5 Great Reasons To Dress Up…

You may well ask why I’d be writing a blog about reasons to dress up whilst the world is experiencing varying levels of Covid 19 restrictions. I believe there is even a current joke about our bins getting to go out more often than we do!

I decided to post this despite the current restrictions to provide a focus to help us remain positive and to turn our minds towards the time when restrictions are eased or lifted.

I imagine a great increase in the number of people wanting to go out and celebrate and make up for lost time with their friends and families.

While we’re waiting, we can use the time fruitfully and plan a look we feel good in when we can go out again. Who knows, we may decide to enter into our new world with an entirely new look…

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We can, within reason, wear whatever we like whenever we want to. But there are those occasions, when we want to dress it up a bit and wear a suit, jacket or blazer for a more informal event. All of the suggested looks are of course, interchangeable. It all depends on how you feel at the time and what items you have available.

And, full disclosure, this post does contain affiliate links, which means I get a little bit of money from any purchases made through them. That said, I only recommend products that I’ve either purchased or would be confident purchasing myself. As you can see, a big part of Our Mission is to help people replicate specific looks in a cost-effective way and the links provided here aim to do just that.

Here are The British Dapper’s 5 great reasons for taking the opportunity to get dressed up:

1. A birthday or anniversary celebration
2. An evening out with friends
3. Dinner for two
4. Shopping trip into town
5. Just because you can.

A Birthday or Anniversary Celebration

Whilst you may have a formal suit hanging in your closet, you might consider it to be too formal or stuffy for a birthday party or celebration.

Yet it tends to be the accessories to the suit that makes the suit look more formal. Things like the tie, the shirt or the shoes etc.

What you wear with the suit can change it’s visual impact on others.

A suit can look entirely different if you wear a more patterned or colourful tie for example.

Another look can be achieved with the same suit by ditching the tie and going with an open necked shirt.

You could even wear a more colourful or stripped shirt to achieve a further distinct look – all with the same suit!

Choosing to wear just the waistcoat and trousers instead of the full 3-piece suit creates a great look that’s less formal.

You can use more informal or fashionable shoes with your suit. The choice of jewellery, such as the cufflinks or watch you wear can also pep up the look to make it less formal.

Here I’ve chosen to ditch the tie and go with an open necked shirt…

This is a plain single breasted two buttoned navy suit with a single vent. (You can find out more about the different styles of suit here). I’ve used a pink shirt to add a little warmth and a pocket square with blues and cream in it. The watch is a steel casing and bracelet with a complementing blue face and a pair of light tan brogues completes the overall casual, yet elegant look. To replicate a similar look for a reasonable price, check out the links below:

An Evening Out With Friends

Some night clubs and restaurants have dress codes, so if a person is wearing jeans, t-shirts or trainers they wouldn’t be allowed in, despite having made a previous reservation or booking.

Whilst a suit can be acceptable, you might feel this to be a little too much. Consider wearing a sports jacket or blazer, with some trousers or chinos as an alternative to jeans.

The basic rules regarding the fit of a jacket and trousers still applies, the only difference being that the jacket and trousers don’t match.

A coloured, patterned or striped shirt can also soften the look.

A waistcoat can be worn under the jacket, or by itself. You can allow the colours in the jacket or waistcoat to point to the colour of your shoes.

Jackets that are dark in colour such as black, dark blue, navy blue, charcoal grey or mid grey suggests that black shoes, or shoes with a dark blue base are to be worn.

Jackets which are lighter in colour such as green, brown, beige, light blue or light grey suggests brown, tan, grey shoes, or shoes with a lighter blue base are to be worn.

Here is another outfit you might like…

This is a similar look to the previous recommendation. It’s the same suit, but this time I’m using a blue on white floral patterned shirt to deformalise the suit, and a pocket square with blues and cream to compliment the shirt. If you’re uncomfortable with the pocket square – just lose that element of the look. Consider the use of a discreet and tasteful lapel pin. The watch is a steel case and bracelet with a complementing blue face. A pair of patent lace up oxfords with some brogue detail completes another casual, yet elegant look. A pair of blue suede or leather Chelsea boots provides an alternative to the shoes if desired.

To replicate a similar look for a reasonable price, check out the links below:

Dinner For Two

Maybe you want make that special effort to impress someone. Depending on who that someone is, taking them out to dinner can be an opportunity to have a romantic meal, an informal business meeting, or a catch up with an old friend.

