Mens Formal Dress Code – How to Style a Suit

Are you confused with the dress codes? Don’t be. Here I explain one by one how to style a suit according to mens formal dress code.

Formal Dress Code

Formal dress code’s main theme is a matching suit: blazer + pant. The suit is combined with formal shirt, leather belt and dress shoes like Oxford, Derby, Blucher, Brogues or Monk. Let’s go over it one by one over this head to toe look.

What are the types of formal dress shoes?

The formal dress shoes have different names/styles like Oxford, Derby, Blucher, Brogues, Loafer or Monk. Let me show them with examples:

How to choose the belt and shoes’ color according to the suit’s color

Usually it is found confusing which color to choose the belt and shoes according to the suit’s color. The rule is simple:

If the suit is navy, gray or black > prefer black belt and shoe.

If the suit is brown (which I wouldn’t recommend), or a light color like stone, camel, that’s the only case to wear brown shoes and belt.

How to choose the belt’s color

The shoes’ and the belt’s color MUST match. No exceptions. The other thing that should match is the texture: if leather, both should be leather. If suede, both must be suede.

How to choose the sock’s color

Match the sock’s color either with the shoes’ color or the pant’s. In the example look above, the suit is navy and the shoes and the belt are black. I matched the sock’s color with the shoes – therefore, in black.

How to add style to a classic look

A stylish accessory is your ultimate tool to show off your style gusto. You can… Tuck a pocket square in your blazer’s pocket. Wear a dress shirt with cufflinks. Put on a tie pin or lapel pin. Carry an elegant briefcase… Sophisticated details like this: a stylishly tucked pocket square, a pair of elegant cufflinks, edgy looking tie pin and a high quality briefcase carry your style a level up!

While choosing the accessories, pay attention to these styling tips:

How to choose the pocket square’s color/pattern

How to style the pocket squares

It doesn’t end at choosing the right color/pattern pocket square. The way you put it in your pocket matters, too. As you can insert it into your pocket as a triangular style, you can also give it a ‘tucked in randomly yet looks cool’ style:) It is difficult to explain in words, let’s see it with inspiring examples:

Let’s wrap it all up with another head to toe look example – this time in a gray combination – and a little bit more playful with colorful cufflinks and a striped shirt.

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