No look will be complete and satisfactorily “you” without the accessories that make it as a whole. It takes a village to create a remarkable look that aces style and exceeds expectation. The village in this case represents the combined effort of your clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories. Accessories are found to instantly hype up and transform any look.
Men’s accessories matter, because they are what set you apart from other men. We all know that the clothes we wear today are generally mass-produced maybe produced in a limited number. And with the advanced technology, it is always easy to duplicate or copy designs or looks. But if you have an eye for great accessorizing, you will surely standout from the crowd. Accessories must be present in every gentleman’s wardrobe. They do not have to be many. If you only have few, but functional and versatile pieces, you will go far with your look.
As we have said, the accessories you wear will add flavor to your look. But just like in choosing the right clothes, bag, and shoes, we have to be just as careful with the accessories we choose to add or mix with our looks. They are meant to highlight our outfit, not break it. The role of accessories is pretty just the same in our everyday outfits as when we are all glammed up for the party.
Facts
We are always updated about the latest in men’s fashion. But what we do not really know are the facts behind them. So we have come up with this list of interesting anfd thought-provoking facts about some of our favorite men’s accessories.
- The paper top knot hats worn by Korean men were responsible for the creation of umbrellas.
- In 1850s, baseball umpires wore top hats.
- Black cabs in London had to be tall so gentlemen won’t have to remove their top hat when riding on them.
- The beret hats were used by military men because of they were warm, weatherproof, easy to carry, and cheap to make.
- The first wristwatches were intended to be used by women as men used pocket watches.
- The first wristwatch with alarm was launched by Eterna during the period of the First World War.
- The Cyclops feature in a watch that allows easier reading of the date first came out in 1950s.
- Daniel Craig, when he played as James Bond, sported an Omega watch.
- Polaroid filters intended to protect eyes from harmful UV were created in 1936.
- It was believed that Roman Emperor Nero used to witness gladiator fights through polished emeralds.
Cufflinks and Tie Clips
When we talk about suit, we immediately think of the ties that go along with it. Nonetheless, it is not only the tie that completes a suit-based outfit. To pull off that eye-catching debonair look, make sure you appropriately accessorize you well-fitting suit. A complement of the color or shade of your suit to that of your tie makes your look even more coherent and stylish. But that does not stop there.
The meeting or any event may last for a couple of hours, and in some cases it may be for a whole day or a long night. You do not want to check and adjust your tie every now and then. The solution: tie clips. They are the tiny accessories that fasten your tie to the placket of the shirt. It comes in different designs, although the more common is the tie bar, which is further categorized into a pinch clasp or slide clasp. It is recommended that you place the tie clips, especially the tie bar, between the third and fourth button of the shirt, not only clipping the tie itself, but the placket of the shirt as well. It is a rule that your tie bar should not be any wider than your tie.
Moving on, another quintessential suit accessory is the cufflink. Cufflinks are types of jewelry men use to secure the cuffs of their shirt or dress shirts, which could be made of leather, glass, stone, or precious materials. They are optional accessories for your dress shirts, but when it comes to formal events, wearing a suit or tuxedo may require you to put on a coordinating pair of cufflinks.
Watches and Timepieces
Men do not get to wear as much as jewelry as women does. This is something that emphasizes the need for men to sport a good-looking, top-of-the-line timepiece. They only get to express themselves by the watch they wear, which does not only depict style, but status as well. This is not so bad at all considering that watches do not serve as an accessory, but it doubles as a great investment, too.
We know that watches are not the only ones that can tell time as we now have our phones. But certain situations call for the use or service of a watch. You cannot check the time through your phone in the middle of an important meeting without offending your co-leagues, or your client. A watch allows you to check the time in a subtle way. Watches come in different made and features. There are the classic, minimalist, and sophisticated watches, there are modern or future-inspired, bold, and complication timepieces. At the end of the day, it is about complementing it to your look and matching it with your personality.
Hats
Hat is an essential men’s accessory. It does not only serve as a protective cover, but also instantly improves your look. This is, of course, assuming you have the right hat for your look. The best thing about hats is that they come in different designs such that there is really a clear distinction between them. Some hats are perfect accessories for summer, while there are others designed to keep off the cold during the winter. Moreover, hats range from casual to formal, and from cool to gentleman. Among the more popular types of hats are the dad hat, fedora, snapback, and beanie.
