Outfit Post: The Building Blocks

It’s been a while since I’ve thrown up an outfit post, and even longer since I’ve featured a more dressed-up look, so I figured it was about time. However, I’m taking a slightly different approach this time, as I was hoping to focus on and share my usual method for building an outfit.

A lot of guys (including myself, at one point), get to a point where they have the sartorial education/know-how to put together a strong wardrobe of well-fitting, stylish pieces, but struggle to put them together into a coherent outfit. One of the most common questions I see is “where do I start?” With that in mind, here’s how I do it.

I try to start every outfit with one piece. This may be a new article of clothing that I’m really excited to wear or an old one that I’ve been meaning to work back into my rotation. It may be a bold, statement piece, or a neutral base. It might be as front-and-center as a blazer, or as behind-the-scenes as a pair of socks or pocket square. The point is, this piece acts as the foundation for the rest of the building blocks that will come together to form my outfit.

For this look, I started with my blue and off-white plaid blazer from Gagliardi. It’s one of my favorite pieces, from the fit to the construction to the style, but I wear it far less than I would like, simply because the bold pattern makes it trickier to match (and a little less office-friendly). This weekend, I dressed up my off-duty look a bit more than I have been this summer, and decided it would be a good chance to have the freedom to rock this bad boy. So boom, foundation piece and starting point:

From there, every decision comes back to this one piece. You could go any direction, but I went to pants next. While I didn’t have the restrictions of an office dress code to work with, the blazer is still pretty in-your-face, as far as style goes. Therefore, I decided right away to tone down the rest of my pieces. I also wanted to dress down the tailored look a bit, since it was still the weekend. Thus, for pants, the easy choice was a pair of dark blue jeans: a subtle and neutral pair of pants that were casual enough for the occasion but sharp enough for the combination, and in a blue that will play well with the colors in the jacket:

When it came to the shirt, the patterned blazer immediately dictated a solid shirt (or at the very least a very subtle pattern). Beyond that, I took the same mindset as I did with my pants, and picked what I consider to be the shirt equivalent of a pair of crisp blue jeans: a white OCBD. Again, weekend-casual, but fitting to wear with a tailored blazer. Where I played off the darker colors in the blazer when picking the jeans, this time around I brought out the lighter contrasting notes and picked a white shirt over blue:

From there, I just kept up those same themes as I picked out accessories and final touches. A knit cotton tie, a chambray pocket square, a brown belt and blue suede brogues with no-show socks. Each seems like (and is) a pretty straightforward choice, but if you look at the path that took me to each piece, it always starts with the blazer.

Of course, there are numerous other techniques and considerations to take into account: color-matching, pattern-matching, balance, seasonality, the list goes on and on (and some are mentioned throughout this article). However, starting with a foundation piece as we suggest here gives you the palette upon which you apply all of those other principles. It’s in no way the only factor in the equation, but it’s a strong and simple place to start.

Outfit Details:

Gagliardi Plaid Cotton/Wool Blazer
Levi's 513 Blue Jeans
Uniqlo White Slim OCBD
Thrifted Vintage Woven Belt (similar, new)
J.Crew Factory Blue Cotton Knit Tie
Past The Pocket Chambray Pocket Square
Bass Blue Suede Shoes (similar)
PACT No-Show Socks (unseen)

What's your method of choice? Share in the comments below!

Outfit Post - The DIY Band Collar Shirt

Sorry for the brief hiatus there! My computer decided it didn't want to turn on any more, and in fact I'm still on a loaner today. Therefore, just a quick one today: 

This outfit post was spawned out of a few moments of serendipity - I just happened to be wearing this great shirt that I recently re-purposed and wanted to share - we just happened to be passing this really cool mural in Wicker Park and wanted to grab the chance for a photo op - I just happened to like the resulting outfit/photo combo enough to want to slap it right up here for you all to check out:

The big take away from this one is definitely the re-purposed shirt. I’ve been seeing band collar shirts pop up all over the place, most notably as a new staple in Wes’ wardrobe (of TSBmen fame). I dig the look, however, much like pop-over shirts, the surge in popularity of this style doesn’t seem to have really made it into the affordable shopping realm, so I’ve been stuck admiring from afar.

