Special occasions are called that for a reason. They do not happen to you every day. So, why in the world would you want to wear the same clothes that you wear day to day to one? There are a number of “special” occasions in a man’s life, some more special than others. He will graduate from high school and with any luck, college.
There will be job interviews, first dates (which are like job interviews with far better benefits involved) and others. It is important that you dress well for all of those occasions. Remember: you never get a second chance to make a firs impression.
Imagine walking into a room. Everyone else is dressed nicely in suits and some more casually. You, on the other hand are dressed in what you thought was a perfectly nice tee shirt and dark jeans. In other words, you are not dressed for the situation and now you are standing out for all of the wrong reasons.
It is always better to be a little dressier than others than to be too casual, so don’t be afraid to wear a nice, button down shirt, with or without a coordinating or contrasting tie. A crisply pressed shirt can be perfect for a number of your special occasion situations.
Choosing the right shirt should start with the right size. If you have never owned a nice dress shirt before, it is a very good idea to be measured so that you get the perfect fit. If you are a lucky man with an average size body, you may be able to buy “off the rack” which is often cheaper. It also allows you to take advantage of sales and store specials when they are available. A great bet is to get a few Brooks Brothers men’s dress shirts — that is, if you want to find the right fit for your body without undergoing costly, time-consuming customization.
Off the rack shoppers can also buy the name brand dress shirts from outlets or online for more savings. If you have exceptionally broad or narrow shoulders, very long or very short arms or are a unique shape, you may have to opt for tailoring to make your dress shirt fit correctly.
Remember, even though this will cost a bit more, it is an investment into your appearance that should not be ignored. A sloppy dress shirt looks just as bad as a more casual tee shirt and may make you look like you just did not care enough to put forth the effort.
To dress up your dress shirt, button all the buttons and add a tie if you are not going to be wearing a suit. To make it a little more casual, choose a more playful tie style or skip the tie altogether. You can open the top one to two buttons but no more than that for the casual look. Casual occasions are also a good time to bring out the more vibrant colors, keeping the crisp white or medium blue colors for use with your suits and for dressier occasions. Don’t be afraid to mix it up with some pastels and primary colors through the week as well.
Doctor Cris says
This is such a wonderful article that gives men ideas for looking their best not only for special occasions but for all casual affairs too. I agree that most people do judge a book by it’s cover, so it is important to portray yourself the way you want people to see you as. Employers will notice that you took the extra effort and initiative to bring your best to the interview—translates to—he will bring his extra effort to our company too.