Slim Whitman saves us in the end, as usual.
I've had a number of suit and tie jobs over the years. When I had to go to conferences I'd wear red socks with my navy blue suits. It got back to one of my bosses. I told him, "It worked for Slim Whitman, I figured it would work for me?" (Slim always wore red socks) My boss thought it was hilarious, as he knew those things were nothing but booze soaked B.S. fests.
My penchant for blue suits and red socks wasn't appreciated by my soon to be wife on our nights on the town either. Hey, they matched my antique ruby cuff links! My guess is she didn't like those, "I wish I could be with that guy." looks, that I got from the other women in the places we went? At least that's how it struck me. I wasn't buying that, "You look like a loon!", she was trying to foist upon me.
Follow Slim in style and both he and Johnny Otis in facial hair and you'll never go wrong. Duke Ellington is a good example, too. That pencil thin mustache is hard to get right, but don't let it frustrate you, it takes time.