31 May
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

What is Tweed? Should you wear Tweed?

Written by Marco Raynault

wool-plaid-tweed-jacket-jcrew_091508

Tweed is a rough and course fabric that tends to be itchy. It is essentially unfinished wool. In general terms, tweed resembles cheviot or homespun but it is a bit more closely woven. In order to give the fabric a more lively look, different colored strands of wool (mainly subdued colors) are woven in a check or herringbone pattern.

Tweed is not a very modern fabric and is more commonly worn by older men in normal conditions (stereotypically known to be worn by college professors with elbow patches). It’s quite alright to wear this type of fabric to an outdoors event (tweed is moisture resistant and quite durable) – for example: heading to picnic, golf, country dance, etc… other than that, not a great wear for inside the city. This fabric is most commonly worn for hunting and shooting.

With all of this said, if you were to pick up a tweed jacket for fall outdoors-wear, you could pull off the look with a nice dark pair of jeans and a button down shirt. The jcrew picture in this article gives you an example of this.

Filed under: Fabric

Tags: , ,

24 May
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

Who should pay when you go to dinner?

Written by Marco Raynault

restaurant-bill

Pursuant to our last blog post where we talked about how to host a business dinner, we’ve decided to talk about a sensitive etiquette topic – who should pay when you go to dinner? We’re not just talking about a business dinner, and not just about a date, or an outing with friends… We’ll try to state a number of scenarios and address this question in each one. We’ll do our best to be thorough – but feel free to chime in with any comments if you know of a situation that we’ve missed :)

1) Guy and Girl on a date:
If you’re on your first date, and you want to be on the safe side, guys, you should really pay. The world is rapidly changing and even though many women find it completely acceptable that the bill should be split (or even that the female should pay), it is still a social norm for men to pay. There are always caveats to every situation but if you are looking for one generic answer, then men should pay. Now, as you get to know your date well enough, then you can get to a point where you alternate in paying the bill or split it. In the beginning, though, you really be the one that makes the gesture.

2) Business dinner:
As mentioned in our last blog post, the onus is usually upon the person who is organizing the dinner. If you were called to a dinner, your host will be responsible for the bill unless there is an otherwise accepted protocol that both parties are familiar with.

3) Group of friends:
When a number of friends go out to dinner, it is usually accepted that everyone will cover their own tab. This makes things a lot more simple. In most restaurants, if there is a large group of guests, the waiter/waitress will know to just hand out separate bills. If, however, the group is smaller (3-4 people), then the group will be asked if they require one bill or separate bills. When there are less people attending the dinner, if someone is feeling generous, they may opt to handle the bill for everyone as a kind gesture. This favor is usually then matched by the other friends at a gathering in the future, but not necessarily so. The common etiquette is to split the bill but someone can also volunteer to grab the will if they wish to do so. If you do decide to grab the bill, the others at the table may prevent you from doing so. If they insist that the bill should be split, then you should generally succumb to their wishes since it will make them feel uncomfortable otherwise. The general point here is to take kind action as long as it doesn’t make others uncomfortable.

4) Double Date:
If one couple is clearly hosting the other couple, then the hosting couple, as long as they are comfortable in doing so, should pay the bill. This is roughly similar to having the guest couple coming to your house for dinner. If, however, there is no clear host and both couples decide to go to dinner together, then it is most common for the bill to be split. In some cases, such as with the “group of friends”, one couple may decide to pick up the bill. If another double date does ensue with the same couple, then the other couple should then pick up the bill (i.e. alternating the bill paying role).

5) Elders and Youngsters:
Just as it is more customary for men to pick up the bill than women, it is also more of a social norm for the elder person to pick up the bill. Now, by this, we don’t mean that if you’re 38 and your friend is 35, that you should pay. With age, we are really referring to a wider gap. For example, if your friend is a generation older than you, then it is more socially accepted for him to cover the bill. Now, if going out to dinner with your friend is a common occurrence, then it is not fair for him to cover the bill every time. In such a case, you should alternate in taking the responsibility.

6) Co-workers:
This situation is very similar to the “group of friends” scenario. The most appropriate scenario is for everyone to pay separately – especially if the group you are going to dinner with is a large one. One of the more interesting things to do is to split the bill amongst everyone after having one individual put up their credit card. This is a good solution if you are amongst a larger group of people since it will take a long time for 10+ credit cards to be processed. Having one person pay in such a scenario is very efficient. Everyone can then pay back their portion at a later time.

