These are 10 wardrobe staples every man should have in their wardrobe.
This post is all about the 10 pieces that every man should have in his wardrobe.
1. Grey flannels
Grey flannels must be one of the most talked-about items in the menswear space. Not because they are so loud, but rather because they are so versatile and silent. Together with a shirt and a navy blazer, they form what is often referred to as the menswear uniform. This uniform speaks style and class without screaming for attention.
When shopping for a grey flannel, look for a high-waisted version. Grey flannels are not the place to cheap out. Grey flannels cost a bit because of the material, as wool is not cheap. If you want some specific examples that offer great quality, you have:
- Besnard
- Kit blake
Both of whom offer high-waisted grey flannels with side adjusters. A clothing item that most guys will benefit from having in their wardrobe.
2. Dark blue jeans
From one type of trousers to another. And this is something that almost every guy and girl is familiar with: a pair of blue jeans. Must be one of the most worn types of trousers in the world, or?
Why go for dark blue instead of the more normal midwash blue jeans? If you are looking to form a more classic kind of wardrobe, and you only have one pair of jeans in your wardrobe, the Dark blue one is the way to go. They offer the most versatility and bridge the gap between formal and casual in the best way possible.
If you are interested in taking it a step further, I would advise trying a pair of raw denim. Raw denim is just denim that hasn’t been pre-washed or distressed in any way. This means they will form a more natural and unique patina over time.
If you want to invest in some great quality jeans, these are some good options:
- Buck mason
- The armory
3. Light blue Oxford button-down
Together with the earlier-mentioned grey flannels, this shirt stands at the definitive centre of the classic man’s wardrobe. They became popular in the second half of the 20th century when students at the Ivy League started wearing them as a part of their “uniform”. Actually, it is a reasonable amount of what is considered to be classic menswear today that stems from the Ivy League style.
The reason that the light blue shirt is mentioned here is that it is the colour that offers the most versatility and can work both in more formal and casual types of outfits. Where the plain white button-down shirt is formal, the light blue button-down comes across a bit more casual. That means it can be combined with, say, a pair of high-waisted dark blue jeans and a tweed jacket.
When looking for a button-down to buy, remember to go for a version where the collar points are quite long and have room to move and rumple. We don’t want a shirt with very short collar points; it just looks weird.
4. White t-shirt
The famous white t-shirt. What is even left to say about this one? I have a handful of them in my closet, and I bet that you do too. They go with everything, and throughout history, guys in jeans and a well-fitted pair of white t-shirt have never been out of style.
T-shirts come in a lot of different versions. One for each person’s taste. Some like them boxy and oversized, while others like them more tight-fitting. Back in the day, the white t-shirt was considered a kind of underwear. When you look at old vintage t-shirts from back in the day, you can often see that they are more tight-fitting.
If you want this kind of vintage white t-shirt look, here are some good options to check out:
- Whitesville tubular t-shirt
- Merz b. Schwanen
5. Navy suit
When creating a wardrobe staple list for men’s clothing, it is hard not to include a suit. The suit, which in the 20th century was for a lot of men their everyday work uniform, has in the 21st century become more of formal occasion wear. Some professions still require that you wear a suit to work, but a lot less than 50 years ago. I won’t go into whether this has been a bad or good development, but we definitely can’t forget about the suit completely.
Most guys would handle most formal occasions if they owned only one suit. And when deciding on the colour for this suit, Navy is the safest option to go for. It comes across a bit less formal than the black suit, but still is formal enough for most situations, outside maybe only a black tie event.
6. Linen trousers
Linen trousers have been trending for the last couple of years. But the fact that a clothing item is trending doesn’t mean that it won’t have a place in a staple wardrobe, where we focus less on trends and more on what is good style. Although style is all about wearing what makes you feel good, I believe that it is something that is more objectively good or bad style, but that can be a topic for a later post.
A linen pair of trousers will be in a lot of use during the warmer months of the year. An off white pair of relaxed-fit linen trousers expresses a kind of effortless style that is hard to combat.
If you want to stand out from all the 20-year-old boys who wear their white linen trousers, I would again argue to go for a pair of high-waisted ones. High-waisted trousers complement our bodies better by using the rule of thirds to create a more harmonious proportion. Where the top part of your outfit forms 1/3 of the outfit and the lower part forms 2/3 of the outfit.
Suitsupply have some good-looking high-waisted linen trousers that are not too expensive.
7. Long Overcoat
A long wool overcoat that goes down to your knees. You can’t go wrong with wearing one of these. It is the perfect item to dress up your casual outfits in the fall and winter. Just throw it a pair of jeans and a knit sweater, and you will look great.
For the last years on this side of the millennium, men’s overcoats have started to shrink, by getting shorter and shorter. Where a wool overcoat in the 1960s most often was knee-length or longer, many overcoats today end way above the knee. And yes, it can be a bit more practical to have a shorter coat when driving, for example, but aesthetically, I think this is a downgrade from the long overcoats.
When walking, the long overcoat offers a kind of magical and majestic view as the end of your coat sways around your legs.
If it is one piece of this list, you can get a lot of value out of shopping second-hand. It is this one. As mentioned, vintage overcoats were built with great quality and proportions, and you can save up to 80-90% fromtoday’ss prices by shopping vintage.
8. Navy grenadine tie
I wasn’t sure if I should include this or not in this list. The reason was that most guys obviously live great lives without owning a pair of grenadine ties, but I will include it in the list because I think it is a great way to level up your more formal outfits.
If I only got to buy one tie for the rest of my whole life, this is the one I would have got. It can work both for the more formal suits and occasions and with the more casual odd trouser and navy or tweed blazer kind of outfits.
A grenadine tie indeed costs a bit more than a normal tie, but it’s worth it. A good handmade garment costs more to produce, and therefore, it needs to sell at a higher price. But for something you only need to buy once or twice in your lifetime, I feel like it’s worth it.
9. Knitted sweater
For autumn and winter, er a good pair of knitted sweaters is a must. It comes in a variety of different variations, from the expensive Kashmiris to gentle merino wools and the more rugged pair of a Shetland sweater. When choosing between them, I think you should try to work out what you want them to be for you in your wardrobe. I have for quite some time enjoyed the thinner merino wool sweater, but the problem I face with them is that they kind of quickly start to peel.
One item that is more sturdy than the thin merino wool sweaters is the Shetland ones. Shetland sweaters have a thicker, more rugged wool that won’t be affected by pilling as much as the merino ones. A downside to the Shetland sweaters is that they can’t be worn straight on the skin because of the thickness of the wool. You must have a long-sleeved shirt under, but a white coloured shirt looks great under a shetland sweater or cardigan.
My next knitted sweater purchase will be a Shetland sweater. And I think I will be going for a version from Bosie.co.
10. White button-up dress shirt
We can’t forget about the white dress shirt. You need to have one of these to pair with your navy suit for your most formal occasions. This most likely won’t be your most-worn item in the wardrobe, but you need a pair regardless. I don’t think you need to break the bank for this one, just find a pair that fits you well and you’re good.
If you ask me, it is better to invest a bit more in a great quality suit than it is to overspend on a white dress shirt.
I haven’t mentioned anything about shoes in this article, and that’s because I have gone through the types of shoes every man should own in this article.
