daily menswear | The Style Guide

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 these features regularly.

If you’re like me, perhaps you’ve looked at a crewneck sweater before and not been too impressed with the silhouette or styling potential. But designers and brands have been changing that perception for a while now, as we’ve seen in this Style Upgrade piece. In dressier iterations (like the extra fine merino sweater you’ll see below), it can definitely offer both visual interest and unique styling potential — particularly when paired with a Bond-inspired tab collar shirt. Throw in other style essentials like a knit tie and slim chinos, and you’re set for at least one work outfit this week — and the week after that. And after that. You get the picture, yeah? Plus, a well-fitting slim crewneck and some slim denim top a hooded sweatshirt and sweats on any casual day (i.e. that 9 a.m. class). So it’s a win-win no matter where you go. Get some inspiration from the below, and check out The Style Guide on Facebook for more daily #menswear musings.

Taking a crewneck sweater and dressing it up with a unique tie, suede chukkas and essential chinos.

The Crewneck: UNIQLO Extra Fine Merino Crewneck Sweater, $39.90 — A steal of a price for a basic crewneck that’s well-reviewed and well-liked.

The Shirt: Paul Frederick Trim-Fit Tab Collar Dress Shirt, $69.50 — A well-priced carbon copy (nearly) of James Bond’s style in a tailored fit. Give it a whirl if you’ve been looking into this style.

The Coat: Land’s End Herringbone Wool Pea Coat, $249 — This coat’s a bit of an investment (look for a cheaper one here), but it’s a refined classic worth the price.

The Tie: 15Ties Wild n’ Wooly Tie, $15 — A cheeky name for a tie that packs a lot of unique style and a subdued pattern into one piece for just $15. A well-priced alternative to The Tie Bar.

The Pants: JackThreads Skinny Chino, $49 — These guys are a four-season staple in a sharp color and a trim fit ,a lthough they also offer slim-fit chinos. Don’t sleep on JackThreads!

The Boots: Thursday Boot Company Chocolate Suede Scout Chukka, $149 — Rich brown suede and a grippy studded rubber sole give these boots solid traction and style. Catch the full review here.

The Socks: Tommy John Performance Dress Socks, $16 — Arch support, ventilation and cushioning combine in a subdued, multi-purpose sock.

The Belt: Land’s End Dress Braid Belt in Brown, $49 — The slightly-higher priced uncle of the much-recommended Target Merona Braided Leather Belt. Keep an eye on Land’s End in the fashion game this year.

The Watch: Timex Waterbury Watch, $80 — Super affordable, super simple and in a classic 40mm case diameter.

Did you pick up any styling tips along the way? Ready (or not ready?) to try out that tab-collar shirt? Follow along with more #OOTD posts on my Instagram and as always, here at the blog. We’ll have an Online Shopping Picks piece covering the best Oxford cloth buttondown shirts coming tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Stay stylish,

-Beau

Editor’s note: Expect these posts weekly detailing one standout item coveted by yours truly. Sometimes, these fit within budgetary restrictions and other times, they’re expensive splurges worth saving for. For more Wish List items from Beau, head here, and to see other Style Picks, head here.

Tons of fall texture in an unlikely place — your wrist. The Winston Herringbone from KOMONO.

The theme of my wardrobe has centered, in recent weeks, around trying to will fall here — that is, wearing thicker boots, sturdier denim and wishing for a cool chill in the air. That’s why it’s (nearly) entirely appropriate to extend this focus to other, more unexpected pieces of clothing — like the watch you wear on you wrist. It’s a place that more brands are viewing as a complementary style piece — whether it’s a patterned NATO strap or something with a more fall or winter-centric tilt, like the KOMONO Winston Herringbone Watch. It’s simple yet eyecatching in a modern, minimalist way (even the offkilter logo doesn’t jump too much), and KOMONO is absolutely worth a look. They’re a quickly growing brand that offers a bevy of watch styles — nearly 250 — plus hundreds of sunglass styles, too. And they do so at prices that are quite manageable — more than a Timex (although the new Waterbury collection gets up in their price), yet far below Omega territory (this watch goes for just under $90). That’s all the better, because while some KOMONO options — like the Royale Silver — are more versatile, something like the Winston Herringbone is more unique, and thus less wearable across the board.

Some interesting detailing at the end of the strap adds a bit of flash to a sharp timepiece.

A closer look at the texture and off-kilter logo on a super-crisp dial.

But if you’ve built out a nice watch collection — maybe with a few styles from this post — it could be time (tick, tock) to look for something a bit different. And thanks to the cold weather-friendly texture on this strap, now is a great …. time to try out this move. It does, of course, have that black dial, so wearing it frequently in business casual situations with some brown chukka boots or brown dress shoes might look off. But on the weekends with a chunky cardigan, some trusty jeans and a beat-up pair of captoe boots, it should look just fine. The same goes for more neutral situations — like when paired up with suede chukka boots and a V-neck sweater on a casual work day. The black herringbone pattern even ensures that it could, in theory, work up against a tan wool blazer. It’s clean and minimal enough where it won’t look out of place in casual or appropriately matched dressier situations. And it’s affordable enough for you to take the plunge and still have a bit left over to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Would you rock a fabric watch? How about this particular style?

The Style Guide

All the best men's style essentials you need, every day.

Tag / daily menswear

#OOTD: How to Style a Crewneck Sweater

Style Pick of the Week: KOMONO Winston Herringbone Watch