More recently, I saw a few mentions of making your own DIY band collars by simply cutting off the collar of one of your button-front shirts. Again, I was pretty enamored with the idea, but was unnerved by stories of crazy fraying and couldn’t muster the courage to take my scissors to one of my dear shirts.

A few weeks ago, however, I was sorting through my closet trying to free up some space and hangers, and came across this shirt that I reviewed for Trashness back in the fall. Back then, I was impressed with the denim shirt they sent me, and more recently was a big fan of their updated oxford cloth, but this first OCBD offering they sent me was just a little rough around the edges. That said, I realized that the things I didn't love about it to being with (kinda rough collar, fraying along the placket, slightly messy logo), made the shirt a perfect candidate for some impromptu surgery. Best part was, I rarely wear the shirt as is, so if it turned into a huge failure, I wouldn't be all full of regret.

Ten minutes of careful snipping later, and voila - band collar OCBD: 

And boy am I glad I took the leap. After a wash or two, the fraying and the collar along with the rough stitching on the placket gave this barely-worn shirt a perfect, beat up and lived-in look. On top of that, the fabric is a bit lighter for an oxford, and along with the band collar makes this a really nice casual summer shirt. I’ll add, too, that the trim fit was an aspect I already loved (good work, Trashness), and the silhouette is pretty sharp - so while casual, I think it comes together very well in a dapper, ‘weekend gent’ look like this one.

Here, I paired it with a pair of Uniqlo chinos in a lighter blue (again, great for the sunny summer day - I believe we were headed to a street fest here in Chicago) that I picked up during my recent trip to SF. I could have definitely played down the formality by wearing sneakers or boat shoes, and maybe a ribbon belt, or my go-to braided brown belt, but I wanted to keep that dapper edge, so I went with my black Everlane belt (similar here) and my favorite (but unfortunately almost worn out) black Allen Edmond’s (similar here) - and of course, I kept it seasonal and breezy by rocking the sockless look with the help of some PACT no-shows.

Moral of the story - I say this is a sartorial jump you should really consider. The benefit (besides what I think is a really stylish look) lies strongly in the whole idea of re-purposing rather than buying new - not only do you get to save money, but you get to recycle on older piece of clothing that might otherwise go to waste. It’s a great move for any clothes-horses who have hit their budget limits early and need to fulfill the urge to add something new and exciting to the rotation before the next payday!

What do you think? How did the look come together? Is the band-collar shirt a strength or a weakness? Does this tempt any of you to undergo some DIY shirt surgery?

My Memorial Day Style

In a follow up to last week's post on staying sharp during your Memorial Day festivities, here's what I rocked this weekend. Granted, we weren't headed for the beach or a cookout, but we did spend the afternoon in the sun on the patio at a local bar, getting boozy on Bloody Mary's and IPA's and enjoying the company of good friends. Pretty much all you can ask for. My outfit was a slight variation on one of my recommendations, and came out like this (shop the look after the post):

It was actually one of the first really warm days here in Chicago...maybe not hot (that word will take on new perspective when we break 100 degrees), but definitely warm enough to take the heat into consideration, so I kept things easy breezy head to toe. Started with a pair of chambray shorts that I picked up from J.Crew last year. These things cover all the bases, and though they are a tad longer than I'd prefer, I like the range that gives me, length-wise, just by giving the cuff a quick roll or two. Super light, super comfortable, these are a go-to all summer.

For shoes, I swapped out my requisite boat shoes for these newer Converse Jack Purcell sneakers. Just picked these up a few weeks ago and they've quickly become a summer favorite. They're lightweight and casual, but the all-white adds a level of sharpness, as does the Jack Purcell cut over say, the Chuck Taylor.

Finally, topped things off with this vintage shirt that I actually stole from  my dad's closet maybe a decade ago. I've been wearing it since - through good style and bad, and don't think I'll ever be able to bring myself to get rid of it.

It's a bit baggy through the body, and the sleeves are kinda short, so I'm thinking of doing some 'construction' on it this year - maybe cut the sleeves down to short sleeves? Get some darts or have the whole thing take in at the sides? Or make it super summer (it's already light as a feather) and take the collar off, rock the mao collar? Open to suggestions, for sure!

