When a man chooses to wear a suit without a
necktie, do you think there's a correct, a proper way to do this? I think many of us would
say there's a correct way to actually do this because although most of us would agree this
combination looks good, what about this one? Or what if you decide to skip the shirt entirely
and go for this look? Yeah, believe it or not, this was trending a few years back. Now, what
if I were to tell you every single one of those suit combinations can work in the right situation?
Seriously, every single one of them. Gents, it just comes down to avoiding the common mistakes.
And... having the key insights to make this combination look good. First mistake when wearing
a suit without a necktie is choosing the wrong shirt. And let me elaborate on this because
there's a lot of other items besides a shirt that you could actually wear underneath that
suit jacket. T-shirts, henleys, knitwear like turtlenecks, obviously dress shirts, but also
casual button downs. And believe it or not, if you choose the right one, I think even a
hoodie can look good under a suit jacket. And in hot weather, one of my favorites, the polo.
That being said, I'm going to go ahead and Let's get specific about shirts. And this one
isn't often talked about because it's hard to put your finger on and it is the drape of
the fabric. Now, the drape of a fabric is the way that it hangs. You're going to have certain
fabrics that are going to have a sheen to them, are just going to have a silky like feel. And
these in general are going to look higher end. You have other materials oftentimes like cotton
which are going to be on the other end of the spectrum will wrinkle very easily and sometimes
you have a very rough just uneven look to them. Now, those types of shirts can look fine when
worn in a casual situation. But, when trying to wear that type of fabric with a suit, all
of a sudden it can give off a vibe. It's oil and water, it just doesn't seem to mix. Now,
as many of you guys know, shirt collars come in a wide variety of styles and colors. But,
the key to making a shirt collar look great when you're not wearing a necktie is to make
sure when you select the collar, this is one that can stand on its own. What you want to
avoid is that floppy dead lifeless looking collar that, yeah, just after a few washes on
certain polos, yeah, it's just too soft or it just comes out looking like a floppy piece
of bacon. Right with that, you want to pay attention to the placket. The placket is going
to be the fold over on the front of the shirt on a button-up dress shirt. And on some polos,
you'll find a strong placket which, again, is going to support the collar. and keep it upright. Now, gents, as I'm talking about all this,
wouldn't it be nice if there was a company that came out with a shirt that had a great collar that had a great placket, looked amazing whenever you matched it with a sports jacket
or a suit jacket or a blazer jacket. In general, when you layer the shirt with anything, it's going to look good. Who am I talking about, gents? Today's sponsor,
Collars & Co. Now, gents, for years, I've been talking about Collars & Co. because I love what these guys do. Collars & Co. designed the perfect
shirt with that dress shirt collar with that front strong placket. made from a material that's going to have stretch,
it's going to be breathable. In a nutshell, you get the look of a dress shirt without the
hassle. And, gents, I have to say personally I love traveling with these shirts. Here's a
picture of me with my daughter, Marina, at her baptism. Notice the shirt I'm wearing right
there, that's a Collars and Co. And what I loved about this, it was a hot summer day, it
was breathable. I was sweating on this thing, but it wasn't too bad. I had to look good. And,
I'm going to show you how to wear this shirt. they're timeless in design. They've got the
four most classic collars out there, the English spread collar, the semi-spread, the Oxford button-down
and cutaway collars. And their colors and pattern choices. Yes, they've got the classics, you've
got the blues, you've got the whites. But, of course, they've got tons of other great looking
patterns and colors depending on what you wear. My suggestion though would be, hey, I already
have a white polo. I'm not getting many miles out of it. This would be the one I would start
with or maybe a dark blue. Oh, and I talked about innovation, collars and coat was on Shark
Tank. In fact, Mark Cuban invested $1 million into this company. I'm also loving their line
of sweaters and outerwear, perfect for fall and winter. Now, gents, to make sure you get
the best deal on the web, use the code RMRS and that link. down in the description of today's video. Again, gents, awesome company, great products. Use that
link in the description of today's video. Go over to Collars & Co. Check them out. I just love innovative brands started by entrepreneurs solving a problem and they're incredibly
comfortable shirts that look good. Let's talk about that suit without a shirt combination,
how to make this look good. Now, my answer is don't even try to do it. Seriously, just
think about how bad that suit has got to be smelling after one wear on a hot summer day.
But, seriously, gents, it was a trend just a couple of years ago. And whether or not I
agree with the look or not, there were guys that were actually pulling this off. Now, I
bring up this rule to highlight the biggest mistake a guy can make when wearing a suit without
a necktie. And that mistake is when a man forgoes the dress code, but he doesn't have a high enough
status to flaunt the rules. Example, those guys wearing those extreme looks. they are rock
stars, they're movie stars, they're on the red carpet, and they're all about getting their
picture taken. Now, if you were to show up to a party dressed like that, unless you're
a musician, a creative, or you have the confidence to be able to rock that look and your status
is such that no one's going to f**k with you, then, yeah, you could be the talk of the party.
