Classic menswear "staples" for Southern California creative types

[The Dirty Pigeon]

What core menswear essentials would you recommend to someone who lives in a moderate climate like Southern California, works in the arts (writing, music, art, film), does not live a business lifestyle at all but enjoys wearing classic menswear and elegant tailoring, suits, jackets, ties where appropriate? I'm not that into youthful streetwear or tech/ath-leisure.

Most lists of classic menswear “essentials” that I find seem to focus more on what to wear for the office, job interview, wedding, in the city, etc. I think I’m covered for these types of occasions. My worsted navy and sharkskin charcoal suits and my tuxedo have me covered for formal events. I don’t need a rotation of power or repp stripe ties or a bunch of top coats. Gray flannels look good but rarely seem weather appropriate here. Sadly, tweed seems almost costume-ish in So Cal most of the year even though I have a beautiful Holland & Sherry herringbone jacket that I rarely wear.

Most of the time, I wear OCBDs, lightweight sweaters, jeans, chinos, trucker or leather jackets, chukka boots and loafers. I look at all of the other “just in case” items in my closet and I’m glad that I have them but they just don’t get that much wear. I want to step up my daily uniform but in a lifestyle appropriate way. I'd love to wear ties, sport jackets, more often but I want to maintain a non-business appearance that is still tasteful but not too conservative or formal.

How would you build your wardrobe if you lived this type of lifestyle and wanted to take it to the next level w/o leaning into the formal or business/business casual arena? I suspect the trick is in the fabrics, colors, textures, combinations and details but maybe I'm missing something obvious.

Additionally, I'd love examples of stylish famous men in the creative fields that really navigated this territory well and looked great in doing so. I realize this is all subjective but I’d love to get some diverse takes.

 

[TheIronDandy]

Wear a bow-tie? Noone wears them for work anymore, so you'll be "eccentric"!

Seriously though, I find that if you want to dress classic but casual, and avoid the wasteland that is "smart casual", you're correct that fabrics, colors and textures all become important. But the classic CM elements of fit, quality and silhouette remain as relevant as always. So here's what I'd do if I was building a wardrobe in your situation:

Trousers: tailored cotton chinos and fresco trousers (much better than flannel for your climate). Bespoke if budget allows - bespoke trousers can do a LOT for your style. Classic, neutral colors: tan, stone, cream, grey, brown. Higher waist and a more classic fit than most RTW, but not to the point that they require braces to sit properly (I like braces but for the situation you describe they may be a bit archaic). Flat front, but I might experiment with cuffs for a more interesting silhouette. And of course there's linnen trousers...
Shirts: bespoke OCBD using a slightly heavier fabric (heavy oxfords can be worn without ironing - I'm lazy!). Higher collar if you have the neck for it - I find a higher BD collar makes the shirt both more interesting and a tad more dressy. Probably start out with some white and blue, then maybe move into some light patterns. Still, a well-fitting white shirt and some khaki trousers is a very good foundation to add details to.
Shoes: brown or tobacco chukkas, derbies and/or loafers. Buy quality leather soled shoes, and take good care of them. I would favor suede over leather, simply because good leather shoes should be polished regularly, and suede just looks a tad bit more casual.
Knitwear: light, good quality cashmere. Luca Faloni has some of the best bang for the buck, and most of it is two ply, which isn't too warm. Might also consider a silk-blend polo or two in slightly bolder colors, for when you want a classy but more casual option to the shirts. John Smedley offers some very nice sea island cotton knitwear which could be another option for something slightly less formal.
Ties: knitted silk is probably the most informal tie you'll find. They're usually not worn for the office, and have a bit more of a party feel, so they could be a good bet if you want to wear a tie without looking like you're going to church or a job interview. But wearing a tie will always give off a certain vibe these days.

Other accessories: belt that matches your shoes, and an analogue watch on a leather strap that matches your shoes and belt. Doesn't have to be a fancy mechanical Swiss watch (but if your'e into that, go for it!), a understated quartz watch in a timeless design goes a long way. Probably go slightly more towards the dressy side for a timeless, CM look. Of course, if you like to wear a small battleship on your wrist that's very trendy right now. Leather bracelets still seem a pretty #menswear thing to wear even though the hype is dying down a bit - I would probably stay away from them unless I felt very confident in my look.

