How To Dress Well: The 15 Rules All Men Should Learn

Lesson 2: Dressing Your Subjects – Professional-Quality Family Portraits at Home

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

Define the portrait’s theme, formality of the occasion, and coordination of colors between multiple subjects to determine appropriate clothing and accessory options. Identify problematic clothing options and accessories to remove them from consideration. Evaluate remaining clothing options and accessories based on seasonal and weather conditions for outdoor photo shoot locations.

Matching Your Background With Clothing

How Complementary Colors Will Add Depth and Ease to Your Photos

Once the location for your portrait has been determined, the next step is to consider clothing options for your subject(s). This task seems deceptively simple. If you think of your photo as a story that you are telling in one frozen moment in time, however, then clothing and accessories play a large role in that narrative. Careful attention should be paid in terms of what your subject(s) should – and should not – be allowed to wear.

Let’s begin with some general concepts around how color will work in a photo. Watch this video to learn about complementary colors and how to use them:

[for our testers, this is where we will have made and inserted a video-please simply note the photo still and the audio transcript]

Audio Transcript:

“Color theory can add a lot of impact to your images if you can learn how to use them. If you are looking to take a photo that is professional quality, you will want to get used to using complementary colors in choosing your background, as well as your subject’s clothing. Let’s talk basics: complementary colors are basically colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. In this chart, you can see the arrows are pointing between complementary colors. They are complementary because the effect of pairing them together makes them less competitive to the eye. Also, if you match a cool tone with a warm tone, it will bring the warm color forward and add depth to the photo.

If this is too much to wrap your mind around, just keep this color wheel handy and simply match along the arrows.”

Audio Transcript:

“Now let’s look at this in action a little bit. Both of these are examples of paired complementary colors. The two squares create a very different effect, however, because one has a warm color in the background and a cool color in the fore. The one on the right is a little straining, because the red is dominating because it is taking up most of the space. This is important to consider when looking at backgrounds: a good rule is to keep your backgrounds as cool colors to keep your subjects as the main focus for the eye. The issue here is not the matching of green with red, because they do complement each other, but rather the amount of red. As we discussed before, neutral and consistent colors for your background/location are going to give you the best options.”

Audio Transcript:

“Here we have a professional photo by Larry Lourcey. Let’s look at the main colors here, next to the color wheel: we have the plum of her dress and her skin tone in the orange/yellow area. Larry has chosen a cool background that is most directly opposite the plum color, which is a green/blue/muted yellow. What you can see is it makes the plum of her dress stand out, and let’s it naturally draw in the eye. It complements the plum, and adds depth to the overall photo.

For our purposes, you are choosing clothing to match the location so you will do this process in reverse. Take your color wheel, find the main colors in your background, and choose clothing which are complementary to those main colors.”

Clothing Options

What to Consider When Choosing Your Subject’s Clothing

As with choosing the photo shoot location, context plays a key role in deciding which clothing and accessories should be considered for your subject(s). Theme and formality are two key aspects of this context. A teenager graduating from high school, for example, should be dressed in formal attire over a cap and a gown to communicate both the nature and level of achievement being celebrated.

Similarly, coordinating colors for portraits containing multiple subjects adds consistency between them so one doesn’t stand out more than the others. Clothing accessories should also make sense contextually. A young child’s Santa sweater is perfect for a Holiday photo, for example, but would confuse viewers if that sweater was worn to celebrate her birthday. Clothing options with large logos should be removed for the same reason. Finally, large accessories such as hats with wide brims should be avoided because of their tendency to cover parts of the subject’s face or cast unflattering shadows on the eyes and face. Take a look at the examples below to see what we mean.

Coordinated clothing

If you are wanting to take a photo for a specific occasion, such as a holiday, you may consider coordinated clothing. Coordinated clothing can also be great for funny family photos, even without a holiday! Coordinated also does not mean they have to match exactly, but rather are of similar colors, with a unified theme. Take a look at this example on the left of a family Christmas photo. In this photo the family is matching patterns, but the overall theme is family and Christmas. With keeping the same colors for each, though, they did not have to worry about complementary colors as much.

Large Logos

There are also some things to look out for and avoid, of course. Chief among them is any kind of logo. Unless you are purposefully doing a coordinated clothing option with the same logo variation, with the same colors, the logo will always clash with the other subject’s clothing-even if they are dressed well and in complementary colors.