7) Birthday dinners:
If you are invited to a birthday dinner at a restaurant, the usual etiquette is to have everyone pay their own bill. The bill for the birthday boy/girl is usually split amongst the guests. In some cases, if the person’s spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend is there, they will usually cover the bill – then their bill will not be split amongst the rest.

8) Dinner with the boss:
In most cases, if you are going out with the boss, you will let them lead the way. 9/10 times, they will pay. It’s quite alright for them to do so because they will likely charge it to the company. In some cases, the boss may decide that everyone should get their own bill. He may do so if the expenses are not being covered by the company and your dinners are more than just a once in a while occurrence.

9) Dinner with Opposite Sex (Non-Date)
Even though you’re not on a date, it is still more socially acceptable for the guy to cover the bill – specifically if this is the first time that you are going for dinner. The next time around, it will be the female’s turn. If you offer to pay and the female insists that you split the bill, then you should split the bill. If you know this person well enough, then splitting the bill the first time around is just as acceptable. This case, specifically, really revolves around how old-fashioned you are in some ways. If you want to be on the safe side, you should pay the first time around.

10) Dinner with One Friend
This is again very similar to the “Group of Friends” scenario. The only difference is that in this case, the “alternating” scenario is most common. Even if this dinner is a one-off event, it is still more common for one person to cover the bill.

11) More means & Less means
This last part is tricky and really isn’t meant to patronize any party. Sometimes, if you feel that you have more means, you should cover the bill for good karma rather than etiquette per se (even though it is still good etiquette). For example, let’s say you’re having dinner with a friend who is a student with very little to no income and you’ve got a great job with good pay – you should probably volunteer to take the bill. We’re not saying that this should happen all the time but if it’s a once-every-now-and-then type of event, then it is good idea for you to pick up the tab.

As a summary, etiquette rules will tell you who should take the lead in paying. With that said, the person who takes the lead may ask the waiter/waitress for separate bills (take for example going to dinner with the boss where by etiquette standards, he should take the lead). If this does happen, then you should go with the flow. If the person who is taking the lead offers to pay the bill, you do have the ability to counter the offer or even insist that the bill be split if you feel that is the way to go. What etiquette really accomplishes is the evasion of a scenario, in which, no one knows who should take the lead in paying – an awkward scenario indeed.

Filed under: etiquette

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

15 May
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

Bow Tie 101 – All about the Bow Tie – Should you wear one?

Written by Marco Raynault

bow

A Bow Tie, also known as a dickie-bow is essentially a formal accessory commonly worn with a tuxedo/suit for men. The bow tie is typically made out of silk/polyestor/cotton and is symmetrically tied around the collar forming a loop on either side of the knot. When it comes to bow ties, there is  the “self-tie” version and the “clip-on.” The clip-on doesn’t require you to tie the bow-tie (which does require knowledge of how to do so – see our how to tie a bow tie article) as opposed to the “self-tie” bow tie.

It is uncertain whether the neck-tie or bow-tie first came into existence. What is known is that they were both inspired by neck-scarves worn by Croatian Missionaries during the Prussian Wars of the 17th Century. The word cravat which the neck-tie was originally known as is inspired by the French word for Croat.

The bow-tie itself is usually designed for a specific neck size. Although there are also one-size-fits-all bow-ties, these cannot be worn with wing tip collared shirts as this type of collar will expose the buckling of the cloth due to the adjusting – not a great sight.

Bow-ties are stereotypically known to be worn by University Professors, Politicians, and Architects,  and more so in Europe than in North America. The bow-tie does also have some practical application for certain professions. For example, a pediatrician would benefit from a bow tie since it is not as easily grabbed by his patients :)

Either way, the bow tie is less commonly worn than the neck-tie and this typically means that it will add a level of uniqueness to your look – i.e. heads will turn so add one to your wardrobe.

