Capsule Wardrobe Men: How To Maximise Style With Minimal Pieces To Create A Smart Casual Look

It’s very easy to opt for a minimal, basic look, but what if we told you we could maximise your style, whilst still using minimal pieces. To start off we’ll be looking at our client Max’s current style. On a day-to-day basis, Max chooses a minimalist, modular style, using colours such as black, grey and white tops, or shirts and jeans. Max came to Deni wanting to find the perfect middle between smart and casual, as he felt he either dressed smart or casual, but not in between. Max’s wardrobe lacked variety and he wanted to try a new look that gave him the right balance. After his style consultation, we identified his new style look and Deni was ready to fulfil her client’s needs for a perfectly balanced wardrobe maximising his gentlemen’s closet.

Menswear Essentials For a Capsule Wardrobe

When creating a capsule wardrobe for men there are two key essentials, you have to have a good selection of jackets and a good selection of shoes. Once you find a good jacket you can use this to create more outfits, with other items in your wardrobe. Top tip: Having basics is a men’s wardrobe essential eg a white T-shirt, this helps put together certain looks whilst styling outfits. During Max’s styling session, we found a gorgeous jacket, which suited his colour palette, that we can pair with multiple basics to create multiple looks. Later on, we’ll dive into how Deni styled this jacket to create her client’s desired smart casual look.

It’s always good to start preparing for the upcoming season, so as we start to prepare ourselves for the summer months, consider this in your closet ideas. For example, this is a perfect time to start exploring lighter shirts. Making your wardrobe exclusive to all seasons ahead can help still match summer pieces with a winter look. For example, having a lighter shirt and pairing it with a winter, warmer coat. This is perfect, especially with London’s changeable weather throughout the day. When making your capsule wardrobe for men, you can always pair it with a tonal look. A tonal look is where you dress head to toe in the same colour palette, embracing light colours. A menswear wardrobe is essential, is to pair your clothes with the right colour palette. It’s very comfortable to opt for navy, black and greys, but these are the safe colours, instead try opting for lighter colours, although it doesn’t have to be pure white. Our client Max, has a warm complexion, which means he would pick colours with neutral or warm undertones, for example, ivory shade is great for his complexion.

Here we have Max in these two stylish smart-casual outfits, the colour palettes he is wearing complement his complexion and not only that but the hybrid tailor-wear and cargo trousers, paired with a casual top and smart casual jacket reach Max’s goal of a smart casual look.

Maximising Minimal Clothes To Create A Smart-casual Look

Whilst choosing staple pieces for your wardrobe, choose different options for T-shirts. T-shirts don’t always have to be casual, for example exploring different types of fabrics, to add more to an outfit’s look. In Max’s styling session, we picked a T-shirt with shiner fabric, this would elevate Max’s look, while still keeping the outfit simple. When putting your men’s capsule wardrobe together, add options for layering pieces, for example, a smart jacket, but wearing it openwith a casual T-shirt brings the smart-casual element in. If you want to lean more toward the smarter side, swap out the T-shirt for a shirt.

Here we have Max, showing us his smart-casual look, pairing it with t-shirts and a shirt, depending on the level of smart casual you want to achieve.

Find Your Perfect Outfit: Men Fashion

Cargo pants are really in trend, and they are an excellent way to wear something other than jeans when you want to be casual. To gain that smart-casual look with tailored trousers, wearing ones with an elasticated waist, helps achieve the goal of making it more casual. When styling, slightly tuck the T-shirt, just to indicate where the waistline is, the back side can be left open, this helps create a better proportion of the body.

When you build any outfit think about it in percentages, so here we have Max, his top is 25% casual, as it is a T-shirt but it is elevated from the shiny fabric and the design, and the trousers are 25% smart casual, as the trousers he’s wearing are hybrid of tailor trousers and cargo pants, 25% casual for shoes and then the last layer which would be the jacket would be the final 25% bringing in the smart aspect of the look.

Max was delighted with his new smart casual wardrobe. He’s now been able to find a balance between smart and casual wear, alongside choosing colours suited to his complexion. “Before we started I was stuck in his grey, navy and black colours, after our session I have gained the confidence to go try new brands, try new colours and styles, things that I would have never thought to have worn before.” The power of styling and a bit of help from us, has helped Max transform his wardrobe and achieve his goals!

If you are looking to update your style and match your wardrobe to your complexion, contact us and we’ll be thrilled to elevate your wardrobe that is suited to your personality and lifestyle.