It's true what they say... the clothes make the man. But it's not just the clothes themselves. Every bit as important as the shirt, pants, jacket or vest is the careful selection of accessories that adorn them. Unfortunately, too many men make the mistake of making inappropriate choices for these finishing touches, or worse yet, choosing to avoid accessorizing all together. No, wardrobe accents aren't the province of women alone. The well-dressed man of style knows it's the little things that make all the difference.

Consider the neck tie. Viewed by some as an article of clothing in itself and by others as a necessary accessory for a suit or sport coat, the tie is a powerful way for a man to make a statement without saying a word. But let's face it; far too many men blow this opportunity by wearing ties that are too wide or too narrow for the current style or, even worse, that clash in color or pattern with the suit jacket or sport coat. An even greater sin is wearing a childishly playful tie to an elegant gathering, like the man who chooses to wear a green tie with red-nosed Rudolphs all over it to a wedding during the holidays. And then there's the matter of the once popular, always quirky bow tie. Men need to understand that unless they sit on the Supreme Court or are employed as distinguished professors at Ivy League universities, they are best to leave their bow ties at home.

Although less frequent than these all-too-common tie tragedies, suspenders can cause their own share of wardrobe havoc. The problem with suspenders rarely relates to their color or style but is generally a function of the physique on which they are worn. It may sound harsh to say so, but suspenders are no friend to men with large midsections. They may be most needed by them in a practical sense; no one wants his pants falling down around his ankles. But no matter how useful they are, those with bulbous beer bellies are best to leave them at home in the drawer next to grandpa's old bow ties.

Perhaps the most sadly underestimated of all men's wardrobe accessories are the cufflinks. Because they are small, some men think they aren't even noticed, and since it may take a few seconds more to fasten them than it does to button a sleeve, too many men avoid this nearly essential masculine accent. But the man who is self-confident and has a sense of style and sophistication won't leave the house without choosing a pair of cufflinks that will make a statement.

This best thing about cufflinks is the way they can convey a man's unique personality in an understated, elegant way. The die-hard Packers fan can wear a pair of cheese block sports cufflinks at the sleeves of his tuxedo at his daughter's wedding and still be the best dressed man in the room. The investment banker can wear coin cufflinks, the t-ball coach can wear a pair of baseball cleats, and the executive who longs for a beach vacation can sport a couple of silver palm trees.

The real man of class will pick out the moss green silk tie and a pair of coin cufflinks - sans suspenders - before heading to the big board meeting where the only possible reaction from others is admiring looks and wistful envy.