Suited to perfection: Every man's guide to wearing a suit

By Yatan Ahluwalia Clothes might make the man, or not, but a good suit certainly makes heads turn. In the first part of our two-part series on everything you need to know about finding and wearing the right suit, fashion consultant Yatan Ahluwalia showed us how to choose and buy one. Now here’s his guide to how to wear a suit right, and how to store and maintain them so you can get the most out of them. Wearing a suit right It’s always the details that matter: Lapels: The emphasis of a suit is always the jacket lapel. Try and wear suits with peaked lapels since they carry the eye upwards. Longer lapels make you look broader since they form a V - neck, which emphasises the vertical lines of your body. Inner lining: Use the lining of your jacket to make a subtle style statement. Always choose a soft and comfortable lining material. To make it stand out — the lining should be in a contrasting colour, texture or self-design. Jacket length: Short length jackets are a modern favourite and for good reason — they give your suit a sharper and smarter look as well as balance the proportion between your upper and lower body. Shirts: You always need to wear a full sleeve shirt that looks dressy enough to be worn with a suit. You have the option to wear a contrasting coloured or a colour coordinated ’tone on tone’ shirt under your jacket. Fitted shirts with sharp well-defined cuffs (with or without cufflinks) add that little extra to your overall look. [caption id=“attachment_56143” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“You always need to wear a full sleeve shirt that looks dressy enough to be worn with a suit. Image courtesy Yatan Ahluwalia”] [/caption] Ties: For a more sophisticated and subtle look, keep the colour of the tie (or its print), similar to either the jacket or the shirt you are wearing with it. During the day – especially at work, wear broad ties and keep the slim ones aside to wear at night. Stick with small knots and avoid the Windsor and double Windsor knots altogether. Belts: Keep the belt hidden under the jacket (except when you unbutton it). Always wear slim belts with simple buckles: the less attention your belt takes away from your suit , the better it will look. Choose buckles that allows fuss free fastening (and unfastening) for your belt. Trousers: Never wear trousers that do not fit you well. You can choose between a straight cut, comfort fit or a tight fitting pair. Remember straight fit trousers look and fall a lot better under jackets than pleated ones do. Trousers should always end at the ankle. Socks: Your socks should always be a few shades darker than the colour of your suit. Irrespective of the season, and for the sake of both comfort and hygiene, cotton socks should be worn under formal shoes. Shoes: Wear black shoes with grey, black and blue suits and brown shoes if your suit is beige, brown or tan in colour. Flat heels and rounded tips look a lot better with suits than elevated or long pointed styles do. Check out our style gallery for tips [fpgallery id=129] One suit, many looks Here are five ways to make your suit look different each time you wear it: 1. During a given week, never wear the same shirt with the same suit — use distinctly different shirts (colours and styles) to change your look, each time you are repeating your suit. 2. People will always remember an unusual print or an eye catching tie — so when wearing ties, keep them as simple, subtle and neutral as possible. 3. Never assign a particular shirt or tie to a specific suit - mix and match the ties and shirts as frequently as possible. 4. The accessories you buy to wear with your suits should match the predominant colour palette in your wardrobe. This way you can maximise your looks with minimum investment. 5. Mix and match accessories like tie pins, belts, shoes and carry bags with the same suit as often as you can. Continues on the next page The Fit and the fall The dos and don’ts about wearing suits: • Never keep your hands in your trouser pocket — as it is considered vulgar and will also make your trousers look shapeless, worn out and shabby— a lot faster than you can imagine. • Avoid carrying overstuffed wallets, heavy mobile phones and other gadgets, gizmos and accessories in either your jacket or trouser pocket as they can ruin the shape and alter the fall of your suit. [caption id=“attachment_56144” align=“alignright” width=“288” caption=“Carrying the right accessories makes a big difference. Image courtesy Yatan Ahluwalia”] [/caption] • Always undo the buttons of your jacket when you sit – this will keep it crease-free and in better form. • To prevent them from leaking (as they react easily to body heat) and then staining your suit - avoid placing ink, fountain or ball pens in any of your pockets. • Always dress according to the weather and the season. Never wear a winter suit in summer or a summer suit in winter. Besides looking odd, you are bound to feel hot or cold underneath. Care and maintenance Suits need good care and ample maintenance, but it’s not as difficult as you think: Storing: 1. Always keep your suit hanging in the wardrobe on hangers that have been specifically designed for jackets and trousers. 2. Store your suit covered in a suit saver or a reusable plastic, felt or linen cover. 3. If you are putting your suit away for the season, make sure you have it cleaned and treated first. Care & Cleaning: 1. Remove dust and pet hair from your suit with a lint brush or lint-removing roll. 2. Most suits cannot be washed (by hand or in the machine) and need to be dry cleaned before they are worn again or stored away. 3. Never run an electric iron to get rid of folds and creases: use a steamer instead. Care on the move: 1. Always keep a jacket hanger in your car and place your jacket on it whenever you are driving or being driven. 2. As a jacket can droop and change shape easily — never place it on the back of your office chair or hang it on a hook. 3. While flying, use a suit saver to keep your suit in good shape. Ask the flight attendant to hang it for you when you get on board the aircraft. [caption id=“attachment_56162” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=" Always wear slim belts with simple buckles: the less attention your belt takes away from your suit - the better it will look. Image courtesy: Yatan Ahluwalia."] [/caption] A stitch in time: Alterations: A well made suit will always come with a provision for alterations. Try and take the suit back to the same tailor, shop, brand or designer in case you need to have the size altered (increased or decreased). Repairs: Attend to minor tears as soon as possible and before they become bigger problems. To make the repair job invisible, ensure it is done neatly and using the same colour thread as the fabric of your suit. Buttons: Most good suit makers (tailors, designers and brands) will provide you with extra buttons with your suit. Keep these handy in case of emergencies, as identical and matching buttons are just as hard to find as a good woman. The author is a fashion and image consultant and Director, Y&E Style Media Ltd , India’s leading styling & corporate grooming company.

Suited to perfection: Every man's guide to wearing a suit

It’s not enough to buy a good suit. Here is everything you need to know how to wear it just right - from your lapels to your ties to how to make the same suit look a little different every time you wear it.

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