hunnychile

The Hubby is starting an exec. sales job in the East Bay (San Francisco) What "dress shirts" are the most stylish as far as *collar type*?

I know he's not thrilled to have to wear a tie once more, but he's willing and we could really use some realiable input. He'll be selling FM's = Facilities Management in house for high end digital output, printing etc.

Any ideas? I love him & don't want him to look like a dweeb. Thanks!

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"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

pinoychink790

sounds interesting

hunnychile

What?? The job or the man. Don't ask.

__________________
"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

pinoychink790

that's embarrassing. i didn't really read what you said, i just typed "sounds interesting". but then when you replied i looked back and read what you typed. sorry.........

Grancey

I can't really give you a reliable answer, for what is stylish right now in San Francisco would not be the same as what is stylish right now in the Southeast, where we are located. My best advice would be to observe what his future co-workers are wearing and go from there. Good luck.

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Willravel

http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse...shirts_pop.asp

As one who has worked professionally here for some time, I still say go for simple. Go for straight or spread collar. Button down and tab are for kids. So long as he is in shape, go for form fitting and lean. Pants? No pleats (flat front only), no cuffs. Try dark to medium pants and blazer. 3 button blazers (with the bottom button undone at all times) are preferable. Shirts and ties should show some color (as he will need people to notice him). I'd say wear a tie the first day, then see what his boss is wearing. If his boss is wearing a tie, wear a tie every day but friday. If he isn't, he should only wear a tie half the time, the other times wearing his top button undone.

Only use pinstripes in an emergency.

flamingdog

I wear a simple single-breasted suit, two buttons, no pleats, with a selection of different coloured shirts. Three of them are black, the others are purple, pink and red. Two are button-down, which I think looks smart unlike my compatriot above (as long as you don't forget to do the buttons - d'oh).

But he's right, you can't go wrong with a simple, plain shirt, straight collar. I'd add that a crisp, well-pressed, bleached clean white shirt can be rather striking, and presents a *very* professional appearance, in my opinion. Never ever wear a checked shirt in a business environment. They look geeky and way too casual, if you ask me.

As far as ties go, never wear a loud or 'wacky' tie. Cartoon characters are out, loud paisley. Go for blocks of colour with small patterns or thin stripes. Checks can be good on ties, but be careful that it's not too loud, and make sure the colours don't clash. A nice tie bar can be eyecatching and smart, and cufflinks to match never hurts. Even better if your watch and pen match too, lol.

bermuDa

and don't forget cornflower blue

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Willravel

Is he short? Muted, dark-toned ensembles blur your silhouette, creating a long look. Let pinstripes stretch your frame even further: They fool the eye. "When the eye is directed along the stripe, the body appears more vertical," says Marilyn DeLong, Ph.D., who teaches design and aesthetics at the University of Minnesota. Make sure your suit jacket covers your butt without extending much farther down: A shorter jacket will emphasize the line of your legs, making you appear taller. Conversely, a jacket that's too long will shrink your legs. (Remember Tom Hanks's character in that scene from Big).
Is he thin? Okay, you've logged the gym time, and you want to show off what you've built. Just don't go too crazy flaunting your musculature. "It's a turnoff for most people," says Mark-Evan Blackman, chairman of menswear design at New York City's Fashion Institute of Technology. "It's the same reason Speedos aren't popular and board shorts are: A little mystery goes a long way in a physique." DeLong suggests "supple textures that conform to the muscle shapes." Fine-gauge fabrics such as linen knits, lightweight cashmere, and high-quality Egyptian or pima cotton will show off your upper torso; boot-cut pants, which are slimmer through the seat and legs, are great for the lower body.
Is he a giant? Imposing men can loom a bit less if they contrast colors on the top and bottom, visually splitting the body--the opposite of the single-color effect. So, unlike the man who's trying to appear taller, you can effectively wear a white or colorful shirt with darker pants. You can also create a wider frame with horizontal stripes or patterns, which add perpendicular lines to your verticals. Stay away from tops that button up high at the neck; you'll look like the Washington Monument.
Chunky? The strong contrast in a black-and-white outfit draws the eye to your face--and away from any out-of-control flesh that might be gathered around your middle. "You can organize the viewer's perceptual pattern--how she takes in the body--through the surfaces you place on your frame," says DeLong. "A tuxedo is a good example of contrast at the upper torso--the body is covered in a dark value, and the contrasting white shirt makes the eyes skim the body and focus on the upper portion." To achieve the same effect every day, wear a white shirt under a black sweater or jacket, with black pants. Wearing a single dark color on top and bottom shaves off a few pounds and lengthens you. If you have a full face, wear open-collared shirts or V-necks, which add an angular look. Crew collars and turtlenecks only add to the jack-o'-lantern effect.
Built like a skeleton? If, to paraphrase the song, your physique is less than Greek, create more mass on your upper body with layers. Wear a T-shirt under an open-collared dress shirt and vest, and put a sport coat on top of that. A range of jackets, including natural-shouldered tweeds in earthy colors, is also a must-have for the man who wants to look beefier. Thin men tend to have very sharp shoulder pitch: "Their shoulders aren't squared out--they slope a little more," says Blackman. "So a blazer or suit jacket would help create the illusion of width and bulk where there isn't any." Also, if you have a narrow build, horizontal stripes will broaden your chest and shoulders and look good on you, adds DeLong. But beware of baggy. "Do not think baggy clothing makes you look bigger," warns Justin Shafran, cofounder of the Social Climber clothing label. "You just look like a pencil in a sleeping bag."

