Itโs that time again when the Aussie male collective dust off their best threads for a month of pre-summer indulgence in day drinking and a cheeky punt. While every man might think theyโre bringing their suiting A-game thereโs always someone that slots in a few rungs higher on the social style ladder, dressed just a little sharper than they are.
Itโs not because of money. Itโs not because of looks. The real reason theyโre ahead and youโre behind is because youโre missing one of our golden tickets to effortless Spring Racing cool. Weโve kept the rulebook short and sharp so this year youโve got no excuse.
Ditch the belt.
Unless your body type specifically needs a belt, there shouldnโt be a belt anywhere in your outfit. A outfit, like this one from Calibre, should fit your body to a tee. If youโre buying off the rack, thatโs fine, just spend a little extra coin to get it tailored to near perfect. This is especially relevant for suits of lighter shades such as soft blues, greys and beige. Any belt worn with these suits will be too dramatically contrasted. It looks tacky, so remove the belt and get your suit fitted properly.
Sort out the blue suit/brown shoes combination.
No blinding electric blue suits this year please gents. This is an outfit that can look incredibly cheap if done incorrectly. Either try a softer shade of blue (without the aforementioned belt) or a dark navy. If your shoes are going to be brown, do your best to make them as dark as possible or itโll look like you just came straight from your Year 10 school formal.
Keep your pocket square tight.
Less is more. Sharper is better. A colourful pocket square is great, just keep it reined in so it doesnโt drown out other aspects of your outfit. Other accessories to consider would be a tie bar or a lapel pin to tighten your look up even further.
The days of skinny lapels are over.
If youโre planning on wearing a suit thatโs lapel width โ at its widest point โ is less than 7 centimetres, put it in the bin. As a blokeโs body grows, his suit must grow with him. Get it sorted.
Decide on your trouser length.
While the length of oneโs trouser is entirely subjective, youโve got to be mindful of sending the wrong message. Your whole suit could fit perfectly, but a strong break in the trouser that rests on your shoe will look heavy and misjudged, implying you only got the job 90% done. Donโt half arse it, slightly shorter is usually better if youโre unsure.
For Godโs sake, wear whatever socks you want, just promise us youโll wear socks.
If you nail the trouser length, you can nail the sock game. But to nail the sock game you need to be wearing socks in the first place. Unless youโre boating through the islands of southern Italy or strolling the Champs-รlysรฉes on a balmy summerโs evening, you need to wear socks. Full suits always require socks. Wear whatever kind of flamboyant crazy socks you want, but for Godโs sake just wear some. Check out Calibreโs range of socks here for a start, the Burlington Clyde designs are our faves.
The Windsor knot is dead.
Every bloke with any knowledge of menswear sports a four-in-hand knot. Prince Charles wears a four-in-hand. Also known as the schoolboy knot, this tying method is simple and easy not to cock up. Shop some gorgeous Calibre ties here.
If youโre wearing a tie (and you should be), donโt you dare undo your top button.
It looks messy and you may as well have not worn a tie in the first place. If tight shirts are your caveat to this rule, consider getting one tailored to give you the perfect breathability around your neck while being able to keep the tie on all day.
Lose the bulge.
And by that we mean lose the wallet. Donโt actually lose your wallet, just take the essential cards, pop them in a sleeker cardholder and leave the clunky thing at home. You donโt need cash or coins these days, you donโt need your expired student card from 2008. A driverโs license, two cash cards and a phone is the minimum kit required. Slim it down.
Upgrade your kit.
Donโt be that guy that wears the same suit to the same race day three years in a row. Invest in two or three premium set-ups, have them tailored and then rotate accordingly while adding the latest accessories each year to keep the overall look fresh.
Shop the best of Spring Racing at Calibre.
