Before i go ahead and give my 10 essentials for every man’s wardrobe, i should tell you why we have this unusual post. unusual because i never write about men’s fashion, as much as i love men’s fashion, i must admit i would be a terrible critic, my judgement just may be biased.
So when my boyfriend suggested i do something on men’s fashion/style guide, i laughed. I laughed because i thought it was a piece of cake, little did i know “men’s fashion is definitely NOT women’s fashion” Well lets just say, men’s style is not something i will venture into writing about anytime soon. And even after some research on the internet and some blogs, i realised i would be overwhelmed, so i decided to stick to the basics, the everyday man, what i have seen them wear and i know looks good on any man, and what am accustomed to, without getting too deep into the details. Essentials i think are useful to any man worldwide regardless of your body size,shape or height.
With that being said, the following in my opinion, are the 10 essential items on which to build any man’s wardrobe, in no particular order.
1. The Suit;
Invest in a classic black suit if its your first suit. It will come in very handy for business meetings, interviews and formal occasions like weddings and funerals. If your spoilt for choice, go in for other colours like brown,grey, beige or even blue.There is not much to write on the professional suit, it speaks for itself.
2. The Sweater; A classic cashmere sweater may or may not be an essential for every man. The sweater ,though most of the times is ignored, i think is a very versatile addition to anyone’s wardrobe, women inclusive. For chilli nights, it can be worn with jeans for casual, and with dress pants for more formal nights.
3. A white dress shirt;
This is a staple for all men. As Marshal Cohen, NPD’s chief analyst said “It’s the universal garment. It takes no brains and no style to make a white shirt look good — as long as it’s clean and it fits.” The white shirt could be paired with your professional suit and a tie to complete your look for fancy occasions, and one can also torn it down over jeans, shorts for a more casual look.
4. A Casual Shirt;The casual shirt can be anything from short sleeved, long sleeved, stripes, plaid, solid you name it. As long as it fits right and is versatile enough to be worn with khaki, dress pants , shorts and denim, your safe. Casual shirts have the ability to turn any outfit from tacky to cool if worn right. Pair it with a suit,with jeans,khaki or dress pants for work, a night out, or even with shorts on a cool day, whatever suits you best
5. The Sport Coat;This is one of the most ignored items by most men, yet it is your ‘go to piece’ in your closet, your saviour piece. For all the men out there who like to keep it simple, cool and laid back, this is for you. A sport coat is overly versatile, it can be dressed down or up and is guaranteed to look good either way. It can easily be worn over anything, yes pretty much anything, t-shirts, vests, polo t-shirts, dress shirt, casual shirt, khaki, dress pants,denim and even shorts if well paired. Carry a neutral coloured sport coat in your car or bag and safe guard yourself from unplanned occasions without looking over the top or out of place. And not to forget the added advantage of being sorted and safe in this unpredictable African weather.
6. Jeans;
Another staple in every mans wardrobe worldwide, a no brainer right? well so you would think. However with so many styles, colours and variations of denim to pick from, picking the right pair that suits you may not be so simple. Well depending on your age, pick a dark shade without faded sections, holes, bling or patches to keep it clean and grown up. Go for timeless washes with classic fits, a classic straight legged jean that fits correctly can be dressed up or down casually. Because of their versatility, jeans are the most valuable player in your wardrobe, jeans can be worn at home ,on a date, in the work place or on outings.
Another staple in every mans wardrobe worldwide, a no brainer right? well so you would think. However with so many styles, colours and variations of denim to pick from, picking the right pair that suits you may not be so simple. Well depending on your age, pick a dark shade without faded sections, holes, bling or patches to keep it clean and grown up. Go for timeless washes with classic fits, a classic straight legged jean that fits correctly can be dressed up or down casually. Because of their versatility, jeans are the most valuable player in your wardrobe, jeans can be worn at home ,on a date, in the work place or on outings.
7. The Tee Shirt;
T.shirts call for simple graphics not intricate ones. A good t.shirt can go a long way. Stay away from childish slogans and extreme colours, go with neutral coloured, simple graphic or striped t.shirts. Tees are as versatile as jeans. Be it the round neck, the V neck or the polo t.shirt, t.shirts can be worn with pretty much any thing and for most occasions if worn correctly, the key word being correctly! Wear them with shorts, jeans and under a sport coat for a casual night out.
