There’s more to a good suit than a good fit. That sounds like sartorial sacrilege but it’s true (dig out your prom photos for shuddersome evidence). Yes, a tailored two-piece is the foundation every buttoned-up gent should aspire to, but that’s just the starting point of looking good in formalwear.

Where suiting goes from an art to a science is in the details. You need to know your elements, and they need to know each other. Your shirt must complement your suit. Your tie must complement your shirt. Your pocket square must complement everything. And we haven’t even got to footwear yet.

No matter how much tailoring has relaxed in recent years, there are rules that govern all the above.

First, The Basics

Before we get into the formulae of formalwear, let’s make sure the fundamentals are covered. Since most men rarely invest in a new suit, refresh your current look with a well-stocked rotation of everything else, says Ryan Haynes, a buyer at designer menswear store Coggles. “Buy a minimum of five shirts that’ll complement your suit. Classic white and pale blue go with most things, and it’s worth spending a little extra for the quality.”

Once you start adding accessories, there are two common mistakes men make, says Sarah Gilfillan, founder of personal styling service Sartoria Lab. “There’s either a reluctance to mix patterns, which creates a boring look with a plain suit, shirt and tie. Or, there are too many patterns that shout for attention, and the resulting look is confused.

“The easiest way to match your tailoring is to limit the statement to one piece, and keep the rest plain: a patterned suit with plain pieces elsewhere, or vice versa.”

That covers the basics. The next step requires a masters in menswear, including an understanding of complementary shades, finishing touches and shoe suitability – knowledge that we managed to glean from the experts below.