Style Archives | The Art of Manliness

How to Trim Your Eyebrows

Brett & Kate McKay — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:55:13 +0000

When you stop to think about it, eyebrows are pretty dang weird. On our otherwise smooth upper faces, we’ve got these two strips of hair that sit above our eyeballs.

One theory as to why we have eyebrows is that they keep rain and sweat from running into our eyes. But their primary purpose seems to be for communication; they convey the subtleties of our emotions. If eyes are the windows to the soul, eyebrows are the signposts to our mood.

As for my own eyebrows, I’ve got quite the set of thick and furry ones. Kate and my kids say that my brows, coupled with my Roman nose and serious demeanor, make me resemble Sam the Eagle from the Muppets. I’ll take that. Sam the Eagle has gravitas!

My thick, distinguished eyebrows seems to be a distinctive feature of my mom’s side of the family. A few years ago we went to a family reunion where Kate got to meet my aunts, uncles, and cousins. She observed that we all sported the same characteristically bushy over-eye fur. Must be a dominant gene.

I never had to maintain my thick eyebrows that much in my youth, but now that I’m in middle age, they can get pretty gnarly. As you get older, long-term exposure to hormones causes the follicles for your eyebrows, as well as those for nose and ear hair, to grow thicker and longer.

Nowadays, if I don’t take care of my eyebrows, instead of looking distinguished, they get to looking like like big, furry, unsightly caterpillars. Consequently, I’ve had to start regularly trimming my brows.

If your eyebrows could similarly use a trim, here to show us how its done is none other than Sam the Eagle. It was only proper that he’d be our guide in the way of distinguished, dignified, well-groomed brows.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

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Tucking in Your T-Shirt

Brett & Kate McKay — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:31:04 +0000

Thanks to its versatility, the t-shirt has been a style staple since the middle of the 20th century. You can exercise and do chores in a t-shirt, and you can also wear it as part of a smart casual get-up for a first date.

I love t-shirts. It’s what I wear most days working from home.

For most of my life, I never tucked in my tees.

Like many people my age, I thought tucking in your t-shirt was something that only your dad or the dorky kid at your school who had no fashion sense did.

Well, I don’t know if there’s something that happens in brain development when you hit 40, and turn into your father, but I’ve been tucking in my t-shirt a lot more these days.

And I’ll be damned; I think it can look pretty sharp in certain situations. Even if you’re not middle-aged or someone’s Pops.

Below, I offer some guidelines that I follow when tucking in my t-shirt so that the vibes it gives off are more 1950s Marlon Brando than 1990s Bugle Boy.

The Evolution of the Tucked-in T-Shirt

While we wear t-shirts as a regular piece of clothing these days, they were originally underwear. Because they were underwear, men would tuck their t-shirts into their briefs or boxers to create a seamless undergarment beneath their outer clothes.

During WWII, GIs would often remove their buttoned uniform top and just wear their undershirt with their uniform trousers. They kept their tee tucked in to maintain a clean, disciplined look even though they weren’t in full uniform.

After WWII, veterans continued to wear their undershirts with trousers while working around the house. They kept their t-shirts tucked in because, well, that’s how they’d done it during the Big One.

That’s how most men in the United States wore their tees from the 1950s onward: tucked in.

As time marched on and style became more casual in the U.S., more and more men stopped tucking in their t-shirts. Wearing their t-shirts untucked was a way to separate themselves from the more uptight generation of their parents. Contributing to the trend was the fact that fewer men served in the military after the Vietnam War, and thus didn’t get into the tucked-in tee habit while in the service.

There was a short resurgence of tucked-in t-shirts in the 1990s, but then it faded along with Beanie Babies.

You’re starting to see more people — particularly young people, of both sexes — tuck in their t-shirts again. A lot of it is driven by Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s nostalgia for the 1990s. My ten-year-old daughter tucks in her t-shirts (emblazoned with the Vans logo — didn’t see that resurgence coming either). She loves that “90s vibe.“

The Benefits of Tucking in Your T-Shirt

Since I started tucking in my tee more often, I’ve discovered three benefits to the practice:

A tucked-in tee accentuates your v-shape. Having the masculine v-shape — broad shoulders that taper to a narrow waist — is attractive. When you tuck in your t-shirt, you accentuate your v-shape; it gives definition to your waist and makes your shoulders look broader.

A tucked-in t-shirt looks put-together. A tucked-in t-shirt provides a clean line between your torso and your legs. It looks a little sharper than an untucked tee, which bunches and wrinkles as it drapes over your waistband. When you tuck in your t-shirt, it looks like you mean business.

