The weather is getting warmer and with the infamous spring break approaching, you know what that means- vacation time! Our expert stylist at Gotstyle have put together some resort wear looks featuring some of our new products of the season. Let it also be an inspiration for the upcoming spring weather we’ll be having.
Look 1
Micro prints are back but with a twist! Brands like Benson are showing us their creativity by putting a seahorse pattern on the classic short sleeved button up. When the weather is warmer feel free to roll up your denim or chinos for a more spring/summer appropriate look.
Outfit details: John Varvatos Straw Fedora $98, Benson Sea Horse Print Shirt $155, John Varvatos Bowery Straight Jean $179 , Le Specs Sunglasses $110, Garment Projects Classic Leather Sneaker $257
Look2
The colours and pattern on this Circle of Gentlemen polo makes it a great standout piece. It’s a nice upgrade from a classic solid colour polo. By tucking it into a pair of chinos, it creates a sophisticated spring ready outfit.
A simple styling tip: spring weather doesn’t always permit wearing just a t-shirt and shorts. When it gets a little chilly, layer your outfit with a long sleeve button down. This will add dimension to your look and keep you warm.
How do you stay dry and look good? With a rain coat of course! Forget about what you think you know about old school ill fitting rain coats. Danish brand Rains specializes in rain wear and their jackets are modern, lightweight and best of all- stylish.
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!
Your resumé was polished and they loved your cover letter. Perfect. You got the interview. You know you can nail it, but one big question remains: what are you going to wear?
Dressing well for an interview shows professionalism and that you understand the culture you’re going to enter. It’s a great way to make the right impression and be memorable to the interviewer. It’s not rocket science, but there are some things you need to know.
Consider three things when picking your outfit:
Industry — Would you wear the same thing to a conservative bank as you would to a casual tech startup?
Job function/department — What flies in marketing may not be greeted as enthusiastically in accounting.
Seniority — Younger guys should err on the safe side, versus someone more established in their career who has “earned” the privilege to dress with a little more flare.
The common theme here? Know your audience.
Unless you’ve been specifically told not to,wear a suit. You’ll look your best and most professional. It shows you respect the interviewers’ time and take this seriously.
Now, let’s get into the details.
THE SUIT When dressing for a job interview, the safe play is a dark charcoal or navy blue suit. Charcoal tends to be the more conservative of the two — but you really can’t go wrong with either. If you’re having trouble deciding, once again: consider your audience. Paul Betenly makes an awesome starter suit in both charcoal and navy.
If you’re interviewing for a more senior position or a job in a more creative industry, a brighter blue or lighter grey suit can work too. A black suit is never okay unless the job is in the funeral business.
THE SHIRT Your interview shirt should also fit great. Check out our video guide for finding the perfect shirt to make sure you’re doing it right.
For the style details, go with normal cuffs (not french), and a spread or semi-spread collar.
In terms of colour, solid whites and light blues are most conservative. These go well with any suit. Stenstroms and our own Gotstyle-Lipson shirts are both fantastic options.
For a bolder look, try a micro pattern. A geo pattern like the one below from Oscar works well.
THE SHOES Never, ever wear a square toe dress shoe. Say no to square toe.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I recommend black or brown leather oxford dress shoes for an interview. You can’t go wrong with an oxford shoe in a business setting. The Gotstyle Cap Toe Derby Shoe is a perfect example.
Double monkstraps are a riskier alternative. Only consider these in situations where — you guessed it — you’re interviewing for a senior or less conservative role. And again, keep the colour to black or brown.
No matter what shoes you choose, make sure you give them a good shine and that you’ve worn them before. Often a new pair of dress shoes takes some time to work in, and the last thing you need is blisters on the day of your interview.
THE ACCESSORIES
Belt First things first, your belt should match your shoes. Black with black, brown with brown. Keep your belt sleek and simple — no big buckles. Anderson’s black or brown pebbled belts are perfect.
Tie Here is your chance to show some personality. Choose a colour or pattern that’s stylish and memorable — just make sure it’s setting appropriate and that it matches.
For creative industries (especially in the winter), add versatility to your formal look by trying a more casual, texturized knit tie. When choosing a tie knot, go with a half windsor or four-in-hand. Knots are not the place to experiment.
Google Images
Socks Have some fun! It’s fine to show a little colour or pattern, as long as they don’t clash with the rest of your look.
Watch If you’re going to wear one, keep it sleek and understated.
