There is no valid excuse for any gentleman in this Country not to look smart. The options are endless. Take a walk along the shopping avenues or the hot shopping malls, there you will find all kinds of menswear, imitations and counterfeits taking the better part of the shop shelves. With every retailer screaming that they have the best menswear at near-zero prices, the confusion is real. You got to have a plan when shopping, otherwise your wardrobe will look like a market stall; full but nothing spectacular to throw on every time you are stepping out.
Today we present to you, ten items that should never miss in your wardrobe. These items are very versatile, classic, and timeless and you can never go wrong wearing them (they give you assurance that you are not looking like a comedian).
Tailor-made Suit
A real tailor made suit by a good tailor, not the off-the-shelf suits being marketed as tailor-made. “Tailor-made” is not a suit type or a brand but rather a service, more of an experience. The fit is the most appealing aspect of a real tailored suit. With the careful and diligent measurements taken, the suit should perfectly fit your and accentuate your physique. Do not worry if you have a large mid-section (better word for “public opinion”), a good tailor should take care of that. This suit should take you to weddings, dinner parties, interviews or to your office, occasionally you need to surprise your colleagues.
The Blazer
Our Kenyan brothers are seriously failing on this. The blazer craze around the world seems to have not caught on here. May be guys do not see the sense of buying half a suit when you can buy a whole suit (The price of a full suit and that of a blazer are almost the same, reason being, the blazer eats the bigger fabric and takes more work to make. Quite understandable). Or, they do not know how to style it (definitely they haven’t been reading our blog). May be its simply not their thing. You need a blazer or its first cousin, the sports coat. Simple. Just buy one, wear it and you’ll be happy.
Oxford Button-down Shirt
This is the real deal shirt. Down from the oxford fabric, the design, the feel and look when you wear it to the subtle ruggedness that is characteristic of a real man. Very versatile- can be worn with a suit, a blazer or casually on its own. Tie or no tie, the shirt is perfect. It is the only shirt that you can wear un-pressed and no one will look at you weirdly.
Oxford Dress Shoes
There exist no direct relationship between the oxford shoes and the oxford shirt. None that I know of. Just coincidence? The reason you need this shoes is that they can go well with casual pants like chinos and jeans as well as dress pants and suits. Just ensure they are made from natural leather.
Suede Chelsea Boot
This is the ultimate casual shoe that sets you apart. Good for hot weather too. The Chelsea boot maintains a sleek look that can be easily dressed up with a suit, blazer or a dress shirt. The suede leather keeps the casual vibe on while the Chelsea design of the boot preserves its formality for dressing up.
Denim Jacket
Land and property should not be the only things that your son (or daughter?) will inherit from you. Denim jackets too! Denim Jackets can last for decades. Invest in good quality ones and watch your son inherit them. Their low maintenance toughness should impress you. Their appeal and comfort gets better with time and repeated wash.
Chinos
The item of menswear that you can wear, as a man, and no one can judge you. Chino pants are a true revelation that age is just a number. From teenagers to pensioners, these pants are appropriate for everyone. They can take you to any occasion if paired well with matching shoes and tops. They are the best alternative to jeans. Have them in khaki, navy and beige and see the diversity of wardrobe improve.
Dark Wash Jeans
One of the hardest piece of menswear to get right now in this city and its neighbors is a nice, quality and well-fitting dark wash jeans. Do you remember the original Levis, Diesel or Lugs jeans? And any similar jeans. No whiskers, acid wash, ripping or the crazy dirt jeans thing. That is what you need. The benefit of dark wash jeans is the ability to dress them up. You can wear them with dress shirts, dress shoes or even blazers. Also they can easily be worn to an office or formal setting. Problem is where to get them.
Canvas Sneakers
Your feet deserves a rest. After a week of pounding pavements and office floor tiles with dress shoes. Allow your feet to relax with some fresh and flexible footwear on Fridays and/or the weekends. Canvas sneakers are perfect for that. The canvas fabric will ensure your feet get fresh air freely while the rubber soles absorb shock when hitting the pavements. Pair them with jeans, chino or well-tailored dress pants.
Crewneck T-shirts
Or V-neck t-shirts. Just like the feet need to relax, the body too deserves freedom from dress shirts and suits. A crewneck, v-neck t-shirt or a polo will allow you better flexibility as you run your weekend errands, visiting friends or hanging out with the boys. Pair them with jeans, chinos, sweatpants and sneakers.
That is my list of ten essential menswear items. I know you have yours or you want to add or remove some items from my list, feel free to do so on the comments thread.