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5 ways to elevate office style

Cover photo credit: Van Gils

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.

HOOK + ALBERT RED POLKA DOT FLOWER OFFICE LAPEL PIN
Hook + Albert Red Polka Dot Flower Lapel Pin: $30

A CHRISTENSEN RED PAISLEY PRINTED OFFICE POCKET SQUARE
A Christensen Red Paisley Printed Pocket Square: $45

Weber Slim Office Tie Bar
Weber Slim Tie Bar: $40

Sully Wong Burgundy Leather Laces
Sully Wong Burgundy Leather Laces: $35

URI MINKOFF FULTON LEATHER OFFICE BRIEFCASE
Uri Minkoff Fulton Leather Briefcase: $438

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).

contrast office vest
Photo Credit

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.

CIRCLE OF GENTLEMEN KENYON HERRINGBONE SHAWL DB VEST office
Circle of Gentlemen Kenyon Herringbone Shawl Double Breasted Vest: $175

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.

THE COMMON FOLK YURAKUCHO INDIGO DYE HOUNDSTOOTH TIE office

The Common Folk Yarakucho Indigo Dye Houndstooth Tie: $100

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.

gq suit office chelsea boots
gq office 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.

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.

BLAZER LOOK #1

double breasted navy blazer look
Tiger of Sweden Navy Double Breasted Peak Lapel Blazer: $599, Stenstroms Slimline Basic Dress Shirt: $195, Nudie Jeans Grim Tim Organic Dry: $179, Gotstyle Double Monkstrap Wingtip Shoe: $225

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.

BLAZER LOOK #2

black blazer single breasted notch lapel Strellson Black STC Travel Jacket: $598, John Varvatos Grey Eyelet Henley Shirt: $98, Nudie Jeans Grim Tim Organic Dry: $179

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.

BLAZER LOOK #3

blue blazer athleisure joggers
Van Gils Blue Pindot Blazer: $550, John Varvatos Green Striped Hoodie: $180, Zanerobe Black Sureshot Chino: $125, Sully Wong x Gotstyle Camo Shoes: $125

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.

gotsyle x sully wong camo sneakers

Sully Wong x Gotstyle Camo Shoes: $125

BLAZER LOOK #4

preppy blue blazer look polo swims 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.

BLAZER LOOK #5

preppy blue blazer look polo swims Without Prejudice Charcoal Flannel Blazer with Elbow Patches: $525, Blue Industry Purple One pocket Crew Neck Knit Sweater: $105, Horst Black Ceratex Herringbone Knit Pants: $128

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.

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!

ace your job interview

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:

  1. Industry — Would you wear the same thing to a conservative bank as you would to a casual tech startup?
  2. Job function/department — What flies in marketing may not be greeted as enthusiastically in accounting.
  3. 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.

One last thing — please, please make sure your suit fits.

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.

tie

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.

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!

PRESS

Call us biased but when you have Lennox Lewis lead a pack of 23 awesome celebrities down your runway during Toronto Men’s Fashion Week there’s no contest that your show just shut it down. That was the scene last week when we teamed up with TOM* to sponsor and style their annual celebrity Men’s Fashion4Hope charity runway show.

Hosted at College park the event was a sold out success- and quite possibly one of the most entertaining shows of the week. Not shocking when you consider that you have a collective of athletes, musicians, actors, youtube superstars and a few politicians strutting their stuff. Perhaps the only thing more interesting than the characters in the show was the fact that each celebrity was outfitted in our latest Fall/Winter styles. That may not seem to impressive at first until of course you take note of the fact that we dressed everyone off-the-rack, ranging From 6’4 Lennox Lewis down to 5’5 Senator Tobias Enverga- there were no special orders or made-to-measure, absolutely everything featured on the runway was off-the-rack! Scroll down to see all the outfits.

Special thanks to our resident stylists Shaeleigh Afton & Sharad Mohan for styling our celebrities.

All photography by: Shayne Gray

TOM* TORONTO MEN’S FASHION WEEK

MEN’S FASHION4HOPE RUNWAY SHOW

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Lennox-Lewis

Lennox Lewis in Gotstyle private label Blazer and shirt & Jacob Cohen jeans

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Jagmeet-Singh

Jagmeet Singh in Zanerobe Black Cyamo Extra-Drop Chino, Gotstyle Silk Camo Tie, Paul Betenly Van Wool Vest, Weber Tie Bar & Marco Nils Micro Woven Knit Peak Lapel Overcoat

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Jus-Reign-Jasmeet-Singh-2

Jus Reign in Zanerobe Navy Speck Sureshot Jogger, Stenstroms Basic White Cuff Dress Shirt, Doro Lapel Pin & Hilton Double Breasted Blazer

Suki in ZANEROBE chino, oxford shirt, Tiger of Sweden wool bomber, Vitaly Design necklace and bracelet.

Suki in ZANEROBE chino, oxford shirt, Tiger of Sweden wool bomber, Vitaly Design necklace and bracelet.

