Quick Fashion Tips That Aren't Always Obvious

In many cases, the essence of what defines personal style shines through in the subtleties of your attire rather than just your jacket or trousers themselves. Often, these small things can go overlooked and have a profound effect on your overall fashion sense, as one's style is only as good as the sum of all its component parts. Your belt, your shoes, your jacket, your tie, your dress shirt, and even your watch and cufflinks all work symbiotically to create a look that you'll either love or loathe by the end of any given evening. So how do we figure out what makes or breaks an outfit?

Lots of fashion tips that circulate are pretty obvious. We've all heard that your belt should match your shoes. We all know that you shouldn't wear a plaid button-down shirt with plaid shorts unless your goal is to give someone a migraine. We know to choose only one, not both, when it comes to cummerbunds and waistcoats; or that wearing a necktie with a wingtip collar is generally not appropriate for black-tie affairs. After being required to wear formal attire on many occasions throughout your adult and professional life, a lot of this stuff is just second nature.

But do you know how far down your shirt your tie clip is supposed to be fastened so it doesn't flap around in the wind? How is your pocket square really supposed to be folded? Is that lapel pin absolutely necessary? How do you keep your tuxedo studs holding your shirt together from falling out? Are your cufflinks facing the right way? What about your watch and sunglasses? And do they match your outfit appropriately for the occasion?

In this article, we'll outline these pesky little nuances that can make or break a person's overall style. As with most things, the devil is almost always in the details.

--Rolling Up Your Sleeves--

We've all been there at some point or another. We get all dressed and dapper for an important board meeting or event, only to realize the hard way that your company keeps the thermostat in the building at a frosty 82 degrees; you loosen your tie but you can still feel everything underneath your suit sweltering in that boardroom more on par with a greenhouse. The logical thing to do in this situation would be to simply remove your jacket and roll up your sleeves. But is it appropriate?

The answer to that question is, 'It depends.' If you find yourself a little too uncomfortable during a job interview, for example, you may just have to white-knuckle it and put up with it silently. But if it's just a meeting within your company, you've been there for a while, and you know everybody in the room, depending on the corporate culture in most cases you can probably get away with it, especially if others in the room are doing the same thing. When it comes to wedding ceremonies, especially if they are being held in a church, you're better off keeping your sleeves rolled down and your jacket on. However, during the reception, you can probably ditch the jacket and roll up your sleeves if it's hot, especially if it's being held outside. When you decide to roll up your sleeves based on your own judgment call, always keep your cuffs below the elbow.

--Lapel Pins--

Lapel pins can be a great way to jazz up your personal style, or even show support for a particular cause or candidate during political fundraisers. But sometimes they have the unintended consequence of detracting from your style rather than complementing it, since there are so many variations in sizes and types. For everyday office use, we would err on the side of caution when it comes to wearing one. However, if the pin is subtle and small enough to where it doesn't stand out in an overbearing way, you can certainly get away with it. Consider choosing a lapel pin that's narrow or at the very most no larger than the size of a dime. As far as colors go, you're better off choosing something with a more neutral tone to it, as silver or dark blue won't attract as much attention away from your overall ensemble. For events such as weddings or holiday parties, feel free to give yourself a little more leeway. Brighter colors and more intricate designs actually tend to fare better for more festive occasions. While the colors in your lapel pin don't have to exactly match the colors on your tie, try your best to keep them in the same ballpark, as this will complement your suit nicely without being too busy.

--Tuxedo Studs--

Perhaps the most annoying part of putting on a tuxedo (save having to tie a bow tie without a mirror) is ensuring that your studs don't fall out, because if they do, you likely won't notice when they fall out, and it will be nearly impossible to retrace your steps to find them, especially at wedding receptions on crowded raucous dance floors. Tuxedo studs are most likely to fall out due to a combination of rapid movement (dancing at a wedding, for example) and buttonholes that are too wide for the stud. The latter most likely occurs when renting a tuxedo and it's

been worn by several people within a given year. We would always advise against renting a tuxedo for most scenarios, but if you absolutely must when you have no other options, at the very least avoid using the studs provided if you can. Often the studs on rented tuxedos have a fastener that is solid, and over time improperly putting them through the buttons can widen the holes and therefore make the studs less secure. Higher-end studs generally have an adjustable clip for a fastener, so you can push them through the buttonholes without stretching them and then lock them in place to prevent accidental detachment. One of the benefits of purchasing your own tuxedo over renting one is that since no one else would have worn it beforehand, you can be extra careful when fastening your studs, and as a result are less likely to stretch out the buttonholes.

--Pocket Squares--

Like lapel pins, pocket squares might not always be the best accessory to wear around the office, but it's doubtful that anyone would fault you for doing so. Pocket squares are, however, more appropriate for formal events outside of the office, and they allow for a great deal of style leeway. Whether you want something bright or neutral, simply or intricately folded, or material that's heavy or light, pocket squares in almost all cases will add a bit of charm to your outfit regardless of your suit style.

Pocket squares work best when the material is in fact a square, where each side is of equal length. This makes folding it easier, no matter what design you choose. For a subtle look, the presidential fold is by far the best option, and also happens to be the easiest to do. Simply fold the material into a smaller square so the

top of it just barely peeks out over the top edge of your pocket. This look tends to be best when the pocket square is a solid color. For the classic one-point fold, where one point sticks out of your pocket, you'll have to fold the square diagonally first and then fold the other two ends inward. This works better for pocket squares with more detailed patterns. For two- and three-point folds, you'll have to fold your pocket square diagonally but slightly asymmetrically and then use a bit of trial and error to get the top points exactly the way you want them. Keep in mind that they don't necessarily have to be even; the slight asymmetry, as it is also with a bow tie, is part of the pocket square's charm.

--Cufflinks and Tie Clips--

It seems like a rather obvious piece of advice, but the next time you attend any sort of formal or black-tie event and you're looking for it, you'll notice that more than a few people sometimes get this wrong. For example, if you're in a sitting position with your hands resting on a table, your cufflinks should be facing up, not facing or touching the table itself. As cufflinks are likely to be the most subdued part of your outfit, you can pretty much take as many liberties as you want with them as far as style goes. For black-tie affairs, just make sure that they match your tuxedo studs; normally this isn't a problem, as cufflinks are often sold as a package deal with your shirt studs.

While tie clips can add a slight touch of style to your formal attire, they also serve a practical purpose. Tie clips will keep your tie secure on windy days and away from your lunch in the middle of the day. As to where you should fasten your tie to the placket of your shirt, the general rule of thumb is to keep it somewhere

between the third and fourth button on your shirt from the top down. One other thing to keep in mind is that you should never wear a tie clip that is wider than the tie that you are wearing.

--Watches and Sunglasses--

Just like tie clips, watches and sunglasses also serve practical purposes. The former let you know the time and date, while the latter keep your eyes shielded from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun's rays. The only advice to follow here really is to make sure that you're not sporting anything that you would find in a novelty store, unless of course the occasion specifically calls for it. The general consensus today is that you should always wear your watch face up in the same way you would wear your cufflinks; this will also prevent inadvertent scratching of the watch face and subsequent potentially expensive repairs.

For more information on general style tips and accessories, feel free to stop into one of our showrooms where an expert clothier will answer all of your questions. If you feel more comfortable getting fitted into your next Enzo Custom suit from the privacy of your own home, you can also schedule an appointment with us via videoconference.