8. The Dress Pant;
Dress pants, mostly known as a suit, are a style of pants intended to be worn as formal to semi-formal wear. When purchasing dress pants, go for a classic look, you can never go wrong with classic dress pants. Go for neutral colours like black, solid brown, black with pinstripes, grey, khaki. It can paired with a jacket as a suit for formal occasions, with a tie for a dressy but less formal look, and with a casual shirt for a nice night out, and all can apply for work depending on your taste.
9. Shoes;
You all know the popular saying “ you can judge a man by his shoes.” What men however fail to realise is that that statement does not talk about how cheap or expensive ones shoe is. How much attention you pay to the smallest items like shoes, says alot about how much detail one will pay to the less noticed yet intimate things like say underwear and personal hygiene!
According to GQ Magazine, Shoes reveal whether a man takes pride in the little things. if he throws on a nice suit and pairs it with cheap clunky lace-ups, he’s not what you’d call a detail man. And if he leaves his pricey wingtips scuffed and unpolished, he may not be the closer you’re looking for either. Yes guys, your shoes say alot about you, and most of the time, it has nothing to do with the price tag.
Am not going to get into the nitty- gritty details of men’s shoes. Unlike most women, well shoe fecks to be exact, men have the luxury to not have a dramatic stock of shoes, most times, a pair or 2 of different types of shoes and they can live happily ever after. Just be sure to have a variety to cater for different occasions, you definitely wouldn't want to wear your sharp lace up, oxfords everywhere.
10. Accessories:
Accessories for men is gradually becoming a popular amongst most men worldwide. And i am not talking about the classic accessories that every man should posses at least once you have hit your youth. For example a tie, watch, belt, underwear and socks, those i will not be talking about as those are like knickers, bras to women, you have to own them, regardless of its quality and quantity.
I am talking about rings,bracelets,hats,perfume and bags.
When it comes to rings,bracelets and necklaces, even thought diamonds are a girls best friend, this may not apply to men. When it comes to men, the key to accessorising is “keeping things as simple as possible” Unless you have the character to go with it, men should refrain from going over board with arm candy.
When purchasing jewellery, one should stay clear from sparkling diamond and precious stones and experiment with dull and harsher tones like cobalt, titanium, copper, leather, platinum.
Hats and scarfs may not be every guys cup of tea, and one can go away without owning or wearing any and still look fashionable. However they come in handy on hot and rainy days and they sure do protect you and add an amph to your style.
Perfumes: another ignored item by some men, i am only going to give men one piece of advice. No woman, yes NO woman fancies cuddling up to any man who smells like a he goat! a man who smells good is heavenly, ooh and no we do not mean those that smell like shisha, Gift of Zanzibar or Cobra to mention but a few.
Bags: Any man of fashion knows that bags are no longer seen as solely a woman’s item. Bags have become a necessary style accessory. Men’s bags are attractive, masculine and an ideal addition to any wardrobe. Stick with a classic type of men’s bags and you wont go wrong.
In the earlier days, the brief cases seemed to be the only bag that was considered “business” worthy, however now there are a couple of bags in the market that can be easily mixed and matched with your casual and business wardrobe. These include, to begin, with the classic brief case, and don't worry guys the brief case has since our grand fathers and fathers days now been slightly transformed into a more slimmer, sleeker and less boxy brief case to cater for your preferred taste and style. Then there is the Tote, the Duffel/holdall bag and the Messenger bag.
A great bag, has the ability to impress without offending. You can change your suits and shoes all week for a business meeting, but have a great bag and you’ll be remembered even long after the deal is done!
Tell me what you think.
T.shirts call for simple graphics not intricate ones. A good t.shirt can go a long way. Stay away from childish slogans and extreme colours, go with neutral coloured, simple graphic or striped t.shirts. Tees are as versatile as jeans. Be it the round neck, the V neck or the polo t.shirt, t.shirts can be worn with pretty much any thing and for most occasions if worn correctly, the key word being correctly! Wear them with shorts, jeans and under a sport coat for a casual night out.