Jewelry
Jewelry works well for both men and women. For men, there are lots of jewelry designs to choose from depending on the look you want to rock. Many male band vocalists wear jewelries to further express themselves and to establish an image. Apart from that, jewelry is an indication of one’s commitment, priorities, lifestyle, and status in the society. You see, jewelries are powerful accessories. Hence, it is of great importance that we pay close attention to the jewelries we wear. Many stylists advise men to keep their jewelries simple and classic, while making sure that your jewelries and clothes match. Invest on the basics like watch, necklace, earrings, bracelet, and ring. Of course, you do not have to collect all of them or wear them all at once. But more importantly, remember that some jewelry has origin and this may be of cultural origin. So make sure you research what does that specific item means.
Pens and Stationery
Men who like to stay organized and on top of their busy schedule will always want to have a set of pens and stationery within his reach. These are important when attending meetings or trying to plan for your schedule. A well-equipped office or home office will instantly boost one’s motivation to work. When you have everything you need, you get to work smoothly and without any hassle. While we value the substance or content of the document, still, a good presentation including a good pen used to sign it will have a lasting effect to its reader.
Belts
News flash: Belts can either make or break your look. Some men do not really take much time in choosing which belt to use. As long as it fits, then that’s it. But belts come in different design, style, material, and size. They do not vary for nothing. One type of belt works differently from the others, which is why men should carefully accessorize themselves with belt. Apart from its main task that is to hold up the trousers, belts can likewise be fashion statements, especially when you tuck your top under your pants thereby exposing your belt. Not only that, the belt effectively creates a line between your upper and lower garment. Among the factors to consider when sporting a belt are size, especially its width, and the style, whether casual or formal.
Glasses and Frames
In the past, men with frames were easily labeled as nerds, uncool, or unattractive. But with the modern take on eyeglasses featuring updated frames, these have easily become fashion accessories. Now, men can choose from a wide range of frames depending on the shape of their face, and even skin tone. Men with round face look cool in rectangle, square, or aviator-style glasses, while oval-shaped face work well with any frame style. Indeed, eyeglasses have become a great accessory for men that even those without eye or vision problem wear them as fashion statement.
Sunglasses
The easiest and most common accessory the men of today would own are the sunglasses. We say that it is the easiest since it will only take you a look in the mirror to see if it suits you and that’s it, you have just become one hundred percent cooler. Sunglasses do not only protect your eyes from direct sunlight, they are stylish and proven to transform any look from a C to an A+. they are effective in showcasing your personal style and a perfect tool to disguise those eyebags. Sunglasses vary in style to suit different occasions. Depending on your mood or peg that day, you can switch your sunglasses from time to time. You can never have too many sunglasses. Some come in dark shades, others feature bright colors, while other feature the cool mirror lenses.
Scarves
The cold season has just become warmer and cooler with men’s scarves. Apart from being an effective winter-warmer, scarves are great accessories adding color to your look. You see, scarves are pretty powerful accessories. They can effortlessly improve your rather bland or dull outfit. Wearing scarf in a different, relatively contrasting shade is likewise an ideal accessory to a monochromatic look. Scarves can be lightweight or thick and a little heavy. This means you can still parade your scarves even outside the cold season. They could be made from linen, silk, cotton, synthetic materials, cashmere, and wool.
Ties and Bow Ties
Nothing makes someone more gentlemanly or masculine than ties. Ties and bow ties are among the top gift choices for men, which is totally not suprising. Ties come in a handful of designs from plain or with minimal prints to the most outrageous and boldest designs. Men, generally, wear ties to work or to a formal event. But in casual scenarios, there are also men who accessorize their look with ties. Younger men of today wear bow ties with casual shirt and chinos, and for some reason, it works! A loose knot in the tie makes it less formal, as well as, the use of ties with plaids or stripes in a little brighter color. But for formal events, ties in solid colors, more on the darker, neutral, or earth colors, are spot-on. Psychologically, a good-looking and well-fitting tie commands respect, which adds to your confidence.