Lately I’ve been shopping like it’s my job. Well actually it is my job as a fashion stylist. But lately I’ve been shopping a lot for myself. I really don’t need anything. I mean I’m the boy that has everything. Except a boyfriend. What can you do? So what am I looking for? How about THE TOP 5 THINGS EVERY MAN SHOULD HAVE IN HIS WARDROBE?
And then the 3 things, ummm make that 5 things that are so TRENDY & FUN this season I must, must have them!
THE ESSENTIALS:
1) Flat front, light weight wool trousers in either dark gray, navy or black. You can dress them up or down. (There is never an excuse for pleats! Period. They make even the thinest guy seem like he has a gut.) Try J. Lindeberg, Theory and DKNY. The DKNY Soho cut is my fave and kinda cheap.
2) A pair of dark denim jeans (preferably Earnest Sewn or Marc by Marc Jacobs. Helmut Lang works too.) And no rips, minimal distressing or whiskering. That’s so 2002. You can wear jeans anywhere now, from work, to a fancy restaurant, to a nightclub. They work w/any outfit. Have you seen the latest Club Monaco ads? So chic; jeans with a white shirt and bow-tie.
3) White collared shirts. They look easily chic and effortless w/jeans or trousers. And tuck it in! If I see one more poseur Hollywood wanna be actor with his collars outside his jacket and shirt untucked… If you are really stylish, you wear French-cuffs w/the classic Tiffany “Cube” cuff links. So grown up.
4) A trench coat. Either classic tan or black. You can throw it over anything and look current. Every adult man and woman should own one. They are classic. And Christopher Bailey, the designer @ Burberry Prorsum is soooo hot.
5) Wing tips or cap toe lace-ups. Yeah I said wing tips but not the kind your dad used to wear (though vintage is hot). Retire the square toe shoe guys. You look like a wanna be. You know…the guy on the outside of the velvet rope. Check out the doorman. Odds are he’s wearing a pair of rounded toe wing tip lace-ups he got last weekend at Barneys. And if he isn’t you don’t wanna go to that club anyway.
THE FUN:
1) A pair of old-school gym shoes. My favorite: the Nike “Cortese”. I’m feeling Adidas “Gazelles” also! I collect them in fun colors.
2) This season I’m shelving my old-school gym shoes and buying the Lanvin satin high tops or the metallic leather high tops. I got a pair from PF Flyers (yeah them) and they are to die for. I’ll wear them with my black double vented J. Lindeberg suit and look too hip for words.
3) 3 or 4 t-shirts w/characters or logos, in dark colors. Fun tees are great w/jeans and super cute under a blazer. But not if you have a gut. Nothing is worse than a guy with a gut wearing a “Hang In There Baby” kitty cat t-shirt. And for the record A & F tees don’t count especially if you are over 19 and neither does your UCLA college gym shirt.
4) A velvet blazer. Velvet is huge for fall! Velvet blazers never really go out of style. Choose a color like navy, green or burgundy or go classic with black. You can dress them up or down and look sharp either way.
5) A Chunky knit sweater. Yeah like your mom’s. Except she would wear it with leggings. And no, you can’t!
If you still have some cash left over: a dark, single-breasted, tropical weight wool blazer (goes with everything), a jean jacket (not too distressed), a dark solid tie, pocket squares and ascots, and a cashmere v-neck in black or gray. Oh and a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner. 😉