As a stylist, men are some of my favorite clients to style, and I’ve realized that I don’t post too much about men’s fashion, so I’m going to try to change that! Here is the first edition of Men’s Fashion: Mixing and Matching. This should go without saying, but just as with women’s clothing, fit is number one. Once you find your perfect fit, you can play around with color, texture and pattern.
One of the reasons why I love men’s fashion so much is because it really is simple. Once you find the right cut for your body, the world is your oyster, and you can do almost anything with it. With women’s fashion, there are millions of different pieces you can wear, however with men, the basics come down to pants, shorts, tops, sweaters, and jackets. The easiest way to jumpstart your style is to get fitted at your local retail store. Go to Nordstrom, ask to speak with a stylist, and explain that you are trying to find the right fit for your body. They will be more than happy to help, and understanding what works for you will give you the foundation to explore your style.
Generally speaking, a good wardrobe foundation will consist of dark wash, straight leg jeans, well fitted button down shirts that can be worn both business and casual, a few plain tshirts with no graphics, a neutral colored sweater, a well fitted suit, and a semi casual blazer/jacket. These basics will get you very far, and will enable you to mix and match almost anything.
Now we can get into the fun stuff! I’ll admit that I have a slightly harder time doing it in my own style, but I absolutely ADORE mixing prints and playing with color in a man’s wardrobe. Button downs and ties/bow ties are fabulous items for mixing prints with because they act as accent pieces to the basic, neutral pants and jacket. Not that you can’t play with color on your pants and jacket, but generally for work, you’ll want to keep those fairly neutral. Side Note: Neutral colors are khaki, grey, black, navy, and brown, BUT you can utilize dark colors like dark green and Merlot color as neutrals if you’re adventurous. (See below)
For a simple way to start mixing prints, try mixing a plaid or checkered shirt with a small print polka dotted tie or bow tie with your suit. It will add a bit of stylish flare without going overboard on your first time.
Have any specific questions? I would LOVE to style you, so reach out and ask!