TIPS: THE FORMAL STYLE GUIDE (.. In picking the perfect SHIRT, SUIT and TIE)

When it comes to Men's fashion, there are some strict guides and rules to follow especially if you are going for a formal look. Every bit or inch of your outfit has to be on point if you want to look smart, neat, stand-out and turn heads. These tips are inspired by Mango Fashion (www.mango.com), the high-end designer boutique for male and female. Here are some tips below.

THE PERFECT SUIT.

Looking for the perfect suit to complement your build or frame? Here are some essentials to consider or look out for so you don't make the mistake of leaving a shop with an ill-fitting piece.

1. Half an inch of your collar must be visible above your jacket.
2. The shoulder line of your jacket must be aligned with your body's shoulder line.
3. The jacket should fit the frame or silhouette of your body and when it is buttoned slight tension lines should be seen. If these tension lines are too pronounced then they are too tight and don't fit.
4. Make sure the trousers are trim but not tight and the waist should be higher than in your chinos or jeans (No sagging allowed here, please).
5. The trousers should stop right at the top of your shoe (it should't go below or cover it, it gives you a clumsy look) and it should be slightly lower at the back.
6. Your sleeve should extend to your wrist when your arms are hanging at your sides. Your shirt sleeve should then be 1/2 inch longer than the sleeve of your jacket. This gives a longer arm effect.
7. Lastly, the tie. This is the focal point of your look, it simply wraps everything up and gives it the final touche or call it an icing at the top of the cake. Make sure you match it carefully with your preferred suit and shirt altogether... and VOILA!

Alright, we are done making a choice of the perfect outfit with a perfect fit, how then do you dress this up?  You need to "Tie" up a shirt or suit? One must consider the different knots ideal for the different types of collar.  It is also important to note the different type of shirt collars. We have, the Classic Collar, the Cut-Away and the Button down Collar.  Moreso, do you know that the type of collar a man wears tell a lot about his character? For instance, USA network series "White Collar" employed this to distinguish its two main characters. FBI agent Peter Burke  played by Tim Dekay was clad with the "button down" collar to depict a down-to-earth, direct working man and this is perceived by his audience. A collar’s job is to properly frame the face, accentuating a man’s facial strengths while down playing any abnormalities. The right collar on the right type of face is a sight to behold (a union of shapes and curves that bring out the best in each other), so if you are wondering "what type of shirt collar should I wear?"... well, SEE BELOW.

Below are the three major types of collar...

THE CLASSIC COLLAR

One of the noticeable differences in this type of shirts lie in the collar spread, the size of the collar and the design of the collar tips. Whatever style you choose is fine. Typically wider spread collars look better if you have a thin and long neck as it will create the illusion of a shorter, more proportional neck. The opposite is true for bigger and shorter necks which 

usually looks more flattering when paired with a medium to narrow spread collar.The Classic Collar suits perfectly with any shirt style. Use with a four in hand knot-tie or open in a casual shirt.

THE CUT AWAY COLLAR

The cut away collar is one which has had its points cut-away or in the very least, severely reduced. They were first popularized by the dandies of England in the Edwardian days and were meant to be worn to black-tie events and formal situations. It is also known as a spread collar. This dresses up your suit and also looks great without a tie. It also adds a touch of breezy yet manly European joie de vivre to any outfit. They are said to look best on guys with longer faces and harder features. This collar makes a statement, it all depends on who or how you wear it.

THE BUTTON DOWN COLLAR

This is a must have collar for everyday casual-smart shirt and it's the least dressy of shirts, maybe because of its origin. This button down collars started with polo/polo players in the 19th century, it was invented for the man on a horse. While bouncing on a horse it was easy for the shirt collar points to flap up thereby disrupting their play and comfort, so the men (Ivy League players) took to wearing shirts with buttoned-down collar points. This collar sure deserves a place in every man's wardrobe.

Now let us talk about the "Knot-Tie"

Having problems trying to figure out the perfect knot for the perfect shirt collar? Here are some tips and how-to's.

A KNOT-TIE

There are three major tie-knots. We have the "windsor knot", the "four-in-hand" and the "half windsor" knot.


THE WINDSOR KNOT

 A Windsor Knot is a thick, wide and triangular tie knot that projects confidence. It is definitely your knot of choice for presentations, job interviews, courtroom appearances etc.This looks better on wide spread collars or with a cut away collar. It's used for classic and quite big knots.



THE FOUR-IN-HAND

It is a narrow, more discreet and asymetrical tie knot. It works best with wide neck ties made from heavy fabrics. The simple knot fits with any type of collar. While this tie knot can be worn by anyone, it looks especially well on men with shorter necks as the knot's rather narrow and elongated form stretches the perceived height of the neck a tiny bit. It is the most well known and commonly tied knot in the western world.



THE HALF WINDSOR KNOT

This is a modest version of the Windsor Knot, it is symmetrical and triangular tie knot that one can use with any dress shirt. It usually works best with a somewhat wider necktie made from light to medium fabric.


Well I hope this tips really help. I would appreciate your feed backs. Please leave your comments below.