The Outfit:
Shirt - Vintage
Shorts - J.Crew Factory
Shoes - Converse Jack Purcell
Socks (unseen, as they should be) - PACT
Glasses - Penn Avenue Eyewear

How were you stylin' on the holiday? Share descriptions or pics below!

Outfit Post - Dressing Up and Dressing Down

My girlfriend and I have been taking advantage of a service called HowAboutWe ever since I bought her a subscription as a Christmas present. I may do a longer post detailing the awesome perks, since we've been loving it so much, but the short story is that they curate events (or for the couples version, which we signed up for, 'dates'), that can include discounted or exclusive activities, hook you up with a reservation, and voila, next thing you know you're in a new brandy distillery in Chicago watching apples being smashed(?) by a man on a bicycle.

Really, it's been a great way to get us out of the house on the weekend when the weather says to just stay on your couch! Not only does it give my girlfriend and I even more quality time to spend with each other, it also has given me lots of opportunities to exercise my wardrobe by freeing me from my weekday business casual without taking me the whole way down to lounge-on-the-couch casual.

For example, we were back at it again this weekend with a quick trip down to NOSH food festival/farmers market, and I ended up rocking a great balance between the sharp style I like to exude and the more rustic, well, farmers-market-friendly options:

To start off, I love to wear a shirt and tie, and blazer when I can. However, going into this, I knew that coming in a pressed white shirt, silk tie, jacket and chinos probably wouldn't only not fit the crowd, but would also end up getting something spilled on it. So instead, I made some conscious choices to dress down my standard 'fit to something that would work great in the circumstances.

First, I went with generally rougher and more casual fabrics. Instead of a poplin or white oxford shirt, I rocked a plaid, heavier cotton (almost flannel) shirt. For the tie, I went with cotton knit instead of a shinier silk knit, and for the blazer I left my more constructed and sleek options at home, instead grabbing an unlined, soft-shouldered wool twill.

I even made the same general effect with my shoes...these boots are pretty sharp, definitely no shit-kickers, but the suede leather, as opposed to polished, takes things farther into casual territory, as do the lugged soles, which also came in handy walking home through the slushy mess that spring is bringing us.

On the other hand, a few details kept me feeling like I was still on the top of my game. The shirt, for example, while full of more casual details, is actually one of my custom shirts, so the fit is perfect (which will instantly have you feeling like you look 100%). I kept the tie clip, partly because I didn't want my tie falling in my food, and again, because it keeps a sharper edge to the whole look. Last, while I did pick jeans (like a farmer, eh?), I kept them slim and dark to keep some sharp lines from top to bottom. I also decided to go ahead and rock a pocket square (always a bit of a dandy move), but even kept that on the more casual end of the spectrum by picking a cotton, 'bandana' square in a spring-appropriate green that would compliment but not match the green tones in my shirt.

Last, I maintained the balance by throwing a casual waxed cotton jacket on top. No sense in building that careful balance, only to cover it all with a more formal overcoat. Lucky me, the olive color of my jacket worked great with the blues, greens, and greys making up the outfit so far.

Outfit Details:
Blazer - Frank and Oak
Plaid Shirt - Custom by Modern Tailor
Cotton Knit Tie - J.Crew
Cotton Pocket Square - J.Crew
Dark Blue Jeans - Levi's 513
Suede Boots - Polo Ralph Lauren
Waxed Jacket - Frank and Oak

Outfit Post - The Sunday Lunch Date

Sorry for the delay on this post...I was planning on getting it up after the Super Bowl last night (what the hell happened there???)  but since my girlfriend was leaving first thing this morning for a business trip, I decided to spend my time with her instead of working. Sue me. 

Anyway, it's appropriate that I was so sweet to my gal, since she was kinda the inspiration for this post. It's restaurant week here in Chicago, so I took her out to a snazzy afternoon meal at The Savoy (our first time there, but I recommend it if you're in the city). We made ourselves nice and appropriately presentable before heading out, so I figured I may as well do an outfit post with an example of a great lunch-date ensemble.

At the Savoy...hmm...tie is slightly askew...and I'm slightly OCD...

