A:  In general, pale skinned guys should stick to white, charcoal (I include gray and black in this category), navy and maybe some red; tell him to stay away from khaki and other similar earth tones.

I’m going to be forthright with you, though, because I don’t want your husband looking like a fool.  Forget about the wardrobe color palette.  It really shouldn’t be a big factor in determining your husband’s work clothes.  Be the best-dressed man in the office, but do it by wearing suits that are clean, tailored and sophisticated.  Trust me: don’t get caught up in what color looks the best with your husband’s skin.  If he wears a well fitted dark suit (think charcoal, gray and navy), a crisp white shirt, and a complementary tie, he will look fantastic, no matter how pale skinned he is.

The best advice I can give to you is to go to a trusted department store and take the time to figure out what looks good on him.  Find an employee that you think has good style and have him help you mix and match suits/shirts/ties.  Also, go to a really upscale store - they won’t let you leave the store looking bad.  This isn’t some shameless and cliché sales pitch for your nearby Wilkes Bashford; I say this because those kinds of stores don’t want to be associated with poorly dressed guys.  I realize that going to an expensive store is, well, expensive, and not everyone may be able to/willing to pay those prices.  Just remember: you’re not obligated to buy anything, and you will have a great sense of what looks good on your husband after you leave.

On a side note, if your spouse wants to copy a celebrity’s style, make it Gianni Agnelli.  Mr. Agnelli is a sartorial legend and is considered one of the best dressed men in history, which is all the more impressive given the fact that he worked in the conservative world of business (meaning that loud, outlandish suits and such aren’t tolerated).  The picture above is proof.

Style Tip: You can always learn from Mr. Agnelli.  In this picture, check out the impeccable tailoring of his suit (it’s a bespoke, I’m sure), the Italian shoulder, and the crisp white shirt.  The tie is perfect.  It’s the perfect width for the collar width (an often overlooked detail of proportion), and it’s a perfect color – the gray base matches the suit, the white stripes pick up the shirt).  The pocket square is a perfect finishing touch and a perfectly complementary color.

Knee-high boots ideally hug your leg right underneath the knee.  Since you have skinny calves, we recommend looking for boots with buckles.  A buckle at the top of the boot will allow you to cinch in the top of the boot, creating that snug fit.

Build your outfit around a statement coat.  Your coat is going to be the first thing people will see–so be bold and pick a funky color (e.g. teal) or style (e.g. oversized lapels).  Bright colors are perfect for your New Year’s Eve outing.  Not only are they perfectly on trend, but they’re also a way to stand out in the crowd–especially if you get separated from your friends…or you want to spot yourself on TV.

Under the coat, dress warmly with a cozy oversized cowl neck sweater.  Wool trousers layered over silk underwear will help to keep out the cold.

Add a bit of sparkle to your outfit with accessories.  Go bold with a hat and gloves.  Deck yourself with statement earrings–or a set of bold bracelets.  Layer on a festive scarf.  Finish off the look with a pair of dramatic boots.  We recommend a low heel–enough to be festive, but not so high as to make your feet hurt.

P.S. Weather.com is calling for rain on New Year’s Eve.  So don’t forget your umbrella!

Pictured:  Soia & Kyo Double Breasted Belted Coat | $360 at Nordstrom.

A: 
When I think of what to wear with army green or olive green pants, I usually think of urban chic jackets, like this fantastic one by Balenciaga which you can find at Browns.  Unfortunately, at 840GBP, it’s hardly “affordable.” 

Army Green is still kind of an uncommon color in a man’s wardrobe –that doesn’t mean it’s not very stylish – but because of this, it can easily serve as the focal point of your outfit.  I also think this is why you don’t see many army green colored pants – it’s a bit unusual to have your pants be the focus of your outfit.
   