Everything Else Save the funky lapel pins, cufflinks, and tie bars for once you get the job.
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Got any more questions? 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.
Good luck (not that you need it). You’ve got this!
Last week we discussed 9 major patterns every man should know. Today we will explore dress shirt fabrics. Understanding the difference between some of these fabrics will not only help you flex your sartorial intellect but allow you to find the ideal dress shirt fabric for your needs.
Also check out our new Gotstyle Launch program which features a line of dress shirts, trousers, suits and leather shoes. Everything you need to build your wardrobe.
Before we break down the 10 major dress shirt fabrics, it is important to point out the fundamentals of what makes a great fabric.
Step one: Identifying the core: is it cotton, man-made fibers or silk? Ideally, you want to stick with cotton as it is the undisputed king of dress shirt fabrics. A finely woven cotton fabric has all the properties a man could want from a garment worn close to the body: good heat and moisture conduction, durability, smoothness, and the ability to take shape when ironed.
Man-made fibers, on the other hand, don’t offer the same comfort as a cotton shirt but do have their own set of advantages. They are often wrinkle and stain resistant and can be ideal for budget minded individuals. Lastly, there is silk, often associated as a luxury fabric, silk offers that high sheen and light drape. It is great for bathrobes and boxers shorts but not necessarily for a shirt. The maintenance costs are high and long term durability low.
Step two: Know your ply. Ply is how many yarns are twisted together to make a single thread. Dress shirt fabrics are most often two-ply or single ply. Two-ply fabrics are generally superior to single-ply fabrics.
Step three: The count. Thread count indicates the size of the thread in the fabric and therefore how many threads per square inch and is often referred to with a number like 50s, 80s, 100s, 120s, 140s 160s, etc up to 200s. For example, 140s means there are 140 hanks (1 hank = 840 yards) of yarn in one pound. Higher numbers mean that the threads are finer which results in a softer, smoother and lighter fabric.
Step four: The finish. Often overlooked, the finish of the fabric is the production process used to actually mill the fabric. A 2-ply 200s fabric sounds impressive but if it’s made with low quality cotton by a dubious manufacturer then it is no better and probably worse than a 1-ply 50s fabric made by a reputable mill.
10 Dress Shirt Fabrics
Oxford Shirt Fabric
Similar to pinpoint oxford- slightly heavier thread and looser weave
Slightly rougher texture but is more durable than most fabrics
Symmetrical basket weave where one yarn may cross two yarns
Originally developed for sports, the oxford shirt is great as a casual button down shirt
Woven fabric produced on the dobby loom
Characterised by small geometric patterns and extra texture in the cloth
Very similar to Jacquard, although technically different
Many dobby fabrics have stripes woven into them, although some are solid colors
The solid colors tend to have a faint stripe or dotted patterns woven in the same color as the base cloth
A sturdy cotton twill textile- possibly coarser twill.
Typically softer, lighter versions of the fabric then that of your jeans
Great for casual wear
A plain weave fabric with a colored warp and a white weft
Generally made with heavier yarns for a rugged, blue-collar workwear appeal
Great for casual wear
A dense, plain woven cloth, historically made of wool
A tightly woven fabric with a very simple over-under weave and slight sheen
Great for dressy occasions
Highly weatherproof and hard wearing
Is a soft woven fabric, of various fineness
Typically fuzzy in feel otherwise known as brushed twill or brushed melange
Great for cooler weather like Fall/Winter
Ideal for casual wear
Special type of construction in which each yarn is a combination of fibers that are dyed and not-dyed
Generally very thin and very smooth luxurious fabrics with a particular soft finish
These different colored cotton fibers are woven together for a feathered, intentionally inconsistent, somewhat organic look.
Pinpoint (also referred to as pinpoint oxford) has a similar weave as oxford cloth but uses a finer yarn and tighter weave
More formal than oxford cloth, but less formal than broadcloth
Pinpoint fabrics are generally not transparent and are slightly heavier and thicker than broadcloths
Great choice for business shirts
Made from a plain weave of fine yarns, creating a thin, soft, smooth, long-lasting fabric
Thin and breathable – great for under jackets or blazers
Can be slightly transparent due to it’s thinness
Does well with retaining smoothness after being ironed
Sometimes described as broadcloth (technically different, but pretty much the same)
Distinctive diagonal weave
Soft, and a bit thicker and warmer than poplin
Has a tendency to wrinkle easily for some
Works under a jacket, but not quite as breathable as poplin
