredients found in some aftershaves, there are other options on the market, as well. One of these options is called witch hazel. Yes, that’s a bit of a creepy name, but I promise you, it’s got some great benefits. Witch hazel, unlike its alcohol-based aftershave counterparts, does not contain ingredients that are going to dry out or irritate the skin, but it still helps to tighten the skin and close the pores. If you’ve ever experienced razor bumps after shaving, using witch hazel can help to alleviate some of that skin irritation. 

Lotion

By definition, lotion is a thick, liquid preparation designed to be used for medicinal or cosmetic purposes related to the skin. One of the most popular ingredients you’ll find in many different lotions is called shea butter–it’s a great moisturizing agent. When should you use lotion? If you grew up in a household like mine, you were probably almost told to bathe in lotion!

In fact, it’s best to use lotion right after you’re finished bathing, and it’s also nice to reapply it to rough areas throughout the day when needed (like your hands, elbows, knees, or heels). Having to only apply a light layer of lotion is actually the goal; just reapply to rough areas as necessary. Please be aware that when using a facial lotion, for example, you can overuse it, and this can cause clogged pores.

Cologne

Cologne can sometimes be referred to as toilet water or eau de toilette; however, don’t let that phrase scare you away from finding a great-smelling fragrance. Liquid-based cologne is a very popular option that you’ll see in a lot of different stores. However, liquid is not the only form in which you can actually buy cologne. A solid, wax-based cologne is also a very strong option to use. Solid cologne is quite portable, and some may argue that its added benefits of moisturization and longevity make it a wiser option.

If you are choosing to use a liquid cologne, remember that when spraying, less is more! You don’t want to be considered “that guy,” who always has to bathe in a bottle and a half of cologne every time he leaves the house. Use only a small amount of cologne once you’ve bathed. Also, do your best to avoid spraying onto your clothing, as the fragrance will not last throughout the day (and may actually just linger in the fabric). It’s best to spray cologne on heated areas of the body, also called pulse points, including the neck and the chest. Can cologne expire? Well, the answer is actually no, but the scent may change over time. To avoid having a cologne scent shift too quickly, it’s best to keep your bottle of cologne away from direct sunlight and at a consistent temperature, and your bottle cap securely fastened.

There are also differences between cologne and perfume. Growing up, I always viewed perfume and cologne differently; I thought that perfume was for women, and cologne was for men. I don’t know where I came to these conclusions, but I have since learned the reality. In fact, it comes down to the amount of fragrant oils each substance contains. Whereas perfume can contain anywhere from 20-30% oil, cologne is further down the list at around 3% oil concentration.

How Should You Layer Them?

While in the shower, use a facial cleanser. After showering, shave your face, then apply your aftershave, a toner, and then your moisturizer or facial lotion (ideally containing an SPF). Aftershave is your friend but, if you have sensitive skin, try witch hazel instead. Next, apply a body lotion, and then apply your cologne to your pulse points. Remember: with fragrance, less is more! If you’re aiming for a longer-lasting and stronger scent, purchase a fragrance with a higher oil concentration.

Try out this layering plan, and let us know how you like it in the comments below! Or, if you’ve got a system you like, share it with us!

The flannel shirt, just like denim jeans, is something that’s worn by all different kinds of people going for all different kinds of aesthetics. And while there are different ways to wear a flannel, we’re going to discuss how to incorporate them into the classic men’s style pantheon.

True, flannels can be worn as part of a grunge aesthetic, a goth aesthetic, a hipster aesthetic, and so on, but that’s outside of the scope of what we cover here at the Gentleman’s Gazette. If you’d like to know how best to wear a flannel in those circumstances, you might want to look elsewhere–but for a classic menswear take, we’ve got you covered.

What Is Flannel?

Before we get into any specific looks, we need to cover exactly what a flannel shirt is. When you hear the term flannel shirt, it probably conjures images of a button-up shirt in a plaid or tartan pattern, with features like a button-down collar, button cuffs, and maybe some pockets. And while a pattern, particularly a check pattern like tartan, can be an important component of many flannels, the only thing that really qualifies a shirt as a flannel is the fabric it’s made from. So what is flannel?

Lightweight Worsted Flannel From Combed Yarn

Originally, the term flannel exclusively applied to a fabric that was made from carded wool; carded fabrics are brushed and retain both long and short fibers, giving them a softer feel. This is in contrast to combed fabrics, which are tightly woven together and discard the short staple fibers. They’re going to be smoother and more formal, overall, and worsted wool would be an example of this type of fabric.

These days, flannel shirts can be made from many other fabrics aside from wool, such as cotton or even synthetics, but they’re often still carded to retain that soft & cozy texture that flannel shirts are famous for. And flannel shirts today can come in various weights and degrees of fineness, so you’ve got a multitude of options when incorporating them into your outfits. While any shirt that’s made from flannel can necessarily be referred to as such, there are still many people who would consider the tartan pattern to be an almost mandatory component. 

How Do You Find a Classic Flannel Shirt?

With that understanding out of the way, let’s say that you’re in the market to buy some flannel shirts to incorporate into your classic menswear wardrobe, what should you be looking for? Firstly, we’d recommend that you find shirts made from actual flannel, either in wool or in cotton. We’d stay away from synthetic fibers, as they aren’t going to give you the same texture and feel, and they’ll often be in more contemporary designs that won’t match well with the aesthetic you’re going for.

A flannel shirt from LL Bean in a fine houndstooth pattern

Secondly, try to find flannels that are built and structured more like traditional dress shirts. In other words, one of the biggest things you’re going to be looking for here is length. If you’re observing advertisements for flannels that are worn untucked by all the models, chances are they’re probably going to be too short to be tucked in anyway, and this isn’t exactly the look that you’re going for. They should have enough length that you can tuck them in comfortably; they’ll look more put together that way. It’s also important to choose your pattern carefully.

You should probably be going for medium- to small-scale check patterns or tartans, in particular. These patterns will tone down the boldness of the shirt itself, and therefore make it more versatile. You should probably avoid striped patterns or patchwork checks, because these are going to be louder and less multipurpose. You could opt for a solid flannel to be maximally versatile in pairing with different garments. And just as you should be choosing your patterns carefully, so too should you give a careful eye to color.

A flannel shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt in burgundy with a midsize checked pattern

Often, patterns that feature three or more colors are actually going to be less bold than patterns that only feature two colors, because these two-color patterns will often try to incorporate high contrast, something that is necessarily bolder. We’d suggest that you try to steer clear of high-contrast patterns and colors, such as black and white together; opposite colors on the color wheel, like green and purple in bold and bright shades; or something very dark, like navy blue against something very bright like yellow.

Essentially, analogous colors or muted and neutral hues are going to be your best choices here. Finally, avoid overly casual details like flapped pockets, snaps, or contrast stitching. This is just going to make your flannel look more like work-wear than something that can truly be incorporated into the classic men’s style cannon.

Stylish Ways to Wear a Flannel Shirt

Keep in mind that by and large, the nature of flannel shirts is a slightly more bold look. Using the techniques we outlined above, you can tamp down some of that boldness a bit, and thus make the flannels more versatile. Be aware, though, that you’re not going to wear flannels in very formal outfits, as there’s going to be a fundamental clash of formality there. Assuming you’d like to wear a flannel while avoiding looking like a lumberjack, hipster, or skater, here are our tips on how to do it.

Overall, our biggest suggestion is to try to dress your flannels up just a little bit. Don’t misunderstand here, since we did just mention the fundamental clash of formalities–if, for example, you were to try to wear a flannel with a business suit. Don’t do something like that, but keep the flannel more in the realm of the smart casual dress code in how you layer and pair it.

Sports Jacket & Knitwear

Speaking of layering, other garments that can be worn on top of a flannel shirt are things like a sports jacket in a more casual weave, pattern, or color, or knitwear like sweaters. You could also incorporate some accessories, perhaps a knit tie, but not anything too formal like a smooth silk tie, because that clash of formalities will again come into play.

Since the patterns of flannels are typically larger and a bit bolder than most other garments, you should keep your patterns to a minimum in the jackets or sweaters that you’re layering on top of them. Of course, if you’re wearing a solid-colored flannel shirt, you’ve got a bit more liberty in how you incorporate patterns.Overall, just make sure that things are working harmoniously, and if you’re wearing multiple patterns, that they’re incorporated at slightly different scales that look pleasing to the eye.

Pants

As far as pants are concerned, you’ve got a number of options here. You can pair flannels with anything from denim to corduroys to odd trousers. Bolder flannels would best be paired with denim, of course. More conservative ones would go best with slacks, and those in the middle could be worn with corduroys, khakis or chinos. Feel free to experiment with your different flannels to see what works best.

J. Press Chinos

Shoes

When it comes to footwear worn with flannels, you can lean a bit more to the casual side. Try something like a loafer, especially in suede. If you want to incorporate a bit more texture, you could also wear flannels with different kinds of boots, such as the chukka boot, chelsea boot or various styles of leather boots.

Suede Loafer

Conclusion

In essence, while we recommend that you look for flannels that incorporate a bit more of a conservative, dress-shirt like styling, you still shouldn’t treat a flannel exactly like a conventional dress shirt. Don’t pair it with a worsted wool business suit and a silk tie, as that clash of formalities will be too great. Your flannel shirt should be more on the conservative side, but if you pair it more with garments that go well in the smart casual dress code, that will be your best bet. Essentially here, you should let the flannel shine for what it is: a great smart-casual garment that’s worn especially well in fall, but also in other seasons as well.

Do you know any other classic ways to wear flannels? Share them with us in the comments section!

Dressing appropriately for your age – what exactly does that mean? In this guide, we’re going to explore how to dress appropriately for your age–and more importantly, for how you want to be perceived.

We’ve all seen men middle aged men dressed like teenagers, and the attention they are likely to receive isn’t positive. Dressing your age, as a concept, has always been around, and it assumes that there is a “right” way to dress at every age. But is that really true anymore?

Dressing Your Age: Does it Really Matter?

The challenge of pinpointing how you should dress at a certain age is manifold: the world has gotten more and more casual, there are more than a few clothing options on the market, clothes have become more affordable, and people in the same age group might have nothing more in common than the number of years they’ve been alive.

Dressing your age is fundamentally a matter of perception. It is not about you, but rather about how other people see you. Other people will perceive you in a certain light based on what they think your age is and how you dress. The question is, do you care? Is it important to you to be perceived in a certain way?

For most men, that answer to that question is yes. In business, for example, wearing a Rolex watch can signify your success, and may make future clients more comfortable doing business with you – even if you don’t like Rolex. If you work in an office, a dress code might require you dress a certain way to fit in, be taken seriously, and get ahead. As you’ve probably heard us say before, there are many benefits to dressing up in an age when most people dress down. The key to dressing your age is to balance how you want to be perceived with your age and maturity.

Dress Your Age, But Only if it Suits You

Some men, especially our readers, are stylish gentlemen that offering suggestions on how to dress your age is like giving style advice to Massimiliano Mocchia Di Coggiola. These men have the unique ability to dress in a style all their own, regardless of their age and regardless of how other perceive them. They’ve decided what they like and they want to only wear that! That doesn’t work for everyone. For the rest of us, here is some food for thought regarding dressing your age.

Start by Asking Yourself These Questions:

How do I want people to perceive me?

As older, younger, my age, successful, arty, etc? Make this your primary consideration when choosing what to wear.

Do I want to stand out, or fit in?

Decide what your goals are for your style; is it to be the best dressed guy in the room? Is it to look confident in the office? Is it to look like you fit into your environment?

What do I want from my wardrobe?

 Is it to be up to date and trendy? Is it to have a wardrobe that stands the test of time?

How do I want to feel when I get dressed?

Is it youthful, mature, dapper, or confident? Do I want to be taken more seriously?

Young Men Under 25

If you’re past the age where your mom picks out your clothes, you finally have the chance to shape your own style and wardrobe. You can get away with pretty much any look at this age, but if perception matters to you, now is the best time to start building a wardrobe that works for you, rather than against you. You may not see the point of dressing up, but if being taken seriously is important to you at this age, consider doing it more.

