Fashion and Style

The Ultimate Guide to Men’s Dinner Suits: Choosing the Perfect One for Different Occasions

The Ultimate Guide to Men's Dinner Suits: Choosing the Perfect One for Different Occasions

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Dressing well is not just about looking good; it’s a statement of respect for yourself and others. When it comes to formal occasions, few garments match the elegance and timeless appeal of men’s dinner suits. But choosing the perfect dinner suit isn’t a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Different events call for distinct styles and details. In this ultimate guide to men’s dinner suits, we’ll explore how to select the ideal one for various occasions, ensuring you always make a lasting impression.

Classic Black Tie Affairs

For traditional black-tie events like galas, award ceremonies, and upscale weddings, nothing beats a classic black dinner suit. Here are some essential details to consider:

Jacket: Opt for a single-breasted jacket with peak or shawl lapels. A black satin lapel adds a touch of luxury. Make sure the jacket is well-tailored to your body shape, and the buttons are covered in the same black satin fabric.

Shirt: A white, pleated-front dress shirt is a must. French cuffs with elegant cufflinks are an excellent choice.

Trousers: Black trousers with a satin stripe down the leg provide a cohesive look. A cummerbund or waistcoat can complete the ensemble.

Accessories: Finish the look with a black silk bow tie and black patent leather oxford shoes.

Semi-Formal Events

For semi-formal occasions like cocktail parties and business dinners, you can take a slightly more relaxed approach. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Jacket: A well-fitted dark navy or charcoal dinner jacket with notch lapels or a one-button shawl collar is versatile and appropriate.

Shirt: A crisp white or light blue dress shirt works well, and you can choose a standard button cuff.

Trousers: Coordinating trousers without satin stripes are suitable for semi-formal events. A belt can replace the cummerbund or waistcoat.

Accessories: Opt for a silk tie instead of a bow tie and consider classic leather dress shoes in black or dark brown.

Destination and Summer Weddings

If you’re attending a destination wedding or a summer outdoor celebration, you’ll want a dinner suit that’s comfortable and season-appropriate. Consider these factors:

Jacket: Lighter colors like beige, light gray, or a pale blue dinner jacket can be ideal for warm weather. Choose a breathable fabric like linen or a linen blend.

Shirt: A light-colored dress shirt, possibly in pastel tones, will keep you cool.

Trousers: Coordinating trousers without satin stripes work well for a more casual summer look.

Accessories: A silk tie or even a silk knit tie can be a relaxed alternative. Loafers or dressy sandals can be suitable footwear.

Creative Black Tie Events

Creative black tie events, such as themed parties or fashion-forward gatherings, allow for a bit more personal expression. Here’s what you can do:

Jacket: Opt for a non-traditional color or pattern, like a deep burgundy or a subtle check pattern. Experiment with different lapel styles.

Shirt: Choose a unique dress shirt with a distinctive collar or pattern. French cuffs are still a stylish choice.

Trousers: Coordinating trousers without satin stripes can offer a more fashion-forward look.

Accessories: Get creative with your accessories. Consider a stylish pocket square, a uniquely designed bow tie, or even a fun lapel pin. Footwear can range from classic to contemporary, depending on the event’s theme.

Formal Dinners and Celebrations

For more intimate formal gatherings, like anniversary dinners or high-end restaurant outings, you can go for an understated yet sophisticated look:

Jacket: Stick to a classic black or dark navy dinner jacket with traditional lapels.

Shirt: A white dress shirt with a standard button cuff is appropriate and timeless.

Trousers: Coordinating trousers without satin stripes provide a subtle touch of formality.

Accessories: Opt for a silk tie or bow tie, and choose classic black or dark brown leather dress shoes.

Fashion and Style

How to Spot Fake Mansur Gavriel

Main image courtesy of Shopbop.

Worried about getting a fake Mansur Gavriel? We have all you need to know about authenticating this top designer brand!

Mansur Gavriel is one of the most popular designers when it comes to beautiful, well-made Italian leather bags and purses. Their iconic bucket bag is one of the most sought-after purses by celebrities and regular folks alike, and once you’ve owned one yourself, it’s easy to see why. Because their bags have such a following, this also means there’s a higher chance that you may encounter a fake Mansur Gavriel. While some people may actively seek out a knock off (because of the lower price point) most customers don’t want to be duped into paying hard earned money for a piece that isn’t authentic Mansur Gavriel.

Continue reading “How to Spot Fake Mansur Gavriel”
Family · Fashion and Style · Gift Ideas

Lily Blanche Locket Review

We’re huge fans of personalised gifts in our family – we’ve got everything from mugs to cushions to canvases with photos of our favourite memories on them. We take a lot of photos and using them to make gifts is a thoughtful way of sharing them. Just recently, a company called Lily Blanche got in touch and asked if I’d like to review their range of personalised jewellery, and with my Mum’s birthday coming up, I thought it would be an amazing gift for her.

The range of necklaces to choose from is stunning, with most available in gold, silver or rose gold, and a choice of chain length so that you can have it made to your exact specifications. I chose the Blue Topaz Vintage Heart Locket in silver and chose two recent photos of Sausage and BB for the inside.

I’ve had lockets in the past where you have to place the photos yourself, which is a HUGE pain – getting the images small enough and cutting them up can be so fiddly. However, the beauty of Lily Blanche is that you upload the photos digitally during the ordering process and they place the images directly into your locket.