8. The Dress Pant;
Dress pants, mostly known as a suit, are a style of pants intended to be worn as formal to semi-formal wear. When purchasing dress pants, go for a classic look, you can never go wrong with classic dress pants. Go for neutral colours like black, solid brown, black with pinstripes, grey, khaki. It can paired with a jacket as a suit for formal occasions, with a tie for a dressy but less formal look, and with a casual shirt for a nice night out, and all can apply for work depending on your taste.
9. Shoes;
You all know the popular saying “ you can judge a man by his shoes.” What men however fail to realise is that that statement does not talk about how cheap or expensive ones shoe is. How much attention you pay to the smallest items like shoes, says alot about how much detail one will pay to the less noticed yet intimate things like say underwear and personal hygiene!
According to GQ Magazine, Shoes reveal whether a man takes pride in the little things. if he throws on a nice suit and pairs it with cheap clunky lace-ups, he’s not what you’d call a detail man. And if he leaves his pricey wingtips scuffed and unpolished, he may not be the closer you’re looking for either. Yes guys, your shoes say alot about you, and most of the time, it has nothing to do with the price tag.
Am not going to get into the nitty- gritty details of men’s shoes. Unlike most women, well shoe fecks to be exact, men have the luxury to not have a dramatic stock of shoes, most times, a pair or 2 of different types of shoes and they can live happily ever after. Just be sure to have a variety to cater for different occasions, you definitely wouldn't want to wear your sharp lace up, oxfords everywhere.
10. Accessories:
Accessories for men is gradually becoming a popular amongst most men worldwide. And i am not talking about the classic accessories that every man should posses at least once you have hit your youth. For example a tie, watch, belt, underwear and socks, those i will not be talking about as those are like knickers, bras to women, you have to own them, regardless of its quality and quantity.
I am talking about rings,bracelets,hats,perfume and bags.
When it comes to rings,bracelets and necklaces, even thought diamonds are a girls best friend, this may not apply to men. When it comes to men, the key to accessorising is “keeping things as simple as possible” Unless you have the character to go with it, men should refrain from going over board with arm candy.
When purchasing jewellery, one should stay clear from sparkling diamond and precious stones and experiment with dull and harsher tones like cobalt, titanium, copper, leather, platinum.
Hats and scarfs may not be every guys cup of tea, and one can go away without owning or wearing any and still look fashionable. However they come in handy on hot and rainy days and they sure do protect you and add an amph to your style.
Perfumes: another ignored item by some men, i am only going to give men one piece of advice. No woman, yes NO woman fancies cuddling up to any man who smells like a he goat! a man who smells good is heavenly, ooh and no we do not mean those that smell like shisha, Gift of Zanzibar or Cobra to mention but a few.
Bags: Any man of fashion knows that bags are no longer seen as solely a woman’s item. Bags have become a necessary style accessory. Men’s bags are attractive, masculine and an ideal addition to any wardrobe. Stick with a classic type of men’s bags and you wont go wrong.
In the earlier days, the brief cases seemed to be the only bag that was considered “business” worthy, however now there are a couple of bags in the market that can be easily mixed and matched with your casual and business wardrobe. These include, to begin, with the classic brief case, and don't worry guys the brief case has since our grand fathers and fathers days now been slightly transformed into a more slimmer, sleeker and less boxy brief case to cater for your preferred taste and style. Then there is the Tote, the Duffel/holdall bag and the Messenger bag.
A great bag, has the ability to impress without offending. You can change your suits and shoes all week for a business meeting, but have a great bag and you’ll be remembered even long after the deal is done!
And with that gentlemen ,are to my opinion,the essentials to any man’s wardrobe. Now most men think fashion and personal style is not for them, but no one is asking anyone to look like David Beckam, heck he has stylists! Men’s style is laid back and more about looking presentable and well put together, and remember, every woman appreciates a well dressed man as much as a man appreciates a well dressed woman.
Tell me what you think.
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I love love men's fashion,and for some strange reason,to me atleast,it looks even sexier on girls
ReplyDeleteLol,i agree, it does look sexier and chic on women,but you either get it right or u fail!
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