Styling for Men: Your Perfect Fit

On a quick trip to Hannah's Bretzel today for a delish sandwich, I spotted Scott Somers in a chic suit that I just had to blog about.

One of the most important pieces of styling advice for men is to wear clothes that fit. Scott stood out in his tailored Hugo Boss suit and brown loafers.

Scott also mixed colors and patterns very well with a subtle striped shirt, a navy tie, and gray/tan suit. Definitely looks like he should be a character on Mad Men.

Things to keep in mind about fit:
1. Scott's suit jacket fits snugly around his waist and still leaves room for him to breathe and be comfortable.
2. The edge of the jacket sits perfectly on Scott's shoulders. Suit jackets shouldn't droop or jut out over your shoulders, or be so tight that your shoulders poke out.
3. The length of the pants should only "break" once. This is the number of times your pants fold inwards when they hit your shoes. I've noticed a lot of designers showing suit pants that don't break at all. Scott pulls off the "just a bit short" pant-look with ease.
4. Scott's pants are not pleated, which, as most of you know I really don't like pleats because they will make you look heavier. Try something more fitted.

As I mentioned, Scott had his suit tailored. Nothing says style like a nice tailored suit.

Scott's outfit head to toe: Macy's dress shirt, Sean John tie, Hugo Boss suit, and brown loafers.

Styling for Men: Layering

Alright guys, a lot of you have asked me how you can change up your look on a daily basis. I hear you. Men seem to have fewer options in terms of accessorizing and definitely in types of clothes. Unless, you fancy wearing a dress, which I don't recommend.

For these chilly days, layering is the perfect answer. Alex and I had a fun styling session last weekend picking out outfits for every day, and dressing up. Here’s what I chose: 

I love the navajo pattern that's all over sweaters, scarfs, and shirts for fall/winter. Although this pattern has been popular for a while, I think it's a great staple for cold weather. Think of navajo print as a really easy way to add color to your wardrobe. If the sweater is too much for you, try a scarf or a solid sweater over a patterned button down.

For this look, I complimented the sweater with a light blue thin denim shirt. I like that this color compliments the sweater pattern without exactly matching one of the colors in the pattern. A pair of fitted, dark denim jeans keep the look casual and clean. Alex’s brown leather loafers teeter on dressy and casual, so he could dress the look up with a dark dress pant (navy or black).

Alex's outfit head to toe: vintage navajo patterned sweater, blue button down, and Levi's 510 Super Skinny Jeans, brown Stacy Adams loafers.

For the second look, I was inspired by Alex’s pink, short-sleeved button down. I pulled a gray vest to layer over the shirt with a chunky gray cardigan on top.  Black jeans on bottom, and amazing vintage leather mod boots. 

I left the vest unbuttoned to create a less conventional look and show-off more of the pink and add layers of interest. I like the grays on top, keeping it simple, but adding some dimension with different materials and shades. 

Alex pulls off the mod boot by keeping the rest of his outfit simple without any other flashy elements. These boots steal the spotlight. Let's channel our inner Beatle :).

Alex's outfits head to toe: SEE eyeglasses, vintage Saks Fifth Avenue pink button down, vintage gray suit vest, chunky gray Gap cardigan, Victorinox Swiss Army watch Levi's 510 Super Skinny Jeans, vintage mod boots.

Styling for Men: Fit First

Alright guys, on to the next tip! A huge part of your look is the way your clothes fit. I've had a few people debate on skinny jeans or ask me if it's appropriate for men to wear linen pants, and I think the rule to follow is focus on fit first. 

One of  Ian's friends, Benjamin van Loon, did a quick photo shoot with us the other day, and his outfit is a great example of wearing clothes that fit.

I know guys in particular don't like to try clothes on at the store, but, if you can, try on a few different sizes that are close to the size you currently wear. You may find that, even though you normally wear a larger size, a smaller size actually looks better on you. Women have the same issue with buying clothes that are both too big as well as too small. So, just experiment a bit and maybe get a female's perspective on what she thinks looks good on you.

Here are a couple of things to look for if you can't get a second opinion when trying on clothes:

1. Dress shirts: the seam of the sleeve should be at the edge of your shoulder. If the seam falls too far off the shoulder, the shirt will droop and look sloppy. Also look for tailored shirts that do not have pleats/folds in the back or in the sleeves. This will help you avoid extra material that billows out and makes you look heavier.

2. Slacks: put on a pair of shoes and make sure the front of the pant only "breaks" once. Break refers to the number of folds in your pants just above the shoe. If your pants bunch up at the shoe and break more than once, they are too long. Also avoid front pleats in pants because they tend to puff out and, again, don't flatter your body.


Ben's outfit from head to toe: dress shirt and linen trousers from H&M, tie by Charles Tyrwhitt, and Cole Haan belt and shoes.