for the boys: the do's and don'ts of formalwear

i came across a vintage GQ magazine recently and thought this was worthy of being passed along...

1.  do buy a tuxedo.  shelling out $100 for a sad-sack rental each time you attend a black tie event makes no sense.
2. don't buy a three-button tux.  stick with the classics: a one- or two-button model will never go out of style.
3. do wear a shirt with a conventional, straight lay-down collar.  and make sure it has french cuffs.
4. don't ever wear a banded collar (those priestlike ones favored by country singers and nfl players).  ever.
5. do learn how to tie a bow tie. (refer to our previous post on this.)
6. don't ever buy one of those matching, patterned cummerbund-and-bow-tie sets.
7. do wear a black bow tie or straight tie.  and skip the cummerbund - you'll achieve a cleaner, more modern look without one.
8. don't stress out over finding cool studs.  a well-made formalwear shirt will have nice, sturdy buttons.  or avoid the issue of the bejeweled button substitutes altogether and go with one of those hidden-button placket-front shirts.
9. do wear a peak-lapel tux jacket if you insist on wearing a wing-collar shirt.  and make sure the wings are tucked behind your bow tie, not peeking out above it.
10. don't muck it up.  keep the outfit simple and keep it black and white.  the cleaner the better.

calling all men: how to tie a bow tie

gala season kicked off a few weeks ago, and wedding season wasn't far behind.  so men, impress your ladies by foregoing the clip-on version in favor of a more james bond-esque look, and tie your own bow tie.  there are a ton of really bad youtube instructional videos out there, but follow these directions from tie-a-tie, and you'll look like a grown up in no time:

The proper size should never be broader than the widest part of your neck and should never extend past the tips of the shirt collar.

To tie the Bow Tie Knot, select a bow tie of your choice and stand in front of a mirror. Then simply follow the steps below:

1) Place the bow tie around your neck, situating it so that end "A" is about two inches longer than end "B".

2) Cross end "A" over end "B".

3) Bring end "A" up and under the loop.

4) Now double end "B" over itself to form the front base loop of the bow tie.

5) Loop end "A" over the center of the loop you just formed.

6) Holding everything in place, double end "A" back on itself and poke it through the loop behind the bow tie.

7) Adjust the bow tie by tugging at the ends of it and straightening the center knot.