Fashion For Men : Modelled By Studio-Based Newscasters

Check any television station during its news time.  See the similarity?  All male studio-based newsman wears a custom suit!   Now, take extra attention to the design.  You may check this out with other stations or on the next day’s news edition.  Have you observed how they rarely, if not never, repeat the same custom suit?

This is a fact for all media people appearing on national television regularly.  From make-up to custom suit, they are sponsored by many business establishments.  This is evidenced by the acknowledgement section at the end of each show or the companies they thank during the show.

If you ask me, studio-based male newscasters are the right models for menfashion.  Advertising through popular media personalities and high rated shows guarantee a wide advertising exposure.  And as there are many of these men with different body built, a clothing company can surely get media mileage for their new designs.

But why do male newscasters always wearsuits? In highly developed and first world countries, suits are their normal working clothes.  It is also perfect for the climate in their country.  Taking a quick look at the history of suits, you’ll find them of British origin.

In other countries, though not a traditional formal attire for them, they wear suits to add credibility to their profession.  And even if the country may be tropically warm, offices maintain a certain degree of cool temperature.  The low temperature is for the proper maintenance of the various machines used.

Formal fashion for men is synonymous to wearing suits.  Men in suits exude a certain degree of power which demands the highest form of respect.  Worn by a man with good physique, like the famous James Bond character, it also has the power to radiate with sex appeal.

Most fashion shows, anywhere in the world, focus on women fashion.  Men fashion is included in such shows but remain a minor event.  Though not as prevalent as women fashion, fashion for men clothing had undergone a gradual change through the centuries.

But fashion is not limited to formal wear.  With the relentless creativity of designers all over the world, fashion covers almost all locations and occasions.  The usual weather dictated clothing had widened its horizon to cover fashion on occasions.  Come to think about it, there is not much difference between women and men fashion.  Fashion, be it for men, women or children, remains the latest news for the day.

Formal or Casual Accessory Style Guide : Watch your watch

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If there is a wear-only-one-accessory rule for men, a watch should be on top of your priority list. In the corporate setting, both men and women, watch is a necessary accessory. For decades now, it has gone past the functionality but more of aesthetics. Nowadays people have mobile phones and could always check on it for time but a watch just has to be present. It discreetly tell something about a person, how he/she matches the watch he/she wears to the outfit. In this materialistic world, sometimes you are judged by what you wear and a watch is a big indication of how much your disposable income is and relates it to your success and credibility. So in buying a watch you have to look into certain details.

1. Strap or Bracelet

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Straps comes in different materials such as leather, steel and rubber and in different colors or shades such as black or brown leather, silver stainless steel, gold or two tone, or wide selection of colored rubber straps. But if you are purchasing your first watch, a watch with a silver stainless steel bracelet is practical to have compared to leather strapped ones. It is long lasting and adaptable to wide range of attire. There are dressed silver watches that are simple and elegant enough to match a formal suit or a casual shirt and jeans look. If your budget permits, a leather strapped dress watch is advisable to give variety as it can also be worn for certain formal and casual occasions. Make sure you wear the strap correctly that it fits comfortably and doesn’t move loosely when you move your hand.

2. Face Size and Design

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Today, watches with big face are so trendy and sleek looking that even women also consider watches with masculine style on their wrist. Most especially for bigger men, do not go for a small faced watch as it makes you look bigger. Minimum size would be a 40mm and could go as high as 47mm depending on how it looks on you. The case of a watch varies but popular choice for formal wear is circular or rectangular. For a more durable kind, opt for a watch crystal that is made of Synthetic sapphire or mineral glass for its scratch proof quality. As for watches with chronograph face, it is widely used even in formal steel and leather strapped watches. It has now become accepted to be worn in formal and casual outfits.

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3. Analog or Digital

Only a sports watch is advised to come in digital. It is generally accepted that an analog watch fits a suit, a dress shirt or anything with collar and not a digital watch. A classic choice would be an analog watch for both formal and casual outfits. A built-in illumination on the watch hands is a plus.