At this age, you can take advantage of your youthful appearance to experiment. On the other hand, you want to be taken seriously as a newly-minted adult. Unless you’re going to a job interview, a wedding or a funeral, you don’t need to throw on a jacket and tie. Instead, here are some tips to successfully mixing youth with maturity-boosting style.

• Experiment! At this stage in your life, you can take bigger risks while looking for a style that really resonates with you.
• Start having your clothes altered. Your body shape will likely change in the future, but now if the time to start learning about fit. Almost any garment can be improved with alterations. To learn more, check out our alterations guide here.
• Start learning to put your own style preferences first. Regardless of the look you like, now you are an adult you should learn to dress for your own purposes rather than for other people’s, including your family and friends. Unless you’re not adhering to basic rules of decency and etiquette, don’t let mean-spirited comments about your style change what you wear.
• Keep your pants well-fitting, modern, and simple. Chinos, dark wash denim, and cords will make you look mature but still youthful. Avoid fit extremes such as super-tight pants and excessively baggy tops, which will make you look insecure. Experiment and learn what cuts, colors, and fits flatter you the best.
• Button down shirts are your friend. Particularly in checks, plaids, and stripes, which are youthful patterns that will help balance out the more mature silhouette of a button down. Tuck it in for a more mature look or leave it untucked.
• Skip the rips, tears, paint splatters and acid washes. If you like those kind of details, our style probably isn’t for you, and they will make you look younger than you are.
• Buy your first watch. Nowadays, watches are fun accessories rather than necessities, but they will make a youthful appearance look more mature in an instant. Check out Timex, Fossil or Nixon, but make sure to keep the case size proportional to your wrist. We recommend 42mm and under, and smaller if you have thin wrists. If you want to wear something more youthful, consider a chronograph or sports watch, even if you’ll never use it.

Early- to Mid-Twenties

At this age, you’re likely to start experiencing a need for more professional clothing. Being young is no longer an excuse to be underdressed, and at this age it will start to be held against you. You’re either in college or getting that first big job; now it’s time to dress for the career you want.

There’s no excuse for not owning a suit anymore. You’ll need one at some point, even if you work in a casual environment like a workshop or design studio. You’ll also need a blazer. Aside from that, the recommendations above for teenagers will work well too. Slowly begin to transition into a more mature style if you can, but it doesn’t mean having to dress like your dad. Here are some tips:

• Buy your first suit. If you don’t already have one, that is. Get your first suit if you don’t already have it. Forget black. The adage that every man needs a black suit is a myth. Instead, opt for navy or charcoal. Patterns are easily remembered, so unless you’ve already built up a collection, skip them for now. If it is your first suit, consider a single-breasted suit with a notch lapel. If it’s your second or third, add a touch of sophistication and class with a double-breasted suit and a peak lapel.
• Get a blazer, too. You might not be comfortable wearing a suit on a regularly basis, but a blazer is much more versatile and relaxed. A good blazer will leave you prepared for pretty much every dress code you come across.
• Lose the Velcro wallet. You may not have big budget at this age, but you should upgrade to a leather wallet. It’s a small part of your overall look, but a youthful wallet can sink your other attempts to appear more mature. A quality wallet, though a big investment, should last you for the next decade.
• Reserve your Nikes for the gym. When it comes to shoes, athletic shoes will absolutely make you look younger. Even if you still like to wear sneakers on the weekend, separate your gym shoes from your casual shoes. Upgrade your non-gym casual shoes to look at least a bit more formal than trainers, such as boat shoes or clean, simple leather sneakers.
• Upgrade to classic hats. Sure, a baseball cap has it’s uses, but start thinking of hats as a way to accentuate your style rather than hide your bedhead. Try a flat cap. It adds a touch of maturity to your outfit, and your teachers won’t get mad at you if they catch you wearing it in the hall. Reserve the ball cap for the most casual and athletic pursuits. Wear it front facing with the bill curved, and the stickers and tags left where they belong: in the trash.
• Buy a messenger bag, and throw out your college backpack. A backpack will immediately make you look youthful, so it’s time to give it to your little brother and upgrade to a messenger bag. Even if it’s made from same material as your backpack, it’s a step up in maturity.
• Start building a dress shoe collection. Be sure to read our article on the top three pairs you need. For casual shoes, there are also many options, so start looking for ones you like.

Mid-Twenties to Late Thirties

At this age, you’re likely settling down. You have real bills to pay and mature relationships in your life. You’re working hard on your life goals, and you’re getting some traction. You’re maturing, and it may be tough, but you like it because your dad thinks of you as an equal, rather than lecturing you for having your shirt untucked. Even though you may have established your style by now, it’s still important keep evolving and considering how your style should serve your goals.

• Reevaluate your entire closet. At this age, you probably have some things in your closet that have been there since your teens or early 20’s. Before starting, revisit the questions above, and then start editing. Note where you have gaps and garments that are just ok, and mark them for replacement. Throw away or donate clothes that no longer fit.
• Start ordering custom shirts. By now, you’re probably tired of the shortcomings of OTR dress shirts. They just…aren’t quite right. Get yourself measured and start experimenting with custom dress shirts. Once you land on a great fit, you’ll probably never buy another shirt at the store again.
• Add pops of bold colors to show you’re still young. A salmon v-neck in the summer or Go-To-Hell pants on the golf course will show you’re not settling for just the basics.
• Kid-proof your wardrobe with our guide on clothing tips for dads.
• Buy some classic sunglasses. You are now past the age when you can wear a latest sunglass fad, so it’s time to look for some sunglasses that won’t be out of style in 2 years. Consider Persols, Aviators, Clubmasters, or classic round frames. And please, only wear athletic sunglasses when exercising – it’s weird seeing a grown man wear Oakleys at brunch.
• Bring your shoe collection to the next level. Once you’ve got the necessary three dress shoes, add more unique pairs in dyed leathers or with broguing for a more rakish look.
• Start investing in higher quality clothes. At this age, you’re probably feeling a bit more financially secure, so now is the time to start investing in higher quality peices in your wardrobe. We highly recommend buying quality outerwear, which can be enjoyed for decades if classicly styled and well cared for. Consider a Chesterfield, a Harrington jacket, a Burberry trench coat, a Covert coat, or a paletot coat.
• Up your neckwear game. Consider some bow ties and neck ties when dressing in casual attire. Both work well with v-neck sweaters and cardigans.
• Challenge yourself to make new combinations. As you begin to get older, it’s easy to put on what you know what works. From time to time, make the effort to put together a new combination of elements to keep the skill alive.

Forty to Sixty

You’re still young, but you’re a mature adult. You’re working on your life goals, and you’ve known for a long time what works for your body and what doesn’t. You’ve got some favorites in your closet as you’ve invested in classics over the last few decades. Dressing at this age can be on auto-pilot, but times have changed and so should your look. Ageism in the workplace is real, with 21% of those over the age of 40 reporting falling victim to it, even though the median age of the US workforce is 42.2. Even though it should be incumbent upon the workplace to combat age discrimination, keeping your look fresh is one way you can affect how people perceive you.

For more insights into dressing over 40, be sure to check out our in-depth interview with David Evans from the Grey Fox.

• Slim down the fit of most of your garments. While we don’t advocate chasing trends at any age, taking into account some of the macro level trends of the day will help you keep your look youthful. At the moment, slim cuts are in, so wearing a slim – not tight! – cut on your jackets, pants, and sweaters will immediately update your look.
• Toss or alter garments that no longer fit you. In the 80’s and 90’s, workwear was much looser, and by today’s standards they look oversized. Tailor any puddling pants to have no break or a slight break; pleats may be your thing, but toss or donate any pants that are too generous around the seat and thighs. If the shoulder seams of your jackets hang over the edge of your shoulder, add those to the pile too.
• Update your glasses. Glasses have a unique power to make you look both mature and youthful, when done right. If you’ve been wearing the same frames for 5+ years, it’s time to update them. It’s no surprise
• Update your dress shirts. There is no need to go out and buy a new rack of dress shirts in bold florals, but if you are relying heavily on classic white and blue, updating your shirts to add some small patterns like checks will add freshness to your look.
• Avoid the “old guy” office uniform. If you work for a big company, there is probably a contingency of men between 40 and 65 that wear the company “uniform” everyday.
• Keep your denim recent. Denim is particularly unforgiving when it comes to looking dated, so try to update your denim regularly at this age. That means NOT buying the same brand, wash and cut every time you shop, nor does it mean you have to buy ripped, whiskered jeans with embroidered pockets. For a classic look, invest in dark wash denim that’s been properly hemmed (or pinrolled)
• Reevaluate your neckwear. Like with other aspects of your wardrobe, neckwear like ties and bow ties can age poorly. It’s time to consign or donate your 80’s and 90’s ties and add some stripes, neats, and bow ties in classic patterns and widths. While you’re at it, double check if you need a short or a tall tie; they weren’t widely available 20 years ago but sizing is great for solving the issue of the too-long or too-short tie.
• Freshen up your haircut. This could be a tough one; at this age, you probably know exactly what you like and what looks good on you. Even though you might not have changed your hair in a decade, we highly recommend giving it a go; it’s a crucial part of having a youthful aesthetic. If you wear a classic side part, for example, consider shortening the sides. If you’re not sure what to do, ask your stylist, or (eek!) find a new one to make suggestions.
• Use color carefully, but don’t avoid it. Chatreuse sports jackets should be a thing of the past for you, but color is still your friend. Employ classics like pastels in summer and jewel tones in the colder months. Use bold colors as an accent in accessories and you can’t go wrong.
• Don’t give in to the temptation to go the “comfort” shoe route if you don’t need to. We understand that feet have their own needs, but when it comes to footwear, dressier styles will make you look more polished and youthful than obviously youthful styles. So skip the Vans and look for loafers, mocs, chukkas, and pretty much any other boot. Boat shoes work well in the summer, but sneakers are best left for the gym.
• Find a style role model. Sometimes it’s hard to pin down what youthful but mature looks like…exactly. If you’re struggling to do it just from this list, find a guy out there who’s style you like, and find ways to model your style after theirs.
• Finally, try something new. Even though you’ve gone through all the steps above, it never hurts to try something new, especially at an age when you could probably change nothing and still be fine. The point is, practice using your change “muscle” by getting out there and trying something new. How about a leather jacket, a richly colored shoe, or a summer blazer?

Sixty and Older

At this age, you’re likely retired or looking forward to it…or maybe you never want to retire at all! You spend your days on the golf course, playing cards with friends, or traveling the world. Just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you need to trade in the oxfords for velcro shoes. You can still look your age and remain fashionable and comfortable at the same time, but the goal is to avoid falling into certain traps. Start by reviewing the age 40-60 category above – all those suggestions are still relevant for you. Here are a few extra tips once you’re a cadidate for Medicare:

• Don’t overcompensate – it’s obvious and unflattering. I doubt very much that people look at Donald Trump’s hair and wish they, too, looked like that. Overcompensating for you genetic luck usually ends it being even more painfully obvious that it was before! Much better to be a hip bald guy who owns it than an looking desperate and insecure. Embrace the hair you have, whatever color it may be!
• Care less about what other people think! Congrats, you’ve made it through the bulk of your career and now it’s time to reap the rewards. One of those rewards is the right to care less about what other people think. We still recommend dressing appropriately for major occasions such as weddings, funerals, board meetings, etc,
• Reevaluate your shoe needs. As you age, your feet and their needs will change. For some men, stiff goodyear welted shoes may no longer be comfortable. Instead, look at orthotics that can be placed inside the shoes, rather than buying orthotic shoes, or opt for shoes with less structure, such as loafers or Chukka boots.
• Edit your wardrobe every five years, and change it as your body changes. As we age, our bodies change, and wearing well-fitting clothing is always a good look.
• Keep your accessories simple and classic. A plain gold watch like a Cartier Tank will look sleek and sophisticated, especially paired with simple gold cuff links or a matching collar bar.
• Don’t be afraid of layering. If you find you get colder faster, layering is the best way to ensure you always remain comfortable. Keep your layers slim fitting and the look will still be fresh.
• Keep investing. Even though you may think you have a complete wardrobe, it’s important to keep refreshing your collection as things wear out, go out of style, or no longer have a use for you. Don’t forget to add new and different garments as well!

