Yes. And no. I explain. If you are going for a classic look or want to follow the fashion rule on this, then yes they should match. However if you want to break the rule or is betting on a more casual look or even if you have a more alternative look, then they don’t. Let me illustrate it better.
With a suit, usually it is a good idea to match shoes and belts not only in the color (and preferable even in the shade of it) but also in the vibe (dress up or down vibe). If you want to go absolutely classic on that. If you want give a little edge to it, then you cam mismatch the shade of color, betting in a dark brown shoes and a medium brown belt. Or in a opaque black shoes and shiny black belt.
And yes, even with a suit there is a possibility of going beltless. Even if your pants have the place to wear a belt. Even without suspenders. It is up to you.
To be honest, I don’t like the idea of wearing, let’s say a brown belt to a black shoes. And vice-versa. Mostly. The only exception for me is in the case that your pants are black and you are wearing brown shoes. The vice-versa here sometimes don’t work as well.
And if by any chance your fashionable self are betting in a gray shoes then your belt could be gray, brown or black.
In a more casual look, then you don’t have to match shoes and belts. Although the deal with brown and black is the one to approach with caution here. Not always is gonna be a good idea.
And speaking of brown… this is a great bet to pair with colored shoes like sneakers, driving shoes, espadrilles etc. Beige is also a good bet. Black? Not so much. But it is possible.
And yes, it is a good idea to bet on belt that is more casual. I will talk more about it in another post.
And although I did this post with men in mind, women can also take a clue from it.
Forget about trends for a moment, this is a guideline to hem length in a classical, better way to go for it, if you are looking for a hem that plays on your team and makes you look polished.
First of all, the most important thing to have in mind is to hem the pants wearing the shoes you are planning to wear with that particular pants, because the height of the heels matter. This is the only way you can decide the proper length for your pants.
If by any chance you want to wear that particular pants with two different shoe heights then choose a length in between. But be aware that this is not going to look your best either way, just Okay. Okay? Unless the difference between the heights is close to nothing. Then this will be more than Okay.
Or you can choose the highest heel shoes to determine the hem and when you wear it with a flat shoes or a shoes with a lower heel then you hem it with a temporary hem via a hem tape, for instance. Although a wide leg pants or a pants in a very thin flowing fabric can be tricky to get away with it.
Anyways, here are the proper hems for every pants’ style:
Classic Straight Tailored Pants:
And here I am talking about a straight and slightly flowing pants that can be menswear inspired (or not). That kind of working trousers that could be part of a suit or the perfect piece to wear with a shirt or a blouse. The back of this pants should be ½” off the floor. In any way you should step on your hem with this one. In the front it could have a bit of drape (break) but not enough to hide the shoes. Or no break at all. In anyway, the front of your shoes should be visible.
Wide Leg Pants And Flare Pants:
They both look better with a longer hem length, that kind that almost sweeps the floor and has no break. Keep your back hem just a ¼” off the floor. Or even less, but never to the point of touching the floor. In the front, just a peek of your toe, if that much.
Bootcut Pants:
This one can get the both hem heights above or be placed in between them (¼” to ½” off the floor in the back).
Skinny Jeans, Leggings or Jeggings:
This is the most versatile type of pants in terms of hem. Because the hem will go with any shoe heights, from flat to stilettos and everything in between. This hem should be at the top of the ankle or somewhere around, up or down. But not much.
Straight Leg Slim Pants And Tapered Pants:
This straight is the one with a straight cut but quite slim, almost skinny so the cuff area usually is not wide enough to drape well over a shoe or even a boot. The tapered one starts as a straight one and from the knee starts tapering towards the bottom. In these two cases, the best hem option is around the bottom of the ankle, before your foot starts. Having said that, if the pants and the fabric allows you to go a bit further down (in the straight slim one), then you can do so.
Cropped Pants:
Or ankle pants. This type of pants demands some skin showing between your shoes and the pants. Unless you are going for ankle boots, then you can forget about it. Or keep that in mind and apply. This one should be hemmed pointing (or revealing) at the slimmest part of your ankle, somewhere around your ankle bone. Or a bit higher.
