The character of Andy Sipowicz in NYPD Blue broke an important sartorial rule. Photo / Reuters
Some sartorial sins are so common they've even got a special name. Robert Grant explains how to make sure you're not a repeat offender.
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We've all been guilty of of the occasional slip-up, but fortunately, recognising a sartorial sin is the first step to recovery.
Here's a list of some looks you'll do well to steer clear of:
The Andy Sipowicz look:
James Bond creator Ian Fleming may have said he preferred
short sleeves to prevent dirty cuffs, but the short sleeved shirt and tie looked appalling on Dennis Franz in NYPD Blue and has no redeeming features.
The football star:
Apart from the fact suits are not made to fit athletic builds, footballers always look uncomfortable when dressing up, not the least because they fail to knot their ties properly and don't understand there should not be a one-inch gap between tie and top button.
The funeral director look:
The black suit pervades city streets everywhere but it really only belongs at funerals. For some reason black looks a lot better on women than men, who should instead choose navy or dark grey, which is also a better option for co-ordinating shirt, tie and shoes.
The cheapskate:
If you're going to have your suit dry-cleaned do the coat and pants at the same time, always. Nothing looks more obviously tardy than trousers several shades lighter than the suit coat because they've been the only half at the cleaners for years.
The sneaker and suit aberration:
Are shoes these days so uncomfortable they can only be worn inside an office on carpet? If anything, it should be the other way around - wear something decent in public and something more comfortable at your desk. Sports shoes go with a track suit, not a business suit.
The fashion-backwards look:
A business shirt and dark suit without a tie simply doesn't come off, especially if the suit is a more formal pinstripe. You can only get away with this look in summer with, say, a tan suit, blue and white striped open-neck shirt and tobacco suede loafers, which will dress down a two-piece.
Fashion-backwards Part II:
If you're going to wear cufflinks you will need to wear a tie with your shirt and a jacket. How they became an informal accessory is a mystery.
The show-off: You're not the only man who knows how to tie a bow tie for a black tie event so there's really no need at the end of a formal function to undo it and show the world you have the real thing and not a clip-on with your dinner jacket.
The shoe-slacker:
If males knew that apart from a well-formed backside, flat stomach and clean fingernails, many women are impressed most by the state of our shoes, we might decide to polish them once in a while.
- AAP
