When most men think about a military shirt, they imagine an ugly camouflage shirt. But today’s stylish military shirts are not like that at all. They have very good fabric and colors (as you are about to see).

So why are they still called “military” then? Well, they do keep some elements from the original models worn by the soldiers. One is the epaulets and the other is the front pockets.

These two elements are actually a blessing if you’re thin because they will make you look bigger. This is actually one of the best guarded secrets about how to look “larger”. Instead of wearing a normal shirt two sizes too large (which will make you look ridiculous anyway), try a military shirt that fits you perfectly. The epaulets will make your shoulders look bigger and the front pockets will make a more prominent chest.

photo: ethicalstyle.com

What you have in the picture above is a perfect example of a stylish military shirt. It looks good, it makes the guy look bigger and the sleeves can be rolled up if it’s too hot outside. It goes perfectly in any casual situation.

What can military shirts go well with?

Whether you’re a jeans person or a dress pants person - it doesn’t matter. Military shirts go very well with both. The thing that matters is how to match it with your outfit. In order to really bring out the potential, you need to make sure all colors go well together. This of course means you need some color coordination advice as well as some practice.

To get you started, here are some outfits which include of military shirts.

One important thing: most military shirtscan either be worn tucked or untucked. (You’ve probably already noticed this from the pictures.) This is something you need to figure out for yourself depending on the outfit.

If you read on the internet about this or that technique that makes you look taller, you’ll only be disappointed by the results. My approach is different: I’m going to give you ALL the techniques available and what I ask from you is simply to apply as many of them as you can.

Before we get into the juicy details, I’m going to give you a basic concept that is at the foundation for any short man’s style. You need to understand that, unless you apply these basic principles, all the other techniques simply won’t work to their full potential.

This principle ins based on the most common mistake short men make to make themselves look taller. You know what they say: if you want to get out of the hole you need to first stop digging. So let’s see where you’re still digging.

Rule: don’t wear clothes that are either too big or too small

Here’s what happens when a short person that is not style-savvy thinks he’s clever and wants to solve the problem on his own. He thinks that if he’ll wear bigger clothes, they will make them look bigger.

While the reasoning seems good, this is not the case in reality. Dress someone in clothes that are too large and he’ll look like he’s drowning in them. I can’t even remember all the times I saw a “clever” guy who looked awful in his over-sized dress shirt. He looked like he could swim in it. Of course, he could barely do anything with his hands because the sleeves were too long, not to mention all the wrinkles that formed on the shirt because the fabric didn’t cover his body neatly.

The fact of the matter is clothes need to fit you perfectly, no matter the height or the number of pounds. Clothes should seem that they are actually a part of the body, an expressive continuation, if you want. If you saw a guy of normal proportion but with over-sized arms, would you not find it weird? Look at clothes as a body part that needs to be in proportion with the rest of your body. Short or tall, this is the most important rule and I urge you not to break it.

OK, now that we got that out of the way, let’s see some specific things you can do to make yourself look taller.

#1 Wear vertical stripes and avoid horizontal stripes and patterns

If you’ve been doing even the smallest amount of research on how to look taller, this is the number one advice you’ll find. But it’s more than just vertical stripes here. Any vertical elongation is your friend. A stripped shirt is the first thing to consider but, since everyone knows this trick, you might not make that good of an impression. In fact, some people will instantly spot that you’re short and wearing a stripped shirt to compensate. Women, especially, are very good with clothes.

My recommendation is to wear stripped shirts if you’re medium height. If you’re shorter than average, I’ll give you better tips that will make you look taller.

So, let’s get back to the premise: any vertical elongation in your outfit can make you look taller. What am I talking about?

• Wear ties (especially slim ones)
• Wear suspenders
• Wear suits with a shawl lapel instead of notched or peaked lapel.
• Wear casual shirts whose buttons stand out. For instance, if you have a gray shirt and red buttons, they will create a vertical line from your neck all the way down to your pants. Much sneakier than wearing plain-old stripped shirts, right?
• Wear a vest and a shirt of roughly the same color. We will discuss why you should opt for monochromatic outfits later but the important thing is that the sleeveless vest will “create” those two vertical lines near the shoulders.
• Wear pinstripe suits
• Wear shirts and other clothing outfits that have subtle vertical stripes. The length of the stripe doesn’t matter as long as it’s vertical.

