If you’ve gone to the trouble of getting a sharp suit or tux for prom, you don’t want a crumpled shirt to let the side down. And while your mum or dad might usually do the ironing, you’re getting ready to be a man of the world now so you should really be able to it yourself.

So this is it: here’s how to iron your prom shirt like a pro.

Start easy: plug in the iron. You’re going to need to select a setting, so read your shirt’s label. Cotton or cotton-blend shirts can take higher heat, but something with polyester or spandex might be a bit more delicate. If in doubt, pick a low setting and move up if you need to.

Shirts always get ironed from the collar down. Lift the collar up and iron the underside from one tip to the other. Then flip the shirt over and repeat on the outside.

Unbutton your cuffs and repeat the process above, ironing them on the inside and then the outside, pressing any wrinkles out towards the edges. Never iron over the buttons as they can leave a mark on your shirt – iron around them instead.

Unbutton your shirt and lay one side of its front flat on the ironing board, with the rest hanging off the side. Start ironing at the shoulders and work your way down, pressing creases out towards the sides. Again, avoid the buttons and iron carefully around them instead. Give the placket (that’s the strip your buttons are on) extra attention as it’ll be the most visible part of your shirt when you’ve got a jacket on. Repeat on the other side.

Flip your shirt over and lay it with the collar nearest the pointy end of the ironing board. Start with the yoke at the top (that’s the panel that covers the back of your shoulders), and work your way down to the bottom.

Lay the sleeve down the length of your ironing board, ensuring it’s nice and flat. Iron from the shoulders down to the cuff. You don’t really want a crease down the side of your arms, so make sure you concentrate on the middle of the fabric and stay away from the edges. As usual, repeat on the other side. And, you know, the other arm.

Iron slowly, but not so slowly that you burn your shirt. Burns are not a good look.

A pair of prom shoes can last you a lifetime, but not if you knock them about.

Like anything worth keeping, you’ve got to treat them right. It’s simple, really. These are the four steps you need to know.

The key to crack-free, shiny leather shoes is a good old moisturise. First things first, remove the laces (you don’t want polish on them). Next, wipe away any surface dirt with a brush. Then apply leather conditioner to an old t-shirt and rub in a circular motion to fill in any cracks.

Choose a cream or wax based polish in a shade that matches your shoes. If in doubt, go lighter, unless you want to completely change the colour. Apply the polish in a circular motion, then buff vigorously with a brush and leave your shoes to dry.

Grab that old t-shirt again and dab some polish on it, and add a few drops of water onto the leather. Next, you’ll need a bit of elbow grease. Polish the water away until you’ve got a smooth, shiny, mirror-like finish.

It’s time to admire your handy work.

Post-war Britain was a happy place to be. And it was a very fashionable place to be too.

With celebrations in full swing, men’s style stepped up a gear. Rules relaxed and purse strings loosened, simply because people once again had money in their pockets. That meant people had the time, the cash and the flexibility to think about what they wanted to wear (for a little while, anyway). Men’s trendsetters were born, from the Duke of Windsor to Jay Gatsby.

But what about the working classes of the 1920s? These men didn’t have the cash to spend on a wardrobe of suits – they needed one or two that would work for all occasions. Practicality was key, and they needed to last.

1920S MEN’S FASHION: WORKING CLASS

1920S MEN’S FASHION: GANGSTERS

1920S MEN’S FASHION: EVENINGWEAR

Think of German design and you’re likely to think of understated quality, clever engineering and a serious eye for the details. And while you’ve probably got one of Germany’s prestigious car makers in mind, the description also fits one of its most famous clothing brands: Hugo Boss.

With a rich history in menswear dating back to 1924, Hugo Boss has tailoring at its core. Today its HUGO label delivers simple, sharp suiting that’ll upgrade your work wardrobe.

So what can you expect from a HUGO suit? Jackets and trousers are precision-cut in a modern, slim fit. The brand is also celebrated for its premium fabrics, sourcing quality virgin wool from the best Italian mills. Many of its cloths are fil-à-fil or end-on-end – a type of closely woven cloth that alternates light and dark warp and weft threads to create a tactile, heathered effect.

You’ll find these cloths in mostly refined colours but also in bright, saturated hues and micro patterns all designed to make you stand out without ever looking like you’ve tried. Some might call it ‘relaxed elegance’, but we’d go as far as to say ‘promotion material’.

Subtle signature touches like red stitch detailing under the collar, mother of pearl buttons and built-in pocket squares all add up to suits that’ll show your boss you mean business. Also worth noting: HUGO tailoring comes as separates, so you can get the most out of individual pieces by mixing them with what’s already in your wardrobe.

And finally, for those who subscribe to the HUGO commitment to the details, the range also includes a tight edit of outerwear, shirts and accessories all realised in the same quality of materials and considered aesthetic. Ideal to round off your outfit in well-formed style, or a great gift for someone who appreciates the finer things in life.

For a long time tuxedos have ruled on the red carpet. But more and more, velvet’s stealing its share of the limelight. And that’s understandable, as it’s well-suited to dressed-up occasions. For a start, it’s incredibly soft with a plush pile. It has a sheen that catches the light, but not in the same way as satin. And it is, without a doubt, associated with richness. But why is that?

Velvet is woven on looms that create two thicknesses of the same material. Once they’re cut apart, it leaves a raised surface. That’s how you get its hallmark dense, tactile handle.The sheen comes from the threads that are used. They were traditionally made from silk but now cotton and manmade materials are used too, which also makes velvet much more affordable.

Usually seen on party jackets, velvet is an opulent fabric that’ll help you stand out while still meeting eveningwear dress codes.

We have ancient highly skilled weavers from the Middle East and North Africa to thank for velvet. Because it was difficult to make, it was seriously expensive and reserved for royals and nobility. Even when weavers in Italy and Spain started using more advanced technology, it remained a very luxurious cloth and a symbol of wealth. You’d often see velvet on commemorative robes and wall hangings, for example.Once it became cheaper to produce with new machinery, velvet got a new lease of life – as the basis for a smoking jacket.

When the Crimean war brought Turkish tobacco to British shores, men took up smoking in a big way. They’d retreat to a billiards room after dinner to puff on cigars and talk without the listening ears of their wives and daughters.There was one problem though – they’d return smelling of smoke. The answer? A velvet smoking jacket made from silk.

Thanks to the Silk Road, loads of these fabrics were coming across from Asia to Europe, and aristocrats turned to them as a way of absorbing the smell of smoke. They also protected their clothing from ash. It seemed to work, which is why they became so popular in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. You’d often see velvet jackets with shawl lapels and frogging (military-inspired detailing), which gave them a less formal feel.

Today’s velvet jackets are much sharper. They’re usually dress jackets, designed for formal events and parties. True to their luxurious roots, they’re often in jewel tones like deep greens, reds and blues, as well as black.Styling a velvet jacket is easy because it’s already a rich fabric. All you need is a pair of black dress trousers and a white or black shirt. You could dress it up with a bow tie or keep it open-necked for a pared-back take on formal dress codes.