If you’re brave enough to be different, however, look good doing it.  The most important thing here is that you make sure the rest of your clothes don’t clash.  Your pants will attract the most attention; don’t fight it. Opt for earthy tones here; think cream or off-white, khaki and brown.  You can also try the most versatile color of them all: white.  If the pants have an olive component to them, you can dry dark navy shirt.  As for shoes, I’d recommend wearing some dark brown shoes, preferably in a lace-up style.
   
If your pants are more of a richer dark — as in I’d-think-they-were-black-if-it-wasn’t-sunny dark — you have a few more options.  You can try pairing the rich dark green pants with a medium gray tweed sport coat.  With this sport coat, you could try adding a dark red or maroon cardigan underneath.  Notice I say cardigan and not sweater here: a full red sweater may be overwhelming here, but a cardigan will add just a splash of red beneath your buttoned sport coat. 

Oh, and by the way, if you go to an American university, it seems as if all you need to get girls is talk: like my friend Timothy’s, your clever-sounding British accent will drive the girls here nuts.  Maybe I should have told you all the wrong things and level the playing field here for my fellow Americans.

Style Tip: If you ever are unsure of what color to wear with something, find a color wheel (google image search “color wheel”).  In general, colors that are close to the color in question—or those that are on the opposite side of the color wheel–will go well with it.  Of course, this doesn’t mean you should pair a very loud orange with equally loud yellow just because they sit next to each other.  In general, you want to pick colors (and shades of colors) that complement one another, not those that aggressively compete for attention. As you’ll find, darker colors are easier to complement; this is why most dark colors, such as navy, are so versatile and popular.

Pictured: Polo Ralph Lauren English Wale Corduroy Pants | $98 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

Pictured: Long Sleeve Cowlneck Sweater | $88 at Banana Republic.

If it’s not available online in your size, you might want to contact Nordstrom (or other department stores) to see if they have it in stock.  Also ask for discounts–you might be able to snag a 10%+ discount from an in-store sale.

Layering is a practical way to keep warm without pulling out the fleece jacket.  You’d be amazed how warm you can keep by simply combining multiple thin layers.  The canonical combo is the v-neck sweater over the blouse over the thin t-shirt. But you can mix things up–try, for example, doubling up on the tees and layering a wrap sweater over them.

Worse comes to worse, try bundling up with a sweater or cozy poncho.  Chunky knits are big this season, and they’re the perfect solution for those of us who sit directly underneath a drafty air vent. 

Pictured: Luxe Poncho | $78 at Gap.

If you have thick thighs, camouflage them with looser fitting jeans. These jeans should still fit snugly at the waist and through the hip (and contour your behind), but the flare should start at the top of the thigh for optimal figure flattery.  What to wear with these trouser jeans?  Pair them with a looser-fitting top for a big-over-small look.

Pictured: Baby Phat Original 5-Pocket Jean | $59 at Macys.

What about color?  You have a few different choices:
(1) Match your red dress with a pair of red shoes.  But don’t match the shades exactly–it looks like you’re trying too hard.

(2) Add some sparkle with a pair of metallic shoes.  The beauty of metallic shoes is their versatility, since they pair with outfits of any color.  They’re also a smart answer to multicolored outfits without a dominant color.

(3) If you want to experiment, try pairing the wrap dress with a shoe with a shot of bright color, or a shoe with flashy details.  Some of the best dress-shoe pairings have been those that are unexpected.  Think: Carrie from Sex and the City.

Pictured: Ted Baker Baba Heels in Gunmetal | $150 at Zappos.

But as far as I know, the most historically accurate explanation is that the hole was used to tether a man’s top hat so that on windy days it wouldn’t blow off his head.

Nowadays, few men actually wear top hats, so the little hole has become almost functionless (although there are some designers that manufacture top hats that can be tethered).  However, some creative sartorialists have found a use for this otherwise pointless buttonhole.  My favorite has got to be the putting a pocket watch chain fob through it.  Scott Schumann, perhaps better known as “The Sartorialist,” ran a feature in GQ in which he put his iPod headphones through the hole.  I have great respect for Mr. Schumann and GQ, but I don’t think it looks all that great.