Its more than the 7-1

The talk of the world cup is the 7-I thrashing the host nation got from Germans and for sports enthusiast we expected aa loss but not in that magnitude . One thing which has escaped many people is how this lads look as they alight their buses and when they leave the changing rooms after tue game . To me this world cup is more than that Argentina - Germany final , Its more than the  start and final whistle . Well here is a compilation of some of the suits which have caught my eye during the tournament

Brazil-classic N98 collection

This collection was a partnership between Nike and one of my favourite Savile row designer Ozwald Boateng to revamp the 1998  N98 track suit to a formal wear. It is sophisticated, stylish sports wear. A close look at it reveals that the jacket has laser cut perforations at the same places as a soccer jersey. 

England

This collection was unveiled by Gq magazine. Well the  charcoal grey suits were designed by Marks&Spenser and combined English wool and mohair fabric to make ,it comfortable for Brazillian weather.Features include an embedded winners star on the inside pocket, English crest on the autograph label, a red, white and blue sleeve and pocket lining

South Korea national team

Spain national team with their formal wear

Italy national team donning their suits

Sushi lads In their formal look

Australians added a classic white pocket square

Well The Oranje nation chose to be different In blue

Iranians dropped the tie

 

Algerians 

Germany

They thrashed the host nation i think they drew inspiration from this dark blue 3 piece suit from Hugo Boss. This is pursuit of perfection, attention to detail

and exquisite style

They had matching shoes and belts

Denim shirts and knitted ties

Classical matching pocket squares.

The difference is in the details

After a moment of reluctance I return bearing gifts of dapperness if there is such a word. Well if not we are allowed to make inventories.  I want to be so candid in this post. I have seen many lads making mistakes with the blazer, from the fashion savy ones, tailors and even fashion houses that design them. I have developed a liking for suits in recent times ( I guess it comes with growing up) and have done a considerable research on the subject matter.
I want every party who reads this blog to see a suit in a very different way.

Jacket closure

While buttoned the jacket should not pull across the chest significantly and neither should it be so loose, the image below illustrates how it should be

Buttoning

This Iis where most individuals get it wrong 

 When you purchase a two buttoned blazer you should always ensure that the second button is above the belly-button and never below

When it comes to one bbuttoned blazer the button should be centrally located most of the blazers we wear the button is a bit too low

One of the benefits of a two button blazer is the deep V shape created by the long lapels. However some of the  two buttoned blazers especially at more budget friendly tailors and retailers have a higher bbutton stancetwhich results in a similar look as a three button suit as  I have illustrated below

The shoulder

The shoulder seam should always lie on the edge of your shoulder. There should no be buckling , 

Makes shoulders appear broader

BRITISH

This has slightly padded shoulder

Defines the shoulder and compliments the nibbed waist

AMERICAN

Its the natural shoulder without a padding

It follows the slope of the body shoulder

choose the shoulder design complimenting your body

finally we compare a 

DOPEY v DAPPER SUIT

The sweet spot

The other day i was watching a local fashion segment on television and all I heard was a cast that was not familiar with how to expose your knee caps here are some things you need to consider . Forget about all those myths, relax and get a very educated opinion bloke.

1. Go for a slim fit that does not wing out at the bottom. You should have a room for breathing but not extra fabric flapping around

2. For a modest chap just go for just above the knee cap

3. If you are the type who isnt modest show a bit of thigh and go for about 2 inches above the knee cap

4. If you want to show off go for considerable inches above the knee cap that end mid-thigh

5.  For Christ sake do not be the kind of guy who wears shorts that are too short that the boxers keep peeping out

6.  Do not be caught wearing short pants in the pretext that you are wearing shorts, there is a difference between short pants and shorts. If it goes a considerable length past the knee cap, that is not a short mate

7.Avoid pairing your shorts with something that emphasizes the size of your legs like baggy tees and hoods, look at Tinie Tempah and get what I mean

8. We all know how bad shoes destroy a good outfit, just go for boat shoes, velvet slippers,  sandals, boots (be careful with this ) loafers, driving moccasins, canvas sneakers, slip -on plimsolls,

9. Make sure they fit around the waist. Showing crack is whack

Nice fitting vest or tee does the trick for Tempah

The Dandy look

Bright colours

Pharrell did the red carpet some justice

They are not limited to just tees

Rules when it comes to footwear

The danfy look

Prints

Denim shorts popularly known as 'jorts'

