adminIT’S not often that my grandfather, Khulu Dube, wears a suit but when he does, he means serious business. He makes sure his shirt is crisp; trousers and jacket check with the famous imiqolo/mipono in all the right places, the shoes are well polished I could almost see myself on them, socks, tie check and the signature hat.
Khulu Dube’s look is incomplete without that hat he probably bought many years ago when he still worked as a police officer. The hat is timeless and has since been adopted into recent fashion trends. Then there is the walking stick he never uses on any other day except when he’s wearing a suit — the walking stick is all about the swag of course.
I’d like to believe back in the day when he went out for special occasions; he’d still rock a special suit, hat and walking stick and now in his 80s still does so, yet many young men today either don’t own a suit or if they do, are clueless as to how to wear it correctly.
Bulawayo comedians Babongile Sikhonjwa and Clive Chigubhu as well as Zimdancehall artist Tocky Vibes made futile attempts at suiting up at this year’s National Arts Merit Awards held in Harare on Valentine’s Day. Both Sikhonjwa and Chigubhu wore oversize suits while Tocky Vibes, well, was probably not built for suits although I suffer a dilemma over his dress sense and still believe he could have cleaned up nice and looked good in a suit.
There is a suit for every man out there; it’s simply a matter of being aware of your preferred style and your body shape. After all, looking good attracts the attention you need and want to keep. Dressing sharp also shows maturity, radiates self-respect and boosts self-confidence.
Men have it easy when it comes to dressing up because there are general rules they can use as a guideline when suiting up. For starters, any tie goes with a white shirt so owning a couple of them will work in your favour. The width of the tie should match the width of the jacket collar because it’s all about balance. If your jacket collar is slim, you need a slim tie, if it’s wide, then a wider tie will do. Also, your tie should always be darker than your shirt.
In general, thin jacket collars are more modern while wide jacket collars are more old-school, the kind Khulu Dube would wear.
A pocket square adds an extra level of polish to your look, but make sure it doesn’t match your tie in either pattern or fabric choice.
Before you go totally conservative, remember that the pocket square is where you get the most freedom and the one place you get to add a little glamour to your suit.
When buying an off-the-rack suit, the number one thing to check is how the shoulders fit. Shoulder pads should end at the shoulders so make sure they don’t stick out or stick up like our celebrities had them on the Nama red carpet.
A collar gap between your jacket’s collar and your shirt’s collar can signify an ill-fitting jacket. Your belt should be fairly thin and the same colour as your shoes. Double vents in the back are more modern and fashionable. This look is also more flattering for larger figures, and it gives you enough room to do that effortlessly casual “hand in pocket” thing. Khulu Dube wears a single vent jacket but still looks dapper in it.
Always unbutton your suit before sitting down, or you risk ruining it. If you’re wearing a vest or what others would call a waistcoat, always keep the bottom button unbuttoned.
There are practical reasons for waistcoats beyond just how they look. A waistcoat is best worn with single-breasted suits so that it’s actually visible. Sleeve cuffs should be exposed a few centimetres from your jacket. For a harmonious look, try to match the visible cuff length to the amount of collar that is visible at the back of the neck.
Too many Zimbabwean men don’t know this but PLEASE remove the little embroidered label from the jacket’s left sleeve, unstitch the jacket’s pockets and remove the tack stitches from the jacket’s vents. Make sure that your socks are long enough such that your legs are not exposed when you’re sitting down; no one needs to see your hairy legs.
The suit jacket should be just long enough to cover your trousers’ zipper and butt but with the advent of the slim fit suit, too many men wear too short a jacket, especially the tall and slim ones. It’s no excuse though to have a jacket that looks like it was hung on you.
Your tie should just reach the waistband of your trousers, or be slightly shorter. For a more fashion-forward look, the trousers’ hem should hit right at the top of your shoe but if a more conservative look is what you want, the pants should cover the top of the shoe and part of the laces.
If you sweat a lot, wear an undershirt. Preferably a plain one with a deep neck so it doesn’t peek through; nothing will cheapen the appearance of a suit more than a glimpse of undershirt.
Gentlemen suit up when the occasion demands — make sure you do it right!
Until next week, flaunt your pattern and style and don’t forget to drop me an e-mail at [email protected] for feedback.
Bongani Moyo
Online Reporter