How to dress well in CM without standing out too much

[K. Nights]

More inspiration: I think Nicolas Gabard looks great here. I probably wouldn't wear those shoes, but they go very well with his vibe.

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This reminds me of an old @dieworkwear post about the casual structured cut.

He looks great. The western shirt really works with that jacket.

Speaking of, I do think the jacket is the most difficult piece to wear without people questioning why you're "dressed up". Here are two examples I like:

This look by Jamie is nice. The tweed seems to fit in with the workwear-ish items he's wearing and doesn't come off as stiff. I probably wouldn't wear it with those sneakers, but I think the effect would remain the same if he was wearing suede desert boots or jumper boots or something.

I also like this look by Jens. It's a shame we can't see much of the lower half, but it looks very natural on him.

I think it helps that both are wearing the jackets more as outerwear so it seems like less of a "look". The lack of a collared shirt also helps.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

I think it helps that both are wearing the jackets more as outerwear so it seems like less of a "look". The lack of a collared shirt also helps.

I agree. Tweeds, and most other odd jackets really, look best to me when they're worn less preciously. They don't need to be beat-up or stuffed, but it's very natural for me to throw one on over a merino crew/turtleneck for casual days. The real trick is finding jackets that go well with jeans or other casual trousers, as I tend to wear those slimmer and need to wear jackets that don't create as much of a 'skirt' effect.

 

[radicaldog]

He looks great. The western shirt really works with that jacket.

Speaking of, I do think the jacket is the most difficult piece to wear without people questioning why you're "dressed up". Here are two examples I like:

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This look by Jamie is nice. The tweed seems to fit in with the workwear-ish items he's wearing and doesn't come off as stiff. I probably wouldn't wear it with those sneakers, but I think the effect would remain the same if he was wearing suede desert boots or jumper boots or something.


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I also like this look by Jens. It's a shame we can't see much of the lower half, but it looks very natural on him.

I think it helps that both are wearing the jackets more as outerwear so it seems like less of a "look". The lack of a collared shirt also helps.

I really like both, but then this is very close to how I dress most days (I have those same sneakers but in all navy: yes, quite internetty footwear I confess). Rumpled and as outerwear is indeed the easiest way to wear a tweed jacket. I have one in a very heavy London Lounge blue herringbone donegal which I had done with a removable throat latch mainly for this purpose. Then I went and had it shortened by a local tailor for some stupid reason and I ruined the balance. Now I can neither wear it nor bring myself to throw it away, but that's another story.

 

[MacGuffen]

What I don't understand is how everyone seems to be living in areas where CM is non-existent. I'm in Toronto, which is hardly the sartorial capital of the world, yet I never seem to find myself out of place in the venues and social situations in which I find myself, despite the fact that I never dress lower than smart-casual when out in public. Sports jackets are fairly common in my neighbourhood, plenty of dress shoes, etc.

This is my town, Bergen, Norway. Home to Norwegian Rain. Notable for being "the rainiest city in Europe" (I don't know if that's actually true, but it feels like it). As a result, most people wear technical jackets, even when it's not raining since the weather can shift rapidly. If it's sunny in the morning, it might rain by lunchtime. In this enviroment, wearing a tailored jacket is simply impractical. Same with leather soled shoes.

For this reason, most people don't really wear tailored jackets unless they're attending a special event. Ergo you are standing out with tailored jackets. It's obviously not ALWAYS raining, but the general climate creates conditions for dress norms, how you dress when you grow up, and therefore how much you stand you wearing CM.

I believe sports coats are more common in English speaking countries and former English colonies for obvious reasons, so sports coats seem a little out of place in Scandinavia. I'll admit tweed jackets (especially with a scarf) for some reason seems more appropriate, perhaps because most people would register it as a short winter coat. This is not to argue against what you're saying, but I thought this might be interesting for the purposes of this dicussion.

 

[Nobilis Animus]

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This is my town, Bergen, Norway. Home to Norwegian Rain. Notable for being "the rainiest city in Europe" (I don't know if that's actually true, but it feels like it). As a result, most people wear technical jackets, even when it's not raining since the weather can shift rapidly. If it's sunny in the morning, it might rain by lunchtime. In this enviroment, wearing a tailored jacket is simply impractical. Same with leather soled shoes.

For this reason, most people don't really wear tailored jackets unless they're attending a special event. Ergo you are standing out with tailored jackets. It's obviously not ALWAYS raining, but the general climate creates conditions for dress norms, how you dress when you grow up, and therefore how much you stand you wearing CM.

