﻿The Secret To Wearing A Suit Without A Tie (Don't Make These Mistakes!)
[0:00:00] A suit and a necktie,
hard to think of a more classic combo, right? But, what do you do if you want to look laid
back in your suit? How do you actually pull off a suit without a tie? There are
some big mistakes you need to avoid in order to make this combination work.
Not to worry, gents, Thomas, with Real Men Real Style here. And in today’s video,
I’m going to show you how to rock a suit without a tie. So, to start off,
let’s cover those mistakes you need to avoid. Mistake number one, choosing the wrong suit.
The suit is the foundation of this outfit, so the suit you choose is
actually very important. To start, stick with a single-breasted jacket with two buttons.
A three-button jacket and a double-breasted jacket are both very buttoned up formal looks and are
very difficult to pull off without a tie. As well, the colors and patterns you choose
matter. A formal suit in a dark color can work fine without a tie,
but brighter colors and patterns help bring down the formality of the suit, which fits well
with this more casual look combination. I also recommend avoiding stripe suits.
These are traditionally worn in business and look out of place without a tie.
Mistake number two, choosing the wrong shirt. The shirt you choose is just as important as the
suit you wear when dropping the necktie. You can choose to stick with a solid color dress shirt,
but some subtle patterns will add some much needed visual interests to the outfit.
As well, you don’t even have to stick with just dress shirts. Feel free to
pair your suit with an oxford button down, a turtle neck, or even a sharp polo shirt.
Mistake number three, choosing the wrong color style. I recommend choosing a spread collar
instead of the traditional point collar. The point collar is designed to be worn with a necktie. But,
the spread collar is more versatile because it looks great with a tie.
Put the wider points neatly tucked out of the way, when you’re choosing to skip the tie.
Mistake number four, don’t be too buttoned up. When skipping a tie, you need to pay attention
to how much you’re buttoning the shirt. Buttoning your shirt up all the way makes it
painfully obvious that’s something is missing. Make sure the top button is unfastened. But,
honestly, even this can look a little stuffy. For this reason, I recommend to unfasten two
buttons. It makes you look relaxed and laid back. Unless you have massive confidence,
stick with the two buttons. Going for three buttons starts to show a lot of skin. It’s not
a great choice for a more conservative setting. Mistake number five, wearing a floppy collar. A
key part of looking great when going tieless is a strong collar. A weak floppy collar that
falls underneath the jacket just isn’t going to cut it. Make sure the shirt has collar stays,
which will give it structure. And if you want a collar that’s
going to stay up all day long, look for a device like the Slick Collar.
Mistake number six, showing that undershirt. The point of skipping your necktie is to look
suave and relaxed. The quickest way to shoot yourself in the foot is to have your undershirt
gaping out. You’ll look like a dweeb. So, instead of a white crew neck, choose
an undershirt that has a deep neckline that will remain hidden when you undo those top buttons.
Mistake number seven, forgetting the accessories. The necktie adds a pop of color that pulls
the whole outfit together. Without that, your suit and shirt can start to look a bit plain.
Offset this by taking advantage of all the other accessories at your disposal.
Key one is to throw in a pocket square. If you want to keep it simple, go with a light
presidential fold. But, if you want something a little more interesting, there are a lot flashier
colors and fold types to choose from. As well, you can throw in a lapel pin and definitely don’t
forget to add a great looking dress watch. Now, that we’ve covered the mistakes you need
to avoid, here are some outfit combinations for inspiration.
Outfit number one, sweater weather. For look number one, I chose a white dress shirt with a
subtle blue stripe. Next, I added a navy blue mock neck sweater with a buttoned top. The sweater has
a sleek design that pairs nicely with a suit. Next up is the accessories. First, a blue pocket
square with a small repeating pattern in a two-point fold. Then, I added a simple dress
watch with a white dial, a silver case in a brown leather strap. For footwear, I selected a pair
of quarter brogues in the dark brown color. Outfit number two, turtleneck season. This is
perfect choice for when the weather turns cool and you want that laid back look.
I chose a red turtleneck instead of a dress shirt, then added a red pocket square with
a small repeating pattern in a puff fold. For the watch, I selected a black chronograph
with a silver case in a black leather strap. For footwear, I chose a pair
of black dress shoes no-wing tip design. Outfit number three, polo time. I’ve dressed
down the final outfit by choosing a navy polo shirt in a merino wool fabric. I wanted a strong
pop up color, so I chose a green pocket square with a polka dot pattern in a scallop fold.
For the watch, I selected a dive watch with a black dial and stainless steel casing band.
For the footwear, I kept the casual with a pair of black leather dress sneakers.
So, gents, what’s your favorite way to wear a suit without a tie?
Let me know in the comments below. Now, you know how to pull off this look
like a boss, but what about pairing jeans with a blazer? Don’t worry, gents, I’ve got you in this
video right here, where I’m going to cover all the secrets for rocking jeans with a blazer.
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