Is there a singular definition for ‘stylish’ menswear?

It’s not about spending wads of cash on your wardrobe; it’s about identifying your style and acing it

Who’s the first person you think of when it comes to the most stylish man in the world? David Beckham? The footballer’s consistently shown us there’s nothing he can’t pull off—although he probably looks best bare-chested. How about a character from a Bond film? Roger Moore. Sean Connery. Daniel Craig. All three—sorry, Pierce Brosnan—have established that a made-to-perfection suit is 007’s superhero costume and can work just as well IRL. Or maybe you’re leaning towards a younger gent: Timothée Chalamet or Riz Ahmed? Even a fictional character such as television series Succession’s Kendall Roy? Whoever you’ve thought of, chances are that they exude a sense of sharpness that’s free of any tricky styling stunts, attention-grabbing accessories and OTT flamboyance. And here’s why: regardless of changing trends, good style is best served crisp.

But after two long what-the-hell-happened years, where sweatpants usurped the mighty suit and loungewear became kosher, men are ready to look like their best selves again, even if it means wearing pared-down clothes. But the question is: what kind of dresser are you now? Moreover, what is even the definition of ‘dressing well’ anymore?

The venture capitalist

We’ve just been through a period that will go down in the annals of sartorial history as the year that fashion forgot. A saggy, baggy, 12-month-long acquiescence to sweatpants, T-shirts and slippers. But that’s not to say you want to go the other extreme and wear your rigid jeans round the clock, especially if you’re embracing a hybrid lifestyle. So what lies in between? A transitionary wardrobe where your sweatpants play a supporting role and your trousers and chinos make a comeback—best served with a white shirt, a half-sleeved linen shirt or a slim-fit polo. Add a pair of loafers, moccasins or boat shoes that replace your sneakers three times a week. While this may not be everyone’s go-to downtime style, it’s the kind of casual dressing embraced largely by financiers, lawyers and businessmen (you’ll never catch them in anything oversized or elastic) and is directly proportional to the money in their bank account.

The luxury dresser

In the aughts, as garish logos became synonymous with fashion victims and brand-whoring, things eventually became minimal for a while. Today, upstart streetwear brands laden with nostalgia from the ’90s are bringing logos back as wearable signs of cool, while luxury houses such as Burberry and Louis Vuitton are pushing you to have their names emblazoned across your chest. But wearing luxury for the sake of it isn’t good enough. It either has to mean something to you, or the brand you’re wearing needs to resonate with your personality. Of the five guys around you who are dressed in the same manner, the only one who will come out winning is the one with the most confidence—a bi-product of being comfortable in your own skin. Remember, if it ain't personal, it's posing.

The streetwear king

This is a style favoured by pretty much every man right now, and endorsed heavily by celebrities, sportsmen and new-age billionaires. But know that while famous people are often getting captured by the paparazzi for their exuberant style, you’re probably getting questionable stares from people who are wondering if you’re wearing the real deal or gone thrift-shopping. There’s a difference between cool and cringe, and piling on a bunch of streetwear labels doesn’t make you lean towards the former.

The key is to refrain from wearing all your streetwear pieces together. An oversized T-shirt with muted bottoms. Slick, tailored joggers that hit your ankles without bunching up (never push one side higher than the other)—with a neutral-hued T-shirt made out of Egyptian cotton that doesn’t resemble your nightwear. Extravagant accessories with pared-down clothes. You want to look luxurious, never lounge-y.

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