Synthetic workout shirts were supposed to represent a great leap forward in performance wear.

Unlike cotton shirts, which soak up your sweat and become wet and heavy, synthetic fabrics, typically made of polyester, wick away moisture, keeping you cool and dry.

Unfortunately, this advantage comes with a significant downside: they can smell terrible. Terrible. This isn’t just anecdotal observation: sweaty synthetic shirts have been scientifically proven to smell worse than sweaty cotton ones. 

There’s something special about the way body odor mixes with polyester that makes for a particularly repugnant scent.

While polyester repels water, it attracts bodily oil and the smelliest kind of bacteria. And while this stinky grime doesn’t get pulled into the fibers of synthetic fabric, it winds up trapped between them, where it becomes stubbornly hard to remove. 

This is why your synthetic workout shirt can still smell even after you’ve put it through the wash. And why even if it doesn’t smell coming out of the dryer, it almost instantly starts to stink again when you begin your next workout. The bacteria was never fully washed away in the first place and got reactivated as soon as you started to sweat. This phenomenon is evocatively known as the “rebloom effect.”

Your regular wash routine isn’t sufficient to get the stubborn stink out of synthetic workout shirts. It requires a special HIIT-level effort.

If you prefer to wear synthetic shirts when you work out, but don’t want to knock over fellow members of your running club with your odor, here’s the field-tested cleaning method we recommend:

Buy a week’s worth of workout shirts. Washing your workout shirts requires a special, and especially aggressive, method that isn’t needed or desirable for your other clothes. So you’re going to be washing your workout shirts in their own dedicated wash. Given that you don’t want to do this special wash every few days, buy a week’s worth of workout shirts to batch this chore. This doesn’t have to be a pricey investment: all synthetic shirts pretty much function the same, so you don’t need to get a name brand; even Amazon Essentials’ shirts (2 for $18) work fine. Getting inexpensive shirts will also help you feel better about engaging in the aggressive wash method outlined below.

Keep your dirty shirts in their own ventilated hamper. Because moisture breeds bacteria, experts often recommend hanging up your dirty workout shirts after you take them off to give them a chance to dry out. But the average person is not going to hang up their sweaty workout tops. It still isn’t a good idea to crumple them up in a plastic hamper, though, where their moisture will molder, and their stink will get on your other clothes. So adopt a compromise position: put dirty shirts in a well-ventilated mesh hamper where they’ll at least get some air. Drape your most recently used ones over the outside edges of the hamper so they can get max airflow and dry out faster.

Turn your shirts inside out before washing. This will maximize contact between the shirts’ most soiled areas and the water and detergent.

Use the washer’s heavy-duty hot-water cycle. The manufacturers of workout clothes recommend washing their garments in cool water and drying them on low heat in order to preserve their structural integrity. They warn that hot washing/drying can damage their shirts — causing them to shrink, stretch, or lose their shape. So if you wear expensive, premium workout gear, you may want to heed this warning and treat your shirts delicately.

However, we’ve found that even when using a special detergent designed for workout clothes, a cool cycle just isn’t as effective for stink-removal as a hot one, and a hot wash/dry doesn’t seem to do much damage to synthetic shirts. They still last for years and years. Plus, if you’re already wearing the bargain kind, you may not care if their longevity is slightly diminished. 

Set the washer to the hot heavy-duty cycle + presoak + extra rinse.

Don’t overdo the detergent. You might think that using extra soap will make the wash extra effective at removing grime. But using too much detergent will actually backfire, as it creates residue that traps more of the odor-causing bacteria in your shirts. With doing laundry generally, you can often use 30-50% less detergent than the detergent manufacturer calls for and still have your clothes come out clean. So when you’re washing your workout shirts, rather than using more detergent than the bottle suggests, use a little less.

There are special detergents made for washing workout clothes, but we’ve found that a standard detergent works fine, as long as you pair it with the next step:

Presoak the shirts with OxiClean. OxiClean is the secret sauce in getting the stink out of workout shirts. Depending on load size and level of shirt-stink, add a half to full scoop and let soak for four hours. You can soak longer, but then the hot water will cool before the wash cycle starts; you want to strike a balance between soak time and maintaining water temp.

As mentioned above, use the extra rinse function on your washer with this wash to better eliminate residual grime, detergent, and OxiClean.

Dry on high heat. Again, the manufacturers of synthetic workout shirts don’t recommend this. But while a hot dry cycle may or may not get hot enough to kill bacteria outright (it depends on the particular dryer), it will ensure your shirts get thoroughly dry and don’t retain residual, bacteria-breeding moisture. And we haven’t noticed any damage in drying workout shirts this way. But if you’ve got nice shirts you’re worried about, dry them on low heat or air dry.

Don’t use dryer sheets. Dryer sheets work by depositing a softening, static-reducing chemical compound on your clothes. This coating not only reduces the moisture-wicking ability of synthetic shirts but also traps odor-causing bacteria in the fabric. 

Instead of using dryer sheets, we use these wool balls in all our loads. They don’t reduce static to the same degree as dryer sheets, but their natural nature, reusability, and workout-shirt-compatibility are a plus.

Whew, just considering all these steps feels like a workout in itself. You might want to make peace with those soggy cotton tees, after all. 

The post How to Get the Stink Out of Synthetic Workout Shirts appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

Way back in 2010, I bought a vintage wool mackinaw cruiser on eBay. 

Boy, was it a handsome jacket. 

I got a great winter season of wear out of it. 

When spring arrived, I put my mackinaw in the coat closet and forgot about it. 

