1 0 RO O K I E S T Y L E M I S TA K E S

How to suit up like a pro

Style is more about knowing how to dress than what
to wear. Trends come and go, what to wear varies
from season to season, but how you dress marks the
truly stylish man. So even though we sell custom
clothing and it would probably be in our best interest
to tell you exactly what to wear, we’re not going to
do that here. Instead, with this manual, we’ll teach
you how to avoid 10 frequently seen mistakes when
you’re suiting up.

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M I S TA K E # 1 :
Buttoning all the
buttons on your suit
jackets and blazers

You see a button and a buttonhole so you use them...all of

them. Makes sense. Too bad it’s a faux pas. You never need to
button the bottom button on a suit jacket or a blazer with more
than one button. The story behind this tradition is long and
boring, so we’ll spare you the details and just ask that you trust
us on this one.

Bottom buttons are not

meant to be fastened.
Leave it undone to
capture the same suave
look as the gents in
these photos.
M I S TA K E # 2 :
Not showing any shirt cuff

Nothing looks more like you’re wearing

your father’s suit than a sleeve that
swallows up your shirt sleeve. If your shirt
sleeve doesn’t peek out from under your
jacket (we recommend between 0.25” and
0.5”) you’ve got one of two problems:
either your shirt sleeve is too short or your
jacket sleeve is too long. Either way, get
thee to a tailor with the quickness. Or
better yet, start wearing clothes that fit
you flawlessly.

All things in moderation, including your shirt cuff.

This guy has it right. Let enough peek below your
jacket sleeve to keep them interested.
M I S TA K E # 3 :
Matching pocket square and tie sets

Nothing says styled by retail like a matching pocket square and tie. These
atrocities usually come in over-saturated, satiny solids, like a royal purple
silk tie and matching silk pocket square. The resulting look is amateur hour
all the way. While a matching set of jacket and pants (a suit) may be the
epitome of men’s style, accessories, like ties and pocket squares, should
vary in pattern or shade in some way.
M I S TA K E # 4 :
Wearing Out of Style Shoes

You could wear a pair of the finest, Italian

calfskin, bench-made, square toe shoes
and you’d still be wearing square toe
shoes. Which is to say you’ll look like you
stepped out of a time machine sent from
the 90s. The solution to this problem is to
invest in timeless styles. A quality pair of
cap-toe oxfords, brogues or derbies aren’t
designed to be on trend today. These fad
proof styles are the way to go since a well-
made pair of shoes should last you over
10 years with proper care.

Shoes can make or break even the most dapper

outfit. These men prove that whether you’re
heading out for work or play, choosing quality and
classic is always the right choice.
M I S TA K E # 5 :
Wearing a crew neck undershirt with an open collared dress shirt

Good for you for wearing an undershirt. The rewards are great. But there
is one risk. That little bit of white cotton forming a triangle at the base of
your neck is not working. A V-neck or tank top undershirt is mandatory
when you’re not wearing a tie.

A little skin is sexy. A visible un-

dershirt? Not so much. Don’t let the
effortless cool of an open collar shirt
be tarnished with a visible strip of
an undershirt.
M I S TA K E # 6 :
Puddling Pant Length

The express train to Scrub City stops

at Pants Too Long Station and a lot
of guys get on board. But that wad of
fabric flapping around your ankles wasn’t
cool back in the 2003 NBA draft when
LeBron and company set a record for
the worst group of suits ever (he’s more
than made up for it since), and it’s not
cool now. The worst part is, this is the
most basic tailoring alteration known to
man, so there are no excuses. If you’re
an offender, you can no longer plead
ignorance.

If you can’t see the bow

on your shoelaces, you
might have a problem.
Don’t let your pants
rain all over your shoes
Avoid the puddle. Get
your pants hemmed.
M I S TA K E # 7 :
Using a cummerbund as a belt

Although a cummerbund goes around

your waist, its purpose is not to hold your
pants up. A cummerbund is worn because
it is considered improper to show your
waist in black tie. It is also considered a
tuxedo no-no to wear a belt. In fact, your
formal pants shouldn’t even have belt
loops. So how do you keep your pants
in place when you’re wearing a tuxedo?
With suspenders, of course. A pair of
formal suspenders (known as “braces” by
our cousins across the pond) in black or
white is a sharp addition to a black
tie outfit.

Do you see that shirt waist? Of

course you don’t, because of the well-
placed cummerbund doing its job, not
holding up the pants, but covering up
the waist...
M I S TA K E # 8 :
Wearing a tuxedo imposter

It seems like a tuxedo. Maybe the guy who sold or rented it to you said it
was a tuxedo (Did you check out his style, by the way? You sure you want
to take advice from that guy?), but it’s not a tuxedo. If it has a notch lapel
or belt loops or pants cuffs, it’s an imposter, a black matching garment
masquerading as a tux. The rules of black tie are virtually etched in stone
and time hasn’t eroded them much. A proper formal dinner suit (aka
tuxedo) must have either peak or shawl lapels, no belt loops and
non-cuffed pants.
M I S TA K E # 9 :
Wearing your tie too long (or short)

Your tie point should end at the center

of your belt buckle. This is an important A tie can bring together the whole
proportion. If your tie is too long it outfit, but only if it’s in proportion.
looks like you’re going to your First Keep your tie the right length and just
Communion wearing your big brother’s like this gent, let your tie be the star
tie. Wear it too short and you create a no of your sartorial show.
man’s land where your tie ends and your
stomach is exposed. Either way it reeks
of sartorial laziness since solving this
problem simply requires re-tying your tie.
M I S TA K E # 1 0 :
Pinstripe jackets and jeans

The pinstripe suit is a classic. So are a

great pair of jeans. But trying to put
them together is like wearing socks with
flip-flops. The two styles are just too far
apart. Pinstripes should create long lines
down your body. Interrupting the lines is
already a bad idea. Interrupting the lines
with a casual fabric like denim should be
avoided at all costs.

We love to mix things up, but pinstripes and jeans

are two styles that never blend well. Try a sportier
pattern like a Glen plaid or windowpane to give
your blazers some character.
We believe a sharply dressed man in a custom suit
can accomplish anything because when you dress dre ss bet te r
your best, you feel your best. And feeling your best l ive bet te r
gives you the confidence to do your best. We can pursue bet te r
help you achieve that level of confidence using the
power of custom clothing with a uniquely flawless fit.

We’re Black Lapel and we make the world’s best

custom suits and shirts, all hand-crafted just for you.

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