10 Minimalist Wardrobe Essentials for Every Man Taking style cues from the French isnt usually a bad idea but their swimwear policy is a good place to draw the line. Think beige, cream or even a pastel shade if youre feeling adventurous. Not too loose, not too tight, if Goldilocks and the Three Bears had been about denim legwear as opposed to beds and porridge, these are the ones shed have worn. In heavyweight jersey cotton, a quality hoodie is the perfect accompaniment to your sweatpants and can be worn across the rest of your wardrobe too. 20 Best Long Beard Styles For Men Different Types in 2023, Types of Mens Coats Different Styles in 2023, 14 Types Of Ties Styles That You Need To Know About in 2023. A capsule wardrobe is a term that refers to part of the minimalist lifestyle, the minimalist closet and wardrobe. Fit is arguably more important than shade. In summer, a denim jacket is outerwear. Here are some. Your Toss pile should have everything that doesnt make the cut for your minimalist wardrobe. Longline tees, bushy beards and skinny jeans are all examples of relatively recent trends that history is already judging harshly. Streamline your style and achieve more with less by building yourself a curated collection of minimalist pieces that can do it all. These are clothes that work at a barbecue, but which should also be able to hold their own when youre eating food a professional has cooked for you indoors. Theres no legwear better suited to lounging around and theres even scope for wearing them outside the house depending on how theyre styled. Have you ever caught yourself staring into a closet full of clothes and feel like you have nothing to wear? This is down to the fact that good-quality, basic clothing will last longer and be much more versatile than fast-fashion garments. Weddings? Check. Hey. Today Im wearing a grey button up shirt and I have a argyle sock with bright colours. Just avoid anything too trend-driven and give cheap rubber sliders a wide berth. Think function, then aesthetics if its beautiful but wont fit your laptop, youll never use it. Time. If youre going to be operating with fewer clothes, the ones you have will need to be of superior quality. Grey or navy is a safe bet. A neat trick to find out what you actually wear is to turn all hangers in your closet one way. Do you gravitate towards solid colors or prints? Do you need pajamas? A windbreaker will take the sting out of the air and keep you running comfortably for longer in cold conditions. Invest in a quality pair of shoes, look after them and theres no reason you wont still be calling on them another 20 years from now. . You're not alone. Pastels and light colours are always going to be good options here and in terms of how many you need, wed say two or three is about right. Our photographers capture the best-dressed real men across the globe. These are your off-duty shirts, so they should be slim enough to sit under a jacket but not figure-hugging. Copyright 2023 The Modest Man (Registered Trademark), The Minimalist Mens Outerwear Collection, 22 Minimalist Clothing Brands for Guys (2023 Guide), The Minimalist Mens Outerwear Collection (3-4 Coats), The Minimalist Mens Pants Collection (3 Examples), The Minimalist Mens Shirt Collection (11 Shirts), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMnUKrvbFSg, How to Dress Well In Your 40s and 50s (and Beyond), Where to Buy Clothes for Short Men (2022 Guide), 31 Great Watches For Small Wrists (Updated for 2023), Top 8 Best Business Casual Shoes for Men (2023 Guide), The Complete Guide to Business Casual Style for Men. A Breton top is the perfect tool for the job. The idea is to whittle clothing options down to a core selection that can be endlessly mixed and matched, catering for every conceivable situation and social setting with as few pieces as possible. Long sleeve dress. But when youve only got a handful of clothes in your wardrobe, sleeping in a T-shirt and lounge shorts means theres one less in your rotation. You should be able to mix and match garments to create multiple and varied looks, and colour is hugely important in achieving that. How to Build a Minimalist Capsule Wardrobe for Men Wool trousers are a winter favourite and the tactile element offers a great way to introduce some texture to a range of outfits. Take some time to dump out all your clothes (were talking everything) to take inventory, and see what youre working with. Denim trends come and go, but a good pair of slim-fit jeans is eternal. Good with jeans, great with suits, brogues might not be quite as popular as they were a few years ago but theyre still a great option to have in your closet, especially in a versatile chocolate brown. Its no good having a wardrobe stocked with simple, timeless pieces if theyre all in day-glo colours and garish patterns. Would you buy a couple of weeks clothes and mix them up throughout the month? Quick Jump: Outerwear | Casualwear | Tailoring | Footwear | Resortwear |Activewear | Accessories. Click on a link in the minimalist