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Must-Have Accessories for Men
One way to hone your sartorial skill is to pay particular attention to accessories. Study what goes with what. Scrutinize what makes a man stand out from the crowd. These are just some of the ways you can stay at the top of your accessories game. In that spirit, here are the top four vital accessories every man should own.
1) Tie clip
Ostensibly, tie clips are supposed to keep your tie in place, to prevent it flapping around. But they're hardly just functional. They're also an often underutilized fashion extra that can help distinguish you in our visually cluttered world. Go for the tried and true styles that you'd be comfortable wearing to an awards ceremony or an important business lunch. Style note: never wear a tie clip if you're wearing a vest.
2) Cufflinks
Not just decorative fasteners, cufflinks speak to your sophistication. The right ones exude elegance and add a personal touch to your style. If you have an inkling to buy novelty cufflinks — basically anything other than a tasteful, uncomplicated, stylish set of cufflinks — think again. Here, as with most accessories, restraint says more than flash.
3) Pocket Square
Pocket squares are a staple for modern men. There are several key guidelines you should be aware of before placing one of these in your breast pocket. This is the most important one: your pocket square should complement one of the colors of your tie, but it should not match your tie exactly.
There are numerous ways you can wear this critical accessory. There's the square fold. The one corner up. There's even a three corners up version. Over a few months, consider test-running a few styles to see which one speaks to you the most.
4) Belts and Buckles
The vast majority of the time, the simple, elegant frame-style buckle already attached to your belt is all you need. Unless you're going to a rodeo, stay clear of buckles with horses or fancy designs. Gravitate toward plain buckles that are oval or rectangular and that only have one color, such as gold or silver.
Matching Accessories
If you're keen to match your accessories with your clothes — and this is essential, not optional — then start with a suit as your foundation, then move on to what clothes and accessories go with it. For more guidance, check out our advice on how to match suits with accessories.
Did you notice that we left out watches, wallets, money clips, and sunglasses from this article? We simply couldn't mention every handsome accessory here that's available for style-conscious men. Which in a way is a good thing. Such a massive variety of accessories is a humble reminder that we can use them to augment our look each and every day.
Related articles
• Guide to Suit Accessories for Men
• Belt vs. Suspenders
• Men's Dress Shoes & Accessories
