Some say that a suit is a necessity, with a tie of course. Some say that a nice pair of “slacks” and a neatly pressed shirt is acceptable, a la Men’s Wearhouse. For some, khakis and a polo is fancy dinner attire. Then there’s always the “sloppy dressy guy” who is just a wreck in just about anything he puts on, cause we know that it’s not just what you wear, but how you wear it (don’t worry, we’ll get to that in a minute). Well I’m here to tell you that all of this can be acceptable (except the “sloppy dressy guy). It begins with what and where you are doing and going and ends with how you are wearing it! And that is the only road map that you will need to dress your part.

Lets begin with the “suit” guy. Many do say that everyone looks great in a suit and I will agree with that 95% of the time. I in fact hate to wear a suit, but I will get numerous compliments on it and I do become unrecognizable to many of my closest friends. A suit transforms you into a distinguished individual. Let me rephrase, a good suit transforms you into a distinguished individual. Some good brands to try on can be found in almost any good department store, not just million dollar boutiques. Any Armani suit (Collezioni, Emporio, Exchange) as well as Brioni, Zegna or even Brook Brothers will get you many, many looks from the ladies. This is because of the high quality fabric as well as the overall cut. Many of these suits will be made from a softer wool or a higher quality cotton that makes the fabric not only feel better on your body, but look better as well. The cut is super important because it is a direct reflection of your body. If your suit is bunchy, or larger in the wrong areas, some might say that your body is too. Good luck in scoring with that look! Other brands to try are John Varvatos, Faconnable, and Hugo Boss. This is a great look for a wedding, an important interview, or a really, really fancy dinner. This would not be suggested for The Olive Garden! Want to dress it down a bit (this means “not so dressy”)? Read on!!
           

Lets move on to the “nice pair of “slacks” and the neatly pressed shirt” guy. When I refer to slacks, I am referring to the many types of wool, or wool blended pants, trousers, or suit pants. I am not talking about the cotton or the linen variety. That will come later. This is a fine look, don’t get me wrong, but there is a way to wear this look and it’s not from the Men’s Wearhouse website. First off, the look and the cut of the pant are crucial! If this goes wrong then you are screwed. Big guys should not go with a slim cut pant and skinny guys should not go with a baggy pant! No matter what the pretty sales girl tells you at Macy’s, you will look weird and never attract anything but jokes!!! Now the average guy can go either way with the fit, just make sure that you don’t look like you’re wearing spandex or parachute pants. There is another decision to be made with the cut of the pant and that’s pleated or not pleated. They’re both ok. Pleaded tends to look better on larger framed guys and guys who are a bit more conservative. Flat front or not pleated pants are more fashionable and are better for guys that have a more average build. The fabric should be wool or a wool blend.  DO NOT wear polyester or a micro fiber- you will fail in life if you do this! Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole, and Michael Kors make very nice varieties of these. A cotton shirt is always the best choice. If it has a little stretch fabric in it, great, it’ll fit snugger. If you don’t want to emphasize your body then I would go strictly cotton.  Just to let you know, a necktie would dress it up for a more formal look. I would in fact always wear an undershirt for moisture reasons. The undershirt will help to soak up the underarm sweat. Even though we sell deodorant, no one likes pit stains!!! Again, Banana Republic, Pink, and Ted Baker sell great wovens. A nice belt will help complete the look with a nice pair of  “the same shade of your belt” shoes.  And you’d wear this to work, dinner with a pretty date, or while traveling for business.
           

And now for the “khakis and a polo” guy. I actually think that this look works really well. I like that it’s casual, but kinda country club looking. It’s the look that’s the easiest to pull off. And the lucky thing is that all of the above fit and cut info works really well with this type of fabric too. Stick to cotton or a cotton blend for 9 months of the year and move to linen only in the warm months. Lets be clear, you don’t want to be wearing ultra thin pants in December anyway! Get your pants at Banana Republic (gosh, we really like them), Dockers, or even Gap.  I think the top is what is key for this look. I’m no snob but if your gonna get a polo, get the original, Ralph Lauren. It’s wonderful fabric, classic looking, and the little horse guy really lets them know who’s the boss! Again, wear an undershirt for when you swing that golf club! You have the choice to tuck it in or not to tuck it in, both are ok. A belt is always nice too. This look is for weekends, casual lunch or dinner, even drinking beer with the guys. This is a very safe look for many occasions.
           
So you can look good without wearing a tux. There are some rules, but all of them are pretty easy to comply with. Remember that the look depends on how you wear it and where you’re wearing it! And don’t always trust the pretty sales girls either; we all know they’re making commission!