In menswear, there are a select few garments that work harder, do more and demand less than all the rest. Things like a pair of leather sneakers, some slim-fitting selvedge denim, and a well-made Oxford button-down. These are items that can be called upon in all seasons, worn with any outfit and relied on year after year. But before you run out and purchase, there are a few things to consider. So, allow us to walk you through the finer points of this menswear must-own, from buying considerations to where to get the best bang for your buck. Why Do You Need An Overshirt? Our love for overshirts runs deep, and while there are numerous reasons to hold this staple piece in high esteem, one eclipses them all: versatility. It’s difficult – ney, impossible – to think of another piece of clothing that can be dressed up, dressed down, repurposed for different seasons and worn as frequently. Layer it up in winter, throw it over your knitwear as a light jacket in spring and autumn, roll the sleeves and slip it over a T-shirt on summer evenings around town. An overshirt truly has all bases covered, making it one of those rare and precious garments that can be pulled from the hanger each morning without a second thought. How To Choose The Right Overshirt First thing’s first: before forking out on a new overshirt there are a few things to consider. From finding the right fit to selecting an appropriate fabric, here’s what you need to know. Fit How an overshirt should fit depends on what you want to use it for. If you’re just planning to wear it over a T-shirt then a slim fit will work fine. If, however, you’d like the option of wearing it with more layers, a roomier cut is advisable. When it comes to getting the most wear throughout the year, the latter is likely the best option. Fabric There are plenty of options where overshirt fabric is concerned, with some being better suited to certain seasons than others. For example, a heavy wool or denim overshirt is perfect for use through the colder months but not so much in the summer. For something that can carry you through the whole year, go for a simple cotton twill or nylon version. Style This part is largely down to personal preference. Options such as zip or button fastening, pockets and embellishments can drastically alter the look of an overshirt. Consider what sort of look you’re aiming for before jumping in and buying something you’ll regret. In our experience, pared back and minimal tends to be best. Colour Overshirts are available in everything from vibrant patterns and bold block colours to subtle neutrals and natural earth tones. Choosing which one to go for centres largely around the season. Grey, black or navy are fail-safe options year-round, whereas it’s probably best to save the colourful prints for summer and the rich autumnal hues for fall/winter.
Styling a cohesive outfit is largely a balancing act. Every element needs to work in synchronicity and there should be a general sense of unity from head to toe. This is why wearing bulky items on your top half is never a good look with shorts. Doing so throws things off balance, creating a top-heavy look that won’t do your legs any favours. Instead, stick to light fabrics and form-flattering cuts. Choose Socks Carefully Sock length is a tricky thing to get to grips and a lot is down to personal preference and the type of footwear being worn. While there are no hard and fast rules, we find no-show socks to be a good option across the board from a style standpoint. Trainer socks are best left alone for anything but the gym and anything above the ankle should be tasteful and venture no higher than just below the calf muscles.These taller socks are best reserved exclusively for sneakers and never for smart shoes. Get The Shoes Right To get an idea of the importance of footwear, just imagine wearing a pair of shorts with Chelsea boots. Suffice to say it wouldn’t be a good look. Generally speaking, low-cut shoes tend to look better, with the exception of some high-top sneakers. If it has the word “boot” in its name, give it a wide berth. Consider Your Build We’re all different. What looks good on one person might look terrible on another. General styling advice is useful up to a point but it’s also important to consider your own unique body shape when taking it on board. Short men should avoid excessively lengthy shorts in favour of slightly shorter styles which make the legs look longer. Vice versa for tall guys. If you have very muscular legs, opt for loose fitting styles over anything too fitted, or if your legs are on the skinny side, do the opposite. Less Is More We’re firm believers in a less-is-more approach in all areas of menswear and it holds true for shorts too. Simple, understated styles age better, offer a greater degree of versatility and encourage good dressing without having to rely on zany prints or excessive detailing. And if it has anything more than four pockets, steer clear.
