Bristol Fashion Week 22nd March 2013

On Friday 22nd March, I was fortunate enough to attend the summer Bristol Fashion Week as a blogger.

For tailoring, there was a considerable variety in details but no major style changes. Nonetheless, here is what is fashionable in the realm of high street suits for the summer.

In terms of colour, monochrome is in vogue for both men and women's fashion. Pastels are not uncommon for blazers and some suits even had bold shades such as deep reds and light blues. It was surprising not to see light grey for summer tailoring.

The things that I can surmise about the details of suit jackets:

Overall jacket length is still quite short.
Single vents are growing in popularity, despite their impracticality for putting hands into pockets, yet double vents are still common.
Most jackets have two buttons, three can be found on blazers but the fastening one is still quite high on the waist.
Narrow lapels are still fashionable; hand-stitching details can be found on more "off the peg" suits.
Pocket styles are rather varied, some jackets had slanted flapped ones while others were besom and the occasional ticket pocket can be found on more traditional high street retailers. Patch pockets could be found on blazers.


The things I can surmise about suit trousers:

Low rises that are similar to jeans and chinos.
Fitted rather than slim cuts.
No or very little break; some trousers barely touched the shoe.

Other:
Waistcoats were quite short in length
Cummerbunds are still fashionable for Black Tie.

First Post. The Interview Suit.

Hello everyone, this is the first of hopefully many blogs regarding men's formal fashion and tailoring advice. 

This inaugural piece will focus on what to wear for a job interview:

While some jobs do not require formal attire or have their own uniform, the gold standard for interviews would be a two-piece suit in a grey or navy blue. The pattern/fabric is up to you, I would however offer that a herringbone is better for winter, subtle checks/plaids for spring/summer and pinstripes or chalk-stripes work better in financial, law or business professions. If you are not entirely sure, solid patterns are always a safe bet.

The jacket should ideally be a single breasted one can either be two or three button, (one works the best on a slim build), have a ticket pocket or not, double vents are standard for suits this side of the Channel; vent-less jackets are fine, just rather formal and single vents are too informal originating from country riding jackets. It should be well fitted in the chest by lying flat against it and the shoulders of the jacket should not protrude too much from your actual shoulders. The best way to gauge the correct jacket length is if it just about covers your seat (bottom) and when your arms are by your side you ought to be able to cup the base of the jacket with your fingers. The sleeves should reveal about half an inch of shirt cuff. Always remember to only fasten the middle button on a three button jacket to avoid creating a boxy look.

The trousers can have pleats or a flat front depending on your build; flat fronts work better on slim chaps, and I would recommend side adjusters over belt loops as they give a smoother, cleaner look to whole ensemble. Turn-ups (or cuffs) are useful in keeping the trousers in position near the shoe, so if this is a concern then go for them. The trousers should be worn at the natural waist, not the hips. This may not always be possible as most off the peg suits offer trousers with fashionable short rises. They also should have a small break at the shoe. Remember that the smaller the break the cleaner the line of the suit will look and if you are at the shorter end of the height spectrum this will present the illusion that you are taller.

Three piece and double breasted suits and are best avoided for interviews as they can often appear a little ostentatious, even though they are the most traditional.

The shirt should be in a subtle colour, white and light blue are always going to work, single or double cuffs and well fitted in the body but comfortable on the collar. The tie should harmonize with the suit and shirt and should be in muted shades or tones; burgundy, navy and dark grey will work with most shirt/suit combinations.

Working in a shoe shop, I would say that it is better to go with well polished black brogues or oxfords rather than brown as black is more subtle, even with blue suits. Feel free to accessorize with a tie bar, white pocket square and tasteful cufflinks (no Mr Men or diamante ones please). 

You do not need to spend a fortune out all of this, the fit is more important so buy the best of what you can afford and make sure it fits well. While I realize this is not the be all and end all of guides for dressing for an interview, I hope there is some useful advice here.