Classic styling has dictated that shoes, belts and handbags match. Today’s trends are more in the mix and match category like wearing colors and patterns.
However, a man wearing a dark leather high gloss brown shoe would choose a dark brown leather belt in an high gloss finish like a lizard print. He would keep the same color scheme with different leather blend.

Women have gone in the opposite direction. A black shoe might be matched with a patterned purse in a totally different color. What makes it work is the clothing pieces worn to complement the black shoe. I still believe if you are more comfortable with matching then add a mixed pattern in the same color.
Whatever you choose to accessorize, make sure it is the best quality leather or fabric.

I went out with friends to a high-end Chicago restaurant for a New Year’s Eve celebration. Most of the men were wearing either a suit or a blazer with an oxford dress shirt and no tie. One out of 15 men might have worn a tie. Also, the men chose a shirt varying from light to dark colors. Ties can appear too worn when seen at official events and observed on television anchors and doctors.

At a recent wedding I attended, all of the groomsmen wore brown shoes with blue suits. This is not new if you look at old movies, especially those starring my favorite, Cary Grant, who wore brown shoes with his blue suits. The brown shoes add a bit of casual flair and mitigate the seriousness of the suit. The darker the brown, the more serious. A lighter brown adds a relaxed look to the suit. Both shades of brown add elegance to the look.

The fashion industry for men used to change styles once every eight years. Now it changes on a daily basis. One interesting noticeable change is the width of ties. They range from very narrow to mid width. The younger man tends to wear the narrow tie.

The width of the tie that looks best depends on body shape. The slender man can wear a narrow tie while the heavier man will look best with a wider tie. Proportion is key to a smarter and neater look on a man.

A very important but frequently underestimated sartorial consideration is the framing of one’s face. After you are finished donning your ensemble, but before you present yourself to the world, take one last look at your face in the mirror to see if it is appropriately complemented by your choice of clothes and jewelry. For example, a closed collar strengthens formality and authority attributes whereas an open collar signals approachability and connectivity. The color of your shirt, blouse or jacket is a critical choice as it can lend a powerful but subliminal highlighted quality to your face. A necklace can also be chosen to enhance your preferred projection, but be careful not to let it be a distraction. A recent choice by Barbra Streisand was particularly interesting. Her face was well framed by her hair. She used a long necklace to accentuate her body length for this particular concert occasion.

Clients who are on the road 24/7 and continue to look great usually use these tools along with one key strategy. The tools include:

• A full length mirror in their bedroom or dressing room
• Good lighting
• A portable clothing rack
• A suitcase packed with toiletries that are replaced regularly when supplies get low
• A portable umbrella
• Several zip lock plastic bags in several sizes and some rubber bands

The strategy is that on Sunday pull out the portable clothing rack and begin to assemble the wardrobe, including shoes and accessories, for the whole week…just like if you were going to pack a suitcase for travel. If you are getting ready to travel, pull items that you can coordinate around three colors. Also, pack one backup outfit for emergency or unplanned events. If you follow these guidelines, you will be prepared for all situations and for meetings in and outside of the office.

There much to learn by watching the politicians on stage, from the way they speak to their clothing choices. In a recent New York Times article, the vice presidential nominee, Tim Kaine, was featured about his clothing choices. He was compared to President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
President Obama is a Hart Shaffner Marx customer (custom tailored to his physical size – tall and slender). Vice President Joe Biden was not wearing an off the rack suit either. The average man on the street rarely wears a suit today and if he does, it is not custom tailored. Tim Kaine wore a non-custom made suit along with a matching shirt and a not-current-style tie. His clothing sent the message: I am just like the average guy on the street and I am for you. The idea is to dress for the audience you want to connect with.

When choosing eyewear follow these steps:

Decide on the occasions when you will wear your eyewear, e.g., for business casual or for weekend sports

Comfort is critical – with the right fit you won’t even know you are wearing them

Round faces will look better with more angular and defined shapes

Oval faces can wear almost any frame shape

Frames should not appear too wide on your face

Black and tortoise shell frames have been longstanding successful staples

Frames are getting smaller and rounder according to Garret Leight of California Optical — www.garretttlieght.com

It is interesting to see flip flops become somewhat of a main footwear choice on Main Street. Flip flops are designed now in every material from rubber to upscale leather. Recently, at a 5-Star restaurant for dinner, I was disappointed to see men wearing leather flip flops! It was a dinner not lunch. There are so many cool casual shoes that resorting to flip flops is not necessary.

White has been in style for the last two years. In 2016, it hit in athletic shoes and in recently replacing sandals especially for men.  Give credit to the shoe designers. We have seen the colored footwear boom in everything from bright orange to screaming yellow hues. Smart designers decided to add a white and it became a trend. It makes sense because you can wear white with any color outfit. The new white shoe is not clunky so add it to your closet!