Putting yourself together for a semi formal or formal event such as a summertime cocktail party does not have to break the bank. Style and class are not only for the deep pocketed. I am not a man of independent means. I am a huge fan of the clearance rack at JC Penney and Macy's. Recently I purchased three suits from Hollywood suits and am quite pleased with the quality. It was one of those 3 Suit deals for $499 and it came with three belts, shirts, ties, and socks. Is it Armani? No. $250 Dress shirts with soft egyptian cotton? No. Salvatore Ferragamo tie? No. But who cares? If the fit is tailored for your body and the style is classy, no one is going to come and inspect the labels on your clothing.
On a recent business trip I arrived at my hotel and began to prepare my suit for the next day's meetings. It was then that I realized I had not packed my cufflinks. I drove the local mall and wandered in to Neiman Marcus. I had never been in one and did not know that this was a very expensive place to shop. After gasping at the $200 simplistic Cuff links I decided it would be much easier to get a new shirt with button cuffs. I then realized it was not much better. $650 shirts!!! So chalantly wandered my way out to the mall and into a Dillards. This was my kind of place. For $100 I walked out with Johnston & Murphy dress shoes, a shirt, and a set of decent cufflinks. No one at the meeting knew none the better.
For a summer cocktail party I recently attended I wore a light colored three piece suit, basic white dress shirt, and the shoes I purchased on my trip to the aforementioned Dillard's. The Bow Tie is a gift and it provided the right amount of color to an otherwise monochromatic ensemble. (I NEVER wear a clip on Bow Tie)
A suit is not a suit if it does not have a pocket square. As a rule I don't match the pocket square with the tie, even though this particular tie came with a matching square. I often choose a square that would compliment the tie; but, I do like choosing a completely contrasting silk from time to time. As long as it is not too ostentatious, you should be fine. There are many styles for placing the pocket square in your coat. For this occasion I felt a simple puff would suffice.
Often, wearing a belt creates a cinched contour that is unflattering and causes the suit to not drape properly, so I opted for braces, also known as suspenders. A nice touch that no one saw but nonetheless provided function and comfort.
Since this was to be an outdoor party I "capped" it all off with the season appropriate Panama style hat. The traditional Panama has a wide brim, this particular hat has shorter brim. Which is a much more demure accessory. Wearing a hat dispels the assumption of being fat = lazy. Topping it all off with a hat demonstrates you took the time to think through your appearance and you are confident walking in a society in which The Hat is no longer ubiquitous.
All said, once put together, I felt confident and put together. A cocktail in hand and an after dinner cigar on the patio all made for an excellent evening. I enjoyed the many compliments, it's amazing how many people are impressed by a bow tie especially a self tie bow tie. But I did not dress for anyone else but myself. And that is what matters.