I believe sports coats are more common in English speaking countries and former English colonies for obvious reasons, so sports coats seem a little out of place in Scandinavia. I'll admit tweed jackets (especially with a scarf) for some reason seems more appropriate, perhaps because most people would register it as a short winter coat. This is not to argue against what you're saying, but I thought this might be interesting for the purposes of this dicussion.

Oh, it's definitely interesting to me. In fact, this is precisely what I was saying: that the general environment of where people live and their close social contacts will tend to influence how comfortable they are with different kinds of dress. Physical environment counts!

In Toronto, much of the year for about three seasons is quite cool. Our summers, however, are muggy at least half the season due to our proximity to a giant lake. As a result, my wardrobe includes not only winter coats and medium-to-heavyweight tailoring, but also linen and the most breathable summer clothes I can get (along with casual things, of course).

This reminds me of something: many newcomers to Toronto/Canada are dismayed by our winters and sport the biggest, warmest parkas they can find. The Canadians are the ones whom you'll see in wool coats and a few lighter layers all through the season, along with good headgear and gloves. Having lived there longer, they know how overheated the indoors can be and also how nippy the wind gets on the fingers and ears. The others will have a nice toasty centre and be frostbitten everywhere else.

 

[radicaldog]

This recent Drakes shot makes for a useful comparison, I think:

I think the guy at the front in the soft cord suit looks fine, even good actually. The guy at the back looks like he's in costume. Ditch the tie and swap the flannels for jeans and he'd be fine. With chinos I'd also ditch the shirt.

 

[jack webb]

This recent Drakes shot makes for a useful comparison, I think:

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I think the guy at the front in the soft cord suit looks fine, even good actually. The guy at the back looks like he's in costume. Ditch the tie and swap the flannels for jeans and he'd be fine. With chinos I'd also ditch the shirt.

The cream-colored sweater (if that is what it is) wrapped around the front guy's waist beneath his jacket looks off. He should just carry it.

 

[radicaldog]

The cream-colored sweater (if that is what it is) wrapped around the front guy's waist beneath his jacket looks off. He should just carry it.

Nah it looks quite natural to me: he could've been wearing that sweater and then taken it off once the day warmed up. Carrying a sweater around would look weirder--who does that?

 

[Mercman]

More inspiration: I think Nicolas Gabard looks great here. I probably wouldn't wear those shoes, but they go very well with his vibe.

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This reminds me of an old @dieworkwear post about the casual structured cut.

Very stylish-looking guy. I love the sports jacket in particular. He looks great in my opinion.

ps, I agree about the shoes though.

 

[Hellbent]

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo and Niki Lauda. Very stylish, navy and great fit. Barely touching on CM though. But imagine great shoes, and sport coats hidden from view.

 

[JJ Katz]

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I think the guy at the front in the soft cord suit looks fine, even good actually. The guy at the back looks like he's in costume. Ditch the tie and swap the flannels for jeans and he'd be fine. With chinos I'd also ditch the shirt.

Dude... why are you even in CM forum?!? Which guy looks better is arguably a matter of opinion (personally I find the current micro-trend for cord suits and indifferent shirts sorta the worst of both worlds; neither smart nor really casual/easy).
But if you think that in Edinburgh, of all places, the guy at back is in "costume" then your understanding of the term, of Cm and basically of aesthetics is just miserable.

 

[radicaldog]

But if you think that in Edinburgh, of all places, the guy at back is in "costume" then your understanding of the term, of Cm and basically of aesthetics is just miserable.

I don’t know about you, but I lived in Scotland for four years—in this century. A guy in his early twenties dressed in flannels, tweed, and tie sticks out like a sore thumb there.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

I don’t know about you, but I lived in Scotland for four years—in this century. A guy in his early twenties dressed in flannels, tweed, and tie sticks out like a sore thumb there.

I lived in Newcastle, just down the road, most of my adult life and my impression is exactly the same as this. The only ordinary person I've ever seen wearing tweed in Edinburgh was me!

 

[comrade]

I don’t know about you, but I lived in Scotland for four years—in this century. A guy in his early twenties dressed in flannels, tweed, and tie sticks out like a sore thumb there.

Or is a member of the Royal family.

 

[radicaldog]

Or is a member of the Royal family.

The younger royals don't even wear that stuff any more.