The Stylists Take On Three Casual Essentials
Stilguide
By: Eton • 5 minTo introduce our top three casual essentials for this new, exciting time, we've asked the secret mastermind behind every Eton look, Mr. Richard Andersson, to share his take on each – and of course, treat us to a bit of style inspiration. But as he always says – “I don’t want you to do as I say, I want to inspire you to do what feels right, to you.”
Richard Andersson is Creative Lead at Eton and directs every styling session and Eton shoot with a sure hand. Born and bred in Stockholm, Sweden, where he lives with his family, including dog (and sometime Eton model) Stella. He can proudly claim never to have had a job that was not in menswear, from his teenage years and up. Perhaps not surprisingly, Richard started out as a stylist by being scouted at an event and offered a job on the spot, on the strength of the outfit he wore. The rest, as they say, is history.
Style-wise Richard professes a preference for the classics, done in a new, contemporary way, but believes that any outfit can be successful, as long as you are confident and comfortable wearing it. His own personal style? “Streetwear with a dressy foundation, and with a comfortable silhouette in focus.” Spot on, we'd say.
We let Richard pick out three casual wardrobe essentials favorites and let him elaborate on how to style them.
The Royal Oxford - The “King of Versatility”
At once dressy and casual, our timeless oxford is a shirt you can wear in many ways, to many different occasions. The practical, and preppy-smart button-down is designed to look good with or without a tie, and the basked-weave texture the shirt is famous for adds dimension to dressy and casual fall looks.
"The Oxford is so versatile and has so many uses. You can dress it up, make it super preppy, wear it with a suit and tie. Or you could throw it on over a pair of shorts, if the weather is still warm enough, and that looks great too. This might be the shirt I've worn the most in my life, actually."
About our Oxford: An Oxford with a capital O. One of the most iconic fabrics in the history of menswear, woven with a distinct texture, enhancing the characteristic basket weave structure.
The T-shirt – The shirt with a capital T.
From sailors to movie stars and all the way to your place of work, the T-shirt is something as unique as a practical garment with heaps of style. Our dressy version is cut from rich interlock-knitted jersey, and butter-soft and lustrous, thanks to double-mercerized Filo di Scozia yarn.
“I think a T-shirt looks its best in a straightforward look: with a pair of dressy trousers or jeans rather than with a suit. The luster and the make can really elevate that kind of effortless look. An overshirt is a great in-between option for a work meeting or event: not as dressy as a suit jacket, but still dressed up."
About our T-shirt: Classic, versatile crew neck/slim fit model• Extra rich, lustrous and soft• Looks good tucked-in or untucked.
The Denim Shirt –
When commutes and dressing up in a crisp suit are a choice, not a must, the world's most famous workwear may be as close to a must as we come. Smart, but versatile, capable of transitioning from on- duty to off in seconds.
"The appeal of the denim shirt, to me, is the same as for my absolute favorite garment (that is not a shirt): jeans. I love the way denim becomes personal, that the way you wear it shows in the wear and tear and becomes a part of the appeal."
"Denim is all about versatility. Take a dark blue denim shirt with a cut-away collar: it is so smart with a suit. But as we live with that shirt, it ages with us, until it becomes... our favorite shirt for a weekend in the countryside. The truth is, most of us will use our denim shirts more, once the initial "perfection" wears off – that sweet spot between new and finally worn out (but so comfortable you don't want to have to recycle it just yet)."
About our denim: First out is our popular dressy version, cut from soft, lightweight denim in light, mid or dark blue, and dyed with indigo that fades over time for a living fabric beautiful patina. Soft-washed, for an even more comfortable shirt.
Our second denim essential is – true to the origin of this shirt – workwear-inspired, and cut from a rich, heavy denim. Dyed with indigo that fades over time for a living fabric beautiful patina. Soft-washed, for an even more comfortable shirt.