#2 Wear the same color (or shades) from top to bottom

Monochromatic outfits can give you a big hand in your quest for looking taller. Wonder why? Because, when someone looks at you, their gaze tends to move from top to bottom. It’s those few seconds that they subconsciously decide how short or tall you really are, and it’s that precise time you want to “trick” their mind into thinking you have a few extra inches.

If you wear the same color (or close nuances) from top to bottom, the gaze will go smoothly. There will be no “break” from, say, a white shirt to a pair of black pants. You will bee seen as a whole and will appear taller.

#3 Wear brighter colors

I’ve heard some people say it’s better to wear darker colors if you don’t want to look short. I’ve heard others saying the opposite. I will go with the second crowd and here’s why.

Vivid colors make you stand out more. This will make you seem bigger (i.e. taller + wider) and we’re taller that we’re interested about. As long as you wear the same nuances top to bottom (see previous tip) you’ll do great.

Of course, the range of vivid colors you can wear is limited if you’re planning on doing so top to bottom. Who would be crazy enough to be all dressed up in pink?

Let me give you the vivid colors I think would be best suited for such an attempt. Some of them may not see that vivid but, for us men, any color that has a slightly higher level of luminosity is vivid. Choose the ones you like and make sure they contrast nicely with your skin tone.

Oops! i forgot to include light gray in the picture above, it’s great and very stylish. Ok, on to the next tip.

#4 Only wear short hair

If you’re wearing long hair and you’re short, you should definitely consider a short hair style for men. When you’re not that tall you want that smooth slick look to be on your side. Don’t be fooled by the fact that long hair will elongate your face. In most cases, it will only make it look wider.

Instead, go for a shorter hair style and raise it up with some gel. You will gain 1-2 inches only by doing this.
Take a look at the guy on the left and see just how much height he gained from his haircut alone.

#5 Wear shoes with thicker soles

You probably didn’t think about this one but it makes a lot of sense, doesn’t it? Gain a little height from here as well.

#6 Only wear 1 or 2 button blazers

Blazers with 3 buttons and more usually have less elongated lapels. Like we discussed before, vertical lines are your friend. Go for one or two button blazers. They are more stylish anyway and are the preferred choice of most men anyway.

#7 Wear V-necks

The V-neck will elongate you in pretty much the same way those lapels did from the previous tip. The deeper the V, the better the effect. This goes both for v-neck sweaters and for vests.

#8 Wear cuff-less pants

Cuffs are in the end a matter of preference but if you’re short, they will only subtract from your height. Stay cuff-less to have your feet appear longer.

#9 Avoid pocket squares and bow-ties

As stylish as they may be, bow ties and pocket squares don’t help you at all in your quest for looking taller. Go for ties (slim if possible). They are just horizontal obstacles in your outfit. You need a smooth outfit top to bottom.

#10 Avoid double breasted suits

Double breasted suits have two rows of buttons and give a general appearance that you’re bulky. Stay with single breasted and you’ll be just fine.

#11 Stay slim
Though this is not a clothing advice, I will include it because I think it’s important. Extra fat on your belly and hips will only widen you, something you can’t afford. Exercise regularly and you’ll not only look taller but live a healthier life as well.
#12 Avoid pockets in general

Unless you happen to have vertical pockets, avoid them. Horizontal pockets only add horizontal lines to your outfit.

#13 Don’t wear belts that contrast too much with your clothes

While belts are very stylish if you know how to match them with your outfit, you should avoid using them to make contrast. having, for instance, white pants, a white shirt and a black belt will literally break the outfit in half. This will make you look shorter.

#14 Wear hats

Though you can only wear them outside, hats can instantly add a few inches to how tall you are. Fedora hats are extremely stylish so make sure you try a few of them on.

There you go: all my best secrets (which aren’t secrets at all) about how to look taller revealed! Like I said in he beginning of the article: the key is to apply as many of them as you can. One or two won’t make that much of a difference.

Until next time,
George

I’m not going to delve into the origins of tuxedos or the names under which they are know in different countries (or who refers only to the tuxedo jacket when they talk about tuxedos and who doesn’t). What I want to debate is whether or not a gray tuxedo is acceptable or not.