I usually wear Helmut Lang, Armani Collezioni/Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Kenneth Cole, John Varvatos, Perry Ellis, and things of that nature. Of course, I'm the best dressed wherever I am. It has as much to do with your atitude as the thousands of dollars you spend on clothes.

Oh, and before I forget, always remove the designer's stitched-on label from your coat or suit sleeve. It's a bright flag telling people you're out of place.

hunnychile

Will, You sound like a true fashionista, and I mean that in a very positive way. Your input sounds smart and he does like to wear good desgner clothing. Now he has an excuse to update his wardrobe and I love buying him nice clothes!

Thank you all!! As for Friday wear....any No Nos? In Sonoma, I see it all. Seems like the men get away with just about anything although I don't appreciate some of the tee shirts the younger guys on my staff wear. Big Dogs needs to stay home in the yard IMO. The girls shouldn't ever wear overalls to the job unless they are in a warehouse, too.

__________________
"I need compassion, understanding and chocolate." - NJB

Willravel

Do not under any circumstances wear the following: hawaiian shirts, light blue pants, white loafers, overalls (of course), combining black and brown leather, cartoon characters on socks or boxers, tighty-whites, cowboy hats/cowboy boots, nose/eyebrow piercings, the bottom of the waistband anywhere but on the top of the hips. Also, aviod over stocking pockets. Wallet is okay for your back pocket - but not for extended sitting periods. Have somewhere else for mobile phones, keys, pocketPCs and such. Overstufing ruins the lines of pants.

Match shoes, watch, and belt at all times. If you're wearing black leather shoes, wear a watch with a black leather band or silver band and a dark grey or black face, and wear the exact same hue of black in your leather belt. Have a watch and belt for ever pair of shoes. It doesn't make you gay, ity just makes you look like your act is together.

Friday? Go with a light colored oxford with a blue, green, or khaki suit. No tie necessary. Black shoes go suits that are black, blue and taupe colors. Cordovan (burgundy leather shoes) goes with blue, khaki, and some brown tones. Brown shoes go with tan, khaki, and light green. Friday is a good time to walk into your office with a nice pair of shades, too. Just like everything else, sunglasses have to balance with the rest of what you're wearing. Warm tones are more yellow-based; cool tones are blue-based. There are generally two "temperatures" of sunglass hue. A quick way to figure out which world you fall into is to stand in front of a mirror in daylight and hold up some produce next to your skin (yes, you read this correctly). If you look better next to a raspberry (contains more blue), you're cool. If, on the other hand, you look peachy next to a tomato (more yellow), you're warm. Light hair and skin would pair well with powder blue, while dark features match navy blue. Royal blue would work for somewhere in between. Men with muted or softer coloring look better in "dusty or hazy" colors that have a touch of gray or are faded. (President Bill Clinton is an example of muted coloring.) Men with darker complexions and hair look better in bright colors-crisp, clear, rich colors that pop out. (Here's something that you've probably never read before: Sylvester Stallone is bright.) Gustafson offers this white-shirt tip: "Cool" men should wear white shirts. "Warm" men should stick to the ivory or cream variations of white.

I'll be back on later hen I think of more.