Conclusion

There are many ways to look younger or older depending on what you’re trying to achieve. For most of us, the goal isn’t that, but more so to just look our age. What tips do you have for dressing your age? Be sure to send us a picture in your favorite outfit.

As humans, more often than not, we want to present ourselves well and be good at what we do. However, it is an inevitable fact that we will be criticized. Dealing with things we’re not doing right is no easy feat. So today, my wife Teresa joins me to talk about things I’m terrible at, and to share how gentlemen can better handle constructive criticism.

Video Transcript

Sven Raphael Schneider:  Welcome back to the Gentleman’s Gazette! In today’s video, we discuss…

Teresa Schneider: Hey! I thought this was my video!

SRS: In case you don’t know, this is my lovely wife, Teresa, and she’s right! This is her video.

TS: And today, I’m going to have some fun and share with you 11 things that Raphael is terrible at.

SRS: Really? Okay! Chances are you’ve never seen Teresa before unless you’ve watched our table manners video. Teresa and I are 50/50 business partners, not just in life but also in the Gentleman’s Gazette. Initially, when we started YouTube, she was actually behind the camera and I was in front of the camera. These days things have changed a bit, but if you look at our early videos, that was her work.

Raphael & Teresa

TS: So we all know that it’s easy to present ourselves as perfect online so…

SRS: What are you talking about?

TS: Yeah. So I thought who is better qualified to share what Raphael is terrible at than me, his wife?

SRS: My mom?!

TS: [Laughs] Your mom’s not here, so today, I’m going to share those 11 things with you.

1. Speaking Quietly

TS: To begin, Raphael is terrible at speaking quietly.

SRS: [Loudly] What do you mean?

TS: We have this concept of indoor voice and outdoor voice and Raphael always uses his outdoor voice.

SRS: Except when we’re filming, because Preston is louder than I am.

Just because you’re speaking loudly, doesn’t mean you’re correct (or worth hearing)

TS: That’s true! Preston is louder there, so we’ll get to Preston’s flaws in another video.

SRS: Yeah!

TS: So for example, if I come home and I can hear shouting from across the house, I’m pretty sure Raphael’s talking on the phone with his family.

SRS: Yeah, I’m also half Brazilian so they talk loudly, too, and my sister once proclaimed that we’re just a loud family.

TS: She’s right!

2. Not Interrupting Others

TS: The next thing that Raphael is terrible at is not interrupting. I think you’re probably not surprised that I’m saying that here, and you will be dutiful in not interrupting for the rest of this video, but it is very much a family trait. His whole family talks loudly, they talk over each other and if you want to get a word in edgewise, interrupting is your only way to go.

SRS: Yeah, Teresa definitely hates it when I interrupt her, but it is hard. I think gentlemen shouldn’t do that, and we’ve covered it many times, but it’s definitely something that doesn’t come naturally to me.

TS: Yeah, I know you do your best. I just tell him, “I didn’t want to finish that sentence anyway,” and then he knows he has interrupted.

SRS: Yeah, or sometimes she kind of pokes me in the thigh or in my chin…

TS: No, no. Your shin–I’m apparently more flexible than I thought. I’m gonna kick you in the chin!

SRS: But yeah, when she does it, I know what she means by it. She basically brings out the best in me.

Raphael is occasionally guilty of interrupting others

TS: As an example of how Raphael struggles not to interrupt people: just last night, we’re out with our whole team, with Preston, with Chris (our videographer), and Chris is telling us about his weekend plans, and Raphael interrupts to tell us how bad his cocktail was from earlier in the evening.

SRS: I mean, it was really bad. I wanted a Manhattan and I got a bourbon with vermouth. For some reason, I was thinking about it during the conversation, and I just chimed in interrupting everything and you guys were just looking at each other like, “What is he talking about?”

TS: In addition to the interruption, yes!

SRS: So overall, definitely one of my skills is to change topics without other people knowing about it.

3. Waiting in Line

TS: The third thing that Raphael is terrible at is waiting in line. In general, Raphael is not a very patient person when he feels like his time can be spent better elsewhere–which is pretty much everywhere you have to wait in line. So waiting in line at the grocery store, he rolls his eyes, he gets antsy, he says, “Oh this is stupid! they should open more checkout lanes.” It’s a full-body annoyance.

SRS: I mean, I guess it helps if you check out things. I definitely look at the other checkout lanes to figure out if it may be faster there.

TS: Yes, that is one thing, that is a skill that has come out of this thing that you’re terrible at; you are masterful at picking the shortest line.

SRS: Yeah, I think also in Germany, when you go to a grocery store, it’s kind of national sport to be really quick. People don’t waste time, they don’t ask how you are. Here, there may be like 30 people behind you and they’re taking all the sweet time in the world.

TS: They’re asking about your day.

SRS: Exactly, and then, “Oh wait a second, would you like a different food? Let me go get it for you.” And then five minutes later, 50 more people are behind them, all annoyed, and you’re still not checked out.

Not the most patient person, Raphael struggles with waiting in line

TS: And Raphael’s lying on the floor kicking his feet.

SRS: Exactly. I’d rather leave and go to Instacart instead or something.

TS: So a great example of Raphael’s inability to wait in line for something was when we were in Seattle, a few years ago, and we were going to go up in the Space Needle. We got tickets for later in the day and you couldn’t bear to wait.

SRS: Yeah. It was like they give you a ticket for a time three hours out, but we wanted to take photos and by the time we were going up there, the sun would have been down. So, I just talked to the guy and said, “Hey, you know, we came here all the way from Germany.”

TS: You may have laid the accent on a little thick.

SRS: Maybe! But at the same time, Teresa, she was so embarrassed.

TS: I was hiding!

SRS: She was so embarrassed that she was moving away like at least like 30 yards. The guy was pretty friendly, he was like, “Okay. I can let you guys in.” And then we all went up there, so I’m always trying to work the system, I don’t take no for an answer.

TS: No, that’s true and that benefits you in many ways. In fact, even though Raphael can’t wait in line, his persistent badgering actually enables some of these delightful flaws that you have and in this case, we were all rewarded when you managed to get us ahead in line.

4. Empathy

TS: The fourth thing Raphael is terrible at is empathy. Raphael is a very independent, self-determined person and it’s not exactly a skill of his to be able to put himself in other people’s shoes.

SRS: I think I’ve definitely gotten better at it.

TS:  That’s true.

SRS: And we do these personality tests…

Raphael & Teresa having an eyebrow grooming session

TS: Two percent is better than zero.

SRS: Well, according to the personality test, I think it’s a little higher! But I agree, Teresa is a very empathetic person who has very good social antennas, and while I’m trying to get better at it, she’s ways ahead of me.

TS: But I think that just plays to our natural strengths, right? That’s not what you’re good at, it’s what I’m good at so we work in our business together in a way that works out.

SRS: At the same time, I think you need to have like a minimum level because otherwise, you are just perceived as a d*ck who doesn’t care about others, and that’s just not what a gentleman should be about, right?

5. Managing People (as a CEO)

TS: Right! The fifth thing that Raphael is terrible at is actually very similar to the previous one, in that he is terrible at managing people–which is very interesting for the CEO of a company. We have 12 employees who work for us all over the world, and we have to manage them all in some way.

SRS: Yeah and I mean, we got to a certain point, but then I realized…

TS: That is true–we got almost exactly to where we are today with you managing people. But in general, you like to do your work and you like people to leave you alone so that you can get to all of the things that are on your plate as a CEO.

Despite the fact that the Gentleman’s Gazette team was solely international for years, Raphael isn’t the most hands-on manager

SRS: Exactly. It’s part of the growth. I realized that it’s a multi-step process, right? At first, I realized I can’t do it all myself so I need to hire other people. But ideally, I would just like to tell them what to do, not micromanage them, and just let this go. That also means I’m not going to give them a review or show them how their work is meaningful –which, down the line, is just not really helpful. Now, you were a lot better at that, and so we just figured, let’s transfer all of that your way.

TS: I like it a lot better and as you can tell, I clearly wrote the script so that Raphael can tell me all the things that I’m good at! [Laughs]

6. Stating the Positive (Not Just the Negative)

TS: The sixth thing that Raphael is terrible at is saying the positive, as well as the negative. He comes from Germany, where they do tend to be a bit more direct about the negative things in life–but sometimes, that’s hard when you’re not also getting the positives as well as the negatives.

SRS: Yeah, in Germany, usually you don’t get the compliment right away. Sometimes when we call my parents, they are like, “Oh, what happened to you? You look sick, did you gain a little weight?” And Teresa’s just there like, “What are you talking about?” But they do not mean it in a bad way. They just notice it and just share it.

Focusing solely on the negative will not make others happy

TS: Right. Raphael is fiercely independent, and that means he doesn’t really need the encouragement and praise of other people, so it’s really not in your nature to offer it. The flip-side is, a lot of people come to you for a truly un-sugar-coated opinion.

SRS: Yeah, I think I’m not someone who just gives out praise very easily unless I truly think it’s warranted. So for some people that means they feel like I’m pointing out more negatives, and I’m less touchy-feely, I’m more matter-of-fact, but they value this opinion. When all the other people say, “Oh that’s amazing, it’s great.” I’m more like, “How is that going to make money?”

TS: Exactly. Very matter of fact.

7. Keeping His Opinions to Himself

TS: The seventh thing that Raphael is terrible at is keeping his opinions to himself. If Raphael has an opinion, he’s going to share it whether you want to hear it or not.

SRS: Yeah, I’m a talker, I guess. I definitely feel that I’m constraining myself sometimes–I know it may not seem like it to you! I definitely have opinions, I’m not afraid of conflict or sharing them. I would say, in general, I am very talkative, so yeah, I’ll let you know what I think.

TS: To the extent that I’m happy to actually hide behind you in certain conflicted situations because you handle it so well. A great example of this: we were once at a hat store, and the salesman at this haberdashery was showing you a hat from Dobbs. He claimed that this was one of the best hats in the world.

SRS: No. He said, “The best hat in the world.”

Sven Raphael Schneider in a fedora, vintage brown Caraceni suit, vest, winchester shirt, collar bar and spectators

TS: To which you promptly replied…

SRS: “No, they are absolutely not the best hats in the world.”

TS: And the horrified look on this man’s face, I will never forget! This is a perfect example of where the polite thing would have been not to say anything, but Raphael is definitely going to tell you what he thinks.

SRS: Exactly, and I could have backed it up. He was just trying to make a bold statement, not expecting me to know about different felt qualities. But yeah, in those cases, I definitely share my opinion.

TS: Right. The lesson here is, generally, not to challenge you on your menswear knowledge.

8. Caring About What Other People Think

TS: The eighth thing that Raphael is terrible at is caring about what other people think.

SRS: Wait a minute, isn’t it a good thing?

TS: It can be a good thing, it can be a bad thing. I think for YouTube, it’s a great thing because it means you’re just Teflon when it comes to all the different comments that come along. But for example, once when we were dating, he asked me if he should tuck his shirt in, I told him he shouldn’t tuck his shirt in…

Raphael’s not a fan of untucked dress shirts (no matter what others say!)

SRS: And I promptly tucked it in.

TS: Exactly.

SRS: Probably at the time, it just felt it was better. I mean, it was stupid of me to ask you for the opinion when I had my agenda anyway, and I think I’ve gotten better over time. But yeah, if you ask someone to do something, they give you an answer, and you disregard it, I mean, there’s not many ways you can make that other person feel more superfluous, right?

9. Leaving Enough Time to Get Dressed

TS: The ninth thing that Raphael is terrible at is leaving enough time to get dressed. Now…

SRS: Wait…

TS: Yes, yes, yes! Now, I like to be on time for things, but Raphael doesn’t care so much about that. You would think that a man who loves fashion as much as he does would enjoy a long, leisurely process of getting dressed, but I would say a good 95% of the time, it is just not true.