And the fun way can be adopted by a female, a male or a non binary. Here it is how:
Just pick a different neutral color to every piece in your look. This way: navy pants, white shirt, dark brown shoes, grey sweater or coat and voilà.
For that you can use any neutral color. And if you don’t know which ones are the neutral colors, let me tell you:
White.
Off-White (it is a dirty white that can oatmeal, linen, ecru, ivory, icy and so many other shades).
Gray.
Beige.
Camel.
Brown.
Khaki (beige or green).
Navy.
Black.
Blue jeans. In all its shades. Included the light blue jeans. Of course that if the jeans is in any of the color present on this list, it is also a neutral one.
I often include on this list of neutrals other colors that are almost neutrals like:
Olive, Military and Burgundy. There are lighter and darker shades of those colors as well.
Burgundy or basically any dark shade of red alike.
Olive or Military green. Those are very close shades of khaki green. Even a dark green can feature on this list.
And I do include them because like the other neutrals they do talk well with other colors. And yes, you could include that in your fun neutral look, however those colors will add an extra touch of color to your neutral look. If you want to keep a whole neutral look vibe, stick with the first list for your options.
And here it is your answer: the tip should touch the top of your belt. Have a look at the picture. The tip should never go longer than this. It could be a little shorter but never to the point of showing some shirt between the tie and the belt.
If you are not wearing any belt, just imagine where the belt would go or just don’t leave any shirt showing between the tie and the pants. Got it?
And if by any chance you want to break this rule, go shorter (but just a little bit, showing an inch or two of the shirt), never longer. Deal?
One thing that you should learn if you don’t know by now is how to tie a scarf. Because a scarf can be that final touch that will make a difference in your look. Or it will just add an extra charm.
In any case, there are tones of ways to do it. Some pretty known, others, not so much. And of course that you don’t need to know every single way there is. Just a few that speak to you and compliment your style. So you will have that in your styling sleeve from now on.
Below there is a video with 25 ways to tie a scarf. You can choose some of them and master to vary your scarf look whenever you feel up to.
Or you can pick one of them to be your trademark, if you don’t have one by now. That is also a possibility.
And yes, you can do it with a shawl or a with a thicker scarf.
Which one is your favorite or trademark? My to-go knot is the European knot (aka Chelsea Knot). But I like to vary…
I don’t know if you know but tying a tie in a classical way requires a dimple under the knot. Do you? It does. Besides that, tying your tie with a dimple will give a certain personality to it and will make the knot smoother therefore will drive more attention to your face. Because when there is no dimple it is like you focus there, on the knot. It screams for your attention. When there is a dimple, it gets softer and your attention is no longer demanded there. Just compare.
Photos: Getty Images.
And yes, a dimple is this indentation, this little fold under the knot.
If you don’t know how to actually give your tie a dimple, here it is the way I learned:
Just tie your tie the way you normally do it until you are going to finally tie the knot tight.
Then before you pull the tie to make it tight you put your index finger just below the knot and pinch the tie in a W.
Then pull the tie from the loop til the knot is tight as you like.
In the video below you can see this way and another way to give your tie a dimple.
Either way, just don’t forget about the dimple. And yes, you can keep on tying your tie without the dimple. Or alternate between the two options (with and without). Let your own style (and mood?) decides on that.
When traveling, if you want to keep it simple, comfortable and yet elegant, this is a great go to staple look to brave the airport style:
The Elements:
A comfy dark legging (black, grey, navy, brown…). A dark colored one is preferable cause if it gets dirty will not show up that easily. It’s gotta be comfortable (to sleep in), so pick one that it is not compressing tight and made of cotton, wool or viscose, depending on your destination. If you are going to a cold place, a warmer one made of wool or from one of those thermal fabrics is a good idea. If the place is gonna be hot, a cotton or a viscose one, please.
