10 Tips for Dressing Well in Washington, DC From Your Personal Tailor.
When you think of clothing in DC, you may think of a variety of things. From Trump’s incredibly long ties to Obama’s controversial tan suit, there’s been a lot to take in over the years. The style of those not sitting in the Oval Office isn’t scrutinized quite as heavily by the media, but there are still plenty of reasons to put real effort into the way you dress here. Whether someone is walking into a job interview or the job you’ve had for years, a working professional’s personal style speaks to who they are and what they can do. I’ve written up ten things I’ve learned from living in this area that are essential to elevating your personal style and making the most of DC.
Ask Questions
Know-it-alls are a dime a dozen. When it comes to dressing well, everyone’s got an opinion and very few have good style. You’ll hear “Slim fit is only for millennials”, “Triple pleats are back in style”, “The coolest way to tie your tie is a trinity knot”, with no authority to back up the words. Make it a goal to find respected people who dress objectively well and don’t be afraid to talk to them about their style! You can only learn so much from a distance and who knows; you might make a new connection, which could be a huge benefit to your time in DC.
2. Build a Relationship with a Tailor
This one is essential for a multitude of reasons. Whether you’re a regular at the gym or at the buffet, your body size and shape can change faster than you realize. Your suits can’t work out with you, so you’ll need an expert who can keep the clothes you have looking like they’re still your clothes. Sure, any old tailor might do the trick, but having someone you know and can trust when you’ve got a big interview and that perfect suit was purchased 20 pounds ago can really be the difference between getting the job or getting the boot.
If you’re in the DC area, Capitol Hill Clothiers’ personal recommendation is Dryy DC
3. Know how to Manage your Tie Knot to Collar Ratio
There are a multitude of tie knots and the same amount of variation in collar styles/widths. All too often, I see people with very short collars whose points are pretty close together wearing a full-Windsor knot. The proportions are all off and it’s a jarring sight. Because there are so many options, it would be difficult to make an exhaustive “do’s and don’ts” list, so I’ll let you learn visually with a few examples.
This knot is far too large for the shirt or the person wearing it.
There’s a lot I have to say about this outfit as a whole, but the first thing that grabs my attention is the gargantuan tie knot. This may as well be a caricature of the point I’m trying to make, but if you remember it, it’s worth something. The knot is easily taller than the collar itself and honestly about the same size triangle as his eyes and nose together. Too big. WAY too big.
This knot is too small for the accompanying shirt collar
This tie knot is about the size of a quarter in total. There are a few reasons this may be the case. The tie could be made of a very thin material with little to no additional canvasing or structure on the inside. The less there is to add mass, the smaller any knot will become. This photo doesn’t display this case, but often, a slimmer tie will yield a smaller knot, again due to having less overall fabric to create mass.
In this case, we have a tie with a minuscule knot that’s maybe a third of the total length of the collar. Proportions matter across the board with your outfits, so try REALLY hard not to let it get this out of whack.
Know a few different knots that work with each of your ties to get the right size compared to the collar you have on that day.
4. Own (And USE) an Iron and a Steamer
A wrinkly outfit makes you look like you slept in what you’re wearing. It labels you as careless and sloppy, which is a big red flag for anyone you’re hoping to network with. Putting effort into your appearance doesn’t stop at the swipe of your card, maintaining your clothing and ensuring the fabric looks good when you wear it is just as important as which clothes you bought in the first place. A decent steamer will get you a good 85% of the way through the battle against wrinkles, but for dress slacks and the very formal shirts, you’ll do best with an iron. Using these tools will give you clean creases, naturally flowing fabric, and the general vibe that “this outfit is on purpose”.
5. Keep your Undershirt Under
Keeping with the above theme of not looking sloppy and unplanned in your attire, it’s time to address a problem I see on the hill a LOT. Normal crew-neck t-shirts peeking out under unbuttoned dress shirts, sweaters, and polos. I am a huge fan of the deep v-neck undershirt. No matter what time of year it is or how many of the appropriate buttons I have undone on my dress shirt, it stays underneath everything. The job of an undershirt is to prevent sweat stains, chafing, and to provide a level of insulation during the hot or cold months. Would you flash the neck of a regular graphic tee underneath your dress shirt? Take the same approach to your undershirts.
Another helpful note here is that even an undershirt that doesn’t show at the neck can still show under a dress shirt. I recommend buying undershirts that match your skin tone as closely as possible to avoid the weird “triangle chest” look seen here.
6. Novelty Loses its Novelty
Whether it be wacky socks, a fun printed tie, or a mustache tie clip, novelty “fashion” is not fashionable. There’s a reason the classics have stood the test of time. You can have some fun for your office holiday party, but if you’re walking into work on August 5th with the same Snoopy and Woodstock tie, it’s time to re-evaluate your closet.
This doesn’t mean your clothing has to be boring, though! There are plenty of patterns and color combinations that show personality and style without being kitschy. Opt for accent colors that complement the base color of your outfit. perhaps match the gold tone of your watch to a similarly gold-toned tie bar or have a boldly patterned pocket square that picks up one of the less-prominent colors in your tie.
7. Quality over Quantity
H&M carries button-up dress shirts for $18. They are primarily polyester, offer no structure (or size, really) in the collar, and begin to show wear and stain after a very limited amount of use. Brooks Brothers carries dress shirts starting at around $100. They’re made from comfortable cotton, offer appropriate variations of collars, cuffs, fabrics, and are built to last. Overall, if you’re taking care of your garments, you’ll look better and spend less money if you spend on quality items that will last.
The way I recommend shopping is by evaluating the cost per wear of any item. Using the example above; If you wear a different dress shirt every weekday for work but have to replace low-quality shirts every two months, for example, you’re getting 8 wears out of a $15 shirt before it looks unpresentable. That’s $2.25 per wear. If you buy a quality shirt and maintain it properly, it can last for years. Even just one weekly wear per year of a $100 shirt comes out to $1.92 per wear. And it looks better in every way from day one. Purchasing a $1,500 suit that will fit better, look better, and last longer than a $200 suit just makes sense.
8. Purchase with a Purpose
When you purchase a garment, it’s incredibly useful to have a general idea of how you’re going to use that garment in the future. Across both genders, I’ve seen a lot of people love the way a particular item looks, put one outfit together with it, and then have no clue how to wear that piece outside that outfit. This style of shopping increases your cost-per-wear and creates unnecessary bulk in your wardrobe. It’s helpful to evaluate what you have and look for garments that can work across a variety of combinations. Having an eye for color and pattern matching is greatly helpful here, so here’s a guide in case you need a refresher.
9. Keep up with Trends
Okay, you don’t have to read the latest GQ article with every morning’s cup of coffee, but at least take note of the general style consensus you see around you. Patterns, colors, cuts, they all change with the times. If you notice things like “Hey, I’m the only one wearing a tie wider than a Yankee Candle”, I promise everyone else has been noticing for a very long time. Knowing what the current trends are and keeping up with the ones most relevant to your industry and lifestyle is a great way to make sure your image is up to date.
10. Rotate your Clothing Seasonally
Not all of us have the luxury of year-round perfect weather and your clothing should reflect the season you’re in. Linen doesn’t work in the winter just like tweed doesn’t work in the summer. Having a decent rotation of winter-weight clothing, summer-weight clothing, and year-round classics for the mild days will ensure that each item lasts through more of their designated seasons, you’re more comfortable, and no faux-pas will be committed.
