Classic Conundrums

While I’d like to report that the process was a breeze and that my being somewhat knowledgeable in matters of urban fashion was helpful, I cannot. Rather, I ended up wandering aimlessly through the aisles of countless stores, muttering to myself about pleats and cuffs and debating whether ’tis nobler for a man to match his socks with his pants or his shoes.

 

Eventually the answers came thanks to helpful salespeople and veteran tailors. Mostly, however, they came by way of my reflection in the mirror, which is important to note seeing as how no matter what general rules I relay in this column, there is one that trumps them all: “To thine own self be true.” Simply, pick what you like, make sure it fits and wear it well. The tips below are merely here to help you achieve this end…and hopefully keep you from losing your mind along the way.

Say No to Pleats
There is nothing worse than three-pleat pants. They make your crotch look like an accordion. And double pleats aren’t much better, because they almost always scream used car salesman, especially when accented with a woven leather belt and tattered shoes. In fact, the only time a pant should have a pleat is when the focus is to create an optical illusion. “Sometimes you have to trick the eyes a little,” says Ralph Cantafio Jr. of Ralph’s Custom Tailor Shop. “If you’re tall and slim, a pleat helps to add a little volume, but it should only be one pleat. For the average person, everything is flat front right now and truthfully, unless you need that volume, flat fronts are the way to go.”

To Cuff or Not to Cuff
“Ninety per cent of the pants that we sell today don’t have cuffs,” offers Davide Costantini of Romolo Fracassi. “Whereas two years ago, it was more like 50/50. I think a lot of guys are finding that they already own cuffed pants from before and are starting to go with plain.”  

According to both Costantini and Cantafio, pant cuffs are a matter of preference, but look better rounding out a houndstooth or glen check suit than a simple flat front dress pant. For those of us who are vertically challenged, remember that the cuff adds volume to the bottom of the pant, which is best left for those blessed with longer legs.

When one-half inch is More Than Enough
The tendency of most men is to wear their jacket sleeves too long. Bringing the shirt cuff past the sleeve adds an accent to the jacket and brings an outfit together. That said, it should still stand out. As the standard measurement between the top of the jacket collar and the top of the shirt collar is one-half inch, one school of thought is that to remain consistent, the shirt sleeve too should bypass the jacket sleeve by one-half inch. Most tailors agree that you should see between three-eighths inch and five-eighths inch of the shirt cuff.

Filling the Gap
That men only learn one tie knot in their lifetime is a travesty, especially when they decide to get funky with their collar spreads. Ideally, you want to make a clean triangle with the collar, making filling the gap the goal. For those of you that fancy a wide spread, it’s time to learn your Windsors. For those of you with a penchant for the narrow, take advantage of the skinny tie and a four-in-hand (see www.tieknot.com).

Down to the Details
Last but not least. Question: If you have a black suit and a pair of oxblood brogues, what colour socks should you wear? Answer: Black. Forget what your father said, guys, and always match your socks to your pants. The shoes are an accent, so the socks should become an extension of the leg. Would Elvis have been as cool wearing blue suede socks? I suspect not.