As you can see, the outside of the locket is intricate and ornate and the quality is stunning. The images printed inside are great quality, too, especially considering they’re so small! Here’s a little bit of info from the website:

“This Blue Topaz Vintage Heart Locket necklace features a heart-shaped, faceted-cut, high grade blue topaz gemstone at its centre. This heart locket necklace opens to take two photographs or a little keepsake.

The Blue Topaz Vintage Heart Locket is inspired by a necklace from the jewellery box of my grandmother, the original Lily Blanche. The heart locket necklace features as its focal point a faceted-cut, blue topaz gemstone surrounded by a collar of marcasite. Blue topaz symbolises sweetness and affection. Blue Topaz is known as the stone for happiness. The heart locket necklace opens to take two photographs or a little keepsake and is one of our bestselling locket.”

Something that I was also really impressed with was the packaging that the necklace came in – the tissue paper which is used to surround the box inside the ribboned gift bag was infused with essential oils which smelled just like Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle! There#s also a velvet bag included for keeping your locket safe.

Lily Blanche gift box and bag

My Mum was absolutely thrilled with her gift and I loved seeing her face when she opened it and saw the girls looking back at her. I would highly recommend Lily Blanche’s personalised jewellery if you want to create a gift with real meaning, and with Christmas coming up, now is the perfect time to check them out.

Thanks so much to Lily Blanche for making my Mum’s birthday so special. We’ll definitely be back again!

Fashion and Style

Matching Your Contact Lenses To Your Face

https://unsplash.com/photos/UbJMy92p8wk 

If you need to wear contact lenses then this presents you with the opportunity to ‘change’ the colour of your eyes via wearing coloured lenses. This is something which is highly recommended. After all, if you need to wear them anyway and you want to enhance your look, then why not? 

There are so many different ways that people can change their look today, and wearing coloured contact lenses is just one of them. Of course, an obvious option that a lot of people make the most of is changing their hairstyle. We’re also seeing more and more people turn to different beauty treatments, such as having a facelift. After all, when we get older, we can become frustrated with fine lines and sagging skin. A facelift can be the perfect solution to this, helping your skin to become tighter and smoother so that you look younger and more radiant.

You wouldn’t rush into a procedure like that without considering your options carefully, and this approach should be applied no matter what change you’re deciding to go for. Wearing coloured contacts presents a simple and easy way to alter your appearance, yet it is still something that needs to be considered with care.

When purchasing colour contact lenses it is important that you think very carefully before making your decision. First and foremost, you need to ensure that the lenses you buy are of high quality and are suited to your eyes. Some of the most popular contact lenses include Focus Dailies All Day Comfort, 1-Day Acuvue Moist and Freshlook Colourblends. 

Once you are assured of quality, you then need to make sure that you select lenses which match your face. Therefore, use the following tips in order to match coloured contact lenses to your face effectively…

1) Match your contact lenses to your skin tone

The first thing you need to do is decipher what your skin tone is. The best way to determine what your skin tone is, is to simply take a look at your forearms and decide whether your veins or more blue or green in colour. If it is the former then you have cool skin, if your veins are more green then you have a warm skin tone. So what does this mean for your contact lenses choice? If you have a cool skin tone then you are better off going for blue, grey, jade and green colours. On the other hand, if you have a warm skin tone then you are better off going with chestnut, copper, honey or hazelnut coloured lenses.

2) Use Photoshop

If you have an idea in your mind of the coloured contact lenses you really want to use then you should use Photoshop to see if they would suit you. Simply upload a picture of yourself and change the eye colour in order to get a better idea. There are also different programs that are similar to Photoshop that enable you to play around with different eye colours and hairstyles so you may want to consider using one of these if you do not have any experience with Photoshop. 

3) Match your contact lenses to your hair colour

When it comes to matching your contact lenses’ colour to your hair there are two ways you can look at it. If you have very light blond hair or black hair then you should go for a colour which is vivid and will make your eyes pop, such as blue. However, if your hair falls in between these colours then seek something which is in keeping with the shade of your hair e.g. if your hair is a chestnut colour then go for chestnut contact lenses.

4) Ask an expert

Professionals are there to give you an honest opinion. If the eye-care professional in question doesn’t think the coloured contacts are a good look, then he or she will tell you and point you in the direction of what you should be looking for.

5) Enhance what you’ve already got

When it comes to coloured contact lenses you don’t have to dramatically or drastically change your eye colour. Instead, you can simply enhance or brighten your natural eye colour. This is something which looks simply stunning and is one of the most popular options.

6) Stay true to your style

It is important to purchase coloured contact lenses which mirror who you are and your taste in fashion. If you like bold fashion pieces and like to stand out from the crowd then go for violet lenses or an emerald green colour. It is possible to get contact lenses in so many different colours today, so you can be sure that you will be able to find something that is right for your personality. 

7) Ask for a trial

A lot of companies will allow you a trial period whereby you can send back the contact lenses if you are not happy. Not only does this help you to decide whether you like the colour or not, but it also allows you to check out the quality.

8) Think about the makeup you wear

If you are experimental with your makeup then you will be able to change the way you apply it in order to suit the coloured contact lenses you purchase. However, if you have a distinct makeup style then you need to bear that in mind when searching for the best lenses.

If you consider the eight tips mentioned in this blog post and buy quality contact lenses, then you will have no trouble finding the best lenses for you. Wearing contact lenses for the first time can be a bit daunting. However, if you take the time to consider your options with care and you make sure the company provides high-quality lenses, you will have nothing to worry about. Why not take a look on Instagram and other platforms like this to see if there are any images of others wearing the contact lenses you’re considering?