In these situations you might not feel it appropriate to wear jeans, t-shirts or trainers. A suit can be acceptable, or should you think this a little too much you could choose a sports jacket or blazer, worn with some trousers or chinos or even a pair of jeans as shown below…

Here is an outfit that is less formal and easy to wear…

This is a great way of dressing up a little more than wearing just a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. It’s a casual way of wearing a single breasted two buttoned tweed sports jacket with a single vent. This time I’ve gone with a crisp white shirt, a contrasting burgundy waist coat and a charcoal grey pocket square with white polka-dots.

If you feel more comfortable wearing a pair of jeans rather than a pair of trousers or chinos, that’s great, but be mindful of the colour. Generally with this look darker coloured jeans go best. Again you could consider wearing a discreet and tasteful lapel pin, although I haven’t worn one here.

With this look I’d normally wear a watch with a steel or a gold colour casing and a brown leather strap with a pair of silver detailed cufflinks. Finally a pair of oxblood lace up brogues are worn, which completes yet another casual, but elegant look.

To replicate a similar look for a reasonable price, check out the links below:

Shopping Trip Into Town

Some people like to dress up or make that special effort when going into town shopping. Going out to the shops can be a special occasion. For example, a day’s shopping in London or visiting the shops whilst on holiday.

It can be a real treat for you and your partner or companion when a little bit more of an effort is made when going out. It makes more of an occasion of visiting some shops. The tone of the day is enriched by stopping off for coffee or a spot of lunch, before continuing on for a little more leisurely browsing or shopping together.

Here’s your opportunity to wear that suit, or a jacket or blazer with a tie.

Here is something a little more dressed up…

This is a great way of dressing up a little more, and it’s one of my favourite looks. A single breasted two buttoned Glen Check (Prince of Wales pattern), 3 piece suit in browns and greys, with a light blue over check pattern and a single vent. This time I’ve chosen a cool pale blue shirt, with a purple, blue and silver flowery patterned silk tie, complimented by a purple pocket square with white polka-dots.

This time I’m wearing a lapel pin based on a Scottish thistle.

With this look I’d normally wear gold coloured jewellery. A watch with a gold colour casing and a gold coloured bracelet strap, a gold signet ring and a pair of black and gold coloured cufflinks. Finally a pair of oxblood lace up brogues complete this elegant look. To replicate a similar look for a reasonable price, check out the links below:

Just Because You Can

Currently there is a big revival in vintage clothing and attire. Items like vintage hats are becoming very sought after for example. People are once again interested in wearing the fashionable clothes that were worn in the 1920’s, right through to the 1960’s.

The original items can be very expensive to buy and some people are choosing to mimic a particular look with newer items fashioned in the vintage style.

Others, who may consider themselves to be more purist, save up to purchase and collect the original version.

People are becoming pieces of living history by styling themselves in this way,

Over the past 5 years there’s been a steady increase in the number of people sourcing vintage clothes and preloved items through specialist stores selling vintage clothing. These items can be found at thrift stores, charity shops, garage sales, or sites like Ebay or Gumtree.

This is potentially a great way to collect those prized items, however it can take time and it’s certainly not a quick way of gathering an outfit at short notice.

How About Upping Your Game?

Upgrade your look in some easily achievable ways:

Wear a hat. A Fedora, Trilby or Homburg style hat, or why not even a Bowler hat? All these styles come in a range of colours, so you can choose which matches your outfit best.

Wear an older style of shoe (Spectators as an example) or an Italian design, a monk style or a Loafer style shoe.

Wear an overcoat. A classic style wool or tweed coat or a covert coat.

Wear a new or vintage sports jacket or a new or preloved suit.

Wear a trench coat (raincoat)

These come in a range of colours, styles and lengths. They’re thinner than a wool coat, so they’re great in spring or autumn as another layer. They’re also shower or waterproof, so if you get caught out in the rain you’ve got it covered.

It surprising what a difference these changes will make to your image and how you feel about yourself.

I hope this post has sparked your imagination and provided some new styling ideas for what will hopefully soon be again, common and popular reasons, (or excuses), for getting dressed up and enjoying time spent socially together.

Remember, if you need advice on cleaning shoes then just click on this link to see our recent video: