Men - Wear a Tie When You Want To Dress To Impress

Men, when you want to dress to impress wear a tie.  

A fashionable tie will complement any style, from trendy to elegant and will help a man to dress to impress. Also known as neckties, men’s ties are a long piece of cloth worn for decorative purposes under the shirt collar which are knotted with a four-in-hand knot at the throat and which then hang down the front of the shirt. Variations of the men’s tie include the ascot tie, the bow tie, the bolo tie, the zipper tie, the clip on tie and the cravat.

MEN'S TIES and BOW-TIES are worn as formal wear for weddings, balls and other high society social events as well as for business and professional attire. They are also used in places like schools and the military as part of the uniform requirements. Until recent times, men’s ties have been worn with the top shirt button fastened, and the tie knot between the collar. However, younger fashionable men have more recently worn them in a more casual way, tied loosely around the neck, with the top shirt button undone. The short wide tie of yesteryear has been replaced by long skinny ties.

 Men if you want to dress to impress wear a tie to complement your outfit and you will look very suave. Every fashionable man should have several good quality ties in their wardrobe. Wool ties look great with heavyweight wool or tweed jackets, and silk ties look best with formal or business suits. Ensure that it has a good quality lining as well so that it is easier to tie and does not wrinkle.

 A hand rolled hem will keep better shape than a machine stitched one. Ideally the tie should be long enough to reach to the top of your belt and wide enough to match the width of your lapel. However, the short wide tie of yesteryear has been replaced by long skinny ties. Make sure the tie is not too tight around your neck –most men hate wearing ties so this ensures a comfortable fit.

 Make sure that the color of your tie complements both your suit and your shirt. A solid color tie is best for formal occasions and is more versatile as it can be worn with anything both formally or casually. Dark are great for business especially when worn against a lighter shirt or conversely wear a lighter colored tie against a dark shirt.  Black ties can be worn for most occasions and are favored for funerals and weddings as well as for work. 

 Multi-colored ties such as stripes and patterns add a bit more interest to a man’s look and if well chosen can add that flamboyant touch to make a well deserved impression. But make sure the colors you choose tone in with both your outfit and your skin tone.

If you choose a patterned tie make sure that it does not clash with the pattern on your shirt or jacket. If your shirt has a loud pattern, choose a more subdued tie. If your shirt is plain you can afford to wear a more flashy patterned tie such as stipes, dots, checks, paisley, shapes, animals, logos etc.

A BOWTIE OR WHITE TIE of course looks fantastic when you are going to a ball or getting decked up in your WEDDING ATTIRE. On these special occasions the  color is often chosen to match your partners outfit or the bridesmaids outfits. Sometimes they are matched with a CUMMERBUND

 

Whatever you do don’t overdo your tie. If in doubt it is better to wear a more subtle tie. While your tie can be the focal point of your outfit, it is a fashion accessory which makes a statement about who you are. It is better to be elegant and sophisticated rather than showy and ostentatious especially at work and at formal occasions. However there are times when a bit of fun and excitement are called for so then is the time to wear your Mickey Mouse or Dinosaur Tie. Like a good watch use your tie to dress to impress.

 But men whatever you do DON'T fight with your wife about what tie you should wear - she will always have the upper hand!!!

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Men Dress To Impress With A Trendy Man Bag

Men when you want to dress to impress, one way to do it and show style is to carry a man bag.

 Men’s handbags have become really popular and make a man look classy and professional. Whether it is a briefcase, portfolio, messenger bag, tote bag, clutch purse, cross-body bag, shoulder bag,  satchel, backpack, bag or a duffel bag, it will add a bit of pizzazz and look really trendy. Men’s handbags are considered to be a cool fashion accessory for new aged guys in this modern world.  Guys carry a bag to make a statement about who they are.

A briefcase is probably the most classic type of men’s handbag. They are typically carried by professional, business men and women to carry laptop computers, papers and other documents. They are usually slender box-shaped bags or cases with handles.  

 Soft satchels which were the predecessor of the briefcase are also in vogue and are popular especially with students but are becoming more and more in demand for business and casual wear as well. They have a shoulder strap which is worn diagonally across the body, with the bag hanging on the opposite hip. The satchel has a front flap that fastens using single or double-sided buckles and sometimes has a handle at the top. 

 

Other types of bags popular with professionals are portfolios, folios and attaché cases which are often used to carry documents, papers as well as computers. These three types of bags do not have a handle and are usually carried in the hand or under the arm. 

 Messenger bags have become the most popular type of men’s handbags. They are worn over one shoulder with a strap that goes across the chest resting the bag on the lower back making it easier to carry heavy items, such as documents, books and laptops.  The hands are left free for doing other things such as riding a bike.

  Tote bags are popular fashion accessories carried as both women’s and men’s handbags.

They are functional carry-all bags which are open with parallel handles fitted at either sides of the bag. A lot of tote bags are very decorative and may bear different logos, themes and patterns. 