A tucked-in t-shirt is practical. Your untucked t-shirt can get snagged on things in your environment. When your t-shirt is untucked, you no longer have to worry about that. This is why I’ve even been tucking my t-shirts into my gym shorts when I work out.

Guidelines for Tucking in Your T-Shirt

Get a properly fitting T-shirt. A t-shirt that is too big won’t look good tucked in. It will give you that early 1990s Bugle Boy dork look. You also don’t want to go too tight either. We’ve got the guidelines for proper fit here.

Note that a tucked-in t-shirt looks best on those with a fit physique. If you’ve got a paunch, a tucked-in tee will only accentuate it, and you’ll probably want to keep your shirt untucked.

Keep it simple. Opt for t-shirts without prominent patterns, text, or busy designs. Go for simple stripes or a solid color. It will just look sharper. That doesn’t mean you can’t ever tuck in a graphic tee. I’ve got a few graphic tees that I tuck in occasionally, but the designs are simple.

Stick with long pants for your bottom garment. I’ve tried tucking in my t-shirt with a pair of khaki shorts and it didn’t look good. Too 1990s dad-ish. Stick with tucking your tees into long pants — jeans and chinos. The one exception for shorts that I make is when I’m working out. Tucking my tee into my shorty gym shorts makes me feel like a Golden Era bodybuilder.

Layer with a jacket. Layering your tucked-in t-shirt is something that I like to do. It adds some depth and interest to your look. I like to wear a cotton field jacket when I tuck in my t-shirt. A jean jacket, chore coat, or unstructured blazer would work as well.

Get a cool belt. Wearing a cool belt gives you an excuse to tuck in your t-shirt: you’re tucking in your tee so people can see your rad belt. My go-to belt when I tuck in my t-shirt is the Cowboy belt from Zilker (that’s what I’m sporting in the left pic above). I also like to rock a thicker, more traditional leather belt, which has a cool Thunderbird belt buckle that I found on eBay (right photo). Besides adding some visual interest to your tucked-in t-shirt fit, a belt also accentuates your waist a bit more, enhancing your v-shaped silhouette.

Like I said above, I don’t tuck in my t-shirt all the time. But it’s nice to have it as a styling option to mix into my get-ups. Give it a try yourself, and see if it just might be one of those things that Dad got right.

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Skill of the Week: Match Your Shoes With Your Suit

Brett and Kate McKay — Sun, 02 Jun 2024 17:15:54 +0000

An important part of manhood has always been about having the competence to be effective in the world — having the breadth of skills, the savoir-faire, to handle any situation you find yourself in. With that in mind, each Sunday we’ll be republishing one of the illustrated guides from our archives, so you can hone your manly know-how week by week.

Once you have your shirt and tie put together, you need to match your shoes to your suit. To do this, know that there are three main colors of dress shoe — black, brown, and burgundy/oxblood — to go with five main colors of suit — light gray, dark gray/charcoal, navy blue, brown, and black. You can’t wear any shoe with any suit, so use the above illustration to help you make the appropriate selection. The only suits that go with every color shoe, and therefore are the most versatile, are navy blue and light gray. The least versatile suit — black — should really only be paired with black shoes.

When you have multiple options of shoe color, how do you know what to go with? Keep the following in mind to determine what color shoe to wear to any given event (and use the dress shoe hierarchy to then determine the right style):

Burgundy/oxblood — more casual, stylish, creative; less formal
Brown — versatile; not casual but not formal; middle of the road and safe
Black — formal, getting down to business

Remember too: your belt should always be the same color as your shoes.

Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.

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Summer Smart Casual: 3 Getup Ideas for the Office, Date Night, and Weddings

Brett & Kate McKay — Thu, 23 May 2024 14:23:55 +0000

The summer season is just about upon us, and its warmer weather means switching up your wardrobe towards a lighter summer style.

When people typically think about dressing for the summer, they think about dressing for trips to the lake or beach or for backyard BBQs with friends. Getups for those sorts of events are pretty dang easy: a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, or a polo shirt if you want to be a bit dressier, will usually do the trick.

But what about situations that require a little more polish? How can you summer-fy your smart casual outfits?

Our buddies over at Huckberry have updated their smart casual offerings to include options for warmer weather. Below they’ve put together three summer smart casual outfits that will cover you for the office, date night, and a wedding.

All of these outfits keep things light, breezy, and casual, while adding an element of stylish intentionality that will ensure you look sharp and elevate the occasion.