wardrobe checklist below to jump down to that item's details including how many you might want, buying and styling tips, and my favorite minimalist picks for each. You may call it a minimalist wardrobe, an interchangeable wardrobe, or something very similar. It could be if you went with really dark brown. Paddy Maddison is Ape's Style Editor. This is one of the key requirements of every piece in a minimalist wardrobe: it needs to be well made, in premium fabrics and built to stand the test of time. Heres how to do it yourself. Your pair of jeans (ideally cut from selvedge denim) should be sharp enough for dinner but not so fancy that you freak out if you get ketchup on them. No excess. Theyre simple, but those fit tweaks will make anything you buy look three times as expensive. Sounds pretty sweet, right? A navy suit will do 95% of formal jobs; for the other 5%, just rent a tux. Bonobos Stretch Weekday Warrior Slim Fit Dress Pants. Go for summery pastel shades and a relaxed cut. It may seem counterintuitive to add another garment into the mix when youre attempting to stay cool, but a base layer will actually help to wick moisture away from the skin and regulate your temperature during a workout. If you build a fluff-free and versatile wardrobe, youll notice the following benefits: Using neutral, interchangeable colors, you can put together 100+ outfits with less than 20 wardrobe items. Wear it open over a white T-shirt, done up with chino shorts and sandals, or simply sling it on with your tailored swim shorts once youve dried off from the pool and are ready to sample another cocktail. Some might say a dinner suit is a must but be honest, how often do you really find yourself at a black tie event? No clutter. If theyre crappy, youll look it. Quality over quantity is the name of the game. This could be a denim jacket, a bomber or even an overshirt. Good layering is one of the pillars of menswear and a knitted roll neck is one of the pillars of good layering. Plus, buying timeless pieces means you can keep wearing them longer. Look for something that fits well in the shoulders and has a relatively slim cut. Go for leather if you tend to dress up (in the same colour family as the shoes you wear most) or something more technical, like nylon, if you steer casual. There is no fat. Cotton-twill fabric is the best way to go, offering the greatest degree of seasonal versatility and its nice and hard wearing to boot. Youd be amazed how, even in the same clothes, switching fragrances as you go from day to night can completely change how you feel about what youre wearing. The first step is to create space for your new capsule closet. CASTORE Core SS Slim-Fit Stretch-Jersey Training Top. If in doubt, chart the middle course denimy enough to look different, not so denimy that you look like a cowboy when you wear it with jeans. A textured wool trouser will see you through the colder portion of the year in style. Having a great minimalist wardrobe is one thing, but its important to look after the body the clothes are going to hang on. When dressing for hot weather, it can be notoriously tricky to look good and stay cool at the same time. Building your own minimalist wardrobe will help you to streamline your style and increase your outfit options while simultaneously decreasing clutter. To get that versatility, you need to nail the fit slim, but not so snug that you cant fit something warm underneath. Its designed to deflect the worst of the weather without making you overheat inside it. Let the amount of tailoring in your wardrobe dictate whether you go for something traditional, like a trench coat, or more modern, like the kind of rubberised raincoats that work better with jeans than chinos. Hemline trends change every season, but if you stick to tailored cut that ends an inch or two above the knee, theyll never look dated. They can be the best pants in the world, but if theyre hanging around your backside theyre never going to look good. Block colours are great, but sometimes you need something a little more eye-catching. Steer away from anything overly bulky; this watch should be sleek and fitted, just like the suit to go with it. Birkenstock Arizona Oiled-Leather Sandals. Let's look at some options for each type of outerwear Lightweight Outerwear It can be used to dress down tailoring, giving a suit a modern twist, or it can elevate laid-back pieces like jeans, T-shirts and even sweatpants. For every conceivable formal occasion, a pair of well-made Oxford shoes is your best friend. How To Build A Minimalist Wardrobe For Men - The Dark Knot Which means everything has to do (at least) double-duty. Knit, silk, or linen tanks. 1 blazer - in grey or navy. An outerwear and sneaker fanatic, his finger is firmly on the pulse for the latest trends, while always maintaining an interest in classic style. Theres no doubt that it can be super intimidating to overhaul your entire wardrobe and start from scratch, but if you want to have a truly minimalist closet, thats what it takes. 