When we’re talking about the classic mens style, it’s this in a nutshell “Every girls crazy about a sharp dressed man,” thank you ZZ Top, never was a truer word or song lyric in this case,spoken.
But I gotta tell ya, thinking about what to wear everyday is damn hard work. There is a way around it though and that is to wear the same thing everyday. And some very famous men do that very thing, and there’s no way you could say that they wear a classic mens style.
Mark Zuckerberg – CEO of Facebook, heather grey t-shirt and jeans
Barack Obama – now a member of the ex-presidents club – Only ever wore a grey or navy suit.
Simon Cowell – X-Factor and American idol judge – An open collar button down shirt opened virtually to his belly button (It’s a bit weird for a man of his age to be honest) or way to low v-neck jumper of some sort.
Giorgio Armani – Yep he’s a navy slacks and cashmere sweater kinda guy
Steve Jobs – Sadly no longer with us but famous for his turtleneck sweaters.
And of course – The Pope, although we think he might be a jeans and t-shirt guy in secret. Who knows.
Might be a bit boring but if you don’t have to think about what you’re going to put on for the day you use up less of your grey matters time, and as Mark Zuckerberg said
“I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community.”
But just in case you do want to wear a few different things every now and again, here’s a short guide to get you with the classic mens style.
First things first, forget the latest fads and fashions and dress with style in mind. Fashions come and go but style stays cool forever.
Let’s get into it…
Dress for your body shape
If you’re already fit most clothes will look good on you. But if you’re like most of us and you need to lose a few pounds then work to get the weight off (diet dudes). The best body shape to show your style is the classiv v-shape, where your waist measurement is 10 inches narrower than your chest measurement.
Is it easy to get that? nope, but it’s worth it and with it you’ll be the envy of most men around – so suck it up buttercup and get to the gym. Your clothes will thank you for it. Here’s where to start
Get rid of the unnecessary
The classic mens style DOES NOT include any of the following:
Down through the years there are some items of clothing that refuse to go, but you gotta get rid of them, especially as you get older, these include:
White socks. Unless you’re grinding it out in the gym there is no reason to own a pair. As a rule of thumb your socks should match the color of the pants you’re wearing or be damn close to them.
Ripped jeans and jeans with patterns on them. I can’t think of a single reason to own them. If you want to wear denim, then stick to a pair of Levi 501’s or 514’s, they’re cool as shit.
Vests and T’s with big graphics, logos or branding. There back in fashion at the moment but the well dressed man should avoid them like the plague. Don’t be a walking billboard. It’s sometimes tough to find un-decorated t’s and vests, but wearing something plain stops you looking like your trying to be a teenager again.
Running shoes. Okay if you’re in the gym again, then yes of course, but as general footwear the smart dressed man wouldn’t be seen dead in them. Get your self a smart/casual well made pair of shoes to match the occasion. Make sure they’re well made and comfortable because, as my gran used to say, always spend money on your shoes and your bed, because if you’re not in one, you’re in the other. Very wise.
That’s by no means an exhaustive list but it’s a good start. Look at your wardrobe with fresh eyes and if it looks tacky, trash it.
It’s time now to rebuild your wardrobe
let’s start where we just left off. Spend money on good shoes. Go for the classic styles and avoid pointed or square toed shoes. Classic oxfords never go out of fashion and every man should have a pair.
Buy clothes that have multiple uses, so denim is good as long as it’s dark blue. One color Shirts (without the pointless little pocket on the chest), v-neck t-shirts, a dark color sports jacket in navy or grey and a 2 button suit in charcoal.
In terms of colors, unless you know what colors suit you stick to earthy tones which you can often mix with dark purples and burgundy colors. Here’s a great article in GQ to give you some more advice
Always think quality when you’re buying, because as long as they are a classic mens style they’ll last a long time too.
It’s got to damn well fit.
Everything, yes everything must fit you well, especially as you get older. There’s nothing worse than a 50 year old trying to pull off wearing a pair of baggy jeans – don’t do it.
So, find a good tailor, someone one can tailor your shirts cuffs and pants. Get to know him or her because they’ll be able to offer advice about things you might not have thought about. A good dry cleaners will usually have someone who can do alterations for you.
A good tailor is like gold dust, he or she will understand the classic mens style so, try a few by sending one shirt in to test them out. Also read reviews and make sure you check and compare prices. Just like your clothes your tailor must be quality too.
Inspiration
If you’re stuck for idea, then look no further than the legends of the classic mens style themselves. Look for pictures of:
Robert redford
Steve McQueen
Paul Newman
George Cooney
Jonny Depp
These guys know how to dress sharp
If you’ve heeded our advice then you’re head and shoulders above the average man/competition, you’ve got the classic mens style down, and you’ve got what it takes to make heads turn.
