FLAWLESS PROM STYLE, THIS WAY

A well-tailored prom suit or tuxedo goes a long way to make a man look his sharpest, but menswear stylists also always have a few tricks up their sleeves to make sure models look immaculate on set.

So, in the interest of sharing, we asked our stylists for a few of their favourites that’ll help sort the men from the boys on prom night.

So here’s the thing: classic menswear rules say you should always have your shirt tucked into your trousers, but this is prom and you should dress however makes you feel most like you. If you want your shirt worn casual and untucked, go for it. Really.

But, if you do decide to go for the pulled-together look, the trick to a flawless finish is to tuck your shirt not only into your trousers but right into your underwear too. Sounds weird, might feel a bit weird, but trust us, it works.

Talk to any tailor and you’ll hear them throw around the word ‘break’ when they’re talking about your trousers. This is where your trouser hem meets your shoe. With a tailored fit, your hem should just brush the top of your shoe. On a skinny fit, your hem will barely clip your shoe. Gone for an on-trend cropped trouser? Your hem will be nowhere near your shoe.

Bonus option: roll your hem a couple of times for a more casual vibe that works particularly well with a pair of trainers.

This one covers both your jacket cuff and your shirt cuff and it goes like this: your jacket cuff should sit at your wrist bone and your shirt cuff should be about 2.5cm longer. This is mostly designed so your shirt cuffs help to frame your suit, but is also a nice way to show off a cracking pair of cufflinks too.

If there’s one tailoring rule you need to know, it’s this: never fasten the bottom button of your jacket or waistcoat. The story goes this came from King Edward VII – not because he was the most stylish man of his day, but because he got too fat to fasten his bottom button. Because he was King, everyone else followed suit and to this day it’s the mark of a well-dressed man.

The rules for a one-button jacket are a little different (seeing as the top button is also the bottom button) so if you’re wearing it on its own, wear it buttoned while standing and undone when you sit down. If you’ve got a waistcoat underneath, undo your jacket and wear your waistcoat buttoned up, except for the last button.

If you wear a tie for school, you’ve probably got the four-in-hand knot (also known as the schoolboy knot) down, but to look like a man of the world, there are two styling tricks to check off before you head out.

First, length. The tip of your tie needs to touch your waistband. Not stop above it, not sit below it, but right at it. Second, meet the tie dimple. This is the artful little fold that adds depth and character to your tie. There’s a bit of a knack to it, but it’s achieved by pinching the fabric of your tie inside the tie knot just before you pull it through it for the last time. This should create a small dimple that will get held in place as you tighten your tie’s knot. Practise, as always, makes perfect.