Ten Style Not Pet Peeves

     A couple weeks ago I did a post on ten of my style pet peeves. I've heard some interesting responses to my list, but the one that stuck out to me is "why do you always have to look at the negative"? This person thought it would be a better idea for me to say what I do like rather than what bothers me. So today I decided to list ten of my style not pet peeves (I don't think there is an opposite of pet peeve). In other words, these are what I do appreciate in style.

1. Matching belt and dress shoes. Why? Matching the leather of your belt and shoes makes you look coordinated. If you don't match your shoes and belt, it makes you look sloppy. I especially like when the belt and shoes match both in color and in finish (how shiny the leather is).
2. Proper width tie. Why? When a tie is the proper width, it helps put together an outfit. Most of the time, guys wear ties that are too wide, which makes you look a bit larger. The key to finding the right width is to match the tie to the lapel of your suit jacket. If you aren't wearing a jacket, a good width to shoot for is 2.5 inches. 
3. Wearing a nice watch. Why? I appreciate a nice watch.
4. Wearing a pocket square. Why? A pocket square is a small accessory that I think makes a suit look better. It draws attention to your chest which makes your overall figure look better. It also provides a nice break in the suit.
5. Brown shoes (and belt). Why? So many guys only wear black shoes. Wearing brown shoes gives an outfit more life to it. It also sets you apart from most other guys. However, brown shoes shouldn't be worn with a black suit. 
6. Spread collar. Why? A spread collar looks very good especially when you wear a tie. It gives more space for the tie knot to fill.
7. Ironed clothes. Why? Clothes should be as wrinkle free as possible.
8. Dress shirt cuff showing when wearing a jacket. Why? This is how your shirt and jacket sleeves should relate to each other. Your dress shirt cuff should always have about a half-inch showing from under your jacket sleeve.
9. Wearing a tie bar. Why? A tie bar is both functional and stylish. It helps keep your tie in place, and it helps with proportion. 
10. Clothes that fit. Why? I know I mentioned this last time, but clothes that fit make you look great. Finding clothes that fit properly is never easy, but it will definitely pay off if you put time into it.

I hope you enjoyed my list of style not pet peeves. Again, let me know what you think about my list in the comments.
-Smart