TOP 10 GUIDE OF DO’S & DON’TS FOR MENS COCKTAIL PARTY ATTIRE

Hello there fellow Raleighite! Here’s your guide on how to show up for the Me Fine Foundation Gala in something you’ll enjoy yourself in while making a statement! You’ll be helping children kids with illnesses and their families battle through their journey so you’re already a star in our book! Do’s

1. What’s your Fit Preference? Classic Fit or Modern Tailored kinda guy? Classic Fit: You’re a black suit or custom tux kinda guy with a bit of room in the belly & thigh Polished Modern: A midnight blue or black tux, that typically features black lapels tapered in the knee, torso, arms, and shows a bit of shirt cuff beyond the jacket sleeve.

2. Have Your Jacket/Trousers Tailored-The jacket needs to be tailored well in the torso ranging on your body type. At our men's pop-up shop Hengs Suiting & Armoury our bespoke suits are ALWAYS cut on a trimmer pattern yet not tight. Because we’re owned by Glenwood South Tailors, we can take care of tweaks in-house using our Flextailoring™ for custom clients & shirts.

3. Neckwear Colors: Standard Black Satin, Black velvet (yes velvet), or a nice glen plaid print; black silk is a go-to, however.

4. Grooming- We’re not channeling Tom Hiddleson- we’re going more for Benedict Cumberbatch or Ryan Gosling. Ensure your facial hair is trimmed, not geometrically precise. Go with minimal product, it reduces the amount you’ll perspire.  

5 Shoes Man, by God, the Shoes- Listen closely... Stay away from Cole Haan Caldwell Captoes in the lacquered finish-They are evil and belong in 2002 with the square-toed shoes. Go for an Italian make like a Bruno Magli, To Boot New York, or an updated Johnson Murphy or Allen Edmonds

Things to Avoid

Slacks with Improper Length- Don’t be the guy with trouser fabric puddling over the shoe. Make sure that you have a timeless but modern trouser hem. You can never go wrong with taking a trip (or using our mobiletailors) to your local tailor shop and going for the medium break.

Visibly Worn Dress/Formal Shirt- In a recent survey did over 72% of men wish their other half would purchase them custom shirts or suits for Holiday gifts because it's something they wear without seeing all day. Cocktail parties are a time to dress well!! A crisp, tailored white dress shirt is so dashing Shirts have noticeable discoloration? Replace it and make sure you purchase a tailored fit shirt or have us tailor the arms and sleeves

Ill-Fitting/3 Button Jackets- Okay guys, it's over. Just stop-Remove all 3 Buttons from the closet! For most jackets, as long as they fit in the shoulders reasonably well (this is important) the torso area can be tailored inward a bit to make your suit fit you leaner!

Ill-Fitting Slacks/Casualwear - Slacks are a simple fix & they give most suits a drastic update in a good way! Do not make this a casual occasion, jeans & dark khakis are a NO-NO! At GST we'll bring in both seams based on your body type.

Shoes- A cap or almond toe in BLACK. No Dark Brown, Mahogany, or cordovan. Ensure your shoes are in good repair, buffed/polished, and resoled! These tips all come from a good place as does the initiative by the great folks at mefinefoundation that provides hope to critically ill children treated by Children's Hospitals in NC and their families through financial assistance, emotional assistance, necessary support. Richard, Joey, and Laura push this initiative with NO gov’t assistance so let's show up big for the children!!!