Whenever you think about a tux, the first picture that comes to mind is that of a black one. Most people can’t even imagine wearing a tuxedo something else other than black. However, this very elegant piece of clothing comes in other colors and nuances. Gray is one of them.

Gray tuxedos were popular in the 80s, just like the baby blue ones were in the 70s. In the 90s, black tuxedos took over and have been the preferred choice for most men ever since.

However, gray tuxedos are still worn - just not that much. This means that, at a formal event, you can stand out by wearing one. Don’t be afraid that you won’t be fashionable. Style is much more important than fashion.

Gray is a balanced color in many ways. First of all, it is classy. Second of all, it stands out. Third, it makes you look older, which can be desirable for some men. I can come up with other reasons why you should go for gray tuxedos (or even gray suits for that matter) I’ll just show you a picture of a gray tux.

photo: tommystuxedos.com

Pretty cool, huh?

Gray tuxedos come in different shades. Choose the one that best complements your skin type:

The absolute best part about gray tuxedos is that you can wear a shirt in almost any color with it, no matter how vivid. You can go for white, pink, beige or even light green. It all depends on your skins’ complexity and personality.

Check out some of the colors below. You’ll remember them easier:

So my final answer is: yes, gray tuxedos are very stylish!

And how do you know if a gray tux is what you need? How do you know which shirt color to choose? Good questions. You’ll just have to go to the mall and try a few of them on. You need to have your eye formed before trying to figure out which colors work best for you. You can check out my men’s fashion eBook for this - it will save you a lot of time.

If you decided to purchase one, I’d be more than happy to see your pictures and read your comments.

First of all, let’s get something straight: there is no proof (so far) that tanning with a sunbed is riskier than tanning under the sun. If you have any, please post it below in a comment to let everyone know. The fact of the matter is both types of tanning can cause skin cancer if you’re not careful

To avoid this (and other) terrible medical problems we need to know how to protect ourselves from those damaging UV rays and without depriving us from the pleasure of laying in the sun for as long as we want.

What is tanning, anyway?

Tanning is the process through which we expose our skin to ultraviolet rays. The purpose is to darken it’s tone for a nice, sexy look. The moment ultraviolet (UV) rays reach the skin’s surface, it reacts by secreting a substance called melanin. This is actually a pigment that has a protector role. It is produced by melanin-producing cells called melanocytes.

The radiations that stimulate melanin production are UVA and and UVB. UVAs are partially protected by the clothes we wear but this is not the case for UVB.

What dangers do we expose ourselves when we stay unprotected in the sun?

There are more than you probably though. besides skin cancer, we can add skin burning and wrinkles. UV radiation can also affect the eyes, producing inflammations.

Types of skin

When it comes to how sensitive human skin is to sun rays, we can classify it in 6 classes. It’s important to know what type of skin you have to know how long you can stay in the sun and what protection factor you should use for your sun cream.

Type I skin is extremely white. The person who has it usually has green or blue eyes and he should avoid suntanning altogether. That’s right: no sun exposure!

Type II skin is a little darker than type I. If your skin is in this category, I recommend to limit your sun exposure because you’ll get burn very easily. Use a sun cream or gel with a very high protection factor.

Type III skin gets a good and safe tan but it CAN get sunburns if you leave it too much. If you have this type, you’re one of the lucky ones.

Type IV skin is darker, eyes are usually brown or dark brown and hair is dark. It can get a sun tan pretty easy and doesn’t have too much sunburn problems.

Type V is darker than the previous four types and almost never gets burn. Generally, populations from Latin America are the ones known to have this skin type. They have a very low risk of getting skin cancer.

Type VI is the darkest one, you see it predominantly in people of African origin. Skin cancer is extremely rare.

What are solar creams?

Let’s talk a little about ways to protect ourselves when we stay in the sun or use sunbeds.Solar creams are substances that block harmful radiations.

What few people know is what the protection factor is and what solar cream to use depending on the skin type.

The solar protection factor (SPF) is an indicator present on every solar cream gel or spray. It tells us how well that product can protect us from UVB radiations. Yes, we’re only talking about UVBs - UVAs are a different story. If you want both UVA + UVB protection (recommended) then you have to carefully look on the tube to check. Good solar creams specify that they protect against both.

Basically, the SPF shows times how many more minutes you can stay in the sun than you can without any protection. Did you know that, in normal conditions, a type II skin can stay in the sun for only 10 minutes before it starts to burn? This is why you need protection.