The Savoy, like many lunch-date options, was a nice restaurant, but not fancy. There's no way I was going to show up in sweatpants, but at the same time it didn't call for a suit (although I have a new on from Dragon Inside that I'm dying for a chance to wear - more to come). As it should be, this was the first criteria for picking my outfit - sharp casual.

From there, I (half-jokingly) decided on a black-and-white color palette for the sole reason that it was Super Bowl Sunday, I could care less about both teams, and didn't want to throw affiliation either way (not that I own much in orange, but I have a lot of blue and green). 

Black, white, and in-between. Greyscale doesn't mean boring.

After that, it was pretty easy. When you're going for sharp casual, crisp blue jeans are never a bad choice. Either is a white OCBD. Either is a dark grey tie. Either is a charcoal merino V-neck. The point, I guess, is that those menswear staples are there for a reason. Not every outfit you pick needs to stand out.

My socks were the one place I let some color pop...and that's what I love about socks, as I mentioned last week.

A little flash of purple.

When it was all put together, I think it was a classy look...subtle yet sharp (man, I'm overusing that word, but it just fits), interesting but not bold, and I think (hope?) that the same balance came across in the image I presented...confident but respectful, because I know that's how my girl likes me best. :-)

Despite the snowy appearance, it was actually warm enough to wear a new lighter jacket from Frank & Oak.

Side note - my gal took some pages out of the menswear book herself and looked awfully cute doing it...rocked some nice blue jeans, a chambray shirt with just enough contrast from the denim, and some new suede boots. Gorgeous!

My beautiful date!

Outfit Details:

Waxed Cotton Parka - Frank & Oak

Merino V-neck Sweater - Frank & Oak

OCBD - Uniqlo

Knit Tie - The Tie Bar

Jeans - Levi's

Socks (similar) - Express

Wingtip Shoes (similar) - Johnston Murphy (via eBay)

Mr. Pocket Square - Front and Center

A few weeks before Christmas, Mr. Pocket Square sent me a pocket square from their collection to sample. 

Tartan Pocket Square | Mr. Pocket Square

It's a beautiful, festive square and I've been rocking it since it arrived, and am just now getting a chance to really feature it here on the blog.

Admittedly, most of the collection from Mr. Pocket Square is a bit bold and bright for my tastes. However, there are a few tamer gems in the mix that can be a great pop of color for an otherwise stolid outfit, but maintain enough class and subtlety to avoid looking affected.

The one I picked out is a perfect example, coming in a bright green and red plaid. Yeah, the colors are bright, but the pattern itself is pretty standard (you know this, you see plaid everywhere, and have for ages). I've been loving to use this square as the punch in an outfit, keeping everything else as minimal and 'classic' as possible. 

Here is one of my favorite looks, a simple white OCBD, grey wool blazer, and black knit tie. It really doesn't get any simpler than that, so the pizzazz added by the colorful pocket square doesn't risk pushing things over the edge. I wore this particular 'fit with jeans, but I was thinking it would have worked very well with my dark green chinos, which remain neutral but would play well with the subtle green tones from the square. 

Since the pocket square is such a small pop of color, I'd go ahead and repeat the injection below with a bold pair of socks, even something in solid bright red.

Extra hint: Score one of these squares, emblazoned with cute and classy hearts, for a standout touch on Valentine's day!

Blue Hearts Pocket Square | Mr. Pocket Square

Holiday Concert Outfit

First, a quick heads up: what with the holidays coming up on top of an already-busy schedule, we're toning down Wide Eyes, Tight Wallets back to two posts a week for just a week or two. That means look for your weekend Deals and Steals a day early on Thursday!

Anyway, this weekend my girlfriend and I had tickets to see Dawes (one of our favorites) play the WXRT holiday show at the gorgeous Chicago Theater (along with The Head and the Heart). I of course took the opportunity to dress up a little bit, and since it's been so long since I've done a proper outfit post, well, here you go.

I wasn't sure of venue rules regarding cameras, so I left the camera at home and everything here was shot with my trusty iPhone. That in mind, I apologize if any pictures came out sub-par, but I'm sure you'll get over it.