Patterns

It is the same when it comes to patterns: even a complementary colored pattern will distract from the others, and unless you are coordinating outfits extremely precisely with that pattern, it will clash and compete for the eye simply because it is difficult to match patterns. As you can see in this photo to the left, they have beautiful lighting, a great neutral and consistent background-but the grandmother and grandfather have patterns that do not match each other, and make them more prominent than the others.

Table 1. Examples of Clothing Options and Accessories for Occasions

Occasion Clothing Options/Accessories Graduation Cap, Gown, Dress, Suit Independence Day Sunglasses, Shorts, Light Clothing Senior Prom Formal Dress, Tuxedo, Corsage Christmas Sweater, Presents, Warm Clothing

Table 2. Examples of Coordinating Colors

Now that you’ve chosen clothing and accessories in the proper context and have removed any problematic options, you should refine your choices based on the location selected for the photo shoot. In terms of shooting outdoors, clothing and accessory options should be appropriate for seasonal and weather conditions. In both outdoor and indoor locations clothing options should have complimentary colors relative to the photo’s backdrop. These colors create a natural contrast that help to highlight the subject(s) and that viewer’s eyes find naturally appealing. Similarly, choosing clothing options whose colors contrast against the photo’s backdrop help the subject(s) stand out more by drawing the viewer’s eyes to them.

Based on these considerations, your initial list of clothing and accessory options should have narrowed considerably, making the best options relatively obvious. Keep in mind, however, that clothing and accessory options are subjective, so while the considerations provided in this lesson are less rules than guidelines, feel free to bend them to support your artistic vision.

In Summary

The clothing and accessories worn by your subject(s) help tell the story that you want your viewers to interpret correctly. Careful consideration should be paid to context, colors, and eliminating distracting elements to ensure attention is put where you want it to be. In the next lesson we will begin to discuss more technical aspects of portrait photography – arranging subjects and camera equipment for optimal results.

Self Check

GIVE IT A TRY! Based on what you’ve learned about selecting the clothing options for your portrait subjects, try it yourself! Be sure to pay special attention to why you are making decisions about clothing options such as color, design, and accessories. Once dressed, have your subject(s) pose and take a photo – don’t worry about getting everything just right. We’ll cover that in future lessons.

YOU CAN DO THIS! Don’t overthink clothing choices. Although there are many things to carefully consider when selecting clothing and accessories for your subject(s), it’s important to not overthink clothing choices. When in doubt, let common sense be your guide, and don’t be afraid to bend the rules to satisfy your artistic vision.

ADVANCED TOPIC: Clashing Clothes There are some colors of clothing that the experts say should NEVER go together, and while dressing subjects for family portraits is a matter of taste and style, you may want to avoid the following color combinations:

Continue to Lesson 3: Subject and Equipment Positioning

Men's Color Matching Style Guide

Understanding color and understanding style are synonymous. Colors affect how we perceive things like emotions, thoughts, and events. Thus, color is one of the most integral influences in life. This fact is crucial when learning to become a stylish man. For this article, we’re getting into why men’s color matching is so important.

The colors we choose to wear say as much about us as they do about how we are perceived. So for my stylish ‘gents out there, we’re going to get into everything there is to know about color’s role in men’s fashion and how you can implement better color combinations into your outfits.

Understanding Color Themes and Basic Color Theory

I’m sure you are all familiar with the color wheel. Good. That grade school art class information is going to come in handy. If not, shame on your teachers. Either way, here’s a refresher.

The color wheel is comprised of basic colors. These colors are the basic basis for every color you could imagine. Therefore, understanding these colors first is important. On the wheel, there are primary colors consisting of red, blue, and yellow and secondary colors of green, purple, and orange.

Associated Colors

These are colors directly adjacent from each other on the wheel. Associated colors are important for monochromatic looks. Think blue jeans and a blue t-shirt or a navy suit and chambray button-up.

Complementary Colors

These are colors opposite from each other on the wheel. Used together, they make a noticeable contrast. Complementary colors are for bold, attention-grabbing looks.

Triadic Colors

Triadic colors are three colors equidistant from each other on the wheel. They make for a balanced outfit that incorporates multiple colors.

Analogous Colors

Analogous colors are three colors that reside next to each other and share a dominant color in the middle. The dominant color is either a primary or secondary color.

