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I must admit that I’ve gone through some pretty intense fashion reincarnations in my life. In high school I was all about long, poufy hair and oversized hoodies. Throughout college, I experimented with skinny jeans, sequined scarves, and deep v-neck t-shirts. Whoopsie! As I continue to become acclimated to full-time working life, I’ve realized how important the anatomy of my wardrobe is. It’s near impossible to buy everything you need at the same time – it’s much better to start with foundational pieces and then add items that reflect your personal flair.
To build a professional wardrobe, a man should have a few basic items in his closet:
• A black suit
• Several white dress shirts
• A couple of ties
• Dress shoes
• Cuff links
• A couple pockets squares
You might be thinking to yourself: “I don’t work for a company that requires a suit so why would I buy one?”
Let me assure you that owning a suit is one of the most important investments a young person can make while he’s looking for opportunities to climb the social, corporate, and/or style ladders.
For example, you never know when you might suddenly have the opportunity to interview for your dream job, or when you'll get invited to happy hour with some hotshot business professionals.
This season, the suit has returned and many designers have looked towards the Edwardian era for inspiration. If you didn’t know, the Edwardian era encompasses the first decade of the 20th century – a time of major social and economic change. The upper classes started participating in leisure sports, which lead to rapid changes in fashion.
Some of my favorite menswear designers have taken this metamorphosis and added their 21st century twist. Christopher Bailey at Burberry decorated his runway with saturated accent colors on accessories like gloves, hats, and bags, while Muccia Prada infused her Fall 2012 collection with military silhouettes and colors. Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver over at Lanvin tweaked the standard men’s silhouette by adding oversized shoulders and pulled in waists. While most of us do not have the means to enjoy these brands, I find it fascinating to see what the mood of the season is and use it as inspiration.
So how can we find a fabulous suit that doesn’t cost $10,000? The European-based Suit Supply in Soho carries suits for around $400-800. Of course Topman in Soho carried well fitting suits in the $200-$500 range.
Until next week!
Andrew
Photos courtesy of Style.com
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