5 Essentials of the Accidental Minimalist

Too many guys “have to wear a suit to work” when they should want to look professional and well-put together in a suit. Too many guys are wondering whether they can “get away with” outfits for a wedding or some other event, instead of aiming to look confident and at ease in a suit. We call these guys accidental minimalists. They’re not choosing minimalist style out of a desire to look ultra-modern and chic, they’re just guys who use minimalist style to simplify getting dressed for the two or three times a year they put on a suit.

If you’re a guy who doesn’t wear a suit to work everyday, but wears one to the occasional wedding or job interview or otherwise important event: here’s the most bare bones system for getting dressed up a guy could ask for. No shirt and tie matching necessary, no wondering “am I wearing the right color with this.” No hard decisions at all. Stock your closet as follows and you will not just “get away with” your suit and tie look, you’ll crush it.

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• 1. Suit
• 2. Shirts
• 3. Ties
• 4. Pocket Square
• 5. Shoes

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1. THE SUIT

For most guys the first, and perhaps only, suit they own is a standard navy. The problem with that is, a lot of guys don’t want to take the time to deal with choosing harmonious colors when they get dressed so navy’s blue tint causes them angst. To avoid color, many men reach for a black suit with other clothes. True, matching up with black is easy, but black is an unforgiving choice for a suit color. Black can be too harsh a contrast for all but the darkest of black haired men with medium to dark skin tones. For the occasional suit wearer, we suggest a single breasted, two button, charcoal suit. Its gray color is more easily paired with a variety of skin and hair colors as well as shirt and tie combos.

What to look for:

• Be sure to nail the fit.

• Keep the jacket simple (straight, flap pockets, notch lapels).

• Get the pants with a flat front without cuffs for a streamlined look that never goes out of style.

2. THE SHIRT

Every man should have a well-fitting, clean and pressed white button-front shirt in his closet at all times. Period. End of story. That goes double for the accidental minimalist because it takes half of the thought out of one of the decisions guys who don’t wear suits often agonize over: “what shirt and tie combo should I wear?”

What to look for:

• As with the suit, fit is the most important feature. If off the rack shirts fit you like tents, it’s time to look for a custom alternative.

• No button downs. Button down shirts, contrary to many people’s beliefs, are not shirts that button down the front (those are button front shirts) but shirts with a collar that is buttoned down. This New England preppie look might be okay with a Navy blazer, khaki chinos and a pair of bass loafers, but should be avoided when you suit up.

3. THE TIE

A solid black tie is an easy choice for most guys. If you are reading this because you had a dressing yourself lobotomy and you want to mindlessly reach for a tie without thinking about matching, this is your choice. For some, the stark contrast of a black tie on a white shirt can overpower their look, though. For lighter haired, fairer skinned guys, we suggest sticking with shades of gray to soften up your look a bit without having to think about matching.

What to look for:

• Keep it slim. A super wide, 80s looking tie is a surefire way to kill this look. Keep it under three inches wide at the widest point.

• But not too slim. On the flip side, a sub-two inch wide strip of runway down the front of your shirt screams “fashion victim.”

4. THE POCKET SQUARE

Yes, we believe wearing a pocket square is essential. Without one your look will be straight milquetoast. A pocket square adds that touch of visual interest and asymmetry that makes well-dressed guys stand out from the average schlubs. White is, not surprisingly, the color of choice for this look. Use a square fold. It’s not only the easiest fold (if you’re reading this we’re guessing you’re not interested in the intricacies of various pocket square folding techniques), but it’s a perfectly fitting fold for the straightforward, minimalist look.

What to look for:

• A silk square works, but we really love cotton and linen for their ability to hold their shape when folded in a square fold.

5. THE SHOE

If you’ve looked at the feet of most of the men featured on this site you’ll know we prefer brown leather when it comes to shoes. Still, we believe in a having a good pair of black NFA shoes (see our piece on five essential dress shoes for more on that). Simple black cap toe shoes finish off a minimalist look perfectly.

What to look for:

• Skip the brogues. Minimal means unadorned. Perforations, like those found on brogues add unnecessary detail and should be kept to a minimum to round out this look.

ODDS & ENDS:
The Accidental Minimalist Approach to Time & Money:

The five essentials above are just a start. You can add to this foundation with any number of variations on the black and white theme. Or, you can slowly add a touch of color with colored ties, pocket squares and shirts. With these five essentials as your jumping off point, no matter how far you take things, you’ll always have a stylish minimalist outfit waiting for you in your closet.