A lot of men invest significant amounts of money in formal wear, hoping to achieve the ultimate image of sophistication and masculinity. However, sometimes even the most expensive suits can fall flat or simply look not right. This is often due to common mistakes that a lot of people make but, luckily, many of them are easily avoidable.
Not getting the fit right
Ignoring the fit is by far the biggest and most common error in men’s suits. From the first look, it may feel like a suit is fitting just fine (not too tight or too big). However, if you start paying attention to the individual details, you will notice some issues. For instance, the jacket shoulders may be overhanging or pinching, the sleeves are slightly too short or too long, the trousers are pooling or riding high, and the overall fabric is bunching in all the wrong places. These things will add up to the overall look being sloppy and unprofessional, which can make even the finest quality garments appear cheap. The fix is to invest in a tailor-made suit or make adjustments to your existing suit, to ensure it fits you perfectly.
The wrong footwear
Footwear can easily sabotage an otherwise well-assembled formal outfit. The most common mistake is choosing the wrong shoe style or colour for the suit. For example, if you’re wearing a cream linen suit for a summer wedding, pairing it with dark velvet shoes will look disastrous. Instead, opt for loafers or derby shoes in a lighter colour to match the vibe. Not just that, your shoes should be clean and polished, as well as in good condition. Even if you get the overall look right, a pair of dirty shoes will spoil it.
Accessory overkill
Finding balance with accessories is crucial. Too many items at once, like a patterned tie, lapel pin, vibrant pocket square, a loud watch, etc., can look cluttered and overdone. Accessories should be there to tie the whole look together, while looking tasteful and well put-together. For example, if you are already wearing a bright tie, avoid introducing other bright colours in your accessories. Instead, match it or choose complementary shades. In certain scenarios, like highly formal events requiring a Tuxedo, there will be specific rules about accessories: typically a white or black bow tie, usually no belt if trousers have adjusters, and so on.
The devil in the details
Sometimes the suit itself is excellent, and the accessories are perfectly matched, but something is still not quite right. In those cases, look for small details that might be hindering the whole look. This could be anything from a shirt that wasn’t properly ironed to the bow sitting a bit wonky. Or, perhaps, your hair needs a bit of tidying up with some gel, as it might have got messy in the wind. Although small, these details will become more apparent in pictures, even if you can’t quite put your finger on it.
Elevating your formal game
Mastering your formal outfit goes beyond simply buying an expensive suit. It requires a good fit, coordination, the right choice of accessories, and attention to detail. But, avoiding the above common mistakes will help you get there!