Every classy man needs a certain amount of staples in their closet. In this article, I’ll list out those certain pieces of clothing that are not only timeless, but can be mixed and matched in endless combinations. Don’t forget, most of these can be purchased at a reasonable price so please don’t go out on a spending spree and blow your life’s savings at an expensive retailer. It’s best to gradually accumulate these as your closet grows.
Tops:
Oxford Cloth Button Downs (OCBD) – a classy, yet casual staple shirt for any man. They can be both dressed up or dressed down with rolled-up sleeves. They come in many colors, and can be worn with both pants and shorts. I would recommend obtaining the colors white and blue first. Other solid choices are yellow, mint, and pink. It all comes down to what color looks good on you. And please, pick the right fit. I don’t want to see any of you swimming in your shirts.
Sweater – for when the weather gets a bit chilly. V-neck or crewneck style is up to your preference, although I would personally recommend a crewneck. Stick with solid, neutral colors as they’re easier to match with the rest of your outfit.
Blazer/Sport Coat – a nicer way to dress up when the weather cools down. I recommend navy, but charcoal is another great choice.
Polos – when it’s too hot for long sleeves or you just want to dress more casually. A few solid polos with a color that suits you are definite musts. Stay away from large logos and flamboyant designs.
T-Shirts – the most casual “must”. I’d recommend grabbing quite a few of these in various colors to add variety to your closet. Again, stick with colors that suit you. V-neck and crewneck are both fine – the choice is up to your own preference. Tees with pockets add a little variety. For the most part, stay away from graphic tees with intricate and obnoxious designs on them. Tap Out and Affliction shirts are off-limits unless you’re a Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and a grandmaster of Kung Fu. And even then, they’re still off-limits.
Pea Coat – for the exceptionally cold days. Again, navy is a very versatile option, but black and charcoal will do the job just the same. This might not be needed depending on where you live (no need for them in the hot, Southern states).
Bottoms:
Chino Pants – the go-to pants for looking classy. The necessary colors are navy, khaki, and stone. Gray is another great choice, but the three previously listed should be priority. Other colors that many suggest to fit with the traditional American prep style are red and yellow. Stick with what you like, what works with your skin color, and what matches the rest of your wardrobe.
Jeans – 1 to 2 pairs is enough. Stick with a slim fit – no yoga tights and no loose, apple-bottom jeans neither. Tapered is also fine, depending on your body shape. Dark washes are the way to go.
Chino Shorts – very casual, but a classic that always looks good. As with both chino pants and jeans, chino shorts can be paired with any of the basic tops listed above (I told you that these items of clothing could all go together, didn’t I?). The bottom of the shorts should end right above your knee, so look for 9” Chino shorts. You can look for even shorter lengths if those still go past your knee. Cargo shorts are a no-no.
Accessories/Shoes:
Boat Shoes/Loafers – comfortable and fit well with the classic look of the basics. Great for the spring and summer time. Grab a pair in a versatile color such as brown or navy. Stay away from green, red, and other vivid or “special” colors at first.
Desert Boots – look great with jeans and chino pants and much more suitable for the fall/winter time.
Sneakers – a casual low-profile sneaker is a viable alternative to both boat shoes and desert boots whenever you want to loosen it up a bit.
Wristwatch – a nice, good-quality watch will compliment any outfit. Brands on the lower end of the price spectrum that I would recommend are Timex (the Weekender is a great choice), Citizen, Seiko, Nixon, and Orient.
Belt – many suggest that the belt color matches your shoe color, but it’s not required. However, if it’s easy for you to acquire one that does, I’d say go for it.
Afterthoughts:
The different articles of clothing I’ve listed above are the main pieces you’ll need. There’s no rush to collect them all, so gradually acquire the pieces at a rate that won’t put you on the streets.
Keep in mind, fit is very, very important. No matter how nice the clothes are or how expensive it was, if the fit is off, it will look terrible and you won’t have made any progress. Stick with clothes that fit tightly on you, but don’t constrict you. A later article will address clothing fits as well as fitness – I know physique plays a very important role in how clothes looks on you.
25 comments
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Ryan
July 24, 2012 at 5:55 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
What are those Nikes you have under “Sneakers”? I think I’d like a pair…
eric
July 24, 2012 at 8:10 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Those would be Nike Janoskis. The exact colorway that I have posted is incredibly rare and you’d be lucky to find one under $300. However, there are a lot of other colors out there as well so your best bet would be to look for those.
