What to wear to a smart restaurant or bar……when you’re a man in his 40s or 50s
During a Wardrobe Edit with a client last week, we were trying to put together some elegant outfits that he could wear to go to a smart restaurant or bar with his partner.
He’d bought a beautifiul double breasted aubergine coloured Canali blazer and that fit the bill perfectly and he had one or two shirts that went well, but was lacking in trousers that weren’t his regular work chinos or suit trousers.
It got me thinking……..how do you put together a smart outfit like this, without it looking like you’ve come straight from the office? What makes it more eveningy? How do you do put together something interesting without it looking over the top or too blingy?
Here are some ideas:
Go for more unusual colours
Of course navy or black are default colours for the evenings and they do look great (see last outfit) but think about other deep colours too. Alternatives could be:
Bottle green
Rich dark chocolate brown (very “now”!)
Charcoal
Aubergine or oxblood
Deep teal
Choose textured fabrics
Texture is picked up well under evening light, and makes an outfit feel more luxurious. Try incorporating one of the following into your evening outfit:
Velvet or corduroy (the cord that looks more like velvet) - this would usually be for jackets but could be for trousers too
Brushed wool or flannel - great for trousers
Merino, cashmere, or silk-blend knits
Suede or high shine loafers or boots
Swap your white shirt for something softer
Sometimes a crisp white shirt feels just right, but other times it can feel too corporate at night. If wearing a white shirt makes you feel like you’re off to work then try one of the following colours instead:
Soft ecru or ivory
Pale grey
Dusty pink
Muted sage
Or scrap the shirt altogether and go for a fine knit merino instead in either a polo style, a crew neck, or a roll neck.
Have at least one smarter piece in your outfit
A smart shirt
A blazer or smarter jacket
A pair of tailored trousers
An elegant pair of shoes or boots
I spotted this image of Manish (who writes for Permanent Style and is The Daily Mirror on Instagram) and I loved the colour combination…….this is exactly what I mean by more interesting!
It looks smart but doesn’t look like he’s going to work or too flash or “try hard” either.
His is a summery outfit with linens, but here I’ve recreated it with more wintery fabrics with a polo knit, tan suede jacket and cotton twill trousers.
Inspiration photo Manish Puri on Pinterest. Tan suede jacket - Percival - £374.35 / Pink cashmere polo knit - Ghiaia cashmere at Mr Porter - £825 / Dark brown trousers - Slowear - £405 (create an account to get them at 40% off!) / Brown leather bracelet - Le Gramme at Mr Porter - £295 / Black leather ‘Daziee’ - Velasca - £340
The high contrast colours here work really well and would look great for an evening out (maybe more towards Spring and Summer rather than having rain splashed white trousers!).
If you feel like pure white trousers are too much, then an ecru pair would work too. Worn with the structured blazer, and the black knit it gives contrast and a little drama to the outfit….exactly what you want for evenings! Plus the high shine shoes add that extra touch of luxuriousness.
Navy wool suit jacket - Canali jacket at Mr Porter - £855
This outfit is very similar to the one I put together with my client. We loved the combination of the burgundy (or in his case, aubergine) jacket and the soft green. He had navy wool trousers but loved these tailored denim ones that I showed him as an alternative.
The burgundy loafers tone really well and feel a bit more special and less businesslike than a pair of black Oxfords. I was encouraging my client to get a pocket square similar to this one to finish off the outfit and bring all the colours together too…..works well don’t you think?!
Burgundy wool, silk and linen blend blazer - Mr P at Mr Porter - £495 / Green herringbone cotton shirt - Canali at Mr Porter - £150 / Tailored denim trousers - Slowear - £385 / Burgundy ‘Townee’ loafers - Vinny’s at Mr Porter - £270 / Heritage garden silk pocket square - Liberty - £75 / Ribbed cotton socks - Mr P at Mr Porter - £35
I thought this would be a good look for the evening with the soft muted colours…..this is from an Oliver Spencer show a few years ago, a brand I love to shop for with clients.
If you’re not keen on the bagginess of trousers like these, you could go a little bit more classic with grey flannel trousers. And a crew neck sweater (I spotted a muted pink one at Uniqlo yesterday whilst doing a recce for my client’s upcoming personal shopping trip), or knitted polo shirt, would work instead of the roll neck if you prefer.
The leather jacket is the sort of thing I see missing in a lot of guy’s wardrobes - not quite as smart as a blazer if that’s not your vibe but not your waterproof walking jacket either! A smooth leather like this or a soft suede are perfect for evenings out.
A head to toe dark coloured outfit is always a great one for evenings. If you’re wearing all dark colours, it really helps if you have some different textures going on to make it look interesting. Here I've aded a cord jacket, twill trousers and some high shine shoes.
And to break it up a bit I’ve added a neckerchief type of scarf or you could use a pocket square, as you can see in the photo of the model. And if it feels like “you’ - you could add a silver necklace or ring.
Inspiration photo Canali at Mr Porter. Navy collarless ‘Faldo’ shirt - Hartford - £125 / Navy wool twill trousers - Sunspel - £295 / Black double breasted cord blazer - Oliver Spencer - £225 / Black Derby shoes - Velasca - £296 / Navy polka dot bandana - Soho Scarves - £32
Want to look smart without looking like you’ve come straight from work?
Want to look age appropriate but cool as well?
Want to look modern but not like you’re trying to get down with the kids?
If you’d love some help to get some evening outfits together, then click below to book in for your personal shopping trip >>>>
And if you’re not quite sure…..here’s a lovely Google review I received recently from a client which might help you decide:
(And if you’re still not sure, you need to read the other 52 five star Google reviews I have as well!):
“I had a really great experience working with Sarah.
She worked hard to find pieces that truly matched my taste, and came very prepared to our shopping trip with plenty of options already lined up.
That made everything so much easier.
Beyond the new shops and styles she introduced me to, I loved how many combinations she added to the app using both my new and old pieces so I can see exactly how to match them.
It’s made getting dressed a lot simpler and I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a stylist”
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