A gentleman’s accessories should minimalistic rather than flashy. This includes sunglasses, gloves, scarves, tie bars, etc… Let the lady be the one to stand out.
The first rule of accessories is that they should match. Make sure the metal of your cuff links, tie chain or tie bar, belt, and (if any) shoes all match. This does not mean they must be a part of a set, merely that the complement each other. Silver to silver, gold to gold, brass to brass, etc. I personally stick to shiny sliver or brass. Silver is fairly easy to find, and brass stands out without looking as flashy as gold. I feel it has a great classic look.
Cuff Links
Lets start with cuff links. As a rule, cuff links are more for formal and semi-formal events. One would not wear them with jeans, even with a jacket. Like the tie, cuff links can speak to the personality of the wearer. Yet, be cautious of the type of cuff links you buy as not to look tacky.
In addition, one should look at their cuffs to determine if they need to use the french or barrel cuff. The french cuff is more well known, yet either can work on any cuff. As a matter of style, however, I have a rule; if the cuff folds back, I use the french cuff, every time. If it does not fold back, I use the barrel every time. This is not a rule anyone else need follow, it merely adds variety and consistency to my style.
If one wants to go a step beyond, they may also obtain matching collar links, but to be clear, they are not at all needed.
Tie Bar
Invest in a few tie bars. A gentleman should own at least two, in case one gets lost. Even if you are wearing a jacket and/or vest, the tie bar is a good idea. It holds your tie up making your vest and tie combination look classy and it keeps your tie from flopping around. Do not use a tie pin as they look tacky and can ruin your tie.
Belt/Suspenders
When dressing, one much chose between a belt or suspenders. If suspenders are chosen, and a vest is warn, then the metal shouldn’t matter as gentlemen know to button their suspenders, so the metal used for sizing will not be seen. If it is seen, it is urgent that the metals on them match the metals of one’s tie bar, as they are too close together to be left unnoticed.
A gentleman’s belt is the same. While is will not be as close to the tie bar, it will still be noticed if they do not match. Just as one matched the belt’s leather to the leather of the shoes, one matched the metal of the buckle to all of the other metal the man wears.
Watch
There is no hard fast rule on matching your watch to your outfit. If the leather strap matches your leather belt and shoes, all the better. But if it matches you tie or socks, that’s fine too. If the metal matches the rest of the metal on you – your tie clap, belt, etc.., that’s great. but if it doesn’t that’s okay. It’s a watch. It is advisable to match the band and metal to each other than to the outfit as a whole. As long as it doesn’t clash entirely, it should be fine.
Below is a video by Real Men, Real Style that does a great job going over watches. The only thing I would add to is would be that in formal or semi-formal dress, a gentleman does not wear anything on his wrists, and thus should carry a pocket watch rather than wear a wristwatch.
(If you enjoy Real Men, Real Style, be sure to use the Promo Code, DapperDave to get $50 off their style training program.)
Shoes
I have written about shoes before, but did not mention metal in the article. This is because I do not recommend it. It is not wrong to wear dress shoes with metal on them, however it will limit them if one has other metals they like to wear. That said, there is nothing wrong with a good pair of monk shoes. Be careful that the metal matches. I’ve seen dark silver buckles on monk style dress shoes that was a far darker silver than the metal worn on the man’s belt, cuffs, etc. While it may seem less noticeable being on the feet, it actually stands out all too well.
Other
There are other accessories a man should carry. After all, the gentleman is always prepared. It is wise to carry a knife, where legal, as well as a watch. Both are clever tools to have. If lost, point the hour hand towards the sun. Then, lay a straight wire or thin piece of grass on the watch, lying between the hour hand and the 12. The end of the wire or grass will be pointing south. And a knife, of course, is a very useful tool for opening, cutting, etc…
Final thought
The one thing every man, these days, carries that I have skipped over would be the cellphone. This is because they do not matter. For the most part, there is no reason for anyone to see a gentleman’s phone. Unless making an appointment with them, one should keep their phone in their pocket. Contact information should be exchanged via business cards. By keeping his phone tucked away, a gentleman puts people first. He does not let technology build a wall between him and those he loves, especially, but also between himself and the world.