SRS: Yeah. I guess, we’re both late sometimes. I agree with you, I’m not someone who spends two hours getting dressed. I sometimes put outfits together very quickly.

TS: And that means that they’re from the top of the pile.

While he loves classic menswear, Raphael doesn’t often leave himself much time to get dressed!

SRS: That can happen. Absolutely. That being said, I always try to come up with unique combinations, I have all the ties right there…

TS: And that’s something you’re really good at even on short notice, but I just think it would surprise people to know that if you have five minutes, you’ll leave five minutes to get dressed.

SRS: Yeah and Teresa’s American, right? So sometimes, there’s a tendency of slightly over exaggerating.

TS: ‘Cause Germans are just the truth-tellers of the world. [Laughs]

10. Following Others’ Rules & Instructions

TS: The tenth thing that Raphael is terrible at is following rules or instructions created by somebody else. So it could be a recipe, it could be assembly instructions…I think that you believe that you can do things a little bit better [than what the instructions say].

While he enjoys the kitchen, Raphael doesn’t often follow others’ recipes to the letter

SRS: Well, I think you’re right when it comes to rules, I’m not a “rule follower.” I’ll try to game the system and figure out a way to do it differently that’s maybe within the rules, but not the way it was intended to be. On the other hand, I can put IKEA furniture together quickly, I can follow recipes and do it pretty well. I mean, it’s nothing like our friend, Michael, for example.

TS: I’m sure he’s going to enjoy the shoutout. Michael, you suck at putting together IKEA furniture! [Laughs]

11. Throwing Away Anything from His Wardrobe

TS: The eleventh and final thing that Raphael is terrible at is throwing anything away from his wardrobe.

SRS: I agree.

TS: As you could imagine, Raphael’s wardrobe is a precious, curated thing for him, and it is next to impossible for him to throw something away. And as Exhibit A, I have a more than 10-year-old shirt here from Siniscalchi which I know you love. But, you can see that this is falling apart on the collar, on the cuffs, it’s got stains, it’s just shredded–but yeah, it was still in your closet.

SRS: That being said, specifically with shirts, for example, Francesco Barberis Canonico, he wears these kinds of shirts with his suits and he has lots of money, he doesn’t need that. Now, I’m not quite that far when shirts are in that state, I don’t wear them with my suits or with my jackets, but I still keep them–and yeah, I agree. I’m not good at throwing anything away, and I only purge things every once in a while. Socks or underwear, even shirts…

Teresa sometimes gets fed up with how many old and fraying items Raphael keeps in his wardrobe

TS: By that, he means once every 10 years.

SRS: Well maybe a little more often, but if I throw this away, I’d actually save the buttons, because they’re nice mother-of-pearl buttons.

TS: And I knew that’s what you’re gonna tell me! “Don’t throw it away, I want to cut the buttons off.”

SRS: Exactly. Sometimes I know that the cotton on the body is so good, you can use it for shoe shining. In general, I’m not a wasteful person, so keeping things and trying to make the most out of them is definitely something [I do]. In our basement, we have these old pipes that were insulated with asbestos, and I actually used some of the old shirts to wrap everything so it wouldn’t blow up. So yeah, we repurpose those old shirts in some ways.

TS: Raphael is really good at finding the most obscure possible justification for keeping things in his wardrobe. So, in case you need to insulate your asbestos pipes, send us an email and we’ll send you some old shirts!

*Disclaimer: We will not actually send you a shirt*

Teresa & Raphael

Did you enjoy today’s video? How do you handle criticisms? We’d like to hear from you in the comments section!

Combining shirt collars and tie knots can be tricky, and could either enhance your look or make you appear sloppy! Today, we’ll discuss how to pair them together to best highlight your face.

The three popular tie knots that we’re going to be covering today will be the Full Windsor, the Half Windsor, and the Four-in-Hand knot. We’ll also be covering three popular shirt collars; the button-down collar, the spread collar, and the forward-point collar (also occasionally referred to as the “classic” collar).

Tie Knot and Shirt Collar Pairing Mistakes

A tie knot that is too small

• Pairing the slimmest tie knot with the widest collar possible. This looks quite sloppy because the small knot and wide collar are exposing the part of the tie that loops around the neck. Overall, the outside border of the tie knot should correspond with the inside border of your collar.
• Making tie knots too bulky. This looks a little bit more whimsical and it’s tougher to take people seriously. Having a tie knot that’s aggressively pushing its way out from under the collar isn’t a good look.
• Choosing the wrong tie length. If you’re a very tall man and you’re not wearing the appropriate length of  tie, your tie might look too short for you. Also, if you happen to be a shorter gentleman and your tie is too long, this also looks incorrect. This problem can be mitigated by making sure that you’re using a tie knot that better utilizes the fabric of the tie itself–but keep in mind, this can also cause a situation where the tie knot is not properly harmonizing with the collar that you’re wearing. The best solution to fix this is to make sure that you’re buying the correct size tie for you.

This Full Windsor knot is balanced by the spread collar, but is perhaps still somewhat large

Tips for Pairing Tie Knots and Shirt Collars

Remember, the key with any tie knot and collar combination is to ensure that you’re not exposing the part of the tie that loops around your neck. Therefore. it’s important to understand the best size of the shirt collar.

Find Your Neck Size

If you don’t already own a measuring tape, you can find one at your local craft store, tailor shop, or even online. Step in front of the mirror, hold your measuring tape around your neck with one hand, and then with the other hand, hold it firmly against your neck. With your second hand, hold the measuring tape around your neck, and use your index fingers to keep a space between the tape and your neck.

A basic tape measure will be the only tool you need to find your neck size

Once you do this, the number you see on the tape is going to reflect the best size you should be purchasing for your shirt collars. If you feel like you’re not getting consistent measurements, ask a friend to help you out–or you could always stop into your local tailor shop and ask for assistance in discovering your correct size. Once you’ve discovered your correct size, you can start shopping for different shirt options.

Find The Right Shirt Collar for Your Face Shape

Always keep in mind that a lot of different collar options are available and some come in different heights.

Taller collar for a longer neck

If you’re someone who has a longer neck, it might be easier for you to wear a taller collar, and if you’re somebody with a shorter neck, it might be a bit easier for you to wear a shorter collar. When shopping for different shirt collars, one important component will be knowing your face shape. It is best to actually shop for a shirt collar which somewhat differs from your overall face shape.

So for example, if you’re somebody with round face shape, it might be beneficial for you to try wearing something more linear with your shirt collar, try wearing the forward point collar. If you have an oval-shaped face, it might be quite easy for you to find different options for you to consider for your shirt collars.

Shorter collar for a shorter neck

Depending on the width of your jawline, a bit of a square-shaped face, you might find the forward point or the button-down collar to be great options for you.

Tips on Tie Materials:

A few different popular materials for different ties that you might find in stores will be things like cashmere, silk, wool, and cotton. Whichever season you might find yourself in when shopping may impact the materials that are available. Also, the tie knot that you plan on wearing will also play a role in helping you decide which material you end up selecting.

For example, using silk allows for much more fluidity with different twists and turns, which occur when wearing a Full Windsor knot, for example. Whereas cotton and linen ties will look great when tied as a Four-in-Hand style.

Pairing Knots and Collars: Examples

Again, it’s important to pay attention to scale when you’re pairing tie knots and shirt collars together. Here are a few (poor) examples:

• Full Windsor knot with a button-down collar: Here, the knot itself will look quite stuffed between the two points of the collar. As such a smaller knot like a Four-in-Hand would be better.
• Four-in-Hand knot with a spread collar: This combination, meanwhile, will result in a lot of empty space on either side of the tie knot. Remember, the outer borders of the tie knot should meet with the inner borders of the collar. A Full or Half Windsor knot would be better. Also, remember to select a combination of which best supports your face shape, your collar, and your tie knot.

More Combinations For Different Occasions

The forward point will look great for an office job, or perhaps a conservative job interview. If you work in finance, maybe try wearing the spread collar or the semi-spread collar. For those church and graduation occasions, go ahead and try a button-down collar.

A Word About “Modern” Tie Knots

There are also other tie knots that some gentlemen like to wear which are seen as conversation starters; three of these happen to be the Eldredge knot, the Vidalia, and the Tulip knot. Being proponents of classic style, we wouldn’t explicitly recommend these tie knots outside of occasional playful settings.

The Eldredge knot, one of the more modern tie knots that won’t work well in many conservative settings

CONCLUSION

Just remember, whenever in doubt, always stick with the classic shirt collar options and tie knot options. For example, having a Four-in-Hand tie knot with a forward-point collar or a button-down collar.

Know your face shape and your neck size to help narrow down which options you should be paying attention to. Experiment with other shirt collars and tie knot options and see what you might enjoy.

What’s your favorite tie knot and shirt collar pairing? Let us know in the comments section!

Buyer’s remorse is a thing that happens to all of us. Today, I’ll share what I regret having spent money on.

As I shared before in my lessons from being broke, I didn’t have much money growing up, and that would continue into my 20s. Because of that, I learned to be really frugal, to look for deals, and to identify quality (especially on used goods) so I could get the best value for my money. However, I’ve still had my share of regrets about buying some things, and I’ll list 20 of them today.

What Are The Things I Wish I Hadn’t Bought?

1. Gillette Mach 3

The first item I regret buying is a cartridge razor system. It’s what my dad used, what he taught me how to shave with, and so I just continued using it. Once during an internship in Hungary in 2006, I bought a package of razors that turned out to be fake Mach 3s; they were quite expensive, and my face looked like a mess after I shaved with them.

Gillette Mach 3

Over the years, I probably spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on Gillette products. I got a mediocre shave–until I discovered the double edge razor and what a positive difference it could make.

2. Car Bike Rack

I really regret buying a bike rack for our car, as we probably used it three times and never thereafter (because we just bike locally). I sold it at a garage sale, at a big loss.

A bicycle rack for our car (similar to the one pictured) wasn’t worth it for us

3. Hawaiian Jacket

I bought a Polo jacket that had a light background and flowery big paisleys in 2006 at Macy’s. Since retail practices in Germany were different than those in the US, I wasn’t accustomed to retailers having stuff 80 or 90% off, so I was tempted by big sales. I think the jacket was marked down 90 or 95%, and I just bought it for $40 or so–but I wore it a whopping zero times.

Hawaiian Jacket

In other words, the cost-per-wear was indefinitely high. Eventually, my wife made me throw it away, and I just cut off the mother-of-pearl buttons, which I still have to this day.

4. Bosch Microwave

In 2012, my wife and I bought a condo. We had the kitchen remodeled, we got a nice Bosch oven, and then got a matching Bosch microwave. Whether or not they were actually the manufacturer (as opposed to the label being licensed), we paid $800 for that thing, and it broke down and was complete garbage two days after the warranty expired. From that day on, I swore never to buy a Bosch microwave ever again.

Bosch Microwave

5. White Suit with Mao Collar

In 2002, for my high school graduation, I wanted to be different, so I found a cool suit on eBay. It was all white, and had four or five front closing buttons and a Mao collar. I bought it for around $100, and I wore it in combination with a black belt, black shoes, and a white shirt with a wing collar. Check out the picture here, it looked horrible! The pants were puddling, too. But hey, that’s how I got interested in menswear and it just got better thereafter. Looking back, it was a pretty pathetic look, but I stood out from the crowd!

Raphael’s White suit

6. Cashmere Socks

The first time I touched a pair of cashmere socks, I thought “Wow. This is amazing.” They were super soft, and cost over $100. Eventually, I realized because they were so smooth, they were also more prone to slip down my calves, and so they would always hang around my ankles. When I wore them with boots, they would go all the way into the boot, and so it was just a pain. Moreover, they got holes very easily, and so I just had to throw them away after around 6 months.

