We have all made fashion errors now and again, but some
fashion mistakes made by men are just unforgivable. If you want to make sure
you don’t fall into the trap of the most flagrant fashion snafus, use a dash of
common sense and follow these five simple rules:

ONE: Throw away the novelty neckties. OK, one or two crazy
neckties are fine to drag out for family reunions, silly get-togethers, or Halloween.
But have some mercy on the rest of us and them out of the boardroom or any
other setting where you want to look respectable. The problem with novelties in
clothing is that what is funny now, usually isn’t humorous for long.

TWO: Never, and I mean never, wear socks with sandals. This
is a disturbing trend.  Please don’t participate,
this one it’s ok to sit out on.  Please!  Wearing socks with sandals is the quickest way
I know of to look goofy.  So if you want
to look goofy, go ahead.  But forewarned
is forearmed.  Save your sandals for the
beach or around the house.  Don’t take
them to the office and never, never wear them with socks.

THREE: Always match your socks with your suit. When choosing
socks, the basic rule is to consider the suit instead

of the shoe—in other
words, if you’re wearing a navy suit with black shoes, reach for navy socks.
And when wearing a light suit, make sure the socks are darker than the suit but
a shade or so lighter than the shoes.

FOUR: Stay away from in-your-face designer Labels. Do you want
to be a walking advertisement? Only if someone is paying you lots of money for
a very short period of time. Wearing
those bold designer labels may tell others that you paid a lot for your
clothes, but they are not typically a sophisticated look. Wearing designer’s
names does not necessarily equate to stylish. Keep it understated and keep it simple.