Dress Like a Man (22 page)

Be aware that there are also still some social taboos in place, especially regarding piercings. Any jewelry beyond a dress watch and a wedding band is suspect in conservative settings (including many business environs), and earrings or more exotic piercings are right out.

Tastes are changing, and in more liberal sectors like computer technology you may be fine wearing jewelry of any kind. Just be aware that older, more conservative men are likely to look on it with disfavor.

Other Accents

Neckties, pocket squares, and belts will make up the bulk of most men's accent pieces. Those are the simple, basic items you've got excuses to wear almost every day. (Jewelry can be worn every day as well, but is less universally accepted among men.)

The list doesn't stop there, however. Men looking for ways to personalize their style have a number of other, less common options to consider:

• Scarves
  - There's a joke in women's fashion: "throw a scarf on and it's an outfit." That works for men, too, to a certain extent. A simple, solid-colored scarf adds variety when you feel like your outfit is lacking it. They're also a good way to put off winter coat season -- a sports jacket or suit with a scarf tucked into the front opening will keep you warm down into surprisingly low temperatures.
  
• Hats
  - The days are gone when a gentleman never left the house without his hat, but you can still wear one if you want to. The key is to make it look like part of your outfit, not a costume piece -- as stylish as a fedora or a homburg is, it requires a real business suit to go with it, otherwise you look like you stole your dad's hat for dress-up games. Go for a casual style like a flat cap when you're wearing casual clothes, and save the expensive felted hats for business attire.
  
• Gloves
  - If you have a nice overcoat (see the next chapter for more on those), it deserves nice gloves. Plain black leather is a good starting place, but for the true dandy, colored leather gloves are a way of telling people that you have a conscious sense of style and the money to spend on it.
  
• Canes
  - Only if you need one for support, if you please. But if you do, don't be shy about making it a nice polished wood one. Wooden or metal tops are preferable to ivory, simply for ethical reasons...but if you
  inherited
  an elegant ivory-handled cane, from a relative who didn't know any better, well. Don't let it go to waste.
  
• Boutonnières
  - Small, live flowers tucked into the buttonhole of a jacket lapel are a unique way to add some color. We most often see them at weddings and semiformal or formal events, these days, but you can wear one any time you have a working buttonhole on your jacket. Stick to a single blossom, however -- tiny bouquets or sprigs of baby's breath are strictly a feminine style.
  
• Glasses
  - Regular or sunglasses, these can be style pieces if you want them to be. For practical purposes, men who need glasses should usually have one pair of slim, metal frames that can be worn in business situations, but there's nothing wrong with owning a second pair that's a little funkier.
  

Any and all of these have the potential to become the most noticeable part of an outfit. They don't have to be -- but they can be.

Learn to use accents surgically. Keep them restrained, except when you want to make a statement. Then pick one or two accents with a little pop to them, and throw them on top of some interchangeable core pieces.

Suddenly, you've got a distinct personal style that no one else can imitate. And all it took was a good wardrobe of versatile core pieces, plus a couple unique accent pieces.

Simple, right?

C
HAPTER 30:
M
EN'S
C
OATS AND
O
UTERWEAR

We close our section on specific clothing pieces up with a quick look at the outer layer: overcoats and other outdoors gear.

The difference between a coat and a jacket, in theory, is that coats are only worn outside. Jackets can be worn inside, if desired.

Practically speaking, most people use the terms interchangeably. Don't get too hung up on the details. The important thing to realize is that, if the weather calls for a coat, that coat is going to be the first thing people notice about your style until you get inside and get the coat off.

That makes selecting one a process worth a little time and thought.

Dress Overcoats

For the truly well-dressed man, long wool overcoats are the rule.

It's the only appropriate accompaniment to a suit, and a good plan for when you're wearing a blazer or sports jacket and anything nicer than jeans, as well.

The big concern here is that the coat be
longer
than the jacket worn under it. If the hem of your suit or blazer jacket is poking out from underneath your coat, you're doing it wrong.

Thus, the dressiest styles of overcoat are all thigh-length or longer. While they may look very uniform to an untrained eye, there are actually several distinct styles, with varying levels of "dressiness," each one offering a slightly different look and attitude.

• Chesterfields
  are the gold standard: straight wool overcoats with small lapels and no tapering or horizontal breaks (belts, seams, etc.). There are both double- and single-breasted versions. The height of the front opening varies, but in all cases it should cover the jacket beneath it entirely. They can be more or less casual depending on color and on the presence of details like pocket flaps; the most formal versions are a plain, dark color with simple jetted pockets.
  
• Polo Coats
  are a relaxed American take on the dress overcoat. They have broad lapels, double-breasted fronts, and built-in belts like a trenchcoat. The classic style is beige camelhair, but dark colors are acceptable as well, and slightly more dressy. It can be worn with suits, especially in a dark color, even though it is not as formal as a Chesterfield.
  
• Crombies
  are a basic style that can dress up or down easily. They are plain and a bit severe, with a straight-sided cut and small lapels. The cut is shorter than that of a Chesterfield or a polo coat -- Crombies end around mid-thigh, rather than at or past the knees.
  
• British Warm Coats
  are thick overcoats made from Melton wool, which has a distinctively fuzzy surface. They have wide, working lapels that can button closed in bad weather. Warm coats are less dressy than polos or Chesterfields, but could still conceivably be worn over a suit -- just not to the most formal of events or business meetings.
  
• Covert Coats
  were originally a British hunting style worn by the upper class. As is common, the casual sportswear of the upper class became the dress clothing of the middle class, and these days many men wear covert coats over suits or blazers. They are single-breasted twill coats with large interior pockets, usually made in a light color with a dark, contrasting collar.
  
• Inverness Coats
  are formal overcoats with wide, baggy sleeves and either fur or velvet trim. They're quite old-fashioned, but if you're someone who attends multiple formal events a year, it might be worth investing in one. Otherwise, dial it back a notch.
  
• Trenchcoats
  - Technically, the trenchcoat is quite a casual style. These days they fall into an odd place -- a bit too formal to wear with jeans, but not formal enough to wear with a business suit. That makes them a good choice for a man who favors social suits, blazers, and sports jackets.
  

Sharp Casual Coats

Somewhere between purely functional work coats and long wool overcoats lie the "sharp casual" options -- too relaxed (or too short) to pair with business suits, but more stylish than a basic parka or puffer.

Some of these are thicker and heavier than others, and materials can vary widely. It's worth your while to own two or three, so that you have options for all temperatures and weathers.

• Duffel Coats
  are large military-style coats made from thick "duffel" wool. They are long, unshaped, and generally buttoned with wooden toggles (for which they are sometimes called "toggle coats"). They have long been a favorite of students and left-wing intellectuals, especially in Europe.
  

• Greatcoats
  are another military style: double-breasted with large, turned-out cuffs. Most fall past the knees. The most common source is military surplus (many militaries around the world still issue greatcoats). Some feature half-capes down the back for additional rain protection.
  
• Norfolks
  are a tweedy, frumpy style from the early 20th century. They have short lapels and a built in belt stitched to the front, and look something like a snugged-up sports jacket that buttons down to the bottom hem. 
  
• Peacoats
  are one of the most popular sharp-casual coat styles. They are double-breasted, with wide lapels and large buttons. The style was naval in origin, and navy blue is still the most common color, but hardly required.
  

• Leather jackets
  come in any number of styles. The most common are moto jackets (tight-fitted with short or no collars), bombers (bulky with turndown collars lined in something soft and warm), and biker or "easy rider" jackets (lancer-front jackets with conspicuous zippers and snaps).