Sweat the Details

Pocket squares are the easiest way to add a ton of personality and style to what can otherwise be a bland outfit. And the good thing is, there are no hard and fast rules when wearing one. Just make sure that the colors compliment either your shirt or tie, and you’re good to go. There are a number of ways to fold a pocket square. Just choose which one you like the best.

If you’re starting fresh and don’t want to jump into patterns quite yet, try a simple white pocket square with a colored lining. It’ll still spruce your suit up quite a bit, especially if that colored lining is a bold color pulled from your tie or shirt.

Two things of note when wearing a pocket square. If it makes your pocket bulge out too much, then you need to re-fold it. You might not nail it on the first go, but try until you get it right. It’s worth your time. Also, don’t spend more than $30 on a pocket square. The Tie Bar has the best selection and pricing on them. Start there if you’re looking to buy one.

Undershirts are the most overlooked and underrated aspects of a man’s wardrobe. They serve multiple purposes – keeping sweat stains from our button-ups and serving as an extra layer of warmth in the cooler months. However, undershirts can serve a sartorial and aesthetic purpose, as well. There’s a reason they come in a multitude of styles (various materials, shapes, and colors) – use this to your advantage in your wardrobe.

Just remember a couple key things. First and foremost, match the collar of your undershirt to what you’re wearing over it. Neck lines look cleaner when you match a v-neck undershirt to a v-neck sweater or a button-up; and crew-necks look better under a crew-neck sweater. And secondly, throw away any dingy, fraying, loose and ill-fitting undershirts and replace them with some quality new ones. Come on, do I even have to explain why?

Socks are one of the more fun parts of your outfit. Don’t think that because most people can’t see them, that there aren’t style opportunities there. It’s the place where you can get the most funky and add big punches of both color and patterns. It does take a bit of confidence to start sporting funky socks. If you’re not ready to make that jump, try socks in different solid colors, aside from the typical black, brown, or white options.

It should almost go without saying that if you do choose a bold color, to make sure that it either matches or compliments a main color in your outfit.

Here are more tips on getting started with wearing funky socks.

Many people don’t think of watches as a way to add more detail to your outfit. But the type of watch you wear can tell a lot about your personal style. The good thing about finding a watch (face) you really like is that you can change out the bands, which many don’t think about. But it’s a good way to revive an old watch that you don’t wear anymore.

If you’re looking to class it up, try going with a solid leather band and simple watch face. Or if you want to show a little more style and range, buy a few Nato watch straps in different colors. Then you can swap out bands depending on what colors you’re wearing in your outfit.

Let’s be honest here, even with the sudden surge of interest in menswear, we still don’t have many options for differentiating ourselves. One surefire way of doing that is through the use of men’s bracelets and chains/necklaces. It’s an easy way to add a little extra flair to your outfit and set yourself apart from the crowd as most men (even many who are well-dressed) don’t.

There’s quite the variety when it comes to bracelets for men: leather cuffs with (or without) steel for the more masculine style, or colorful rope for casual and fun. I even have a friend who’s going to turn extra bike chain links into a purple bracelet – and I absolutely love this unique way of expressing himself in a manner that’s both stylish and personal.

Can you recommend a good winter dress boot? – Ernest F.

JOHN’S THOUGHTS
I have two recommendations. The first being the Chelsea boot. These look great with both dark denim and suits. A bonus with these is being able to easily slip them on and off…no laces included. Most formal shoe brands will have a Chelsea boot for sale. I recommend heading over to Zappos and checking out their selection.

Another option are wingtip style boots, otherwise known as Brogues. They have much more detail than the aforementioned Chelsea boots, and are lace ups. They also look great with dress pants and denim.

Gilt currently has a big sale going on with winter boots. You can probably find the above styles and more and pretty decent prices.