Do’s and dont’s to wearing shorts: What you need to know to maintain your dignity when considering wearing them
photo by Banalities
When the weather turns warmer, there’s nothing better than busting out some shorts. Problems can occur at times, with the types of shorts people choose to wear. You want to avoid wearing shortie shorts or those which are more suited to speed walkers. If you want to look your best, here are some dont’s to think about…
The don’ts
- Don’t wear pleated shorts, unless you decide to start playing professional golf. Pleated shorts make you look like an old man. All you need is black socks, white shoes and a walker to complete the look.
- Don’t wear athletic/gym shorts when you’re going out to dinner, hanging around town or in the workplace. Regardless of how you look in them or how good you are in the sport, they are not a great look and should stay at the gym. You can, however, where them in your house… when no one else is going to be looking.
- Think twice before adopting the jean shorts/cut-off look, they make no fashion sense whatsoever. Wearing them just looks totally odd and makes you look a bit like a scout leader with a clip on mobile phone. Denim jeans are best kept long, and if it’s nice weather, you can always wear some thongs (flip flops for international readers!)
- You need to remember the ratio for the cargo short pocket and it’s based on the age of the person wearing the pocket. The older you are, the smaller the pocket should be. Large pockets are more suited to those in their teenage/uni years and from there, get increasingly smaller. By age 50, they should all but be gone.
- If it’s just the start of the warmer months, have a think about how pasty white your pegs might be. You may want to consider taking the edge of that moon tan with a bit of sun exposure before exposing them to the world.
Overall, we’re not against shirts here at Amalfi Shirts, apply the tips above, and you should be fine to pull them off.
Make your clothes last longer: Six tips to help you extend the life of your clothes
photo by Sh4rp_i
Most people are trying to save a bit of money these days, so it’s likely they’re spending only on items they actually need (not want). Regardless of what the world’s economy is like, this should always be done. One of the best ways to save money in the long run is to care for your clothes such as your business shirts, suits and ties properly. If you can do this, you can slash your budget and put more money toward something else… perhaps a night out on the town, or if your save enough, a holiday away!
Now you’re going to need a few tips to help you lengthen the life of your clothes. Many people already apply the tips below but if you don’t…perhaps you should.
The key way that clothes start to wear down is washing. Every time you wash, the colour will fade and their fibers weaken. You must wash your clothes… that’s a given, as you don’t want to scare anybody (including the ladies) off with your stains and odours. However, you can wash your clothes and still be gentle with them. Use the six tips listed below:
- Always use cold water to wash your clothes
- Separate your colours from your whites before you wash. Dark coloured clothes often have lint on them when washed with lighter coloured clothes; plus dark clothes have a tendency to bleed onto white clothes.
- Use the gentle cycle to wash clothes
- Wash soft and rough clothes separately from each other.
- Use a gentle detergent for your clothes
- Turn clothes inside out so the colour won’t fade; important when you’re dealing with jeans.
Don’t wash your clothes every time you get done wearing them. Wear them more than once to lengthen their lifespan. If it’s stained then do wash it but if there are no odors and stains, then it certainly doesn’t hurt to wear it more than once before you wash it. Of course, you do this mainly for jeans/pants, not underwear, socks and some shirts.
If you notice a stain is small, spot clean it rather than washing the whole thing. Not only can washers cause damage to your clothes but your dryer can as well. The low heat setting can still cause harm to the dryer. You know the lint trap you clean out every time you go to start your dryer? That’s the clothing fibers. If you’ve got really expensive business shirts, suits and jeans, consider air drying them. While you’re doing that, you’ll save money and energy.
Jackets and pants: an in-depth look at what you didn’t know about your attire
jackets and pants
There are other parts of a man’s suit you may never think about including its breast pocket, jacket vents and button sleeves. Here’s an in-depth look of each one:
A look at breast pockets
The breast pocket should always be open unless you choose to have a tailor close this for you. This pocket is generally reserved for one thing and that’s the handkerchief. Why? There are two reasons for this.
- First, any items that go into this pocket may project a bulge that can alter the suit’s usual sleek façade.
- Second, both the breast pocket and inside left pocket occupy the jacket lining. That means any items that are in the breast pocket can cause items of the inside pocket to be pushed into the wearer’s ribs, which is not what you want right?
A look at jacket vents
Now, the jacket vents are flap-like slits that can be found at the jacket’s back bottom. These allow for easy movements and can give the wearer easy access to their pants pockets. There are three styles of jacket vents:
- Centre
- Double
- Ventless
Centre-vented jackets – This kind of jacket is very popular; it’s just a single slit located at the back, which allows the jacket to expand when the wearer is sitting down.
