Formal Menswear’s Accessories No Longer Play Hard to Get for New Year’s Eve

For the man who wants to look spiffy on New Year’s, it’s time to accessorize. Cummerbunds, cuff links, pocket squares and other accessories add personality and flair to any tuxedo or suit.

“Accessories are bigger than ever,” says Arman Muradyan, fashion consultant and owner of George’s Fashion for Men in Orange. “The right accessories really spice up formal attire.”

In stores this week you’ll find a wide variety of accessories in festive colors. A selection of quality items follow:

BELTS

“In the past, belts were used to hold up pants, but today, men wear belts to make fashion statements,” says Mark Ambrose, owner of Zoom Clothing Store in the Mission Viejo Mall. “Belts add excitement to an outfit without stealing the show.”

Find a 100% steerhide black leather belt especially made for C&R; Clothiers ($24-$29). This one-inch belt has a gold buckle and is “very soft,” says assistant manager Teresa Hernandez.

C&R; Clothiers: 122 S. Euclid, Anaheim, (714) 533-8340; 2500 Imperial Highway, Brea, (714) 255-0386; 15039 Goldenwest Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 892-6454; 1401 S. Beach Blvd., La Habra, (714) 879-9570; 23542 El Toro Road, Lake Forest, (714) 951-8408; 2393 N. Tustin St., Orange, (714) 998-4100; 3715 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, (714) 979-2685.

At Zoom, take a look at the “Another Line” solid-brass belt with silver tips. This Italian one-inch belt is made of black, solid, oil-tanned shoulder leather and goes well with black formal attire ($30).

Zoom Clothing Store, Mission Viejo Mall, (714) 347-9780.

CUFF LINKS

Give your shirt a finished look by adding cuff links.

Alterman Jewelers carries a cuff link set by Colibri. The oval-shaped cuff links are black lacquer and have an 18-karat gold electroplated rim (two cuff links, $25; $10 extra for initial engraving; add four black enamel tuxedo buttons for a total cost of $40).

Alterman Jewelers, 6844 Katella Ave., Cypress, (714) 894-4546.

Dress up a gray suit with the Bizetin cuff links found at Creative Jewelry Design. These shiny diamond-cut square cuff links measure 1/4-inch ($195 a set). Personalize them with initials in white gold (an additional $75).

Creative Jewelry Design, 1475 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 525-4868.

CUMMERBUNDS

For the man who wants something a little different, today’s cummerbunds come in a wide variety of colors and styles, from more traditional solid colors to colorful patterns and designs.

At George’s Fashion For Men, find the perfect accompaniment to a traditional black formal tuxedo--an Adolfo red cummerbund and bow tie set. Both are 100% Italian silk ($22.50 total).

George’s Fashion For Men, 3533 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 771-2000.

Look at V & V Big & Tall for a black tone-on-tone Adolfo satin cummerbund that goes well with a gray suit. The cummerbund has a silver paisley design and an accompanying black bow tie (all for $30).

V & V Big & Tall, 23710 El Toro Road, Suite B, Lake Forest, (714) 951-2112.

POCKET SQUARES

For an easy way to add a festive touch to any formal outfit, try a pocket square.

Add a festive touch of color to your New Year’s outfit by adding a Sereca red 100% Italian silk pocket square. Found at Chez Lui Mens Wear, this bright red V-shaped square goes well with a dark blue suit ($15).

Chez Lui Mens Wear, 27995 Greenfield Drive, Suite B, Laguna Niguel, (714) 362-8500.

Dress up a gray suit with an Arronson Brothers white 100%-silk pocket square available at Value Clothiers. Simple but elegant, it is square-shaped and looks like a handkerchief ($5).

Value Clothiers, 12131-A S. Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, (714) 636-9786.

SCARVES

Add a unique, yet formal flair to any suit or tuxedo with a scarf.

At Garys and Company, you can find a versatile scarf by Robert Talbott. This can be worn with any tuxedo, but looks especially good with a black suit. It is all-silk, white paisley tone-on-tone with fringe edges and creates a “very classy look,” says store manager Steve Ramenofsky ($195).

Garys and Company, Fashion Island, (714) 759-1622.

With a gray single-breasted tuxedo, try the scarf by Santana found at Tuxedo Affair. This is a partially shiny gray poly-satin blend scarf ($12-$15).

Tuxedo Affair, 208 S. State College Blvd., Anaheim, (714) 991-4900.

SOCKS

Few pieces of clothing are more functional yet attractive than socks.

The navy blue tone-on-tone socks by Keepers available at B&C; Italian Tailors and Clothiers go well with a dark blue suit. These are 100% acrylic ($4-$7).

B & C Italian Tailors and Clothiers, 12127 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, (714) 638-1750.

Ixiz offers its own label charcoal-colored socks. These festive socks have a triangle cluster pattern in green, purple, olive and burgundy. They are 75% cotton and 25% nylon and go well with a dark forest green suit ($10).

Ixiz, 361 Forest Ave., Suite 102, Laguna Beach, (714) 494-2116.

TIES

Whatever the occasion, men use ties to make a fashion statement and liven up an otherwise plain outfit, fashion experts say. Today’s ties offer a lot of variety in colors and design.

At the Museum Company, the tie by M.C. Escher goes really well with a blue double-breasted suit. This 100% silk tie has a number of interlocking animal forms such as birds and fish in dark blue, black and white ($45).

Couple this with a tie clip made especially for the Museum Company. According to Tracy Kugelmann, the store’s manager, a company in Israel took 2,000-year-old relics from an excavation and made jewelry with them. The treasures include a glass tie clip that goes well with a green-and-blue tie ($52).

The Museum Company, Brea Mall, (714) 256-0965 and Fashion Island Newport Beach, (714) 721-8123.

If it’s a dark blue suit you want to accessorize, try the 100% silk tie by Studio 54 at the Tie Rack. This black-based Jacquard weave tie has geometric designs in red, gray, fuchsia, purple and teal ($24). Further accent this with geometric two-tone (silver and gold) tie bars ($14).

Tie Rack, MainPlace/Santa Ana, (714) 543-4789.