Editor’s note: For a bevy of style suggestions covering how to suit or dress down, click here.
So just as we talked about in last week’s Valentine’s Day gift guide post, the big is almost here — and our Style Suggestion series is back! Now, Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, so perhaps that makes things a bit different for you — maybe you’ll be away and traveling for the weekend perhaps? Or staying at home to catch a sharp Sunday dinner? At any rate, it’s a day where you’ll want to look your best for your significant other. Even if you go the less formal route, it’s worth it to still look into some style upgrades — like throwing on a slim pair of denim or even just an crisp pair of leather sneakers. The below Style Suggestion however, like last year’s Valentine’s Day Style Suggestion, goes the more formal route — it’s a classic look (hopefully) with some modern touches. Read on, suit up and let me know how you’re dressing for the day or the weekend!
The Suit: Combatant Gentleman Charcoal Slim Fit Herringbone Suit — $200
A reliably classic color and cold-weather fabric make this suit a winner.
It seems that in tailored situations here at the ol’ Style Guide,
Combatant Gentleman has been the suiting pick of choice, from
New Year’s Eve to
holiday parties and beyond. And for good reason, too — there’s hardly a better suiting deal out there that brings solid quality, a reliable fit and a
plethora of suiting options to chose from. This
Charcoal Slim Fit Herringbone Suit is a solid pick in this case, however, because it’s versatile, sharp color that can work in plenty of other situations besides Valentine’s Day — a great budget pick-up. The Italian wool herringbone weave is a seasonally appropriate touch in this cold weather, too (if it’s warm where you are, you could always rock a
chino suit). Don’t forget that
overcoat, either.
The Shirt: J. Crew Factory Voyager Dress Shirt in End-on-End — $41.50
Another well-priced staple from J. Crew Factory at a great price.
Just as with Combatant Gentleman, it’s tough to find a better deal for the quality than J. Crew Factory (although the folks at Combat Gent do a nice job
with shirting, too). But if you’ve been looking to check out the Factory line and haven’t gotten to it, here’s your chance. This
end-on-end shirt mixes in some subtle texture, a slim fit and a great price. The wrinkle-free aspect is another nice touch that should make it easier for travel, too. And the light blue is going to stand out nicely under the darker charcoal suit — it’s another piece that can work in many other situations outside of this one. On another note, if you should find yourself in need of a great undershirt to keep you cool throughout the night, head to
Tommy John.
The Tie: The Tie Bar Midnight Navy Grenafaux Tie — $19
Does this tie look familiar? If you read this blog regularly, it should!
If you happened to catch this blog’s
holiday party Style Suggestion, perhaps you recognize this tie. The Tie Bar’s
Midnight Navy Grenafaux Tie is quickly becoming a Style Guide favorite — it’s not often you talk about a tie being reliable (trust me), but this number is crisp, visually interesting and a solid contrast to the lighter blue shirt. It being Valentine’s Day and all, it’s never a bad thing to draw some color palette inspiration from
James Bond, either. The price is remarkably solid, and you could wear this tie with a
crisp white dress shirt in place of the J. Crew Factory end-on-end shirt if you wanted.
The Pocket Square: The Tie Bar Owen Plaid Pocket Square — $10
A unique pattern and color scheme help this pocket square stand out nicely.
When on the hunt for great accessories in a pinch, it pays off to turn to a trusted retailer time and again — in this case, our friends at The Tie Bar. This
Owen Plaid Pocket Square is an excellent bit of contrast to the dark charcoal suit and multiple shades of blue in the top half of this ensemble; the rich burgundy is also a change of pace from more standard pocket squares (although a
classic white pocket square could work here, too).
The Shoes: Jack Erwin Adam Wingtip Oxford — $195
Great color, a great price and terrific styling potential from Jack Erwin.
The
Jack Erwin Adam Wingtip Oxford was first seen back in this blog’s round-up of
stylish men’s dress shoes, and they make a return here as yet another example of why it pays to invest in high-quality, versatile footwear. Jack Erwin has made a name for itself in the digital style game thanks to its pricing and quality, and the Blake construction and reinforced stacked heel add even more durability to this particular pair. If you go the more casual route, they’d be equally at home with some
dark denim and a
navy blazer.
The Belt: J. Crew Factory Reversible Leather Belt in Brown — $22.50
Two belts for the price of one, plus a color that matches nicely with the rest of the outfit.
Sometimes, it can certainly be the right move to invest in an expensive belt — especially if you’ll wear it a lot. Other times, you need a reliable piece to get you from Point A to Point B in style and at a cost-effective price. That’s where this
J. Crew Factory Reversible Leather Belt comes into play. You get two belts for the price of one, plus decent quality and a solid dark brown color that’ll match up sharply with your watch and shoes.
The Watch: MVMT Watches The 40 in Blue/Brown Leather — $120
Simple, refined and easy to wear with a suit.
As you put together stylish ensembles that fit in a variety of situations, it pays to look toward style essentials you might already have — like an eyecatching leather watch. This timepiece from MVMT Watches was
reviewed just last week on the blog, and it’s a definite winner. The case diameter hits the sweet spot as far as a dress-casual watch, the quality is on-point for the price and the style potential is excellent (the blue dial will again really pop against the darker colors in this outfit). It can even work with a more casual outfit (again, the dark denim and navy blazer combo suggested above).
The Socks: Tommy John Solid Over-the-Calf Dress Socks — $16
Over-the-calf dress socks — an underrated style hack that makes a difference.
Dress socks, especially ones in a solid color, tend to get overlooked when lots of companies are incorporating pattern and color into so many pairs. But sometimes, you just want (and need) a simple, comfortable set of socks that’ll stay up and mesh nicely with the rest of your outfit.
Tommy John socks solve that age-old problem of a pair sliding down throughout the day, and the dark navy color won’t distract from the neutral charcoal suit and solid shirting. Plus, they’re made of a lux Pima cotton blend with a hint of stretch.
The Extras: Tommy John Cool Cotton Trunk — $29
Style’s in the details, right?
Need I say more?
So that’s your head-to-toe Valentine’s Day look, incorporating some solid, versatile style, neutral colors and sharp accessories. Pieces like the above can work in lots of different situations while providing a change of pace from style staples you might already own — and when planning for as big of a day as Valentine’s Day, details like the right tie and pocket square can certainly prove essential (look good, feel good, right?). If you’ve now settled on your outfit but still need a Valentine’s Day gift suggestion, we’ve got you covered there, too. And should you have any last-minute questions, feel free to leave a comment below or send me a tweet.
What ensemble will you be rocking on this Valentine’s Day? What do you think of the above suggestion?
The Style Guide 