At my office there is no set dress code so everyone is all over the place. Most do not wear jackets, some wear ties without jackets and a tiny percentage wear suit and tie. We had a VIP in today that I was going to be escorting from briefing to briefing and I paid a lot of attention to what men were wearing and I saw so many style mistakes. Blue jackets with black pants, jackets and pants that were of similar shade but not the same and not a single pocket square except mine. I was by far the best dressed with suit, odd vest with pocket watch, tie, square and socks and shoes with colors that complemented each other. A lot of it thanks to you Sven, keep up the good work.
It really has devolved into anything goes; I'm sure someone's going to file a lawsuit that says having a business formal dress code is oppressive so that he can wear clear plastic pants to show his braided ball hair.
My father grew up in a very Victorian style household and told me that not wearing a tie and unbuttoning the collar was considered to be casual and possibly sexy if chest hair was visible. Only wear in situations where you wish to project that image. Otherwise button up and use neckwear to make yourself look good. Victorian era rules...
My personal feeling on this is that if I am wearing a jacket without a tie I wear an oxford cloth button down. To me, a jacket and regular dress shirt without a tie makes it look like an outfit that is missing something. The button-down collar is inherently more casual so makes the combination work better.
Late to the party here, but thanks for the validation! In my company, we have a very lax dress code, and i chose to dress up for personal reasons, i often skip the tie, and go with a jacket and/or shirt that’s maybe bolder or with some pattern, as even that leaves me overdressed by comparison to my coworkers. I also have a large neck, and narrow frame for my build which makes it hard to find a well fitting shirt, that also fits around the collar. Therefore i skip the tie and leave the collar undone.
Excellent video. I wore a jacket without a tie the other day and I started to wonder. Now, I know for sure. Gentleman's Gazette once again very helpful!
of course it works, outside of formal events wearing a tie is considered inappropriate by many people anyways, you can still layer your clothing and all of that without one :)
Raphael, the bit where you dismissed the shirt collar over the jacket as too 70s made me laugh. Do you know that most or many (obviously I can't speak for everyone but I've see comments before so am inferring I am correct) of see your own style as 1930s, 40s or 50s? That said style of those eras was great and we can all learn a lot from it as we can from you and your magnificent uncompromising taste. Yes we may want to adjust here and there or do our own thing at times but what a grounding and foundation you give us with your great advice 🙂
I'm glad that you are making videos that are more applicable to modern times. I love the history, but it's not always applicable. This is the good stuff! Great video.
Hello Sven! Yet another awesome video! I believe it would be be nice if you'd make a video on how to wear suspenders (Without a vest). I know they're not meant to be shown but it's fun to break the rules sometimes, is it not? Also, a video on how to dress up in school and college as this one is really confusing me.
I do this all the time. I also do it with less formal coloured suits. The tailor/designer Oswald Boateng does it all the time and what's good enough for him is good enough for me
When attending a conservative Mennonite congregation service. Though the idea of ties being excessive is changing as even the conservatives are relaxing (for example no longer wearing doilies). In short, about being respectful to your surroundings. BTW, I don't wear cufflinks or other accessories as not appropriate for my circumstances, a watch is acceptable if not over the top flashy (and if worn probably stolen).
A Jacket without a tie is fine just make sure you aren't going somewhere that requires a tie. When I'm @ work I follow traditional work clothes. It's a twill 3 button jacket, twill waistcoat, and trousars. The shirt usually worn is a band collar. If you where a club collar you can where a tie if you like. Off work I wear a suit 3 button coat or a frock coat with or without a tie depending where I'm going........Formal of course is a tailcoat, dinner jacket, or if daytime a Morning suit.
I believe you can also skip the tie as a sign of youth. For example, for my sister's recent wedding, all cousins over 24 were dressed in a suit and tie but younger cousins (in college age) skipped the tie despite the suit and the teenagers came with odd trousers+blazer. Honestly, I'd have done the same when I was their age.
I started my classic men's wardrobe from scratch in mid March after becoming a big fan of your channel. In the last five months, I've spent around $4,000 collecting clothing and shoes. This is purely for the love of classic style. My lifestyle does not require anything formal. Perhaps my story would make a good video.
Hello, Raphael For some time one question bothers me-- can you wear a t-shirt with blazer or even a suit? I don`t like this look myself but I see many people doing it and this is make me thinking this is socially acceptable. Seeing you as my style mentor, I want your opinion on that. Thank you
Not a blazer ever, but in this day and age it is more common to see a plain basic tshirt with a unstructured sport jacket. This version of a sportcoat is just casual enough to make the look not completely jarring
It is "socially acceptable" in non-formal contexts. I'll bet that Raphael will say in his video that it's absolutely a no-no, bit I would say it's sartorially acceptable when it's 1) strictly streetwear (or I guess like clubbing if you do that) and 2) it looks good. For instance, I did it once on a summer day with a brown, unstructured, patch-pocketed cotton jacket, jeans and a print t-shirt to pick up someone at the train station. In that situation, though, the thinking doesn't go "I'm wearing this jacket; what goes well with it?" but rather "Hmh, I need something long-sleeved. Oh, this works". In casual situations on hot days, I'd much rather wear a nice polo and seersuckers/chinos with a casual jacket, but the look of course is entirely different. Had to present in something like that at a conference during a heat wave, and I was still among the most dressed-up.
