Accessories

　　Accessories are integral parts of the suit and the marks of cultural civilization. More and more suit wearers are interested in things that were regarded as trivia. Here are some tips about origins and functions of some accessories.

　　Flower hole:

　　 Some people find it strange that there is a buttonhole on the left lapel but no matched button on the right. Originally the hole was called a fancy eye and was fastened by the first hidden button on the right lapel to keep people warm and keep out strong wind in cold weather. As early as 19th century, aristocrats in Europe used to place a flower on the buttonhole of the left lapel either to show their elegance or to attract ladies' eyes. Hence comes the nickname fancy eye . Up to now this custom remains and sometimes some young men even insert a small flower or a badge in it as a kind of adornment.

　　Three cuff buttons:

　　 Two or three buttons are usually seen on both cuffs of the suit. It is said that the origin of them is concerned with Napoleon the first of France, a strict man to his army. He had a general who was a brave fighter but used to wipe his nose on his sleeves. So Napoleon ordered all the cuffs of uniforms to be sewn with small copper nails, both as an adornment and as a way to help the general get rid of the bad habit. Later buttons replaced the copper nails and the position shifted from the front to the backside of the cuff.

　　Pad:

　　Pads are elementary components of the suit. The first to use pads in clothes were George the first, King of England, who was a handsome man but had slim shoulders. He took to the enormously padded, widened shoulders and then was proud of his sexual prowess. George first set the style for the padded suit. Tailors began to copy it.

　　Necktie:

　　 Interestingly, the prototype of the necktie was the leather belt and straw rope used to tie animal furs around the neck to keep the cold out by Germans who used to live in the woods and mountains, hunting for their living. The earliest tie came into being in Europe around the 17th century when a file of Croatian soldiers marched in the streets in Paris with their necks knotted by colorful cloths to keep themselves warm. The dandies in the upper circles of Paris thought the style fashionable and tried to copy it.

　　Bow tie:

　　 One day in 1650, a French minister came to the court with a white cravat around his neck knotted in the triangular way. Louis the Fourteenth was so attracted by it that he ordered the fashionable cravat to be a sign of nobility then the upper circles in Versailles began to follow suit. He took up the style and people who wore bow ties increased. In modern times there are various types of bow ties and abundant ways to knot them

　　Handkerchief:

　　 A handkerchief in the pocket of the suit as a decoration has been fashionable all over the world, which makes people smart and gives them an attractive finish. Students in the Columbia University and seven other universities first made the handkerchiefs folded into various shapes and put lower part into a pocket and let the rest appear outside to add grace and show their intellectual charm. Then all kinds of people began to copy the style.
Knowing these origins and functions of suit and accessories, you should know well not to cut the fancy eye open or wear a suit without tying a tie, nor to put a pen or a cigarette case into the chest pocket. All these tips make you less embarrassed in the society.