What to Wear When
What you wear and how you wear it says a lot about you — or perhaps more correctly, it says a lot about who you are at that moment. But the ins and outs of menswear can be challenging. Our Head of Visuals helps you discover how to dress for Timeless business, Business casual, Casual, trend, Leisure and for formal dress codes, made for weddings and galas, and find the right shirt, tie, pocket square or accessory for each.
FEEL LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS
Timeless Business
We all stand a little taller when we put on a crisp dress shirt and a suit. And if you master the art combining colors, prints and textures, we guarantee that your back will be straighter than ever. Timeless business is most commonly worn in formal work environments, but, with small adaptions, it is an elegant way to dress for stylish social occasions.
What to wear: Suit, dress shirt, tie, pocket square, black dress shoes.
Colors: Traditionally white or light blue shirts, dark suits — navy, charcoal — pocket squares to match or as contrast color.
Shirt: a classic white or light blue dress shirt, or one with a subtle, timeless pattern such as a micro print or a stripe.
Stylist’s Tip: A Limited Edition printed pocket square is a subtle way to show your personality when tucked into a chest pocket, even in a formal look.
SMART BUT RELAXED
Business Casual
Relaxed but smart, business casual is the dress code that is gaining grounds the fastest today: a modern twist on the well-dressed man’s uniform, it is all about unbuttoning the collar and feeling comfortable while looking your best. Business casual spans office to off-duty, a version referred to as smart casual in many contexts.
What to wear: An overshirt, suit jacket or a knit, dress pants or high-quality denim, dress shoes or leather sneakers.
Shirt: Effortless but smart—wrinkle-free flannel, knitted jersey or piqué shirts.
Collar choice: button-down, button-under, pointed, or the ever-versatile cut-away
Cuff of choice: single cuff, rounded single cuff.
Stylist’s Tip: Versatile denim or oxford shirts give you a natural, contemporary look — or style a sharp wrinkle free dress shirt in a more casual way.
HIGH QUALITY
Casual
Casual is made for off-duty moments, from comfortable days at home, to weekend trips and visits to your local bistro. The two key ingredients in a carefree, but smart style are quality and versatility. Multifaceted casual classics that can be worn in new and exciting ways, with additions of street style elements, interpreted in high-end materials.
What to wear: Casual comes in a variety of styles — but a casual shirt, an overshirt, a pair of jeans, and nice sneakers are always a great beginning.
Shirt: Our Filo di Scozia T-shirt in classic jersey, a mid-blue denim shirt, overshirts in stylish neutrals.
Collar choice: button-down, button-under, resort collar, band collars
Cuff of choice: single cuff, rounded single cuff.
Stylist’s Tip: Casual offers so many ways to express yourself. To do so in style, focus on letting the quality of your garments show—pare back, create balance in colors and textures.
MAKE A STATEMENT
Trend
Let your shirt be your accent piece — express your sense of style in a quality, cut and style that ticks all the right boxes, but a design that makes a personal statement. Trend can worn in any context, except the most formal business environments.
Style to match: Tone it down with a suit and accessories in formal colors or play up the pattern to suit the occasion.
What to wear: An expressive shirt and toned-down but stylish dress pants – or suit, tie and pocket square. Shoes to match. Let the shirt be the hero piece.
Shirt: A Limited-Edition print dress shirt or unique Custom Design.
RELAX IN STYLE
Leisure
Look great on your holiday, weekend or evenings off. Pared back, classic casual garments in innovative materials, made for comfort – soft, silky Filo di Scozia jersey T-shirts, cooling linen shirts, or supple piqué polos.
When packing for a vacation in the sun, or for a city break, or just getting ready for the gold course, consider dressing in a way that lets the quality of the garments speak.
What to wear: Comfortable shirts, slacks or shorts depending on season, loafers, sneakers, sandals.
Shirt: Effortless but timeless—a polo shirt, a T-shirt, linen for summer.
Stylist’s Tip: Quality speaks – even a shirt and swim trunks can look elegant if the quality is there (at the beach, naturally).
BLACK TIE, WHITE TIE AND BEYOND
Formal/Wedding
Our formal category is a passion project of ours: to preserve and spread the elegance that lies in the perfect tuxedo or white tie shirt. Our aim? To ensure that evening will always remain the most elegant of dress codes.
For formal events, such as weddings and galas.
What to wear: White tie for the most formal occasions, Black tie for the most suave, black tie creative for a personal expression. For a complete guide, read more here
Shirt: A tuxedo shirt or white tie shirt in one of our most elegant fabrics, with a starched or decorative front.
Stylist’s Tip: Formal white tie is the most elegant when we follow the rules to the letter. Black tie offers more scope for your personality.
GENERAL ADVICE
Three Basic Rules
1.Quality is an area where there simply are no shortcuts. Choose shirts, accessories, suits and shoes that are made well, from quality materials. Clothes made to last have a longer lifespan, and the opportunity for a lower footprint per use — and enjoyment— if properly cared for. Visit our care guide for instructions regarding our shirts and accessories.
2. Fit. A good tailor is worth his or her weight in gold, although even if do not get your suits tailor made for example, you will find that the results, even for small adjustments, can be stellar and their services very reasonably priced. Areas to consider when adjusting a suit is the length of a sleeve or leg, the back and shoulder width. As for shirts, we recommend beginning by taking the time to find the right fit and size for you – visit our Fit & Size guide – and to use our Custom Made service if needed to adjust to any individual differences or preferences. After all, your shirt is supposed to fit you, not the other way around.
3. Colors (and patterns) are an important part of style — and an absolutely essential part of personal style. When it comes to mastering color combinations, there are really only two ways you can take: tone on tone or contrast. A look based entirely on neutrals in different shades can be striking, as can a combination of for example deep navy with its contrast color orange. As with so many elements of menswear, it’s a scale.
To elaborate on our navy suit example: Level 1, the most classic combination. Pair it with a crisp white dress shirt, but solid or micro-patterned accessories in a similar dark shade, blue or perhaps a deep green. Level 2: For a look that stands out in a timeless way. Choose patterned accessories but balance your look by making sure they are in the same color, if a different tone than your suit – say a smart mid blue. Level 3. Make a statement in our contrasting navy and orange example.
To take your color game to the next level, be bold and mix your patterns. We recommend never to go for a perfect match, but to use a stylist’s trick and identify one key element of either pattern that you make sure matches: a distinct of contrast color, or a detail in the pattern, perhaps the same pattern but printed or woven with different proportions.