Tag Archives: Tutorial

how to wear a dinner jacket at every age feature image

How To Wear A Dinner Jacket At Every Age

July 27, 2016

A dinner jacket exemplifies class and refinement. A well fitting dinner jacket steps any man up from feeling like Seinfeld to Don Draper.

Watching Downton Abbey you can’t help but marvel at how men used to dress for dinner. Full tuxedo’s, tails and white dinner jackets, showed respect for the company they were keeping and the meal placed before them. Though we will never get back to that level of elegance, a dinner jacket should still be an important part of every man’s well-dressed wardrobe. Wearing a dinner jacket with a tuxedo shirt and black pants is a given, but for every age, it can add new life to your evening out. Dinner Jackets communicate elegance and panache, we styled four looks to inspire how you dress for your evening events:

In your 20’s

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night, it’s game night! You’ve got 3 hours to mingle, get a number or maybe even a date home. If you want to make it easier for yourself, throw on a dinner jacket with your jeans and shirt, then sit back.

Shawl collar tuxedo Jacket

Gotstyle Shawl Collar Blue Tuxedo Jacket $795 / Selected Homme Band Collar Shirt $85 / Zanerobe Scrambler Pant $200. / A. Christensen Printed Pocket Square $45 / Gotstyle Blue Suede Shoes $295

In your 30’s

It seems like every week there is a new charity function to attend, but you relish working the room both for business and pleasure. The ladies always up their game at these events and you aim to match. Stand apart from the other guys all dressed in black with a bold color tuxedo jacket paired with a printed shirt and pants (because you can).

Burgundy peak lapel dinner jacket outfit

NYFS Tuxedo Jacket $775 / Sand Circles Shirt $225 / Hiltl Floral Painted Pants $259 / Gotstyle Double Monk Strap Shoe $295

In your 40’S

This year you’re doing the big European trip, unlike your 20’s, no hostels, only high-end boutique hotels. You’ve worked hard and you’ve earned this luxury vacation. Don’t come off as a bad tourist, look like a local and pack a dinner jacket. Chic casual is instantly achieved. Wear a sneaker to stay modern and comfortable on your trip.

Navy Blue dinner jacket outfit with sneakers.

Sand Contrast Trim Evening Jacket $850 / Sand Solid Polo Shirt $150 / Haspel White Seersucker Pant $195 Anderson Belt $175 / Garment Project Sneakers $257
In your 50’s

In your 50’s good habits are hard to break, this o.g. knows he’ll never go wrong with classic style. He’s comfortable knowing he’ll be the best-dressed guy in the room. But adds some fun with his shoe game.

Off-white shawl collar dinner jacket outfit

Gotstyle White Tuxedo Jacket $795/ Stenstroms White Tuxedo Shirt $265 / Strellson Black Pants $228 Black Bowtie $55 / Black Pocket Square $35 / The Carry-On Cocktail Kit / Tiger of Sweden Dress Slippers / Anderson’s Pebbled leather belt $160
Proper shoe care feature image

Leather Shoe Guide: Proper Shoe Care and Maintenance

June 30, 2016

Footwear is an investment and deserves proper shoe care

Clothing always comes with a care label. What temperature to wash it in, how to dry it, whether to iron it or not and even what colours to wash it with. However, shoes don’t seem to come with the same manual. You might wear the same shirt two days in a row but you’ll most likely wear the same pair of shoes for a whole week. They’re an investment and naturally you’d want them to live a long beautiful life. So what is the proper shoe care? We’ll go through different ways to maintain your shoes so they last.

Paradigma Shoes

Paradigma Shoes

First off, if you are still wearing square toed shoes, we have to request that you burn them (sorry, not sorry).

Major key: Look for shoes that are Goodyear welted. This allows you to replace the soles which eventually wear out so your shoes can stand the test of time. Try a pair of our Gotstyle ones, you won’t regret it.

Goodyearwelt

The Basics: Waterproof, condition & polish

This is the kind of stuff that everyone generally knows is important for maintaining their shoes.

There are many products out there that do a combination of shoe maintenance. Waterproofing of your shoes should be done every six months or so.

Conditioning is something that should be done regularly. About 1-2 times a month. The reason for this is that leather is skin. A cream conditioner will keep your leather soft and keep it from cracking.

Polishing is completely subjective. Do it as often as you want depending on how shiny you like it.

Important Maintenance Tips

1. Keep your shoes dry

Even if you’ve waterproofed your shoes, the intensity of the weather is something you cannot avoid. Do your best to keep your leather shoes clean and dry. A pair of Swims Galoshes is highly recommended.