2 Pair Slacks, Dark & Light. Keep up the good work! LULULEMON Pace Breaker 7 Straight-Leg Swift Shorts. Jeans are the worlds most popular casual pant and there are endless variations around. I did invest in additional pairs of chinos In different colors and sport shirts since those were my go to work outfits and could easily be dressed up with a sport coat and tie. This lightweight fabric is great at wicking sweat away from the skin and will dry in a flash. Staying fit is vital, which is why no footwear rotation could be considered complete without a good running shoe. Want to share your opinion? Men are not as fashion conscious as women, but they do take extra care to build their wardrobe collections. The Minimalist Wardrobe Men Want: Easy Guide - The Jacket Maker Blog If tailorings a once-a-week thing, add blue, pink and something more interesting, like a stripe. This way you can avoid any nasty surprises following the first wash. A light and breezy linen shirt is great for vacation evenings when the air is cooler, or just for keeping the sun off your arms through the day. Investing in an upgrade on your Havaianas is one of the best moves its possible to make when it comes to beach-time style. Of course, thats not the case if you take your jewellery cues from 2 Chainz. This is the goal behind building a minimalist capsule wardrobe. Nautical lines, long sleeves and a T-shirt-like fit make this French favourite a seriously versatile piece of kit. Its incredibly soft to the touch and can be used to add a subtle hint of luxury to outfits without making a song and dance of it. Check. We wont spam you. White-washed, Instagram-bait interiors? Jocks & Nerds deputy editor Tom Banham is an outerwear addict with bylines in GQ, Mens Health and Mr Porter. Where do you get interesting socks that fit well? I mean, is it really possible to build a complete wardrobe? The Resort Co Tailored Swim Shorts Navy Blue. A couple of high-quality perhaps even made-to-measure dress shirts will lay the foundation for your formalwear. You should check Anson belts out.Their belts are micro adjustable so you wont have to punch holes in your belt.I hope that this should help. Go for plain, block colours for maximum versatility and stock up on black, navy, grey and white in particular chances are, these are the ones thatll see the most daily action. Im hoping you have a section about belts. If a summer or spring capsule wardrobe is your goal, pay attention to weight. If you dont currently own one of these items, it should be on the top of your list of things to buy soon. A pair of minimalist, luxury leather sneakers can cover a lot of bases. Before you can even begin building a minimalist wardrobe, youll have to plan out your unique style route. Given that youre reading this article, its probably safe to assume the answer is, a lot. Canvas is a more breathable option that provides much of the same versatility. Below you will find the 33 pieces every minimalist wardrobe should include. This is a hallmark of quality you often find with traditional British shoemakers and it allows the sole to be easily replaced when the time comes, extending the lifecycle of your purchase. However you stock up, make sure you have enough choice that you never need to wear the same shoes two days in a row. Depending on how rugged your wardrobe leans, you can pick from so-heavy-its-basically-denim up to something thats indistinguishable from a blue Oxford. So how often does one where the same clothes? How To Build a Minimalist Wardrobe For Men Effortless Gent You should own at least one really good coat. Youll wear these items with everything, so keep the styling simple and look for natural fabrics theyll breathe, absorb sweat and just make life much better. Its timeless, trans-seasonal, immune to the vagaries of trends and fashions, but also a great base to which you can odd the side-stripe jogger or embellished jacket, should you so wish. Its a smart-casual staple that can be dressed up or down with ease and looks great with almost anything. Your Guide to a Minimalist Wardrobe - Marie Claire Thats yet another way that building a minimalist wardrobe can reduce not just your outgoings, but your carbon footprint too. Basic t-shirts. It wont add to the versatility and interchangeability of your collection. Unless youre a collector, odds are your watch wardrobe will always be shallower than your actual wardrobe. A custom shirt on the other hand is a relatively inexpensive way to get something thats made just for you and fits like a glove from the moment you get it home. Only keep items that genuinely fit the brand youre trying to build for yourself, or that spark joy in Marie Kondo terms. These cotton chinos are the perfect work pants. Start with a few white, a few black, then add your accents. At the foundation of every minimalist wardrobe for men is a classic tee, which ranks among the most versatile pieces of apparel in the world. Building a Men's Wardrobe | The Art of Manliness It offers a way to put a finishing touch to a casual