Crafting a Versatile Men’s Wardrobe: A Beginner’s Guide

Whether you just landed a new job, have an upcoming hot date, started attending church services more regularly, or just want to show up your coworkers in the office, developing your signature style from scratch can be a daunting task. The journey for me, as did my desire, started slow. But as time went on and how I looked became more important to me, my sense of style quickly followed. The same can occur for you. Here are the tips and tricks I have found successful in my years as a wardrobe consultant. 

The First Impression

First, you may be asking why your wardrobe matters. It has long been said that you never forget the first impression, but for years I never really understood how to harness that impression for my benefit. In the world of literature, there is a famous dictum: “Show, don’t tell.” What it means is that your readers will glean more about a character, their setting, the arising conflict if the author spends more time painting a picture than directly stating the details. Dressing yourself is the way you show others how you want to be perceived. You can certainly stand up before an on-boarding committee and tell them “I am a hard worker with attention to detail and a team player.” 

Or… you could show them.

Having a suit that fits the cut of your body shows that you are comfortable in your own skin. Choosing an appropriate tie shows you pay attention to detail. Choosing a different colored shirt everyday shows that no, you do not wear the same shirt everyday and implies cleanliness and good hygiene. And something as small as the absence of scuffs on your shoe shows that you take time for the small, little things in your life like menial maintenance. 

So, what are the first steps to building your wardrobe? It depends on your certain situation and where you plan on sporting your new style. But, the following blueprint is a good starting point for most people, save the businessmen and lawyers who need to wear a suit every day of the week. But I will show you how you can adapt this blueprint for that scenario later on in this article. 

The best thing you can do is go to a menswear store; such as Men’s Wearhouse, Jos A. Bank, Mr. Mac, or The Kater Shop. (The last two are located only in Utah, where I am presently located.) While there are some items that can be acquired online from stores like The Kater Shop, you would want to purchase all of your alterable clothing (suits and slacks primarily) in-store where you can try it on, ensure it fits, and get it tailored specifically to you. 

The Basic Wardrobe Blueprint 

• 2-3 Suits 
• 1-2 Pairs of Shoes 
• Equal number of belts as shoes 
• 3 shirts 
• 2 ties per suit 
• 2 socks per suit 

The order in which you build your wardrobe is very important. Think of a pyramid. You want to start with the biggest, strongest, most important blocks first. The suit. Unless you need to wear a suit more than once a week, two suits will serve you just fine.

The Suit

Here are the suggestions I give all of my clients to start with if they are building their wardrobe from the ground up:

• One dark
• One light
• One blue
• One gray.

While I generally yield to the customer’s preference, my first suggestion is always Charcoal. The reason being it can substitute for a black suit on many occasions. If you go with a charcoal, then a dusty blue would compliment your wardrobe quite nicely. This one can usually have some texture or a light pattern. 

The reasoning for this suggestion is that gray and blue are the most versatile colors on the color wheel. You will have an easier time finding shirts, ties, shoes, and socks that match and compliment these colors than you will with any other color. A lot of people believe black is the universal color. In reality it can be rather limiting: avoid the temptation to purchase a black suit as one of your first suits. 

Throughout your selections, prioritize natural fabrics over synthetic. This means wools and linens are better than polyesters and polyfibers. The natural fabrics will breathe easier and hold up better. Linen is considered the coolest of the fabrics, and the mantra every suit salesman learns is that “wool stays cool in the summer, and retains heat in the winter.” Wool suits will often have “twist count” on it, usually somewhere between 100 and 180. This refers to the number of times a strand of wool is twisted before it is woven into the fabric. Just as with thread counts on bedsheets, the higher this number is, the softer and higher quality it is. 

If you are in a menswear store, the consultant (or salesman) should be able to help you find the right cut for you. Keep in mind, it is always preferable to get the best cut for you, not necessarily the slimmest cut. If you have a little bit of a tummy, you will look slimmer in a modern cut than you would in a slim cut. 

The Next Step

Once you have selected your suit, the next item on your list should be your shoes. If there is one thing I cannot emphasize enough it is the importance of selecting a good pair of shoes. Whether you are sitting at a desk all day, giving ten presentations a week, or running a marathon, your shoes need to be able to withstand the test of time. Take your time choosing your shoe. A shoe made of genuine leather is malleable and will conform to the size of your foot…if your foot is slightly bigger than the shoe itself. It will stretch over the first couple of times wearing it, so don’t be afraid if your shoe feels a little snug at first.

As with your suits, diversity is key with your shoes. I would suggest one Black and one Brown, my preference is a Cognac but there are many rich colors of brown available to you. As far as style goes, wingtips are my go to, and cap toes always tend to be the best seller. Here’s a ranked list of some of my favorite brands.

1. Cole Haan
2. Stacy Adams
3. Taft
4. Joseph Abboud
5. Johnston and Murphy’s
6. Florsheim
7. Thursday Boot Company
8. Rockport
9. Doctor Marten’s

But when it comes down to it, there are many great shoe brands out there. The key is finding the one that is right for you and your feet.

Belts

Belts are important, unless you favor the suspender. Pretty much the only rule here is that you want to match the belt to the shoes, so you should always purchase them together because rarely is it that a menswear store will carry a shoe without a belt to match it. A new style of belt uses a ratchet system instead of holes for the buckle, and they are one of my favorite things since sliced bread. They are tricky to figure out the first one or two times wearing them, but after that they are the slickest things ever! No more toe hopping in front of the urinal as you wrestle with your belt buckle! 

My favorite brand is Mission Belts, which I have about six of. They are long lasting and you are able to switch out the buckle from the strap to further diversify your individual sense of style.

Shirts

Next, find a few good shirts. 100% cotton is preferable to the cotton-poly blends, but it’s not the end of the world. Some of the best are Cooper & Stewart and Viterelli, known for their patterns and colors respectively. 

Athletic dress shirts such as &Collar are great; super stretchy, hand washable, untuckable, spill resistant, the whole nine-yards (“the yoga pant of dress shirts,” as the mother of one of my clients once commented). Odion’s line of Tempo+ shirts are also a great choice (can be found at katershop.com) and includes free shipping within the United States. The only drawback is their limited selection of colors and styles. 

Tie-ing things up

Finally, you should select your ties and socks. My rule of thumb is two ties per suit; you’ll want at least two different combos with each suit. You should resist the temptation to buy two ties that both go with each of your suits. Your money would be of better use purchasing four ties that were made to be worn with your suit, rather than two ties that merely avoid clashing. Blue, purple, and maroon go great with just about any green, whereas my favorite colors to put with my blue suits are pink, orange, and occasionally yellow. 

Socks likewise, should match with something in your outfit. The most typical strategy is to pair the socks with the pair of slacks you plan to wear, but I have also created unique outfits by coordinating my socks with my tie or shirt. 

These items will get your wardrobe off to a good start. However, a good wardrobe is always expanding. As you continue on in your new lifestyle, be sure to return and freshen up your wardrobe as items wear out. Even something as simple as adding another suit or a few pairs of slacks can go a long way to diversifying your wardrobe and multiplying your available outfits. Check in with my other articles to learn how to pair colors, select your signature scent, and accessorize so as to capitalize on this new investment.

Disclosure: As an affiliate, the author of this article may receive compensation for any promoted products purchased. I have personally tested the majority of the items, and do not promote any brands or products of which I have not had a reliable amount of experience with and whom I do not stand behind.