But for most guys, they wouldn't be able to pull this look off. Now, that example may be
a little bit too extreme. Let me give you something more practical. If you're a new associate working
at a conservative law firm, consulting firm, or bank. And although they may say they don't
have a dress code, you notice that all the other men at that firm actually wear a suit
and tie. Gents, in this situation, you want to mimic what others are doing. And let me be
clear, I'm all about you expressing yourself. But the reality is even when there's not a dress
code, there is an unspoken dress code. And if you're not in a position of leadership or
ownership and especially if you're just getting started and people don't know you, then for
sure you want to make sure your dress reflects that of the tribe. Now, the next mistake I see
you guys making when they're trying to wear a suit without a necktie is that they don't
understand the difference between a suit, a sports jacket or a blazer. Now, I get it. These
words are thrown around like they're the same thing. I'm going to quickly bring up an infographic
that explains the difference. If you want more information, again, check out the link in the
description of today's video. But, in general... suits are going to be more formal, blazers are
going to be right under them at levels of formality, and sports jackets are going to be the least
formal. So, what's the issue? Well, it comes down to what are you going to choose to wear
with them. And understand that if you're going to be wearing something more casual like a sports
jacket, sports jackets don't come with matching trousers. A suit is defined as a jacket and
trousers made from the same material. So, in general, sports jackets and to a degree blazers,
you're going to have a little bit more freedom of what you can mix and match with them. That
being said, there are casual suits made from materials that are going to make them a lot
less formal than even some of the sports jackets and blazers out there. My point here is when
you understand your base canvas with a suit, it's a jacket and trousers made from the same
material, suits in general are going to require shoes, shirt, and a jacket. and accessory combinations,
they're going to be a little bit darker a little bit more formal in color. While a sports jacket
with jeans would be a great combination for a casual button down. Now, this next mistake
may seem obvious especially if you've watched enough of my videos, you know that, hey, you
got to nail the fit of the garment. You've got to make sure that you don't have any stains
that you don't have any wrinkles that you take care of the clothing. But, when you choose not
to wear a necktie, you've got to understand that all of a sudden the other. items that you're
wearing are going to have to speak a little bit louder. Usually, the necktie is drawing
the eye and the attention. But, because you've chosen not to wear one, if you've got wrinkles
on your shirt, if you've got a poorly fitted jacket or shirt, understand that those things
could be exaggerated by the fact that there's nothing to draw the eye to. So, iron your shirt,
steam your jacket, make sure that there aren't any stains and nail the fit. And now, perhaps
the most deadly mistake, what really kills the outfit when a guy is trying to wear a suit
without a necktie is all of a sudden he has nothing to draw the eyes to. I alluded to it
earlier, but the point of a necktie is to bring the collar together and the collar was designed
to work with a necktie. hundreds of years ago. In fact, we go back, you know, during the French,
we see the crotes, we see them wearing these neck pieces. It was all about signaling what
units we were with. There is a long history of cravats and all different types of neckwear
bringing the collar together. And if you think about it, the well-tied necktie, what's it doing?
It's pointing people right at the face. That's where you want them to look, right? So, understand,
when you decide to not wear a necktie, this can be for many people an incomplete look. unless
you bring in some additional accessories. And I don't think it has to be a whole lot. It could
be a nice watch, that could be your go-to piece. Maybe you want to bring in a pocket square.
I always think that this is really nice and you don't have to go for a puff or anything
like that. Another option is to choose a shirt with a splash of color. Maybe even go with contrasting
buttons or button threading. And for those of you guys who are a little bit more fashion
forward, have fun with your footwear or like my friend, Greg here, maybe even bring in a
necklace. So, now, let's go over specific examples of how to style a suit without a necktie, the
items that you could pair with it. So, first up, we've got the classic dress shirt. Now,
dress shirts are distinguished from casual button downs in that dress shirts are going
to be made from a very tight woven cotton and in general are going to be lighter in color,
most commonly white sometimes light blue. Now, I know over the last 70 years that definition
has expanded to pretty much any woven cotton that is worn with a suit. So, that's why we
see pink dress shirts, lavender dress shirts, black dress shirts, dark blue dress shirts,
and, of course, tons of different stripes, checks, and a variety of other patterns. To
keep it simple, I'll say this. If you're going to go with a dark suit and you go with a white
shirt, that contrast is going to create a more formal overall feel. Now, I know tons of guys
like this look, but the key, again, we talked about the mistakes is you got to make sure that
shirt has a strong placket and it has a collar that can support itself. the shirt is made from
a tight woven poplin or broad cloth, you're on the right track. And, again, if you're just
getting started, the easiest color to start with is white. Right after that, light blue
and then darker colors such as black or navy. Now, if you decide to wear that darker colored
dress shirt and you wear it with a dark colored suit, you want to make sure the colors complement
each other. That being said, if you're wearing a light colored suit maybe in light gray, I
can see where wearing that black shirt actually is a great look. Again, this is going to be
more casual because of the casual nature of the suit. And, the shirt overall, Yeah, a nice look.
