Mens fashion – Big business in Australia
photo by paul (dex) busy @ work
Have you ever just stopped during your lunch hour and looked at what people are wearing? You see one tall, lean man walking near you; he’s wearing gray tights and sandals that would resemble what Jesus would wear. You look around and see a group of young men wearing jeans that dangle halfway down the designer briefs they have on. Another man sitting on the bench with you is wearing pants he designed out of an old checkered shirt, by turning it upside down and getting his legs into where his arms should be.
At one time, men were doomed to the fashion labels; sort of like a fat man trying to wear slim jeans. However, men’s fashion wear is very big business and is worth at least $2.7 billion annually in Australia based on the data by IBISWorld.
Today, it’s cool for a man to be fashionable, take some satisfaction in your appearance and be stylish. Basically, it’s not boys doing it for a girl’s attention; they’re just dressing fashionably and taking pride for themselves now.
You can even see football and basketball players looking good even when they change their hairstyles nearly every week. You can see the same thing happening in the music scene as the glam/romantic era is making a return. Boys are making that extra effort to dazzle themselves up.
There was a time that men could look like slobs and get away with it. Now they must present themselves better, which is wonderful for some and unsettling for some males. Why? There was a time that all males needed to do to attract women was to have a decent but powerful position to earn money.
One big reason for the change in men’s attitude is due to women and their attitudes. More and more women are becoming financially independent, which means they don’t need to rely on men for total financial support; it also means they demand more of their men’s respect. The balance has shifted and men must understand that most women are no longer submissive; they want power just like their male counterparts. They want their man to be an equal, have money and they must look good on top of it all.
Due to this change, men’s fashion, both in casual and business shirts, has been propelled into mainstream and the industry is informing men what styles are hot and which are not. In fact, it’s not uncommon to pick up a magazine with well-dressed men on a glossy page layout. No longer are women standing at the forefront when it comes to how people are dressed.
Men are taking more pride in their appearance and using clothes such as business shirts to express who they are, their personality and style sense in the often boring and conservative corporate world. One type of business shirt that men are opting to wear is the highly quality, 100 percent slim-fit, Egyptian cotton business shirt that’s got a classic colour to it and French cuffs- what could be more important than this (other than your next promotion..)
Using the seasons to pick the best colour business shirt
photo by Aunt Owwee
When people are looking at shirts, the first thing they’re going to notice is the colour of it. If you’re a male in the room with a bunch of other males in suits, the colour of your business shirt will either make you stand out or blend in. Where do you want to stand in this crowd?
Actually, the answer to that question depends on what intentions you have and if you know how to mix/match your clothes to meet those intentions. The way you do this is to understand what colour shades will compliment you and how the colours will match your environment.
How seasons play a role in your business shirt colours
While you should pay attention to your skin tone and hair colour, these aren’t the only things you need to be focused on when choosing your business shirt colour. Make sure you pay attention to the season that you are in. You may like the dark shirt and suit but during the summer time, you’re going to find it hot around your collar and sticking out sorely (you certainly don’t want to look odd at special events such as a formal presentation).
Here are a few ideas to help you choose the colour of your business shirt based on the season.
Spring – This is the season that brings out the light colours such as light blue, lavender and pink. These lighter weight fabrics are usually brought out after being set aside for the winter months. However, a man who chooses to wear a multi-coloured checks and strips shirt can stand out from the crowd.
Summer – This is the season that bold and light colours make their appearance. Shirt colours that should grace the man’s wardrobe should be solid blues and patterns. We recommend 100% Egyptian cotton as it’s by far the most premium business shirt fabric going round.
Autumn– During the autumn season, heavier and Earth tone fabrics tend to show up. Clothes start making a somber appearance to highlight the near appearance of the winter season. This is also the ideal time to wear blends if you find yourself outside on a cold night without a jacket/coat. (clothes can certainly keep you warm when you don’t have anything else that will…)
Winter – During the winter season, more men will wear black/dark clothes to retain the body heat. However, you don’t have to stick with black as your only colour. You can go with a maize colour, greens and browns as well during this season.
Keep up your confidence by keeping up your appearance. If you notice people looking at you for a bit longer (and if you see a woman taking noticeable glances) then you know that your attire such as your business shirt is everything you wanted it to be and more. Just remember to be courageous and know what colours compliment you and the season you are in.
