Wearing a bow tie at work is fun unless you're required to wear one.

You can wear a belt or you can wear suspenders but under no circumstance should you wear both.

Happy Easter from Belt or Suspenders!

Ebony - Ivory - Living In Perfect Harmony

I don’t know about you but I’m never excited about wearing a black suit, especially with a white shirt.  When I put them on I look like a kinder, gentler Grim Reaper.  So on a recent trip to Philly, I took particular note of a guy who managed to make black and white stand out in a room full of color.  He made the color combination interesting by wearing a black and white glen plaid topcoat and he personalized it with his accessories.  It was balanced and stylish.  Here’s my take on it and a few pointers on how to achieve a similar look.

1.        Break it up – Keep the solids to a minimum.  Instead of a solid white shirt, try a vertical stripe or one with a windowpane design.  For your necktie, if you have to wear a black one, select one with a small pattern.  It’ll add the subtle interest need.

2.       Add some texture – There are a couple of ways to do this but I chose to ditch the black jacket in favor of grey with a mini-check.  You could also wear a knit or wool tie with a complimentary pocket square.

3.       Make it your own – The guy in Philly had on a great bowtie and was carrying a brown leather messenger bag.  I wore a two inch tie-bar on the underside of my tie and an Irish linen handkerchief for balance.

So there you have it.  Black and white doesn’t have to be so black and white.

Commitment Issues With Your Glasses?

“You’re blind!  And you can’t see.  You need to wear some glasses like DMC.” – Run DMC

Thinking about freshening up your eyewear?  My advice is to keep it simple.  There are a couple of basic things to do first.  1) Know the shape of your face.  A square face looks best in rounded frames and an oval face looks best in a rectangular frame.  2) Consider where you’ll wear your glasses when picking a color. 

There are lots of great frames out there that won’t break the bank so I suggest getting two pair.  I recently took a client to Lens Crafters and the selection was impressive.  If you want to go the independent route, check out Moscot in New York.  The staff is knowledgeable and their selection is deep and unique.  Get a neutral for the office and a pair with a little flavor for the evenings and weekends.   

If after all of this, don’t worry if you don’t like the glasses you bought.  It’s just a pair of glasses, not a wife and your old glasses will easily take you back.