The First Dress Shoes You Should Purchase

On this blog we have covered what you should look for when buying your first suit, but what about your shoes? People seem to forget that you can have a perfect outfit but if you skip on the 

shoes, it just ruins it completely. But what should your first pair of dress shoes be? 

 There is only one answer to this question, it is the black cap toe oxford. This is the perfect dress shoe and should be what a man's shoe collection is based around. It is the closest thing to a do it all dress shoe. Sadly no shoe actually does it all, and the black cap toe does have its flaws but for your first choice, it should be this one. 

   Because it is black it goes with almost any traditional suit color with the exception of brown. It can be worn with a more casual fun suit, and when polished properly with a tuxedo. It is the simple, understated design that makes this shoe so versatile and that is the thing you want out of your first pair of dress shoes.

When you go looking for a pair there are a few things you need to look for. First and foremost is that you actually get oxford dress shoes as opposed to blutchers or derbys. Most shoes stores use the term oxford to describe any dress shoe with laces and this simply incorrect. An oxford shoe is classified by a leather dress shoe with a closed lacing system. This means the eyelets for the shoe laces are not on a separate piece of leather from the rest of the shoe. 

The shoe on the left is a derby with an open lacing system as opposed to the oxford on the right with a close lacing system

  Next make sure the shoes you are buying real leather shoes. Synthetic materials may appear cheaper on the price tag but that shoe won't last you a year if you wear them even on a semi-regular basis. Real leather is an extremely durable material and will give your shoes a nice long life assuming you take care of them. If you are unsure if the shoes you are looking at are made of real leather or not there is usually a tag on the inside of the shoe that state what it is made of, or if you are buying online just look for a description of the shoes and it should be listed there.

   This one is more of a recommendation than a requirement and that is buy a shoe with real leather soles. I say it is just a recommendation because leather soles aren't necessarily an option for everyone. They usually make a shoe cost more and sadly are becoming harder to find today with most shoes being mass produced in china. But leather soles have some benefits that rubber soles don't. They are more commonly replaceable while some rubber soles can be replaced most leather ones are good year welted which makes replacing them easy for a shoe cobbler. This extends the overall lifespan of your shoes. Also, they offer better traction after they have been worn slightly. It is true that brand new leather soles are slick, after walking in them for about a day, this is no longer the case and they give you better traction when walking. Plus as a little bonus leather soles give a very elegant sound when walking on hardwood floors.

 When it comes to shoe fit there isn't really much to say, most people don't wear shoes that are the wrong size. However be warned when buying shoes online, not all dress shoes fit the same, one brand's 10.5 may be another brand's 9. Make sure they have a good return policy, read reviews on the shoe and look for people mentioning size. Also, if possible, go into a store and try a pair on, even if it isn't quite your size you can use this as a judge to which ones to buy online.

 Finally, when it comes to buying the shoes, stay away from broguing of any kind. Broguing is the hole like perforations that decorate a shoe. This takes away versatility and makes the shoe more casual than a simple cap toe.

Now you know what kind of shoe should be your first, as well as some things to look for when purchasing them. I hope you found this helpful! Have a good one!

Sprezzabox, Monthly Men's Accessory Subscription Box Review

In the last few years, there have been a lot of these monthly subscription boxes pop up, and I think it is safe to say there is one for almost any topic imaginable. Some of the more notable ones are Loot Crate which sends pop culture related items or Birchbox which sends grooming products, with both a men's and women's variant. Those are just a few of the hundreds if not thousands of boxes out there, but often the case with them is that they are filled with junk, but one of them I have found that is actually a great value is Sprezzabox. It is a box that comes every month that is filled with different men's style accessories such as ties, pocket squares, etc.

  I decided to pull the trigger on this box to see if it is really worth the money or if it is just another one to put on the list of boxes that just send you useless crap. The cost per month is $28 plus shipping and renews itself every month until you cancel the subscription. But is it worth your $28 dollars every month? I am happy to say that I believe it is!


 I have received two of their boxes so far and what I have gotten from them has been fantastic, and I have been able to work them effortlessly into my wardrobe. Inside every box is a card that has the breakdown of everything you get that month as well as the retail price listing of that item. Some of their boxes are themed around the month they are shipped for example the November box is called "The Movember Box." The thing I like about the items they ship is that they are often picked with the ability to be all worth together. Like if you get a tie, pocket square, and a lapel pin, they will all be coordinated with each other and also able to be worn separately.

