Dapper Gents

During my daily stroll along the information super highway, I stumbled upon The Red Sole Bride - an elegant and tasteful blog written by one bride to be in Hong Kong.

It was there I happened upon a most informative discussion of the proper attire for your dapper gent as discussed in The Rake - the modern voice of classic men's elegance.

The Jacket: Jackets should be either double or single breasted with peak or shawl lapels. The most formal combination would be the single breasted peak lapel jacket coupled with a waistcoat. A working buttonhole cut straight across the lapel is a necessity since, a single flower is the most appropriate accessory for a black-tie jacket/coat.

The waistcoat: Ideally, the waistcoat should frame the bib of your shirt perfectly and sit right above the top of your trousers – never to expose the transition between your shirt and trousers. The waistcoat can either be single or double breasted and ideally should be a horseshoe shape rather than a V-shape.

The cummerbund: Normally a silk satin finish, the cummerbund is the less formal alternative to the waistcoat. Pleats of the cummerbund should always face up.

The trousers: These should always be cut high to meet the bottom of your waistcoat. Wearing a belt is an absolute no-no. Braces are a must to keep your trousers in place and to prevent ‘bunching up’. White silk braces which are buttoned are the way to go and never, never don the dreaded clip on braces. The length of trousers should always just barely graze the top of the shoe so as not to break the sleek lines of his silhouette.

The dress shirt: The collar of the wing collar dress shirt should be cut particularly high and the tips of the wings sharply turned down in contrast. The sleeves should be single cuffs enclosed with a cuff link and just long enough to show three quarters of an inch past your jacket. For soft turndown collar shirt, the bib is normally pleated and french cuffs are the style.

The bow tie: Always black, always hand-tied. He’s not a boy anymore, and there’s something very sensual about tying one on for your man.

A white linen handkerchief and a single flower inserted into the lapel (not pinned on) are the finishing touches for the perfect black-tie look.

Images via The Rake from The Red Sole Bride.