THE LOWDOWN ON TAILORING
Ozwald Boateng
“You must always wear a suit that’s flattering to your form. You need to educate yourself and understand your form – it’s all about proportions and balance. Each designer or tailor has an approach to that question, and you must find the one that works for you. Or make a visit to Savile Row.”
www.ozwaldboateng.co.uk
Jeremy Hackett
“The golden rule, whenever you’re dressing, is keep it simple. It makes a much stronger statement if you wear your outfit simply. Another factor is versatility – it’s important to men, since clothes are an investment as well as just for fashion’s sake. For instance, I’m heading to Dubai for British Polo Day, and I’m going to wear an extremely lightweight Prince of Wales check suit – formal but not too formal, with a patch pocket so it doesn’t look so dressy.”
www.hackett.co.uk
Thom Whiddett of Thom Sweeney
“For spring and summer, don’t go too light in colour. It’s always tempting to go for very pale, summery colours, but it doesn’t translate well for the City and you’ll risk finding yourself with a very light-toned suit and too few sunny days to wear it. Go lighter weight – there are lots of new fabrics around that are lightweight but hold their shape and don’t crease – but avoid going too light in colour.”
www.thomsweeney.co.uk
Clive Derby of Rake
“Don’t forget to think about your socks. It’s one of those areas where you look down in business meetings and you see something cartoonish or garish, and it’ll affect how you view that person. You’re likely to be wearing a dark black or brown shoe, so keep your socks dark, plain and understated too. If you’re going to go for something brighter and contrasting, be aware of the statement you’re making – know why and how you’re doing it. But if in doubt, always keep it underplayed and elegant.”
www.rakestyle.com