Men’s Color Matching Theory

Now that you’ve gotten refreshed on the specifics of the color wheel, there’s another foundation you need to know for men’s color matching. Color theory’s role in the perception of color. Each color correlates to how we as humans (maybe aliens too) perceive certain things. Here are some examples.

Red: Danger, passion, anger, immediacy, love

Blue: Trust, calm, stability

Yellow: Attention, warmth, energy

Green: Nature, wealth, envy

Orange: Health, youth, attraction

Purple: Luxury, royalty, mystery, creativity

Tints vs. Shades vs. Tone

Okay, now that we’ve got that down, it’s time to introduce black and white into the mix.

Tints are the mixing of a color with white.

A shade, on the other hand, is when a color is mixed with black.

Lastly, a tone is made when a color is combined with grey, thus both tinting and shading it.

Best Color Combinations for Men’s Clothing

I know you’re saying that color theory is interesting and all but when am I going to learn how to use it in my style? Well reader, the answer is right now. Here are the best color combinations you can use in men’s color matching. And by “best,” we mean classic combos you can’t go wrong with. You can always experiment on your own, of course.

Navy and White

Navy and white is men’s color matching at its finest. The contrast between navy and white is super pronounced, giving both colors space to pop. More so, it is a classic combo, invoking things like sailing style.

Style this look by pairing white jeans with a dark denim shirt or navy button down. The reverse of navy chinos and a crisp white oxford is a timeless look as well.

Our Favorites: Brooks Floral Navy Shirt, Tiffin Skinny Tie, and Power Dots Socks

Grey and Black

Grey and black is an (almost) criminally underused color combination. The subtle variation from grey to black creates contrast while at the same time being muted. The tint in darker greys is reflected in whatever piece of black clothing you are wearing. Ultimately, you capitalize on both the contrast and the complementary nature of the colors.

Wear this look with a pair of heather grey chinos and a black t-shirt or reverse it with a dark grey polo shirt and some black jeans.

Shop the Look: Percy Untuckable Dress Shirt, Trenton Gray Tie, and Argyle Heather Gray Socks

Green and Khaki

Military wear is a heavyweight for influence in menswear. It’s obvious then that the military combo of green and khaki is one of the best color combinations a man can rock camouflage). Furthermore, the color match of green and khaki just gives off woodland vibes. So maybe you’re more into tents than you are into tanks. That works, too.

Shop the Look: Mason Classic Fit Shirt and Camouflage Socks

Brown and Cream

Have you been smoking Cubans, or chilling on a pool deck in Manila? We love the laidback magnate look of brown on tan on lighter tan on tan on tan. Go for it.

Shop the Look: Lucas Brown Shirt and Quartz Brown Tie

Brown and Burgundy

Give off scholarly vibes. Not the nerdy professor, but the well-read tenured man who’s lived in Morocco and sips on Johnny Walker Blue. Dark, deep red mixed with brown is a passionate and rich combination.

Our Favorites: Galveston Skinny Tie and Solid Choice Socks

Grey and Pink

Low-key sensitive and edgy. That’s what grey and pink say for you. Grey has a muted, understated tone, while pale pink adds the spice of something unexpected. This is a modern color combination, but we believe it will be a classic in no time.

Shop the Look: Virtuoso Striped Socks and Bali Coral Tie

Black and White

The all-time classic. You literally can not go wrong with pairing black and white. No one will tell you it’s a weird color combination. In fact, the high contrast gives a clean and elegant look. The one addendum is that black and white can be somewhat formal, depending on how you wear it. That’s why Black-Tie and White-Tie events are the dressiest.

Shop the Look: Black and White Striped Tie and Zebra Print Pocket Square

Wearing Yellow

We like euphemisms. Instead of a pre-2005 car being considered “old,” we’d like to say it has character. Likewise, we like toning down yellow with a shade called “mustard.” Adding a pop of mustard adds life to your outfit without drowning it out in the audaciousness of a brighter yellow.

Mustard goes well with darker clothes, for a slightly alternative, slightly grunge feel.

Shop the Look: Ace Mustard Tie

Wearing Orange

Same goes for orange. Orange is notoriously difficult. Besides not rhyming with anything, actually wearing it is even harder. Orange is a bold color and demands attention. That doesn’t mean that you should hide from it though. It can be pulled off by choosing a more muted shade like “rust.” Just make sure that you let that color shine and keep the rest of the look less pronounced.