So, if you can stay 10 minutes without the solar cream, a solar cream with a SPF of 30 allows you to stay 300 minutes (10 minutes X 30 SPF).

So, the solar protection factor doesn’t protect you BETTER - it protects you LONGER!

if you don’t know how long you can stay in the sun without burning, consider the time interval to be 10 minutes. If you have really white skin then subtract a few minutes. If your skin is darker than average, add a few minutes. Then multiply that number of minutes with the SPF.

How do I apply the solar cream and how often?

Research shows the best method to apply sun cream is to do it 15-30 minutes before you start tanning and, a second time, 15-30 minutes AFTER that moment.

From this point forward, reapplying the cream, gel or spray are necessary if:

• you sweat a lot
• you went into the pool or the sea
• you rubbed too much with the towel
• the safety time (which we discussed above) expired.

How do I protect my head when tanning in the sun?

When you’re laying in the sun you MUST have something to cover you head. it’s not enough to wear sunglasses - they can only protect your eyes. Though it may not be as stylish, wear a cap for maximum protection.

Besides this, it is recommended that you take breaks from suntanning. Take a few minutes to rest in the shade so that your body will have time to recover for the next tanning session.

Can I use olive oil instead of sun cream?

A lot of people noticed that they get a much nicer tan when using olive oil. While this may be true, olive oil does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to protect you from UV rays. If you want, find a solar cream that has olive oil on its ingredients list.

What should I do if I didn’t follow the advice give in this article?

OK, you’ve done it. You stayed too much in the sun and/or you weren’t protected. While you have to suffer the consequences, there are things you can do to alleviate some of the pain you probably have.

make sure you get plenty of water. Hydration is crucial. Sunburns can last up to two weeks so make sure you get plenty of fluids, especially in the first 2-3 days.

Avoid the sun at all cost until you’re absolutely sure you’re fine.

Now that you know how to get a great suntan, all you have to do is put the advice given here into practice. A little knowledge before going out there cans ave you a lot of pain.

Note: Neither the author nor www.BeStylish.org assume any responsibility for the advice given in this article. The text of this article are only opinions of the author and should not be mistaken with doctor’s advice. If you have problems due to overexposure to the sun, contact your family doctor immediately.

What can you do to be stylish at the beach? How do you hide your body’s flaws? I’m not a magician to give you a six-pack in a few seconds but I CAN tell you what swimsuit to wear.

The fabric

The first thing you need to check when purchasing a men’s swimsuit is the fabric. There are quite a few out there and some of them need to be avoided. Generally speaking, bathing suits can be made of cotton, spandex, nylon, polyester etc. You should avoid those made of cotton and go for a combination of spandex, nylon and polyester.

With cotton swimsuits, it tends to wrinkle when you come out of the water. Furthermore, it retains more water than synthetic fibers, making a poor choice. Polyester and nylon offer a very good elasticity, they’re lightweight, stay close to the skin and dry easily.

Color

The color of your swimsuit should depend on the complexity of your skin. The goal here is to create contrast. If you have lighter skin, go for darker colors. If you have darker skin, go for lighter colors. Simple, right?

Also, if you want to hide those extra pounds… that’s right! Go for darker nuances. If you want to look taller, go for vertical stripes. If you want to look wider in the hip area, go for horizontal stripes.

Although a swimsuit can hide body flaws up to a point, it cannot do wonders. If you want a ripped body then regular exercise is the only way to go.

Patterns

Swimsuits come in a variety of patterns. Pick something you feel comfortable wearing but avoid certain bathing suits. I’m talking about those hideous pairs that have different logos on them. Logos never reflect your personality, they just bring brand awareness to whatever brand you’re wearing. Stay away from those like the plaque!

If you want to stand out, pick a bathing suit with a cartoon on it or something that has a meaning to you.

Types of swimsuits

OK, we got to the most interesting part. What type of bathing suit should I pick? You really have a few options: briefs (or speedos), boxer swimsuits or boardshorts. Let’s see a few examples of each of them

Briefs (or speedos)

Nrmally you don’t want to wear speedos if you’re int he USA unless you’re.. gay, but they’re acceptable in Europe. Leaving sexual orientation aside, speedos are excellent for sporting activities because they’re as aerodynamic as they can get. However, they’re not a good option if you have a belly.

