Keys on Suits: Part One

 

 

Let's give a good ol' warm welcome to our newest, freshest, off-the-vine guest writer - 

He's hip. He's bold. He's stylish. He's straight. And he's our in-house authority on all things suit-able. 

Ladies and gentlemen... we proudly present Keys - reporting on Suits.  

 

SUITS – Part One

So you’ve reached that age, where hormones rage and nerves wrack.  (If you haven’t, feel free to steer away from this page.) 

Prom is around the corner. You’ve got that first job interview. Either ways you need to dress to impress. In the very words of the legend, it’s time to…

Learning to suit up is a sign that you’ve turned that corner. You’ve said “farewell” to adolescence and “welcome” to adulthood. Unfortunately many approach this phase haphazardly, picking up the first blazer off the rack, trying it on and taking it straight to the cashier. Your first thought was that all suits look the same anyway, so it won’t matter. Then you go home, try it on one more time and wonder why the model in the picture looked so much better.

Sound familiar? 

No, it’s not entirely because the model’s 50 times more ripped or that he’s just so hot it doesn’t matter what he wears. It’s simply because he has a wardrobe department that knows its stuff. The awesome thing about a suit is that if it’s well-fitted, it hides all flaws. Heck it can even CREATE an illusion of a well-toned body! (cue the nodding, disappointed girls…)  

Ol’ Stinson might have left out a few pointers, so here’s the 101 to owning a suit. To put it in a nutshell, it’s all in the details. 

First things first, define the occasion: If you’re dressing up for a formal occasion, go all out and don’t be afraid to shine. Think tuxedos or even possibly morning coats. An exception would be a wedding party, where it’s an unspoken rule (the “bro code”) that you should never, under any circumstance, outshine the groom.

Find out how awesome (or not) he’s going to be and dress accordingly (if you can). Same thing goes for a job interview. Dress down as to not outshine your future boss, yet at the same time remaining smart. A smart, navy blue business suit would be most appropriate. If you’re skint (or just can’t afford multiple suits), settle for an all-purpose, classic black business suit. Remember, subtlety is key.

Rule 2: Honour thy tailor. Tailored suits are more expensive than off-the-rack suits, even if they’re not Hugo Boss or Armani, and for good reason. They’re MADE for you. Thanks be to a God who made us all individuals, but that also means that there is no such thing as a standard cut, no free size. We all have different bodies, so an identical suit will sit completely differently on 2 guys, even if they’re similarly built. So, if you can spare the extra cash and can’t be bothered with learning about the various suit details, find a good tailor and tip him well. Even if an off-the-rack is all you want, you will still need the tailor to shorten this and tuck in that. A good tailor is as hard to find as an honest mechanic, so if you know one, make him your best friend. Because he WILL make you look good.

Rule 3: Know your suit. These pictures below are a small rundown of every single part of a suit. Remember them well. Even if you have the best tailor in the world, you still need to know what style you want it in. This knowledge is also especially important for the next part of this series, where you’ll find out how suits differ and how they’ll… suit… you and make you, the man! 

Front	Back

Rule 4: Comfort. If it’s not comfortable, it probably doesn’t fit. And no, oversized suits are NOT comfortable, no matter how you argue it. And skintight suits? Let’s not go there. Ever. 

Rule 5: Don’t mix and match. It’s not even funny. Make sure the jacket and pants you buy come off the same piece of cloth. SIMILAR IS NOT THE SAME. And the colours of your entire suit MUST be EXACTLY the same unless intended otherwise (and I mean intended by the designer, NOT YOU). We’re talking suits here, not dinner jackets.

These are the first five basics all men should know. In the following parts, we’ll analyze the finer details of suits that will make you an Adonis equivalent as well as the faux paxes to be avoided at ALL costs. Stay tuned!

Keys.

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Style Tip #263: The Fitted Leather Jacket

There are certain things in this world that no badass should live without, among them - a perfectly tailored suit, a good woman, a fast car and last but not least:

A Fitted Leather Jacket.

Now, many of you would never even have considered ever donning a leather jacket. For fear of Fonzie, or for fear of an already insanely warm climate (Malaysians, you know what I'm talkin' bout). Fair enough. Leather jackets are not tropical country standard issue. 

But if you're going on an overseas trip to a temperate country, and, like most straight men, you do not see the logic in bringing 3 suitcases (1 for shoes, 1 for winter clothing and 1 for standard run of the mill necessaries), man, do I have a prescription for you.