Of all the garments on a man’s sartorial shopping list, shorts are probably given the least consideration. On the whole, we tend to favour buying cold-weather clothing over summer staples. A jacket is always going to be a more pleasurable purchase than a set of flip-flops, and indulgent cashmere knitwear trumps a new T-shirt every time. The secret: good summer dressing starts from the knees up. Which means choosing a knock-out pair of shorts is the most important style decision you’ll make between June and September. Here we break down everything you need to know – from how they should fit to the key styles to shop. Buying Considerations It’s always a good idea to put some careful thought and consideration into any new clothing purchase. Shorts are no different. In order to ensure you end up with a pair of shorts that look good, feel good and last well, there are a few key areas to consider. Use the following points as a checklist before parting with your hard-earned cash. Fit As is the case with any item in your wardrobe, fit is the most important factor. A lot of this will depend on what type of shorts you’re buying (more on that later) but for a rough frame of reference, opt for a loose cut for active pursuits and slim or regular cut for general wear. Avoiding anything marked ‘skinny fit’ is always good practise. Length Short length has long been a hotly debated topic in menswear for as long as there have been shorts. Trends over the years have seen the preferred length veer between extremes, but to make sure your shorts are on the right side of history it’s best to aim somewhere in the middle. Anything from just above the knee to about a third of the way up the thigh is generally safe territory. Material Choice of material will be based largely on the intended use of a pair of shorts. Lightweight, stretchy fabrics are better for active use, while cotton- and wool-based fabrics tend to be better suited to general day-to-day dealings. Consider temperature too. You might like the look of those denim shorts but are they really going to be practical during the height of summer? Probably not. Quality Last but by no means least, opting for a a high-quality garment is the best way to ensure comfort and longevity. This may mean paying a premium but if you buy cheap, you’ll often end up buying multiple times, making it more expensive in the long run. The best way to ensure quality is to research brands. Check out where their shorts are made, what they’re made from and if they offer a warranty on their products. Key Short Styles To Consider Below you will find the key short styles any gentleman should have in their warm-weather rotation. From activewear to smarter options, these are the types to consider. Chino Chino shorts are very much the bread and butter of the summer legwear world. They’re simple, eternally stylish and offer all the versatility of a Swiss Army knife. If you’re going to have just one pair of shorts, make it a pair of these in navy or beige with a slim cut. You’ll be amazed at how much use you get out of them. When To Wear Put simply: every day. These are your day-to-day shorts – they’ve got your back for everything from strolls across the beachfront to hitting the town for a spot of al fresco dining. The beauty of them is that they can be dressed up or down with ease. This allows you to cover the entire spectrum of social occasions with just a single pair of shorts. How To Wear As touched on above, chino shorts are the ultimate smart-casual style. This means the pieces you surround them with will determine how formal your look is. To keep things smart yet summery, try teaming a navy pair with a white Oxford button-down shirt, some tortoiseshell sunglasses and a pair of boat shoes or loafers. A fail-safe look for evening meals or afternoons at the bar with friends and a bottle of wine. Roll the sleeves to instantly make things a little more laid back. Tailored One of the most common misconceptions about shorts is that they’re impossible to dress smartly in. Thanks to the rise in popularity of tailored styles, this is no longer the case. So instead of sweating your way through summer in dress pants or chinos, pick up a pair of these and fill a gap in your wardrobe you didn’t know existed. When To Wear With their refined looks and sharp appearance, tailored shorts provide a way to dress up even when the sun is blazing. Summer dates, evening meals on holiday, garden parties – all of these scenarios call for something a little more refined than your usual warm-weather options, while still allowing your legs to breathe.
How To Wear Tailored shorts may appear to cater to a very specific niche, but they are actually surprisingly versatile. The relaxing of dress codes mean that teaming a pair with trainers and a T-shirt is perfectly acceptable
Athletic Nobody at the gym wants to see you using a Thighmaster in your boxer shorts, no matter how well toned your quads are. That’s why it’s a good idea to invest in some above-the-knee legwear for your workouts too. These sorts of shorts will usually be stretchy, comfortable and designed to offer maximum freedom of movement. This makes them perfect for exercise, but also for general weekend duties if you pick a stylish pair. When To Wear Athletic shorts are informal by nature. If the setting is anything but completely relaxed, you should probably opt for something else. Obviously, the gym or sports field is athletic shorts’ natural habitat, but they can also work well casually as part of an athleisure-inspired outfit. Ironically, they’re also great for lounging around in on lazy days at home. How To Wear The obvious answer is with your workout gear. Stick a pair on with a technical T-shirt or hoodie and top it off with sneakers or running shoes. Simple enough, but where things get slightly more complex is when you begin to venture out of the gym. Swimming There once was a time when beachwear consisted of nothing more refined than a liberal coating of sunscreen and a pair of Speedos. Thankfully, those days are behind us. What we’re left with is a plentiful assortment stylish swimwear, much of which wouldn’t look out of place in city bars, let alone beach huts. When To Wear It The beauty of contemporary resortwear is that it’s no longer confined to just beach or pool. Brands like Orlebar Brown are making swim shorts that masterfully tread the line between beach- and bar-friendly, meaning your holiday haulage just got lighter. How To Wear It How you style your swimming shorts will depend largely on what category they fall into. There are colourful, loose-fitting options, like those offered by the likes of Onia and Frescobol Carioca. Or there are more fitted, tailored styles, as purveyed by the aforementioned Orlebar Brown.