Be sure to check out all of Huckberry’s summer smart casual offerings in their Smart Casual Shop.

Summer Smart Casual: The Office

For a summer smart casual office outfit, find a light casual jacket. It will add a bit of professionalism, while still keeping things casual. Pairing it with a knit polo can really bring texture to your outfit, and texture is one of the easiest ways to introduce visual interest to a plainer getup.

Summer Smart Casual: Date Night

The goal here is to build something that gives off confidence and interest — all while looking like you haven’t tried too hard. Luckily this outfit provides a more relaxed look while also showing you’ve put in some effort! The unbuttoned camp shirt over a plain white tee will make you look like a chill dude and the huarache slip-ons are casual, but a big step up from flip flops.

Summer Smart Casual: Wedding

A blazer and a pair of chinos of the same color and lightweight fabric can become two of the most versatile pieces in your wardrobe. Each can be worn separately with a variety of other tops and bottoms. Put them together with a white button-down, and you’ve got a killer summer suit, perfect for a laid-back wedding.

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How to Pull Off White Jeans

Brett & Kate McKay — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:17:39 +0000

White jeans are a nice way to mix up the sartorial staple that is denim.

Not everyone is a fan of white jeans on dudes, though. They don’t like how high maintenance they seem — that you have to keep them clean, since spills and stains will show up prominently on the white fabric. Or they think the look is too bold, too Euro, or too 80s.

It’s true that white jeans are harder to keep spotless, but you don’t avoid wearing a white dress shirt just because it’s prone to stains, do you? Just be a little more vigilant. The intentionality and non-practicality of white jeans are part of what makes them look a little dressier and more stylish and refined than blue jeans, which makes them a great choice when you’re putting together a “smart casual” outfit.

It’s true too that they’re different, but they needn’t be different in a way that conforms to off-putting fashion stereotypes.

If you’re an average guy who’s thinking about trying white jeans for the first time, you’ve already summoned up the confidence to wear pants that will draw some extra attention, and probably don’t want additional attention due to the fact that you’re not wearing them well.

If you want to wear white jeans in a way that will stand out, but only in a good way, just follow these guidelines:

1) Don’t wear them if you’re on the heavier side. Black is slimming. White is widening. White jeans on a big dude will just enlarge his legs and make him look bigger. Only wear white jeans if you’re on the trimmer side.

2) Choose white jeans with some heft and structure. There are other white pants out there — white chinos and trousers. But these are even harder to pull off than white jeans and can feel too country club and foo-fooey or too much like the garb of the neighborhood ice cream man or an asylum employee. It’s the texture and structure of white jeans that tip white pants into pull-off-able territory. So lean into that when choosing a pair, opting for ones that have some heft and structure (and won’t show your underwear).

3) Only wear them in the spring and summer. Some fashion-forward style gurus will tell you you can wear white jeans year-round. And it’s true that the “no white after Labor Day” rule has loosened in modern times. But white still reads very much as a warmer weather color. If white jeans attract attention in any season, they’re going to garner some head-scratching stares in the dregs of February. So only bust them out in spring and summer. It’s actually nice to have some seasonal clothes you take out and put away as the year progresses; it’s a hedge against the horror of the same old thing.

4) Wear them with a blue top. White jeans are a blank canvas; you can pair them with a top in pretty much any color, except white; a white tee or dress shirt + white jeans creates a look that’s too homogenous, unless you’re also wearing a colored jacket on top (but then you won’t be able to remove the jacket without turning the outfit into a full-on white-out).

While you can pair your white jeans with a variety of colors, for the most foolproof, eye-pleasing combo, wear them with a blue top. You’re simply inverting your standard blue-jeans-on-bottom, white-shirt-on-top look.

This pairing can take the form of white jeans + a casual shirt like a blue henley or a blue and white striped tee. A navy polo + white jeans is a particularly good look.

Another can’t-miss combination is white jeans + a blue button-down. Choose a light blue Oxford (you have added an OCBD to your wardrobe, haven’t you?) or a denim or chambray shirt.

To up the formality level, add an unstructured blue sports jacket over your lighter blue button-down. A brown jacket works as well.

Once you’ve gotten more comfortable wearing white jeans, you can branch out to different color tops. Neutral colors (black, brown, gray), earth tones (tan, moss, olive), and pastels (mint green, pink) work well. Black or another solid, bold color does create a starker look, but this kind of color blocking can also draw the viewer’s eye upward, making you appear taller.

