Simpletons guide to: dressing a bespoke suit. PART 1.
Oh! I can hear your eyes rolling, you dandies who were born dandy! However, there are a few people who were not born with style oozing from their pores and through to the weave of their bespoke suits. So, please be quiet at the back there, stop rustling, put down your Instagram and let’s have a gentle talk about how to start a small ripple on the pond of styling yourself. Who knows, that ripple might turn into a style tsunami. (No, dandies, I do not mean a total leveling and a re-creation of one’s style. Again, not all of us have multi patterned and coloured blood riffling through our veins.)
So, you cleverly commissioned a bespoke suit. Hand shakes and knowing looks all round. I will assume your tailor steered, drove, shoved or threw you into the right direction of colour and style. What a chap, quite a skill! However, you have your new suit, it is perfect. Did you coyly ask for advice on what to wear with it? Chew the cud on shirts, shoes, ties, colours, textures, patterns, cufflinks, tiepins, socks, pocket squares…… I shall go on, perhaps there might be a cold bead of sweat forming on your furrowed brow?
Colour:
Now, colour is your best friend. Like all best friends, the reason you are best friends is because you understand each other. Remember that time you got in trouble? I baled you out. Then your father rang my mother to tell her how you are always the one who gets ME (!) out of trouble? Well best friend, I understand.
To avoid sticky situations and perhaps tears, look at this colour wheel. See how there are 3 situations in colour…..
Think back to how the ‘new money’ gang like to try and look like the‘old money’ gang by wearing various shades of camel beige. That is tonal.
Harmonious; This is when you choose 2 or 3 colours next to each other on the colour wheel, but are in the same hue, much like a Laura Ashley print.
Contrasting; Opposites attract right? Choose a colour on one side of the wheel and directly opposite will be its partner in crime. (much like how I found my best friend.)
If you apply these rules of the colour wheel to how you choose your shirt and tie colour combinations, in relation to your suit colour. Then, you understand.
As you may have spied, this is PART 1! of the Simpletons guide to dressing. On Monday, we will tackle shirt and tie combinations.
Toodle pip! Celia.