When I go to clients houses to do a wardrobe edit I'll often find a distinct lack of shoes. They will probably have some smart black Oxfords to wear with suits and some sport trainers and perhaps some hiking boots, but quite regularly I'll find there's not a lot in between, so they struggle putting together a smart casual look.
So I often find myself looking for this style when we go on a personal shopping trip. As well as buying smart leather trainers (you can see the sort of style I mean here though they don't have to be white), we also look for ones that can be a little more formal and be worn for work and / or going out.
There's a definite 1970s influence to the things in the shops at the moment and perhaps that's why there are lots of printed shirts around.
When clients ask me to take them shopping, we might stock up on some basics but they're often looking for something slightly different from what they would normally choose and different colours and prints are a good way to do that. So I thought I'd share with you some of the printed shirts that I've bought with various clients over the past couple of weeks and how we styled them:
A few clients recently have asked me to take them shopping for their holiday wardrobes, so I've been seeking out some lightweight things for them, which I share with you here. As you can see it's mainly bottom halves as shirts and t-shirts are lighter anyway. I hope this is useful for you and points you in the right direction if you're off on holiday, and if you'd like some help, please do get in touch.
If you stick to mostly plain colours or one pattern because you’re afraid of getting it wrong but would like to experiment more, then here are some simple guidelines on how to successfully mix your patterns:
Last week I was asked to be on the podcast of fellow stylist Lisa Gillbe. It's always lovely to connect with other stylists, and Lisa is one of the people I often recommend for women.I jumped at the chance to be on The Style Stories podcast where we discussed why men and women book personal stylists, plus which 5 pieces we would choose for a smart casual capsule business wardrobe for men or for women.
Taking your mum out for lunch on Mother's Day on Sunday 22nd March? You probably haven't thought about what to wear yet, but this is exactly the sort of occasion that you need to master the tricky smart/casual scenario so you can look smart but not as if you're going to the office.
Here's some style swaps for you, so you can make your mum proud this Mother's Day and that you can put into rotation for other occasions that require a similar dress code too.
Just like Steve MQueen & Starsky & Hutch, I do love a shawl collared cardigan. I was searching for one for a client a couple of weeks ago and found one in J Crew and then when I went to visit another client, he happened to have on a great one from Timothy Everest (see below) Since then it seems the 70s trend is really kicking in and I've found the ones below too.
As Spring is coming (I think?!) it'd be nice to lighten up a little with the outerwear. There are lots of checks around at the moment and if you tend to wear plainer colours as your basics, this could be a great way to reinvigorate your wardrobe for Spring. I urge you to at least try one on when you're next out shopping and who knows, you may even like it.
Backpacks have become so popular as more and more guys carry their laptops around, but I'm still amazed at how many men look like they might be going rambling, rather than to work.
So, I decided to take a hike around the internet for you and gather some images of smart sleek backpacks that I often recommend to clients, which are are suitable for work. Some are from favourite brands of mine that I've known for awhile and a couple are from new ones that I was excited to discover.
This time of year I'm sure we all feel ready to throw off the shackles of our thick winter wardrobes and embrace the sunny days we've been having.....and yet, it's still a bit chilly. I recommend doing some layering and for that, I'd suggest the versatility of a chore jacket. Originally made for working in, these have now become stylish and practical and can be dressed up or down and also layered in different ways - see my suggestions below.
The majority of clients that come to see me need help with how to dress in a "smart/casual" style - they're fine with jeans and a t-shirt or a suit and tie but it's the in between bit that's tricky.
It's often due to a change in their situation at work for the following reasons:
It can be tricky buying clothes if you're a short, slim guy and whereas womenswear brands do petite sizes, menswear brands don't.
I took a client shopping last week who was 5'5" and a 34" - 36" chest with a 28" waist. Here I share which are the shops and brands we found that fitted him well:
