The rules of clothes (A butlers guide :)

jimmylawman

This is half joking, half serious. I realised recently recently (now am moving out of jeans and t-shirts and trying to wear some 'grown up' clothes) I don't seem to know the 'rules' of clothing and what goes with what.

There are rules for sure. I am vaguely aware of some of them. E.g. don't wear a check tie with a stripy shirt. Don't wear runners with a suit. Don't mix red and purple (I think).

Etc.

Thing is there are still a load of things I wonder about. OK to wear a shirt under a v-neck. Can you also wear a shirt under a round neck? Should you?

What about socks. Cotton, woolen, acrylic? No idea the differences.

Maybe my mother told me all this and I didn't pay attention.

Where can I catch up now?!

foodaholic

no socks with sandals ever !!!!

jimmylawman

I think there is another one, don't wear black shoes with a brown suit, or maybe the other way round.

How do people know this stuff? Is it written down anywhere?!

Novella

Don't wear white socks when wearing black trousers and/or black shoes.

ha-ya-said-what

Can this one be put on a bill board somewhere " Do not walk around with the back of your bra out over the back of your top, dress etc, do not walk around with skin tight trousers and visiable lines of underwear showing on your butt and do not walk around with the back of your knickers or thong hanging out of your trousers"

The amount of women out St. Stephens nite like that, I had to leave and go to a different pub cos of it! Now it isn't very often I go out all I could see everywhere was womens underwear like some new trend, even the lads were wetting themselves laughin at it!

OldGoat

http://www.theguidetomenssuits.com/index.html
http://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/
http://www.welldressedgentleman.com/
http://etiquetteer.com/category/clothing-for-a-gentleman/
The above links will give you a broad outline of whats is required ettiquete wise. Only when you know the rules can you start breaking them with aplomb. The majority of stuff they tell is is simply common sense and basic style do's and don'ts such as matching your belt to your shoes and such forth.
Ultimatly you'll set your own standards of behavious and of dress.

dingbat

OldGoat wrote: »

Only when you know the rules can you start breaking them with aplomb.

I couldn't agree more with this particular point.

OldGoat

My favorite etiquette rule is No brown shoes after 6 o'clock. How I chortle to myself on the train home in the evening looking at everyone breaching the rules.

Putting the rule into a more modern context it's basically means that if you are going out in the evening you should wear good, clean dress shoes and not the trainers or boots you wear during the day. In other words, dress up nice.

Same applies to most of the dressing rules, they might sound pompous and bygone but they still have an element of truth about them that if followed will let you dress with confidence.