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“Dressing well” when you're new to style can feel overwhelming. Often times when starting out guys buy complete outfits for different occasions or level of dress. A dress-only shirt for suits, casual-only shirts for weekends. But the real trick to always dressing well is finding the right staples to build a versatile foundation from which many looks, from casual to dressy and everywhere in between, can be built.
Here, fellow Primer reader Shane shows off how powerful a simple patterned shirt and chinos can really be.
Weekend Casual
Just because it's the weekend doesn't mean you should dress lazy. Be comfortable and well-dressed in this casual style perfect for a date at brunch or a farmer's market. With all of these Getups be mindful of the fitted profile of both the pants and the shirt. They are slim (but not tight) and that is paramount to their adaptability. You'll also notice where the pants fall, just below the ankle: As fits have become slimmer pant breaks across the board have become higher. This is also why the pants work with sneakers and dress shoes. Wider and longer pant legs become casual-only very quickly.
Dress
Flip to the other end of the spectrum, we simply add a knit tie, a navy blazer and suede loafers and we transform casual into a sharp look ready for a client meeting or a night out.
The Casual Office or Date
A shining example of how our choice in footwear determines the overall outfit, we take our casual Getup above and swap in suede wingtips. The look is now a step below business casual, ideal for looking intentional in a workplace with a loose dress code.
Business Casual
The semi-professional workplace can be the hardest to dress for: A jacket is too much, but an untucked button-up isn't enough. Create a classic look by pairing the gingham shirt with a traditional striped tie and opt for a pair of dark brown moc loafers. The darker leather adds a dash of dressiness but the moc style grounds them in a more casual territory. As always, going sockless is inherently casual.
