It’s Spring. The sun is warm but the breeze is still a little chilly. The trees are budding but some dead leaves still remain on the street corners. Children are back outside on their bikes and adults are walking down the streets, meeting friends and family. Everyone is getting outside after being cooped inside all winter from some serious record-breaking cold weather and snowfall.
So, men: with Spring here, it’s time to sharpen up your attire (and not like they did in the 1900’s), and this year it is all about cooling-off when it’s warming up -- because if recent years have shown, it’s going to warm up fast. Cooling off means a lot of shades and a little less color. It also means fewer accessories to bulk you down but at least one or two pieces to gear you up and make you stand out, keeping your cool on while in the heat.
Seven Pieces of Attire You Need this Spring 2019
It’s that subtle don’t-notice-me but notice-me look you are after this Spring. That means cool shades of gray and blue enhanced by sharp, clean white. It’s not loud but collected. To make this look work, you need seven basic pieces of clothing.
No. 1: The Knit Polo
The knit polo is reminiscent of Ralph Lauren days -- the days of elegance and indulgence with a sprinkle of simplicity. The knit polo can be casual or dressed up with the right pants. It is form-fitting and can be tucked in for a nice change of pace. You can get as many of these as you want, but be sure to get one in white -- as a minimum, and one in gray, and another in navy blue. The former two can be paired with chinos and slim pants while the first and the last pair well with track pants and jeans.
No. 2: The Button-Up Shirt
Here, we want to indulge a bit. Maybe some crinkly linen or some crisp cotton or maybe a little of both. You are looking for the same in color, though: white, shades of blue, and shades of gray. You may even want to throw in some patterns, like stripes or something more graphic. These shirts can be worn in or out, just like the polos -- it’ll primarily depend on the pants you choose to pair with them and the occasion for the outfit.
No. 3: The Pullover Sweater
It’s Spring, so even though it warms up during the day with that sunshine beaming down, it can cool down real quick at night, as soon as the moon shines brightly. A pullover sweater, thin, not bulky, yet roomy, is what Spring 2019 has in mind. Here, you can get a little crazy. You want shades as mentioned: white, navy, and gray. But you can feel free to add a splash of color. You’ll be wearing it when it’s dark outside, so you can decide if you want to be seen or not. Again: the theme we are shooting for is to-not-be-seen but be-seen, so you can interpret that as you please at night.
No. 4: The Track Pants
Whether you want a slim pair of track pants or joggers, it doesn’t matter to us: both work. You just want them to be a shade of blue or gray. Better yet, maybe white with some stripes of blue or gray. These will make your polo shirts look and feel a little hipper and trendier. Or else, go classic and pair with one of your tee-shirts you already have nicely folded in your dresser.
No. 5: The Slim-Fitted Trouser
The slim-fitted trouser is still in, but super cool this Spring is the even cooler shades of blue and gray. You can choose from lighter shades of blue or gray or darker shades, something more like navy or graphite. Any of your polo shirts, button-up shirts, or pullover sweaters are bound to look good with the slim-fitted trouser.
No. 6: The Chino Pants
The chino pants are pretty hot right now, so you’ll need Spring’s cool breeze to calm things down. Here, the same shades or colors are recommended: white, blue, or gray. But feel free to opt for the traditional khaki colored chino pants. You can consider either slim-fitting or loosely-fitted chinos. The latter is fun to roll up to allow the child in your to come out. But pair it with a smooth pullover sweater, and you are suddenly the all-around cool guy who has a mind of his own and isn’t afraid to show it.
No. 7: The Slim Jean v. the Momma Jean
Jeans. We love them. No spring, summer, winter, or fall can ever be complete without them. But this Spring, we are still liking those slim-fitted jeans though baggy momma jeans are making a comeback. You’ll have to decide which you prefer. From smooth to approachable, either pair can bring out your unique personality. You can even mismatch the styles according to your polos, button-ups, and pullovers.
Five Pieces of Gear You Need for Accessorizing
We don’t want to overdo it this year with accessories -- we want only the essentials, and that amounts to approximately five things that can be interchanged with all your outfits. Here’s what you should make sure you have.
No. 1: The Classic Fit Bomber Jacket
The classic fit bomber jacket? Shouldn’t this be in pieces of clothing, you ask? No, because it is purely an accessory, not a necessity. It won’t be actually needed on warm Spring days unless you wear it for style and personality. The bomber jacket -- brought to us during World War II, it has come in and out of fashion. This year: it’s back. Back in dark grays and blues. Throw it on when you walk out the door to spruce up any outfit.
No. 2: The Baseball Cap
The baseball cap can prove to be an essential just for its function: keeping the sharp sun rays out of your eyes and protecting your face. But it is also a fashion necessity. It says: style -- my own style. Get the baseball cap like, whether it’s affiliated with a team or not, it doesn’t matter. It’s about expression more so than anything.
No. 3: The Bow Tie
Speaking of expression, the bow tie is not something that other people wear. It is something people wear. They are fun. They are many. And they are the fashion to set you apart. Patterns, colors, styles, and purposes. It doesn’t matter except that it is a quality bow tie, one that you actually tie -- we are professionals here, we don’t need the clip-on. The bow tie speaks to a person’s creativity, aliveness, and willingness to be who he is in an age when too many people are following each other -- and not just on social media. You want to be your own person? Get a bow tie. You want to stand apart from the crowd? Wear a bow tie. American-made preferably.
No. 4: The Shirt Stay
Are we not talking about being sharp and collected this Spring 2019? The shirt stay is every man's secret to keeping that polo shirt or button-up shirt tucked in perfectly. Comfortable and easy to use, the Mr. Shirt Stay is the very thing that embodies the whole: be not-seen but seen this Spring. It is unnoticeable but the results are remarkable though no one will quite be sure what it is that makes your look so unpredictably perfect (but you -- you'll know, and it can be your decision to let others know, too).
No. 5: The Daypack
You need to get your stuff from one place to another during the week. And on the weekend, you may need to carry a thing or two with you on a hike or weekend trip. The best cool accessory is the daypack. It adds style and function, and that is something we can all use a little bit of.
As it is, Spring is upon us. So get out. Get into style. And get cool when those mid-afternoons warm up.