Preserve and Don't Ignore : How to take care of your wardrobe

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In order to lengthen the useful life of your clothes and accessories, you should know how to clean and store them. Knowing how to take care of your wardrobe is just as important as knowing how to wear them. Here are some tips on how you can preserve the life of your clothing pieces:

1. For tops such as tees, dress shirts and polo shirts, hang them properly using hangers if you plan to use them again. If it is a structured piece, use a padded hanger so that the ends of the hanger don’t unevenly stretch or leave a mark on the material. If you choose to put them in a hamper for laundry, brush the inside of the collar and the cuffs for long sleeves first to remove yellowish marks or stains from sweat and dirt before it sets on to your clothes and become permanent stains.

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2. If you accidentally stained your shirt with pasta sauce or red wine, use cold water or ice to remove it before it sets. Do not rub too much for it not to spread.

3. If you can wash your clothes without putting it in the dryer, the better. Dryers forcibly stretch and wear out your clothes. It also deteriorates the color quality of your clothes faster than natural drying process.

4. Suits, jackets, tux and coats only deserve dry cleaning. Do not attempt to wash them yourself using a washing machine or by hand. You will damage the form and will never be able to wear them again. Also, brush your jackets and trousers right after every use to get rid of dirt and food crumbs that might damage your expensive suit.

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5. Leather shoes should be worn at least once a week. Storing it and not using it for a long time might cause the material to crack and break. Polish your shoes on a regular basis to preserve its texture, shine and moisture content. Store your shoes in a shoe rack where there is ventilation to remove unwanted smell.

6. For your watches, buy a watch box/organizer. Don’t just put it in your drawer together with your keys, pens and Swiss knife as it may scratch the face or damage the metal part and band of your watch. For leather bands, after using it for years, it is inevitable for it to have unpleasant odor as the material reacts to your sweat. Try using soap and water if you can still save it. Too much soap might ruin the leather so if after cleaning and the strap still stinks; you have to replace it altogether. For sports and dive watches, wash it with warm water after swimming in the beach.

7. For your belts, store them by hanging it in a hook-type hanger as it rests on vertical position without any fold. Do not roll it up and store in a box or hang it up in a hanger folding it into two. Belt, especially leather ones, will easily deform and create fold marks.

With proper care, surely you will save money by not having to replace your clothes and accessories as often and well maintained clothes always looks better and fresh.

5W’s and 1H in Buying Suits

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In the financial equation, your suits fall into your assets. It doesn't matter whether you purchased it using equity or debt. What matters is that you make the most out of the money you spend for that investment piece. Here’s a shotgun 5W’s and H in buying suits:

WHEN

Need a suit in three months’ time for your best buddy’s wedding? Or a formal outfit for your company’s foundation day event scheduled in three weeks’ time? It is important that you consider time and when you need the suit. If you have at least two months, you may opt for a bespoke suit. Otherwise, buy from a department store a pre-made one and have it tailored based on your measurement.

WHY

Why are you buying a suit? If your answer is for special occasions like weddings and company events and would wear it maximum of once a month, choosing a dark shade of grey or a solid black is never a gamble. If you plan to use it as work wardrobe or uniform, a classic navy single button suit that is not too pricey is a good choice.

WHO

Who should you trust in buying a suit? Beware of sales persons who throws away compliments to their products in store to be able to seal a deal. Do your own research. Ask colleagues and read reviews of brands you're interested in.

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WHERE

Where to look for a suit? Start at the nearest department store. Be suit-fitting ready and wear a dress shirt and shoes. Try fitting different designs and colors and fit the two piece suit – jacket and pants. Find a whole length mirror and assess how it looks on you. Bring a friend to help you decide.

WHAT

What should you consider in buying a suit? It should fit you! You should effortlessly be able to close the jacket buttons. Just the right fit that it comfortably hugs your body. Space in between your chest and the buttons should not be more than 2 inches. The jacket’s shoulder pads should not overhang your frame. Test this by leaning against a wall sideways. You’ll know that it’s the right fit if your shoulders hit the wall first before the shoulder pads. For the length, especially the arms length, the “cupped fingers” technique is widely used. Then again, newer styles of jackets feature shorter sleeves that cover about an inch of your shirtsleeve cuff.

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HOW

How will you alter-to-fit? Only a bespoke suit is perfect, otherwise, you really have to bring it a tailor for alteration. Normally the pants, jacket sleeve length and sides are the only sections that can be altered. If the shoulder is the problem or if there is more than an inch on each side of the jacket or pants (waist) need to be fixed, you are in a mess.