the basics of not being basic
A label can say some thing about who you are.
Brands mean something, they carry provenance, they have identity. But since the ubiquity of streetwear, popularised by Off-White, Balenciaga et al. The logo has made us lazy. A humiliating rhetoric from men who cant dress has occurred suggesting that just because Steve Jobs wore the same roll neck, and Zucks imagination doesn’t extend beyond the same blue / grey tee every morning, the rich don’t need to dress well. That this formula somehow separates the rich from poor, that it’s somehow enigmatic, and interesting to lack creativity. Well Steve Jobs actually looked like a homeless uncle and if you think MZ is cool, you’re not welcome here. More interestingly, with 56 million millionaires (and rising) around the world at the end of 2020, being wealthy isn’t just easy, if all you’re going to do is stick to the same formula and become a sheep, its boring.
YOU WILL BE A SHEEP UNTIL YOU STOP OBSESSING OVER WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WILL LIKE YOU FOR.
You need to think about details you love, your character, experience, wisdom and interest. And fuck me you need to relax. Real identity. Our experiences make us who we are, but to show that you truly love all of life’s lessons on first impressions, you should dress like you mean it. A large logo, oversized tee every day is unoriginal, a waste, generic. Every Balenciaga release is copied overnight by Boohoo Man for god sakes.
If you want to show the world that your purpose is to live well, with intent every day, you need to stop being basic, and start wearing proper tailoring.
Bizarrely men have become afraid of tailoring. It’s as though you will be judged by someone for trying too hard, for thinking that you’re better perhaps, or for looking too stiff and straight. Here’s a fact. If you turn up in impeccable tailoring because you wanted to make an effort for yourself, as a presentation of your experience and intent, you ARE automatically better than the person that thinks you’re trying too hard.
They have given up.
They are afraid.
At best you’ll be an inspiration to them, at worst, you’ll lose someone who wasn’t a good friend anyway.
Tailoring can be overwhelming, but knowing the foundations is simple, the execution is comfortable, and the result can open up conversations with anyone you want. The foundations are as simple as:
Trousers, tailored slim, with a higher rise waist than you are used to.
Blazers or jackets, with soft shoulders, that cover your ass, and nip in at the waist.
Shirts, slim, attention paid to collars and cuffs.
T-shirts and sweaters, cut to sit neatly under jackets and tucked into trousers, possibly accentuating arm day, but never spoken of.
Shoes, made to last at least ten years, and kept with polish and trees.
Accessories which will forever be a flex.
There will always be room for high end street wear in a wardrobe. Perhaps for going to the gym before changing, long haul flights and the odd day when the drink the night before makes you believe you simple cannot. Tailoring however will always separate you in the best way. Elevate you into your intent, and make you better than the basic.
Shop the not so basics:
