He’s toured the world as a comedian, speaks flawless Arabic and he’s a red carpet fixture for all the top notch events in the UAE. So as the 11th Dubai International Film Festival is currently ongoing, who better than South Korean comedian and TV personality Wonho Chung to give us his top tips on how to do the red carpet in style? Here are his dos and don’ts.
Dos:
- Wear a tuxedo: Walking the red carpet at any film festival is one of those few moments where you can go all out and wear a tuxedo. Now that the Dubai International Film Festival is upon us, the time has come to get suited for the pinnacle of the Dubai calendar. No matter what you decide to wear, whether a peak or a shawl lapel jacket, the brand doesn’t matter, as long as you are wearing nice materials and everything is impeccably tailored.
- Shoes: If you were to spend on an item, I would highly advise you to invest in a good pair of shoes. Pay attention to compatibility with your suit or tuxedo in terms of design, colour and material. Shoes can sometimes make or break a look. I generally go for a simple and elegant pair — I believe less is more.
- Watch: Watches are jewellery for men. Having said that, I believe a watch really accentuates and elevates a man’s look to another level. However, wearing the right watch is also key to completing a red carpet look. Avoid wearing a sports watch with your tuxedo and try matching the material of your watch to your accessories (if you are wearing any) such as cufflinks, tie-clips etc, whether it is steel, gold or platinum. There are great looking watches at every price range, so you don’t have to spend much to look good.
- Hair styling: Please don’t show up to a red carpet event wearing a tuxedo and a mohawk. You can always adapt your hairstyle to whatever you are wearing, there is a time and place for everything. There are also products to be used for specific looks. Using gel and hairspray gives a more slick and clean look, whereas wax and mousse gives a more textured and dry look that suits a more casual or edgy style. It is always about compatibility and choosing what complements the overall look.
- Bow ties: I will make this short and to the point: Always, always, always tie your own bow tie. Do not wear those ready-made ones. It looks a lot better, and even when you undo them, you can have them hanging around your collar for a “party” look. If you find them hard to tie, there are many tutorials on YouTube that can help you.
Don’ts:
- Long sleeves: I see this all the time, where the jacket sleeve covers the shirt cuff underneath it, and this looks very sloppy. You should be able to see 0.5-1 inch of the shirt cuff. The shirt sleeve itself should end where your wrist joins the palm of your hand.
- Long pants: The pants should be fitted and shouldn’t be too long. Too wide is not good and too long is not good either. However, you should be able to sit and move comfortably — it is all about finding that balance between comfort and aesthetic. I personally like to have my pants cut off where my ankles are. You can go a little longer, but make sure they don’t bunch up over your shoes.
- Ties: Whichever knot you choose to have your tie in — four-in-hand, windsor, trinity etc — make sure the length of the bottom of the tie doesn’t go below your belt. If it does, redo the tie again until it hangs right. Also while I am at it, please match the size of your tie knot with the length and spread of the shirt collar, it is all about proportions.
- Matching too much: If you decide to pair a pocket square with your tie or bow tie, please make sure you don’t match them too much. They should complement each other and not match each other. Generally speaking, the relationship between a pocket square and a tie/bow tie should be complementary in colour and different in pattern and material.
- Items in pockets: There is nothing more unsightly than seeing the pants and jacket pockets bulging with keys, phones, wallets, coins, business cards etc. Always carry the bare minimum of things you need in your pocket, and the rest you can hold in your hands. If your need to carry more things, choose an appropriate bag to hold your belongings. There are many options for the modern day man.
Diff runs from December 10 to 17. For tickets and schedules, go to dubaifilmfest.com.
