1. Grays, Blues, Browns, & Black. That’s the foundation.
- Style Scenario: Get the Grays – 3 Outfit Edition
- The Versatile Gray Suit – 3 Ways
- 10 Men’s Style Essentials to have in Navy
- How to wear a blazer with Jeans
- Style Scenarios: Get the Blues! (multiple)
- The 5 styles of shoes every guy needs
- The Dappered Essentials Shop
Not only does gray, blue, brown, and black often go well when paired together in various combinations, multiple shades of blue look great together, as do multiple shades of gray (as shown above). Focus those blues and grays on your clothing, black and brown for your shoes and belts, mix in the occasional black t-shirt/polo and earth-tone chinos or sportcoat, and you’re well on your way.
2. Get a G.A.D.A. watch
- Seiko 5 40mm SRPE55 – $223.12 w/ FRIEND ($295)
- Lorier Falcon 36mm – $499
- Nodus Duality II – $800
- Hamilton Murph 38mm – $945
- Christopher Ward Sealander 39mm – $995
Forget having a dress watch and a casual watch. What if you had one watch which could “do” both? That’s a go anywhere do anything (GADA) watch. It’s sporty enough to be worn with a t-shirt and jeans, yet refined enough to be worn with a suit and tie when needed. Characteristics usually include a mid to smaller size, an uncluttered dial lacking in unnecessary complications, and a clean fixed bezel (read: not a rotating dive style/no tachymeter or other print on the bezel). These watches are usually found on a brushed or mainly-brushed stainless steel bracelet, so you won’t have to swap out a leather strap (ever) to match your shoes.
3. Measure twice, cut buy once
You can waste an immense amount of time and money chasing and buying ill-fitting clothes and shoes across the internet. Measuring minimizes those mistakes. Even the most focused of us can forget to send something back in a return window. Or maybe you think it fits during the initial try on, you cut the tags off, and then you realize during its first day of real wear it’s too small or too big for “real life” use as you’ve moved around all day while wearing it. Get a soft measuring tape and learn your dimensions. When it comes to shoes, go to a reputable shoe store and have someone who knows what they’re doing measure your foot with a Brannock device. Write your specs down, and occasionally re-measure if your body goes through changes. And finally, when you’re starting out and beginning to build a (versatile) wardrobe… shop in person.
4. A crisp white dress shirt with a mid-spread collar is a not-so-secret weapon
- Target Goodfellow Performance Dress Shirt – $33
- B.R. Wrinkle Resistant Dress Shirt in Slim or Standard Fit – $80
- Ledbury White Madison Fine Twill Custom Shirt Dress Shirt – $135
With a tie. Under a suit or sportcoat with no tie. Under a more casual, unconstructed sportcoat. Under a sweater. A well fitting, crisp white dress shirt is as classic as it gets. It’s the item to splurge on if you have the funds, whereas more casual shirts are where you can spend far less and get a few colors/patterns if you choose.
5. Skimp on black shoes. Spend on dark brown.
- Nordstrom Dane Cap Toe Oxford – $69.97
- Mahogany Brown Park Avenue Leather Sole Oxfords – $329 ($425) review here
Dark brown dress shoes go with everything from rinse-wash denim to charcoal suits. (Yes dark brown shoes go with charcoal trousers and suits.) So you’ll get far more use out of them. But having a pair of black dress shoes on hand is a must. You probably won’t wear those nearly as much though, so that’s where you can save a few bucks.
6. Charcoal Suit, Navy Blazer, Gray Sportcoat = your tailoring base
- Spier & Mackay Core Line Charcoal Suit – $398
- J. Crew Legacy Blazer – $279.99 FINAL w/ HELLOSALE ($450)
- B By Brooks Bros. Wool Blend Sportcoat – $262.50 w/ FRIEND ($375) similar to above
- J. Crew Italian Wool Suit Jacket + Trouser in Charcoal = $675 sometimes goes on sale
- JCF Wool-Blend Blazer – $200 – $240ish
- Bonobos Unconstructed Italian Wool Blazer – $400
Start with those three items. Many may not need or want more than the suit to have on hand for serious/somber situations, but for building a truly versatile wardrobe, those three items will go the furthest. A charcoal suit will look appropriate both at job interviews as well as funerals, and can be broken up and worn separately if traveling light. The navy blazer can be worn with jeans, earth tone chinos and gray trousers, and lighter blue pants as well. A mid-gray sportcoat can see a lot of use, and if you pick one in all season weight, you’ll even find yourself reaching for it in the summer to wear with lighter gray or white trousers in the heat.
7. Dark tortoise frame sunglasses go with everything
- Carfia Polarized Men’s Sunglasses – $29
- WMP Keyhole Bridge Poarlized Sunglasses – $45
- Goodr Bosley’s Basset Hound Dreams (53mm) – $25
- Kent Wang Fairway Sunglasses – $55
Take it from a guy who has spent way too much money on expensive aviators, retro motorsport style, and other designer sunglasses. A basic pair of dark tortoise frame wayfarer style or timeless keyhole bridge shades go with everything. You don’t want huge chunky 80s style wayfarers, or something that looks like it was pulled out of a prop box for a mid-century TV series. Find something that looks good now, woulda looked good then, and will look good in the future. You’ll know it when you see it. And all those other sunglasses will lay there unused in a drawer as you put on something like these and head out the door. Note: Why plastic or acetate frames over wire? Because cheap wire frames can often rattle, bend, or just look plain, well, cheap. Affordable plastic or acetate frames can often look just as good as the expensive stuff.
8. White court-style sneakers go with (just about) everything
- J. Crew Court Sneakers – $148
- Cole Haan Grandpro Topspin – $160 available in wide fit
- LUCA Leather Terra Low – $195
- Gustin Made in Italy Sneakers – $199 pre-order/crowdfunded price
They look good with shorts and tees, jeans and henleys, chinos and chorecoats, etc. They can even (sometimes) go with suits, although traditionalists will recoil at that suggestion. Of course there are plenty of serious/conservative/somber instances where the sneakers + suit thing would be downright inappropriate. But you get the idea.
9. A navy mac is the real MVC*
- Michael Kors Men’s Classic-Fit Raincoat – $119 w/ FRIEND ($325)
- Charles Tyrwhitt Showerproof Raincoat – $399 ships/returns free via Nordstrom
- Mack Weldon Stormchaser Mackintosh Jacket – $139.99 FINAL ($248)
- Jack Victor Hans Wool Raincoat – $299.96 ($998)
- J. Crew Rivington Car Coat in Water-resistant Cotton Twill – $498
*Most valuable… coat. It goes with a suit and tie as well as a polo and chinos. It can be worn in spring, on cooler summer days, fall, and even in winter if you don’t live somewhere bitter cold and layer a quilted vest or jacket underneath . And a mac’s simplicity makes it hugely versatile. No fussy extra buttons or epaulets or waist belt like a true trench. Find one you like and fits well and you’ll wear it all the time with everything.
10. Care less about the brand. Care more about the thing.
Does it fit? Does it work with your other stuff? Does it last and not fall apart? Do you LIKE it? As long as the answers are “yes”, then it doesn’t matter if it’s a fancy designer brand, some mid-level mall stalwart, or a dirt cheap discount house-brand. Use it and love it. Of course brands can be an indicator of quality for clothes, shoes, watches, and other accessories. But “what’s the brand?” isn’t remotely the most important question to ask.
For more advice and how-tos, see our Start Here page.