see hear taste design: design | Men’s Wardrobe Essentials (Fall 2010)

Let me start with a disclaimer: I am, by no means, a fashion expert; I do, however, read a lot about men’s fashion, and I have a great deal of interest in the subject. You can call this a compilation of fashion advice, or my personal interpretation of that (I prefer the latter). To write an all-season list of essentials would be a tall order—too tall for this blog. So what I am going to do instead is make the list season-specific (I won't talk about basics; or maybe I will, but in another entry). Please note that I tend to go with classics rather than the latest trends. This way I can be sure that what I buy this year will still be in style for years to come; plus I'm not too crazy about super-contemporary fads and designers (I’m old-fashioned that way). Let's cover this from head to toe:

Keep your head warm and your hair dry with a newsboy hat (also known as an eight-paneled hat, cabbie hat, or Gatsby). These have been around for over a hundred years and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Tweed is most often what they’re made of (especially ones for autumn), but you’ll see them in cotton and canvas throughout the warmer months of the year. I like New Era's EK Felted Wool cap, and Uniqlo and Zara’s tweed versions.
A nicely fitted trench coat: it's easy to dress this up or down. Jeans and sneakers make the coat funky; a suit and dress shoes make it professional. I'm a fan of the classic beige colour, but there are many labels making them in all kinds of colours (black, grey, navy, and even patterned). Tightening the belt around your waist will most likely make you look like a stuffy private detective, which is great if that’s the look you’re going for; but if you want to avoid that, you can tie the ends behind your back or put them in the coat pockets, or—better yet—buy a beltless version of this classic coat. Check out Zara, Uniqlo, or Indochino for nice fitted cuts.
V-neck sweater: it goes with everything, and it can be dressed up or down (are you noticing a pattern here? Yes, I like clothes that can go from casual to formal in the snap of a finger). Wear it over a white button up shirt with dark jeans and black leather shoes to achieve that smart-casual look. Or over a polo or t-shirt with your favorite sneakers (not gym shoes) for a nice autumn walk. You can even wear it in place of your suit jacket if you get chilly at the office. These are rather easy to find, but I quite like the heavy knit by Uniqlo, the cashmere by Penguin, or Merino wool sweater by Gap.
Dark jeans: Buying jeans is a bit of nightmare for most people (myself included). If I find ones that are a good cut and fit, they’ll often have a distasteful wash or silly rips and cuts; sometimes, I’ll be lucky and find one that is a good fit and has a nice colour, but it will cost far too much money. I’ve come to trust a couple of labels for their consistent output of great fitting and classic dark washed denim. The cut you buy should be one that compliments your body type; I like a fitted straight leg, or a not-so-skinny skinny cut. Check out Levi’s 511s, the Calvin Klein Skinny, or Uniqlo’s Straight Fitted.
A nice pair of leather high-top sneakers: I’m not talking about flashy, performance geared sneakers here; I’m talking about simple and comfortable designs with a classic feel. Like everything else on this list, you can dress these up or down, depending on what the occasion calls for. My favorites are the new slimmed down Chuck Taylors, Adidas Stan Smiths, or Steve Madden’s Francoos.

That concludes the list, for now. If you like any of the items I’ve picked in the image above, check the bottom of the article for where you can get them.

Oh, and one last thing (this is slightly off-topic): if you’re like me, then you must be looking forward to IDSwest (Interior Design Show West) at the new Vancouver Convention Centre, featuring a talk by the talented industrial designer, Mr. Karim Rashid. The show starts October 14th and ends on the 17th (click here for more information).

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

design | Men’s Wardrobe Essentials (Fall 2010)