Buying a Slim Fit Shirt - Say No To the Pirate Shirt!

Let's be honest, we've all worn the kind of shirts that just love to puff out in the back and make you look like you have the physique of a marshmallow.  Well today is the day to stop, I'm going to borrow heavily from the GQ article featured here because it is a great guide on how to find a great slim fit shirt.

Step 1: Not all slim fit shirts are created equal

This is one of the most difficult parts of buying a slim fitting shirt that you won't have to have tailored, the actual way a shirt fits you is going to vary widely between brands.  My best advice is to try a whole variety of different brands until you find one that fits you perfectly.  I personally love the Express 1MX Fitted Shirt, they are not too expensive and the variety in the past few years has expanded dramatically.  H&M is another great place for a cheap slim fit shirt, however if you want something that will last a little longer you can find slim shirts from Boss, Banana Republic, Gucci, Ralph Lauren and more.  See how well this shirt fits below and the slim look it gives.

Step 2: "It feels too tight" - Get over it

When you start shopping for a slim fit shirt, it's possible that you are going to be uncomfortable in it at first.  It will feel too tight around the arms, you might feel like your love handles are showing or maybe even that your shoulders feel constrained.   Chances are you have been wearing shirts that are too big for you in the first place your whole life, so it will take some time to get used to it.  If you don't think you can handle it, take a look at the picture below between a slim fit shirt and a standard puffed out shirt.  Who do you want to look like?

Step 3: Keep your slim shirt fitting perfectly

Nothing will kill how much you love a slim fit shirt like having it shrink up on you if you wash it incorrectly.  Trust me, you will go from admiring your new look to wondering how you gained 10 pounds overnight when a slim fit shirt shrinks up.  Wash white and light colors in a hot wash, dark shirts should be in cold water.  I recommend hang drying your shirts if at all possible but understandably this isn't possible for some households.  If you have to use the dryer, use it to get most of the moisture out of the shirt and then iron the shirt immediately.  You will get remove the rest of the moisture and any wrinkles this way.

I can't count how many guys I see that ruin a great look by wearing a dress shirt that is way too big for them.  By taking some time to examine how a shirt fits you and knowing what to look for you will make a big impact on your wardrobe.  Once again, I really recommend this article from GQ.  It has a lot of great looks and should give you an idea on where to start with picking a slim fit shirt

Thanks for reading.  As always, be dapper.

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Knot Up! Necktie Fabrics & Which One You Should Own

After writing yesterday's article on How to Tie a Tie I promised that I would talk more about neckties, so here is another edition of Knot Up! on the Be Dapper Blog.  Today I'd like to talk about necktie fabrics.  While the silk tie is obviously a long time standard, going beyond the standard silk tie is a sophisticated way to show off your individuality and set your style a notch higher.

Necktie Fabrics

Silk ties

The undisputed standard for men's neckties, the silk necktie has drapes perfectly, has vivid color and reflects natural light well which can create a 3D-like effect. Silk can wrinkle easily however, so it is recommended that you roll your silk ties (as pictured below) rather than hanging them to avoid any permanent creases. Also, if you dirty a silk tie they can be extremely difficult to clean and will usually never look the same after being dry cleaned.

Wool Ties

The wool tie is a less formal tie but is very versatile and can still be used in most situations, save for a black tie event.  Wool gives a very rustic, natural look to your style and is a great look for winter.  I tend to enjoy the look of a wool tie year round but it looks especially sophisticated during those cold months.  These wool tie styles below are all great looks for any stylish man.

Knit Ties

The knit tie has made a comeback lately and is being seen everywhere from Urban Outfitters to Polo.  Knit ties are certainly a less formal tie than silk or even wool, so if you work in an uber-professional work place I don't think it's a great choice for every day, but for those of us who work in a more casual environment this is a style that will turn heads and have people asking you where you got your tie.  Below you can see two examples of how you can use a knit tie for both casual and professional looks.

Polyester Ties

Polyester ties are often a cheap or inexpensive tie that have many of the same benefits of silk, such as the reflection of natural light.  Be wary however, polyester does not look great and is not a fabric I would ever take to any professional office.  Next time you see one while you are out shopping, tie one on and see what I mean.  That said, they can be a hip look for casual events and are easy to pair up with a vest.  Keep the tie slim or skinny though, a wide polyester tie with jeans will just make you look like a stand in from a bad 80's movie.  Polyester retains stains and especially smells very easily, so if you end up sweating profusely while wearing one you can count on your stink sticking to that tie forever.  Below are some cheap skinny polyester ties that you can pick up from Forever 21.

