Once the suit, shirt and necktie parts are over with, most guys would think that you're ready to go for any formal event. Real formal fashion for men, however, is about much more than just the basics. While it's the basic things like a well-cut suit or a tie-and-shirt that matches which get you through the door, it's the little details of style that get you into the uppermost echelons and the most exclusive rooms.
Learn Your Leather
A lot of men, for example, start surveying other guys with the leather pieces that they wear, paying particular attention to the shoes. The styling and quality of your shoes can say a lot about you and your status (or the status you want to display), so it's a key piece.
Find footwear that's done with a classic style in a classic color and, if you can afford it, by a classic maker. Remember, formal affairs are all about classic traditions, so your style for the evening should comply. That's why buffed black wingtips will fly at a formal gala, whereas worn out square-toed boots in red won't.
Take care to match the color of your belt to that of your shoes. That is, brown belt with brown shoes and black belt to black shoes. It's that simple, but it's a little fashion footnote that a lot of men tend to forget, until someone else points it out for them.
Choose Cufflinks
Likened in purpose to neckties, cufflinks can be taken two ways. You could treat them as mere components required for a formal outfit, or as accessories that should put cohesively into your look for the evening. The latter is, of course, preferred. Bringing the necktie parallel even further, there's no such thing as too many cufflinks. Like ties, there's always a particular one that best suits your purposes and appearance for the evening.
If you're yet to start out on becoming a cufflink connoisseur, begin with a pair in plain silver, as they're the ones that can go with just about any other combination of clothes. From there, expand your choices out to black or white adornments like jet or pearl, and then move on up to stones like topaz or jade that will add color to your outfit.
The trick to it is treating your cufflinks like you would a colored accessory like a necktie. Whether you use it to complement or contrast, the most important thing is that it ties into other elements of your outfit one way or another to give cohesion.
Pick a Pocket Square
Whether you're at a business function in your everyday suit or at an evening gala in your once-a-year tux, a pocket square is imperative. It's that little geometric piece of cloth that separates the real men from the boys, at least in the fashion game.
The great thing about pocket squares is that they very rarely need to be fancy, and more often have to be simple and clean. Just one should do for most occasions, and shouldn't set you back more than the cost of a high-end necktie. You should get one, regardless.
Before dressing up for your event, try practicing the different methods of doing up a pocket square. You could do the plain old square that's good for a classic suit, or the twin peaks for a fancier look or a tux. And if you're feeling extra fashionable for the evening, try getting one of those imported jobs that have some volume to them (read: the ruffle outward) to really make a statement at the event.
At any formal event in the world, chances are good that everybody there will look like everybody else. In a sea of other men wearing suits and tuxes, it's up to these little style details to set you apart and make you memorably sartorial.
