suits - formal:

we could cut the topic of suits up any way possible, but we'll do by formal and informal. again, this isn't a fashion blog, its about living well and looking smart. that said, i'm not going into depth about things like  fused vs. hand basted suits, or  in which little shop in italy to find the most expert tailor. this is about how the common man can dress sharp. if you haven't yet, read the basics. with those down, i wanted to contrast formal and informal suits real quick. above is me in my wedding suit, j. crew, the tie is wooly, but i tried to make sure everything else was in proportion and understated. i wanted to look dressy, but not wear a tux.

formal suits are meant to look sharp. by formal, i'm not referring to black tie events or tuxedos, just something dressier than normal, say for a nice night out with the mrs, or a less formal wedding. stick to darker colors like black, gray and navy blue, although light suits can be classy as shown a few pictures below. as a rule for dressier suiting, think james bond.

a lot of nicer suiting comes from the details, or lack thereof. the suit should be very basic, trim as possible, and sans the loud patterns. 

next,  start from the top.  the messy disheveled look has its place, but to look as sharp as your suit, go for a clean part, like old obi-wan kenobi is rocking below:

to balance the parted hairdo, stick with simple and elegant  leather bottomed shoes.  nothing with a rubber sole, and if they are brogues, not too heavy in the detailing. for extra formal occasions, i'm never a fan of patent leather, just a mean, dedicated spit shine on some basic cap toes.

do wear a  pocket square,  they're a classy detail. when i want to look more formal, i'll square it off and iron the creases, but otherwise im a fan of just grabbing the middle and stuffing the thing into my pocket. there's no precise art to wearing a pocket square, just please don't match it to you tie, and only to your shirt if they're both white - which i am a huge fan of.

shirt and tie should be simple. ties should be narrow like your lapels, and shirts should be crisp. in my opinion, nothing will ever out-class a black suit and tie with a white shirt and pocket square. if you want color or variation in your shirts, just make sure your collar is stiff and holds up on it's own.

finally, for watches no bling and nothing huge. i like this one below.

to wrap it up, go for a darker very well-fitted suit. keep the details minimal and working together. part your hair, wear a well polished shoe, don't over think it. remember that the idea to rocking a dressier suit is that everything should be simple and work together, not compete. if your watch is gigantic and stuffed with diamonds, or your tie is neon pink with a picture of darth vader on it, the detail will detract from everything else. remember how to not mess up in the kissing game? keep it simple, stupid - apply the same here.

use the menu bar on the right to suscribe or follow