Savage Style: The Tie/Lapel/Shoulder Ratio

     

In my opinion, the man on the left is wearing a lapel too wide for his body. 

       Today I will once again venture into uncharted waters and initiate a style column. For those who are concerned about my credentials I assure you my tips are sound and worthy of your consideration. I have grown up in an entrepreneurial family working in the fashion industry and therefore have been exposed to the ever-changing world that is fashion and have developed an affinity for its study. I dream of a world where no one gives up on themselves and throws on a pair of Ugg boots and sweatpants because it's "comfortable." I dream of a world where everyone strives to look their best always and draws comfort from their suave wardrobe and not their elastic waistbands therefore I feel, despite my heterosexuality, plenty qualified to offer fashion advice. To begin, I will explain a simple rule for men: the Tie/Lapel/Shoulder ratio:

       I find that this rule is often overlooked because it, to the untrained eye, may seem insignificant. It is not insignificant. Myself, I am a very slender fellow but I have broader shoulders than most with my body type. For simplicity sake I will refer to myself as having a "medium-build." For a person with a body like myself, the point of a tie and a lapel would be simply to accentuate and glorify the shape of my body so I tend to wear medium-width ties that tend towards the thin side just because I like to pretend to be of a more imposing stature than I am with a medium width lapel. It's a simple as that. Therefore, for a more slender, less broad man I would recommend as thin a tie and lapel as he can find. The theory behind this is that the thinness of the tie and the lapel will make one look broader and more striking because of the contrast. If a thin man wears a wide tie, the tie will be almost as wide as his torso and he will look like a twig. Likewise, a larger, more broad man might want to venture into the thicker ties and lapels because it will be slimming. Mind you, I do not promote the use of super wide ties and lapels because I find they ruin the shape of an outfit somewhat but a broader man should go a little bit wider than his thinner counterparts just so that he doesn't look like a bus.
       This is a very simple rule and I suppose if I could leave the reader with one piece of advice it would be to not forget one's body type when purchasing a tie and a sportcoat/blazer. Little things like this can go a long way to accentuate one's assets.

~The Noble Savage