Tag / bonobos washed chinos

by Beau H.

#OOTD: Early Spring Style with Easygoing Layers

Editor’s note: You’ve surely seen this hashtag lots of different places, including on Instagram. But how does that carry over to real life? The #OOTD series will take one great item and put together a versatile, stylish outfit around it. Look for past features here.

So, it’s finally arrived. The month of March, that is. And with it, the first inklings of spring — at least, for most of us. If you’re just starting to thaw out, those first few days of brighter sunshine, slight breezes and good vibes can really work wonders for the soul. If you’ve got a vacation planned to such a locale in the coming days or weeks, that’s all the better (Editor’s note: Stay tuned for more from a Florida trip later this week!). But we’re not fully out of the woods and into summer shorts weather yet. There’s still the chance for a slight breeze and some spring rain ahead, and so that calls for  layers that stand up to transitional weather but can still be shed if necessary — without sacrificing any style points. The below outfit is definitely well-suited for casual spring walks or a nice patio meal — simply swap in a slim blue Oxford if need be. How does this stack up to other spring ensembles? Give us a shout on Facebook with your thoughts, and stay stylish!

Earth tones mixed with shots of blue and lighter textures are signs that point toward spring.

Earth tones mixed with shots of blue and lighter textures are signs that point toward spring.

The Jacket: Abercrombie & Fitch True Indigo Dye Work Jacket, $150 — Before you roll your eyes at Abercrombie & Fitch, know that this brand is coming back in a big way — and stylish layering pieces like this (part shirt, part jacket) definitely prove it.

The T-Shirt: Richer Poorer Pocket Tee in Heather Grey, $54 per Two-Pack — The price is right for two slim, well-crafted, USA-made pocket tees that can be layered up all kinds of ways this spring. Swap in a chambray shirt if need be for less casual occasions.

The Chinos: Bonobos Washed Chinos in Cappu-chino, $88 — Spring & summer is nearly prime time for these tailored chinos that add some high-low style appeal to this outfit.

The Sneakers: CLAE Ellington Textile Sneakers in Navy Chambray, $80 — A nice change of pace from white sneakers, crafted from a unique chambray that pairs nicely with the indigo top layer.

The Belt: Target Merona Braided Brown Leather Belt, $13.98 – $21.99 — If you can catch this belt on sale, it’s a nice way to add texture and visual interest at a low price to an ensemble.

The Socks: Richer Poorer Fellow Socks, $12 — Go two-fer with Richer Poorer, as its socks are nearly as well-done as its slim pocket tees; the pattern is just different enough without clashing too much between black & brown.

The Watch: Timex Weekender Stripe, $40 — The olive-and-cream strap should play nicely off the earth brown chinos thanks to the neutral pocket tee and the indigo jacket, plus the price can’t be beat.

The Extras: Niche For Men Face & Body Deodorizing Wipes, $2.99 per Two-Pack — Before you know it, you’ll be traveling across town or across country; these small travel wipes are a cost-effective way to freshen up after a long day at work or a long day on the road.

The key with moving into early spring style is taking staple pieces you already have, like a pocket tee and dark brown chinos, and putting them to work in an outfit that’s more fit for the season. Lightweight sneakers, a casual canvas-strap watch and an indigo jacket are all small finishing touches that nod to spring’s key colors while changing up textures in your ensemble, so the above look should be good to go!

What are you most looking forward to when it comes to spring style?

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Florsheim

by Beau H.

#OOTD: Everyday Style with a Classic Blue Oxford

Editor’s note: You’ve surely seen this hashtag lots of different places, including on Instagram. But how does that carry over to real life? The #OOTD series will take one great item and put together a versatile, stylish outfit around it. Look for past features here.

We’re back at it again with the #OOTD series here on The Style Guide, and today’s post keeps looking toward spring, ever so slightly. Colors are a bit brighter, textures are lighter and the weather is, well, a heck of a lot better than on any given winter day. Yes, it’s coming! And the sort of items you wear now — like a classic Oxford shirt or slim navy chinos — can pull just as much of their weight stylistically in the (slightly) warmer months as they can when it’s bitterly cold. The great part about using foundational building blocks in an everyday outfit is that you can afford to take some more risks, however small. As you’ll see in the below outfit, that means a slick pair of Chelsea boots where you might reach for some stylish dress shoes normally. That also means some nice color in the form of a patterned pocket square, and an attention-grabbing blue-dial watch. But enough of my rambling! The outfit’s here below.

OOTD OCBD Collage

A straightforward outfit with relatively simple tweaks — like those Chelsea boots and the patterned pocket square — made all the better by a classic blue Oxford.

The Shirt: JackThreads Slim Oxford, $39 — It truly is tough to find a brand producing a better-fitting, more versatile Oxford at such a nice combination of quality and price. This one’s a Style Guide favorite!

The Blazer: H&M Cotton Blazer, $49 — From David Beckham’s newest Modern Essentials collection with H&M, there’s no word on the quality of this blazer, and it’s likely not very high. But hey, think of it as a casual blazer alternative?

The Pocket Square: The Tie Bar Midway Pane Pocket Square, $10 — When you ditch the tie (or maybe go air-tie?), you can afford to toss some pattern into your outfit. The green windowpane pattern stands out just enough on that dark navy cotton.

The Chinos: Bonobos Jet Blue Washed Chinos, $88 — Bonobos has often staked the fate of its reputation on these chinos, and in three fits and versatile colors like this dark navy shade, they’re a very, very solid pickup for the price.

The Boots: Jack Erwin Ellis Chelsea Boot, $220 — These represent the slight style swerve from the norm within this outfit, and they make the ensemble look all the more sharp.

The Belt: Land’s End Distressed Vintage Jean Belt, $39 — A bit less dressy than a standard belt, this piece also represents a style swerve from the norm.

The Socks: Tommy John Performance Dress Socks, $16 — A simply, if slightly pricey, dress sock that wicks moisture and looks pretty crisp up against slim navy trousers.

The Watch: MVMT Watches The 40 in Blue/Brown Leather, $120 — A remarkably crisp and easy-to-wear watch that plays nicely off the dark navy chinos thanks to that brighter blue dial. Full review here.

With the aforementioned outfit in mind, you’ve got yourself the jumping-off point for all sorts of spring layering — and beyond. With pieces like those slick Chelsea boots, you can navigate rainy streets now — and with pieces like navy chinos and a slim blue Oxford, you’re set for dozens of outfit combos in the coming weeks and months. 

What’s your favorite way to style a blue Oxford? What small changes would you add to this ensemble?