Recently, I have received some feedback related to my “If I Were a Man, This is What I Would Wear” post, so I thought I would elaborate on that post and look at men’s fashion from the metrosexual, or Modern Man, perspective. My original post was intended for the All-American Male. You know him, the guy that dresses in traditional clothing, nothing too trendy. This post will be directed to all of you men who, like women, dress a little more modern, like to stay on trend and refuse to wear your ’80s acid-washed jeans.
A Suit
The classic take on a men’s suit is a navy, two-button suit. For the trendier male, try a sleek, black suit with a one-button jacket. The look is very mainstream, tailored, and chic. A modern suit is not limited to the basic white-and-blue button-down and tie, but it’s so stylish nonetheless. Pair it with a darker blue shirt and trendy tie or a button-down, V-neck sweater and tie. It will keep the suit cycling through your closet. When hemming the suit pant, keep in mind the length and break of the leg. I like a full break, which is hemmed to reach the top of the shoes’ hells, with the front of the hem “breaking” naturally over the shoes.
Dress Shirts
Though the classic white-and-blue shirt should be a staple in your wardrobe, try adding a French cuff button-down to your wardrobe. The French cuff adds pizzazz to any wardrobe because the cuff links shimmer from under the suit coat sleeve. A French cuff shirt will look great paired with sweaters or alone with jeans or dress pants. Invest in dark-colored shirts as well. Shirts in black, slate gray, royal purple, or stripes will add an extra punch to suits, dress pants, and jeans. The Modern Man isn’t afraid to wear color and go bold with detail.
Blazers
Like suiting, the Modern Man looks great in a navy blazer; but, for summer, try sporting a twill khaki blazer. It’s light-weight and a neutral color, and looks nice with a white or colored t-shirt or a button-down. Both styles work with jeans. Be cautious when wearing the khaki blazer with dress pants. The color is too light for khaki trousers, but if you invest in a khaki summer suit, you have two pieces that will work together or separately.
Dress Pants
Dress pants for the Modern Man are not much different than those for the traditional man. All men should wear flat front; wool and cotton alike. There is less material to work with when wearing sweaters and blazers and look a little more polished when tucking in shirts. Again, you can find them un-hemmed and if you chose to go this route, refer to the break rule mentioned in suits above.
Jeans
I still like the look of straight and relaxed jeans, but for the Modern Man, try wearing a boot-cut jean that falls nicely over shoes. Keep the denim dark. There are several different washes. Medium wash is one my husband prefers, since I won’t let him wear faded, but he owns a pair of dark as well. The antique, vintage wash is a combination of the medium and dark. Pair these jeans with fun button-downs in designs such as paisley, stripes, spirals, or ones with contrasting cuffs. These cuffs are a different color or design than the actual shirt and look great rolled up over the wrist.
Casual Shirts
I still maintain that casual shirts do not mean the old tried-and-true college t-shirt from your past. Casual shirts mean polos and wide plaids. Wear a fitted, plaid button-down with sleeves rolled to the elbow. The look is cool and relaxed and goes great paired with jeans, khakis, and shorts. Most major retailers carry a wide variety of polo shirts. They come fitted, loose, plain, striped, in 100% cotton, or cotton-stretch blends. The style and fit are up to you.
A note about screen-print t-shirts: The cute retro branded t-shirts that are all the rage are great for the gym, errands, a night at our local Theater in the Park, or lounging around the house. When going on a date or meeting for drinks with friends or dinner, leave your “I’m a Pepper” shirt at home. Instead, sport the trendier graphic tee that you see at retailers like Banana Republic, J.Crew, and Nordstrom. These will look great under your khaki summer blazer or this corduroy version that is perfect for fall. Another great look is the graphic tee paired with a utilitarian jacket for cooler evening temperatures in the Upper East and West coasts. Pair with shorts, jeans, or khakis.
Sweaters
I’m a sucker for a man in a great sweater. I love the look of the new “grandfather” button-down cardigan, white tee, and jeans. Pair this with a high shine slip-on or leather oxford shoe. I also love the look of dress pants, white button-down, striped tie, and solid V-neck pullover sweater. This also looks great with jeans. Invest in solids, V-necks, sweater vests, or the button-down cardigan. There are so many ways to wear them while creating that ever-revolving closet that looks like you never repeat!
Shoes
The Modern Man is a risk taker when it comes to shoes. Pointy toes, square toes, topstitching, lace-up, ankle-high, and tennis-inspired are just a few styles that you may have added, or want to add, to your collection. Look at designers such as Steve Madden, Cole Haan, and Kenneth Cole.
I hope I helped paint a new picture of how the Modern Man should dress. Am I missing anything? Your readership means a lot to me, so keep coming back for more and let me know what else you’d like to read about!
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