Though there are some other fabrics that ties can be made from such as cashmere or satin (not technically a fabric but a weave style) I think these 4 are the standards that you should take notice of when you are shopping for your next tie.  Always look at the fabric labels to ensure that you are getting what you pay for and that the fabric will match the use you plan for it.

Thanks for reading.  As always, be dapper.

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Knot up! The 3 Tie Knots You Need to Know

According to Google, the term "how to tie a tie" is searched for almost 2 million times a month globally.  Needless to say, it seems that many of us need some help when it comes to knotting up.  Most likely this is due to the fact that many working people simply are not required to wear a tie to work anymore.  Thus, when it comes time to "dress it up" a little bit, if you can even remember how to tie a tie, it probably takes a few tries before you get it right and doesn't really look great.

Let me start by saying that I think we should all take opportunities to knot up more often than most of us do.  Just because it isn't required to wear a tie to work doesn't mean that you should avoid it all costs.  Quite the opposite, looking like you put some time into your wardrobe conveys a professional attitude to your coworkers and managers.  And you just never know who you might run into at lunch or when you grab your morning coffee.  If you ran into a prospective client, the CEO of a large company or even an old friend would you want them to see you in a wrinkled polo or in a pressed, clean shirt with a perfect tie around your neck?

Below is a guide to the three knots that you need to know how to tie, I will go over each of them and explain how to pair them up with certain ties and collar styles.

The Four in Hand Knot

Skinny and often ends up slightly asymmetrical,  the Four in Hand knot is the easiest knot to master because you don't have to get it totally even.  This knot looks great with button down collar shirts but it's usually tough to get a dimple into this style.

The Half Windsor Knot

This is the classic knot that looks great for nearly any occasion: triangular, dimpled and symmetrical.  Most any collar style works with this knot, however you should take care to make sure you get it perfectly symmetrical and have a dimple.

The (Full) Windsor Knot

This knot is easy to mess up, not necessarily in the way it is tied but in how you wear it.  It can be perceived as cheesy, especially if you end up with the tie being too short.  Thus, you need to make sure your tie is long enough to hit at the right spot.  That said, this knot is the only way to go with a spread collar shirt and often too with a semi-spread.

In my next post I'll go over some other tie considerations you should think about when you knot up.

Thanks for reading.  As always, be dapper.

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Navy Suits - Why Don't You Own One Yet?

This is my first blog post and rather than make a long intro or take some time to wade into this, I'm going to jump right in.

The navy suit is the most essential addition to any man's wardrobe, whether you are a working professional, a recent college graduate, a starving student, or anything in between. There are few suits that display a more mature, understated taste than the navy blue suit does. However, you can still manage to not pull it off if you don't pay attention to the details. Here are a few tips to make sure that you look your best in a navy suit.

Get it tailored

There are plenty of places to get a great, cheap navy suit. However don't be surprised if you end up looking less than amazing if you don't get it tailored. No matter where you buy your navy blue suit, or how much you spend, go to a tailor who you know or who someone can refer you to. And have an opinion before you walk in the door, don't let them convince you to "let it out a little more." Tell them you want it to be snug around your waist and pull a little bit. Let them know you want little to no break on the pants. Also, your sleeves should show about 1-inch of cuff. Check out the before and after picture below and you'll understand why it's critical to get your suit tailored.



Pair up with the Right Accessories

Nothing shows off a level of style sophistication like brown shoes paired with a navy suit. Straight from the mouth of one of the world's most renowned shoe experts: "Put on a pair of bad shoes and it doesn't matter how nice your suit is." That said, this color of brown below goes great with almost any color, but certainly complements navy and displays an extra level of thought and consideration in your wardrobe. Not to mention that brown is my favorite color for wingtip shoes.



Go Beyond White

Sure we've all had our forays into the world of light blue shirts, but a navy blue suit is one of the best chances you have to grab some colors that will set you apart from the white shirt pedestrians you walk among. Lavendar, khaki and pink are all on display in the image below. Just be sure to tie up with a dark tie so you look more Don Draper than Craig Sager.





Thanks for reading everyone. As always, be dapper.

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