Purple cashmere socks

Don’t get me wrong! I like cashmere for sweaters, for scarves, and so on. For socks, though, I have never found a combination with blends that has the same characteristics of cotton or wool. Also, I found cashmere was just not as absorbent. When it was worn, it was just a weird sock.

7. One-Size-Fits-All Socks

Before I could afford cashmere socks, I had these one-size-fits-all socks from Polo Ralph Lauren because I liked their patterns, but they had nylon and polyester and Spandex, and were sometimes quite tight around my calves. So at the end of the day, I would take them off and I would have strong marks on my skin; it sometimes hurt because it just didn’t fit my foot right. I really regret buying them, but without them, I may not have come to appreciate over-the-calf socks as quickly as I did. Perhaps because of this, we only sell over-the-calf socks in our Fort Belvedere shop today.

One size fits it all socks vs OTC socks

8. Steadicam Equipment

When you film outside, for example, it’s very easy to end up with shaky video footage, and no one likes that. So back in the day, you could buy what was called a “Steadicam,” which had weights that helped you balance so you had a smoother picture. It took a bit of practice to use and was quite heavy. I think I bought three different Steadicams, and we used exactly zero of them for any video shoot. So, it was all a complete waste of money! Fortunately, the market advanced, and now you can find gimbals that are three-way or four-way stabilized with engines, and it’s a lot easier to film.

Steadicam

9. Green Duffle Coat

I thought it might be kind of cool to have a different color of duffel coat that was bolder. I didn’t have a duffle coat with a hood, so I thought “Yeah! Why not get one?” But so far, I’ve worn it zero times. Maybe this winter, who knows? Well, I doubt it!

Green Duffle coat

10. My College Education

I went to law school in Germany and the US. Overall, it cost a lot of money, and I never worked in law for a single day in my life–because in my opinion, it sucks and I hate it. That being said, I met my wife during a law school exchange program in 2006, so without having gone to a law school, I would not have met her! So I’m glad I went there but without that, law school was a big fail for me.

Eton College in Windsor, where Beau Brummell first displayed his sartorial innovations.

11. Rimowa Suitcases

Rimowa is a luxury suitcase brand that’s particularly popular in the US and in China. I traveled between Germany and the US quite often between 2006 and 2009, so I thought I’d give the brand a try. Sure enough, after the first trip, the suitcase I bought was broken. It was a polycarbonate suitcase because I wanted it to be lightweight so I could bring a lot back and forth.

Rimowa suitcases gave me two poor experiences

I returned it to Rimowa, who said that they were having some issues in production. They gave me a new case, but the same thing happened again, this time after the second trip. From that point on, I said to myself, “Rimowa no more!” So what did I do? I gave Samsonite a try and sure enough, they’ve been good companions ever since. (This post isn’t sponsored; this was honestly just my experience.)

12. Crew-Neck Sweaters

Especially in high school, crew-neck sweaters were pretty much all I knew in terms of knitwear. The problem with them is that they’re usually so tight that if you wear a shirt or tie under them, it just covers up everything and it’s completely pointless. For that reason, I much prefer v-neck sweaters.

Crewneck sweater

13. Short-Sleeved Dress Shirts

When I was a teenager, I thought it was cool to have dress shirts with short sleeves, but ultimately they’re a bad investment. You can’t wear them with a tie, and they have the more formal button-front placket, so you’ll be better off with a polo shirt or a long-sleeve dress shirt where you can roll up your sleeves in case it gets hot.

Short sleeve dress shirts are a huge fashion faux pas

14. All-Inclusive China Trip

In 2015, my wife, Teresa, joined the Gentleman’s Gazette full time; to celebrate we decided to take a round-the-world trip in 105 days. When we were in Europe, I thought it would be cool to go to China, so we booked a two-week all-inclusive trip. We had two options: one was the regular one, and one was the deluxe one. Of course, the deluxe cost twice as much, so we thought it wasn’t really necessary.

Now, when we took the China trip, it was memorable in many ways–including the fact that a granny tried to climb over me in the airplane. Apart from that, the hotels the travel company chose were really bad; they were outside of the city center, oftentimes, they were ‘No Smoking’ hotels but you could find burn spots all over the place…but hey, they had jeans flavored condoms in their hotel room, isn’t that great? (Not!)

Kempinski, China

During the trip we took an overnight train, and they put us in compartments with a bunch of different people that we didn’t know, which was interesting, but even better were the toilets. Oftentimes in China, they just have a traditional hole in the ground or floor, and so on the train when things move left and right, people’s aim is not the best. So where does it end up? Well, all over the floor–it was just a terrible experience! Looking back, I wish I’d shelled out the money for the deluxe tour. Of course, I don’t know if it would have actually been better, but I’m a firm believer that the grass is always greener on the other side.

15. Bold Accessories

I remember once buying a pocket square with a vivid blue-and-orange hand-rolled edge. At the time I thought it was cool, because I was in New York and I had bought a New York Knicks jacket which was orange and blue. Even so, I ended up never wearing the pocket square again, so it was just a waste of money. Anything that’s really strong and bold is something I just haven’t ended up wearing very much down the line. Why? Well, it’s not really versatile and it just makes you stand out from the crowd in a weird way.

Tartan pocket square – too bold or just right?

16. Online Courses

I once spent money on an online course about Adwords and to this day, neither I nor any of my employees have actually taken it. It was just a complete waste of money. If I talk to other people who either buy online courses or who sell them, they tell me a surprisingly small number of people actually take the course in full–and maybe just even a quarter of the people even start the course.

In my opinion, Online courses are a waste of time

Often, when you buy an online course, you are excited, but then real life kicks in and you just don’t finish. Why is that? I think it has to do with the lack of coaching. No, I’m not going to sell you any coaching here, but if you look at pro athletes, they all have coaches. It’s not because they wouldn’t know what to do themselves, but because everyone benefits from someone who will hold you accountable. I’m in my 30s, and I’m just now realizing the true value of mentorship and coaching.

17. Ill-Fitting Gloves

I remember my very first pair of peccary gloves was from a German brand called Roeckl. The gloves were really soft and nice; I tried them on and thought they were good. The problem was, they were way too wide in my hand and the fingers were way too short. So yes, I had this beautiful leather but ultimately, the gloves didn’t really fit me; they were flopping around my hand and looked really bad.

Roeckl

Fortunately, the leather held up, but the best ingredients are not worth it if the fit isn’t right. From that experience, I created the full range of Fort Belvedere gloves that fit me beautifully and are made of high-quality materials.

18. Room & Board Furniture

Room & Board is a furniture brand that is local to me in Minnesota, and they have an outlet store here that’s rather popular with Millennials. Their style is very mid-century modern, and I remember going there once and seeing a couch. We almost had to battle with other people, but we ended up buying it. Once we brought it home, we sat on it and the cushions always moved to the sides, leaving us to sink in the middle.

Room & Board

So we put it on Craigslist, and luckily we were able to sell it very quickly. Following this, we would still go to the Room & Board outlet and buy a few things, but eventually we’d always sell them. Today, my wife and I always joke when we are in the area, “Hey, let’s go to the Room & Board outlet!” because whatever we’d buy there, we would never keep. We’re not even going anymore, it’s just this running gag between the two of us!

19. Burberry Cashmere Scarf

The winter right after the year when I wore my white suit (Item #5), I wanted a nice scarf. I decided to get a Burberry cashmere scarf, because it had a “nova check” pattern–but after buying it, I realized, “This scarf is actually rather short, and the cashmere wasn’t as soft as I had hoped for.”

Burberry Scarf

It inspired me to develop our own scarves for Fort Belvedere. Without that experience, I probably would never have thought as much about scarves, but this one was a huge waste of money, because I couldn’t really tie it. The only way to wear it was throwing it around my neck, but that wasn’t quite warm, and it blew off when the wind came!

20. Dining at Cosme in New York

A few months ago, Teresa and I went on a trip (just the two of us without our daughter) to New York, because we wanted to enjoy ourselves, go to shows, go to museums, explore the city, and of course, go to nice restaurants. I searched a list of the “50 Best Restaurants in the World,” and at #23 was Cosme in New York. So we went there and had dinner. Now, we had some dishes that were okay, but one dish (listed as a main course) was a mole sauce. I like mole sauce, but this “main course” was a small plate of sauce with some corn tortillas and a few sprouts. I thought, “Are you kidding me? You’re selling me a main course that consists of a bit of sauce?”

Cosme. NY

Overall, we spent several hundred dollars at this dinner, but left the place very disappointed. Now, I’m not a food snob; I like very simple pea soup, or a great deli sandwich. I’ll also spend money on food that is more experimental and creative, but at the same time, I feel like I’m often disappointed when I go into these Michelin-star restaurants. My expectations are so high that they’re just never met. Cosme though, for being rated #23 in the world, was just a huge letdown.

What are the things that you regret buying, and why? Share them in the comments below!

In the world of classic menswear, there are certain time-honored color pairings that are almost guaranteed to succeed. You don’t just have to confine yourself to these staple colors of menswear, however, case in point, the more adventurous pairing we’ll be discussing today: blue and red.

Where Can We See Red & Blue Pairings?

While it’s not an exceptionally popular pairing, it is a favorite among politicians in the United States. A blue suit, white shirt, and red tie have been the go-to uniform for many a politician for much of the latter 20th century. That is, of course, if they’re not wearing a black suit. The intention with this red, white, and blue color pairing among politicians is obviously to echo the colors of the American flag, however, it won’t look like a costume, at least when it’s done correctly. Phrased another way, if this red, white, and blue color pairing weren’t effective, politicians probably wouldn’t wear it. After all, one of their main considerations is making a good first impression.

President Trump in navy suit with navy and red tie

Another reasoning here is that scientific studies have shown that red is perceived by many people to be a power color. Said studies have often reached the conclusion that wearing red makes people seem more attractive, outgoing, and successful, and boosts their confidence. In fact, a study of British soccer teams over sixty years actually showed that teams who wore red won their matches more often. This may have something to do with the fact that red not only increases confidence but testosterone levels, as well.

2010 State of the Union Obama in navy suit and red tie

Color Theory

So, the psychological benefits of wearing red are clear. But outside of trying to evoke the American flag, why do we think you should specifically pair it with blue? Simply put, the color wheel holds the answer here. Red is an intense color, and the richer of the two warm primary colors on the color wheel, the other of those being yellow. Thus, because it is often so bold and intense, it works better in smaller doses, when paired and grounded with a complementary cool color. While red’s direct complement on the color wheel is actually green, the color green contains some warmth, given that it’s composed of blue and yellow. Also, the red and green color pairing has a particularly strong association with the Christmas holiday in many parts of the world. As such, at least in the world of menswear, it can often be a smarter choice to pair the intensity of red with the only cool primary color there is, blue. And another plus for using blue in this combination, as we’ve already said: blue is one of the staple colors of classic menswear, so you’ll be able to find it in almost any garment and in almost any shade.

Red pocket square with yellow edges

Pairing Blue & Red: Accessories

With most brighter or more intense colors, the safest bet is to wear them in your accessories. Therefore, you can start by incorporating red into your tie or your pocket square, possibly also with blue. As we’ve said countless times before: when it comes to ties and pocket squares, don’t wear overly shiny satin silks, and don’t match your pocket square and tie together exactly. Both of these choices are just going to come off looking cheap and unstylish. Instead, you could try a tie that has some texture to it, like a grenadine tie or knit tie in red. Another option would be incorporating red into a pattern like a shantung striped tie or a medallion pocket square from Fort Belvedere.

Red Carnation Boutonniere Buttonhole Handmade Silk Fort Belvedere

For a different sort of accessory, you could also wear a red boutonniere, such as a carnation or a rose. Boutonnieres aren’t commonly worn by most men these days, so you’ll definitely stand out a bit if you try one, but if you’ve got one that’s working harmoniously in your outfit’s color palette, it’s going to look smart. You could also wear red cufflinks.

