This guest article is written by Cory Bisbee, a high school senior and Secretary-General of the Gateway Regional Model United Nations Conference (www.grmunc.org). GRMUNC will be held Saturday, April 18, 2015 in Huntington, Massachusetts. When he isn’t planning crisis simulations, Cory enjoys reading, writing, and conspiratorial plotting.
Ten Tips for the Well-Dressed Delegate
1. Whatever suits you
Check out Suitsupply for a quality suit at a relatively low price. Gray is standard, just not too light or too dark. Three-piece— yes. Three-button— no. And get some cuffs on those pants already.
2. The right fit
If you’re tired of having baggy, full, loose-fitting dress shirts, try a custom dress shirt from Proper Cloth. It’s a great investment, but if you’d rather not go custom: next time you go shirt shopping, look for a slim-fitting dress shirt, with cuffs reaching slightly past your wrists. If you can fit one finger (no more and no less) inside the collar, and if the seams hug your shoulders (the seams should sit just on the edge of them), you’re golden.
3. Think pink
As in a pink dress shirt. Make sure it’s light pink and then match it with a dark tie. Done and done. A true classic.
4. Don’t let yourself get tied down
Having a three-piece suit means you can shake things up. Wear the vest without the jacket, and you’ll have everyone’s attention. Pictured is high school senior Casey Pease, GRMUNC’s Under-Secretary-General for Crisis Simulations and Integration. Notice the placement of the tie bar.
Ties are the first thing people notice, and they anchor every guy’s WBA. At around two-and-a-half inches wide, with the end reaching right to your belt (and no further), a tie is also the first thing people will compliment you on. Be unique and look for one that you may not necessarily like on first glance. If you want to stand out a bit from the crowd, look around for a bow tie too. Be careful when you pick your colors, patterns, and knots, though— you don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard.
5. Raise the bar
Tie bars are always a good decision, pure and simple. Check out The Tie Bar, and make sure that what you get isn’t wider than your tie.
6. Don’t sweat it
Inside collar stained? Use Shout Advanced Ultra Gel Brush. Because yellow shirt collars look about as good as yellow teeth, but they’re easily fixable!
7. Brown is beautiful
Ditch your black shoes. Model UN conferences aren’t funerals (most of the time), so pick up a pair of brown dress shoes and own the floor. You don’t have to be well-heeled to take the first step, just be sure to find a matching belt.
8. Pumped up kicks
Dress shoes are not the only thing you can wear with a suit, no matter what the conference delegate guide may say. Just don’t forget that white is the color of cool these days, so that means saying no to neon. And even if you aren’t prepared to shell out a grand for a pair of Givenchy high tops, you can still own the look with a pair of white ‘Adonis’ sneakers by Creative Recreation.
9. Drop the oven mitts
Get some leather gloves. If you’re worried about your budget, go for H&M. If you would like higher quality gloves, I recommend trying Club Monaco.
10. The ice age cometh
Whether you go for a duffle coat or a bold (and slim) parka, you need something to wear over your suit when traveling to conferences this time of year (and more than just gloves). Personally, I prefer the parka. It’s fresh and not nearly as bulky as the fashion taboos that were the parkas of years past. Besides, pea coats today are just too safe, especially when in navy.
Of course, through all this, keep in mind that fashion is always changing (except for logo belts—those aren’t ever coming back), and, ultimately, it’s up to you to set your own style.
So, good luck! And maybe throw in a nice scarf…
Have any more style tips or creative WBA suggestions? Add them in the comment section!