 Backpacks have become very popular with professionals and business men and women who use them as business bags in place of the  more classic and traditional briefcase for carrying laptops and paperwork. They have two straps which go over the shoulders and are designed to carry heavy loads on your back.  Some of the larger backpacks have frames which offload the largest part of the weight onto padded hip belts, leaving the shoulder straps mainly for stabilizing the load.

  A duffel bag is a large cylindrical bag traditionally with a drawstring closure at the top. They were designed to be slung over the shoulder by drawing the rope tight and then using the rope as the strap.  Now days the more modern versions are used as gym bags with handles and straps.

 

 For every day use and an easy, safe way to carry your belongings is the cross-body bag which has a long thin strap worn across the body leaving the hands free. Man bags also include styles which have long straps worn on one shoulder which are called shoulder bags. 

 Clutch purses for men have become quite trendy and are considered to be the perfect fashion accessory for the modern man.  They are small man bags which are large enough to hold necessities such as phone, keys, tickets, passports and money, but are small and compact.  They may have a detachable chain or strap so they can also be worn hanging from the shoulder, and some may have a small wristlet strap. 

 Men’s handbags are made out of a variety of materials such as thick fabric cloth, jute, canvas, heavy nylon or leather and may be lined with vinyl or waterproof tarp or PVC to make them waterproof.  In my opinion there is nothing nicer and more masculine than a man carrying a bag especially one made out of fabulous Italian leather – leather stands the test of time and looks so classy and stylish.So men if you need to dress to impress especially in the office carry a trendy man bag.

Dressing For The Office

Dressing For The Office

Does your performance at work relate to the good job you do or is your performance dictated by your dress style?  

 Does your boss you take your job seriously or is he more concerned about the length of your skirt or the name of the brand you are wearing or worse still by the size of your boobs?  Are you confident enough in your own abilities to make a fashion statement of your own at work? Do you take your role seriously enough and believe in the good job you are doing or do you dress to impress your boss at work?

Now while in the Western world it is best to dress modestly, a corporate wardrobe does not have to be boring, or of poor fit or even attention avoiding. There are definite standards which need to be considered when dressing for work, but there are many ways you can express your own personal dress style and make a statement about who you are so that you are still taken seriously in your job.

There is nothing worse than being stuck in a job you do not like  while not being able to wear the clothes that make you feel comfortable. You can be creative whilst still dressing appropriately for the office. The additional confidence you will exude when wearing something that makes you look and feel good will show up in your performance and really make your boss sit back and notice you. It is OK to dress to impress at the office so long as it is done tastefully in the right way.

Here is a list of Do’s and Don’ts when choosing a wardrobe to wear to the office:

Don’ts

•  Don’t have your  hemline too short – you need to be able to sit down or bend over without showing your knickers
• Don't wear clothes too tight so you cannot move properly - they are too restrictive and may affect your performance
• Don’t bear too much skin by having the neckline too low or strapless dresses or low backlines or sheer see through fabrics
• Don’t be too flamboyant and look like a Christmas tree
• Don’t overdress or under dress. Formal outfits or party gear are not appropriate for the office, and on the other end of the scale nor are shaggy jeans or beach shorts unless specifically specified.
• Don’t wear unclean or unkempt clothes to work

Do’s 

• Do dress to impress in a business or professional way
• If new to the office access what everyone else is wearing and fit in with the general style. Business or Casual or Uniform?
• If on the road visiting clients find out what the clients expect from a supplier and dress accordingly
• Do wear dresses, skirts and pants made of quality fabrics which give you a look of wealth and success. Cotton, wool, linen are always good.
• Do keep your wardrobe well maintained and laundered and ironed
• Accessorize your business attire with jewellery and scarves which make a statement but are not over the top
• Do wear bold colors or patterns such as hounds tooth, plaid or minimalist floral which are ideal for work
• Do wear pastel colors with earth tones or suits
• Do mismatch blazers and pants but be sure that the tones complement each other. 
• If wearing shorts or ¾ pants team them up with a blazer or jacket and tights and trendy shoes or boots to make them look more corporate.
• Do choose blouses which are feminine and made of silk, cotton or satin which do not crease too much during the day.  
• Do wear looser silk blouses which are more feminine than stiff white button downs ones and big sleeves look great. A tie at the collar always adds extra elegance.
• Do wear jackets and blazers with unique contours, structures, padded shoulders, belted waistlines which are well cut and fitted
• Do wear trendy well cut skirts which flow well and are both feminine and corporate. Pleats or inserts are fabulous as well as A line or straight skirts.
• Do have your pants tailored to fit – whether straight legs, skinny legs or pants with a flare
• Do wear knee high leather boots which  really good look  under skirts or worn over skinny pants
• Do  keep your look tailored and professional - wear belts and scarves
• Keep a pair of high heel shoes at work to wear if you suddenly need to go out visiting clients or suppliers, or attend a board meeting etc

Whatever you do, dress appropriately for the office  - you want to be known for your intellect not for you sex appeal.