As far as footwear for any of these get-ups goes, it’s fine to wear white sneakers, though this monochrome look can create the visual effect of your pants melting into your shoes; if you go white/white, it’s best if your shoes are a different tone than your pants. Navy canvas sneakers, like Converse, look good when you’re wearing your white jeans with a blue top. When you’re wearing a button-down shirt, nicer sneakers still work for a more casual look, but when you’re trying to smarten the outfit up, opt for chukka boots or loafers.

If, even with the above confidence-increasing guidelines in your back pocket, you’re still not ready to wear bright white jeans, but want to dip your toes into the world of light-colored denim, try a pair in cream or off-white instead.

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A Guide to Shrinking Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans

Brett & Kate McKay — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:19:54 +0000

I wouldn’t call myself a denim-head, but I do appreciate a quality pair of jeans.

A type of jeans that I’ve experimented with in the past is raw denim jeans.

What’s raw denim?

Most denim jeans you buy today have been pre-washed and treated with a process called “sanforization” to soften up the fabric, reduce shrinkage, and prevent indigo dye from rubbing off. Raw denim (sometimes called “dry denim”) jeans are simply jeans made from denim that hasn’t gone through this prewash/treatment process.

The big selling point of raw denim jeans is that they start their life as a blank canvas that becomes personalized to you. While mass-produced jeans come with faux fading and distressing that is the same for every single pair, with raw denim, the fading and distressing are created by your body type and how you wear them. Also, the fit of raw denim becomes tailored to your body. Each pair ends up being uniquely yours, with a more custom look and feel.

If you want to try out raw denim jeans without breaking the bank, Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit (STF) jeans can’t be beat. (Note: I don’t have any affiliation with Levis, nor is this a sponsored post.) They’re an American classic (your grandpa probably owned a pair of Levi’s 501s), they only cost $50 on Amazon, and they’ll last you a long time.

Because 501 Shrink-to-Fit jeans haven’t been pre-washed, you have to go through a special sizing and shrinking process to end up with the right fit.

Levi’s provides some guidelines on how to go about this process. I followed them with mixed results.

Below, I share what those results were and the tips I gleaned from my experiment in shrinking Levi’s 501 STF jeans.

How to Size Your Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans

The key to getting the right fit with Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit jeans lies in understanding the sizing process and accounting for the shrinkage that will occur. The size you choose will depend on the shrinking process you plan to use. Levi’s provides the following option-dependent guidelines:

For the old-school technique, buy true to size in the waist and two sizes up in length. Wear them in the tub and keep them on to dry.
For those who want to machine wash and dry the jeans, we recommend ordering up. For your waist, increase 1″ for sizes 27″-36″, 2″ for 38″-48″, and 3″ for 50″ and up. And for your inseam, increase 3″ for sizes 27″-34″ and 4″ for 36″ and up.
For purists who like their denim unwashed, no need to size up. Buy them true to size.

To figure out which sizing/shrinking method provided the best results, I tried all three methods. Below are the results.

The Old-School Shrink-to-Fit Method

The old-school shrink-to-fit method requires you to buy 501s that are true to size in the waist and two sizes up in length. You then wear them in the tub and leave them on to dry.

I usually wear 33×32 in jeans, so this method required me to purchase 501s that are 33×34.

Instead of simply wearing the jeans in the tub, I opted for a more involved process that I’ve seen on other menswear sites that people claimed provided equal results without having to wear soaking wet jeans and drip indigo dye around the house. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Soak the Jeans

Fill your bathtub up with hot water. Turn the jeans inside out to minimize the amount of indigo dye lost during the soaking process. Place the jeans in the tub, ensuring the hot water fully covers them. Allow the jeans to soak for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

The indigo dye that came off during the soak.

Step 2: Hang Dry

Remove the jeans from the tub and hang them up in the shower. Let them hang until they’re no longer dripping with water.

Step 3: Towel Dry

Once your jeans have drip-dried, place them horizontally on the floor between two towels. Step on the towel-covered jeans to extract as much water as you can. Flip the jeans right side out and repeat stepping on the towels.

Step 4: Wear Your Damp Jeans

While the jeans are still damp, it’s time to put them on and let them dry on your body. As the jeans dry, they will shrink and conform to your body shape, resulting in a fit that is unique to you. I recommend going commando while wearing your damp jeans. Your body heat will help speed up the drying process. Also, I’d avoid doing this in the winter, lest you freeze your bits.

Make sure to avoid sitting on any light-colored upholstery during this time, as there’s a chance you’ll get some indigo rub-off on it.