Socks

Now, we, here at the Gentleman’s Gazette, are not big fans of outlandish or crazy socks (as we’ve discussed before) and as we’ve also said, red is an attention-grabbing color, so you have to decide–if you’re going to wear socks with red in them–whether you really want people’s attention directed at your ankles instead of your face. To balance this, you could go with a subtle yet distinctive option like the shadow striped socks featuring midnight blue and burgundy from Fort Belvedere.

Midnight Blue and Burgundy Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Fil d’Ecosse Cotton – Fort Belvedere

You could also go a little bit bolder, such as shadow stripes featuring navy blue and red, or blue socks with red clock patterns. And of course, now would be a good time to note that not every element of your outfit has to feature both colors working together. You could, for example, wear socks that just had shades of blue or red on their own, and you could incorporate other accent colors as well as with any outfit. Just be sure that things are overall working harmoniously together and not fighting for the viewer’s attention.

Shirts

As we just mentioned, not every element of your outfit has to feature both colors working together. If you’ve already got some red in your accessories, tamping things down a bit with a solid blue shirt or a shirt with a pattern (say, blue and white working together) would be a safe bet. A bolder choice, meanwhile, would be a shirt incorporating a red pattern such as stripes or checks. And while pastel blue is a staple of classic menswear, we wouldn’t really recommend solid red shirts, either bright or dark, as they don’t really have much of a place in classic menswear. They’re more at home in contemporary looks and don’t mesh well with the more classic fashions that we’re talking about. A shirt with a red and blue pattern could also be an option. Of course, whatever the color situation, just remember the finer and smaller a pattern, the more formal a shirt is; the larger or bolder a pattern, the less formal the shirt. 

A balanced blue and red outfit

Waistcoats & Sweaters

Staying with the torso for a moment, let’s talk about waistcoats and sweaters. If you want a larger pop of red, especially in the fall or winter seasons, you could try wearing a red-toned waistcoat under a blue jacket. Even classic British style, which is typically more conservative, will often take advantage of slightly more colorful waistcoats or odd vests. This will add some personality to your outfit while still being appropriate for most offices. The key here is just to cover up the bolder red hue with something in a more subdued blue. If you don’t own a red waistcoat, red knitwear could also be an option.

SRS wearing a red-toned waistcoat with his suit, still looking classy

Trousers

Let’s move now to trousers. In warmer weather, chinos in a shade known as Nantucket red are a popular staple of preppy style. Just be aware that this close association with preppy style can make Nantucket reds seem a little bit snobby or pretentious, especially if worn in other areas like the UK. Otherwise, a darker maroon shade could work for almost anything, from corduroys to odd trousers. Of course, your options for blue pants in any shade are almost limitless.

Nantucket Red chinos with blue and white sport coat, linen pocket square and red and blue tie

Jackets

Moving on to jackets now (and as was also the case with trousers), blue on its own is a staple of almost any kind of jacket, whether that be a sport coat, blazer, or a jacket for a full suit. The bolder option would be a red sport coat–probably most appropriate for the warmer months of the year. Something like a red linen sport coat would evoke more of an Italian (or specifically, Neapolitan) style and could look smart with a white or off-white dress shirt and some blue pants. Meanwhile, darker maroons or burgundies could, again, be more appropriate for a wintertime blazer or sport coat. You could also seek out jackets incorporating both colors. A blue base with a red pattern over top would probably be slightly more subtle, and the reverse (a red base with a blue pattern) would be bolder. This is true for jackets as well as full suits.

A blue jacket, pale blue shirt, and shantung striped tie in red, blue, and white

Overcoats

Similarly to how a red jacket would be a bold choice, so too would a red overcoat. Essentially, wearing red as any kind of outer layer is going to be more bold, especially in the wintertime. Red outer layers are definitely going to stand out more, so you could consider trying to tamp them down by having a few visible blue accessories like a tie that’s showing, a scarf, or maybe some gloves. The guidelines we just discussed for patterns in jackets would also apply to overcoats, as well.

Casentino overcoat in red — too bold!

Hats

A brief word here about hats: neither red nor blue is an exceptionally common color for classic hats in menswear. However, you will probably find a few more blue felt hats out there than you will red ones. More often, you’re going to see blue and red as colors on hatbands, such as is often the case with straw boaters.

A selection of straw boaters, each with a multicolored, striped band.

Shoes

Finally, let’s cover shoes. Simply put, you’re not going to find too many men’s shoes in classic styles that incorporate both red and blue together. Even something like spectator shoes in dark blue and burgundy leather would be too bold for most men. With that said, each color on its own does have a slightly wider array of options in classic footwear. Neither color is terrifically versatile in shoes, but you can find darker oxblood shades in various styles, as well as blue suede shoes or even some blue leathers, if you’re feeling a bit bolder.

Oxblood Derby shoes with navy pants and Shadow Stripe Ribbed Socks Navy Blue and Red Fil d’Ecosse Cotton – Fort Belvedere

CONCLUSION

As you can see, there are several ways to pair blue and red together in menswear, ranging from the subtle to the bold. Blue is the classic and versatile menswear staple that will almost always provide a base, and depending on how bold you’d like your outfit to look, you can choose how much red to incorporate. 

How do you like to pair blue and red? Share your ideas with us in the comments!

Going out to eat is a popular activity for many people–but it can present a number of etiquette issues! Today, we’ll cover how to dine out like a gentleman without embarrassing yourself or committing any faux pas.

How Should You Behave When Dining Out?

Restaurant dining presents an interesting human dynamic; similar to flying in an airplane, you’re in a public space and you have to behave in a way that you and those around you are comfortable. Dining in a restaurant requires a lot of a person’s etiquette and social skills and because of that, it’s very popular with employers to take potential employees or key leadership people out to a restaurant to see how they behave. Let’s walk through the essential restaurant etiquette that you can apply for business dinners, celebrations, events, or dates.

Be Prepared

Before you even step inside the restaurant, there are a few things to consider beforehand.

Make sure you can afford it so you don’t stretch yourself too thin financially. Eating out isn’t cheap, especially in a group situation; it can sometimes be awkward to split bills, and just going to a restaurant with the mindset of ordering water and the cheapest appetizers won’t always work. Ideally, your budget should cover a small appetizer, a main course, and a beverage.

Make sure you have enough for a tip according to local conventions. In the US, that’s anywhere from 15 to 25%. If you realize a restaurant is not within your budget, either decline the invitation or try to find another restaurant if that’s in your power. You can simply say “I can’t make it,” or if you’re comfortable, you can say “Honestly, it’s not within my budget. I’d be more comfortable with going to X restaurant or spending X at the most.”

A chef using his cookware in the kitchen

Make sure the restaurant can accommodate specific food preferences like gluten-free or allergy-sensitive options. If you’re allergic to seafood or anything else, having a long ordeal with the waiter isn’t the best solution.

Most importantly, make a reservation. It’s the easiest way to skip a line. If the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations, it’s maybe not the best place to go out for a business dinner or a date. Once you’ve made a reservation, it’s important to show up on time. Restaurants typically can just give your table away after 15 minutes or so. If you’re running late, it pays to call, because most restaurants will hold your table. At its core, showing up on time means you respect other people’s time, and don’t just look at yourself as the most important person in the room.

Dress accordingly

Obviously, at the Gentleman’s Gazette, we’re big sticklers on this point, but in this day and age, it’s not that hard to look appropriately dressed for a venue. So what does that mean? At nicer establishments, you should skip the jeans and sneakers. Other than that, you’re probably going to be fine, even without a jacket. These days, most establishments that require a jacket or have an even more formal dress code will have loaner jackets, but honestly, you don’t want to wear a jacket that’s a size too big and has been worn by sweaty people before you.

Enter Politely

In today’s day and age, it doesn’t really matter if the man or the woman enters the restaurant first, though some women may like it if you hold open the door for them. If there is a host, they will lead when entering the restaurant, followed by the lady, then followed by the gentleman. Traditionally, if there’s no host, the gentleman takes the lead, walks in first, and pulls away the chair for the lady so she can sit. In more traditional places like Germany or Austria, you’re more likely to see this kind of etiquette today. In the US, not necessarily so.

Removing Coats and Hats

If you live in a colder place, in the winter, people holding onto their coats and hats at the table can create an environment that’s crowded and it’s uncomfortable. Traditionally, the gentleman takes the lead, helps the lady to take off her overcoat, takes off his own, and then goes to the waiter and hands them over to be put it up in a wardrobe. If someone at the restaurant asks if they can take your coat and hat, just hand it to them; they may hand you a little ticket so you can get it back afterward. 

If no one asks to take your coat, simply ask where you can hang it. Most restaurants will have a place for that. Ideally, outerwear is away from the table so it doesn’t get in the way. If you’re leaving, in a good restaurant, they’ll hand you the coats at the table. If that’s not the case, as a gentleman, you quickly walk to the wardrobe, you put on your overcoat first and then you help the lady into hers.

Meeting Your Fellow Diners

Let’s say you’re already waiting at a restaurant. When the other party arrives, get up from your seat, stand up, and shake their hand. If you arrive in advance of your dining mates, maybe because they’re late or simply because you made it there earlier, you always stand up to greet them and come over. In most Western cultures, that means you give them a handshake–sometimes it means a hug, but it all depends on the culture you’re in, so be aware of the local habits. In any case, never stay seated to give a handshake, because that’s not the proper way to do it. Of course, a nice smile also goes along with it, and it’s much better than someone just stoically looking at you and giving you a handshake without any kindness whatsoever.

How to properly sit at a restaurant

Sitting at A Restaurant

At home, you may be slouching or just sitting in a way that’s comfortable for you. At a restaurant, ideally, you should sit upright (but it shouldn’t look uptight). So what exactly does that mean? Ideally, you sit on the entire chair, you have both feet firmly on the ground, and you’re not slouching. Your arms should be kept close to your body and not wander around the table. You can rest your hands on the table, but only up to about the wrists; further down is traditionally not acceptable. Under no circumstances should you have your elbows on top of the table.

After you sit down, it is typical in higher-end restaurants to receive an amuse-gueule or an amuse-bouche; it’s usually a bite-sized appetizer from the chef that sets the mood for the evening. The worst thing to do is to say, “Oh, but I didn’t order that.” Just accept it for what it is and enjoy it. 

Engaging With Staff

Chances are you’ve experienced an unfriendly server who gave you the feeling that you should be lucky to dine in his or her presence. Regardless of their behavior, it’s always best if you react in a calm and polite manner. After all, you belong there, don’t give them a reason to think otherwise. If the server has a nametag or if they introduce themselves, then that is what you should call them. If you don’t know their name (or for some reason you forgot it) and you want to catch their attention mid-dinner, make sure to seek eye contact and give them a very discreet hand gesture. Avoid waving, snapping your fingers, or whistling at them–less is more.

When trying to get a server’s attention, always do so in a polite manner.

Also, keep in mind that just because you’re paying for a meal doesn’t mean you can disrespectfully treat the staff like they’re worth less than you. Confident men always treat others with respect, no matter if they’re the janitor or if they do any other part of work. As always, remember “the tone makes the music.”

How And What To Order

Ideally, the entire table should have the same number of courses. If you aren’t super hungry, talk to the server to figure out what appetizers or entrees are on the smaller side. A good server will always be able to tell you if something is big and heavy or light and small. If you’ve been invited as a guest to a restaurant, don’t take advantage of that and order the most expensive item on the menu. Instead, mirror what your host orders. If he orders three courses in the mid-price segment, do the same. If they insist on you ordering first, I would always ask the host if they can recommend anything, if they’ve been there before. If not, ask the server what’s a popular item that’s in a medium price range and go from there. Once you’ve made your selection, close the menu and put it down.

In a good restaurant, that is the subtle hint for the server that you’ve made your choice and he will come to your table. Often, slow service at better restaurants is simply based on this misunderstanding of menus still being open. Ideally, you should order off the menu without modifications. Chefs often put a lot of effort into the delicate flavors and the combinations of meals. If you just change it out and want fried chicken or ketchup on top, it just throws it all off. Now, if you have an allergy, it’s a different story–but again, ideally you’ve made sure that they can accommodate you before you even visit the restaurant. Even though the restaurant is not your personal chef, in the US, they will likely try to accommodate your requests to the best of their abilities. On the flipside, in Europe, they might just tell you, “No, that’s not what we do,” and they may even tell you if you don’t like it, leave.

