Menswear can be a minefield. You have to know the fashion rules — and when to break them. So if you’re going casual, guys, go smart casual or go home.
Smart casual is a great way to introduce a less formal flair into the workplace and add a punch of personality. When business casual first entered the workplace, it was bad news as it “rapidly declined to ill-fitting khakis and over sized golf polos,” says Tia Katz, head stylist at gotstyle.ca.
Katz is on a mission to add smart to casual. “The vast majority of corporations are realizing that casual has been taken too far and now are strongly encouraging employees to dress up appropriately.”
When pulled off, smart casual sends a message of professional, well-dressed, comfortable and confident, says Katz.
“If the look is not constructed appropriately, it conveys a message of lost and confused. It usually looks something along the lines of ‘about to go meet a client’ and ‘about to take the kids to the park’ all in one outfit,” says Katz, of Gotstyle menswear stores in Toronto. “A bad outfit is usually more noticeable than a good one.”
You know the guy that’s a little bit too obvious about being on a 5 day work wardrobe rotation? Don’t let that guy be you. It may be easy to get caught in the trap of wearing a boring office uniform, but dressing for success is key to showing professionalism and ambition. Switching up your style and taking things to the next level can be easy. I’m here to help with 5 ways to elevate your office style.
OFFICE STYLE TIP #1: GO CUSTOM When it comes to suits, great fit matters over everything. Even if you don’t wear a suit every day, it’s important to have a perfectly tailored suit in your repertoire for meetings, presentations, and events. Think of your best suit as your go-to for when you need to step things up — and nothing will fit (and look) better than a suit made expressly for you.
For details on the made to measure process, pricing, and advantages, Gotstyle’s tailor extraordinaire Konstantine has got you covered.
OFFICE STYLE TIP #2: ACCESSORIZE The easiest way to elevate your office style is to add new accessories to your existing office wardrobe. It’s simple addition by, well, addition. Lapel pins, pocket squares, tie bars, shoe laces, and even work bags are all ways you can add pops of style and colour.
OFFICE STYLE TIP #3: ADD A VEST A vest is a simple way to class up any office look. Wear it with one of your standard 2 piece suits to add complexity, texture, and contrast. Or, just roll up your sleeves and wear it over a well fitted dress shirt as a more casual look (this looks good on literally every guy).
One thing to watch out for: don’t try to match a new vest colour to an existing suit. Unless you have the exact same fabric, it won’t work, and will look off. The solution? Go with a contrast vest, and introduce a new colour to the suit entirely. It’s an unexpected look that shows off your style chops. Grey and blue (like in the photo above) always pair well, and can be used interchangeably between vest and suit.
OFFICE STYLE TIP #4: WEAR A TIE If you don’t normally wear a tie, step up your office style and wear one! There’s no better way to show you mean business.
If your office is casual or you don’t see yourself as a “tie guy,” try a knit or textured tie as a casual midway point between your usual laidback style and something that’s too formal.
OFFICE STYLE TIP #5: SUITS WITH BOOTS Wearing a suit with boots is an awesome way to switch up a stale office rotation, but you need to do it right. If your suit fits well (which it should), the boots you pair with it need to be sleek and slim fitting. You want the outfit to look well put together and intentional — and not like you haven’t changed yet from your morning commute. The best way to achieve this? Chelsea boots.
Both of these looks (courtesy of GQ) add some rocker edge to a suiting look, without being too chunky or out of place. It’s a menswear power move, and you can totally pull it off. Reserve this look for fall and winter, and make sure to match your belt and boots to keep everything tied together.
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Ready to step things up? Gotstyle’s stylist team has got you covered. Book your appointment today at 416-260-9696 or info@gotstyle.ca.
A great blazer is one of the most reliable and versatile pieces in any guy’s wardrobe. The classic way to wear a blazer is similar to a suit jacket — with a dress shirt and tie — but slightly less formal (the jacket isn’t a matching set with the suit pants). The differences between a blazer, sport coat, and suit jacket can be subtle, but they’re important to know.
Think you’ve got the classic blazer look covered? Great. Let’s step up your style to the next level, and explore 5 new looks to make the most of your awesome blazers that have been trapped in the confines of nine to five.
A double breasted blazer with dark denim is a modern power look any guy can pull off. The double breasted blazer is bold, so pair it with a solid colour dress shirt and let the blazer do the talking. Always keep the inside button and upper outside button fastened when standing. The only time you shouldn’t do up a button is if your blazer has multiple rows of buttons on the centre. If that’s the case, the same rule as with single breasted blazers applies — leave the bottom button undone.
Make sure that when wearing jeans with dress shoes the jeans are well tapered at the bottom, like on our model above. This will add height and slim down your look. If the front cuff of your jeans covers either of the monkstraps, it’s a sign the cuffs are too wide.
It may not be what you’re used to, but trust me, tapered lower legs are the way to avoid the dreaded “dad jean flare” you may not even realize you’ve been rocking. Once you wear one pair of properly tapered jeans and see the difference, you’ll never go back.
Throw your best dark blazer on over a designer tee, jeans, and military style boots to pull off a Justin Theroux inspired rocker look. Some tips to make sure you do it right:
Treat this as a casual look. A t-shirt with a blazer is cool. A t-shirt with a blazer when everyone else is wearing a suit? Not so cool.