The items pictured below are all from the December 2015 box.

These are some green suspenders with a white detail from weekend casual, they come with both clips and leather loops with the option to remove one or the other depending on your preference.

This is a blue bowtie from their own tie company and is a diamond tip bowtie.

This is a blue knit tie from Jack Sartori.

These cufflinks are from Combatant Gentleman and also comes with a coupon code to use on their website.

Finally here is a picture of everything together.

If you are looking for some cool new accessories but don't know what you want I would say give Sprezzabox a try, and if you don't like it you can always cancel and try something else. Also as a side note, if you have seen any of their past boxes you can order them for a higher price from their shop as well as a few sperate items. If you want to get one for yourself just click here http://www.sprezzabox.com/ . Thanks for reading!

How Should Your Suit Should Fit

   As I look around at other people who wear suits there is one thing that I see wrong with almost all of them, and it is the way their suit fits them. Most of them are wear a jacket with a chest that is too big, their sleeves almost cover their hands, and they are almost stepping on the back of their pants.

   When it comes to men's clothing there is nothing more important than the way they fit. I have seen guys wearing cheap quality suits that fit perfectly and look much better than suits that are five times the price that don't fit. That can be said for almost any piece of clothing, be it for men or women, so how should that suit of yours fit?

  Let's start at the jacket, the thing people think of most when you say the word suit. There are a few things that you need to watch out for when shopping for a new jacket because some things can be altered by almost any alterations tailor and some that I wouldn't trust to the most skilled tailors in the world. So let's start at the easiest to alter and work our way up in difficulty, that being the sleeve length. Arguably the most common mistake I see in men wearing a suit is their sleeves are too long. They come down covering almost the entire top half of their hand and just looks sloppy. A good suit sleeve should stop just before your dress shirt's cuff ends, leaving about a half inch of it showing at the sleeve opening.

This is how a suit sleeve should fit

 Next let's talk about the jacket's fit in the torso area, this is the area around where it buttons. This is something that can be altered by a tailor to a certain level, but if to much is needed to be brought it, the proportions of the suit will be thrown off and will wind up looking terrible anyway. The way a suit should fit in this area is there should be a slight pull around the button on a two button suit. Not so tight it looks like it might pull the button off, just a little bit of a pull.

Notice the pull around the button

Now let's talk about the jacket chest and shoulder area, and this is the hardest part of the jacket to alter due to the padding and canvas lining of most jackets. When you go shopping for a new suit or sport coat this should be the one thing you make sure fits you perfectly otherwise you could spend a lot of money to get it fixed and it could end up looking wrinkled and sloppy.

The one on the left is a proper fit, right is a bad fit.

  Finally, on the jacket is its overall length. This one is easy to tell if it fits, but it is also something that can't really be changed. But all you need to do to see if the jacket is the right length is to put it on and put your hands down at your sides and make a kind of salute pose with your hand. The end of the jacket should be between where your thumb connects to your hand and the end of your thumb. Any shorter and the jacket is too short, and any longer the jacket is too long. Do watch out though because there are some "fashion forward," jackets that are built a bit shorter naturally. These should be something to avoid for your first few suits.

The bottom of the jacket is dead center of his thumb

The final part of the suit is the pants, and these aren't hard to mess up because they should fit like any other pair of men's pants. Starting off with the crotch area of the pants. It should be a bit higher not having a lot of extra fabric between your legs, doing so makes your legs look a lot shorter. Your waist should fit you so you don't need to wear a belt or suspenders to keep them up, if they do they are too big and should be sized down, however, a size bigger can be worn with a belt if you can't find a smaller size. Next, the biggest offense I see men make is the length of their suit pants. For a traditional fit, the pants should have a single break or crease along the top of the shoe. Any shorter you run the risk of it looking too small, too long you could actually end up stepping on the back of them and ruining them. 

Notice the higher crotch, single break, and waist that matches his natural waist size.

In short, the fit is everything when it comes to a suit. Fit can make or break your look, and should be perfect no matter how much you spend on your suit. The best part is if you take the time to make your suit fit perfectly it can actually look nicer and more expensive than a suit that is actually more expensive! So if your suit doesn't fit, take it to an alterations tailor and see what they can do for you. But if they need to do a lot of work to it, the smart choice may be just to get a new one. One little tip is to size down from the size you are measured at. An example is if you are measured at a 42R jacket try a 40R, maybe even a 38R and see how it fits. If you button the jacket and you hear fabric stretching then size back up, but chances are it will give you a more tailored look and will also save you money on alterations later.