Every man needs a good selection of shirts in his wardrobe. That much is clear. What’s not so clear is the exact form those shirts should take. The solution, as it almost always is, is to stick to the classics; the tried-and-trusted shirting staples that have never gone (nor will ever go) out of fashion. Doing this will allow you to build a capsule shirt collection that has you covered for every conceivable occasion, looking your best at all times. Whether you’re heading for a wedding or sipping cocktails by the poolside, these are the key shirt styles you’ll always find yourself reaching for. The Classic OCBD The Oxford-cloth button-down shirt (OCBD for short) is a type of casual shirt cut from a basketweave fabric known as Oxford cloth. It gets the other half of its name from the buttons that hold the collar in place. It’s thicker than a classic formal shirt with a more textured look and feel, making it perfect for bridging the gap between smart and casual. Why you need it It’s the glue that holds your wardrobe together. How to wear it The OCBD is so versatile that it would be quicker to tell you how not to wear it. Suffice to say, it’s difficult to get wrong, but as a frame of reference, we’d advise against wearing it with anything more formal than soft tailoring and anything as casual as sportswear. Within those limits, pretty much anything goes. The Camp-Collar Short-Sleeved Shirt What is it? This summery staple is the key type of short sleeve shirt that should be hanging in your wardrobe. It features a spread collar for a relaxed, breezy look and can be either plain, patterned or sometimes decorated with an intricate all-over print. Why you need it If you have to ask, you’ve obviously never sauntered along a Mediterranean beach while wearing one unbuttoned to half-mast as it flaps gently around your torso in the breeze. How to wear it As a rule of thumb, save your camp collar shirts for summer and spring. They’re great with shorts and can be worn either open over a T-shirt or singlet, or loosely buttoned up and worn on their own. Team one with cuffed jeans or cropped trousers and loafers in the evening, or even layer under a summer suit in place of a regular shirt for dressier warm-weather events. The Cotton Twill Overshirt What is it? Falling somewhere between a shirt and a jacket, this evergreen essential is made from thick cotton twill and usually features a button fastening and several patch pockets to the front. It’s a longtime workwear staple and is among the most versatile garments in any wardrobe. Why you need it It’s one of the few garments that will have your back no matter the season – a true layering hero piece. How to wear it How you style your overshirt will depend largely on the season. In summer, it’s great for throwing on as a light jacket on cooler evenings and looks great worn open with the sleeves cuffed over a well-fitting white tee and chino shorts. During the colder months, it becomes a stylish midlayer. Try wearing one over a roll-neck jumper and raw denim jeans, topping it off with some winterproof outerwear and sturdy leather boots. The Flannel Shirt What is it? It’s thick, it’s warm and it’s ideal for layering up when the weather starts to bite. The flannel shirt is a casual classic and a must for your autumn/winter rotation. Woven from wool or cotton, flannel fabric is soft and slightly raised, making it comfortable and great for insulation in colder temperatures. Why you need it For keeping the chill at bay in style. Also, for making you look a little bit more lumberjack-esque, which is rarely a bad thing. How to wear it Flannel shirts can be either plain or printed, which will influence how you wear it. For classic checked versions, however, jeans and leather boots are the obvious way to go. That said, part of the flannel shirt’s appeal is its versatility, meaning it will go just as well with chinos or even dress pants if you style it with the right footwear. But one thing you should always steer clear of is pairing it with tailoring – this is strictly a casual garment and should be styled as such. The Denim Shirt What is it? Unsurprisingly, a denim shirt is pretty much any shirt cut from the same stuff as your jeans. It’s robust, great for layering, and if you go for raw denim, it will take on a rich patina and unique fades as it ages and moulds to your body. Why you need it It’s one of the simplest ways to add a dose of texture to your weekend wardrobe. How to wear it Denim shirts have a reputation for being difficult to style. In our experience, this tends to stem from the fact that jeans are the world’s default casual legwear and wearing both together can result in some pretty unsightly looks. But that’s only if you get the shades too close. Ensure there’s enough of a contrast between top and bottom and you can’t really go wrong. Think white jeans and a dark blue denim shirt, for example – double denim done right.