outfit and if the fabric choice is right can even be worn with modern tailoring. Ideally, this new way of consuming fashion should go hand-in-hand with making eco-friendly and more qualitative than quantitative choices. In the name of killing two birds with one stone, buy sweatpants that can hold their own in the gym and on the sofa for a Sunday afternoon Netflix binge. That's where a minimalist wardrobe comes into play which will make turn your trend-centric, cluttered wardrobe into a capsule wardrobe you can always feel confident wearing. Because minimalist men always look at the big picture first. Wear it on its own with shorts and canvas sneakers in the summer or layer beneath an unstructured sports coat on cooler days. Since black can look a bit funereal, opt for navy (and hey, you can still wear it to funerals), then make sure its got enough space for layers. You cant live in denim all the time. Less obligatory, but there are two rules of dinner suits: generally, if you rent one, youll look rubbish; if you buy one, youll always find a reason to wear it. There are many benefits to the general relaxing of menswear thats been taking place over the course of the last decade or two. The Ultimate Men's Minimalist Wardrobe: 33 Capsule Pieces You Need Streamline your style and achieve more with less by building yourself a curated collection of minimalist pieces that can do it all. Both are made with strong shoulders and a firm drape that's flattering for most body types. Subscribe Now We respect your privacy. im struggling with sportswear, i run a lot but how much activewear should i have?? Were not saying to throw out all your clothes and go buy an entire collection of black and whites, but rather, take the time to asses what you have, de-clutter your closet, and learn to work with what you already own. What do you feel the most confident in? You asked if you left anything out. Invest in a tailored pair of swim shorts that, bar their fabric, are indistinguishable from your actual shorts, and youll have a pair that you can wear from pool to bar and back again. An unstructured blazer has all the stuffing ripped out, which makes it cooler literally and figuratively and more relaxed. Wool is the obvious choice fabric-wise, as is camel in terms of colour. This essential wardrobe list isnt one size fits all. A visual snapshot of this seasons must-own trends, colours, fabrics & key pieces. ?..i have loads!!! How to Build a Minimalist Wardrobe for Men [with Clothing Checklist] Credit: Courtesy of Retailer. Thats key when it comes to creating a wardrobe that functions as a whole. No spam. I find the stuff thats $40 splits and falls apart. Great article Brock. Its in these situations that this slip-on summer shoe is worth its weight in gold. Capsule Wardrobe For Men - Experienced Guide with a List - Gone Minimal While tailored shorts and denim shorts are both good summer legwear options, owning a nice pair of chino shorts or two removes the need for both of them. I used to have the boring ones you can buy. Just know that dress shirts dont dress down well theyre designed to be tucked, so tuck them. Check. Which is fine. Go through all your clothing and shoes. Benefits of a Minimalist Wardrobe How to Build a Minimalist Wardrobe It Takes Time (Don't Rush) Take your time, and enjoy the process. As an elementary school teacher, I didnt have a lot of money to spend on clothes and developed a basic wardrobe that didnt cost a lot. The Ultimate Capsule Wardrobe Guide for Men The Laurie Loo Check and check. To get it right, its important to approach buying clothing in a different way; to purchase a garment because of how it fits within the bigger picture rather than on its individual merits. Over the last decade, tennis sneakers have supplanted Oxfords as arguably the one shoe every capsule wardrobe genuinely needs. But at all times, you want to keep a balance of about 40 pieces between tops, bottoms, coats, and accessories/shoes. I had no idea where to start until I read this article. Investing means that itll stand up to grim weather, but it will also turn even the most basic clothes into an actual outfit. Thats where a transitional jacket comes in. Next up on the list of men's wardrobe essentials are the right pants. Go classic thirteen stripes and long sleeves, ideally made by one of the OGs, like Armor-Lux and youll have something thats as easy to wear as a T-shirt, but feels like youve made that little bit more effort when you slot it under a blazer. Theres no other type of footwear that can span different dress codes quite like a brown Derby shoe. Many of these items can be worn in the winter and supplemented with the following to create your winter capsule wardrobe: Sustainable sweatpants or leggings. If youre only going to own one, stick with charcoal. Ostensibly invented by boutique owner Susie Faux in the 1970s, its really an idea as old as getting dressed a small, curated collection of clothes that all work together, in almost any combination, that covers every conceivable base.