Fashion Advice

So, you’ve received a wedding invitation. You can clearly see the names of the persons inviting you, the time and date, as well as the venue. But there’s a twist – no dress code has been stated in the invitation. Does it mean you can wear whatever you want? Or that you have to call the bride or the groom and ask them about what to wear? No, and no. There are certain guidelines when it comes to these things, and these guidelines will help you look the way you’re supposed to at a wedding.

You should really take note of the time and date of the wedding if there’s no dress code in the invitation, because that is how you will know what’s appropriate to wear. Evening weddings tend to be more formal than the day weddings, and your attire should show it. Also, winter and fall weddings also tend to be more formal, and in this case, more formal usually means you should wear darker colored, heavier suits.

So, a day wedding in the spring or summer will see you in a suit that’s light gray, beige, or blue, and made out of light materials, like linen or twill. Never wear a white suit though, unless you’re the groom, and even then only the jacket should be white. If it’s an outdoors wedding, and it’s really hot, you can forget the tie, but otherwise – you should wear one. An evening wedding in the spring or summer will see you in suits made of same materials, but in darker colors – navy, dark gray, or black.

A day wedding in the fall or winter will always see you wearing a tie, and a darker suit made out of wool or cotton. The winter evening wedding attire is a bit trickier, as it could be both a dark suit, as if it was a day wedding, or a tuxedo, even if you’re not in the party. If you’re not sure what to go with, it’s a good idea to try to deduce the levels of formality of the event from the invitation itself. The more formal the invitation, the more likely you’ll look out of place without a tux.

And that’s all there is to dressing up for wedding when there’s no dress code required in the invitation. Of course, you can call up the bride or groom, or someone close to them, but there’s a good chance they are neck deep in the planning, and you’ll only be bothering them. It’s better to stick to these guidelines, and you’ll be just fine.

Many men are not much into fashion, while others love to be trend-setters or at least with the trendy crowd each season. No matter which side of the fence you are on, while traditional looks are always good to have in your closet, the reality is that trends get noticed. And if you are one who wants to get noticed, you should always at least be on the lookout for what is hot each season and be able to incorporate some part of the trend into your existing wardrobe.

With that in mind, we have been talking with some fashionistas during Fashion Week here in New York, and we have taken some of the advice we've gathered and come up with several items that should be in a man's closet this fall, if they're not already. If you have a special man in your life, this might be a good time to take him shopping!

The first thing to know is that men's fashion is about trimmer lines and narrower silhouettes this year. Depending on your body type, that could be a good thing or a bad thing.

The tailored vest is not out of style by any means.

Some sports shirts are still trendy, especially in different color combinations.

Chambray shirts have evolved to where they are now very versatile and can be used for casual or business purposes due to their cariety of colors and patterns.

Would you believe the corduroy pant is making a comeback?

Want a good layering anchor? Try the Henley on for size.

As fall advances closer to winter, having a puffer available would be a good decision.

If you are looking for comfortable, a jog pant would fit the bill.

Want to try a different sport coat this year? Try velvet.

Cuff links, tie bars and pocket squares are good accessories for most ensembles.

For the latest in footwear trends, pay attention to boots that come in a variety of styles for virtually any occasion.

There are many vests for men to choose from, and they are not just for stuffy old business men in suits, bikers in leather, or duck hunters in puffy orange. No, there are many ways for you to wear vests to impress and for the purpose of this posting, we are talking about the most impressive vest of all: the dress vest.

The Fit of Your Vest

Generally speaking, a vest is longer in the front than it is in the back. This means that when you wear a vest, you want the front of it to cover the top of your pants, and possibly be short enough in the back to expose a bit of your shirt when you are up and moving. When you are seated, the bottom of your shirt should not show even in the back. When you go with a vest, make sure you wear a slim fitting shirt so that it does not puff out from beneath the backside of your vest. Oh, and of course, keep your shirt tightly tucked at all times.

When fitting your vest, remember that you want to emphasize the appealing nature of your body’s shape. See that strap at the back of your vest? It is there for a reason, use it to make the vest snug enough to show off your shape, yet roomy enough so that you can still place items, perhaps a handkerchief, in your vest’s pocket.

Vest for (Nearly) All Occasions

If you are only going to buy a single vest, go with a black silk or a silk-blend one. Black dress vests can be stunning when worn with a white dress shirt. Moreover, black vests go very well with many styles and colors of ties, shirts, and pants. They are the easiest to match.

Buttons

Your vest will have anywhere from three to nine buttons. No matter how many buttons yours has, you must never keep the bottom button done and should probably keep the top button unfastened as well.