Dark and in a neutral color is a more versatile option for leggings.
A top that could be a shirt, a bohemian top, a blouse, a tunic, a t-shirt, a cami or tank top, a sweater, a sweater dress, a long sleeve t-shirt… anything very much your style. Still, choose a top accordingly to your destination: if cold, a warm one like a sweater is the way to go; if hot, a lighter one like a blouse or a t-shirt or a cami. Got it?
Here you can go neutral or with a splash of dark color. With a top in your style. And yes, it can a very basic, classic top or a trendy, not so basic one. It is up to you.
Having said that… if the place you are departing from is too cold, you can wear some warm clothes to travel and underneath or in your bag bring a fresher top, like a t-shirt or a cami to wear when you arrive. This is a good idea especially if you are going back to the same cold place.
And yes, a dark one is more practical. But it could be a dark shade of any color, not only neutrals. The same can be applied to the next element.
A coat, a cardigan or a jacket. Choose it according to your destination weather. If you are going to a cold place, you can wear your heavy coat. If you are going to a warm place, then a cardigan is enough to be your extra layer if you need one during your stay or while you are in the aircraft.
A splash of dark color is welcome for a coat, cardigan or jacket if you want to run away from neutrals.
It is a possibility (and a good idea) to take with you a nice pashmina. To warm you up in the airplane and in your destination. Even if over there is gonna be hot. You never know when that freezing breeze will strike your vacations. And a pashmina can be your just-in-case coat. No need for a cardigan or a jacket.
Who said you cannot have some fun with your shoes? A splash of color, animal print are welcome to add some jazz to your outfit. And if you are gonna go for the gym sneakers (the New Balance one on the photo), bet in a dark color to polish up the look. Leather or suede instead of canvas is also a more interesting option.
And finally shoes. An easy one to take off at the airport and comfortable to travel with. Good options: boots (ankle boots or mid calf boots, zippered or slip ons), sneakers (slip ons are the best bets), ballet flats, flat sandals (a little bit dressier than flip flops 🙏) and even wedges.
Okay, if you are a major boots fan and will take a knee high boot, you can travel wearing this one to save some space in your luggage. The same philosophy is applied to your heavy coat.
And yes, socks are a good item to bring with you if you wearing shoes without them. For the airplane ride.
A handbag: big enough to carry everything you need to with you. If you taking a carry-on with you, your handbag can be small as a baguette just to carry important things such as your passport, wallet, phone… things like that. And in your carry-on you can take your laptop, tablet, some clothes, a makeup bag, your jewelry etc…
The pashmina can be neutral or the splash of color in your look. And the sunnies can be a statement, why not?
Sunnies: Just.In.Case.
Underwear: pick a bra that is comfortable to sleep in and yet it has some proper support. But not the wired ones because, first, they can cause some trouble at the airport and second, it is not the most comfy one to sleep with. A comfy panties are a good idea too.
The last element is an optional one: headwear. If you are going to a cold place, a warm one (beanie, fedora etc) made of wool or felt is the perfect choice; if you are heading to a sun shinning destination, then consider a straw one like a Panama or then a cotton or linen one. And yes, the headwear can be part of your traveling look.
This way you are gonna be comfortable, cozy and presentable all times during your airplane ride, sleeping time included. And you will be prepared to face the different temperatures from your departure to your destination city and the airplane in between.
My name is Fab Fernandes and I am a 4.7 Personal Stylist and Fashion Stylist in the making. Here I am gonna blog about one of my passions: styling. Nope, I am not gonna give tips on how to become a Personal Stylist or a Stylist; instead, I am gonna offer some styling ideas and tips for you to add to your life. Things like how to wear an outfit like this, how to make an outfit look dress up and down, what that dress code means, how to pack efficiently etc. Yep, in another words I am gonna be your Personal Stylist.
Or something close to it.
Anyways, stay around cause I am giving daily tips, in small doses. For men and women. And I will also do my best to answer your styling questions. Just ask in any comments area.
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