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  01 // Socks should match or coordinate with your trousers, not with
your shoes. The only person who propagates the latter philosophy is
the man who only wears black shoes and only owns black or navy
socks. My father is retired from a 32-year career with UPS, and
convincing him he could not wear brown socks with everything is
among my lifetime achievements. Adhering to this rule will lend
extension to your trousers, and hence, to your overall length.
Please remember that color shades abound, and the one dozen
navy, tan or brown socks you buy all at once every two years may
not complement the hue of every pant in your wardrobe. When
you purchase trousers, purchase socks.
02 // What ought to match your shoes is your belt. Preferably, the
belt and shoes are made from the same leather. If not, try to match
first the color, then, depending on your penchant for obsessive-
compulsive tendencies, the texture and gloss. Such coordination
integrates the shoes into the overall ensemble and draws the eye
upward, from floor to the face, de-emphasizing your possibly
disadvantageous horizontal qualities. When you purchase shoes,
purchase a belt.
03 // Coordinate all jewelry. If your watch or class ring is gold in
tone, you demonstrate — we offer no apology for the military
parlance — "attention to detail" by wearing similarly toned belt
buckle, cuff links, tie or collar bar, et cetera. Naturally, do likewise
for silver, which is en vogue at the moment. Although, we say there
is nothing so classic as a double-breasted navy blazer with six
smooth gold buttons on the front.
04 // When mixing various patterned garments, vary the scale of the
pattern. Nothing is so tiring to the eye as a small check tie on a
small check shirt on a small check suit. The same is true for too
many of the multi-stripe-tie-on-multi-stripe-shirt attempts walking
around. If stripes are your cup of tea, may we suggest a simple
broad stripe tie on a fine stripe shirt with a classic pinstripe suit?
05 // When donning a sport coat, select trousers that contrast to the
jacket; otherwise, you appear to be one block of color. If you wear
your navy blazer with your darkest charcoal trousers, why not put
on a dark suit? It would probably be more appropriate for the
occasion in any case. And it is never acceptable to try to cobble
together a suit from two garments that were not made from the
same cloth. A sport coat is supposed to be sporty, so wear that
blazer with medium gray, taupe or tan slacks, and cream or white in
the summer, if you dare!
 06 // Your coat ought to cover your seat. A good, but not universal,
rule suggests that the length of the coat equals the distance from the
coat to the floor. In other words, you appear balanced between top
and bottom. Following any of several rules using your arm length as a
guide is problematic because arms are not always proportionate to
torso. Fit the body first, then, on a ready-made suit, adjust the sleeve
length. A properly fitting dress shirt should show ¼ to ½ inch beyond
the coat sleeve.
07 // Most trousers look best when worn on your waist, usually at your
navel, but no more than an inch below. Your hips are part of your lower
body and should be enclosed by your trousers. Pull up your pants,
young man! This will cause pleats to lay flat, reduce bagginess in the
crotch, and minimize the prominence of any undesirable feature
attached to your abdomen.
08 // The trouser hem should fall at, or slightly above, the top of the shoe
heel. This length produces a medium to a full break in the front of the
trousers. Too short and you are ready for a flood; too long and you
appear to be melting into the ground. Take note, too, that a narrower
pant leg will have more break than a wider pant leg hemmed to the
same length. A good tailor or wardrobe consultant will pay attention
to this effect and compensate accordingly.
09 // Pleated trousers are hemmed with a cuff, while flat front trousers
are hemmed plain. You may break this rule if you have good reason for
doing so. The fact that cuffs catch lint is not such a reason. The
exception is the plain hem that is required for all formal trousers, that
is, with a tuxedo — this rule may never be broken.
10 // The tie should end at the top of the trousers’ waistband. Though
some men today wear ties a bit longer, we prefer the tie to reach just
the top of the waistband so it rests only on your shirt where it belongs,
rather than covering up your belt or belt buckle. The tie is an upper
body accessory, and as with many other aspects of proper dress, its
correct length is a matter of balance that accentuates your
proportions.
Again, this list is just a primer, and we encourage you to browse other
pages on this site and read some of the excellent books on the
subject of men’s tailored clothing and fashion. Better yet, especially
for the too-busy businessman or the fashion-disinclined, just contact
Harrison’s of Leesburg, and entrust your wardrobe to our capable
hands. - HARRISON'S OF LEESBURG // (804) 240-5647
info@harrisonsofleesburg.com
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