Personal Style | Elements of a Great Outfit

Photography by, Xavier Duah.

People constantly ask me about menswear essentials. What are the essential items a man needs to put a great outfit together? This, I cannot tell you because I believe there is a different essence to every man. With that being said, for me, the outfit above represents everything I need to personally satisfy my ideas and taste as it pertains to putting together a great outfit. As you can probably tell from my other personal style posts, my aesthetic involves working with detail pieces while also complimenting them with contrasting colors and/or minimal accessories. It is that simple. 

Here are my personal wardrobe essentials and how I worked them into the ensemble above:

Tie: I knew I wanted to work with the burgundy tie from the jump. I could have paired it with a breathable sweater or a vest but the classic character of the tie demanded an equally classic touch that would compliment it which is why I opted for the Navy blue double breasted blazer.

Double Breasted Blazer: I prefer double breasted to single breasted blazers because of the way they accentuate and hug my slim figure. No chances of ill fitting troubles with the double breasted blazers for me. Double breasted blazers seem to keep everything in place and who does not like having things together? 

White Shirt: Being that I had already applied enough character to the top half of the ensemble, I felt the best way to balance it out was to incorporate a white shirt. I had enough character with the burgundy tie to show my growing love for color, and the double breasted blazer to show that I do take myself a little seriously sometimes and that is not always a bad thing. The white shirt goes with anything so it is always a good medium for character.

Well fitted trouser: The off white trousers were a risk considering I was wearing another shade of white with my shirt but, being that the off white color looked great against the Navy Blue and Burgundy, I figured it would not be much of a distraction.

Monk straps: I prefer monk straps to regular lace up shoes. Do I need to say why? It's quite obvious. The black monk shoes were a solid option to round up the ensemble. Black shoes are essential. The white and off white highlights at the bottom of the shoes seemed to be a nod to the rest of the ensemble as well.

Accessories: Most men seem to fear accessories and I can understand why because most of us have the fear of reading as "too much". To avoid that, I specifically do my best to be as minimal as I can be in that department while also incorporating all of the items, I love. Rings, Wrist Watches, Bracelets and Glasses. Those are my essentials for accessories. 

I believe the foundation of every outfit starts with organization. Whether it is figuring out who and what you want to embody that day or figuring out a color scheme, having some form of cohesiveness is important for a timeless and classic look. 

What do you think about my personal style essentials? Can you relate to any of them? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Thank you for reading!

Haskell Crystal Sunglasses / Warby Parker . Tie / W.B. Thamm . Double Breasted Blazer / League of Rebels . Trousers / H&M . Monk Shoes / ASOS