The little things that make the difference

This so called handkerchiefs originated from ancient Greece,  where  it was a rich guy affair.  It is the single most indispensable tool for defining the modern bloke of style according to GQ magazine  . It is not a science but an art that doesn't involve any steadfast rule in choosing. Pocket squares should always compliment the shirt and tie but not match them. Let us be honest with one another a suit without a square is a naked suit.
I am one of those lads who likes doing things differently, this means wearing it with shirts, denim jackets, waist coats or overcoats as will be shown in this blog.
However we have a few rules,  one if it is used to blow your nose it belongs to pants pocket not your breast pocket. If its silky it doesn't belong to your  breast pocket either it belongs to another century (no punt intended to old folks).
There are various ways of folding ; classic,  patterned,  tipped,  volcano/scattered. Check out the images

With shirts, denim jackets

Volcano/unstructured type

classic

Folding process

Its supposed to be a finishing touch not a focal point.....ADIOS

Let's tie the shirt

I have to admit that I am humbled by the response I am getting from blokes out there and even ladies. The first half of the this year I have dedicated it to laying down styling rules. We all know how important styling is, the first thing a person sees in you is what you wear and not your personality.
Today I want us to focus on simple rules about shirts, here we go
1.Collar should grease your neck and not constrict it
2. Cuff links should meet at the point where your palms begin
3. Shoulder seam should be at  your collar bone
4. Sleeves should not be  so tight as to show the details of your arm and it should not be low to billow
5. When you fold your hands behind your head , the shirt should not come off the pants. If it does then it means that your armholes are not high enough.
6. Shirt length should be such  that  you  can bend  and make natural movements  without it coming off  your pants.
7. There should not be excess fabric  in the chest and waste. This causes billowing.
8. The choice of tie should be based on the collar type of your shirt and the body size.
9. About 2 centimetres of shirt collar should be revealed by the jacket collar
10. Shirt sleeve should never cover your watch
11. Finally I leave you with an illustration of how to roll your shirt

Basic rules of buttoning a suit

After last week's article  your father didn't teach you this  its time we looked at rule number 9 in detail " When suited always remember to unbutton as you sit and button up as you stand." Blokes let us examine one buttoned jacket and for your information,  this is supposed to be casual wear yet we see guys strutting to offices with them
1.with single breasted 3 button blazer, there are 2 options when standing fasten up first 2 buttons and leave the third one or fasten the middle button.
2. With single two button blazer the top must be fastened when standing and the second shouldn't be. When seated it should be unbuttoned
3. With a single one button blazer very simple to remember, when standing you should always button the only button and when seated you should unbutton

There you got, get suited well blokes

Your father didn't teach you this

I will take a break from the usual bloke banter of photos with the exception of one and give you tips that you will never get to hear from your folks or better halves not unless they have been reading my mind. And the Chu Chu Chu train of style tips  states...........
..................

1.  By now you already know that you are not allowed to leave the house without a watch, if you can't afford a Rolex buy something equally as interesting at the other end of the spectrum like a Luminox—those are really cool. Don't buy a watch trying to emulate a Rolex or other major brands. Remember you should own at least three watches one for office,  a sporty one and a watch for outdoors
  2. If you're going to play with color start with one. If you're wearing yellow, everything else should be navy and grey. Yes, I've been known to wear bright green and pink at the same time but I don't do that often. Cultivate the culture first then you can experiment later.
3. If you're putting in the effort to wear a tie, finish it off with a smart and simple tie bar. Not a decorative, big, or funny one. Just something functional.
4. A quarter-and-an-inch chocolate brown belt with a sterling buckle goes with everything from jeans to chinos to a proper suit. It may cost you  a fortune but it's a good investment.
5. If you're slim and tall and young, wear pleated pants. They accentuate every flaw you have so don't wear them if you have hips because the outcome may not be desired
6. Blokes always  have a good packing system especially on the move. Jackets should be turned inside out to protect the shoulders, and similar  things go together. Pants on the bottom, jackets on top. Socks and underwear get rolled.
7.When it comes to Chinos A big, beautiful world lies beyond the flat-front-khaki safe zone you've been hiding out in.
8. When you wear a suit with a  slim lapel,  the tie should always be slimmer than the lapel
9. When suited always remember to unbutton as you sit and button up as you stand
10. Remember the phrase NAKED MEN DO NOT MAKE STATEMENTS
I leave you with this photo comparison of a bad and savile bloke blazer. ADIOS