POWER dressing is fast losing its edge in India’s corporate boardrooms. With cell phones, fax and e-mails completely revolutionising inter-personal communication, the need for ritual meetings, conferences and public dealing is reduced to a minimal.

Consequently, appearances have ceased to matter and corporate dressing becomes more functional and relaxed. Formal pinstripes and herringbones are making way for colourful tweeds and checks. Even the flamboyant houndstooth has entered office corridors — though the accent now is on the fit, finish and fall of business suits.

But then, let’s begin with the basics. With shirts, the main focus is on the collar, followed by the cuffs. Standard collar styles for executive wear range from the highly popular button-down variety to the full-spread and pin collar, depending upon how dressy you want to be.

Full spreads and the button-down collar are perfect with casuals — even Friday dressing — but must be avoided for formal wear. In contrast, pin collars are quite dressy. These could have holes to allow the collar bar and can be worn with a two-piece collar too.

Then there are the flappy collars, which look very elegant, especially when teamed with a wide-knotted tie. Besides, there are round collar shirts as casual wear, mandarin and manila collars for semi-formal occasions and the wing collar that must be worn with a tuxedo and bow tie.

However, the collar you opt for must match your face. Many men overlook this aspect. A broad face cannot wear a spread collar, while long, thin faces must choose collars of medium length and little width. Wide and round faces should go for long, thin collars. For oval faces, anything goes!

Another oft-forgotten factor is that the collar point must match the width of the cuff. Cuffs can be square, rounded, notched or arrowed, with or without a cuff option. Shirts in white are still the most popular executive wear, followed by muted shades of blue, ivory, grey and self-stripes.

The trousers come next in importance for the corporate dresser. You can go for flat fronts or pleated sides, depending upon your physique. But then, always check the waist and seat while buying trousers. Also, check its fall with a belt on and with your wallet in the back pocket (if that is your style).

The trouser length should ideally be such that the hem rests on the front of the shoe with a gentle break. Men of short stature might opt for parallels, provided there are no turn-ups, which only make them look shorter. Moreover, high waist and pleats never go together.

For thin and tall men, trousers with low waist and pleats are ideal. A fullness at the seat may be created with two additional pleats. But avoid vertical striped trousers. Light fabrics are right for loose and baggy trousers, while formal wear demands heavier fabrics with a good fall.

Then comes the jacket — either single-breast or double-breast with one, two or three buttons. Lapels may be notched or peaked. But then, make sure the roll of the sleeve is perfect and that it should be three-quarter of an inch shorter than the shirt sleeves.

A good jacket is one which must fit should you gain or lose five kilos. Moreover, you should be able to curl your fingers under the hem. There should be no pull across the top of the shoulders and the length must be right to just about cover your hips.

The tie follows next and is just as important as your shirt and suit. A single colour tie is always a safe bet. A good colour combination, regardless of complexion, is a grey suit, blue shirt and a wine-coloured tie. If the suit and tie are striped, keep the shirt plain. And if the shirt and jacket are in checks, keep the tie solid.

Be as adventurous as you can in mixing textures — like a silk tie and a linen shirt. Contrast neat, small patterns with large ones, like a patterned tie and a striped shirt. In summer, wear darker shirts and lighter suits and in winter, reverse the order.

Colour can be a tricky issue even as canary yellow shirts and maroon suits are increasingly showing up at boardrooms. It is always better to check the office atmosphere before going for colour. See how your colleagues dress and stick to that colour range. You cannot go wrong then. — MF