Dress Clothing for Boys

Perhaps, your sister is getting married and asked your son to be the ring bearer.   Or maybe your parents are planing a big formal anniversary party.  Whatever the reason, it's inevitable, your son is going to have to loose the jeans  and Pistons jersey  and get dressed up.  Rather than dragging your offspring to a score of stores looking for something that might be appropriate, read this guide and get all the pertinent information you need before plunking down your money.

There are three options (working their way from least formal to most formal from left to right) for boys' dress clothes:

Three Dress Up Options
Pants + Top For less formal events (birthdays, dinners out, etc.), any collared shirt is more than likely appropriate. In the summer, polo shirts  are OK for dinner at the club. In the winter, a button down shirt  or fancy sweater  can fit the bill. Acceptable pants include: corduroys,  khakis,  and gray flannel pants.  No denim. Pros: Comfortable and some of the individual pieces may get a lot of wear. Cons: Not very dressy. Popular Brands Izod  Claiborne boys  Sean John	Dress Shirt + Tie + Pants Look for colorful shirts  and ties,  they may get your son more excited about dressing up. See if you can find dad and son matching ties--again this make the idea more palatable. Try to avoid clip-on ties.  They are horrendous. Pros: Polished and will make the grandparents happy. Cons: Dress shirts rumple quickly and most little men dislike ties. Popular Brands Hart, Schaffner & Marx  J Crew  Lands' End	Blazer or Suit A classic navy blazer  can be found at most stores and is very versatile. Wear wit gray charcoal pants. Suits  will be harder to find, and expensive. Wear with a tie. Sport Coats  come in a variety of patterns and may seem more exciting to your son. Can be worn with most dress pants. Pros: Meets any dress code. Looks wonderful in pictures. Cons: Least comfortable and most expensive option. Popular Brands Van Heusen  Perry Ellis  Ralph Lauren

More Information on Fabrics

• In the Summer look for these fabrics:
• Seersucker: Perfect for Easter, summer weddings, christenings or other dressy affairs. This is a lightweight 100% cotton fabric with small raised stripes. Most seersucker is available in blue, but now new colors like green and yellow are also popping up. Can be worn as a suit  or as pants.  Little boys will look adorable in a seersucker shorts suit. 
• Linen: Made from flax, this is the coolest fabric available. But, oh, the wrinkles. Best best is to get linen pants  and take the pictures early in the day. After a few hours your son will be cool, but look like a Sharpei.
• Cotton: Basic cotton khaki pants  and Oxford shirts are the perfect dressy staples for your son's closet.
• Wintertime fabrics:
• Velvet: Only to be worn from late November until early March. This plush fabric is best suited to vests and blazers. Velvet suits  should be reserved for boys under the age of two. Since velvet can look a bit precious, pair a black velvet blazer  with grey dress slacks  and a a grey turtleneck  and your little man will look smashing. Demand 100% silk or cotton velvet, blends (with added synthetics) will get a cheap sheen to them. Keep in mind since dry cleaning is recommended, these can be expensive items to clean.
• Corduroy: Another seasonal fabric, corduroy should only be worn in fall and winter. Corduroy pants  work well with holiday sweaters  or a navy blazer and Oxford shirt. Corduroy sport coats  pair nicely with khakis. It's a durable fabric and very masculine.
• Wool: Warm and long lasting, wool will often endure the wear from more than one generation. Wool sweaters (turtlenecks, crewnecks and cardigans) can dress up a pair of khakis for a festive holiday look. Worsted wool is a wonderful fabric for blazers, suits and dress pants.

Alternatives:

• Boys can wear a turtleneck or polo shirt under a blazer.
• Wool tuxedos should only be worn for weddings or very special occasions.

Current Trends:

Covering Up

If money isn't a relevant factor, a dress coat  really does look better than a parka when dressing your son for an important event. Toggle coats  are fairly sporty, yet still look formal enough to flatter a sport coat. Overcoats  sometimes look overpowering on little men. Please skip the trenchcoat until the fellow is over 5'. Pea coats  are another good idea. To avoid: Jean jackets Parka's with sports logos on them.

The Finishing Touches
Ties  A rep,  or vertically striped tie, is a classic. Boys may like ties with their favorite sports on them or in their favorite colors. Bow ties  are tricky to knot, but cute.	Dress Shoes  Remember two little words and you'll be safe penny loafer.  In the south, cowboy boots  might qualify as dress shoes.	Belts  Grossgrain  (ribbon) are colorful and perfect for summer. All other times get a leather belt and match it to your boy's dress shoes.	Dress Socks  They don't have to be boring! Consider polka dots  or argyle.  They absolutely can't be white tube socks.

External Links

• Tie a Tie: Windsor, Four in Hand or Half Winsdor, this Web site gives instructions on how to tie various tie knots.
• Folds.net: Details on mastering the bow-tie.
• eZine: Has article about shortening pants--this simple skill can save you lots of money!
• eHow: More simple tailoring advice, this time on how to sew on a button.