Old-School Tub Method Results

Here’s what my 33×34 501s looked like before going through the old-school shrink-to-fit process:

Before

Here’s what they looked like after going through the old-school shrink-to-fit process:

After

The waist fit fine, but I wasn’t happy with the inadequate shrinkage that occurred along the inseam, and especially around the knees, where there was a lot of bunching. Overall, the jeans still felt too baggy and loose.

Perhaps they’ll shrink more if I soak them again.

The tub-soaking method also left me with jeans that felt pretty stiff. That will likely work its way out as I wear them regularly.

One advantage to the old-school tub method is that your jeans will keep more of their classic indigo denim color than if you do the washing machine method.

Overall, I wasn’t happy with the result this process gave me. The fit was too off.

Washing Machine and Dryer Method

I then tried method two: throw your jeans in the washing machine on the cold cycle and then tumble dry.

For this method, I needed to buy 501s that were one inch bigger than my waist size and three inches bigger than my inseam.

So, for a 33×32 pant size, I needed to buy 501s that were 34×35. Levi’s didn’t offer a 501 with a 35-inch inseam, so I went with 34x34s. Even if they offered a 35-inch inseam, I think they would have been way too big even after shrinking.

Make sure you launder the jeans with other very dark colors, as they’ll release plenty of indigo color in the wash and blue fuzz in the dryer. I set the dryer on medium heat.

Here’s what the 34×34 jeans looked like before shrinking:

Before

As you can see, they’re pretty dang big. Really, really baggy. I didn’t think they’d be able to shrink enough to provide a decent fit.

After the first wash and tumble dry, the 34×34 jeans shrunk more than I’d expected but were still a tad too baggy. So I put them through the washer and dryer again (continued shrinkage can occur over the first several washings and dryings).

Here’s what they looked like after that second washing and drying:

After

The waist fit perfectly. The inseam shrunk quite a bit. They’re a tad baggier than I like in jeans, but the overall fit was definitely better than the old-school method.

The other advantage of using the washer and dryer method is that the jeans feel less stiff and more broken-in than the ones treated with the old-school method.

Another thing you’ll notice with the washer/dryer method is that the color of your jeans will change to more of a royal blue. This is due to more indigo coming out of the fabric during the washing process. That could be a plus or minus, depending on your preference.

True-to-Fit, Shrink-to Fit-Jeans

I also tried buying a pair of 501s Shrink-to-Fit at my true-to-fit size.

Here’s what they look like:

Not too shabby. Again, a little baggier and bunchier in the knees than I think is ideal.

If you’re going to buy 501 Shrink-to-Fit Jeans with your true-to-fit size, you can’t ever wash them (yes, ever). They won’t fit you afterwards.

Which Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit Method Should You Use?

I thought the washer and dryer method provided the best fit out of all the methods. Also, it was a heck of a lot easier.

I can see the appeal of the tub method. It’s like making French press coffee. It feels like you’re crafting your jeans. I also liked the resulting color of the old-school shrunk jeans over those that went through the washer. But based on my experience, the ROI wasn’t worth it.

Regardless of the method you use, you’ll want to wash your jeans minimally over the first year to allow your unique fades to set in the fabric. If you’re happy with your current fit and want to maintain it, let them air dry after washing (or dry on your body to allow the fabric to further conform to your physique). If you want more shrinkage (the jeans will stretch out as you wear them), put them in the dryer.

Would I Recommend Shrink-to-Fit Jeans?

After all the rigamarole I went through with fitting the 501 STFs, I’ve decided it’s a lot of work to get a pair of jeans that fit . . . okay. The fit will perhaps improve with some more washings and wearings, but I still don’t think it will be as good as pre-washed pairs I’ve bought off-the-rack.

I get the appeal of shrink-to-fit jeans. They give you a more custom-made look and feel. It’s nostalgic. There’s a romantic feeling that you’re taking part in a process that your grandpa went through to get a nice-fitting pair of jeans. 2009, 27-year-old retrosexual Brett would be all over this; 2024, 41-year-old Brett, not so much. I’ll take pre-washed and pre-shrunk jeans. They look good without the hassle.

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The Dos and Don’ts of Applying Cologne

Brett & Kate McKay — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:46:59 +0000

When it comes to personal style, an oft-overlooked aspect is your fragrance. But fragrance is part of the impression you make — it influences how people perceive and remember you. Our sense of smell is much more sensitive than our sense of vision, and smell triggers memories better than any of the other senses.

