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Mens fashion: professional work wardrobe basics

Mens fashion: professional work wardrobe basics

In the professional world, men have to dress to impress. Your wardrobe for work should include colorful button-down collared shirts, great ties, belts, socks, and shoes.
VIBRANT BUTTON-DOWN SHIRTS
There is something to be said for tradition. The basic collared button-down shirt will never be out of style in the professional world. While you may be afraid to venture outside of the (literally) white-collared varieties, a splash of color is perfectly acceptable and professional as well. In fact, brightly colored collared shirts will make you stand out and give you a more commanding presence in the office than your plain old white collared shirt. One of the hottest colors to wear is marina blue - this shade is very eye-catching and sophisticated. It is great for men of all ages, but young men look particularly dignified and mature in this hue. Men should not feel stifled when it comes to wearing a variety of colors - yellows, reds, greens, and even stripes are perfect for a professional workplace. Also, always purchase shirts that fit you properly. Baggy, loose-fitting clothes have no place in the professional world, and likewise, you don't want to have the stuffed sausage button-bursting look either. And of course - always neatly press your shirts for work - wrinkles are big time no-no!

TASTEFUL TIES
If you want to be taken seriously in your workplace, you can't go around wearing a Mickey Mouse tie that plays "It's a Small World" at the press of Mickey's nose. Fun ties are just that ? fun. In a professional environment, you need to wear professional-looking ties. If you want to wear a Santa Claus tie to the office Christmas party, go ahead, but otherwise, you want your ties to be as classy and stylish as the rest of your wardrobe. Regis Philbin brought tie style into the limelight when he started matching his predominantly solid-colored ties with his solid-colored button-down shirts, and this is a great fashion trend for professional men to emulate. If you are wearing a sky blue collared button-down shirt, pair it with a tie in a complimentary but slightly darker shade of blue. Matching your tie with your shirt is a great way to pull your look together and give your style a boost.

SUIT UP
Whether you wear suits at work all the time or you only wear them for special meetings or presentations, you need to have a well-made tailored suit if you are a professional. Don't skimp on the suit ? a cheap suit at a business meeting sticks out like a flamingo in a field of white doves. Visit a department store for a fitting, and make sure that you try on an array of styles and brands to find the right cut and look for your body type. Unless you are in good shape, you should avoid pin stripe suits - they simply don't flatter overweight men. Black and navy suits are the most common, but don't be afraid to try a deep brown suit or a gray one, especially if you can afford to buy yourself a few different ones. For occasions when you don't need a suit, your wardrobe should be equipped with fitted pleated or non-pleated pants in khaki, gray, black, and navy. Make sure that your pants are tailored so that they hit the tops of your shoes, and never wear pants that are too baggy or too tight for your body.

ACCESSORIES
Yes, even men have to accessorize. First of all, never ever wear white socks; they look absolutely dreadful with a work wardrobe. You should have plenty of pairs of black dress socks - at least two weeks worth (especially if you are like most men and you loathe laundry day). You can also experiment with gray or brown dress socks or even argyles - just make sure they match the rest of your attire. Remember: black and navy blue will NEVER match, and neither will black and brown - no matter how much you wish they would. You should have a few belts in your wardrobe as well - a couple shiny black belts and perhaps a brown one as well. You should also have black dress shoes, and perhaps a slightly less formal pair of brown loafers. Always make sure that your shoes and your belt are shined so that you have a polished appearance to top off your professional look.

Rock climbing equipment: securing a rock climbing harness

Rock climbing equipment: securing a rock climbing harness

The rock climbing harness is one of the most critical of your climbing gear. Proper fitting and donning of the harness is crutial. Many harness have different features for the style of climbing or time of year you climb. Ensure you're properly equipped!

The link between life and death in rock climbing is often compared to the rope that is tied between two climbers or the rope anchored at the top of a top-rope climb. However, without a properly worn harness, the rope would really have no benefit to either climber. The climbing harness is a very simple piece of equipment. There are several types of harnesses available, the most popular and diverse is the seat harness. It is also very simple to don. It is possible though, to improperly secure your harness to yourself and put you and your climbing partner's lives in jeopardy.

First and foremost, whether you are a seasoned climber or just beginning, read the manufacturers instructions that came with your harness. These will tell you the intricacies and any special instructions about the harness that are needed.

Modern harnesses are made of nylon webbing sewn together to create a system of loops and straps. They include a heavy duty waist strap and adjustable leg straps. Their design not only protects a climber in a fall, it also protects the climber's body during a fall by distributing the force of the fall throughout the pelvic, thighs and buttocks areas of the body. These parts of the body take those kinds of forces much better than the back and neck.

When choosing a proper harness, remember, it should fit you comfortably. When properly donned and doubled back, the waist strap should have two inches of webbing left over. The leg straps should fit your thighs snugly. The type and size of harness is also is dependent on the type of climbing you are going to be doing and the time of year. Winter climbing requires a harness that fits on the outside of your layered clothing. Aid climbers may need extra equipment loops to carry more gear. Consider other features such as padded leg loops for comfort, how many loops you will need to store your hardware and the waist buckle placement. If your harness? buckle is on one side rather than in the center of your waist, there will be less conflict with your tie in and locking carabineer that is clipped to the front of your harness.

Donning the harness is simple. Put it on outside your clothing. Place your legs through the leg loops as if you were donning a pair of pants. Buckle the waist strap. Almost all harnesses require that you double back the waist strap for double protection. Again, ensure that you have at least two inches of waist strap left over. When tying in, the most common knot is the doubled-over figure eight. It should be tied through the upper (waist) and lower (leg) loops webbing. If you are not tied in, a carabineer may be required to hold your leg loops up. Do not tie in to your carabineer; it creates a single point of failure. Remember to follow the manufacturer?s instructions for any idiosyncrasies or special instructions and climb safe!