Ritual: a detailed method of established procedure that is faithfully or regularly followed.

Now, with respect to a gentleman’s wardrobe, maintaining a set of rituals can be greatly beneficial, especially with regards to preventative maintenance. Nothing can subtract years off the life expectancy of a particular item in your closet more than neglect and ambivalence. A gentleman must adhere to a rigid, set rule of practices that ensure proper upkeep and preservation, or he may witness a wardrobe that prematurely succumbs to irreversible disrepair. Today, we are focusing on the necktie. In the following paragraph, you will find a tried and true method that will definitely extend your necktie’s longevity. Every evening after work, I follow the same ritual as I remove my necktie. Trust, it works.

Now, neckties are delicate creatures to begin with, and the continual knotting process can administer a brutal toll on its fabric. Therefore, it is paramount that a gentleman develops the habit of rolling his necktie after he has finished wearing it. First, it is wise to loosen your necktie and carefully reverse the knotting to return it to its untied form. Next, and this is the important part, start at the narrow end and tightly roll along its length. Given that I have enough neckties to endure until the following week, I usually leave my neckties coiled until I unroll them, smooth out the remaining wrinkles, and either hang or place in my dresser drawer. The timetable is up to you. Nevertheless, the key is rolling your necktie nice and tight to hammer out those wrinkles. And never, and we mean never, leave your necktie knotted when you’re not wearing it. You’ve been warned.

Last week was absolutely brutal at work. As a matter of fact, the last few months have been tremendously rough. An office short on employees immediately translates to the undesirable workload on the remaining workforce. And I don’t want this to be perceived as a complaint, as I am extremely fortunate to have stable employment. However, increased workloads can be mentally and physically demanding. And if a gentleman is not careful, his work related stress can woefully ooze into his home-life. A man needs balance. So, as I was concluding a crappy week, I decided to put some positivity out into the universe. My wife was slightly irritated with, well, we’ll call them Person X, so I made the executive decision that we couldn’t both be in a bad mood. So, I stepped over to Costco after work and secured a flower bouquet to brighten her day. Gentlemen – don’t sleep – flowers courtesy of Costco are inexpensive and convenient. The gesture is simple. The action is simpler. And the reward – her smile – is priceless. She doesn’t require a special occasion to receive flowers. The only special occasion to be celebrated is the fact that she is special herself. Bonus Hint: Invest in a good sturdy vase to house those flowers. Because, if you take my advice, you’ll be buying her flowers on days other than February 14th. She will happily and definitely appreciate the gesture. And a happy wife at home makes that next crummy week at work more tolerable.

Diversifying one’s presentation is an absolutely crucial element of maintaining a fresh, handsome appearance. A gentleman should avoid becoming too comfortable with a trusted uniform, as he may unknowingly grow stale & mundane in his everyday activities. The best tactic to combat sartorial boredom is to simply alter the fine details in your attire. And that detail could be as small as changing the method of folding a pocket square. Featured in an issue of British GQ, this jazzy pocket square fold captured my full attention, so I was compelled to write about it.

The “winged puff” fold is different enough to stand out, but not too different in an obnoxious, obtrusive way. It’s quiet, yet gracefully pronounced. And it is easy to expertly execute. Start with your pocket square positioned in the shape of a diamond. Take the top point and fold it down to the bottom point- you should be left with an upside down triangle. Now, take your right & left points and fold them in and down- you should have a diamond again. Fold your left, right, and bottom points towards the middle of the pocket square. Done. For a visual illustration, please visit SAM HOBER for details. Clean. Effortless. Different. Remember, varying your look need not be overly dramatic. A gentleman can make subtle adjustments and reap maximum results – give it a try.

It is not unusual for a gentleman to liberate a pair of newly purchased oxfords from its box and discover that they are a little snug. Of course, it would be wise to try said oxford on in the shoe department before you submit payment. However, say, you are in a rush, or you ordered a stylish pair from an Internet site. Well, taking your kicks for a sartorial test drive really is not an option. In those circumstances, “breaking in” your footwear may be required. Now, your brogues may not be excruciatingly tight, but a little room or flexibility would be welcome. And so, I have employed a little routine that I utilize for fresh kicks out of the box. For the record, I am referring primarily to dress shoes for this blog entry. So, before I even think about sliding into my leather soled purchase; I retrieve a nice, moderately thick pair of white athletic socks. As best I can, I carefully put on my shoes and walk around the house – as if they were slippers. Now, as they are new with the sole being untouched by the outside elements, I don’t have to worry about transferring dirt to the carpet – or getting admonished by my wife. So, I walk around a bit to afford them a little ease, a little give to the leather. And by the time I wear thinner dress socks at a later date, the fit is just fine. Alternately, you can visit a shoe cobbler and have them stretched professionally. I prefer my method – it’s cheaper.

Timex

I readily admit my shameful guilt for the following offense: leaving a dead battery inside one’s timepiece. Be it negligent forgetfulness and inexcusable sloth; abandoning your timepiece with its deceased life source inside can be risky, and perhaps expensive, business. In the deep, far crevices of my mind, I knew this fact. And yet, I continued with my neglect until certain circumstances necessitated the need for usage. I had long fallen into the nasty habit of simply retrieving my cell phone for time consultation. However, now I needed, for appearances, to have a watch on my wrist. So, I visited my neighborhood watch store to replace the battery. Side note: always go to a certified watch store. In my early days, I went to, I think, Target to replace the watch battery. And as I watched in terror, customer service began to fumble and pound on the underside of the watch, futilely attempting to open the casing. I vowed – never again.

Anyway, as I strolled into the store, there was another gentleman at the counter who was also guilty of leaving a dead battery inside his watch. Overhearing the conversation, I listened to customer service tell him that the battery was corroded and had leaked inside the watch – it was destroyed. Nervously, I watched as my salesperson disappeared into the back to change out my battery. Would she return with the same diagnosis? Sure, the watch was inexpensive, but that wasn’t the point. My careless procrastination could cost me a perfectly good watch nonetheless. Alas, she returned with a healthy, ticking watch – with instructions to return in a year or so when it is time for a change. I’ll be there like clockwork.