Q: I am now into wearing a suit with a tie on social occasions (restaurants, clubs, church, etc.), even when most of the other guys there are in business casual. Yes, I do appreciate all the compliments I get from everybody (including other men). How can I style my suits in a sharper way, so they are more of my personal signature—with ties, belts shirt combinations, etc.? (My favorite colors are gray, blue and black.)
A: Thanks to a new generation of stylish men like you, suits with ties will remain relevant and often exciting because of your insistence on wearing suits as your preferred social attire.
When you choose to wear a suit, that’s when the real fun of “dressing up” begins. Today’s versions of legendary expressive suit-wearers Fred Astaire and the Duke of Windsor aren’t necessarily from the red carpet. They’re an eclectic mix of fashion personalities and ordinary men on the street, as shown on sites such as ArticlesofStyle.com and the Sartorialist.com, as well as on Instagram and Pinterest. It all starts with a suit, altered to fit you to a T.
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There’s an arresting street-style photo exhibit in Harlem called “From Dapper to Dope: The Exquisite and Enduring Style of Harlem Men,” featuring African-American men from Harlem—young and old—wearing sharp suits with Afrocentric flourishes and all kinds of hats.
Keep experimenting with boots, suspenders, waistcoats and pocket squares. As for your gray, blue and black suit components, they need the visual interest of accent colors such as a silver puffer vest and brown suede gloves with a gray suit.