As sportswear continues to infiltrate everyday wardrobes, the humble sweatpant is becoming something of a modern essential. Whether you’re working out, relaxing or just looking to adopt a bit more of the athleisure look, you’re going to need a pair in your legwear arsenal. Speaking of which, if you’re thinking about investing in a pair, it pays to know who’s making the best ones. Here we round up the best sweatpants brands for everything from sofa-day staples to high-performance sportswear. Sports If you’re working out in cooler weather, some sporty sweatpants are a must. What sets them apart from their more casual counterparts is the use of technical fabrics, streamlined cuts and a general focus of performance above all else. Nike Unsurprisingly, when it comes to sport-specific sweatpants, global-dominating athletics label Nike is making some of the best. Where other sportswear brands rely heavily on the strength of their archives, Nike is always looking to the future for inspiration. Therefore, if you want modern fits and innovative fabric technology, the Swoosh should be your first port of call. Adidas German label Adidas is one of the most successful and well-respected sportswear labels on earth. Over the years, its sweatpants have been worn by stars of track and field as well as icons of music and film. The hip-hop scene of the early 1980s saw the brand’s tracksuits surge in popularity thanks to their adoption by now-legendary New York group Run DMC. Under Armour Under Armour made its name off the back of its compression garments and base layers. Today, it still produces some of the best but has also evolved into a sportswear brand in its own right. Under Armour’s sweatpants are built for performance and feature clever fabric technologies, ergonomic cuts and moisture-wicking materials, making them the first choice for clued-up gym goers. Athleisure Styling athletic garb as part of casual outfits is one of the defining characteristics of 21st-Century style. It’s commonly referred to now as ‘athleisure’, and there’s a whole genre of brands devoted to it. Generally, sweatpants that come under this umbrella will still be designed with sports in mind, but with an added focus on aesthetics and the implementation high-end fabrics and craftsmanship. Castore Hailing from Liverpool, this young label creates upscale kit that delivers high performance and stylish looks in equal measures. Quality-wise, every garment is put through its paces by elite athletes and must be tested for 100 days before being approved for construction. And that includes the sweatpants. Reigning Champ Founded in 2007, Reigning Champ bridges the gap between high-end athletic garb and streetwear. In fact, CEO Craig Atkinson was the main manufacturer for some of the most hyped labels on the planet, including Supreme, before starting the brand. Expect rugged, well-made gear with plenty of street cred to boot. Torsa A newcomer to the sportswear arena, Torsa is already making waves with its signature blend of performance-focused design and slick styling. The Wolf training pant is the label’s signature sweatpant and it’s packed with techy features like Japanese DWR fabric and no-sew bonded hems. This is activewear you’ll want to don for more than just working out in and from a style standpoint we see no reason not to. Luxury Only a couple of decades ago, the idea of sweatpants as a luxury item would have been laughable. Today, they’re a staple in the ready-to-wear collections of luxury brands from Gucci to Louis Vuitton. Boasting high-end tweaks like cashmere-blend construction, flattering cuts and beyond, this much more than just your standard gym gear. Brunello Cucinelli Italian label Brunello Cucinelli is known for its upscale casualwear and soft tailoring. The brand has a knack for taking simple garments and making them indulgent – with sweatpants no exception. From luxurious cashmere to French terry fabric, Brunello Cucinelli has transformed the humble sweatpant into something truly special with its use of premium fabrics and artisanal craftsmanship. Loro Piana Loro Piana is known the world over for its luxurious cashmere and wool garments. The Italian label has been producing some of the finest clothing in the world for close to a century. And over the last decade or so, sweatpants have become a staple of its seasonal collections. Expect silky soft knits, Italian craftsmanship and stylish design quirks like pleated waists and cropped legs. Thom Browne Thom Browne’s unique blend of tailoring and activewear has seen the label become the face of upscale athleisure. Known for its extreme attention to detail and arguably even more extreme price tags, Thom Browne is the go-to label for those looking to go all out on a pair of luxury sweatpants.
Loungewear Sweatpants may originate from sporting stock but they’re equally well suited to the exact opposite. When it comes to lounging around the house, nothing quite beats a pair of simple jersey joggers. Sunspel British brand Sunspel is known for its refined take on the basics. Simple garments, perfected. Sweatpants are no different, making this label a solid option for anyone who favours quality and a clean cut over excessive detail and heavy branding. Derek Rose Derek Rose takes the same care and attention that most high-end designers pay to clothing, jewellery or footwear and applies it to garments made to unwind in. Simple yet refined, the brand’s sweatpants are perfect for anyone looking for loungewear with a touch of luxury. Uniqlo Japanese label Uniqlo is a firm favourite of ours when it comes to stocking up on stylish basics. Take the brand’s sweatpants, for example: they’re simple, well put together and don’t feature any unnecessary branding or detail. Just what you need for lounging around in style.
