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Casual Dress Rules for Men – Part Deux

Casual Dress Rules for Men – Part Deux
2011/08/17 Better Blueprint

 

We continue our pursuit/mission to help the professional man dress down....right. There are a few rules to live by -- here's our next 10. (Esquire did a huge list of casual dress rules that we've chosen to reduce to the essentials....)

    1. A discreet paint or grass stain conveys a sense of lived-in comfort. The same cannot be said for stains from food, dirt, wine, or bodily fluids. That's just gross.
    2. Denim is the center of the casual universe. And some things look better with it than others. A quick primer:
      • All the Time: Cotton button-down or T-shirt, brown loafers, navy-blue blazer, cashmere sweater
      • Most of the Time: Crewneck sweatshirt, black loafers, tweed jacket, cotton turtleneck, white sneakers
      • Only Sometimes: Hooded sweatshirt, high-top sneakers, sports jersey
      • Only Under Duress: Waistcoat, silk shirt, flip-flops, necktie
      • Only Under Penalty of Death: Cufflinks, suspenders, opera cape
    3. Everything looks better with age. Except for white T-shirts. Those look best new.
    4. Always tuck: polo and dress shirts that hang below your hip. Never tuck: sweaters and turtlenecks. Everything else is negotiable.
    5. Articles of clothing that you can dress up: polo shirts, khaki shorts, blue jeans, white sneakers, and, for Texans, cowboy hats and boots.
    6. The only ribbed items a man should wear are socks and condoms, and he best not confuse the two.
    7. A $40 pair of jeans can fit you just as well and look just as good as a $200 pair. They'll just take a whole lot longer for you to find.
    8. Cotton is the universal language of casual clothing. Wear it anywhere and you'll fit right in.
    9. Sweatpants are for sick days, couch surfing, and light exercise. For anything else, throw on a pair of jeans and get on with it.
    10. Velour: no.
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