We here at Vanguard are big fans of brightly coloured socks. We believe it is great way to liven up a business suit and if done correctly can look considered & stylish.
We are talking about anything from bold primary colours, softer pastels, geometric patterns and argyles.

There are however some exceptions to this rule where it is advisable to play it down and stick to a conservative colour palette.
Funerals for example, it would be entirely inappropriate to wear bright hosiery with your suit. Tread carefully at  formal business occasions like interviews, presentations or big meetings. You want people focused on what you are saying not what you are wearing.
That said some high profile business men still go bold on such occasions, they can because they own the company and are probably the interviewer not the interviewee. It's almost a challenge - I know the rules but who cares, I like it, deal with it.

Those occasions out of the way now let's discuss why bold is good.

It makes a statement, it tells people I have considered every part of my ensemble, nothing is by accident.
It also livens up a more muted ensemble, a red sock really pops with a sombre grey suit and makes it much more fun.

There are some ways to do this.
1. Choose an accent colour and run with it for all accessories. If your suit has a green lining or a green check compliment this with green tonal ties, pocket squares and socks.
2. When wearing a brightly coloured chino choose another colour that compliments or clashes. A tonal coloured sock won't work so well in these situations. It can make your trousers or socks look washed out and old unless it's a very close colour match.
3. If wearing a muted chino with a brightly coloured shirt or jacket pull out that colour for a considered look.
4. Patterned multi coloured are ok, comedy socks are not.
Would you wear a tie with tacos, dinosaurs or giraffes on? Probably not. If you like patterns go for something geometric or classic like an argyle.

Here at Vanguard we have over 6000 fabrics for you to choose from, the variety is seemingly endless!
Within all of our ranges we have some patterns with accent colours like the ones above from the Ermenegildo Zegna traveller four season range. A beautiful collection of cloths made from Superfine Australian wool, woven in Italy which we import directly from this world renowned mill. I digress slightly, back to these patterns.
When selecting a fabric for a new bespoke creation people get very hung up on the accent colours.
Does the blue stripe bring out my eyes?
Is the lilac check going to match the colour scheme at my wedding?
My favourite colour is red but not the red of this pinstripe, a much brighter red.
Is there a different shade of blue lining to match the stripe.
While these things are great if they can be done, you should focus on the base. The accent colours of stripes or checks like the ones in the above fabrics will rarely be seen, they are essentially both light grey suits. As a tip and something we always do with our customers, hold the fabric 1.5-2 metres away from you to get a better idea of how it will look, more often than not these accent colours can not be seen.

Following a very successful trip visiting some of the finest mills in the UK, Vanguard is proud to bring something new to the Indian market.
You will not find these fabrics with any other tailor in Delhi today.

A mill steeped in history that has been producing some of the finest cloths in the world since 1896 at their mill in Huddersfield in the heart of England. Dugdale Bros & Co is one of the last surviving independent cloth merchants in Great Britain, they produce some of the finest luxurious wool, cashmere, cotton, linen, lambswool and mohair fabrics available today.

Below are just a few of their exquisite ranges we are now carrying. Book an appointment today, you will not be disappointed.

Let's start off this post by saying it's not great to pack a suit. Where possible if transporting a suit take it in a suit carrier, most airlines will let you take a suit bag on as an extra piece of luggage and a friendly air steward or stewardess will also hang it for you.
That said sometimes it is unavoidable and we need to pack a suit in our suitcase. When needs must there is a better way to fold and pack a suit, follow our below six step guide. Try not to squash your suit in too tightly and hang on a wide arm hanger as soon as you reach your destination. Some fabrics will lend themselves to this kind of traveling more than others and be ready to go as soon as you unpack. Some may need 24 hours to hang and let the creases fall out and some will need a quick press.

Happy travels!

1. Lay your suit flat on a clean surface with the buttons unfastened.

2. Turn the shoulder on one side inside out, leave the sleeve the right way no need to turn this out also.

3. Tuck the inside out shoulder inside the other shoulder. Make sure the collar remains folded and match up the lapel roll and front edges.

4. Fold in the jacket in half so the outer sleeve remains on the outside.

5. Lay your trousers flat with the creases together. Place the jacket sideways in the middle of the trouser.

6. Fold in the top and bottom of the trouser so it wraps around the folded jacket and hey presto, you're ready to go!

Cleaning: Any suit that you've spent more than a few thousand rupees on can not be washed in a washing machine. There is a lot of stuff going on inside a good suit that make it look sharp, fitted and comfortable to wear. One round in a washing machine is all it takes to ruin this beautiful work.

Dry cleaning is the only method of cleaning a good suit without risking ruining it's appearance. That said you really don't have to do it too often and it's better not to. Dry cleaners use a lot chemicals in cleaning that gradually wear down your suit.
Good suits are made of natural fibres that naturally dispel the nasty stuff like sweat and food they pick up during a days wear. You just need to let it hang for a day or 2 outside the wardrobe and hey presto he's ready to go again! However sometimes dry cleaning is necessarily, for example a glass of red wine or a plate of bolognese sauce will be way too much for your suit to handle. If wearing a suit on a weekly basis generally 1 dry clean every 2-3 months is sufficient. The smell test is a good one, if it's smelling 'ripe' then it's time to freshen him up with a clean. If you get a spot or small stain on your suit and otherwise the suit is ok you do not have to dry clean the whole thing, just ask for a spot clean.

And it's advisable to clean your entire suit not just the trousers. Dry cleaning will very gradually change the colour of your suit (over years!) and you want to keep it all matching.
Pressing: Do not use a dry iron directly on your suit! This will burn the fibres and turn it shiny in no time. Get a steamer or a steam iron and use a (clean) cloth in between the iron and your suit so the iron never touches the fabric. This is particularly good for a quick sharpen of your trouser creases.
If wearing your suit on a weekly basis drop your suit into a dry cleaner for a full press (not dry clean). This may cost nearly as much as a dry clean but see above regarding the harms of too much dry cleaning.
Hanging: Get a nice wide arm hanger (our suits always come with one) this will keep the shoulder shape and allow it to drape properly while in the wardrobe. It also gives some space for the lining to air out and release any moisture build up.
Hanging trousers on a clip hanger from the hem will help your creases stay sharp. The weight of the waistband provides just enough pull to keep things in shape.

Finally hang overnight outside the wardrobe before putting it in once you get up in the morning. Even better for a full 24 hours. This helps your suit breathe and dispel smells and nasties.

Packing: See our other guide for packing your suit for travel.

Storing: Not all suits are made for year round wear, your lightweight summer jackets and heavy winter coats may need to be stored for many months until the right season comes. You should dry clean your suit before storing for a long period, this will strip out any food particles (that moths love!). Keep it in a suit cover and allow it enough space in your wardrobe to hang without being crushed.