Men's Fashion Basics!

Hey! Sorry for not posting this last night, but it is going up today as well as a post about next week so check back later on, it's gonna be good :) So like yesterday's post I will be going through the fashion basics for men in four stages. Loungewear (what to wear on a quiet day around the house), casual (going out to see a friend or going out for the day etc), formal (smart clothes for special occasions) and on the end there will be a bit on bags. Okay, here we go…

Loungewear:

Joggers/lightweight trousers:

In England we call what some call sweatpants (I think that's what there called) joggers, this is because their usually worn during exercise. They tend to be really soft and warm and so are perfect for wearing around the house, although you can get a bit too warm so look at some lightweight trousers as well for the warmer months; TK Maxx almost always does a wide range of Calvin Klein loungewear trousers (and I love them!).

Jumper/Long sleeved T-Shirt:

These are great to own as they can just be 'thrown' on and there really casual and relaxed clothing, for the jumper I'd probably say the same as women's, in that an oversized one is great for keeping warm and having the really chilled out look, or you can get a more fitted one to look more like your wearing casual clothes. Long sleeve T-Shirts are great, having at least one is good cause then as well as having it as casual wear, they really are great for going out into the garden or lying on the sofa and not getting to warm. 

Shoes:

I didn't specify which type of shoes because it really is up to you, some prefer to wear converse whilst others prefer flip-flops. I myself tend to wear flip-flops, boat shoes or just leave shoes off for the day. 

Casual:

Jeans:

Again, these are a style necessity. There's recently been a trend for chino trousers, and I bought some but they just don't suit me. But jeans do, and I always thought they were boring but don't! You can get so many different styles to give you the ideal look! There's skinny, loose fit, boot cut, straight leg, stretch skinny etc and you can get jeans with faded designs on them or studs. Jeans are a MUST. 

Shirts:

Before I started wearing casual shirts, I wore T-Shirts and I didn't like how causal I looked, my personal style is casual-formal and I like to mix the two styles. So wearing shirts is something I do almost daily, some think shirts are too formal but there are such a range of men's shirts out there, and they all have different styles, features, stitching and colour schemes. Owning casual shirts can really make you look stylish, especially if they're not crumpled or ripped. You'll look like you care about how you dress and with all the different shirts out there you won't look the same every day. Also, you could add a skinny tie to look casual-formal. 

Shoes:

Again I'm not specifying which type because there are so many, but I like to wear boots. I love wearing boots, they look really stylish and fashionable as well as being really durable. There are so many different styles to choose from. Chelsea boots are one type, I own a pair of Chelsea boots and I love them, I've only seen Chelsea boots in black and a tan colour, mine are a tan colour and they're fantastic! Like I said, my style is casual-formal so these are great. This type of boot is slip on so there are no laces and can really improve an outfit. Then there are ankle boots, which I also have which come in all different styles and colours. One pair of mine was bought from Barratts ( www.barratts.co.uk ) and they're a cherry colour, whilst the other pair was bought from dr martens ( store.drmartens.co.uk ) and are almost like a Burberry check design. So for me boots are a must to have. But there are other shoes which I wear as well like boat shoes, these are really comfortable and usually use two tones of colour. 

Coat/Jacket:

Even I'm getting annoyed at my repetitive writing but oh well…Fashion Necessity! I don't feel right if I go out without a jacket or a coat. Now that may be because of chilly English weather, but it's also because coats and jackets can bring an outfit together and make it look amazing. My advice would be, find a coat/jacket that looks really stylish and try it on, I hate baggy clothes, so I would say find one that fits you, I don't mean really fitted as you need some room but definitely find one that fits you well so that you look like you've taken the time to choose it and haven't just picked on off the clothing rack. 

Jewellery:

I'm a big fan of wrist-wear, this is a name for wrist jewellery I heard somewhere but it would include items like watches and bracelets. I think a watch is a key item for anyone who wants to look stylish, but don't get a really expensive one, I don't need a watch, I use my phone for checking the time, so a watch for me is just an accessory. As I said before, there are watches for as cheap as £5 (have a look!). Another piece of jewellery is a ring, I've seen a lot of guys who wear rings, but rings are a certain person accessory. If your someone who doesn't suit wearing a ring, then leave it, but if you do, try and find one. Necklaces are the same, if you don't suit wearing necklaces, don't wear them. 

Scarves:

Scarves are an important accessory, all the different styles out there mean you need to choose the right ones for you. I find scarves really good, as they can bring an outfit together, don't think they aren't masculine, you see guys constantly wearing scarves and they look really stylish, and if you pick and wear a scarf right, so will you! They can be worn in many different ways, so find which is right for you. 

Sunglasses:

Again, key item. Wayfarer and aviator sunglasses are really on trend at the moment. So get a pair, summers nearly here so you'll need them anyway, why not look good?

Formal:

Very Dark/Black Jeans or Smart Trousers:

Dark jeans are great, they look super stylish as well as smart, jeans are more toward casual-formal so if it is a really formal event, try and find some smart trousers, I got a suit from TK Maxx ( www.tkmaxx.com ) and it came with some fantastic pinstripe trousers, the jacket was also a modern pinstripe design so I can wear the jacket with dark jeans as well as Chelsea boots to look stylish for an evening out (restaurant). 

Blazer:

Blazers are fantastic to own, I'm hoping to get a few blazers as they look great over a plain top. This is a great example of casual-formal, wearing a blazer over a t-shirt with dark jeans and boots. These will allow you to wear average T-Shirts and look really smart and fashionable. 

Suit:

A suit is great to own for really formal occasions, interviews etc. if you already have smart trousers then see if you can find a matching suit jacket, it's always good to have a suit in case you need it. 

Shoes:

Again shoes are up to you, but I would probably recommend seeing what Chelsea boots look like with the outfit. There are also the iconic long toed shoes (I really don't know what there called) that all suits seem to be worn with. 

Watch:

As I said, this will make you look amazing, but don't spend loads on it, this blog is about affordable fashion so don't think you need an expensive watch, get one that's smart and stylish and doesn't look cheap, and then your sorted! 

Shirt:

I'd probably recommend sticking to plain shirts for this, maybe with contrasting buttons but don't wear shirts that don't match with what else your wearing. 

Accessories:

Bag:

I love bags, and my favourite type is a shoulder bag. Bags aren't just for women, men have things to carry around. Bags can really have a big effect on an outfit, so if your someone who needs a bag or wants one have a look in some high street stores, they won't be hugely expensive and you'll be able to see how they look on you. 

Okay, well that's it for Mens Fashion Basics. I hope this has helped you, and I hope you've enjoyed reading this :) Please comment and follow me on twitter- @StylishEngland and check back later for a new post about next week, Bye!