Basics make the outfit

As I walk around campus going from class to class, it’s nothing for me to see a nice young man strolling past in a stylish shirt and crisp jeans. But time and again, you’ll find the same guy wearing a pair of shoes that is either scuffed up or fails to match the rest of his outfit. Once upon a time I was this guy, but now I don’t understand why you would do this.

The way I see it, if you’re going to wear a pair of played-out sneakers (see my aforementioned FUBUs or Shaqs from last week’s column), you might as well wear basketball shorts and a T-shirt with it. Don’t waste a stylish shirt and top-of-the-line jeans by lacing up shoes that don’t complement your outfit.

If you’re thinking you might get away with such a mistake because your shirt is nice, you’re wrong. I’ve noticed that it’s rare someone will compliment you on your shirt if they’re not feelin’ the rest of your get-up.

To help you out, here’s the key: Plan out your outfit from the ground up. Before you do anything else, pick out what shoes you want to wear that day. It might not seem like a big deal, but the shoe can make or break your outfit.

Completing an outfit doesn’t always mean having the right shoes. Small adjustments to a suit or pair of jeans can, sometimes, make all the difference. Your jeans should show some shape to your legs without being too snug. And while wearing those jeans, make sure your shirt does the same for your upper body. That’s completion of the outfit. Don’t throw on an XXL T-shirt with a pair of straight-leg jeans; you’ll look ridiculous.

When it comes to suits, small accents are very important. You can make a suit look much better on you by simply getting it tailored, unbuttoning one button or adding a pocket square.

For example, I was watching the second presidential debate the other night, and I couldn’t help but notice something strange about Sen. John McCain’s look. And it had nothing to do with his age. He looked OK, but something just didn’t seem right about it. After pondering for a few minutes, I figured it out. McCain’s suit was slightly ill-fitting. It didn’t appear tailored at all and the cuffs on his shirt sleeves were hidden underneath his blazer.

If McCain’s suit was, in fact, tailored, then it didn’t seem like it was done well. With a few stitches here and there, he could’ve made that suit instead of having the suit make him. Also, both candidates could have easily improved their look by adding a pocket square. It might not be presidential, but it would have caught everyone’s eye.

All of these things seem basic, but you would be surprised how many people break these simple style rules on a daily basis. When you get dressed in the morning, make your outfit count for something. Whether you’re bumming it or wearing a suit for that big interview, go all out. And, please, don’t mix “bum” with chic. It just doesn’t work.