CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN
The extraordinary mens blog for the modern man
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Have a ball – Evening wear essential advice

imageNothing looks more suave than donning a slick dinner suit at a black tie event and with Ball season , literally round the corner, timing for this post couldn’t be better. Trends in men’s evening wear remain largely unchanged since the 19th century however subtle transformations have taken place over the years. Today evening wear is influenced by popular culture, and celebrities have been showcasing more adventurous and relaxed looks on the red carpet. To bring this traditional look up to date there are a few subtle adjustments you can make. Although when it comes to evening wear, always remember, less is more.

It is worth investing in an excellent quality dinner suit that fits beautifully. Traditionally, dinner suits are made from wool and feature either a satin or a silk lapel with a matching single braid running down the sides of the trousers. Velvet dinner jackets have been making an appearance on the red carpet whether it be the SAGs, the Oscars, the Baftas or the Brits, but if you are not feeling particularly daring, stick to wool. A timeless, black dinner suit exudes style and sophistication but recently midnight blue has become popular for modern gentlemen. This rich shade will subtly allow you to stand out from a monochrome crowd.

Attending a black tie event is a great excuse to adorn yourself with classic accessories you wouldn’t normally consider wearing. A stylish, silk bow tie adds a distinguished finish to your dress shirt. Mastering the art of tying a perfect bow is a skill that every dapper gentleman should learn. But don’t despair as there are a variety of excellent ready tied bows available. Whether you choose the easy or traditional option, always opt for a black bow tie.

Evening shirts for men should always have double cuffs to allow you to wear stylish cufflinks and personalise your formal outfit.Cufflinks worn with evening wear are typically made from gold, silver or mother of pearl. If you want to create a more relaxed look, choose a contemporary design.

Complete your ensemble with an elegant silk scarf. This distinctive accessory will stand out from the crowd as it is rarely worn to formal events nowadays, despite its popularity in the past. A plain white or black design with tassels is classic but for an eye-catching twist, opt for something more adventurous such as a polka dot print.image

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How to tie a tie – AskAnt

Firstly WELCOME, to the new look Clothes-make-the-man.com, we asked, you spoke, we listened. When we asked for your opinion a couple of months ago, your responses were universal, Make it more visual, but don’t change it too much. So we took on board everything you asked and hopefully we’re answered your comments, to make Clothes-make-the-man the same but improved !!!! Hope you enjoy and on with what has become a favourite with you loyal readers, AskAnt.

 

Ahhhh, I hope you all managed to see the honest words and expertees of your truly have been appreciated and I was asked by the big wigs over at the Mail on Sunday’s LIVE magazine to answers some of their sartorial conundrums in their Style GP column a couple of weeks ago, (if not take a look at our “Read all about us” page).

The problems have been coming in thick and fast since so I am gonna try and get through as many as possible of them. Which brings me nicely to today’s problem du jour :

Well Ted, firstly thanks for take the time out and emailing us with your Tietastic query.  Firstly, many man across the globe, who every morning, day in day out, stand in front of their mirror, bleary eyed and don’t know that different knots suit different face shapes, and depending on what tie knot you’re wearing you can either accentuate certain face peculiarities or disguise some of the features God has given us. For instance,  a very small tie knot, doesn’t suit people with round faces. Why? It’s too small, and can easily get lost under a broad neck.

There is a golden rule regarding the correlation between the form of the tie knot and face oval. It says: if a man has a slightly round face or a wide neck, he should wear narrow, longish knots like, for example, the Four-in-Hand knot (see below). Men with slender faces or long necks should wear wider textured knots.

Additionally, if we talk of the world renown ,Windsor knot, it also has its “Do’s” and “Don’ts”.

The Windsor is not for you, if you have a round or plump face. It is a big knot and it will resemble your face oval in miniature. Windsor is not a good choice for you, too, if you have a very narrow face. Due to its size, it will make a contrast with your face and accentuate disproportion. But, people with oval faces, square faces or heart-shaped faces the Windsor is perfect for you.

Now, Ted if you click onto the Information Superhighway, there are countless advice cards like the ones below, the below ones being some of the better examples, of how to tie different tie knots, but the problem with these are they don’t always explain themselves particularly well, then add into the mix trying to read the card whilst trying to recreate the knot whilst also looking in a mirror !!!!!

Now with the birth of Vloggers and the internet there are, like the above examples countless people, companies and organisations that are offering invaluable advice, like how to tie a Windsor or Four in hand knots. But and this is a BIG but , there are very helpful and well meaning, but the accompanying narration which comes with these handy nuggets, seem to assume you have the intelligence of a being somewhere between a goldfish and maybe a golden retriever. (See below, this is far from being a bad example, honest)

469-How-to-Tie-a-Tie

So to combat this annoyance, find one that you can tolerant then, please believe me and trust your known how, stand in front of a mirror and mess about with a tie. It isn’t going to come instantly, but neither will it take you hours to master, the penny will don’t and you will be able to everything from a Half Windsor to a bow tie in no time at all.

So Ted, all that is left for me to do is to tell you, the choice is yours ??? Do let us know what your decision was and  join us again soon for another style clinic.

If you have any stylistic problems, events, that  you don’t know what to wear, after the right shows to go with that all important outfit. Whatever, you query no problem is too big nor small, please just email askant@ymail.com and I’ll happily give you informed, knowledgable common sense advice.

A.M