Double vented jackets – Also known as the side vented jackets, you can easily know this jacket type by the two slits on the jacket (one slit on each side), usually located behind the pants pockets. Jackets that are double vented allow the wearer to easily move around.
Ventless jackets – These jackets have no vents whatsoever and are very popular for the Continental suits. Jackets with no vents have a sleek look on the back but they can wrinkle when the man sits down.
A look at jacket sleeve buttons
Have you ever wondered why jacket sleeve buttons are so popular? Actually, there are numerous reasons; some very old reasons as well. One big reason was that it allowed a man to wash his hands without having to take off his jacket (some see this as a mistake that should not be done when with mixed company). Another reason was that it encouraged gentlemen to use handkerchiefs.
For whatever reason buttons were designed on jacket sleeves, it’s now a vital part of the look for the jacket. Most have four buttons; however, it’s not unusual to find just three buttons on some of them. In fact, on some high quality made to measure jackets the buttons are useful and typically known as surgeon’s cuffs. Why? It was because doctors often needed to roll up their sleeves when working. When buttons are found to be useful, there is always a temptation to undo one button so that people will glance at the feature and ultimately the suit. However, this is entirely up to you.
A look at the pants waistband and pleats
When a man’s trying to bring attention to himself, he should not be doing it by his pants. The idea is to bring the attention to the jacket area or the shoes; something that could inconspicuously flatter the legs. However, you still need to be concerned with the design and fit of your pants.
You don’t want anything too tight that hurts your manhood and you don’t want anything too loose as to let air inside your pants. Pleated pants are fine for men who are a little larger than average or for someone who likes the extra room. Flat front pants are better for thin men. Keep in mind that pleats give some heft to a man’s figure, which can daw the attention to their midsection. Flat fronts will create the slimness illusion.
A look at trouser cuffs
There is one key rule with cuffs- don’t do it to yourself- please!
Dress for success: Business shirt must haves!
photo by Darwin Bell
Okay…so you’ve gotten your first job or you’ve gotten the promotion you so rightly earned. It’s your first day working or in your new position. What do you wear? Should you go with your favourite (yet somewhat worn) business shirt or do you purchase a new custom business suit with a new business shirt and tie to go with your new employment position? If you want to get your career going on the right track (and chances are you do) then you should follow the pieces of advice to help you make the right dressing decisions.
How to dress for your success
The way your wardrobe is going to look will depend on your professional environment. You’ll either be going business casual or stay completely professional; either way you make the look a reflection of your style and make no mistake you have all kinds of options to choose from.
If you want to make a big impression, it’s best to dress just one step above than the actual dress code. A true profession businessman (or want-to-be) may always wear a tie but he can always add in a tie bar or pocket square to the attire and put himself above everyone else.
The little details you do and show can speak a lot about your personal appearance and how much you care about it. This little difference that says you do take notice and appreciate the importance of such miniscule things.
Always expect the unexpected
It cannot be said enough that you should be ready for the unexpected. After all, you never can know when you’ll be called for a presentation or to meet with the Board of Directors who may want to know what a report says. Thus, you should make sure to keep extra clothes in your office such as white business shirts with a collar. A shirt like this can mix and match with just about anything and can be worn with a tie or not.
Make sure the shirt fits you well and if you can wear it, use a slim cut. You should also have a clean pair of underwear and undershirts along with another tie and blue blazer. When you have these on hand, you don’t have to worry with running home and changing.
Keep your fashion simple
The last place you need to be making a fashion mistake is at your office. This is place you want to make a name for yourself or show that you earned that title. Don’t use colours, fabrics or patterns that bring unwanted attention toward you; you want people to listen to you not your clothes.
Be sure to use one of these coloured suits:
- Black
- Grey
- Charcoal
- Navy blue
Use a combination of business shirts (not just white and blue) but you can use solids, patterns or strips in colours such as red or green (be sure these are used on rare occasions). Your ties can be solid or striped but they must compliment your outfit. Don’t make them stand out. Shoes ought to be 100 percent leather, well-fitting and slim with colours of black or brown; always polish them.
Your wardrobe can say a lot about you and your accessories are no different. Don’t forget to use a watch, have a shave and wear cufflinks. You can always experiment with your outfits. You want attire that matches your personality as well as your surroundings.
Be a major in the minors
Your wardrobe should always be well put together but dressing well is only the beginning. Remember to smile warmly, have a firm handshake and be respectful to your superiors and co-workers. You should also put a 100 percent into everything you decide to do. Use these strategies to help further your career and pay.