Hip to be Square

Pulling off a pocket square as a young professional without it seeming like a affectation is difficult.  I think a big part of making it work is making sure that your square doesn't compete for attention with your tie or shirt, (or jacket) and making sure your fold is neat and discrete.  Lastly--wear it comfortably.  If you seem nervous about wearing a pocket square, your colleagues will sense your apprehension and look wearily at your square.  Act like your square is just as much a part of your outfit as your shirt and all anyone will think about your square is that its just one element of a well put together look.

King Ralph

I have tremendous respect for Ralph Lauren as a designer and innovator of the menswear industry.  To this day he continues to drive trends in tailored clothing, despite generally sticking with the same aesthetic--traditional American blue blooded country clubs and professionals--since he got his start making ties and selling them shop to shop.  Ralph Lauren is a great example of how consistency can be stylish and how trends can coexist with staples.  Ralph Lauren is also a model for maintaining high standards of quality, despite becoming an enormously successful and available brand.  Tailored and dress clothing from Mr. Lauren's Polo, Black Label, and Purple Label collections are all sourced from fine Italian makers.  Mr. Lauren's shoes are made by some of the finest British makers.  Ralph Lauren's prices reflect the quality of its construction, but are often lower than the prices the same makers charge for products labeled with their own name.  And Ralph Lauren has sales a few times a year.

Davide and Goliath

I believe every young professional should get on familiar terms with at least one good, small, local haberdasher.  A relationship with a nice men's shop means a place to go for just about everything--not just clothes.  It's a retreat once in a while when life gets hectic--a good haberdasher should never give the hard sell.  And since the proprietor should certainly be older than you, and have fitted the movers and shakers of the community, it's a place to get guidance on what's appropriate behavior in a particular situation and how to carry oneself as a man.  Picking up some great duds is just part of the deal.

Unfortunately small men's shops have fallen by the wayside in favor of large department stores and self-branded boutiques.  I don't think it's impossible to find this kind of relationship at a department store or boutique, especially an older established department store or a good Brooks Brothers, but it's certainly less likely.  For all of these reasons, I love to find independent men's stores and speak to the owners or managers.  The least I can do is give everyone a head's up when I discover one worth visiting.