Ryan
July 25, 2012 at 10:07 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Thank you!
eric
July 25, 2012 at 10:56 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
No problem! Hope you continue to enjoy. Spread the word if you can
Aída
July 25, 2012 at 6:10 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
heard of something like this for the first time. thanks for sharing it.
john
July 26, 2012 at 9:59 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
what kind of jeans would you recommend?
eric
July 26, 2012 at 10:12 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Really depends on your body type. If you can pull it off – go with the skinny/slim look.
Brand-wise I would suggest Levi’s – relatively cheap, lasts, and gets the job done.
If you’re into raw denim – look into the “Unbranded” brand and Naked & Famous.
If you have any more questions, feel free to continue commenting or email me at eric@classychap.com
George
July 29, 2012 at 10:02 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I prefer solids too, but what about striped polos? Are they totally off-limits? I just bought a few slim fit ones with thick stripes that I liked, but now I’m a little bit worried. haha
eric
July 29, 2012 at 10:12 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I personally think solids are more “fundamental” pieces. Striped polos are a lot harder to pull off, but if you can, then more power to you.
Bobbie
July 29, 2012 at 10:51 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I think Aldo’s men’s shoes are worth mentioning. They look very classy and can be worn with trousers. Shoes like this: http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/men/shoes/casual-lace-ups/85532304-jadon/22
Also, solid-colored Vans can look good.
eric
July 29, 2012 at 11:06 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Yeah, I’m a fan of a lot of Aldo’s shoes, but I’ve heard that their quality is questionable. Will definitely be talking more about different types of classy shoes though.
Adam
July 30, 2012 at 2:33 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
What do you recommend as far as belts? Should we stick with a tan colored belt, or go for a darker look? Also, any good/cheap places to shop for them? Thanks!
eric
July 30, 2012 at 8:21 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Tan and dark are actually both great options. I’d take a look at your wardrobe and see what clothes you already have to pick out the color of the belt. If you have a lot of light colored shorts, pick a darker brown belt. If you have a lot of darker colored shorts, a tan belt would bring a nice contrast but it all really depends.
Also, importantly, what color are your shoes? If your shoes (boat shoes, loafers, oxfords, desert boots or whatever you wear) are a shade of brown or tan and you wear ‘em often, see if you can find a belt that matches. It would be an extra bonus.
Adam
July 31, 2012 at 12:32 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
My boat shoes are actually brown, so a brown belt would work well then? Any good places to shop? Also, sorry for the 20 questions!, but Im looking into buying some OCBD, any places to carry them of good quality and price?
Thanks!
eric
July 31, 2012 at 2:00 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Yeah – a brown belt will definitely work. If you just want a basic leather belt you can pick a cheap one up at Target, Old Navy, Gap, man you can find a basic brown leather belt almost anywhere. Just don’t pay over $20. If you’re really interested you can look into making your own full grain leather belt (these are much higher quality). Here are some links
http://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/k6uro/how_to_make_a_100_belt_on_the_cheap/
http://www.primermagazine.com/2012/learn/how-to-make-a-90-belt-for-only-23
Adam
July 31, 2012 at 10:40 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Thanks! Dont think Im crafty enough to make them, so Ill stick to buying them somewhere lol. How about the Oxford Button Downs? Any place you recommend?
eric
July 31, 2012 at 7:33 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Old Navy, GAP, Cotton On, H&M for cheaper ones. J. Crew Factory when they’re having a good sale, and same to Brooks Brothers.
Chris
August 2, 2012 at 11:09 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
What is your opinion on corduroys?
eric
August 3, 2012 at 12:59 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Personally not a big fan – but some may be able to pull it off.
dan
August 13, 2012 at 6:08 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
recommendations for peacoats, blazers, and polos?
those are the only ones I don’t have from your basics and I think a peacoat and blazer would be great additions to my wardrobe. polos I could do without since I have alot of basic shirts/t-shirts (both v-neck and crew) but it would be nice to buy 1 or 2! thanks and keep up the great work!
eric
August 22, 2012 at 1:50 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Unfortunately, I’m not a great expert with peacoats. But for Blazers, I know Jos. A Bank had a recent sale on blazers and theirs should be nice. J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Ralph Lauren should all have some great ones. You can also find some gems if you spend some time thrifting.
Mark
September 5, 2012 at 11:02 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
What are your thoughts on the more casual cotton blazers? I have one from Old Navy that I like to wear with both t-shirts and button-ups.
eric
September 6, 2012 at 3:19 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Not sure what exactly you’re talking about. A link or picture would be awesome!
From what I’m picturing though, sounds perfectly fine to me
L
February 7, 2013 at 11:00 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Do you remember the brand of the blazer image you used?
isaac
February 8, 2013 at 10:15 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Hello. It is a navy summer blazer from Mauro Grifoni.