One of our regular customers recently called seeking advice on proper wedding fashion, and it got us to thinking it might be helpful to offer some general “Dos and Don'ts” advice on that right outfit or style for that upcoming wedding event. It's not always easy to know, what with so many different kinds of wedding ceremonies these days, so we've tried to anticipate a few for you, along with general tips. Let's start with Her Outfit.

Informal daytime affairs call for a short dress or suit, and we consider business attire as being quite acceptable for a morning wedding. When the informal affair moves to the evening, though, go with a cocktail dress.

Semi-formal daytime ceremonies, also, call for a short dress or suit. Again, business attire works for the semi-formal daytimers, too. In the evening, a semi-formal would call for a cocktail dress.

Formal daytime weddings turn attire up a notch, with a suit called for, along with the options of hats and gloves. However, be sure to take gloves off for the meal. For the formal evening gathering, though, go with a long (or a very dressy short) cocktail dress, and pull out the beading, glamour accessories and a wrap. The Ultra Formal calls for a long gown and extra glitz, such as furs and diamonds.

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How much thought have you given to your attire before that big interview? Or has your mind been more on what you might be asked, and what your answers would be? Those are important considerations, to be sure, but your clothing can make a very important statement about you. Remember, how you look, the strength of your handshake and eye contact are the first things your prospective new boss will notice, and each is equally important. You have only one chance to make that good first impression, so don't waste it.

Here are four tips for you to consider, in no necessary order of importance:

Fragrance

You may be tempted to follow your normal routine of splashing your favorite cologne or aftershave on after you hop out of the shower. Don't. This is to be avoided, or at least very subdued and subtle.

Anthony Logistics Grooming Shaving Kit - perfect shave while having a subtle fragance.

What to Wear. . .

To a more formal interview: Hopefully, you've done your due diligence in researching the company you're interviewing with, so you have an idea of its level of formality. Although it might seem obvious, it's always going to be a suit and tie for the more formal industries - - banking, law, brokerage houses. Stay safe here . . . basic black, dark gray or navy suite, black leather lace-up shoes and a black belt. Blue shirts are a great choice, especially French blue, as the hue compliments most skin tones and easily coordinates with these suit colors. Choose a flattering tie that goes well with both suit and shirt, but won't blind the interviewer.
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In Part 1, we asked if you thought appearance mattered, told you it did, and then told you why. We offered five Men's Fashion Tips in an effort to help you create the desired impression, and hope you found them of use. That old expression - - we have only one chance to make a good first impression - - is so important and true, and blowing that one chance could, for instance, cost you a job you really wanted.

Let's not permit that to happen, please. Keep those first five tips handy, and add these next five tips to your list of "Must Knows" when it comes to Men's Fashion:

6. Belts should match your shoes. Tell a man by the cut of his leather? You bet. Leathers should match, too.

7. Ties should reach your belt line. This is neither arbitrary nor negotiable. Too short of a tie makes you look like a rube . . . . and the "L'il Abner" look is definitely not in.

8. Before we leave ties, let's remember that properly knotted ties have a "dimple" under the knot. Clips and tacks are out of date.

9. Suits and sports jackets are symbols of authority. Single breasted suits may have one, two, three or more buttons. Two and three button jackets are classic, while one or more than three move you into the fashion-forward, modern trend. The former are more suitable for business, and the latter will serve you better in social settings.

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Does appearance really matter? Is it that important to your career, your romance or your influence over others?

Of course it is! It's been well-documented that we are judged by others on a subliminal, perhaps prehistoric, basis within the first thirty seconds of meeting. This evaluation takes place so quickly, and is so entrenched in the human brain, that it's not even a conscious thought.

Behavioral scientists tell us we notice the following about our fellow humans during those first thirty seconds, and in this order: skin color; gender; age; bearing (height, posture, etc.); appearance; eye contact; and, speech.

We are what we are, of course, and can do nothing about the first three.

However, we can use this knowledge wisely and well to enhance and control how to present our best image possible.

Since 80% of what others see are our clothes, we thought we'd offer some suggestions for your choice of wardrobe. We've ten tips to chat about with you, and in this posting, we'll talk up the first five:

1. Avoid a short sleeved shirt and tie. They're fine as part of a uniform, but if you want to project a professional image, you'll choose a long sleeved shirt with your tie and coat or suit. Puritan Cape Cod has a vast seleciton of dress shirts and ties to compliment your attire.

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We usually tell our friends not to get all tied up in a knot over some inconsequential thing, but in this case it's a little different. It's prom time and prime wedding time, and for fellows not accustomed to tying a tie, we thought we'd lend a hand, in a manner of speaking.

Here are four techniques for the perfect knot, both for the bow tie and the regular tie. It's an easy how-to, with diagrams and simple instructions, and all you'll need is a tie and a mirror. We can even help with the tie if you need it. . . . .Check out our ties here

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Puritan Cape Cod's Fashion tips this week address using color to improve your body appearance, tell you what's hot in men's shoes for Summer 2006, and invite some comment from readers on what a shirt and tie say about a man. First, let's talk color.

Color

As you may already know, dark colors can hide those areas you'd just as soon hide, while light colors will draw attention.

Here are a couple of quick tips to help out . . . .

* Short torso? Try a belt close to the shade of your shirt and your torso will appear more elongated.
* Legs look short? Wear your belt on your waist instead of your hips, and your legs will appear longer.
* A single tone from head to bottom will make you appear taller, so wear suits instead of sports coats or blazers.

What's the hotness in men's shoes for Summer 2006?

Bucks, tan or white, and with jeans, of course. Check it out here

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