Suit up! The complete guide to men’s formal accessories 

If you are a man, your wardrobe likely includes various pieces of smart attire you would deem essential — like suits, shirts, waistcoats and trousers. However, a few well-chosen accessories can complete an ensemble much like a cherry completes a cake. 

Here are some examples of accessories you could consider investing in ahead of the next formal occasion — like a wedding ceremony, a dinner date or a day at the races — that would call on you to look your best and most stylish. 

Leather wallets 

Naturally, you wouldn’t want an unsightly bulge protruding from a pocket of an otherwise pristinely prepared suit — so, when it comes to sourcing a wallet, you want one slim in design.

You would still have quite a lot of free rein over exactly what kind of leather wallet you buy, though. Wallet colours deemed classic include black, brown and oxblood, while some wallet styles you could consider include bifold, trifold, hipster and zipper. 

Dress watches

A watch doesn’t have to literally just tell you the time. When you pull down your sleeve to check that time, it would be ideal if the watch itself catches the eye for the right reasons — as indeed it could if you pair it with the right outfit. 

FLUX advises: “Consider choosing a silver or gold dress watch with a white dial or sub-dial.” It’s ultimately up to you whether you choose a metal band or leather straps for that watch. 

Sunglasses 

Again, these don’t just serve a practical purpose — in this instance, that of protecting your eyes from the sun. Sunglasses can also act as a finishing touch to your outfit — but, before you do buy your eye accessory, you should scrutinise your face shape in the mirror. 

As a general rule, rectangular frames go well with round faces, while oval faces can suit triangular shades. If you have a square face, curved frames might be the way to go. 

Black and brown leather belts 

Whether you are going for a strictly formal or more of a ‘smart casual’ look, you can rest assured that quality leather belts are capable of effectively complement the rest of what you wear. 

It would be a good idea for you to make sure your wardrobe includes one black belt and one brown belt — and, of course, you could keep more than one of each. These belts can easily be sourced from T.M. Lewin — and, for any formal event, you should make sure your shoes and belt match. 

Ties

Lifehack enthuses: “A tie has crossed a long way from an obligatory piece of bureaucratic formal wear to a strong statement item every elegant man can take a lot of pride in.”

Ties are also delightfully versatile, as they can satisfy both formal and casual dress codes. There’s a lot of scope for experimentation with ties; you could, for example, see what lengths and widths appear to complement different types of blazers.

You could also try various techniques for knotting ties and, if you wish, add a tie pin.