Thanks for reading everyone, I hope this article was helpful and you now understand how a suit should fit. Have a good day everyone! 

I'm Back!

Sorry for the long break there, some personal stuff came up that I had to take care of, but now I am back and ready to write some more articles!

My plans are to write a post about suit colors, suit patterns, and the double breasted suit. Then after that, I hope to branch off and make some more specific articles and tackle some more advanced suiting topics such as adding color to a suit and how to wear a suit casually.

My plan is to post a new article once every 2 weeks on Thursdays starting the 31st of December.

See you then!

Dustin Wilson

Your First Suit

   We have covered where and why you can wear a suit, and you are ready to suit up and get out there. But hold on you don't own a suit yet and you can't wear something you don't have. But where do you start, there tons of options with patterns, colors, fabrics, styles, and much more, it can be very overwhelming. However, you need not worry because in this post I will go over the best suit for the first time buyer.

   With the way fashion and trends go you see guys on the cover of GQ Magazine wearing double breasted suits, pinstripes, three piece suits, and innumerable amounts of different colors, it would make you think you need to buy something like that as your first suit. I am here to tell you that when it comes to suiting the last thing on your mind should be what is currently "in style," because if you do you will be left in the dust when it goes out of style. There are certain types of suits that to this day remain as in style as they were when they were invented and will continue to be in the foreseeable future. The style I am talking about is a suit two buttons, notch lapels, and side vents. As seen in this photo here

  While this type of suit is the most generic it is also the most versatile and timeless.

   Next we need to look at color, you can have a basic style suit, but it loses the classic feel if you get one in bright purple or pink. The best colors for a first suit are either navy blue or charcoal gray. Which one of these colors you choose is really up to which one you prefer, navy in my opinion is probably a bit more versatile because it can be matched with more colors of ties and shoes. Charcoal, on the other hand, is going to give you a bit more of a classic look and probably wouldn't stand out in a crowd. It isn't as versatile because it needs to be paired with darker colors in regards to ties and shoes. But if you are just going to wear a black tie and black dress shoes either of these colors would be perfect.

   Then there is the topic of patterns, and the right pattern can make a good suit look amazing but if this your first one ever stick to solid colors. I know it is tempting to get a pinstripe or check pattern, but the idea of your first suit is to be versatile and able to work in any situation. Save the patterns for your third or fourth purchase and focus instead on getting the right fit and fabric of your first one.

 Finally, there is fabric, and honestly I would say not to worry too much about this one if you just getting into Men's suiting. The best suits are normally made of 100% wool, but that can get expensive and depending on where you shop can be hard to find. Most big department stores such as Macy's or JcPenney have suits made out of a fabric blend to drive down the cost. Normally you will find suits made out of a polyester and rayon blend or polyester and wool blend, that is not to say that there aren't any suits made out of just wool, they will just be harder to find and more expensive. If you pick up a suit made out of a blended fabric chances are unless you go somewhere with experts on fabrics no one is going to know the difference let alone care.

  Finally, the pants, I saved this for last because to be honest there isn't much to talk about. There are only a few things you need to look for and they are easy to spot. One of the biggest thing to avoid is pleated pants. If you are wanting to for a look that makes you look fat and sloppy then get only pleated pants, but if you want to look fit and well put together then avoid them like the plague. If you don't know what pleats are, they are the little creases on the front of the pants up around the crotch area. Also, one thing to look for and is really up to personal preference is where the pants break. This is referring to where the bottom of your pant leg touches your shoe. I would say if the pants fall past the half way point on the back of your shoes then they are too long, and if you can look in the mirror and see your socks they are too short.

  So to wrap up, just keep it simple with the details. Charcoal gray or navy blue fabrics, and flat front pants. If you stick to those you won't stand out in a bad way, and you will look like a suit pro assuming that the fit of it is good. I hope this helps you get started on wearing suits and answers any questions you may have had!

Why Every Man Should Own A Suit

   Before we talk about anything suit related, there is a vital question that must be answered. Why should a man own a suit? In this post, I will go over the many occasions that arise in our lives that require us to dress sharp, along with some some that may not require you to suit up but can help you leave a better, longer lasting impression if you do.