Accessories with suits and business shirts
photo by the moog
There are all kinds of accessories that can go with a business suit. When you know how to use those accessories, you won’t overdo your look. Not having the right accessories can make your whole outfit look not quite right. Accessories you can include with your business suit include:
- Belts
- Watches
- Handkerchiefs
What you need to know about belts and suits
The one clothing accessory that’s in style off and on is belts. During the 1930s and 1940s, suspenders were generally used more than belts. However, today, you can find more people wearing belts; although traditional men don’t wear belts with their suits, seem strange- just heck out a leading fashion publication and you’ll see not many belts with suits.
If you decide to wear a belt, make sure that your shoes and belts are about the same colour; be sure your belt is either one of three things: plain silver, leather or coloured buckle. Suspenders are usually worn when a belt is not.
How to handle pieces of jewellery (basically we mean watches)
Jewellery should not overpower your outfit; the most you need is cufflinks, a timepiece and tie bars/tacks. If you want something formal to wear on your wrist, a watch can be your signature piece.
If you’re unclear of the handlings of watches and how they go with your business suit, you also have the option of not wearing a watch at all, a common trend is just to use your mobile if you need to know the time- it’s always with you right! However, a watch is the ideal accessory when you’re trying to look cool and sophisticated.
Cell phones/Bluetooth accessories – should you use them with business suits
This is the era of technology and it’s not hard to find people walking around their office, on the streets and in their cars using the Bluetooth earpiece. Unlike what many people think, the Bluetooth earpiece does not make you look cool and you aren’t seen as very credible. Most people have a phone and don’t feel the need to look like they are a dodgy private investigator- so why should you- think twice.. you’ve been warned!
How to use handkerchiefs with business suits
Do you remember when many people would use their handkerchief and then place it in the upper chest pockets or in their pant’s back pockets? Not too long ago, handkerchiefs were worn in the area of the left jacket sleeve, showing ever so slightly. As time passed, handkerchiefs were moved to the breast pocket. In the past, silk was seen as a rare commodity and a way to flaunt wealth. Near the turn of the 19th century, handkerchiefs were standard among males. Most males don’t realize it but in some places of the world handkerchiefs must still be used in breast pockets of coats and jackets. However, handkerchiefs, business shirts and suits do not go hand in hand so leave them to people who are more artistic.
Matching ties with suits
photo by jayneandd
Ties are a matter of personal preference and taste but they are some basic guidelines to them. After all, you don’t want to look like a total goof trying to impress your boss or some woman, right?
Ties and colour: what should you be aware of?
When you’re looking at ties to wear, you need to be aware of the shirt colour. Always, without fail, wear ties that are darker than your shirt. Make sure the ties’ background colour is not the same as the shirt while making sure that the ties has some colour resemblance to the shirt. Whatever tie you choose to wear, make sure you integrate the suit colour in the same way as the business shirt.
While simple/subdued patterns are favoured for the conservative dress, the terms can be taken in a variety of ways. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was popular to have matching necktie colours with the shirt (a look that many people adopted because of TV personalities). It was also popular to wear a dark coloured shirt and light coloured tie; though this was mainly seen at formal occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, graduations, etc. Thank god we have evolved- some fashions are better kept in the past…If you feel like wear a blue shirt with a dark blue tie, this works well too.
Knots and ties – three common knots you can use
When talking about knots in ties, there are three very common names that come up. They are:
- Four-in-hand
- Half-Windsor
- Full-Windsor
These three knots are more fitting to wear with a suit based upon the modern guidelines. Once they’ve been correctly knotted and arranged, the bottom can be extended to any part of your belly. However, the ties thin part does not need to be any longer than the tie’s wide end. However, if the tie is thin, this is tolerable.
A look at ties in the past
During the 1960s, men and women would wear scarves with their suits that were tied into knots either inside the shirt (known as an Ascot) or under the collar, worn like a tie. This style was highly common for people who worked in the art department like musicians and film directors. For corporate executives, it was best to leave any scarves for the winter time or when you’re out with the ladies. However, the style faded during the mid 1970s but in the 1990s, the style was revived (women, for the most part, would wear it). Again, in 2005, the style made a comeback with many famous people wearing them. While scarves were prevalent during the 1960s, business workers preferred ties. Although Matt Preston wouldn’t be caught dead on Masterchef without his favoured cravat- the jury is out on whether this trend will go mainstream….
If you think it’s too hard tying a knot, consider getting an elastic novelty tie and see just how far your life in the career sector gets. Tying a knot isn’t all that hard now, is it?