What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. This is the third and final episode in a trilogy of style scenarios espousing the versatility of the simple, camel cardigan sweater. In the first scenario I wore it with a white button-down shirt and navy blue corduroy pants. In the second I paired it with burgundy and pink. Now let’s take a look at one final way to style the versatile camel cardigan.
The Sweater: Spier & Mackay Light Brown Cardigan – $68. Wear it over a button-down shirt as a nice alternative to a crew neck or V-neck sweater. Also a relaxed alternative to a structured blazer or sportcoat. Merino wool is the next best thing to cashmere and will set you back a lot less money, and the camel color pairs well with nearly everything. My cardigan from Banana Republic is no longer available, but this one should do just fine.
The Tie: The Tie Bar Grenlaux Hunter Green Tie – $22. Green and brown are often seen together in nature, and I’m pulling inspiration for this pairing from trees when their leaves are green. A tie with texture makes the outfit a little more casual.
The Shirt: Bonobos Daily Grind Wrinkle Free Dress Shirt in Navy Gingham – $34 (final sale). The shirt I’m wearing in the photo is a brown houndstooth offering from Paul Fredrick that is sold out. Turns out white shirts with a bold brown pattern are hard to come by, so I’m substituting this Bonobos navy gingham in. And hey, we’re still sticking with the nature theme here. Blue sky, right? It’s a sartorial tapestry of nature’s palette, quite literally from the ground… all the way up. Now, if you want to super stick with the brown and green theme, you can always utilize a brown striped shirt like this one.
The Watch: Orient Bambino Automatic – $118. Can’t beat a classic like this. Crisp hands, just-right size, timeless design.
The Belt: Banana Republic Italian Leather Belt – $41 ($59.50). A simple brown leather belt to match the suggested shoes. Often (always?) on sale.
The Socks: Nordstrom Signature Merino Wool Blend Socks – $6.60 ($16.50). Brown to go with the brown chinos. If you can find some brown socks with a green pattern, even better!
The Pants: Spier & Mackay Brown Chinos – $48. Brown to keep the brown and green nature theme going. Darker brown pants make a nice contrast with the camel colored cardigan, and they can be paired with a variety of colors in both the spring, and darker months of fall and winter.
The Shoes: Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue Cap-Toe Oxford – $299 ($395.00). Or your favorite pair of brown brogues. Mine are a discontinued wingtip model by Allen Edmonds, but the iconic Fifth Avenue will look great with this outfit and much more. Currently on sale.
The Optional Statement: Johnston & Murphy Colorful Laces – $4. Green laces to coordinate with the green tie, if that’s your thing. Swapping out the laces for different colors is a quick way to change the look of your shoes for just a few dollars.
About the author: DeJuan is a husband, father of a 10-year old son and 3-year old daughter, and a chemical engineer. He enjoys watching sports, reading, playing and listening to music, and of course men’s style. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio and works from home in inside sales for a chemical process equipment supplier.
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