Details matter. Men’s fashion can be deceptively subtle. The success of an outfit often depends on the fine details, and this is especially true of suits. Of course, ensuring that your suit fits perfectly and that the design suits you is vital, but it’s also important to consider the smaller, less obvious aspects of your ensemble. If you really want to look your best, it’s not enough just to wear a high-quality suit, you have to ‘fine-tune’ the outfit to produce the most striking visual effect possible. Happily, there are some very simple ways to achieve this.
First of all, you should match the width of your tie to that of your suit’s lapels. It’s not necessary to be exact. simply ensure that you wear a thin tie with narrow lapels and a wide tie with wider lapels. This will improve the appearance of your outfit by adding an extra degree of symmetry to it. In contrast, a wide tie with narrow lapels (or vice versa) creates a sense of asymmetry and is therefore visually displeasing.
Secondly, remember to never underestimate the power of the pocket square. Conventional wisdom suggests that you should match your pocket square to your tie. However, doing so constitutes a missed opportunity; because the pocket square is placed on one side of your suit, it doesn’t contribute to the symmetry of your attire. So it is best used to add a splash of colour (or even a pattern) to an otherwise conservative ensemble. You have almost complete liberty when selecting a pocket square. Provided it doesn’t actively clash with the rest of your apparel, it can feature any colour or pattern you choose. You should take advantage of this in order to add an arresting visual flourish to your outfit.
Finally, if your outfit includes a waistcoat, consider undoing either the top or bottom button. The former lends your attire a rakish, cavalier air that can make you appear quite dashing. The latter makes the waistcoat appear to fit better. Experiment with unbuttoning the top and bottom buttons of your waistcoat to find out which option suits you best.
Of course, there are innumerable ways to ‘fine-tune’ your outfit (far too many, in fact, for us to list in a single blog entry). However, the tips we’ve provided here are more than sufficient to drastically improve the appearance of any outfit.