Outwear: maybe a dressier suede jacket (Valstar?), or a high-end overshirt, could be an option to sports coats. Sport coats will always be a bit dressy, especially if tweed is off the table. That said, I've seen some amazing tweed from Loro Piana which would probably be right at home in Cali, I think the problem with tweed is if it makes you think of the British countryside. If you do want to wear sport coats, look for ones by Italian makers, with some bolder patterns. Stay away from navy and dark grey, and look for lighter colors, perhaps with a windowpane check. I keep thinking club blazer, but honestly it might make you look like a real estate agent... I've been considering a grey-brown hopsack sport coat for my summer wardrobe, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Linnen could, once again, be an option here.

So essentially: well fitting, classic trousers and high quality, plain shirts, combined with good suede shoes. Add knitwear and/or outwear depending on needs, probably start pretty casual and work my way up. Avoid the most obvious "office" colors of navy and charcoal.

 

[The Dirty Pigeon]

Seriously though, I find that if you want to dress classic but casual, and avoid the wasteland that is "smart casual", you're correct that fabrics, colors and textures all become important. But the classic CM elements of fit, quality and silhouette remain as relevant as always. So here's what I'd do if I was building a wardrobe in your situation:

Trousers: tailored cotton chinos and fresco trousers (much better than flannel for your climate). Bespoke if budget allows - bespoke trousers can do a LOT for your style. Classic, neutral colors: tan, stone, cream, grey, brown. Higher waist and a more classic fit than most RTW, but not to the point that they require braces to sit properly (I like braces but for the situation you describe they may be a bit archaic). Flat front, but I might experiment with cuffs for a more interesting silhouette. And of course there's linnen trousers...
Shirts: bespoke OCBD using a slightly heavier fabric (heavy oxfords can be worn without ironing - I'm lazy!). Higher collar if you have the neck for it - I find a higher BD collar makes the shirt both more interesting and a tad more dressy. Probably start out with some white and blue, then maybe move into some light patterns. Still, a well-fitting white shirt and some khaki trousers is a very good foundation to add details to.
Shoes: brown or tobacco chukkas, derbies and/or loafers. Buy quality leather soled shoes, and take good care of them. I would favor suede over leather, simply because good leather shoes should be polished regularly, and suede just looks a tad bit more casual.
Knitwear: light, good quality cashmere. Luca Faloni has some of the best bang for the buck, and most of it is two ply, which isn't too warm. Might also consider a silk-blend polo or two in slightly bolder colors, for when you want a classy but more casual option to the shirts. John Smedley offers some very nice sea island cotton knitwear which could be another option for something slightly less formal.
Ties: knitted silk is probably the most informal tie you'll find. They're usually not worn for the office, and have a bit more of a party feel, so they could be a good bet if you want to wear a tie without looking like you're going to church or a job interview. But wearing a tie will always give off a certain vibe these days.

Other accessories: belt that matches your shoes, and an analogue watch on a leather strap that matches your shoes and belt. Doesn't have to be a fancy mechanical Swiss watch (but if your'e into that, go for it!), a understated quartz watch in a timeless design goes a long way. Probably go slightly more towards the dressy side for a timeless, CM look. Of course, if you like to wear a small battleship on your wrist that's very trendy right now. Leather bracelets still seem a pretty #menswear thing to wear even though the hype is dying down a bit - I would probably stay away from them unless I felt very confident in my look.

Outwear: maybe a dressier suede jacket (Valstar?), or a high-end overshirt, could be an option to sports coats. Sport coats will always be a bit dressy, especially if tweed is off the table. That said, I've seen some amazing tweed from Loro Piana which would probably be right at home in Cali, I think the problem with tweed is if it makes you think of the British countryside. If you do want to wear sport coats, look for ones by Italian makers, with some bolder patterns. Stay away from navy and dark grey, and look for lighter colors, perhaps with a windowpane check. I keep thinking club blazer, but honestly it might make you look like a real estate agent... I've been considering a grey-brown hopsack sport coat for my summer wardrobe, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Linnen could, once again, be an option here.

