If you believe in, 'don't sweat the small stuff", this article is not for you. Good grooming and dressing well is all about the small stuff, the details, the little things most people pay no attention to...until one of those little things pops up on someone at the worst possible moment...the moment that really matters. Then it is too late. The damage is done. To prevent such disasters, this guide will take a top down approach, examining every detail from your head to your feet, what to avoid and what to be absolutely certain you've got it covered.

First, make sure to groom your body and keep it fresh and clean. Once your body is groomed to perfection, let's move on to gilding the lily, by dressing to impress. One does not have to spend a fortune to be well dressed. More important than price are two factors, proper fit and proper ensemble; i.e. how the whole package is put together.

Know your size
In all articles of clothing, it is imperative that you know your proper size. Starting with the dress shirt, a fabric measuring tape placed around your neck, snugly, but not too tight, will give you the first measurement. Next, running the fabric tape from the top edge of your shoulder down to the base of your thumb, if you extended your thumb outward is the measurement for your sleeve length. One other factor to consider is your overall build. If you put on a shirt, button it up and there is not at least one or two inches of space around your waist, you need a larger neck size to compensate for the extra waist girth. Only those having a very thin build can get away with a fitted shirt, no matter how appealing it looks on the display dummy.

Collar
Next, you must choose a collar style, which is best determined by the shape of your head. If you have a long, narrow face, pick a spread collar. If you have a broad, square face, pick a longer, straight collar. The rule of thumb is, a contrasting collar style will balance out your head shape, while a similar collar style will accentuate your head style. Avoid radical trendy styles, as they will soon give way to the next style and your shirt will wind up gathering dust in the closet.

Cuffs
Cuff style is slightly less confusing. A barrel cuff is usually the preferred, good for all occasion, choice. French cuffs are the alternative, but have drawbacks. They require the additional cost and choosing of cuff links. The get in the way when working and especially when eating, so the wearer of le' French must be an experienced user.

Shirts
Shirts now come in a virtual rainbow of colors, stripes, checks, contrasting collars, etc. The most overriding rule of thumb is to consider the whole package, the suit, tie, shirt combination. You want to look like an ensemble, carefully assembled, not thrown together in the dark. To be safe, I recommend a white shirt as the most versatile, looks good with anything choice, especially for business. Social situations allow more diversity and daring, as long as there is a color coordination among the three parts and, to emphasize the next point, it must stand alone:

There should be only one star in a man's dress ensemble.

This means, if you are wearing a pin stripe suit, please, please do NOT pick a striped shirt and a polka dot tie. In men's wear, the greatest investment is usually in the suit, next the shirt, next the tie. Ties offer more diversity, more variety, so, in most cases, let the tie be the "star" and keep the rest simple.

Two final shirt suggestions are offered. Wearing a tee shirt under the dress shirt is recommended, mainly if there is a tendency to perspire, or if the shirt is semi-transparent, or if the wearer is covered with body hair, which can often protrude through a thin dress shirt. The other shirt detail is fabric selection. One hundred percent cotton is, by far, the best way to go. It looks crisp, clean, wears well and looks good after numerous washings. A side note to remember is, whomever does the washing and ironing, always use medium starch when ironing and always put on a hanger to keep that fresh, wrinkle free look. Cotton/polyester tends to turn yellow after a few cleanings. Any other material is best left for those who will probably never read an article like this. Save the silk shirts for a second or third date. It feels great to the touch.

Monograms are a nice touch, but they give the impression of an over inflated ego, so if that is the impression you wish to project, go for it.

Dress Suit
The suit is an investment, so you want to be careful with your selection, in style, material and color. Fit is critical and should be done by a trained tailor, who knows how to accommodate for the variety of shapes our bodies come in. The current style is three button, single breasted with cuff-less pant legs that break slightly at the shoe, tapered slightly toward the heel. Adhere to these simple guidelines and you are half way home.

Recommended suit material can be boiled down to 100% worsted wool. Avoid polyester anything, as it looks and feels cheap. Colors and patterns to consider include solid navy blue, solid charcoal and black pinstripe or shadow stripe. Avoid solid black, unless you are interviewing for a chauffer or undertaker position. Brown is less business-like, but acceptable, if a dark shade. Checks, plaids and other colors are best reserved for strictly social occasions, or as a second or third suit in your wardrobe. Double breasted and four or five button suits fall into that same category.

When wearing a properly fitted and tailored suit, you should be able to stand straight with your arms to your side and not see any wrinkle, crease or signs of stretch anywhere on the suit, except for the slight break of the pant leg at the top of your shoes.
Ties are the creative, statement making, coordinator of your ensemble that ties (pun intended) everything together. Color combinations are absolutely critical, followed by pattern or design, followed by width, followed by the ever important knot.
Know what color goes with what. If you are color blind, or color indifferent, ask a woman, or a knowledgeable, well dressed colleague, or the salesman at a better men's clothing store. Keep in mind the "one star" rule from several paragraphs earlier.

Tie
Ties can also reflect personality, or the impression you wish to make. Red is the business power color. A rep stripe is the accepted business design, as opposed to a wild, tropical flower pattern. Geometric designs and paisleys are good choices. Solid colors are good as long as the color coordinates with the rest of the package. Tie width should be current, so check widths being sold in better men's stores and avoid anything that will "date" your wardrobe.

If you are not a knot tying expert, go online and find articles on knot tying. A Windsor, or four-in-hand knot is preferable, with only one pleat or crease in the middle of the knot and the knot is V shaped. When the tie is properly knotted and drawn tight, there should be no space between the tie and the top of the shirt collar. The outer layer of the tie should meet, but not extend beyond the belt buckle. The inner layer should always be shorter than the outer layer and be slipped through the holding strap sewn to the back of the outer layer. The tie material must be pure silk. Accept no other substitute. Always make certain the tie is spot free and wrinkle free. Always untie and hang after using.

You probably thought this is all there is, but we aren't finished, yet. To make the completely well dressed man, there are four more ingredients and remember one of the first rules of success: it's all about details.

Belt
The belt, a seeming unimportant ingredient, literally hold it all together. Choose a black belt for all suits other than brown, in which case choose a brown belt. Stick with simple, unadorned, properly measured to your waist size, so the end goes through the loop and not much more. A simple gold or silver buckle and we are done with that choice.

Socks
Socks are probably given the least amount of thought by most men. The first rule is, the socks should always match the pants, not only in color, but in shade, so when sitting there is no contrast. Second, solid colors only, please. Third, in a business situation, stick with over-the-calf style with a good elastic top, so you aren't constantly pulling them up. In social situations you can get away with crew socks if you adhere to all the other rules. However, to be forewarned, there is nothing worse than seeing hairy legs protruding out between the pant bottom and the sock top.

Shoes
Finally, we are down to shoes. As in belts, black shoes with all suit colors other than brown, then go with brown shoes. Stick with simple styles, oxfords, wing-tips or simple slip-ons. More important is the condition of the shoes. Well polished shoes, with no scuffs and no worn down heels or split soles are the standards you must adhere to. Trust this advice. The shoes will be noticed. Always keep shoe trees in your shoes when not worn.

Now that you are properly put together, be totally confident you have the looks to succeed in any encounter, to make that first impression an impressive one. Go forth and conquer. Enjoy the victory you have labored to earn.