Pair rust with darker colors and neutral solids.

Shop the Look: Silk Burnt Orange Tie

Bad Color Combos for Men’s Clothing

Not all color combos are a good fit. Men’s color matching is a dangerous game. Putting together the wrong colors will yield some pretty disastrous results. Don’t believe me? Just look at the picture above. I know that while the case for any of these can be made, as a general rule, you should avoid them.

Red and Green

What’s the first thing you think of when you see red and green together? yep, Christmas. Leave thus combo to ugly holiday sweaters.

Red and Orange

Both of these are considered hot colors. Red and orange are too bold to be shacked up together.

Green and Orange

Green and orange are a bad pair. The color green is usually very neutral while orange is loud. Unlike grey or black, green is too colorful to be dulled down by a competitor. Skip this one.

Brown and Black

This combo has been considered a sartorial no-no for many years. To put it bluntly, the combination gives off Oliver Twist pauper vibes. However, this isn’t to say it’s never been pulled off quite successfully.

Purple and Yellow

I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how this one could work and I can’t. I’d like to give you more sartorial insights on this one but all I can say is that the colors simply don’t look good together. Yellow is either too bright or its tints leave it too neutral to ever stand up to a color like purple. That’s right Lakers fans, your color combo is bad.

If you can make it work, please show us in the comments below.

Best Colors for Accessories

Best Jewelry Colors For Men

The best colors for men’s jewelry is more about which colors they’ll work with and less about the colors themselves. Most men’s jewelry comes in black, brown, gold, silver or bronze. Luckily for your style, these colors pretty much go with everything.

When picking the right accessory for your outfit, consider the color balance. For instance, silver will probably go better with a bolder color like red than say gold would. An easy trick is to match your accessories with things like a buckle on your shoes or the color of your belt. This’ll create a subtle nod to the color scheme without overdoing it.

Best Watch Colors

Every color imaginable has been represented in a watch. So just apply the same color matching rules here as well. Classic colors like silver, gold and black tend to be the most versatile.

What Color Should my Tie Be?

Choosing your tie color all comes down to the color of the shirt it’s going over. Ties are one of the most varied products on the market. Finding a great tie comes back to your understanding of colors. Let’s dive into this a bit.

What Tie to Match with a Solid Color Dress Shirt

First off, solid color dress shirts are low fuss. Their colors are simple and flattering. So your job is to add some life into that look. That means contrasting the colors. If you opt for a light color shirt, go for a darker complimentary colored tie.

Patterned ties also work well here. Since your shirt as a base is pretty straightforward color-wise, adding multiple colors in a patterned tie with perfectly standout.

What Tie to Match with a Patterned Shirt

This a bit more difficult. Patterned shirts contain multiple colors, meaning that your tie has to seamlessly match with all of them. For this reason, you’ll want to go for a solid-colored tie. This shifts the focus on the shirt and won’t clash. If your tie matches one of the colors in the pattern, even better.

What color should my Pocket Square be?

Pocket squares are woefully underused. The pocket square is able to bring what the tie can’t. Pocket squares can be bolder and have interesting designs and patterns that’ll draw attention to a suit that otherwise might be boring without it.

If you’re wearing a tie with your pocket square, here’s something to keep in mind. Matching the two together might seem like a good idea but often it ends up looking like you’re trying too hard. Here are two options instead.

First, you can match your tie and pocket square colorwise as long as the pocket square has some design in a contrasting color. This connects your outfit aesthetically while still being fresh. Alternatively, you can go for a color on the opposite end of the spectrum. An orange pocket square with a navy suit and tie is a fantastic choice.

Closing Thoughts

Color matching is an important part of men’s style. It informs what we choose to say to the world about our style as well as how we want others to see us. Hopefully, by now you see how easy color matching is. Once you’ve mastered it, pulling off the perfect outfit will be second nature.

What’s the one color you couldn’t live without? Talk to the GentleManual community below!

How To Dress Well: The 15 Rules All Men Should Learn

There are enough rules in life as it is. Some, however, are there to help. Like the rules that govern how to dress well. Of course, every man or woman that has an opinion on such things speaks from personal experience – and no doubt what works for one doesn’t always work for another; or what works for one is considered too pedestrian or too avant-garde by another. So, when it comes to dressing, they always have to be taken at face value. They’re solid suggestions rather than the last word on style.

