Building a Wardrobe – For Men
We all know the feeling; you’ve just finished college or university and have landed a spiffy new job at a top firm. Perfect, or so you think until you realize you have absolutely nothing to wear. As if a limited budget wasn’t bad enough you also have no idea what a suitable wardrobe is. Don’t worry, starting a new job is the ideal opportunity to start learning how to get the most out of your new budget and one way to get noticed by your admines and colleagues too. Dressing well says you know who you are, what you want and where you’re going – all qualities sure to get you that promotion in future. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to build a solid wardrobe for your new job (of course you can apply these principles to a casual wardrobe too!).
Step 1 – Understand Dress Codes
Even though business and professional dressing is a lot more flexible today that it was when our grandparents and parents were first starting out there are some principles that haven’t changed. Dressing appropriately for your environment is one of them. If you are unsure of what is appropriate dress for your new job look at what our admin and other staff members wear to get an idea of what the accepted dress code is.
Don’t be shy to ask your new employers what the dress code is and find out if employees tend to dress more casually on Fridays and wear slightly more professional clothes for client meetings.
Step 2 – Buy Only The Clothes You Really Need
Now its time to build a solid wardrobe based on your office dress code. On your shopping trip lean towards basic and conservative items and leave the accents to the accessories like belts and ties.
Obviously it’s not very realistic to buy two weeks of office wear on a limited budget. However, if you buy good basic items and learn how to mix and match items and colors you can get away with relatively few items.
Here are the essential items men will need to build a solid wardrobe:
Step 3 – The Basic Business Wardrobe
Suits for Men
You will need at least one, preferably two complete business suits. You probably have at least one in the cupboard, so buy one more in a different color. Stick to plain, dark colors, like navy blue, black or dark gray. If the weather in your area is very variable choose one suit for cool weather and another to wear if it gets very warm.
Blazers and Pants for Men
You can get away with two or more semi-casual pants and blazers in most offices. These can be worn with or without a tie on Fridays or to business lunches or every day, keeping your formal suits for meetings with clients or presentations. Buy pants and blazers that can you can mix and match, thus creating several different looks.
Again choose dark colors like gray or navy and choose durable fabrics that are easy to wash and care for as you may wear them on a daily basis. Choose pants with belt loops rather than without them as this will enable you to create a slightly different look by using different belts.
Shirts
Your choice of shirts for a solid wardrobe should be relatively plain. This is so that you can mix and match them with all your business suits and blazer-pants combinations. Start with blue, white or grey shirts and if your budget allows, one or two striped shirts for variation.
Choose comfortable cotton or cotton blends that are easy to launder, won’t shrink or wrinkle against your body and iron easily. Choose slightly thicker shirts for winter wear, where you will also be able to get away with darker colors.
Dress Ties for Men
Here you can be a little more creative and choose styles that suit your taste and personality as long as they aren’t too flamboyant. Buy as many as you can afford, preferably one for every day of the week and an elegant one for extra special meetings and presentations.
Buy different colors and designs but make sure that they all match or tone with both your business suits and pants-blazer combos. Choose at least one or two plain ties as well for times when you need a more generic look.
Shoes and Socks
Here, too you can get away with a little pizzazz but a word of warning, always choose comfort over style for a solid wardrobe and buy the best you can afford, after all you will be wearing them all day. Make sure your shoes are genuine leather and have a comfortable, long-wearing sole.
Take a look in your local store or go online to see what they latest trends in footwear are. You can get away with just two pairs of shoes but three would be better.
Stick to basic colors for a solid wardrobe, preferably black or brown and choose styles and colors that match all you other clothing items.
Your socks should ALWAYS suit your clothing and be clean and in good condition. People do notice your socks, in case you were wondering! Never wear sport or white socks with your business wardrobe!
Step 4 – Men! Know How to Wear Your Solid Wardrobe
Mix and Match your outfits to create a new look for each day. Spend some time trying on your clothes to find looks that work and are unique. Do this by rotating shirts, shoes and belts or sweaters.
Layering is a great way to ensure a slightly different look that adapts well to after-work or lunchtime entertaining. Try a striped collared shirt under a dark blue blazer or v-neck sweater if your dress code allows it.
Try to alternate the outfits so that you don’t wear the same thing each Monday or the same combination of clothes too regularly.
You can build a solid wardrobe for casual wear in much the same way, using the tips and suggestions above. Just dress down your choices for a smart-casual look. You will find that some of your shirts can double up as lounge shirts and if you choose wisely you can use your choice of shoes for both formal and semi-casual looks.
If you build a solid wardrobe that suits your environment, personality and above all your budget you’ll never look dull and are sure to always have something stylish to wear.