Swimsuit Boxers

One would normally choose boxers if he’s not really sure what type of swimsuit suits him best. Boxers are great if you don’t have too much fat on your belly.

Boardshorts

Boardshorts cover a lot more from your body than speedos or boxers but they com in a wide variety of patterns and colors. However, if you want to get a good suntan, they’re probably not the best option since they will cover your upper legs.

If you use them for surfing or other beach sports, try to get a pair that’s above your knee. One that gets below it will probably hinder your movements.

Now that you’ve seen a few models and you know the criteria by which to choose your swimsuit, all you have to do is go find the right pair for you. Good luck!

photo: dhphomedelivery.com

First of all, a known fact: feet are among the body parts that sweat the most. During the summer, the excessive heat accentuates this process. The resulting sweat the enters the shoes where, because of lack of ventilation, it creates an unpleasant smell.

I’m sure you’ve been through this: someone takes off their shoes and, in a matter of seconds, the smell got to your nose…

photo: tmlvaleting.co.uk

What fabric to choose?

Summer casual socks should be made of cotton. Period. Cotton “breathes”. You can choose wool as long as the sock is thin and the temperature outside is not too hot. It’s a well know fact that cotton and wool do a great job at absorbing perspiration.

OK, Let’s see some specific examples of summer socks

”Low-cut” socks

This type of socks go very well with shorts. The difference between this and an ordinary sock is that the cut is low. In other words, the socks will hardly be visible from the shoe.

Low cut socks go very well with sneakers, converse shoes and boat shoes. There are also low-cut socks specifically made for sporting activities.

“No-show” socks

This special kind of sock is pretty much invisible to the eye when you have your shoes on. It only protects your toes and your sole and does not go up the ankle. In the two photos above you can see a casual no-show sock (left) and a sporty one (right).

What if I don’t’ want to wear socks?

In this case you have tow alternatives: talcum powder or foot spray. They are great alternatives to wearing socks but, personally, I prefer low-cut socks because I can match them with my outfit and make a better impression.

Whether you want to wear socks or go sock-less, the main goal is to make sure your feet don’t smell bad.

Until next time,
George

It’s not that I expect them to look like they’re on a catwalk 24/7. That’s too much even for me. But some basic stuff in their outfits is just not taken care of.

Problems

The most common problems I see in guys outfits are these:

• wearing clothes that are too large
• they don’t know how to match colors
• they don’t wear the right accessories

Solutions

The solutions are simple, all they have to do is allocate time and money. I know we all lack both of them but, as the personal image becomes more and more important, you need to find the spare time and invest a some money into yourself.

• Wearing clothes that are too large. Dress shirts seem to be the biggest problem, followed by jeans. Not to mention most don’t even have “dress pants” in their vocabulary.
• They don’t know how to match colors. I know it seems complicated but things are actually very simple. Here’s a very basic tip: try to repeat a color in our outfit. Simply wear two items at the same time that both have the same color on them.
• They don’t wear the right accessories. Whether you’re young or not, accessories are a very cheap method of “upgrading” your outfits. If you don’t see yourself wearing a slim tie with jeans, go for at least a hand watch. Because not many people like to wear watches, those who do will definitely stand out. Besides, the watch is a men’s classic so you can’t go wrong wearing one.

Style does not mean you have to dress like a parrot. Style is made to represent you. The first is for clothes to communicate that you know to take care of yourself. After that you need to fine tune your looks in order to project your best self onto others. What’s after that… it’s all up to you.

Until next time,
George

Shoes are expensive. You don’t get a pair every week and, for this reason, when you decide to take out your wallet, you have to be very well informed. If you bought them and after that you realize they’re a little too small (like a friend of mine recently had this happen), you end up giving them as a gift to someone else. Of course… you need to buy new ones for yourself.

A lot of people think shoes are the most important part of an outfit. The reason? If you’re wearing simple clothes but your shoes look great, you’ll create a much better impression than if you’re very elegant but your shoes are old or dirty.

Your care when choosing your shoes shows your attention to details and sub communicates more about you than you think. Come to think of it, this article is probably the most important one I’ve written so far (except the one about personal hygiene, maybe).

Who is this article not for?