But good fashion tips for men are never to be sniffed at, and, as menswear becomes ever more rich and varied, ever more experimental and abundant, ever more trend-aware, in moments of confusion and self-doubt, it can help to have a valuable fall-back position that cuts through the clutter.

These dressing tips for men tend to be founded in history – they’ve worked for generations, so might well be assumed to work well today too. And they tend to be founded in the obvious, so obvious they’re often overlooked: a preference for good fit, high quality, versatility, good value, lack of extremes and keeping it sober.

There are certainly many other rules out there than are presented here. Some of these you may have already discovered for yourself. That, after all, is part of the pleasure of clothing, which no rule should hamper: trying new kit out, seeing if it suits you, seeing how it makes you feel. But, these rules have stood the test of time and, when used in conjunction, act as a failsafe guide on how to dress well as a man today.

1. Wear A Suit Well

The key to a suit looking good is fit. If you’re buying off-the-peg, focus on the fit across the shoulders because getting the chest and waist altered is a relatively easy job according to Davide Taub, head of bespoke suits at Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes. “Be cautious about wearing a period suit unless you’re pursuing a total period look because in isolation the suit starts to look like a novelty,” he adds. Classic is best and most useful – dark, two-button, single-breasted, moderate in details. “It’s not boring. A suit is a uniform. The idea is to think of this suit as a canvas to build different ideas of individuality around. It’s the way you wear it, not the label inside, that impresses.”

2. Invest Wisely In A Watch

“A watch is like a piece of art,” argues Don Cochrane, managing director of British watch brand Vertex. “Choose it because you love it, not because you think it might make money. Watches are personal, it marks your passage through time. But you also have to be practical.” Aesthetic, functional, rugged sports models go with anything and can take the hard knocks of everyday wear. Yet, a watch still has to fit you. It should feel comfortable and be right in terms of size and depth relative to your wrist as well – 40mm is considered the ‘Goldilocks’ size.

3. Don’t Shy Away From Colour

Whether it’s on casualwear or formalwear, indulge in a bit of colour. “Most men are unjustly scared of it – they’re intimidated by anything that isn’t navy or grey,” says menswear designer Oliver Spencer. “But colour can be timeless too.” A green suit, for example, can look particularly rakish, while Spencer also recommends pinks, greens, mustard and brighter shades of blue as especially versatile year-round shades that will lift your entire outfit. But he adds that, when it comes to colour, less is still more: “You just need a bit of it, in one garment.”

4. Wear In Your Jeans Until They Are Yours

The all-time most useful cut of the world’s most popular garment, according to Alex Mir, co-owner of Sheffield-based label Forge Denim, is ‘slim-tapered’. “It’s wider in the thigh, so it’s comfortable, but narrows, so it works with either smart shoes or sneakers,” he advises. “It’s the best year-round, wear-with-anything, dress up or down style.” The wise will wear dark, raw denim too and give the pre-distressed a wide berth. “The whole pleasure of denim is that it ages with the way you wear it. Why miss out on that?”

5. Look After Your Appearance

It’s the kind of advice your mother might offer, but if you’ve invested money and thought in your clothing, look after it. Use wooden hangers for shirts and shoe trees for your best shoes; have your suit dry-cleaned and pressed; wash your clothes regularly and, ideally, don’t tumble dry them (it can degrade the fabric); and polish your shoes. Equally, it’s not just the skin of your leather jacket that you need to care for, the same goes for the one you wear every day. Establish a simple, but no less solid, grooming regime, brush your hair and cut your nails. After all, the devil resides in the details.

6. Keep Your Underwear Simple

Style isn’t only what everyone else can see. When it comes to men’s underwear, there are two rules to follow. One, novelty prints are not for grown men – “your underwear is not the place to express your ‘personality’,” as shirt and underwear-maker Emma Willis notes. And, two, heavily-branded underwear lacks sophistication. “Of all places where you might have the confidence not to have branding, your underwear should be it,” adds Willis. The style that has best stood the test of time, of course, is the cotton boxer short, likely because (as is the case with linen) they take repeated washing, breathe well and are comfortable against your skin.

