Springtime is almost upon us, and although it certainly doesn’t excite the #menswear world like Autumn (does anything come close?), its arrival often brings welcome relief from the cold and anticipation for the summer ahead. And although the season for seersucker and sundresses is nigh, the key to spring is to not jump the gun; embrace the warm weather, but show some restraint. Summer’s not here yet.
For some folks, spring is a time for pastels and bright colors; there’s nothing wrong with that, but as you can see I prefer to keep things simple and muted. I try to move away from the deep, saturated colors of fall and trade those items in for a lighter, dustier-colored palette. Feel free to wear pink chinos and green bowties if that’s what you’re into – this is what you’ll find me wearing.
Chinos. Now is a great time to begin moving away from denim as your go-to choice for casual pants. Chinos are available in every color imaginable; however, I prefer traditional hues in the tan, off-white, and grey spectrum. A slim-straight fit is popular these days, but find whatever suits you best. J. Crew and Uniqlo are great places for reasonably priced chinos, and any other respectable clothing store should have a good selection as well.
A rain coat. It’s the season for April showers – don’t get caught off guard. I do love a good trench coat, but it’s nice to have a more casual option on hand. This classic rain coat from GANT has kept me dry in lots of stormy situations.
Loafers. Whether tassel or penny, calf, shell, or suede, a loafer is a great addition to any shoe rotation once the weather warms up. The pair above is a model by Brooks Brothers and is a great example of the classic penny – whether you wear socks or not is up to you.
Lightweight blazer. An unlined and patch-pocketed blazer in a casual fabric like cotton will take you through the coming months and into Summer. These are perfect for wearing with a tie-less shirt and chinos while drinking a beverage on an outdoor patio…in my experience. The blazer above is from Boglioli, but many other Italian brands put out products similar to this.
Chambray Shirt. Chambray is a great mid-weight material for casual wear. It looks great with a button-down collar, and will be at-home with those chinos you’re wearing instead of denim. My chambray shirt is from Proper Cloth; options can also be found from J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, and more
Gingham. This pattern looks great on shirts, but it can be found on blazers, ties, and just about anything else this time of year. I prefer my gingham to be navy blue and on shirts, but you decide what’s best for your wardrobe. Pictured: a navy gingham shirt from J. Crew.
A casual belt. There are a lot of different casual belts out there – surcingle, woven, ribbon, and more. It’s hard to go wrong with a solid color or simple ribbon stripe, but I went full prep with this vintage nautical-themed D-ring.
A colorful pocket square. This is where I might add a bit of color to my spring kit. A square in a light, bouncy silk or cotton can get some good use right about now. The square above is from Put This On’s Gentleman’s Association.
NATO strap for your favorite watch. Like the casual belt, this is a way to add some playful color into your usual ensemble. NATO straps are inexpensive and can be added to virtually any watch. J. Crew, Central Watch, and Ebay are good sources of NATO straps. Need a watch to put on it? It’s hard to go wrong with a Timex Easy Reader.
Raw silk tie. I like raw silks all year round, but they look particularly good in the springtime; they add a bit of texture now that our tweeds and flannels have been put away for a while. This tie is made by Breuer for Khaki’s of Carmel, but you can also find raw silk from Drake’s and Conrad Wu.
For more Seasonal Selections, click here.
