Written by Rakelle Maurici
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18th September 2015 / How to Accessorise Your Suit

Formalwear

Guides

Suits

Faux Pas

Accessories

A lot of men have been asking for the best ways in which they can dress their suit. It can be difficult to know how to accessorise a tailored look to stand out without looking overdone. Since smarter wear should be sleeker and elegant, accessorising in the wrong way can completely change the look you might be going for.

Ties 

The most obvious way to dress a suit and the most vital accessory of all. Without one a suit certainly doesn’t look complete. If you are dressing for the office your tie doesn’t need to be plain and lifeless, just so long as it is appropriate and not covered in a cartoon print or anything else childlike. For any occasion, think about the colours in your suit – if you are wearing a plain navy or grey suit with a white shirt you can instantly add life by your choice of tie. Choose something with a print, such as paisley or check pattern. 

Keep colours to a minimum with a maximum of four colours, the less colours used the more formal the look will be. If you are dressing for an evening occasion or a wedding you can be more adventurous with the colour and pattern choice than that for the office. The key is not to make your outfit look too matchy matchy, for example; don’t match check with check. So, although you want to complement the style of your suit you can do this with a subtle colour match.

Pocket Squares 

A dapper accessory for dress suits but can also be worn for the more informal side of tailoring. This is because it does also mean you don’t always need a tie. In fact if you want to show off your choice of pocket square don’t wear a tie at all and leave the top button of your shirt undone. A pocket square is the perfect way to add colour and character to your jacket. Commonly made from silk or cotton you can get a variant of patterns and styles, the more patterned the pocket square the less formal the outfit becomes. If you do want to wear both a tie and pocket square don’t ever match them, just choose one or two colours the same so they complement each other as well as the colour of your suit. Too much colour and it will begin to look fussy.

Tie Clips 

A tie clip can be used for practical reasons as well as a fashion statement to accessorise your tie. They work well on plain ties as it will stands out and gives more texture and character. There are a variety of choices from a simple bar or those with a unique design commonly gold or silver plated. For functionality purposes they also keep your tie from creasing without damaging your tie. A top rule to follow is to make sure that the width of the tie clip is never wider than the tie.

Added Extras

Something that has become popular in recent years with men’s fashion weeks and fashion fairs booming across the globe. We’re witnessing more and more variety amongst men’s tailoring which makes wearing a suit more unique as opposed to just something you wear to the office or a wedding.
Collar chains are a great alternative if you don’t want to wear a tie without the centre part of your shirt looking plain. They are modern, unique and often work better in the cooler months of the year styled with a suit in a winter material such as tweed or velvet. 

Lapel pins, like a collar chain, gives that added detail to your jacket. Where a pocket square adds soft details a lapel pin can give you a masculine touch. Again they work better with winter suits as opposed to linen.

Lastly, belt chains – these look great on a patterned suit in a tartan or herringbone material because it adds a sleek dimension. If you wear a three piece and want to break up the centre without wearing a belt, add a belt chain. Some are more subtle than others finished in silver or with added beading. If there is any colour involved, always choose something to complement the colour of your suit.

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