7. Spend Money On Shoes

“Timelessness is about simple design and all the more so with shoes,” argues Tim Little, owner of heritage shoe brand Grenson. “The color, the pattern, the sole – you don’t want it fussy. Anything fussy may look good now but will look strange very quickly.” Quality shoes — the gold standard being re-soleable Goodyear welted examples — are the kind of investment that should last 15 years or more. Opt for classic styles such as brogues, loafers, or a plain, dark, five-eyelet Derby on a round-toe last, but don’t forget about finding quality dress socks as well. “It’s the shape of the toe that really counts – and round never goes out of fashion,” says Little. “It’s pointy toes or square toes that look obviously impractical. Nobody has feet shaped like that.”

8. Keep Accessorising To A Minimum

Accessories like ties and pocket squares bring individuality to classic clothing, but be careful how you use them. “It’s best to harmonise them with what you’re wearing by picking out a colour or two. Or even to juxtapose them entirely,” says Michael Hill, creative director of men’s accessories brand Drake’s. “What you don’t want is to match them up.” When it comes to curating shirt and tie combinations, wear your tie or pocket square in a darker shade than your jacket. And don’t overdo the accessories either – if in doubt, think less is more and take one element away. “You’re aiming for an air of nonchalance,” adds Hill. “You just need one point of interest.”

9. Know Thyself

There’s are few things less stylish than a man dressed as he thinks he should dress rather than in what he genuinely feels suits who he is. There are caveats to that, of course: there are no prizes for dressing like a rodeo clown unless indeed you are one. But whatever you’re wearing, you have to own it. Genuine style icons are those who go their own way with a self-confidence that comes from their clothes being a second skin, not a costume.

10. Dress For The Setting

Style is not merely about self-expression; it’s also about being dressed appropriately for your environment. Think of clothes as being codes: you need the right combination to work with the setting you’re in – and that’s whether it’s a formal dinner or a lazy Sunday in the pub. The worst style is one which is out of place. Is this a kind of conformity? No, as one of Tom Ford’s oft trotted out fashion quotes explains, it’s a mark of respect for others. And about feeling comfortable in yourself. When in doubt, overdress.

11. Don’t Skimp On Glasses

Invest time into finding the right spectacles for you. “People spend an average of seven minutes picking a pair that will define them for the next three or more years,” notes eyewear designer Tom Davies. “Poor choice and poor fit are why so many people learn to hate their glasses.” Buy what you feel good in, taking into account your face shape but considering the top line of the frames’ relation to your eyebrow shape – team straight with straight, curved with curved – and your hairstyle. Buy wisely too, says Davies: there’s no point buying cheap frames and being up-sold on expensive lenses because the frames will look tatty soon enough anyway.

12. Choose Versatile Outerwear

The temptation may be to wear a classic style, but modern technical fabrics in darker shades and easy cuts are making coats what they should be – lightweight and breathable but also properly protective. “Changes in seasonality, the climate and buying habits are making heavy wool coats seem out of keeping now,” suggests Adam Cameron, owner of outerwear specialist The Workers’ Club. “Think of a coat instead as being your final layer – one you can wear as much or as little under as required.” A field or bomber jacket jacket is a good all-rounder but if you need to dress up, go for a short mac.

13. Buy A Dinner Suit, Never Hire

Occasions for the height of formal dressing may be rare, but they’re all the more exacting for that. So, while it feels like an extravagance, owning a dinner suit that fits you rather than hiring one makes more sense after years of use. “With hiring, there’s always the risk of the wearer looking almost childlike while dressed in some oversized, boxy ensemble,” warns Toby Lamb, design director of contemporary tailoring label Richard James. Own as classic a dinner suit as possible: in midnight blue, single-breasted, with satin lapels and trousers seams. And it goes without saying you should learn how to tie a bow-tie yourself.

14. With Shirts, Stick To The Classics

“It sounds silly,” says James Cook, head of bespoke shirtmaking for Turnbull & Asser, “but any men’s shirt can be made to look expensive if it’s well-pressed.” All the same, Cook is particular about the details. Strike a middle line, he recommends: avoid bold styles unless you think you can carry it off, and, for a collar that works with or without a tie, and that always sits properly under a jacket, opt for a semi-cutaway.

15. Know When To Break The Rules

Know when to adhere to dress codes such as black tie and know when to break them. Some are there for a good reason, typically because the occasion demands it or some higher authority – your boss, perhaps – expects it. But, likewise, as Drakes’ Hill notes, “we can get too hung up about rules as well, and there’s always a case for ripping them up”. That, after all, is how style advances, little by little. “Enjoy the freedom there is now to make mistakes.”