Filed under: ties

Tags: , , ,

15 May
0 Comments
1 Trackbacks

How to Host a Business Dinner – Etiquette in Hosting a Dinner

Written by Marco Raynault

6a00d8341cd4a653ef0120a5a61fe7970c-800wi

We’re going to take the leap of faith here and assume that readers of this blog may be interested in some business etiquette tips. If you wear a suit to work, chances are that there will be a time when you’ll need to host a business dinner – hopefully, we’re right! :) Either way, some etiquette tips never hurt anyone…

First and foremost, a business dinner is led by the host in almost all aspects. In this case, we’re assuming that this is “you.”

Here is a list of tips that you need to keep in mind throughout the occasion:

  • When choosing the restaurant and dinner menu, make sure to take into consideration special dining requests from your guests (vegetarian, kosher, halal, allergies,…).
  • Communicate location/timing information in advance.
  • Make sure everyone knows the overall purpose of the dinner.
  • Confirm the attendance of your guests so that you don’t end up waiting for someone who won’t be coming.
  • Make sure that the dress etiquette is communicated as part of the invitation. Since this is a business dinner, we’re probably talking about a “formal” dinner, but that may not be the case. Just make sure that the level of formality is known by your guests.
  • Arrive early. You should be the first one at the location.
  • When you arrive, make sure to communicate all special requests to the maître d’. This is a good time to communicate payment information.
  • If you’re hosting the dinner, 9/10 times you will be paying for the meal. Make sure to communicate this with the maître d’  in advance.
  • When your guests arrive, intro them to each other.
  • Once everyone has arrived and it is time to get the meal started, it is your responsibility to communicate that with everyone. Once this has been done, take your napkin from the table and put it on your lap.
  • You are responsible for setting the tone in terms of what the guests should be able to order. If you order a drink, then it is appropriate for others to order one as well. The same goes for appetizers. In some cases, you may not want a drink but would like your guests to feel free to order one. If this is the case, simply let your guests know this… without forcing it of course :)
  • Generally speaking, the host will need to pass the bread around the table.
  • You will also need to let everyone know when they can begin their meal. If this is a big event, with lots of attendees, you may ask everyone to begin eating as soon as they receive their meal in order to avoid a cold dinner.
  • Once the meal is done, make sure to let everyone know that it is ok to order desert if you’d like for that to happen.
  • Try to handle the check discreetly.
  • Generally speaking, you should be the last one who leaves the dinner. When it’s a small dinner, everyone will likely leave at the same time.

Credits: Image from: http://www.londonelicious.com/

Filed under: etiquette

Tags: , , , ,

02 May
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

Patent Leather Shoes 101: What are they? When should you wear them?

Written by Marco Raynault

Patent leather is a type of leather that has been finished to look highly shiny and glossy (as the picture below demonstrates). We owe its invention to Seth Boyden (of Newark) who invented the process back in 1818. He was looking for a way to distinguish regular leather shoes, that one would wear to work, with ones that would be worn to a formal occasion. When he invented the process, he used linseed oil-based lacquer. Today, most patent leather is finished using plastic coating.

patent-leather1

(image courtesy of TheShoeBuff)

These shoes will definitely draw attention. Conventionally, you would wear them with a tux to a wedding or some other formal dinner. With this said, you could also wear these shoes with a patterned dark suit and you should be turning heads.

These aren’t the type of shoes that you would wear everyday since they do crease and deteriorate quite easily. If you do own a pair of patent leather shoes, you probably want to also invest in a pair of shoe trees:

shoe-trees-c

Shoe trees will help your patent leather shoes last longer, absorb moisture (especially if you have wooden shoe-trees), and maintain their ideal shape. Patent leather is fragile so it can get scraped/scratched; in which case you should take them for professional care. If it does start raining while you’re wearing these shoes, it’s not a big deal since they can get wet. Generally speaking, most people think of “black” patent leather shoes; but, not all patent leather shoes are black. Consider the following pair of shoes from TheShoeBuff:

patent-leather-4

Filed under: Uncategorized, shoes

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

02 May
1 Comment
0 Trackbacks

Should you wear a belt with your Suit? When can you skip the belt?

Written by Marco Raynault

In the 2004 movie, “Collateral”, you can see superstar Tom Cruise flaunting his suit, but without a belt:

tom_cruise

Now the question is, should you wear a belt? Is it appropriate not to wear one? If so, when is an appropriate occasion for the belt-less look?