Make sure your jeans are tapered right. Come on man, we already talked about this.
Let your boots develop some character.
Leave the blazer unbuttoned — with a t-shirt, better to keep it casual.
The t-shirt should hit just below your belt.
Avoid tight tees. When wearing a t-shirt with a blazer, try not to look too…slick. I like to gently tug on the collar of my shirts before wearing them under a blazer. A bit of a slouchy look is perfect. You’re not wearing this to a black tie event anyways, so it’s cool to grunge up this particular blazer look.
Here’s where a blazer can be useful as a transitional layering piece. Pair a casual, natural shoulder blazer like this one with a hoodie, joggers, and luxe sneakers for a super comfy outfit that will turn heads. In the right way.
Make sure the hoodie is thin. Not just any hoodie will work — too thick and it won’t layer nicely with a properly tailored blazer. As much as you love your college sweater, save it for the couch and opt for a sleeker fitting piece.
Seize this opportunity to wear your coolest, boldest sneakers (as long as they match what you’re wearing above the ankles). Joggers were made popular by sneakerheads because they show off a guy’s kicks — so go all out! An eye-catching pair like these ones from Sully Wong elevate the look from good to great.
Gotstyle Navy Wool Notch Lapel Blazer with Metal Buttons: $695, Selected Homme Charcoal Skinny Fit Stretch Chino: $95, Swims Navy Sport Loafer: $100, Taft No-Show Socks: $60 (4-pack)
This preppy spring/summer look works best with a navy blazer. Start with a polo, tucked or untucked (I prefer untucked, but either can work). Roll up your blazer sleeves a bit, even cuff your pants at the ankle if you feel like it. Slim fit chinos are a must, especially when your loafers tie in to the rest of the outfit as well as these ones do.
Pro tip: when going “sockless,” wear no-show socks. The exact same look is achieved, minus the blisters and lingering stink. You’re welcome.
This is a great transitional layering outfit for fall days when you don’t quiiite need a jacket yet, or the end of winter when you’ve ditched your parka for the season. The different textures (fuzzy flannel on the blazer, herringbone pattern pants) complement well and are way comfier than you’re used to for a look this sharp. The thin crew neck sweater under the blazer gives you some flexibility on whether to button or unbutton.
Last thing — show some cuff. Having that sweater peek out from both the chest and sleeves may not be something everyone notices, but those who do will appreciate the attention to detail.
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Ready to pull the trigger on your new blazer look? Our team of stylists is here to help, with private appointments and free wardrobe consultations. Book your appointment today at 416-260-9696 or info@gotstyle.ca.
Remember to bring your blazer(s) with you when you shop. Try layering them with different pieces, and see what works best for you!
It’s ‘stache season and we want to do our part in making sure you rock yours with style. Getting the right style to match your Movember stache can be a tricky thing- but don’t worry we’re here to give a helping hand. Whether you’re holding down the classic handle-bar, the horseshoe, the dali or the lampshade we’ve got the look that is guaranteed to make you shine.
Start by realizing that you have a choice and saying no to the Canadian uniform should be priority #1. There’s more to Movemeber than just plaids, denim and creepy moustaches and we’re here to prove it. There are people with real style and some pretty sexy ‘staches that are joining the cause, just look at Nick Wooster. If he doesn’t scream sexy, bearded cool we don’t know who does. Learn to take pride in your newly discovered/groomed ‘stache and recognize that if you’re going to change the face of men’s health, why not do it in style with Gotstyle!
Let’s start by agreeing that whoever said that men shouldn’t or can’t wear colourful trousers was probably colour blind because if you think that coloured pants make you look any less of a man then you’ve seriously got it backwards. From celebrity hotshots, to athletes, to GQ’s best dressed, everyone is embracing this growing trend, correction style, and it’s about time you did too. This isn’t about jumping on a “trend” but rather embracing a style aesthetic that has been around for generations and North American needs to catch up.
Not matter the occasion, formal, business, social or casual, coloured trousers are easy to style and are guaranteed to help you stand out from the pack. Check out these great looks for inspiration on how you can incorporate this style in to your closet.
Welcome SPRING!! Today is the first day of spring, and with that we can take solace in knowing that warmer, brighter days are just around the corner. In celebration of this monumental occasion, because we all know how much you guys “love” winter, we are bringing out the colour! You’ve already seen our Spring sweaters, knit ties, and shoes, today we bring you our latest shipment of shirts that truly celebrate Spring.
With over 60 year of artisan mastery under their belt, Oscar by Sweden shirts offer great fit with impeccable detail. With both casual and slim fit options these new arrivals cater to virtually any body type. Take note of the amazing detail in the inner collar, cuff and buttons.
Oscar – Fine Stripe Slim Shirt w/ Full Spread Collar: $198
Oscar Finestripe Green Button Down w/ Contrast Stripe: $198
Oscar Grid Check Slim Fit Shirt w/ Spread Collar: $198
Oscar Multi Check Shirt: $198
Oscar Micro Check w/ Contrast Stripe: $198
Oscar Mini Grid Check Slim Fit Shirt: $198
Oscar Multi Check Shirt w/ Butterfly Contrast: $198
