welcome to my favorite mental past-time.
how I think about style as both highly functional and personal might surprise many who might view style/my view on style as varying blends of whimsical, indulgent, and entertaining. I absolutely believe in friends looking their best and spend a lot of time thinking about what works/what doesn’t.
while I paid far more attention to men's apparel while spoiled by the banking set pre-Kellogg, elegant French cuffs/whimsical links, flawlessly tasteful shirt/tie pairings, finest Italian wool pinstripes, luxurious shoe collections polished to perfection...
those years helped coin a personal motto - you'll work like a million bucks if you feel like a million bucks.
those years helped coin a personal motto - you'll work like a million bucks if you feel like a million bucks.
during Kellogg, my sense/palate has notably pared, relinquishing sensation for sensibility.
the below piece sent to a friend provides a glimpse into how style - local and personal - should serve its wearer.
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Fit.
Personality.
Texture.
If a piece does not add to one of the above, it’s not doing its job.
The wardrobe is your visual resume, every piece should earn its real estate.
Essentials
- Tees - casual can be a statement. Comfort can still be clean, fresh, interesting. Fitted tees only
- Jackets – good outerwear is worth investing in; they last and they’re almost always the first impression you’re making in the fall-winter. They tie an outfit together and provide a statement of their own.
- Smart wool coat – navy or dark gray, black if you must
- Smart trench – try double-breasted to test if you like
- Track jacket/hoodie – good standbys to have
- Casual street jacket – a distressed khaki grey with some hardware (buttons/zip/buckle etc)
- Blazer – have at least two
- No sloppy tees - Ralph Lauren, BR, J. Crew all offer slim cut collections
- No roomy jeans – create a clean silhouette. Not Euro-tight, but semi-fitted.
- No cargoes; no cuffs on pants (shortens)
- Blues/purples (all range – light to dark) are great on you, add reds maybe orange, some light/pear green, kelly green (grass).
- Black is a bit severe on you. Best suits for you are dark gray, light grey, deep navy
- Denim: no light jeans, medium-rinse fine for daytime, dark wash preferable
- Street sneakers are a must: Puma, Converse, Adidas
- Dress shoes: Kenneth Cole offers wearable designs. Keep them polished. Toss scuffed pairs.
- Flip flops/sandals – have a few good pairs, sturdy leather
- A v-neck frames the face better than crew necks. Crew necks generally better for larger builds.
- Mock turtlenecks (halfway zips)
A good belt cleans up a look and ties it together.
Man-bags: Jack Spade, Kenneth Cole, Tumi,
Hair is the ultimate accessory, it frames your face.
Patterns: Stay away from bold, too-thick rugby stripes (overwhelms you) on shirts/polos and ties
Pinstripes: go for more subtle, overly aggressive/bold pinstripes look over-done/loud
Patterns: Stay away from bold, too-thick rugby stripes (overwhelms you) on shirts/polos and ties
Pinstripes: go for more subtle, overly aggressive/bold pinstripes look over-done/loud
Texture: Finer knits are better to not overwhelm you, but can experiment with chunkier knits, braided detail on sweaters
Cologne top-sellers
- Acqua di Gio
- D&G Light Blue
- Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey
- Armani Code (aggressive)
- Polo Black (aggressive)