If you’ve taken a look at any of the photoshoots that we’ve done at SuitUpp, you would see that we’ve never shown a model without a belt. Take a look at the following Calvin Klein Light Grey suit to see an example:

The reason for why we’ve never done so has primarily been due to functional reasons. A belt, of course, like suspenders, serves a purpose: it keeps your pants from dropping. When we conduct a photoshoot, we do try to find the best fit for our models – but we tag on a belt almost as a default action. Now, if you think about why belts exist, you’ll realize why almost everyone wears them. People wear belts so popularly that it seems like it is a requirement – i.e. even if your pants do fit perfectly, you’ll still put on a belt. The belt in itself can be a major part of your look and most consider it to be an “essential” part of your look.

The fact is that if you survey most people in the suit business, they’ll tell you that a belt is a must. The idea that we’d like to leave you with is that most people think this way because since childhood, they’ve grown up seeing everyone around them wearing a belt. When something becomes so commonplace, it is almost blasphemy to suggest that it is not necessary.

The reality is that if your pants are a perfect fit (made to measure – bespoke) and you have the right slim fit to go with it, then you CAN skip the belt. Avoiding the belt will give you a more seamless and continuous look. The most important factor, though, in pulling off this look is that you must be confident in what you’re wearing. If you’re afraid of drawing attention, then do not do it as you will definitely be drawing attention by choosing this style.

As a side note, many people do also suggest that the only time that you can skip the belt is if you have loopless trousers or side-straps. Take for example Brad Pitt in Ocean’s 11:

brad_pitt_suit

You’ll notice that Brad’s trousers don’t have belt loops. This, however, is not a requirement for ditching the belt :) At the end of the day, one should wear what they feel will express themselves best. If you have a photo of yourself pulling off the belt-less look, please do send it to us and we’ll post it!

Filed under: belts

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

25 Apr
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

How much should you gift at a Wedding? Cash gifts at Weddings.

Written by Marco Raynault

bridegroommoney1-273x300

Wedding season is in session and we’ll be writing more posts about weddings in the coming weeks. One of the questions that we hear about more often than not is how much should one gift at a wedding?

Anyone that’s been to a wedding has heard of the gift registry. Some couples, when getting married, will open a registry where they will choose items that they feel they could use. Guests can then choose from these items for a gift to the couple. This option works well since the couple will not get gifts that they won’t find a use for. In addition to this, they get to choose their own gifts!

Over the past two decades though, something interesting has happened all around the world… couples are getting married a lot later in life. Some couples live together for a few years before they decide to make it official. Other couples live separately and when getting married, move in together. In both cases, the couples will have accumulated a lot of household goods. Especially in the latter case, the couple will even have “two” of mostly everything necessary in a household. For this reason, household gifts are no longer as appealing. This, in combination with the fact that weddings have become more expensive to organize, has led to couples asking for cash or “non-boxed” gifts.

The proper etiquette nowadays is to have guest cover their own expenses when attending a wedding (if the couple is asking for cash gifts). Most weddings nowadays will cost about $50/head for the organizing family. If there is an open bar at the ceremony and if there are a few ceremonies leading up to the wedding, the cost will be higher… $80-$100/head is becoming more of a typical occurrence these days.

With this in mind, in most cases, you should try to gift between $50-$100/head when you attend a wedding. If cash gifts have not been requested, then a standard gift that you feel would benefit the couple is the way to go. As a final note, how much you gift really depends on what you can afford. As with any gift, it’s the thought that counts and any couple would always appreciate a thoughtful card along with whatever you decide to gift.

Filed under: Wedding

Tags: , , , ,

25 Apr
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

Best Shoes to Wear with Jeans

Written by Marco Raynault

For a night on the town, we all know that jeans are very appealing. An essential part of your wardrobe, though, is your footwear. The question, is, what type of shoes work best with your nice pair of jeans. At SuitUpp, we’re a big fan of contrast when it comes to suits. The truth is that even with jeans, the same contrast principles hold true.

Consider the following pair of jeans from Diesel:

Diesel Jeans

There are a number of combinations that would work well with this and would ensure enough contrast. Before, we talk about the ideal pair of shoes to wear, let’s talk about what to avoid: everyday sneakers. You know your pair of Nike running shoes? Avoid them. Don’t get us wrong, these are great if you are going for the sporty look. If, however, you want to look fashionable at a night club, make sure to leave them at home.

