To wear and to dress are two completely different things. You could simply throw on a shirt and go about your day with the look falling apart all over the place. There is, however, another approach to it, you could wear the shirt with a matching or contrasting pair of bottoms, fold the sleeves a certain way or cuff them up, tuck it in properly and look like a million bucks with only a small effort. This small effort goes a long way and having the right knowledge can make the difference between an eye-catching look and a loosely thrown together one. Let’s look at some tips on how to actually carry a formal shirt.

The Tuck:

The most important part in carrying a formal shirt is the tuck. It’s quite literally the measuring stick between looking great or looking like you wore your big brother’s shirt to work. In order to look slick and sport your formal shirt the way it’s supposed to be worn, the military tuck is your answer. Simple grab the extra fabric on the side of the shirt. Fold it backwards and tuck it in a forward motion and you’ll be guaranteed that classy and suave look you’ve always struggled with.

The Fold:

Flimsy sleeves are never a great sight. Whether you cuff them up too tight or fold them up roughly, unkept sleeves have a way of ruining your whole look. Lucky for you we’ve got your back for helping you fold those sleeves the way they should be folded. All you need to do is roll your sleeves up inside out till your cuff sits at your elbow, now roll up the rest of your sleeve over your cuff and smooth out the edges, and there you go, you are ready for that high stakes presentation where you can move your arms around freely while still looking neat and crisp.

The Texture:

Knowing what to wear is just as important as knowing how to wear it, you can’t wear a brightly colored checkered shirt to your boardroom meeting and expect to be taken seriously. Therefore, in order to make sure you are dressed right for the right occasion, you need to pick your texture and color wisely. If you’re going to be in a formal setting, it’s always a good idea to wear solid and dark colors such as greys, blacks or dark blues. The dark hues signify that you’re serious about what you do and you are authoritative. When it’s a slightly more casual setting like just a regular day at work or may be an executive event, you can get away with lighter shades of lilac, blue and even light pink with stripes or checks. It tell people that you’re approachable, friendly and outgoing and you won’t bite if they try to talk to you.

 The Pair:

You’ve figured out how to tuck your shirt, you’ve found the perfect way to wrap your sleeves up and you know which shirt to pick, now it’s time to decide what to wear it with. We’d be the first ones to say that the simplest way to go about it is to go for a similar color scheme. You can never go wrong with matching the same color palette like a very light sky blue formal shirt with dark blue formal pants. However if you’d like to take the risk of having a contrast between your top and bottom, monochrome is the easiest way to go, a plain or textured white shirt with a dark grey checkered or plain black pair o of pants is a sure shot way of nailing your look and making it an eye-catcher.

The Details:

The details are just as important as the big parts, therefore, knowing what accessories to pair with your formal outfit are an important aspect of putting the final touches on your million dollar look. A good quality leather-strap watch is the first step towards making your professional look complete and adding flair to your formal shirt, we suggest to go for a round dial with a brown leather strap. Next in line is a tie. If you’d like to go about your day looking like a true professional of your field, a tie is not a nice-to-get but rather a must-have. Matching the tie’s color with your bottoms is a no-brainer to choosing the right one for your look. Holding together your outfit literally down the middle is your belt.  A good quality leather belt with a traditional buckle makes your waist look good and adds panache to any pair of pants. Lastly, a pair of leather loafers that match the color of your belt are the perfect way to top off your style and get you in the best corporate look of your life.

You’ve finally checked off all the visual aspects and are ready to hit the town in your smashing formal outfit, make sure to put a cherry on top of all the frosting and add a touch of mystique to your attire with a powerful yet mild fragrance, finally you’re no longer just throwing together outfits but rather dressing up in that refined, commanding look you’ve always desired.