How to buy a suit: The complete GQ guide

Prior to getting our suit from Lord's Tailor, we thought we'd share details on how to buy a suit.

Click here to view the slide show.

How important is what we wear?

Many people do not realize the importance of how they dress; for some, it is just a matter of putting on some clothes and walking out the door. In a job interview, the candidate who is selected for the job is the one who is perceived to be the best candidate, even though that person may not actually be the best candidate for the job. In this world we live in, it is all a matter of how well you display yourself which determines your success—whether it may be in your career, romance or influence over others.

The way you dress is more important than you may think. Researchers have come up with some scientific evidence to support the notion that what you wear really does make a difference in how you influence the world around you. It's a scientific fact that people make judgements about you in less than 30 seconds. Since 80 to 90 percent of your body is covered by clothes, what you wear makes a significant statement. Therefore why not take advantage of this knowledge to enhance and control how to present the best image of yourself.

Start by buying the correct size for your clothes, this may seem like something which is generally understood, but the truth is that many people actually buy clothes which are far too big for their body. Try on clothes from different brands which you like until you find one that really fits you well. View our 'bad fit, good fit' and 'fit - pants' posts to understand how they should fit.

Stock clearance

I realized that it was especially difficult finding beautiful slim ties in KL, as a matter of fact it is hard finding anything really desirable down here—no D&G store, no Krispy Kreme doughnuts, no Playboy magazines. Oh well anyway back to as I was saying, I then decided that since I could not get a hold of sharp looking slim ties in the market, I had to search for other alternatives.

As of today, I have been wearing slim ties for years and I'm pretty sure that there are guys out there who face the same problems as I did. Therefore I've decided to share my findings.

These selections are some of the finest and are made in Italy. They are acquired straight from the factory and have not been branded which means they do not come with hefty price tags.

Brand new
100% silk
Length: 150cm / 59"
Width: 6.5cm / 2.5" at widest
RM50 each (free postage)

Email: admin@forthemodern.com

A1. - SOLD

A2. - SOLD

A3. - SOLD

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A5. - SOLD

A6. - SOLD

Tie length

Back to ties, the tip of the tie should hit the waistband of your pants, not pass it. Once your tie length goes beyond that line—it's too long, period.

The right shoes

There's a simple rule when wearing shoes—wear the right shoe for the right purpose. In other words, running shoes are meant to be worn when running, basketball shoes are meant to be worn when playing basketball, futsal shoes are meant to be worn when playing futsal. For casual outings, wear proper shoes which are meant to be worn on the street. Here are a few examples:

By Lacoste

By Topman

 By Cole Haan

By Adidas

By Nike

Go sockless

When wearing your shorts, skip the high length socks, please. You don't want to walk around looking like an old grandfather. Instead, go for the sockless look as shown in the picture. It goes practically with every kind of casual shoe—sneakers, loafers, slip-ons, you name it. Purchase a few pairs of "no show" socks, these socks will be fully covered by your shoes, giving you this simple yet stylish look.

You may just get as much attention as Pharrell Williams.

Fit - pants

Lets talk a bit about how pants should properly fit:

1. A well fitted pants should sit comfortably below the waist without needing a belt.

2. The pants should be cut higher so there isn't too much excess cloth hanging (this also helps elongate the legs).

3. Square through the hips, slim through the thigh—it should be trim and not look like you're wearing baggy jeans.

4. The hem should fall just at the top of your shoes and cover your socks when you take a step. Ask your tailor for a single break.

GQ Rules: Building your business wardrobe

Shirt & ties - Choosing a shirt collar

Make sure you have these three collar types in your business wardrobe. And know how to pair them. Not all suits and ties go with all collars. Here are the three basics:

Slip on a tie bar

You should always have one piece in your outfit that pops—something that makes you stand out. Could be a suit jacket, cardigan, belt buckle, could be a gold watch. Or when you're wearing your slim tie, it could be a tie clip. The key to success is by keeping the rest of your outfit on the simple side—dark solid tie, muted shirt.

*Pop*

Just look how bad-ass English actor Dominic Cooper looks.

Thank you

Hi guys, as some of you may know, this is a new blog and we started this blog less than a month ago. We hope to get your support by simply joining our Facebook group. Kindly feel free to e-mail us as well about anything concerning ties or men's clothing for that matter. Thanks to everyone who supported us and thanks to you as well.

forthemodern@gmail.com

Loosen up

After office hours or during the night out, loosen the tie a little and it will give a more relaxed look. Just don't loosen it too much or you will end up looking like Avril Lavigne.

10 ties x 10 shirts = 100 foolproof options

You don’t need dozens upon dozens of shirts and ties if you know how to pair them. The key to building a wardrobe is maximum compatibility. These shirts and ties all go perfectly with each other.

Click on the images to see how.

For the rest of the images, click here.

Bad fit, good fit

Most guys don’t know it, but they’re walking around with way too much shirt—baggy arms, sagging sides, ballooning backs. A fitted dress shirt can make new men out of them.

Click on the images to see how.

Bad fit

Good fit

Gentlemen's Quarterly

For all you style conscious guys out there, if you have not picked up a copy of GQ magazine before, we highly recommend that you get your hands on one.

GQ is an upscale and sophisticated monthly men's magazine focusing upon fashion, style and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology and books.

p/s: FTM is not associated with GQ, we're just a fan :)

Damn we just had to display the January 2009 cover of GQ where Jennifer Aniston looks super sexy clothed in just a tie.

Width of tie

Unless you’re a hard-core fashion guy who favors a super-skinny tie, stick with one that measures about two to three inches at its widest point. It will be narrower than traditional ties, but not by too much. Tie one on and you’ll look modern and sophisticated.

Collar size vs. type of knot

If you're wearing a bigger, European-style collar, you want a wider, thicker tie knot such as the Windsor to balance it out. When you're wearing a smaller collar, opt for a slimmer tie and thinner knot such as the Half Windsor and Four In Hand.

Four In Hand

Half Windsor

Windsor

Put a smile on your tie

Learn how to form a dimple in your tie. It’s the little things that make a gentleman.

Slim it down

Put on a slim tie and it will instantly give any ensemble a younger, cooler feel. And unlike wider ties, it looks as good with a simple dress shirt as with a suit jacket.