What to wear when signing an important contract
What to wear when signing an important contract: colour, fit and accessories that stay polished through long sittings and photographs. Advice from Mon Amie.
For an important contract signing, wear a dark suit or office outfit that is plain or finely striped, fitted well enough to sit in for hours without pulling, and coordinated with the others at the signing table. Your counterpart will not read the clauses from your jacket, but they will read the preparation. This guide gathers the details that matter, for both men and women.
Three decisions: colour, pattern, fit
A signing day usually ends with a group photograph in front of a backdrop, so the outfit has to look right both up close and from a distance.
| Factor | Choose | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Navy, charcoal or black; calm, neutral tones | Bright colours, several colours at once, shades that merge with the backdrop |
| Pattern | Plain cloth or very fine stripes | Large checks and wide stripes, which look busy in photographs |
| Fit | Shoulders sitting on the shoulder point, comfortable breathing once buttoned | Too tight with straining buttons, or so loose the shoulders sag |
| Fabric | Low-crease cloth that recovers its shape | Thin cloth that shows creases after hours seated (depending on the fibre) |
Lighting changes cloth, too: the white lights of a meeting room make charcoal look nearly black and navy darker than it does outdoors. If you can, look at a swatch by a window and then under office lighting before deciding. Colour also depends on the wearer, so take skin tone into account.
Hours at the signing table: the details few notice
Imagine a long signing: many copies to initial, clauses to discuss, then the photograph. You sit, stand and shake hands several times. Small details decide whether the outfit is still neat at the end:
- Jacket buttons: fasten when standing, unfasten when seated, so the body of the jacket does not strain.
- Shirt cuffs: about a finger-joint of cuff showing below the jacket sleeve keeps the wrist looking tidy.
- Shoulders while signing: when the arm reaches forward, a tight shoulder drags the jacket up the neck. Try the actual signing motion when you try the jacket on.
- Trousers and skirts: no horizontal creasing after hours seated; a woman's skirt should be roomy enough to sit without constant tugging.
- Collar: it should sit snugly and not gape when you bend over the paper.
Pictured below is a Mon Amie Uniform project.
Accessories: few and quiet
Keep accessories few and within one tone:
- Tie and pocket square: subdued colours, a neat knot, a tie tip that reaches the waistband. Nothing elaborate.
- Shoes and belt: the same colour, with the shoes polished beforehand.
- Watch and jewellery: simple. Women should avoid bracelets that clink on the table while signing.
- Fragrance: light, because the room is closed and everyone sits close.
When the whole team signs
Often several people represent a company, sometimes with an interpreter or lawyer. The team need not look identical, but should share a colour family and the same level of formality. The head of the delegation can differ in one detail, such as a waistcoat or pocket square. For ways of coordinating suits across a team without monotony, see our design library.
A signing team dressed in a matching style also shows preparation. Mon Amie's process has six steps from survey to delivery, laid out on the six-step process page. Measuring, making and delivery take 4–6 weeks after sample approval, so count backwards from a known signing date. Each person is measured individually at your office, including outside office hours; if someone new is chosen for the signing team, they too are measured individually and made to the approved pattern.
For a quotation for a signing team or a leadership group, send your details through the quote page or call 0888.111.118.
Frequently asked questions
Is a black suit appropriate for a signing?
Black suits are worn for formal occasions, especially in the evening; for a daytime signing, navy and charcoal are the more familiar choices. Decide by time of day, level of formality and your brand colours.
Should a woman wear a skirt or trousers to sign?
Either works if the fit is good and the look is polished. What matters is sitting comfortably for hours: a skirt roomy enough to sit in, trousers without creasing at the thigh. Mon Amie offers women's jackets, trousers and skirts to combine.
Is a tie necessary?
For men, a tie is generally seen as appropriate at formal signings unless the counterpart has set a different convention. If unsure, bring one and decide on the day.
How far ahead should the outfit be settled?
If garments must be made new, count 4–6 weeks after sample approval, not including the survey, design and sample stages. If the signing date is closer, say so at the first consultation and Mon Amie will respond with specifics.