   So lets jump right into it, why should every man own at least one suit? In life there are things that require us to put forward the best version of ourselves that we possible can, and there is no better way to do this than by wearing a well fitting suit. Of course you will need to do a few other things like make sure your hair is well groomed, your teeth are taken care of, and you don't smell like you live in a barn; but if you have a suit that has been tailored to fit you well it will make all the difference.

 I say tailored well, what does this mean? Basically it means that the suit that you have purchased from where ever it may be has been taken to a tailor or seamstress and altered to fit you like it should. I don't care wear you bought it from or how much it cost if it doesn't fit you right it looks bad. You could have a one thousand dollar wool suit but if it looks like it is a size too big, then you look lazy and over all not well put together. But here is the great thing about getting a suit tailored is you can take a forty dollar suit you got a department store, get it tailored for about fifty dollars and it can make you look like you spent a couple hundred dollars.

  But back on topic, I have talked about making sure your suit fits but not to much about why you should own one. The simple answer is no matter your life style, income level, job title, or age chances are that at some point in your life you are going to have to go in for a job interview, get called in for the wonderfully fun jury duty, or someone you know will die or get married. Almost all of these things will require you to wear a suit. Then you have those other reasons where a suit can be worn but isn't specifically required, for example going on a date with your special someone, going to a dinner party or charity event, or even a night out on the town with some friends.

   Now lets break down those times when a suit is required individually and find out why it is required that you dress up. Starting in order, the job interview, the thing that you need to do before you get a job anywhere that pays more than minimum wage. A traditional interview, for those who don't know, generally goes along the lines of you applying at a place of business, the look over your resume and credentials, and you are called in and interviews about why you want the job you applied for. But there is more to it than being qualified to work there. You can apply at a bank and be three times more qualified than someone else who applied for the same job, but they wear a suit and look professional and you wear a polo shirt and khaki pants they are going to get the job ten times out of ten. Why? Because the took the time to look the part of a someone that is responsible, trust worthy, confident, and most of all professional. The term "dress too impress," gets thrown around a lot and it something that holds a lot of importance in the world of job interviews. A suit is the best way to give off the idea of professionalism, respect, maturity, and most of all confidence. Which is key to getting a job

   Next up in the list is jury duty is something we all fear being a part of when we turn eighteen years old. But as long as people continue to commit crimes there will be continuous need for jurors. "But why a suit," I hear you saying, "I am not trying to impress anyone on the jury so why should I bother?" Good question, and I see where you are coming from. If you look at any court room the people who are always dress up are lawyers, the people on trial, and the judge. The defendant gets all dressed up because he wants to impress the court and make him seem trustworthy weather or not he is innocent. You as the juror should dress up as well because you need to give off the same feeling of trust because the court wants to feel safe putting the future of someone in your hands. To trust you to make the right choice based on the evidence shown to you. A suit is the perfect way to do this.

   At a wedding you are there to celebrate the joining of two people's lives and you should suit up to show respect for them. Along with the reason of tradition, a wedding as a specific dress code unless specified differently. That is to wear a suit but never dress up more than the groom because the couple is the star of the show, they don't want someone showing up in a tailcoat and top hat to a wedding where everyone else is wearing a business suit.

   Then there is a funeral, the opposite end of the spectrum from marriage but is still equally as formal as far as dress code goes. It isn't a celebration in the sense of a party but there to celebrate the life of a person and remembering all the good things they did for the world. It is also a time for paying respects to them; and if your memory is working then the word respect should tell you right away what you should be wearing. A suit tells people that you respected the person who has passed because you took the time to dress up for the event. But a similar rule to the wedding attire applies here, never dress up in a way that stands out. It is a time of being respectful and if you show up wearing a blue pinstripe suit and a green tie you lose all since of respect and actually come off as disrespectful and rude. Unless the person had their funeral prearranged and asked that everyone wear silly colors then do not ever do this.

  There you go gentlemen, a few basic reasons why every man should own at least one suit. I hope you found this helpful and informative, if you did I would appreciate if you would share this blog with your friends and family, also if you follow us on Google plus! Thanks everybody, have a good one!

Hello Gentlemen!

   Hello and welcome to my Men's style blog. Here we will focus on the upper end of the dress code list. I am talking about suits, single breasted, double breasted, patterns, fabrics, how to, and when to wear them. Basically you name something to do with suits, we will try to cover it at some point here. I hope you enjoy our future content and will come back again and again!

Have a good day,

Dustin Wilson