On Phones and Watches

Keep your phone off of the table, and don’t look at your watch all the time. If you do so, you send a clear message that you have other things on your mind, and that the time with this other person is not important to you. Don’t pull out your cell phone to “quickly” check on something, send a text, or check on that email, because when you do, it takes your attention away and it takes a while before you’re fully present again.

Avoid making your phone the focus when dining out

Table Manners and Utensils

If we were to go through the whole spiel, it’d probably take us 45 minutes! However, we’ve already done an extensive guide about table manners, all of which applies here. Regarding utensils: in a restaurant, there are typically a few modifications. First of all, while at a private home, the silverware for the entire meal will be laid out on the table, that’s not the case at a restaurant. Typically, servers will bring you the appropriate silverware for your course, and maybe the spoon for the soup or a steak knife for the meat. If there is a lot of silverware on the table, it means you start from the outside and work your way in. In the US, you will often find two forks and one knife; that means they’ll bring you another knife for your main course (or sometimes they want you to reuse your knife).

Personally, I always like to have new utensil for every course so I don’t mix any flavors. If you need more silverware, simply ask! Just like with many things in life, it pays to understand the culture you’re in. For example: in the UK, it is unacceptable to point the tines of your fork upward while you eat, while in Continental Europe or the US, that’s perfectly normal and acceptable. There’s no absolute right or wrong, it is just something that developed historically over time, and it’s good for you to be aware of it. Also historically, the material of blades would give potatoes and particularly fish an “off” flavor and because of that, in Europe, they developed a fish knife which was made from a different material. To this day, it is the proper etiquette to cut your potatoes with your fork, and to use a fish knife with fish. Now, in the US, I haven’t really observed this kind of etiquette.

How to eat soup, hold a fork and knife, cut meat, and propose a toast

Today’s blades are all made of stainless steel, there’s no off flavoring and so the original reason is not really valid anymore. That being said, when you cut your potatoes with your fork, it leaves an uneven edge which makes it easier to absorb the sauce that comes with it. Now, no matter how you eat or what direction the tines of your fork are pointing, the fork always moves your food to the mouth and not your mouth to your fork. Frankly, I find this rule to be the most difficult part of dining and restaurant etiquette, because there is a tendency to naturally want to lean forward and meet somewhere in the middle. Also, if you remain upright and you just move your fork to your mouth, it is a lot more difficult to balance, so it always pays to put a napkin onto your lap.

Proper Timing, and Handling Soup

You should never start eating or drinking until everyone has been served. Typically, the host or the person who invited you will have the first sip, and maybe say a toast or thank you for coming. When you toast and clink, you say “cheers.” In Germany and Austria, it is essential to look into each other’s eyes–otherwise, the legend goes that you’ll have bad sex for seven years! I don’t know of any empiric studies on this, but I always look into the other person’s eyes, because it creates a more personal connection. If your glass has a stem, hold it there; the clink sounds nicer and the wine or beverage doesn’t heat up as quickly.

bottle of white wine being poured and two glasses

If you eat soup, chances are that it will come out very hot from the kitchen. If it’s too hot, don’t just forcefully blow on it, because it may end up on your neighbor’s tie or face. Also, never slurp your soup or make any loud noises, even if the soup was really delicious. Don’t angle the bowl and try to get out every last drop–leave the bowl on the table. Remember: the spoon moves to your mouth, not your mouth to the spoon. Honestly, it sounds easy but if your spoon is filled to the brim, chances increase dramatically that you’ll spill. So try to give yourself a little bit of leeway so you don’t make a mess of yourself.

How About Some Drinks?

We’ve got a lot of questions about what to do when you drink alcohol. In a nutshell, the two most important rules are: know your limits, and don’t give in to peer pressure or pressure others to drink more than they want. When you order a bottle of wine, a taste test is usually offered to the person who ordered it. In this stage, you simply try to determine if the wine is “corked” and at the right temperature. This is not about whether you like the wine or not. If the wine is corked, it will smell like a wet dog or wet cardboard, and you can smell it distinctly. It actually results from a mold that’s reacted with a cleaning agent in the bottle. If you think the wine is corked, offer your server a taste test. Most of the time, they will just take the bottle away and bring you a new one. If you order wine by the glass (or if you order champagne), there’s typically no taste test involved.

Some examples of Marsala wine

A few decades ago, it would have been considered a faux pas to order red wine with fish dishes. In this day and age, things have changed a bit. At the end of the day, you can order whatever you like–but if you want to follow traditional wine etiquette, especially as the host, here is how you should pair wines with food: lighter wines are always served before heavier wines, dry ones are served before sweeter ones, younger ones are served before older ones, and whites are served before reds. If for whatever reason, you don’t want to drink alcohol, a simple “No, thank you” is all you need. No explanation is necessary.

Making Complaints

If you feel a need to complain, do so politely and calmly with your server. If the service is the issue, ask to speak to a manager. So how about sending back food or cocktails? You’re totally within your right if the restaurant misrepresented something that was on a menu. For example, if your curry contains peanuts even though it said it would be made with cashews, or if you receive a well-done steak when you ordered medium-rare. On the other hand, if you just didn’t read the menu, you ordered the crudo, and you ended up with raw fish, then you’re getting exactly what you ordered (even though you may not have known), and sending that back is just unfair to the restaurant.

Medium-rare pan seared Top Sirloin Steak topped with compound herb butter

Now in the US, most servers will ask you after the first few bites how everything is tasting and if you’re honest and you say you don’t like something, they will typically take it away and offer you something else. Often there’s no charge for that–but if the fault is on your end, you should eat it and not complain.

Dealing with Kids

Dining with kids is never easy, and in certain situations, it’s downright impossible! That being said, I have a two-year-old toddler, and we still want to go out and dine. That means we don’t go out when she’s sick or cranky, because ideally, your children should be able to sit down during the duration of the meal and be able to have an inside voice. 

Baby covered in spaghetti

Kids running around the restaurant pose a risk to the staff, and they ruin the experience for the other diners. Also, if you want to go out with your kids, a white-tablecloth restaurant is not the best choice. Maybe the lower-end restaurant where things are not as neat is much better suited to kids. If you’re concerned that it might be difficult, maybe takeout is the better option for you.

Paying the Bill

The old rule of the gentleman always paying the bill for the lady is a bit outdated these days. It’s best to have a very clear understanding upfront if the host invites you or if everyone pays for themselves. In countries like Italy, it’s totally normal that at the end of the meal, you split the total sum by the number of heads, even though some people may have drunk more and consumed much more expensive meals than others. Again, understanding your culture and surroundings is key.

Fort Belvedere Wallet in Brown & Blue

As a rule of thumb, I’d say always expect to pay for yourself, even though someone may have invited you. I find this to be particularly true in the US, where an invitation doesn’t mean that they’re going to host and pay for it. That being said, I’m of the firm belief that if you invite someone to a restaurant, you should always pay for it. Also, if you or your partner ordered significantly more than the other diners at the table, never just suggest to split the bill, because that may be uncomfortable for them. Whenever you pay, do so discreetly. With a credit card, it’s always discreet but don’t wave your “Benjamin Franklins” one after another, because that’s just posing. If you’re the host, maybe even arrange to pay beforehand, so nothing has to actually happen at the table.

Now, what about tipping?

Tipping your server is definitely controversial for many reasons; in some cultures, it is completely unacceptable, while in others, it is expected to the degree of 20 or 25 percent. In the US, I’d say there are very few circumstances where a tip is not appropriate. It has become an industry standard, and servers even pay taxes on expected tips. Unless your food or service were truly terrible, you should probably tip at least 10% even if you received unsatisfactory service, 15% for good service, and 20% (or more) for exceptional service. Sometimes people take the percentage post-tax, but you can also do it pre-tax. Also, let’s say you have a very regular meal, but you ordered a $500 bottle of wine–then the work the server had to do wasn’t really more than if you had ordered a $50 bottle of wine. In those cases, you may feel like you want to adjust the tip so it’s more representative of the work that was done–it’s up to you. Likewise, if you go to a restaurant with your two kids and the total bill is $50, but your kids threw rice all over, you may want to tip $15 or $20; you just made a mess and they have to spend a lot more time cleaning it up.

If you travel abroad, try to understand tipping cultures. In Germany, it’s okay to round up and more is not expected. In Japan, it’s downright rude to tip, and people won’t accept it. Once you’ve paid, depart in a reasonable amount of time. In the US, typically, restaurants have multiple seatings each night, so I would say 30 minutes after you paid is a good time to leave. If they’re not busy and there are many open tables, you can stay as long as you want.

Giving Feedback

If you’re unhappy with something, it’s best to voice a concern in person. Also, if the restaurant has the menu online and you know an entree costs $80 on average, it’s unfair to complain that the restaurant is too expensive, because you know exactly what you’re getting from the get-go. Even if they don’t provide prices, you know that a two-star Michelin restaurant is going to cost you a little bit of money. Typically, such restaurants also don’t offer gigantic portions, so expecting that and complaining about it just shows that you have no clue about this kind of establishment, and it’s not really helpful to the people who frequent this kind of a restaurant.

Cosme. NY

Same goes for the wait. If you don’t have a reservation, and others walk in after you and receive a table before you, it’s because they planned ahead–that’s life! Also, give people specific feedback rather than general feedback. Instead of saying, “this pizza was great,” you can say, “this pizza had a really thin, crispy crust with a low-acidity tomato sauce, and just the right balance between mozzarella and prosciutto di Parma.”

Conclusion

With these tips at your disposal, you should be well prepared to handle any restaurant experience, be that with family, friends, coworkers, or others; with kids along or not; and at whatever level of formality you’ve decided to engage in. Bon appétit!

*By the way: a special thanks to Manny’s Steakhouse in Minneapolis for their gracious allowance of our filming, and to our waiter, Patrick Warden!

Did you find these tips helpful? Let us know if we missed any dining advice in the comments!

Often seen as part of business deals or other types of transactions, handshakes are an important part of many a social interaction–but what’s the best way to master the handshake? That’s the main question we’ll be answering today, as we’ll discuss the what, when, why, and how of handshakes.

A Brief History of Handshakes

Archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking, also known as dexiosis, was practiced as far back in history as the 5th century BC/BCE. In particular, shaking hands was a common custom in ancient Greece, and it’s depicted in much art from that region during that time period. One theory about how the handshake originated is that it was meant as a gesture of peace, given that the hand that was given out to shake could obviously not hold a weapon.

Dexiosis

In today’s world, the handshake is commonly performed upon meeting, greeting, parting, offering congratulations, expressing gratitude, or completing an agreement. In sports or other competitive activities, you’ll also see the handshake performed as a sign of good sportsmanship. Overall, the purpose of a handshake is to convey trust, respect, balance, and equality.

Situations Where Handshaking is Practiced

Examples of good times for handshakes would include greeting guests when you’re the host or hostess of a party, or conversely, greeting the host or hostess when you yourself are the guest. Other situations would include saying goodbye when you’re leaving a gathering, meeting in-laws or future family members, or meeting someone you haven’t seen in quite a while. Essentially, a handshake is good to employ with anyone whom you’re meeting for the first time, as well as friends, family, and acquaintances with whom you feel a hug or other intimate gesture wouldn’t be appropriate.

A handshake is definitely more appropriate in a situation like this

Also, on the topic of hugs, be aware that as standards of workplace equity have increased, it’s no longer appropriate to greet a woman with a hug, especially if she isn’t close to you. The best policy is to simply give everyone a firm and courteous handshake and you should be good to go. Of course, whenever someone else extends their hand for you to shake, take the opportunity. After all, no one likes to be left hanging. If, for whatever reason, you do find that you would like to decline a handshake, be sure to do so politely and courteously.

