Steal the Style: Chris Bosh in Esquire

Chris Bosh in Esquire’s January 2012 Issue

Go here for the original and very awesome photo, which was taken by Mark Mann for Esquire

Say what you will about the Miami Heat.  The big three like their clothes.  Dwayne Wade was voted best dressed by his fellow NBA players last year, and LeBron wasn’t far behind at #3.

And then there’s Chris Bosh.  Quietly doing his thing.

Gotta give a guy credit for embracing the role of Robin.  Or Alfred.  But Bosh can play.  He knows how to look sharp too.  Evidence is inside Esquire’s latest “What I’ve Learned” issue, where in one section they interview a host of what can best be described as second fiddles.  Here’s how to emulate Bosh’s style without having to sell your Stradivarius.
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The Jacket: Joseph Abboud Plaid Sport Coat – $288.68 ($645) | $148.42 ($495)

The one on the left looks like it could be the very same sport coat Bosh is wearing.  Available through Esquire’s CLADmen.com.  They’re taking an extra 25% off their sale items at checkout, and that drops the doppelganger down to $290.  Too expensive and/or too loud?  Try the darker, more subtle Abboud coat on the right.  That’s now under $150, and since both are made in the USA, that just might be the deal of the season.  Warning:  CLAD is calling this “The Final Sale”, but no word on if that means these are “final” sale items (meaning, you can’t return them.)  And speaking of returns, CLAD ships free, but they charge $10 to ship it back.

 

The Pants: BR Tailored Slim Wool Pants – $68.95* ($98) | Old Navy Dress Pants – $24.97 ($30)

Those pants aren’t charcoal.  Bosh is, as the kids would say, “killing it” with lighter grey tones.  The outfit is almost spring like, but it looks just fine in winter thanks to the cool color scheme.  The pants from Banana Republic are crisp and come in their more tailored fit.  The Old Navy pants are the budget option, with rayon mixed in with the cotton to give them a less chino-like appearance.  UPDATE:  *BRJAN35 or BRJAN30 or BRJAN25 should work for a discount.  Price shown reflects 30% off.  They’re running a select customer sale right now, so, one of those should work.

 

The Shirt:  Target Merona Ultimate Dress Shirt* – $22.99 | Nordstrom Trim Fit – $65.00

Bright, white, and an open collar.  Same rules apply here that apply for the tieless suit.  You’ll need something that’s no wider than a semi-spread, and the collar itself has to have some good size to it.  No hyper trendy mini collars.  And wurkin stiffs aren’t a bad idea either.  *Note:  The online Target Poplin might not be the same as the “Ultimate” dress shirt by Merona.  It’s best to check in store for these…

 

The Pocket Square:  Set of two Irish Handkerchiefs – $13.20 ($30)

Lots of height on that thing (almost missed it though.)  Probably an “inverted poofy poof” or a three/four corners up.  Avoid a solid silk shined up pocket square.  It’ll look too Regis Philbin-y.  The handkerchiefs are part of the extra 40% off Lastcall.com sale.  Might need a little starch to give them some stiffness.  More on pocket squares here, and here.

 

The Shoes:  Eduardo G. Florence Tassled Loafers – $139.97 w/ code ALJAN2 ($375)

The web shots are inconclusive as far as what kind of shoe Bosh is wearing.  A laceup?  Monk?  A slim loafer?  Now the magazine shots on the other hand, those sure seem to indicate that he’s got some tassels on his footwear (see pg. 69 in the Jan. 2012 issue.)  If that’s the case, these are close.  Made in Portugal.  French calf uppers.  The color isn’t quite dead on and might lean too heavy to the red side, but they’ll work.  For a bit lighter brown in different styles, try the Mercanti Fiorentini cap toe lace up, or, their just back in stock monk strap.

More on loafers next Monday.  Have alternative ideas for the shoes or jacket?  Leave those below.