 The next time you take a trip to a country that has more seasons than you have hands, the only article of temperate clothing you need is a fitted leather jacket. Allow me to explain:

A fitted leather jacket can take you from an afternoon at the Lourve to an evening of love.

Wearing a suit jacket during an evening date may be perfectly acceptable (and arguably the norm), but consider this: anyone who trots around day and night in a suit jacket is likely to be seen as trying a little too hard. Plus, it's not as cool anymore because too many guys are doing it. 

A fitted leather jacket, on the other hand, sends out subtle tones of nonchalance stirred in with a dash of rugged suaveness - the holidaymaker sweet spot, so to speak. 

A fitted leather jacket is also perfectly suitable for a night out with a special lady - so long as you're not taking her to a black tie event, wearing a fitted leather jacket over a crisp white shirt makes you look laidback, approachable and fun, as opposed to donning a relatively more uptight suit.

Make sure you get a fitted leather jacket, and not one which makes you look like you're hoarding weapons of mass destruction. And I'm not referring to your 'guns'. 

 

Less of this

And more of this

Remember, when choosing any article of clothing for that matter - the golden rule is to always wear clothes that look like they were made for you. The leather jacket is far from being an exception. Tapered sleeves and a slim silhouette are characteristics that will go a long way towards making you look sharp, polished and suave. 

As for the color, there is no strict rule. Certain people prefer black leather while others lean more towards the brown variety. My personal recommendation would be to go the way of dark brown - it's a classy shade that shys away from 50s Grease imagery and instead, invokes a sense of sophistication and high-style. 

 As Ron Burgundy would say, "You stay badass, San Diego"

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Suits You, Sir!

Coming soon

The Ultimate Guide to Suits & All That Is Good

and a special guest post by Li Yen of Kaitlin & Summer

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5 perks of Having a Boyfriend

So I was watching a video by WongFu Productions:

and well, here is my version of my 5 perks of having a boyfriend.

#1 He pays for everything.

But like what Rick says as above, it's not a perk it's an INJUSTICE.

...Fine. I'll play fair too.

REAL #1 He is your Knight in Shining Armour

...when you're bullied. Your Knight tackles them with brutal eloquence.

...when it comes to killing horrendous creepy crawlies (only God knows why those creatures were brought into existence).

...when you freak out when your tech gadget freezes, because you're technologically disabled - and he's not. He then patiently gives you a step-by-step, because...men like solutions.

#2 He calls you Beautiful all the time

Now the male species may not care if they are not reminded of their muscular, and chiselled looks everyday (I may be wrong), but as for the female species...it's a whole different story (I may be wrong too).

A little appreciation, even if it is dishonest at times does work wonders in making you feel less...crappy. With sticky green goo exiting your nose, it's hard to be called anything except...boogery.

Men, a little white lie goes a loooong way.

Instant affection.

#3 He buckles when you get Upset (mostly, when you Cry)

Women, this is our secret weapon.

Not in the mood to go alone to that event your friends are making you go to? State your reasons, and get a little tremble in your voice...

"Okay honey I'll follow you, I'll just skip that match. Don't be upset okay?"

Had a rough day at work, get home and find out there's a sink full of dirty dishes from last night and you have to make dinner?

The pressure can be too much, and you find yourself getting hot and bothered and finally...the tears start falling.

Relax. He's driven over and already got his Spanish Torero apron on, peeling potatoes for his very delicious Shepard's pie.

Not only that...he washes up with little or no complaints!

Woman on top? Definitely.

#4 He inspires you

A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge - Thomas Carlyle

It's great to be with someone who inspires you; someone you admire. Be it his academic ability, his sporting ability, or his personal character - you can always learn something new from him.

Don't believe in yourself? Well, he does and encourages you every step of the way ensuring you don't doubt yourself again.

An amazing boyfriend isn't one who showers you with kisses and gifts, but is one who supports and motivates your passions.

With so much experience to share, the both of you can inspire each other to be the best person you (and he) can be.

#5 Romance

Everyone needs a little romance in their lives.

The little heart jumps when he's knocking on your door for your weekend dates, the rising colour in your cheeks when you catch him intensely looking at you, the smile he puts on your face when he surprises you with a hand-written poem he took all weekend to compose...

Sometimes, being silly brings out the romance in us too - as Rose Franken once said:

Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly

***

Of course, having a boyfriend is also great for a whole lot of other stuff...

*clears throat*

Anyway. So ladies, what are YOUR perks of having a boyfriend?

And men, what are your perks of having a girlfriend? I've never had one, you see...

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