Now, does this mean that all sneakers are bad? No. Take for example this pair of Puma shoes:

white-pumas

The white color will provide nice contrast. Match this with a stylish white belt:

puma-belt

Pair this all with a nice shirt dress shirt from Banana Republic and you’ll be turning heads:

br611605-19qlv01

You could of course, go with a shirt that has French Cuffs and you’ll be more than in style.

With that said, this look may be a bit too risky if you’re not used to turning heads. Not to worry. You could go for a nice pair of Calvin Klein brown leather shoes along with a matching brown belt. Stick with the dress shirt and cuffs and you’ll still be very much in style:

41Aoc27TWnL

Last, but not least, there is the traditional black leather shoe:

shoes_iaec1115148

We started with the Puma look (most risky), to the Brown Calvins (fashionable), to the black Calvins (fashionable and conservative). Choose the style that works best for you. When you are choosing your shoes, though, make sure that you put on a pair of darker socks and a belt that matches your shoes. If you have a nice look that you’d like us to write about, send us your pictures, and we’ll be happy to post and write about it!

Filed under: shoes

Tags: , , , , ,

19 Apr
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

Wearing a Tuxedo to a Wedding – Should you Wear a Tux?

Written by Marco Raynault

Wedding season is in session and so you’ll begin to see more blog posts on the topic and maybe even some relevant merchandise on SuitUpp.com.

In most weddings, the best man and the groomsmen will usually wear a tux. The brides maids and the maid of honor will usually wear dresses that match each other and so it is important for their male counterparts to do the same. Besides the groomsmen though, the usher will usually wear a tuxedo as well. Ushers are usually the first to be seen and so it is important for them to dress well. While it is recommended for the ringbearer to wear a tux, it is not required.

The father of the bride and the father of the groom are not required to wear a tux. However, if one of them does wear a tux, then it is important for both of them to wear one in order to match and give order to the ceremony. Other guests usually don’t wear a tux but there might be occasions where this would be acceptable.

Generally speaking, while the groom will wear a tuxedo, his tux will have to help him stand out from the rest so that the wedding attendees can easily distinguish him from the rest even from far away. A white jacket and vest will typically do but a black tux with a tail can also work.

Usually, everyone will rent their own tux but, sometimes, one of the grooms friends may vouch to pay the rental fees for a number of the other male guests – this could be the designated gift to the newlyweds – fun fact: it costs roughly 3 times as much to buy a tux vs renting one.

Filed under: Wedding, tuxedo

03 Apr
0 Comments
0 Trackbacks

Wearing Your Belt Buckle to the Side – Should You do it?

Written by Marco Raynault

We were recently asked if it was a good idea for one to wear their belt buckle to the side. It seems that an increasing number of people are doing this. Does this mean that it’s a new trend or are these people just crazy?

The most important point to take into account is why do people do this, or rather, why did people start wearing their belts in this manner? It is said that Elvis used to wear his belt buckle in this format – sometimes… although, we weren’t able to find a picture of this…

elvis-presley-brv01

There are two categories of people who wear their belt buckles to the side for practical reasons. Guitar players do this sometimes so that their guitars aren’t scratched by their belt buckles.

Some people also do wear their belt buckle to the side when their belt is a little too big for their waist. A properly fitting belt will have the belt buckle in the middle and have the rest of the slack from the belt passing through the first belt-holding-strap on your pants (as shown in the figure below). If your belt was too long, then it would pass the first strap on your pants but would not make it to the second one (just imagine a belt that was longer than then one shown in the picture below). This would leave one end of the belt hanging in the air. When this happens, you can do one of three things:

belt-pant-straps

1) Wear your belt buckle to the side

2) Tape or otherwise hold the loose end of your belt to your waist so it isn’t hanging.

3) Get a belt that fits

Ok, so we can see that there are practical reasons as to why you should wear your belt in this manner. The question is, is it fashionable? Well, the truth is that we haven’t seen this in the fashion scene as much. We haven’t seen celebrities do this or designers sending out their models onto the runway with this style (at least not for men). While this may be a coming trend, it is not there yet.

Filed under: belts

Tags: , , , ,