Since this was the holiday concert, I wanted to dress at least a little festively, so I planned my outfit around incorporating some green and red. This turned out to be a perfect opportunity, because I just got this dark green wool blazer from Tailor4Less for an upcoming review (more details to come, but I'll say now I was actually pretty impressed). 

With the green element underway, I had to add a touch of red as well, which came via my go-to dark red/burgundy knit tie by The Tie Bar. With the blazer and tie together, I had my green and red without being too garish or bold. The darker, muted tones, chosen over brighter alternatives, invoke images of a cozy fire-side drink rather than say, drunken TBOX revelry, which suited my tastes and the occasion just fine.

Framed.

The rest of the outfit came together easily. The specs I picked for the blazer nicely blend dressy and casual, with a definitely laid-back fabric, but sleek silhouette with the jetted pockets and peak lapels. I continued this through the rest of the look, holding down the dressier end of things with a white dress shirt and a silver tie clip, as well as my oxblood brogues.

Shined these bad boys up for the night.

However, I maintained the weekend-casual vibe by wearing jeans instead of dress pants, and picking an OCBD over a dressier cavalry twill option.

Of course, being in Chicago, in December, it was a chilly night, and I bundled up with my new awesome Gloverall duffle coat and a wool scarf from Frank & Oak. This coat is freakin' incredible, and goes just as well over a blazer as it does a crew-neck sweatshirt. And it's warm. Boom.

Cheesin' in the cold.

We had an incredible night, the show was awesome, and hey, I made a blog post out of it! Not too shabby for a Sunday night!

The show was our Hanukkah present to each other, well spent.

Dawes, rockin' out.

Outfit Details:

Blazer: MTM via Tailor4Less

Shirt: Uniqlo Slim OCBD

Tie: Burgundy Silk Knit by The Tie Bar

Tie Clip: Brushed Silver by The Tie Bar

Pocket Square (that you can barely see, shit): Stepped Wool by The Tie Bar

Jeans: Levi's 513 Slim Straight

Socks: Mossimo Supply Co. Boot Sock from Target

Shoes: Bostonian Oxblood Wingtips via eBay

Coat: Gloverall Duffle via Gilt.com

Scarf: Wool Scarf by Frank and Oak

WIWT - 6/4/2013 - Classic summer prep on a cooler summer day.

The weather here in Chicago has been so wacky lately that it's been really hard to dress seasonally. It seems to always be either hot and rainy, or cool and sunny. Today fell into the latter category...the gorgeous sunshine and clear blue sky have me thinking summer, but the temperature would be more in place in March or April. Today I really stepped up to the challenge and embraced the cheery look of the day while keeping myself warm enough for the unusually cool breeze.

The biggest thing I did here was combine very light colors with my pants and shirt. In general, this is reserved for warmer summer days. I actually just read an article today in which the creative director and CEO of Grenson  shoes decreed, as a Style Rule, that men should never wear a light shirt with light pants unless the temperature is 85 degrees of higher (or something like that). Personally, I don't really adhere to the strict temperature requirement, but I do like to hold these combinations off for brighter days (it looks pretty out of place in the winter or on a dreary, rainy day). However, instead of reaching for my lightweight shirts, I stuck with a heavier OCBD from Frank and Oak. Boom, perfect balance between form and function. I also went with a lighter brown belt to add to the brighter motif, and the pants are a very light khaki chino from J Crew.

Down to the shoes, instead of going sockless in my boat shoes or tan loafers (which I've been loving to do when the weather permits), I went with my darker Tod's loafers. They aren't too chunky, so they don't clash with the more summery vibe, but they are a little sturdier and, more importantly, fit best with thicker socks. Once again, an item I wouldn't normally be incorporating into a 'summer' outfit, but that works perfectly in this situation.

I topped it all off with my lightweight Uniqlo blazer. I probably could have gotten away with wearing a wool jacket, but it's not cold here, per se, just a bit chilly in the shade and when the lakefront breeze kicks up.

The lighter cotton/linen blazer is plenty as an just an extra layer throughout the day, and with the unstructured design is a little less bulky to be throwing on and off as the temperatures fluctuate throughout the day.