Picking out a signature cologne can help set you apart from the pack. It could be one of Grandpa’s drugstore colognes, one of the colognes favored by history’s famous men, or something that’s unique to you (I’m a fan of Sportsman, myself). Whatever fragrance you select, you want to make sure you apply it right in order to optimize the results. The above guidelines will help ensure you don’t overpower people with your cologne, while allowing folks to smell the full range of scents in your fragrance.

For more insights on colognes for men, check out our in-depth article on the subject.

Illustrations by Ted Slampyak

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Skill of the Week: Put a Dimple in Your Tie

Patrick Hutchison — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 16:04:04 +0000

Whether it’s a shiny set of cufflinks, a vibrant pocket square, or a stylish chronograph watch, it’s the little things that make a man a gentleman when he dresses up for work or a special occasion. If you’ve already mastered how to tie a tie, consider stepping up your style game by adding a subtle dimple, sure to make you stand out in a room of flat Windsor knots.

Illustrated by Ted Slampyak

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Skill of the Week: Tie a Scarf 5 Different Ways

AoM Team — Sun, 14 Jan 2024 17:19:36 +0000

Scarves are a great way to stay toasty warm when the winter winds come biting. But many men don’t know how to tie a scarf in a masculine and confident way. There are actually a bunch of options to avail yourself of, the five best of which we’ve illustrated above.

The first three ways are for medium-length scarves and will serve you well in cool temperatures — above freezing and up into the 50s. The final two methods are for longer scarves and are better for days when the thermometer dips below freezing and things feel downright frigid.

Sport any of these different styles, and you’ll be a dapper fellow about town. For more details on them, as well as two additional tying methods, check out this article.

Illustration by Ted Slampyak

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3 Ways to Wear a Henley Shirt

Brett & Kate McKay — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:02:13 +0000

Henley shirts grew out of the uniform that rowers in the English town of Henley-on-Thames wore in the 19th century, as well as the top half of the union suit undergarment that was worn by miners and pioneers of the same era. Still today, the shirt serves well as either a stand-alone piece or a layer that can be worn under other garments.

Distinguished by a round neckline and a placket of buttons that extends several inches down the chest, the henley is like a collar-less polo, with a formality that sits below that shirt but a notch above a regular tee.

Henleys, which come in both short- and long-sleeve varieties, are easy to wear; just pair one with jeans and leather boots and you’ve got a simple, rugged look. But they also play very nicely with other pieces and can be used as the foundation for some visually interesting, put-together get-ups.

To get some inspiration on different ways to wear a henley with style, we asked Andrew Snavely from Primer Magazine to put together three looks for us that include this sartorial staple. Here are the three outfit ideas he created and why he thinks they’re great get-ups:

Outfit #1

In some ways the henley is a secret weapon. For the guy who always defaults to a hoodie and graphic t-shirt but is trying to improve on how he presents himself, swapping the hoodie for a hardy shawl collar cardigan and the graphic t-shirt for a henley keeps 100% of the comfort you’re looking for.

It almost feels like a cheat code: You can wear this to run a first-thing-in-the-morning errand or on a casual date without feeling out of place in either. That’s some seriously impressive versatility for a casual outfit that’s as comfortable as a hoodie and t-shirt.

Opt for a shawl collar sweater without much in the way of decorative knitting to avoid a festive spirit. Slide the shade of the jeans lighter or darker to adjust formality as needed.

Outfit #2

As temperatures drop, henleys make excellent base layers that still give you a pop of visual interest. For many climates – right up until winter hits full swing anyway – wearing several lighter layers instead of a couple heavier ones is more adaptable to body temperature changes from moving around a lot or coming in and out.

Layering a hoodie over the henley and plaid shirt will keep you plenty warm on cool days. As it gets even colder, you can add a jacket on top as well. (That might sound like too many layers, but I can attest that it looks great and doesn’t feel too constricting.)

By design this outfit looks purposeful with everything on, or just the henley and pants, and every step in between. That’s a testament to how great a henley can look on its own.

Outfit #3

Henleys aren’t just t-shirts with buttons. They can come in many weights, fabrics, and knits, like this heavier sweater.

With a sweater henley like this, it works as a middle layer, taking the place of, say, a v-neck sweater, giving you the option to wear a t-shirt underneath. Paired with a black leather jacket like this trucker jacket creates an easily wearable style with some intentional edge, and the olive chinos add just enough color to keep things from being too monotone. Put it all together, and this would be the perfect get-up for going to a concert, meeting up with colleagues outside of work, or some casual-but-cultural event like an art gallery opening.

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