Since the subject of shoes is very vast, I’m only going to be talking about the basics. This article is not for you if:

• you’re looking for your formal meetings
• you want something for your sporting activities
• you want some winter boots

The types of shoes we’ll talk about will be worn in situations such as: going out, at work (business casual), at school, parties, romantic dinners. Since these situations are informal (we’re not talking about business meetings), the shoes are, of course, casual.

I’ll take this opportunity to post up pictures of my own shoes. Don’t worry if you don’t like some of them: we each have our own style and taste.

Basic advice before you buy

There are a few things you need to know before you buy a pair of shoes.

Shoes are not something to be cheap about. A pair of good leather shoes will last a lot longer than an imitation leather shoes (not to mention they look better). As long as you take good care of them, you’ll increase their lifespan enormously. Thus, you’ll have only to gain in the long run.

Another thing is the moment you buy. When you try on shoes, especially leather ones, it’s VERY important they’re not too small and that you feel comfortable in them. Don’t take advice from the salesperson such as “don’t worry, they’ll loosen up in time”. This depends a lot on how they were actually made so it’s not guaranteed to happen.

Try on both shoes before you buy because your left foot is not the same size as your right one. If you’re only looking around you don’t have to do this. But if you’re ready to buy, don’t skip this step!

Loafers

The first option for casual shoes that you can wear on a daily basis are loafers. On the formality scale they’re somewhere between business shoes (usually worn with a suit) and sport shoes. So they’re great if you want a classy yet relaxed look.

The first time loafers appeared, the reactions were terrible. People were not used to seeing shoes that didn’t have any laces, so they thought they’re extremely weird. In time, because they’re very comfortable and easy to put on, they were accepted but only in informal situations.

The above pair is something that I wear on weekends a lot and sometimes at work. IT’s made of leatehr, looks very good and it takes me a couple of seconds to put on. I make sure I don’t wear it two days in a row to increase its lifespan.

But not all loafers are necessarily stylish. My pair as a few things I want you to look at.

First of all, the toe box is pretty narrow at the end. This is something I actually impose as a rule to everyone: choose shoes with an elongated top. The sole is thin and low. The frame is thin as well. Make sure you look for these the next time you buy a pair of loafers!

Boat Shoes

Loafers are in style right now but there’s a pair of shoes that has laces that’s even more stylish. You’ll start feeling relaxed from the first second you put them on. That’s right, I’m talking about boat shoes!

Even though they were used exclusively by sailors, boat shoes started to become fashionable in the 80s and are still holding on today.

Also known as deck shoes, they’re made of canvas, the sole is made of rubber. Their advantage is that they’re very comfortable and cheaper.

The pair above can be worn both with leans and shorts. It has both white and blue so you can repeat these colors in your outfit. Of course, if you want to make an outfit that stands out, you can even wear them with a shirt and sports jacket. The combinations are limitless.

Sneakers

If you’re the sporty type or you just don’t like leather shoes, you can be stylish wearing sneakers. Here we need to make an important distinction: day-to-day sneakers are not the same with what you wear during sporting activities.

You don’t want to make a big mistake such as buying expensive soccer sneakers, that are specially designed to give you best performance when playing that sport. You’ll only end up paying extra for features you don’t need, such as extra resistance, a specially designed sole or toe box etc.

So, if you want stylish sneakers, go for those that only imitate sport-line shoes.

The shape of the sneaker should be aerodynamic… it just looks better! The sole should be low and thin. Sounds like the same advice I gave for loafers, right?

Don’t go for cheap counterfeit sneakers because they won’t last long. In the long run you’ll end up paying more for cheap shoes than for more expensive ones. When it comes to shoes, quality comes at a price.

When it comes to sneakers, you have plenty models to choose from. Take a look at the pair below. I’ve had it for over a year now and still looks great. Canvas sneakers come in a wider variety of colors than leather ones. This means you have more options when you want to match them with your outfit.

Ready to choose?

Now that I gave you some ideas of what stylish shoes you can get, all you have to do is start searching for you ideal pair. Pick the one that matches the most clothes in your wardrobe. ideally you’ll want to get at least a pair of each of the shoes I presented in this article (except for sneakers if you’re not the type).

