One of the most important skills you’ll ever learn in both your personal and professional life is using accessories to complete your image. Follow these top accessory tips to ensure you stand out from the crowd.
The pocket square
Pocket squares should never match any part of your outfit. The trick is to choose a square that brings out a colour hinted in another part of your ensemble, like the small blue dots on your necktie or even the green stripes on your socks. Pocket squares are a great way to stand out of the crowd at a wedding or similar function; where every man wears a similar suit, shirt and necktie collaboration, you could slip a vibrant piece into your breast pocket, subtly accentuating a second accessory to attract attention.
Statement socks
Similar to the pocket square in providing an injection of colour to your outer shell. Hidden beneath the unending ocean of plain suit material and flashed whenever the leg is raised just enough, colourful socks bring a level of personality and customisation to your suit. Again, perfect for the wedding setting where it could otherwise be difficult to create a stand-out statement outfit to rival the masses.
The tie clip
Tie clips should be used to clip the necktie to the shirt using the wearers’ right hand, resting approximately mid-sternum. The tie clip is an accessory capable of bringing a sense of reserved professionalism to the mix, perfect for those serious or sombre moments. Say you're attending a business lunch and require a hands-free, practical way to keep your necktie from taking a dip in your tomato soup - enter the tie clip. Funerals also present the perfect opportunity to adopt the tie clip, taking advantage of the sense of attention to detail it can offer - 'he really made an effort to look the bees-knees today, he must really care.'
The necktie
Used to introduce personality or the latest fashion trends to the outfit, and tied perfectly to match the chosen collar. This accessory can define an outfit when worn, or not worn, correctly. And we say not worn because a fully buttoned shirt can often look just as impressive when a necktie is purposely not worn, depending on the shirt and jacket combination and the occasion for which it is being employed. The tie-less look can be appropriate for business and pleasure alike, just be wary of overuse or looking as though the lack of necktie was not intentional. When worn, the tie can be used to match the colour of belt and shoe combination, or a colour to create a stark contrast with these could be chosen. Attending a wedding with a light grey suit, white shirt and black shoe/belt combination? Why not try a deep burgundy necktie to add a pop of colour to the ensemble? The plain tones of the suit and shirt will create a striking background for a statement-making tie.
The wristwatch
When wearing a suit, you should wear a watch of the digital or sports variety. Yes, wristwatches are almost antiquated these days, with the younger generations turning to their smart-phones for a time update, but there's still something to be said for catching the teasing glare from a watch screen peeping from underneath a shirt cuff. The wristwatch adds a sense of sophistication to the gentleman's outfit and can be worn for any occasion. For an event such as a wedding or funeral it simply completes an outfit whilst offering practical function to its form. In the workplace it offers a professional option for the time-seeking gentleman - using a mobile phone can offer an improper appearance whereas relying on the old faithful timepiece grants an air of sophistication.