Mr. Rafael i want you to try some different hairstyles.....there are many classic hairstyles u can pull off with your classic style...one being modern day sidepart with bit of volume....just have a keratin treatment to straighten your curl...
What about people like Cary Grant who wore formal suits often without ties. In your other video you talked about his large neck and self consciousness however he is still considered very dapper. can an ascot or turtleneck etc replace a tie?
I recently went to a family funeral. Aside from the funeral home staff, I was the ONLY person in a suit and tie. Sadly, I looked like the one out of place, in a sea of untucked dress shirts, jeans, ball caps with Oakley’s around the brim, and tennis shoes…
Thanks for that great video! I usually go without a tie, and occasionally feel like the look is "off." These guidelines should help. Also, what brand denim shirt are you wearing? Are there other brands that you would recommend?
I'd like a vid about which tie knot to use with which fabric of tie. I've discovered that some knots just don't hold with a silk tie and end up looking loose and scruffy etc.
Hello Raphael. What about tweed sport coats and odd trousers combinations? They usually have very bold patterns so that's not always simple to combine a tie in my opinion. Would it be acceptable to wear one without the tie yet having a solid shirt? keep up the great work, you're my biggest style inspiration, greetings from Italy.
i don't like a tie with a striped or colored shirt unless the tie is the Samish color, one of the exceptions is a tattersel shirt but then with a straight colored wool tie, no silk.
Let's just say Antonio Centeno inspired me to wearing a jacket without a tie. More fashion forward these days plus alot dressier than wearing the usual tees and jeans.
You talk about skipping black shoes with more casual outfits and I've read your article on how to match the color of your shoes to the color of your pants, yet in the article you didn't talk about burgundy pants. I've got a pair of rather dark burgundy chinos and I've always worn them with black shoes as I don't think brown shoes would offer enough contrast. Would you agree? If not, what shades of brown would work with dark burgundy chinos? Danke schön!
Why, oh why, isn't there a channel like this for women? Substance and history instead of vapid fashion tips. Is there? I have not been able to find it. :-( Sigh...
Raphael, you said that if you have a peak lapels on your jacket, you should always wear it with a tie, but obviously double-breasted jackets always have a peak lapels, on 2:06 you go against that rule with double breasted jacket without a tie, and it looks very good. Is that such a faux pas to wear for example a patterned single breasted jacket with peak lapels skipping a tie? Especially considering that double breasted jackets always look more formal. By the way, thank you very much that your channel exist, it’s gorgeous.
There are actually DB suits with notched lapels (or at least were in 70's Yugoslavia ;-) ). I own a brown one which was made for my Grandfather back then in Germany. I had it altered to me and it's been one of my favorite suits since many years.
Wearing a suit or jacket without a tie has been done for over 50 years casually, but it shows a lack of class to not wear a tie in a formal or business environment,so these tech guys who think they are being trendy for the last 10 years are just dropping their standards for no reason, a dress shirt is the only smart option, and these shirts are designed for ties and guys look undressed without one, in my view there is smart OR casual and no in between in my opinion
Sven, could you please give me some assistance? I have a very bold, creamy paisley tie that, in itself, steals the show. I'm having trouble finding a pocket swuare that would highlight any of the colours, because adding a pocket square already feels too much. Is it possible to omit the pocket square when wearing a bold tie? Thank you!
They have a great article/video on the subject. I forget the name of the fabric but in some cases it may be better than cotton or linen. The insight is that air flow may be higher priority than lightness of fabric. I had a cheap made to measure suit made but then they put a polyester lining in it and ruined the whole thing for hot weather. You can have shirts made that are a sort of mesh with uncanvassed jackets. They mentioned shoes too.
I've always loved suits, but can't say I'm exactly in the right place to do so, I live in a very rural country town in indiana and I don't think I'd make great impressions being over dressed to everyone here, with that I'm also a large guy, so I have no idea how a suit would look on me, would you think it would be worth it for me to wear one? Maybe a couple?
You should wear one. I've always wondered how everyone was wearing suits in old movies; even in rural towns. I guess it has something to do with textile industries and migrant tailors or something. One secret that I use is that you can get a bespoke suit at a fraction of the cost from developing countries like India where the labor cost of the suit is small. I recently bought my first tailored suits from India and they were about 1200 USD a piece but you can get them for around 700 depending on fabric choice ect. Now the tailor comes to the US and when I need more suits he can measure me here and send it back to his shop for the sewing.
Sometimes i watch your video presentations. You are a likeable man, but your colour combinations are just off. Let's say early 70th.? I also don't know where you dig up those funny suits? You mentioned ones that you visit thrift stores. If you get your wardrobe there you are doing a good job. I must admit.
Good video, however I believe keeping your second or third button down from the collar button unbuttoned looks bad. Nobody wants to see if you have chest hair. Unless you hang out at pickup bars, and like to show yourself off... LOL Mock turtleneck undershirt or a turtle neck "dickey" looks causal but not too 1970 "playboy" if you don't button your shirt up.
If Barack Obama, George Bush and Prince Harry can do so: yes, of course. It is some sort of casual wear and shows that those persons are out of business and talking informally with each other. Traditionally, when offial talks were over (or the ceremonial part of a wedding), people took off their tie and opened the top button to indicate the beginning of the informal part. And of course, you should wear a tie ( neck tie, not a bow tie) for a job interview.