As a whole, this outfit combination is a great example of classic prep. The light khakis, OCBD, blue blazer, and brown loafers all fit the bill perfectly. I kept the accessories simple too, with a thin brown belt, brown watch, and plain white pocket square. Pretty much my only break from traditional prep is in the knit tie, but this tie has become a favorite of mine for just how versatile it is, and it goes great with this look as well.

Long story short, it's important to consider both style and functionality when dressing for the day. As tempting as it was to wake up and go all-out summer with my attire, it would have left me uncomfortable and chilly, and honestly would probably have kept me inside most of the day. Instead, with a few quick substitutions I managed to stay fly and warm. But really, Chicago, where is summer?

The Details:
Cotton/Linen Blazer by Uniqlo
OCBD by Frank and Oak
Tie and Tie Clip by The Tie Bar
Belt by Levi's
Chinos and Socks by J.Crew Factory
Shoes by Tod's (via eBay)

WIWT - 5/16/2013 (a.k.a. Trying Something New)

So, for this look, I was busting out a bunch of brand new summer-wear items that have been recent additions to my wardrobe. This outfit is in no way 100% ideal, which is actually why I wanted to share it. First, the outfit:

I just bought this lightweight, cotton/linen blend blazer from Uniqlo after I visited their store in NYC and got to try a few things on for a sizing guide. Now that I know what fits, I will definitely be ordering more. This jacket is going to be my savior this summer. I've become so accustomed to wearing a blazer over the past several months, and don't really want to break the habit just because it's summer. However, even in my light wool blazer, the full lining has had me sweating even on just warm days. This unlined jacket, however, is light and airy enough to keep me cool even as we hit those Chicago heat waves.

Under the jacket I wore my custom Modern Tailor shirt (review here). As I've been wearing it more, and going back and forth more between this custom shirt and my other off-the-rack shirts, I've been appreciating the incredible fit more and more, and am definitely springing for a few more MTM pieces in the near future. Once again, feel free to use my Modern Tailor referral code for a sweet $20 off your purchase.

I also went with this dark red (I think they called in 'wine') knit tie from The Tie Bar. My love of knit ties just keeps growing and growing. Not only were they perfect in the winter as something with a little more heft, the looser weave also works great in the summer with your lighter clothes. This wine color too was not something I expected to go with everything, but somehow it really does. I find myself reaching for this tie multiple times a week, and I have a collection of options that's not to be sneezed at. Silver tie bar finishes the picture.

I also just bought these blue lived-in chino's from Gap. Somehow, between some crazy in store sale prices and discounts from signing up for Gap Card, I got these and one other pair for a grand total of less than $25.00. I practically danced home. I'm not a die-hard Gap fan, but their chinos are so damn comfortable. I grabbed these light blue ones to put a little spring color into my business-casual attire without being too in-your-face with go-to-hell pants.

I finished off the outfit with my new blue suede shoes by Bass, courtesy of an eBay steal. I've worn these once or twice casually, and wanted to try to work them into a work outfit and though this was a good outfit to experiment with. Here is where I wish I had made a few changes. I do love the shoes, and think they go well with the rest of the ensemble. However, the white/off-white laces lend to a more casual look. I think next time I'll try out some colored laces if I want to add a little more pop, or something darker, maybe even black, for something a little more muted.

Also, I had hoped that my sock choice would contrast with the shoes and tie in with the pocket square (a grey chambray number from Frank and Oak). Unfortunately, they kind of blend with the shoes in color, and I like my socks to really pop, so I'll try something else next time.

And there's my message is for this post. It's perfectly fine to make mistakes. Especially when trying out new things (I'm still working on my summer attire, as well as colored pants at work, for example). If you find something you think you like, just go ahead and try it! Unless you're a celebrity or a model or I don't even know what, the people in your day-to-day life shouldn't give you grief over some uncoordinated socks, or a non-matching tie. On the other hand, recognize what does and doesn't work, see the changes you want to make, and apply them as you pick out your clothing combinations in the future. It's all a learning process, and it's not fun unless you go outside your comfort zone from time to time. Also worth noting, while I messed around with colors in my pants, shoes and socks, I kept the rest of the outfit gloriously simple. Can't ever go wrong with a white shirt and navy blazer, and like I said, that dark red tie goes with everything.