Jeans may be acceptable in your work place but will not help you move ahead quickly. They are comfortable and stylish but not to be taken seriously in the corporate world. I know of one client who wore jeans as the work place was casual but wondered why he was constantly overlooked for promotion. Even if your boss wears them you will go further if you dress just one step up the style ladder.
Ensure pleats fall flat. Pleats are a design feature of a garment to allow greater flexibility of movement. They are designed to sit flat. As soon as they are pulled tight the wearer appears to be too large for the garment.
Pleats are not hidden handbags. Don’t wear trousers that have pleats simply so you can stuff your pockets with more junk than my handbag Packing trousers is simple. If you are travelling with more than one pair of trousers, fold them all together on top of each other with the waist end up against the end of the case this will lessen the effect the creasing.
Know your body and your hemline. I have one client who has a habit of stitching his trousers up higher during the day making his trousers appear too short for him. If this is you, ask your tailor to pin your trousers longer than necessary you will look better in the end.
Have your pants altered if they are too long rather than making your long pants clean the floor. It is quite common to need your pants altered when you purchase them. This is best done through the store from which will purchase them. Get it done immediately and properly; otherwise you may find yourself wearing them at the wrong length for quite some time.
Lose the clown look. Never overstuff hip pockets unless you want to look heavy. Consider buying two sets of trousers with your suit. Trousers are the first part of a suit to wear and look shabby two sets of trousers will allow you to rotate them and get a longer life out of your suit.
Be careful of the damage a large watch can do to your trouser pockets. I have seen many pairs of pants with the pockets fraying due to oversized watches being jammed into them.
Pants should have no more than two breaks at the bottom. The correct fit for your pants is to have one or two creases over the front of your shoe, known as a break. More than that and your pants will be considered too long.
Consider buying two sets of trousers with your suit trousers are the first part of a suit to wear and look shabby. Two sets of trousers will allow you to rotate them and get a longer life out of your suit.
Be careful of the damage a large watch can do to your trouser pockets. I have seen many pairs with the pockets fraying due to oversized watches being jammed into them.
Cords are dressier than jeans if you can afford to dress casually at work a pair of cords will have you casual and still looking smart. The thicker the cord the dressier the pants.
Do not wear cuffed pants if you are not tall. Cuffs break the flow of pants and can be very stylish but on a short man will make his legs appear shorter.
Pants should only have one crease. Creases in pants should be singular. Be careful when you are attempting to repress anything that you do not create tramlines. When you take your pants off hang them over a chair to give them a chance to air and not crumple.
Shorts can shorten your career no matter where you live shorts are a no in the corporate world. They can be acceptable in other areas of work but to the corporate man they are purely for social occasions.
Suit pants should not be worn with sports shirts. Suit pants have a very obvious suit look to them and will be too dressy to wear with a sports shirt.
IF your pants have a belt loop, wear a belt. It will make you look finished. Going without a belt will tell everyone that you did not bother.
Woolen pants look great with a turtleneck top and blazer for a smart casual look. Dressing casually means more than slipping on your jeans. This look will do you proud both in the office and in your social life. It is best achieved with a low to medium contrast happening with not much difference in colour or tone between the trousers and the blazer or shirt.
Don’t settle for a near fit have your clothes made or altered to fit you will always look better groomed. The clothing will sit better and create better lines to the body. Also a well fitting garment will make even an inexpensive garment will expressive. Don’t let your pinstripe take over. Wide pinstripes can make a heavy person look heavier and a short person shorter. Medium pinstripes of about 1cm make a short person appear tailor and a heavy person lighter.
Keep an eye on the details. Good quality buttons are a sign of a good quality garment.
Always dress as if you are expecting to run into someone you respect. Running out of the house in your oldest tracksuit of your warrick capper shorts will be the time you run into the last person you were hoping to see when you are so poorly attired. Always expect the unexpected.
Ensure your clothes are appropriate to the occasion. There is nothing wrong with jeans at a picnic or on the beach or a sophisticated black suit in the boardroom. But mess these items and the locations and you just look wrong or worse uneducated.
THE WRITER IS A FASHIONDESIGNER AND FASHION CHOREOGRAPHER AND CAN BE CONTACTED AT prasantt@rediffmail.com / www.prasanttghosh.com