Handshake Variations

Handshakes for Different Cultures

It’s important to note that some other cultures have specific types of handshakes, or don’t do handshaking at all. For example, in Switzerland, it may be expected of you to shake a woman’s hand first. In Russia, a handshake is performed by men, but rarely performed by women. In some countries, such as Turkey or the Arabic-speaking Middle East, handshakes are not as firm as they typically are in the West, and a grip that is too firm is considered rude. In China, a softer handshake is also typically preferred, but people shaking hands often hold on to each other’s hands for an extended period after the initial handshake.

Meanwhile, in Japan, a formal bow with one’s hands open and at the sides is typically customary. Bowing is also preferred in Korea, but when a handshake is performed, it should be softer, initiated by the senior of the two individuals, and done without the other hand in one’s pocket. Also, it’s a sign of respect in Korea to grasp the right arm with the left hand when two parties are shaking hands. As a final example, Masai men in Africa greet one another by a subtle touch of palms on their hands for a very brief time.

Handshakes for Organizations

Also, it’s important to note that specific organizations have their own special types of handshakes to subtly communicate between members of those organizations. Examples of this would include the Scout handshake, typically performed with the left hand by both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The handshake of the Freemasons, meanwhile, has a specific technique known only to the members of that exclusive group.

Fist Bump

We’ve got one other semi-related technique to mention here: the fist bump. Handshakes have been found to spread a few different kinds of microbial pathogens. For example, some infectious diseases like scabies are primarily transferred through direct skin-to-skin contact. Medical studies have also found that fist bumps spread fewer germs overall than either handshakes or high-fives do (probably because they’re not involving the palms of the hands).

Now that people are becoming more aware of and sensitive to these different kinds of germs, fist-bumping is becoming more common, if only in non-business settings. You may not necessarily appreciate the practice if you prefer a more traditional handshake, but if someone extends a fist, you should go ahead and fist bump using the knuckles of your hand to touch those of the other person.

The Proper Handshake

You may think there’s nothing to a handshake, but in reality, there are a number of technical concerns you should be aware of to shake hands properly.

Do not approach others with an already-extended hand, as this may create an awkward opportunity for your handshake to go unnoticed.

When Should You Shake Hands?

We’ve already listed the proper times overall to execute a handshake, but specifically within any one of these social situations, when should you do it? When another person is speaking or introducing you, wait for them to finish speaking before you offer your hand. After extending your hand and while shaking, give the other person a simple greeting, something like, “Hi, I’m Preston. It’s nice to meet you!” A simple, “How are you?” could also do.

What Is The Proper Handshake Technique?

If you’re seated, begin by rising before shaking someone else’s hand. This shows courtesy and also, quite literally, puts you at the same level as the other person. Remember to make eye contact and offer a sincere smile, to show that you appreciate the introduction. Also, be generally still and face the other person head-on. After all, you don’t want to give them the impression that you’re trying to get away.

If you’re walking, do try to make an effort to stop and face the other person in order to shake your hand, if it’s at all possible. Similarly, don’t approach with an extended hand from behind or to the side of someone, as this may create an awkward opportunity for your handshake to go unnoticed.

Traditional etiquette dictates that the person in the higher level of authority or age should be the one to take the lead when executing a handshake. For example, during a job interview, the interviewer should be the one to offer their hand first. However, if you are in one of these situations and the senior individual doesn’t take the lead, if you still feel that a handshake would be appropriate, you can take the initiative. Remember to extend your hand with a smile and a warm comment.

What About Grip Pressure?

This one’s a particularly critical point. You should make sure that your handshake is firm and not limp; nobody likes a dead fish handshake. On the flip side, you also don’t want to be one of those people that crushes the other person’s hand with a death grip. In other words, your grip should reflect positively on you; it should communicate that you’re not aggressive or passive, but assertive. Along these same lines, shake hands from your elbow, not from your shoulder. If the force of your handshake is coming from your entire arm, there’s a possibility that you’re going to jolt your conversational partner around, which definitely isn’t desirable.

Shaking hands from the shoulder can result in too much force.

Regarding the point of contact, you should try to go for a “web touch,” which is to say that the webbing between your thumb and index finger should meet that same point on the other person’s hand. Just as nobody likes a limp handshake, getting a handful of fingers is also equally awkward.

Which Hand Should You Use?

Most people and cultures will use the right hand for a handshake unless they have a specific reason to use the left, such as injury. If you would like to shake hands with a person who only has a left hand, then obviously, use your left as well. A related point: even though you’re probably going to be shaking with your right hand, your left hand should still be visible, and it shouldn’t be clenched into a fist, as this may come across as hostile in most business situations.

Your left hand should just remain at your side, and you shouldn’t use it when shaking with your right to cup the other person’s hand or touch their arm. The use of two hands when shaking hands with strangers is often seen as intrusive and it can sometimes be referred to as the “politician’s shake,” because it’s seen as artificially friendly.

Don’t Forget About Hygiene!

One additional note about hygiene: your hands should be free of any dirt, grease, food, or debris when shaking hands with someone. If you suffer from sweaty or clammy hands, make an effort to blot your hand on your trousers, or on a handkerchief, before shaking hands with someone. Conversely, if you happen to shake hands with someone else who has sweaty palms, don’t try to wipe your hand off right away, as this will probably come across as disrespectful.

Keep your hands clean and free from grime

Handshake Fails: What To Do?

Here are a few general etiquette tips on what to do when handshaking mistakes do occur.

• If you are left hanging, try not to feel too embarrassed about it. Most likely, the situation wasn’t that the person didn’t respect you enough to give you a handshake, it was simply that your timing in the situation was off.
• If you do make a mistake with your handshake technique or timing, simply try again.
• When you think the time is appropriate, you could maybe add a bit of self-deprecating humor and of course, don’t forget to smile.

Mastering the art of the handshake is key to looking courteous and confident, whether in a business setting or elsewhere. Armed with all of these tips, you should have any potential situation well in hand.

How do you practice handshaking? Share with us in the comments section!

Have you ever passed someone on the street, or maybe had a friend or co-worker, who liked to “mix it up” stylistically by wearing any sport coat they might have in their closet, pairing it with jeans or chinos, and just calling it a day? This is not an uncommon option for many men–but there are actually multiple ways for you to add a unique spin to your outfits to make them more stylish and more functional.

Mixing Casual & Professional Attire In Stylish Outfits

1. Pay Attention To Fit

I remember a few years ago I was preparing for a trip to New York City. I spent what felt like hours scouring my closet, trying to find things to put in my suitcase that would give me the best versatility. I soon realized that I had selected some items that looked preppy and others that were quite professional–but that these two types didn’t quite mesh well together (especially in terms of fit).

Kyle’s casual & professional outfit

To fix this problem, I had to get out of my head, stop envisioning myself as some sort of “menswear cover model,” and think realistically. I took a moment to figure out what would make the most sense, so I’d look stylish, be prepared for all of my meetings, and still have the flexibility to be able to explore the great city of New York without having to continue to run back to my hotel for an outfit change. Having the correct proportions in terms of fit will help show you in your best light.

2. Always Choose Quality Garments

It’s also important to make sure you’re choosing the best quality garments as much as possible, but what do we mean by quality? Quality isn’t always defined by what the price tag says, it’s also about the durability and longevity of the garment. Quality pieces are often significant investments, but their longevity will be such that the overall cost-per-wear of the garment over its lifetime will be low.

A description of fine worsted wools from Vitale Barberis Canonico

3. Look for Seasonless Pieces

I always like to look for seasonless pieces. These are versatile options that work well into your capsule wardrobe–meaning that, speaking generally, they can be worn at any time of year, and also that almost any piece in said wardrobe will pair reasonably well with any other when assembling an outfit.

A “capsule wardrobe” made up of maximally versatile pieces makes assembling outfits much easier

4. Know Which Items Are Key

It’s always helpful to know which items are key in your wardrobe for maximum versatility. Examples of “staple” pieces would include medium- or dark-wash denim, cotton chino pants in neutral colors, solid or gently patterned suits in navy or dark gray, a year-round navy blazer in wool, leather dress shoes in black or dark brown, and accessories like a watch, a ring, sunglasses, or even a pocket square.

A colorful selection of Fort Belvedere accessories

5. Pay Attention to The Season

It’s important to pay attention to the season in which you’re preparing your outfit, as this will help you determine which colors and materials you should be utilizing. Now, using the list of key garments mentioned above, and also the color and pattern suggestions that are going to follow, you’ll be able to add more uniqueness and pizzazz to your outfits going forward.

When it comes to the season of spring, you want to look for colors that are light and have a pastel tone. In summer, try something brighter and much more vibrant. In autumn, earth tones always look fantastic, and in the winter season, think of something dark and more subdued.

A white and lavender puppytooth dress shirt worn under a cardigan would be perfectly appropriate for fall.

Other than seasonality, consider that some colors are more advantageous for certain men than others, depending on skin tone, hair color, eye color, and so on. Popular pattern options would include stripes, windowpane, buffalo check, paisley, and Glen plaid. Keep in mind, there are also numerous other patterns to consider, but patterns also have a different effect on different people depending on their build.

6. Matching Seasonality and Formality

A correct example would be wearing a year-round blazer, a sweater, some dark wash jeans, and perhaps a pair of boots. Here we see the formality and seasonality of everything harmonizing together wonderfully. It shows somebody who is aware of the season in which they are dressing.

A general scale of formality for colors in menswear

They’re keeping the majority of their outfit fairly neutral–perhaps it has one to two pops of color–and the best part is that it’s versatile. Remember, sticking with neutral tones for a majority of your outfit, and then having one to two accent colors, will help you to look distinguished and cohesive.

7. Pattern Matching

As we said previously, there are a great many patterns out there; stripes, dots, paisley–what do we do? Perhaps you’ve heard to never mix certain patterns together, but now that you better understand color, let’s go over some ways on how you can leave this simplistic advice behind. When there are too many things going on with your outfit, it will be visually confusing to your viewer. A safe example would be wearing a solid tie with a pinstriped shirt. Introducing a pattern to the tie as well as the shirt will make things more complex.

Striped green and white dress shirt with micropattern tie from Fort Belvedere; multiple patterns of different scales will work well together

On the conservative side, it’s always best to keep it simple and opt for maybe one to two patterns in an outfit. You can always wear multiple patterns, but the important thing is to make sure that the scale is different from pattern to pattern, so that they are not fighting for attention. It’s great to see confidence in an outfit by not being afraid to try a paisley tie with a checked shirt, or pairing your wingtip shoes with your dark-wash denim, or perhaps a casual button-down shirt with a unique pattern under a suit jacket.

How Should You Personalize Your Outfits?

Although it’s good to know what rules to adhere to when creating your new professional and casual outfit, we want to make sure that you don’t feel like it’s a uniform. Clothing is a form of expression, and it’s important to know when and where it’s appropriate to be expressive. For example, you wouldn’t want to show up to a dinner date wearing a t-shirt and long tube socks; not only is it a decidedly unstylish look, but at this dinner date, it wouldn’t be the best time to express yourself in that way. Save these bolder items for a different time.

Business Casual Outfit by the Hogtown Rake – Single Breasted Blazer with popover shirt, cotton pocket square, khakis and brown tassel loafers

One thing I’ve never tired of in all the years I’ve worked in retail is being able to meet all these wonderful people from all over the world. I remember seeing many different kinds of people who had frequented my place of work who really enjoyed pushing the boundaries of fashion–whether through hair color, the amount of fragrance they wore, or their overall outfit choices. One person would always arrive at the store in a cloud of fragrance, and another would only allow themselves to wear one single color, literally from head to toe.

Conclusion

It’s important to be prepared for anything when you step outside in your outfit, which means that versatility is a primary concern. However, it’s also great to see an outfit embellished with a unique ring, your favorite leather-strapped watch, or a great Fort Belvedere pocket square to add some personality. The goal here is to add a few key pieces to help show “you” in your outfit without going overboard. Dressing for multiple occasions is something that initially might require a bit more planning, but once you’ve found a rhythm in your wardrobe, it’ll feel like second nature.

How do you assemble an outfit that’s both casual and professional? Share with us in the comments!