The way in which you present yourself at jobs, meeting and business interviews can have a lasting impact. If you roll out of bed in the morning, only to throw on the same wrinkled clothes from the previous day, you'll probably struggle to climb the "corporate ladder." Studies have shown that workers who dress in clean, pressed attire are more likely to get promoted than their counterparts who dress poorly. So if you're looking to improve your appearance at work, here are some tips to follow.
Watch the Wrinkles!
I know this is common sense to most fashion-forward men, but it's still worth mentioning that you should de-wrinkle your suit before wearing it to work. Some fabrics are naturally resistant to wrinkles, such as polyester and similar synthetic fabrics. However, there's no such thing as a suit that's completely wrinkle-proof. As such, you'll need to iron or have your suit dry-cleaned to smooth out the wrinkles. And if you wear a suit every day to work, it's not a bad idea to rotate several different suits, allowing you to always have one "pressed" suit ready to wear in your wardrobe at all times.
Choose the Right Colors
If you've ever shopped for a
men's suit before, you may have noticed just how many different colors are available. From traditional colors like gray and black, to less traditional colors like yellow and red, the possibilities are endless. While there's nothing necessarily wrong with bold colors such as the latter, they are often a poor choice in the corporate workplace. Many companies have dress code policies requiring workers to wear plain colors. If you work for one of these companies, it's probably best to avoid the bold colors and instead choose a traditional color like black or gray. Either of these colors are an excellent choice for a men's suit, and you can further enhance the appearance of your suit with the right accessories. The bottom line is that you need to choose a suit in a traditional color if you plan on wearing it to work.
Match Tie and Lapel Width
Assuming you intend to wear a necktie with your suit (and you should), a good rule of thumb is to choose a necktie in the same width as the width of your suit jacket's lapels. If the lapels are two inches wide, your necktie should also be two inches. If the lapels are three inches, you should choose a three-inch-wide necktie -- you get the idea. This allows for a cleaner and more cohesive appearance in which your suit and necktie flow together. Some men overlook this rule, wearing a necktie that's either thinner or wider than their suit jacket's lapels. In doing so, they create an awkward appearance that hurts their overlook look.
Accessorize with a Pocket Square
The necktie isn't the only accessory you should wear with a suit; another vital accessory that's becoming increasingly popular among men in the corporate workplace is a
pocket square. This otherwise small and simple square-shaped piece of fabric is placed in the breast pocket of a suit jacket or coat. While it doesn't serve any functional benefit, it improves the aesthetics of the suit by adding new colors and style. Just remember to choose a pocket square in a different color and design as your necktie (your necktie and pocket square shouldn't look the same).
Beware of Oversized Shoulders
One of the most common mistakes made by men who wear suits is choosing a suit with oversized shoulders. You've probably seen an example of this before: the suit jacket or coat's shoulders are so big that it bunches up, creating extra fabric in the shoulders. Don't make the mistake of wearing a suit with oversized shoulders.
Belt and Shoes
Another rule of thumb to follow when getting dressed for work in the morning is to match the colors of your belt with the colors of your shoes. If you're wearing a brown belt, your shoes should also be brown. If you're wearing a black belt, your shoes should be black. Don't attempt to wear a brown belt with black shoes, or vise-versa. While seemingly harmless, brown and black are two colors that do NOT go together; therefore, you should avoid wearing them in the same outfit.
The Shirt
Of course, wearing the right
shirt is also important when wearing a suit. Typically, a suit consists of the trousers, matching jacket or coat, and a shirt (although a necktie is also recommended). If you buy a suit at the store, either in person or online, it will likely come with the jacket or coat and trousers, which means you'll have to buy the shirt separately. So, which shirt should you choose? It really depends on the suit itself. You don't want a shirt in the same color as your jacket or coat. Instead, consider a shirt in a color that contrasts with your jacket or coat.
Choose a Custom-Sized Suit
Not every man has the same size or shape body, which is why it's important to choose a custom-sized suit. Most men's suits sold at retail and department stores are known as "off-the-rack," meaning they are manufactured using standard, universal sizing. In some cases, you may find an off-the-rack suit in your size. Most of the time, however, this doesn't happen, as you'll go away either empty-handed or with a suit that simply doesn't fit. Instead of buying an off-the-rack suit, it's recommended that you buy a custom-fitted suit, such as the ones sold here at
StudioSuits. You can specify your own measurements when checking out, which we'll use to create the perfect-fitting suit. This eliminates the burden of visiting dozens of retail stores in hopes that you find the right suit. If you want to present yourself in the best possible light at work, it's recommended that you skip the off-the-rack suits and instead choose a custom-sized suit.
