|
|
Tips From Betsy Here
are a few words of advice to make dressing (These tips will be updated periodically) 1. The narrower the rib on a pair of corduroy trousers the dressier the trousers become. 2. A pocket square and a tie should never be an exact match neither in pattern nor in texture. (Avoid buying boxed, matched sets at all costs.) 3. Suspenders come in more than one size. Although adjustable to fit most men, they can also be purchased in some shops in "extra long" if required. 4. The darker a the suit fabric the more authoritative and businesslike the suit. 5. Never buy a man a pair of navy blue shoes (Unless he is an Elvis impersonator) 6. A plaid suit or jacket will always be more expensive due to the vertical and horizontal lines, which must be matched at the seams requiring more fabric. 7. The more tapering on the trousers the bigger a man's feet will appear. 8. The pleats of a cummerbund are traditionally worn facing up in order to provide a place for the storing of concert or theater tickets. 9. Never attempt to wash a tie. A wide range of materials is used in its construction. Even when washed in lukewarm water, each material will shrink at a different rate and the tie will be ruined. 10. A very short man will always look taller in cuff-less trousers. 11. You can learn a lot from observing television anchormen, who with the assistance of professional wardrobe consultants, are always dressed exceedingly well. 12. An overly muscular man should avoid the double-breasted jacket, as it will only give him added width across his already expansive chest. 13. When combining a navy suit with a striped tie, one stripe matching the navy of the suit is very effective. 14. Checked shirts are generally considered to be casual; the smaller the check, however, the dresser the shirt 15. Because protective plastic bags from the cleaners will cause white shirts to yellow, the bags should always be removed before hanging his shirts in the closet. 16. His belt size will always be one size larger than his trouser waistband size. 17. Repeating the color and highlights found in his hair beneath his chin in either his tie or his shirt collar will create a total frame around his face, keeping it the center of attention. 18. It is always preferable to go shopping together earlier in the day when salespersons are fresher, and so is your man. 19. Any salesperson who approaches you both should be treated with courtesy; you are not, however, required to work with the first salesperson who approaches you. 20. Dress shirts should be laundered, never dry-cleaned. Dry-cleaning will cause a shirt to wilt and eventually turn gray. 21. The exception to this rule is black shirts and sweaters. They should always be dry-cleaned. Washing them even in a cold water detergent will eventually turn the black color to gray. 22. A foolproof test of quality wool is to crush it in your hand for a full 10 seconds and then release it. If it hasn’t become wrinkled, you’ve got yourself a winner. 23. Trousers with pleats are considered dressier then trousers without. 24. If you want to know the quality of a suit, look at the interior finish of its trousers; the more detail located in that area, the more expensive the suit. 25. Traditionally, the bottom button of a vest should be left undone. 26. Suspenders are preferably worn with a vest as they cause the trousers to sit higher on his natural waist while eliminating the concern that a belt buckle will show below the vest. 27. Advise the men in your life to avoid wearing clip-on bow ties; clip-ons are considered to be very un-sophisticated. 28. Spot cleaning and or steam pressing are always preferable to having a suit dry-cleaned. Dry-cleaning dries out and breaks the treads of the weave weakening the fabric. 29. A brand new pair of shoes should be polished before the first wearing in order to protest the leather at the onset from an initial scratches. 30. Never dry out a pair of his wet shoes in front of a radiator, stove, or fireplace. Doing so will cause the shoes to shrink, crack, and completely lose their shape.
|
|
