5 Things: Justin Kwan on Suiting Up in Beijing
By Justine Lopez
A That's series where we ask a Beijing-based somebody to tell us 5 Things specific to his or her life.
If anyone knows about men’s fashion, it’s Justin Kwan. Justin is the founder of Principle M, a men's tailored clothing label based right here in Beijing. The idea for the label came about because Justin was frustrated by the fact that he couldn’t find high-quality menswear in the capital. So he took it upon himself to offer high-quality tailored clothing to the gentlemen of Beijing. Three years later and Principle M is still going strong. As for Justin? Well, he pretty much sets the bar for men’s fashion in the capital. If there’s anyone who knows how to dress his best, it’s Justin. And he has a few tips for you:
1. Forget the black suit:
I have a fair number of clients who come in, have a seat and say, "I'd like to get a black suit," and my response is usually along the lines of, "I'm sorry, did someone die?" Usually, it’s in a light-hearted joking manner and luckily, so far, I haven't offended anyone. A black suit is usually reserved for funerals and real estate agents in China. A black suit is also difficult to match shirts and ties with. If you are looking for a dark suit, go with charcoal or even dark navy. You will get a lot more use out of it.
2. Shoes say a lot about you:
What do you want them to say? That you take care of yourself? Or that you might be a bit of a slob? A little shoe cream and polishing wax can go a long way on your dress shoes. Make it a Sunday ritual to shine your shoes at home, and treat yourself to a scotch or beer to end your weekend. It is also a form of meditation, in my opinion.
3. Sweatpants are not suitable for going out:
Sweatpants are for lounging around your home or hitting the gym – not Sunday brunch. I get that you might want to wear something more relaxed on the weekend, but try wearing chinos and a polo shirt with driving shoes or white sneakers. It's important to never let your guard down because you never know who you might bump into.
4. Adjust your trouser length:
Find a local alterations shop and invest RMB10 in adjusting your trouser length. If you bought your trousers off-the-rack (or even from some of the shabby tailors in town) then chances are your trousers are not at the perfect length. There is a simple test – when standing up, your trousers should drape clean down the front of your leg and just hit the top of your shoe, causing a slight break near the hem of the trouser at the lower part of your shin area. The amount of 'break' you get from the trouser hitting your shoe can be 'full' or 'slight' or 'no break,' depending on your personal taste. In my opinion, the slighter the break, the cleaner the look will be. I usually have a slight break or no break in my trousers.
5. Get a suit that fits:
It’s weird, if a guy is over 40 his suit is usually too big, and if he is under 30 his suit is too small. When your suit is buttoned, you should be able to fit a fist between the jacket and your body without it being too tight or too loose. The front length of your jacket should arrive around your crotch point and somewhere around your mid thumb – you have to compare the two points and find the right balance and proportions. The sleeves of your jacket should arrive to a point where you can show about one centimeter of shirt cuff. And the shirt cuff should end at, or around, your wrist line.
Principle M, 0807, Wing 3 Kunsha International Center 16 Xinyuan Li, Chaoyang 朝阳区新源里16号琨莎国际中心3号楼0807（64094356）
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