Major key: Remove any salt stains with a little vinegar and water. Apply sparingly and wipe clean with a cloth.

IF they do get wet, stuff them with newspaper immediately and keep it away from direct heat. Drying leather too fast will cause it to crack.

2. Use shoe trees

Shoes are an equally good investment. They keep the same of shoes, lowers the chances of creases and actually absorbs moisture  (think sweat) and odours. The best are unfinished cedar ones. You don’t need to own a set for each pair of shoes. The trees should be put into your shoes within 1-2 hours after you’ve taken them off and after that, they can be taken out.

3. Own a shoe horn

When you’re putting on your shoes, use a shoe horn. It’s not only about proper shoe care but also about usage. It’s easy to ruin the heels when you wiggle your feet into them.

4. Wear socks

It seems silly to put this here as part of proper shoe care but it’s a must. It creates a barrier between your feet and shoes. Leather is absorbent and adding that to wearing your shoes for a minimum of 8 hours in a day means you get sweaty and maybe even stinky feet. If you don’t like your socks showing, wear no-shows.

 

 

 

What are Lapel Pins and How To Wear Them

June 27, 2016

A common question we get is “what are lapel pins?”

Ever wonder what the purpose of a lapel pin is or what that little buttonhole in your lapel is for? We’re here to tell you.

Everyone wants to express their own individuality and accessories are the perfect way to do that. Lapel pins can be symbolic for organizations and causes or purely decorative. They have evolved from when men used to wear living flowers on their lapels called boutonnieres. One of the most popular styles are flowers made of cotton or felt which are meant to resemble boutonnieres.

Casual lapel pins with cartoon characters or funny sayings have become a huge trend. They can be worn with off-duty outfits or even with blazers and suits when it’s appropriate.

what are lapel pins: casual pins

Dead Ringers Lapel Pins available in stores

Types of Lapel Pins

The pin through/stick pin is the most common type of backing consist of a long stem and a collar to secure the pin. This pins through the buttonhole of the lapel and is the most elegant backing. Hook & Furl, a fellow Canadian brand, has some beautiful handmade ones.

what are lapel pins: hook & furl

Photo credit: Hook & Furl

The butterfly clutch is popular because you don’t necessarily need a hole in the lapel to wear one. This backing consists of a tack pin that fastens on a clutch. When both sides of the clutch are pushed, the tack pin is released. This design is favoured for casual pins because it can be pinned anywhere from hats to bags to collars to chest pockets, and etc.

lapel-pins

Now that we have the basic knowledge of the lapel pins, we will now look at the basic rules of wearing them.

  1. A lapel pin should always be worn on your left lapel. This is so that it helps to compliment your pocket square.
  2. A lapel pin should be appropriate for the occasion. Lapel pins can come in a variety of styles and looks. Wearing a casual looking pin in a formal event would be inappropriate, and vice versa.
  3. The colour of the pin should be complimentary to the outfit. It can be used to tie in a colour scheme of an outfit.
  4. If a metal part shows on the lapel pin, it should match the metal details on your watch, tie-bar, or belt.

 

Whether you decide to wear a lapel pin or not, it is a great accessory to add a personalized touch to an outfit. Lapel pins don’t have to be limited to formal wear, as more casual lapel pins exist. Just remember the rules of wearing a lapel pin, and you should be able to complete the look of any outfit.

how to wear a tie bar

How To Wear A Tie Bar

June 13, 2016

A tie bar is a small detail with a big impact. It adds style, sophistication, and character to any suit and tie. The idea is simple but we have seen men wear a tie bar incorrectly, here is our guide to nailing it:

  1. Size matters. Keep everything proportionate. A huge tie bar doesn’t go with a skinny tie. Ideally, the tie bar should be somewhere between half and 3/4 the width of your tie.
  2. Placement is a major key. It should be worn slightly below the chest around the sternum or between the 3rd and 4th button of your shirt.
  3. Clip the tie to your dress shirt; the tie bar isn’t only there for decorative reasons. It has a real purpose and that’s to keep your tie in place.
  4. There’s a style to it. What most guys don’t know is to slightly lift up the tie when sliding/fastening the tie bar into place can make a slight difference in presentation
  5. Make your metals match. Silver is your go-to metal for a tie bar. Opt for gold to co-ordinate with gold accessories like your watch, jewellery and belt hardware.
  6. Keep it simple. Tie bars come in a various amount of shapes and colours. Get a solid range of 1-3 tie bars before opting for the more decorative options.
  7. Don’t wear a tie bar with your waistcoat, it defeats the purpose, a layering cardigan is more suitable.
  8. Tie your tie right. Make sure your tie knot is on point, dimpled right and hitting the top to the middle section of your belt.

