• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Navy Pinstripe Suit Accesories

waynezo

New Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Hello,

I will be attending an awards banquet for salesman of the year. As sales manager I will be greeting the contestants. The owners of the company are consevative. I bought a 3 button navy suit with a mild pinstripe. I want to wear a white french cuff shirt with spread collar, a burgundy tie, and burgundy wing tips. I could also wear black shoes. Any advice on classic style will be appreciated.

Waynezo
 

Huntsman

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2004
Messages
7,888
Reaction score
1,002
Sounds good to me. Good call on the burgundy shoes; they're so much better than black with navy. Matching leather belt, I presume?
 

speedster.8

Distinguished Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2007
Messages
1,702
Reaction score
14
Matching belt and shoes is always good, even gloves on occation. How ever mathing watch band would be OTT in my book
wink.gif
 

waynezo

New Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Yes matching belt. Are there any guides on the web for business fashion?
 

Grayland

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 10, 2007
Messages
2,295
Reaction score
66
I think you nailed it, but wear a pocket square to complete the look.
 

DandySF

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
908
Reaction score
115
If you're being photographed or observed while on a stage, be certain your socks, shoes, soles, and edges look perfect. Your feet may be at eye-level and these details will be in full view.
 

agrant

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
10
Reaction score
1
I certainly wouldn't wear brown shoes for an important business function and personally would not mix brown shoes with a pinstripe suit.

My advice is to look powerful and serious if thats how you want to be considered. Hence, minimal colours/patterns work best:
Black leather shiny lace-up shoes but not patent, black socks with a good quality black leather belt, silver minimal buckle works best with a navy pinstripe. Consider the colour of the stripe when selecting you shirt/tie combination. If it is white then a white shirt with burgundy coloured tie and burgundy cufflinks is good but if you are of pale complexion like me this can make you look a little anaemic so a plain light blue shirt can work well with the dark red tie too. If you have a silver buckle then silver in the cufflinks works well too. (Never wear a striped shrt with a pinstripe suit). A burgundy coloured tie with white dots or plain with dark detailing will work well but avoid shiny plain ties and fat windsor-style knots. A good quality "designer" tie can really complete the look if you get it right, again avoid large patterns, keep it simple as the cut of the suit should really do the talking. If the pin-stripe is blue for exapmle you may want to consider a blue tie with a white shirt, lighter then the navy but not a very light-blue as this can be too informal a colour. In my opinion, "don't wear brown in town", keep it for casual fridays in the office with your sporty superfine 80's suits etc...
 

topbroker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Messages
708
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by waynezo
I was planning to wear burgundy not brown.

You're fine with the burgundy, but you'd also be fine with the brown. I doubt that agrant would get much agreement on the board that these color shoes are inappropriate with navy suits; you'd fine more people nixing black (although I think black shoes are fine, too). Maybe it's a UK/US difference.

I also disagree with agrant that one should never wear striped shirts with pinstripe suits, but that's another argument. For the occasion you describe, I think a solid shirt is better.
 

agrant

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Messages
10
Reaction score
1
burgundy/brown, just not my style, too casual for me in a business event but mixing stripes -suit/shirt/tie is a fashion no-no. Let your personality stand out more then your clothes
wink.gif
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,575
Reaction score
8,070
You sound well prepared. My advice is to wear it all well.

Have a great knot in your tie. You want it to hang straight with a dimple under the knot. If it is new tie, you might want to practice with it a few times before the event to get the length and knot just right.

Have your shoes shined, even if new.

I like to have a new shirt laundered and ironed before I wear it out to an important event. It just looks "normal" that way and I think it is far more comfortable.

Wear navy socks the same color as your suit and not the color of your shoes.

Wear a white linen pocket square.

Since the suit is brand new, be sure you wear it before the event. Be sure it is comfortable and tailored properly. If not, you have time to adjust it, right? (You don't want to be like my dad who showed up for his wedding and found out his pants were 6" too short on his suit!)

I, for one, think clothes look better when they have been worn at least once and don't look too stiff, like right off the rack. After wearing, hang on a good hanger. Hang near the shower and let the steam remove any creases.

Don't wear more than a hint of aftershave/colone.

Get a haircut a few days before the event, not that day.

Wear a million dollar smile.

Good luck.
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,575
Reaction score
8,070
Originally Posted by agrant
(Never wear a striped shrt with a pinstripe suit)

Sorry, can't agree with you on this one. When done properly, you can mix them well. Take a look at the bottom photo on this link by Alan Flusser of a navy pinstriped suit and stripped shirt. Also note the pattern on the pocket square. It is very elegant.

http://www.alanflussercustom.com/index2.html

At the same time, his choice of a white shirt is very good for this event and will look wonderful with his suit and tie.
 

topbroker

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2006
Messages
708
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by agrant
burgundy/brown, just not my style, too casual for me in a business event but mixing stripes -suit/shirt/tie is a fashion no-no. Let your personality stand out more then your clothes
wink.gif


But, you see, that is my personality, to stand out by my clothes. I have been known to experimentally mix pinstripes (in the suit), horizontal stripes (in the shirt), slant stripes (in the tie), crosshatching (in the pocket square), and zigzagging (in the socks), all in the same outfit. Not recommending that to everyone, by any means, but I found it fun to do.

A good deal of the time on these menswear boards, I feel much dispute could be avoided if folks didn't turn descriptions of their own practices (which are perfectly legitimate as preferences) into prescriptions for everyone else to follow (which becomes a little haughty).
 

Gus

Stylish Dinosaur
Dubiously Honored
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
18,575
Reaction score
8,070
Originally Posted by topbroker
I feel much dispute could be avoided if folks didn't turn descriptions of their own practices (which are perfectly legitimate as preferences) into prescriptions for everyone else to follow (which becomes a little haughty).

Good reminder!
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.7%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 39.3%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 15 10.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.3%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.3%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,140
Messages
10,578,732
Members
223,896
Latest member
vocalkeny
Top