Until next time,

George

This is all over now. I know that if I use my head a little I can pick great clothes that not only look great but make me feel great. And how you feel is what matters.

photo: aolcdn.com

I noticed Zac’s outfits because they combine formal with casual clothes in a great way. Let’s take a look at this outfit, for instance. He’s wearing a gray cardigan, a black shirt and a black slim tie. Even though he’s not wearing anything of color, I absolutely LOVE this outfit. What do you think of this formula?

formal + casual = cool

You can wear Zac’s first outfit in the spring or autumn, t keep you warm. If you think it’s too much, you can give up the tie and, if you think it’s not enough to make you stand out, you can replace the tie with a red one.

Here’s another outfit from Zac. Let’s make a small exercise. Take a look at the picture below and tell me what’s the most important thing you noticed.

photo: thecount.com

Did you get it? If not, I’ll tell you. The blue from his shirt matches the color of his eyes. I’ve only seen a handful of blue-eyed people who used this sneaky little trick to their advantage.

If you have brown eyes this won’t work but if you have blue or green eyes… get something blue or green and you’ll see the results!

There’s one more detail I want you to notice: the white belt. It contrasts great with the darker colors in the outfit and would go great with a pair of white sneakers or shoes.

Now that you’ve seen Zac in action, I wonder what ideas his outfits gave you.

Maybe an even better title for this article would be “How to Make Outstanding Impressions in Your Business Meetings”. French cuffs are perfect for such situations.

So what’s a french cuff?

Actually, before we answer this question, let’s answer another:

What’s a cuff?

A cuff is the bottom part of a men’s shirt. This area actually has a different feel to the touch because it has an extra layer of fabric. The purpose of this is two-fold: first, the cuff keeps the end of the sleeve tighter so it won’t slip over one’s hand. The other is that it prevents fraying.

Just in case you still have trouble picturing where it it: the sleeve’s buttons and holes are also located on the cuff. Got it? OK. Let’s talk a little about the french cuff.

The french cuff is a special kind of cuff: you have to fold it before you button it. For this reason, it’s made twice as long. Take a close look at the picture from the beginning of this article and you’ll see that, in fact, the cuff has been folded upwards (over itself).

As you can imagine, shirts with french cuffs are very long - when unfolded, the cuffs can cover part of your fingers. This is why french cuffs are also called “double cuffs”.

Since I’ve named this article “everything about the french cuff”, let’s analyse a small detail. There are two types of french cuffs: simple and rounded. Here’s the difference:

foto: artofmanliness.com, raresplendors.com

Which one should you choose? If you’re not sure, pick either one. There are more important details when it comes to putting together a formal outfit and, if you want to stand out more, besides buttons (which we’ll talk about in a moment) you also have to choose a great tie and pocket square.

The length of the sleeve

Few people know exactly one of the key elements when it comes to formal outfits: the length of the sleeve.

The answer is very clear: the sleeve (including the cuff) should be a little over the your arm’s wrist. If you’re wearing a jacket this rule because even more important because your cuff should be partially visible (about once centimeter or half an inch).

To get a better idea, take a look below:

No, the money in the photo don’t come simply by following this rule but, if you’ll wear outstanding outfits to your business meetings… maybe they will follow.

Butons

Shirts with french cuffs have one small.. inconvenience: their sleeves don’t have buttons. BUt don’t panic: cuff-links to the rescue!

There are two types of cuff-links, and both work great with french cuffs.

• Regular metal cuff links. These are the most common ones, and the ones that are in style right now. Here’s a great pair:
• Silk cuff links. They’re made entirely from silk or elastic and are usually worn with french cuffs. They come in a variety of colors, take a look:
  

To sum up…

If you were anxious and jumped straight to the end of this article, here’s what you should remember from it:

• The cuff is a shirt’s extremity where the sleeve ends.
• The french cuff (or double) is a special type of cuff that folds over itself
• You can wear french cuffs to formal occasions but it can also be worn on more formal occasions if you know how.
• The french cuff doesn’t have any buttons. You MUST also purchase a pair of cuff links.

A last piece advice: never wear your french cuffs unfolded. If you want to look more relaxed, there are other alternatives:

• In formal situations you can take off your tie or unbutton the top button from your shirt.
• In informal situations you can open a second button from your shirt.

OK, I hope I convinced you that such a shirt is worth investing if you have important business meetings. Heck, it’s worth it even if you don’t but you want to make an impression.

Until next time,
George