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-17

Huse Madhavji in Sand Plaid Blazer, Mastai Ferretti Blue Shirt, Tiger of Sweden Black Herris Pants, Amanda Christensen Pocket Square & Doro Flower Lapel Pin

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-2

Teddy Wilson in Sand paisley shirt, Strellson Contrast Slim fit blazer, A Christensen Pocket Square, Horst Tie, In God We Trust- Ridge Tie Bar & John Varvatos Bowery Jeans

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-23

Todd Keirstead in Sunwill Grey Traveler Wool Blend Pants, Duchamp White French Cuff Dress Shirt, A Christensen Pocket Square- Girls, Gotstyle Navy Contrast Lapel Blazer, Dion Silk Bowtie & Duchamp Facet Square Tie Pin- Black

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Ajay-Fry

Ajay Fry in Lab Charcoal Check Suit, Sand Paisley Shirt, Amanda Christensen Pocket Square & Doro Flower Lapel Pin

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Alan-Snoody

Alan Snoddy in J.Lindeberg Wool Fleck Jean Jacket, J.Lindeberg Fleck Wool Trouser, Vito Blue Micro Print Shirt & Jin Qun Silk Solid Tie

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Allan-Altman

Allan Altman in Sand Micro Floral Shirt, Not Your Father’s Suit Plaid Sportcoat, Hook + Furl Lapel Pin, Amanda Christensen Pocket Square & John Varvatos Jeans

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Benjamin-Ayres

Benjamin Ayres in Lab Abstract Check Suit, Tiger of Sweden Steel 1 Cotton Shirt LT Blue, Weber Tie Bar & Horst Grey Polka Dot Tie

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Dejan-Loyola

Dejan Loyola in J Lindeberg Wool Check Pants, DIBI Striped Tie, Marco Nils Grey Micro Print Blazer, VITO Grey Button Up Shirt & A Christensen Printed Pocket Square

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Dan-Talevski

Dan Talevski in John Varvatos Moto Jogger, Zanerobe White Oxford Shirt, Zanerobe Salem Knit Cardigan, Lab Blazer with Ribbed Cuffs & Tiger of Sweden White High Tops

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Gabe-Grey

Gabe Grey in Tiger of Sweden Green Evert Suit – Mirco Print Shirt by SAND, Strellson Tie & Doro Lapel pin

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Kevin-Brauch

Kevin Brauch in Tiger of Sweden Herris Solid Pants, Mood of Norway Edvard Slim Jacket, Tiger of Sweden Denzel Tuxedo Shirt & Jin Qun Silk Puff

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Micahel-Lafav

Michael Lafave in Gotstyle Dinner Jacket, Stenstroms Tuxedo Shirt & Hiltl Pants

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Mike-Ward

Mike Ward

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Morgan-Cameron-Ross

Morgan Cameron Ross in Zanerobe Dynamo Denim, Zanerobe Sevent Ft LS Rib Cuff Oxford Shirt Navy & Kent and Curwen Tan Trench Coat

 

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-rainbow-sun-francks

Rainbow Sun Francks in Hardy Amies Navy Tux Jacket & Trousers, Sand Dot Pattern Shirt & Jin Quin Black Pocket Square

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Tyrone-Edwards

Tyrone Edwards in A Christensen Pocket Square, Tiger of Sweden Evert Large Check Dark Blue Suit, Sand Mini Paisley Shirt, Dibi Grey Tie & Weber Tie Bar

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Saad-Rafi

Saad Rafi in Dion Bow Tie, Stenstroms Tuxedo Shirt & Lab Fleck Tuxedo,

Gotstyle-Mens-Fashion-4-hope-Celebrity-Show-Senetor-Tobias

Senator Tobias Enverga in Dion Black Bow Tie, Paul Betenly Black Tuxedo, Denison Boston Floral Black Scarf, Jin Qun Silk Puff & Gotstyle Basic White Dress Shirt

 

PRESS

Gotstyle recently teamed up with Robert Cribb and The Toronto Star to host Mankind’s inaugural man-makeover contest. The contest required people to write to us expressing why they or in many cases their spouses needed a dramatic head-to-toe makeover. After pouring through 100’s of letters both Founder Melissa Austria and Robert Cribb found their lucky winner, Daniel Rocchi.

Daniel, a father of two and a drama teach openly revealed to us that he’s a living, breathing Value Village mannequin. Nearly every piece of apparel attached to his body on the day we spoke could be traced back to the shelves and racks of the Villages. Now there’s nothing wrong with Value Village as a haberdasher. But as the winner of Mankind’s inaugural man makeover contest proves, real money spent on something fresh delivers a lift to male confidence and cool.

This is where we stepped in to give Daniel a $1000 Gotstyle makeover- the end result? Press play below and then click here to read the full story behind Daniels transformation.

STYLE MAKEOVER WITH

ROBERT CRIBB & THE TORONTO STAR

 

Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 1.01.23 PM Screen Shot 2015-08-05 at 1.01.00 PM

PRESS

If you’re going to an awards show, you gotta look proper…Taking some time from the grueling rigors of training camp, etalk and Gotstyle founder Melissa Austria dropped into Argos training camp to get SB Chad Owens and DL Ricky Foley suited up for their appearance at the MMVAs!

-WHAT THEY WORE-

Chad Owens: Without Prejudice suit, Gotstyle private label shirt with Doro lapel flower pin

Ricky Foley: Not Your Fathers peak lapel tuxedo blazer, Circle of Gentlemen shirt and feather Hook and Furl lapel pin.

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