Fun & Fashion with Tim Yap

Dear Rissa,

I’m going to attend our Med Night and the attire is formal to semi-formal. What clothes do I need to wear and what colors? Please help. Thanks. – Medman

Dear Medman,

When it comes to men’s clothing, I’m no expert. So for this problem, I’ve asked Tim Yap to help solve your fashion fears.

For semi-formal events, it’s so typical of men to wear a long-sleeved polo with slacks. To stand out from all the other men’s "uniform," Tim suggests going for a ruffled or sequined top – anything with unique details. "Especially since now people are proud of their individuality, look for details that are uniquely yourself so you won’t blend in the sea of anonymity," he says.

In your first step to being adventurous, you can start with color. Tim suggests trying colors you haven’t worn. If the color looks good and matches your skin tone, wear it!

But for Tim, there are more details to men‘s clothing aside from color – like the fabric, the collar, or even the cufflinks. Look at clothes in a different way! "Paul Smith always has funky detailing," he observes.

"Improvise!" he says. You can always make the details yourself. For Tim, a tie can be used as a belt or try putting buttons on your jacket. Or like in Vogue Italia, the belt was worn as a sash! Even ribbons as belts caught Tim’s eye! In Rhett Eala’s recent show at the RCBC Atrium, Rhett creatively used ribbons as belts for the men. And for Tim, it still looked masculine.

"The trend towards embellishment is really refreshing because it reflects individuality," says Tim.

The King of Jackets and Layering also advises that you should have a jacket even for semi-formal events, which you can always take it off if you feel hot.

As for formal wear, "I find ties really stiff – unless you’re a banker or some corporate businessman, it’s protocol," Tim says. But in Donna Karan’s latest, a mao shirt used in a tux with a bow tie still looks good for him.

According to Tim, there are two schools of formality. The first consists of the shirt, the double or single-breasted suit (with one, two, three, or four buttons), the vest and the pants. The second is the tuxedo set which includes the bow tie, tux shirt, shoes, sash and cufflinks. For him, both are classics.

"But today, where fashion has no strict suit, if you find the two constricting, you can wear just the tux or the sash, he says. "It’s better to see someone without a bow tie but is comfortable than one with a bow tie but is ipit!" And yet he suggests, it’s always better to invest in both kinds of formal wear.

Time also suggests trying different colors of suits. But the first suit you should own should always be basic black. And, of course, invest in a nice pair of cufflinks.

If you find difficulty buying the perfect suit, try having one tailor-made. "People say reputation-wise, the best suit maker in town is Paolo Basa," Tim shares.

There are events where you can go funky-formal by changing colors or putting a shawl around your neck. Tim owns a fabulous rubberized leather shawl by designer Ignacio Loyola. Instead of tassels at the end, Ignacio used small metal rings connected together – handmade!

To cap off this fashionista’s advice, "Never wear something that makes you feel uncomfortable," Tim stresses. "If you’re uncomfortable, it defeats the purpose of dressing up which is to enhance yourself."