A few months ago, I urged all of the young professional guys out there to Step It Up in terms of dressing up to go out for a night on the town. For those of you still looking for other stores to purchase the necessary attire to help you step your game up besides Nordstrom, EXPRESS and other mall retailers, I have found another resource that just might help you.
Founded in 2008 by “three regular guys trying to make their mark in the corporate world,” Instructions Apparel is a fashion resource for men both in and out of the workplace. The founders of Instructions found that the desirable items men look for are far too expensive, it’s often difficult to find a shirt and complementary tie at the same location and bargain shopping rarely produces quality fitting shirts and ties. In order to solve these three major issues men face when shopping, Instructions offers men stylish shirts, complementary ties and recommendations on what to wear for different occasions.
As a dedicated brand to making men look and feel good, Instructions offers 7 Basic Instructions for men’s apparel:
1. Make sure your socks and belt match your shoes.
This is often overlooked, but it is the most important rule with respect to The Art of Dressing Well. We recommend that you stick with basic colors such as a dark brown, tan, or black shoes. Other colors will be difficult to match, and therefore should be avoided.
2. Match Your Shirt & Ties
On our site you will see our recommendations for shirt and tie combinations. These recommendations provide a combination of solid, paisley, polka-dot and striped ties.* We match these ties with a variety of shirt colors ranging from solid white to pink stripes. Thus, don’t be afraid to experiment with colors. With respect to formal attire, ties are the means by which you express individuality.
While ties are a great way to express yourself, keep it tasteful. For example, going into a job interview you would wear our solid white or light blue shirt with a solid color or paisley pattern tie. Yet, once you’ve landed that great job, you can mix and match from our entire collection. Most importantly, be sure that your tie complements your shirt, suit, sweater and all other accessories worn.
*Instructional Note of Inquiry: For our collection, which consists of modern-fitting shirts with a spread-collar, we recommend knotting your tie with a Half Windsor knot.
3. Wearing Brown and Black together is a no-no!
When wearing brown slacks you should wear brown shoes. This rule also applies when wearing black. If and when you seek to express individuality, do so with your shirt and tie. Mixing brown and black has been tried by others with very little success.
4. Pinstripes
Pinstripes are a safe and stylish alternative to the solid-colored suit. As opposed to wearing a solid gray suit, try a gray pinstriped suit. There are no particular colors that should be avoided.
Your own personal style will dictate which colors work for you. However, certain color combinations should be avoided. In particular, beware of complementary colors. These are colors opposite one another on the color wheel, such as red/green, yellow/purple and blue/orange.
5. Watches
A nice watch is the single most important accessory a man can own. We, at Instructions, suggest that you invest in a quality watch. If you prefer owning multiple watches, wear the appropriate watch for your outfit: A sports watch is not appropriate to wear with a shirt and tie.
If you prefer leather bands, wear a black band with black shoes and belt; a brown band with brown shoes and belt. A watch with a silver or gold band is the safest choice for all occasions.
6. Pocket Sqaures and Ties Clips
Pocket squares and tie clips are the icing on the cake for the well-dressed man. We, at Instructions, believe that a little goes a long way in The Art of Dressing Well. One would be amazed at how a tie-clip and a plain white-pocket square will liven up a suit on its dullest day. Go the extra mile and invest in a plain silver tie-clip and the appropriate pocket square for your ensemble.
In the Dress for Any Occasion section of our site, you will see various recommendations of pocket squares for each shirt and tie combination.
If you are unable to find a pocket square with our recommended color scheme, there are always two great options:
- A solid colored pocket square the same color as your shirt or tie;
- A plain white pocket square (It is important your shirt has white in it).
7. Casual Wear, i.e., a “Night out on the town”:
Dressing properly and stylishly for a night out can sometimes be challenging. You want to stand out from others for your impeccable style, not because of inappropriate attire.
To avoid being just “the guy in the sweater vest”, consult our recommendations to pair our selection of shirts together with a variety of denim jackets, blazers, and v-neck sweaters.
For more tips on putting your best foot forward and to purchase stylish shirts and complimentary ties, visit www.theartofdressingwell.com
Please note: These are tips from Instructions, not A Diva State of Mind