Check out our tie bar selection in store at one of our locations

 

 

How to Style Resort Wear

March 8, 2016

The weather is getting warmer and with the infamous spring break approaching, you know what that means- vacation time! Our expert stylist at Gotstyle have put together some resort wear looks featuring some of our new products of the season. Let it also be an inspiration for the upcoming spring weather we’ll be having.

Look 1

Micro prints are back but with a twist! Brands like Benson are showing us their creativity by putting a seahorse pattern on the classic short sleeved button up. When the weather is warmer feel free to roll up your denim or chinos for a more spring/summer appropriate look.

benson-shirt2

Outfit details: John Varvatos Straw Fedora $98, Benson Sea Horse Print Shirt $155, John Varvatos Bowery Straight Jean $179 , Le Specs Sunglasses $110, Garment Projects Classic Leather Sneaker $257

Look2

The colours and pattern on this Circle of Gentlemen polo makes it a great standout piece. It’s a nice upgrade from a classic solid colour polo. By tucking it into a pair of chinos, it creates a sophisticated spring ready outfit.

cog-polo

Outfit details: Circle of Gentlemen Beckett Patterned Polo $175, Strellson Cotton Stretch Trouser $198, Anderson’s Pebbled Leather Belt $160, Vitaly Dubbei Braided Leather Bracelet $40

Look 3

A simple styling tip: spring weather doesn’t always permit wearing just a t-shirt and shorts. When it gets a little chilly, layer your outfit with a long sleeve button down. This will add dimension to your look and keep you warm.

new-benson2small

Outfit details: Benson Linen Striped T-Shirt $85, Sand Denim Shirt $195

Look 4

How do you stay dry and look good? With a rain coat of course! Forget about what you think you know about old school ill fitting rain coats. Danish brand Rains specializes in rain wear and their jackets are modern, lightweight and best of all- stylish.

rains-benson

rains-small

Outfit details: Rains Classic Rain Jacket $!29, Benson Palm Tree Print Shirt $140, Horst Chino Shorts $89, Garment Project Classic Leather Sneaker $257, Rains Backpack $129

More Benson
STYLE TIPS

How To Wear A Summer Sport Coat At Any Age

June 9, 2015

Age ain’t nothing but a number, especially when we’re talking about style and fashion. That’s why we feature key trends and showcase how they can be adopted no matter how old or young you are. In this article we turn our attention to summer sport coats because they are versatile, easy to wear and a definite wardrobe must-have. You can easily dress them up or dress them down to suit any occasion and with so many styles available in-store you can rest assured that there is one perfect for you.

20s – The Graduate

Respect the investment into your education and play the part by incorporating a sport coat into your college wardrobe. You can keep it young and stay fresh by layering it with a hoodie and graphic tee. Drop crotch pants will give you that urban edge that promises to step up your game. 

30s – The Free Agent

It doesn’t matter what you do, what matters is what you look like you could do. Nothing says “smart, stylish, and professional” better than a sport coat. Stripes over a white oxford-style shirt, paired with a good-fitting pair of jeans and clean white sneakers makes you look accomplished while you’re still accomplishing.

Style-At-Every-Age-30

Van Gils Jacquard Woven Jersey Blazer: $595 Van Gils Speck Coloured Button Shirt: $185 Lacoste Live Striped Jersey T-Shirt: $60 Nudie Grim Tim Crosshatch Jean: $219 Tiger of Sweden Sneaker: $229

40s – The Shark

You don’t have to work on Bay Street to look and feel like a shark. But you can wear a sport coat with dark denim to intimidate all the other fish. Style it with a pink shirt and microprint tie and they won’t even see you coming. And then by the time they get a look at your killer shoes, it’ll be too late.

50s – The O.G.

There are no rules for the O.G, except maybe knowing when to leave the gun and take the cannoli. A double-breasted sport coat is not only your ticket to the big boys club, but it puts you at the head of the table. In fact, jackets like these are reserved for people like you.   

Style-At-Every-Age-50

Sand Ringo DB Hopsack Blazer: $695 Sand Floral Mono Print Shirt: $195 Nigel Hall Cotton Flat Front Tapered Trouser: $185 Hudson Hadstone Weave Derby Shoe: $175 Anderson’s Woven Belt: $150