1. Get to know your tailor. No matter what you wear, he can make it look better.
Hackett London, fall/winter 2014
2. A suit jacket or sports coat should fit like a glove. Once buttoned, you should be able to slide a palm between your chest and the coat. Anything more, and the jacket is too big.
sleeve-break
3. A tie should hit you at the belt buckle. Never higher or lower.
tie-length
4. Your tie should never be wider than your lapel.
Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig in Tom Ford
5. Pocket squares are a great addition to any suit. Just remember it should never match your tie, only complement it.
pocket-squares
J. Crew
6. You should always see some of your shirt cuff once your sleeve ends. A quarter to a half-inch is plenty.
7. Suit pants should never pool at your shoes. They should have about a one-inch break.
tailor-pants
8. A bulky wallet doesn’t make you look rich. Only carry the necessities: your ID, a credit card, and a few small bills.
wallet
9. When wearing leather shoes, your belt should always match. Brown with brown and black with black.
brown-shoes-and-belt
10. Dress shoes are a staple in any mans closet. Invest in a quality pair.
alden-dress-shoes
Alden
11. Keep your shoes clean and polished. Nothing looks worse than scuffed and faded toes.
shoe-shine
12. You should never wear square-toed shoes. NEVER.
square-shoes-flames
13. Jeans should distress on their own. Never buy them that way.
Robert Redford
14. Never wear a belt and suspenders. Only one or the other.
belt-suspenders
15. Flip flops are for the beach only.
flip-flops
16. A plain black or white T-shirt never goes out of style.
steve-mcqueen-white-t
17. Never button the bottom button of your jacket. You don’t want to look like a bellboy.
Canali
Canali, fall/winter 2014
18. Pleats are not flattering. Stick to flat-front pants.
hermes11
Hermes, fall/winter 2014
19. Socks are an extension of your personality. They don’t need to match your pants, but they should complement your whole outfit.
shoes-socks
20. The basting stitches on the shoulders and the rear vents of your coat should be removed.
basting-stitches
21. White socks are for the gym, not with a suit.
white-socks
22. Lose the plastic watch. Invest in something refined and timeless.
23. Oversized watches are not flattering on anyone. Keep the dinner plates on the table.
large-watch
24. It’s always best to show up overdressed rather than underdressed.
alain-delon
25. Follow your instincts, not the trends.