Next up, we've got the polo shirt. What I like about this in warmer and hot weather, they're just very comfortable, very easy to wear. Now, again, with a lot of polos out there with a soft collar made from cotton, you got
to be very careful about how those collars are going to hold up especially the front placket area. Now, a lot of people say, well, hey, what about the cuff?
Because whenever you're wearing a polo, obviously in most situations, it's short sleeve. Well, the answer is don't worry about it.
That rule doesn't apply when you're wearing a polo. Now, when it comes to colors and patterns, the same rules as –
apply to dress shirts, I would keep it simple, start with a white, maybe start with a dark
blue. Look at the shirts that you're already wearing with your suits in your wardrobe and
just mimic those. All that being said, once you become more comfortable with this look with
the overall feel, then that's when you can bring in a variety of different colors and colors.
Next up, we've got casual button-downs. Often confused with dress shirts, there is a different
dress shirts usually made from poplin or broadcloth. They're going to have a tighter weave. They
also are going to have a stronger collar and placket that's more structured. That being said,
you'll see a lot of casual button-downs especially with the button-down collar being worn with
a suit on occasion even with a necktie. Now, personally, what I love about casual button-downs
is the variety of different materials. And if you're going to be wearing a sports jacket,
maybe even a blazer, it's an easy way to be able to still have a collared shirt. to bring
the entire look down. And they really work well in general without neckties, especially
with the button-down collar because it keeps the collar flap out of the way and overall is
a great classic combination to wear with a jacket without a tie combination. Now, what
about shirts without collars? In particular, t-shirts and henleys. So, I'm going to be straight
up, gents. Wearing a t-shirt with a suit jacket, I'm not going to recommend for the majority
of people out there. I think this look was popularized by people that could just simply
pull off the look and they were, again, in a status position. They owned the company, they
founded the company, they were out in Silicon Valley and they had to meet with the bankers,
so they threw on a jacket, but they still wore their t-shirts underneath. The reality is most
of us probably aren't in that situation. That being said, if you still want to pull the look
off, then look for the right type of t-shirt. You're going to want a shirt that's clean, that
fits well, and is made from a thicker heavier cut. These type of t-shirts usually cost a premium.
They're going to have a really nice drape to them. And, again, that's what you're looking
for. The mistake you want to avoid is wearing a t-shirt that wrinkles up. Another option here
is to wear a knit t-shirt. This is going to be a higher end t-shirt sometimes made from
wool, other times from linen, from materials that are it's knit in a way. These are going
to be high end shirts that can sometimes cost over $200, but they've got a beautiful drape
to them. And, they oftentimes have contours, they've got curves. They sometimes even have
a textured weave. which, again, gives them a more complex look. I remember having one of
these and overall it was just a beautiful shirt that, yes, didn't have a collar, but I could
still I feel wear it with the right suit jacket. Now, Henleys I think look great, but they're
really hard to wear with a suit jacket or sports jacket, although it can be done. Again, if it's
you just simply want to look good in a meeting, you own the company. I do think Henleys in general
look better just to make sure it's not worn out. Again, you want to make sure it doesn't
have wrinkles, it's got a good drape, maybe made from a higher end. material. Yeah, in the
right situation or the CEO, you've got a Monday meeting, you've got to throw on the jacket,
yeah, in that case, I think you could pull this off. Now, what about sweaters? Well, the
V-neck worn with a collared shirt, I just see that as a layered look. But, I do think a crew
neck or maybe even a V-neck, I don't know, let me know if you agree or disagree in the
comments below, worn with like a t-shirt underneath, yeah, you could pull that off with a sports
jacket. That being said, my favorite piece of knitwear to wear with a jacket has to be
the turtleneck. Now, the key with wearing knitwear underneath a jacket is to go with something
that has a very lightweight. build. These are sweaters made from a merino wool or maybe a
cashmere that in general are made to be layered, made to be worn underneath something. They're
not made for outerwear. If anyone's ever owned a heavyweight or an errand sweater, you know
what I'm talking about, that kind of, you know, cable knit sweaters that are heavy and bulky
like that aren't really made well for layering. Now, the reason I love the turtleneck with the
jacket is because it does have a collar. Yes, it's a piece of material, it's that fabric that
goes up along the neck. But I do think that that, again, it elongates the neck and it really
works well with a jacket silhouette. Now, what about hoodies? When I said this earlier, I'm
sure some of you guys winched or like Antonio, that's never going to work. You know, the hoodie
has been around a long time and there are so many higher end well-fitted hoodies made from
cashmere made from a wool that I think almost look like beautiful sweaters. And, yeah, if
you're going for a more casual you're a younger guy that wants to be able to wear this combination,
I think it can work. And if you're interested in hearing the details of how to wear a hoodie,
the history, guys, Check out this video right here, I break out the hoodie, its secret history
and how any man can pull it off. I talk about hoodies that would look great on you, guys.
Check out this video. I think it's a really good one. And, yeah, if you want to learn anything
about hoodies, how to look good in them, check it out. Boom!