So essentially: well fitting, classic trousers and high quality, plain shirts, combined with good suede shoes. Add knitwear and/or outwear depending on needs, probably start pretty casual and work my way up. Avoid the most obvious "office" colors of navy and charcoal.

First off, thank you so much for putting the time into your thorough response. It's greatly appreciated.

Based on your recommendations, I think I am on the right track but need to make some tweaks here and there:

• Trousers: Cotton and fresco trousers sound like a great area to explore, falling somewhere between my tailored chinos and the wool/tweed trousers that I love but rarely wear. I usually go slightly higher waisted, flat front with a slim taper that never goes into skinny territory.
• Shirts: My OCBDs have classic collars pretty much exactly as you described. I have white, blue, university stripe, and a couple of darker blues so far. I was thinking of adding more in the way of chambray/denim too.
• Shoes: Good recommendation on suede. I currently wear brown suede chukkas from Alden and tan suede from Thursday Boots. My loafers are Alden Calf, Brooks Brothers Cordovan. I just got some very sleek looking Carmina derby wingtips in calf that I love. Calf Herring Chelsea boots. AE calf work boots. Etc. Some more suede options would be good, as you pointed out. My Alden chukkas tend to get the most wear lately.
• Knitwear: I mostly have cotton crewnecks, wool v-necks and lambswool shetland style sweaters. I think you're right about moving toward cashmere. I've put this on my list.
• Ties: I only have knit ties in navy blue and forest green so I could definitely explore that more. I have a bunch of grenadine solids and silk patterns (polka dot, foulard, stripe) that are lovely but, again, they don't get much wear because they look a little too business or formal. I'll look into more knit and textured options.
• Other accessories: I think I am pretty good here. I have a good selection of belts that look right and I have a small but thought out wardrobe of well fitting watches from casual Casio digital, Seiko sporty to classic Omega, Longines, Hamilton. None of the gigantic stuff. I do flat caps once and a while too.
• Outerwear: I have been thinking I need a very nice, very well fitting suede jacket as well as more in the way of overshirt jackets so I think you nailed that one. I'll look into those options you mentioned.

Cheers!

 

[adrianvo]

What core menswear essentials would you recommend to someone who lives in a moderate climate like Southern California, works in the arts (writing, music, art, film), does not live a business lifestyle at all but enjoys wearing classic menswear and elegant tailoring, suits, jackets, ties where appropriate? I'm not that into youthful streetwear or tech/ath-leisure.

Most lists of classic menswear “essentials” that I find seem to focus more on what to wear for the office, job interview, wedding, in the city, etc. I think I’m covered for these types of occasions. My worsted navy and sharkskin charcoal suits and my tuxedo have me covered for formal events. I don’t need a rotation of power or repp stripe ties or a bunch of top coats. Gray flannels look good but rarely seem weather appropriate here. Sadly, tweed seems almost costume-ish in So Cal most of the year even though I have a beautiful Holland & Sherry herringbone jacket that I rarely wear.

Most of the time, I wear OCBDs, lightweight sweaters, jeans, chinos, trucker or leather jackets, chukka boots and loafers. I look at all of the other “just in case” items in my closet and I’m glad that I have them but they just don’t get that much wear. I want to step up my daily uniform but in a lifestyle appropriate way. I'd love to wear ties, sport jackets, more often but I want to maintain a non-business appearance that is still tasteful but not too conservative or formal.

How would you build your wardrobe if you lived this type of lifestyle and wanted to take it to the next level w/o leaning into the formal or business/business casual arena? I suspect the trick is in the fabrics, colors, textures, combinations and details but maybe I'm missing something obvious.

Additionally, I'd love examples of stylish famous men in the creative fields that really navigated this territory well and looked great in doing so. I realize this is all subjective but I’d love to get some diverse takes.

 

[The Dirty Pigeon]

Haha. no.