When we had our first cold snap the subsequent fall, I opened the closet door and took my mackinaw off the hanger, only to notice several holes scattered throughout the coat. 

A pack of wool-eating moths had savaged my poor jacket.

If you want to prevent your clothing from facing a similar fate, read on for some clothes-saving tips.

Clothing Moths: Know Your Enemy

If you see moths flying around your house, they’re probably not the kind of moths that eat clothes. 

The two species of moths that eat clothing material are case-bearing (or casemaking) clothes moths and common (or webbing) clothes moths. They’re tiny (about 1 cm) and like to stay in the dark, which is why you probably won’t see them eating your clothes. 

Both moths prefer snacking on clothes made from materials that originate from animals: wool, leather, feathers, and fur. You know — the kind of materials that make up your nicer, more expensive clothes like cashmere sweaters . . . and mackinaw cruisers.  

Clothing moths are snooty; they generally avoid plant-based fabrics like cotton and steer clear of synthetic fabrics. Only the best, protein-rich fibers for these babies.

Clothing moths damage your clothing when they’re still tiny larvae. The larvae munch on your clothes like caterpillars on cabbage leaves. All that delicious animal material prepares them to metamorphosize into mature winged moths. If you do get a chance to see a small, winged clothing moth flying in your closet, it’s probably already eaten its way through your clothing.

Besides clothing moths, another potential clothes-destroying insect to be aware of is the carpet beetle. They’re bigger and easier to see, and you can often kill carpet beetles before they start chewing through your clothes. Like clothing moths, carpet beetles like to eat clothes made from animal products. 

How to Protect Clothing from Moths

Clean clothes before you put them away (both daily and for the season). The heat from the hot water cycle on your washer and a tumble in the dryer will kill moths in your clothes. But most clothes that are susceptible to moths (sweaters, suits) are more delicate in nature and shouldn’t be given the washer/dryer treatment. Instead, when you take these garments off for the day, spot clean them to remove any hair or food particles, as these things will attract moths. Give your suit a brushing before you hang it back up; this will remove the aforementioned debris, as well as skin cells and pet dander, which moths also like. A good brushing will help your suit last longer anyway.

When your delicate, moth-vulnerable clothes become more soiled, get them dry-cleaned; dry-cleaning will kill any eggs or larvae embedded in them.

Be sure to also dry-clean your garments before putting them away for the season. This will keep your clothes from smelling musty when you take them out of storage, but more importantly, dry-cleaning will kill any moths lurking in your clothing. 

Store clothing when not in use. Your best bet in protecting your clothes from moth damage is to store them in airtight plastic bags and tubs when you’re not using them for the season. 

This was my fatal mistake with my mackinaw. I just hung it up in a dark, musty closet — the kind of environment in which clothing moths thrive. 

For coats and suits you wear in the colder months, store them away in garment bags once winter is over. Make sure to duct tape off the hole at the top of the bag that the hanger goes through. Clothing moths will take advantage of any crevice to get to your tasty, tasty garments.

Compression bags are great for storing winter sweaters. They keep moths away from your clothes and save space. 

Use cedar and lavender if you wish, but not exclusively. One common tactic to repel moths is using cedar (in the form of hanger blocks, balls, and chests) and lavender (in the form of flower buds tied up in a sachet). Cedar has natural oils that kill clothing moth larvae, but don’t work against eggs or adults. Lavender doesn’t kill eggs or larvae, but the scent does seem to repel adult clothing moths. 

The effect of cedar and lavender fades with time. You must keep replenishing your drawers with new cedar balls or lavender bags. 

Given their lack of full, egg-to-adult efficiency and their expiring nature, experts don’t recommend relying solely on cedar and lavender to prevent moth damage. 

By all means, hang a lavender bag or cedar block in your closet (they smell nice, if nothing else), but make sure to keep your wool clothing in appropriate containers for long-term storage. 

What About Mothballs? 

When you think about protecting your clothes from moths, you probably think of mothballs. Your grandparents may have used mothballs, and when you catch a whiff of them today, the smell instantly transports you back to their house.

Back in the day, synthetic clothes (and carpets) hadn’t made their debut yet, so folks had more woolen items for moths to lodge in and feed on. So moths were a bigger issue for our grandparents than they are for us, and to protect their clothes, they reached for an effective, if odoriferous, solution: mothballs. 

While mothballs are still around today, they’re not an ideal strategy for dealing with moths.

Mothballs work by releasing a gas that kills moths in all their developmental stages. You put some in with clothes inside a sealed container, and the balls fumigate that container and the clothes within it. 

When you use mothballs, you shouldn’t be too exposed to their fumes because they’re released inside a sealed container, and when you go to remove your clothes from it, you should do so in a well-ventilated area, let the clothes air out for a few days, and then wash them before wearing. But even though you can minimize your exposure and there are newer formulations of the product that are less smelly, mothballs are still a chemical pesticide associated with ill health effects. 

So only consider using mothballs if you have a severe clothing moth infestation and nothing else has worked to keep your clothes from getting munched on. They also work against carpet beetles. 

What to Do If You Have a Clothing Moth Infestation

Storing and cleaning your clothes regularly will go a long way in preventing moth damage. 

If you do find clothing moths have hit your wardrobe, you’ll need to do some clean-up to prevent further damage:

Throw away clothing that’s been significantly damaged. First, you can’t use that clothing anymore because moths have chewed a bunch of holes in it. Second, that garment likely has clothing moth eggs that will hatch into clothing moth larvae that will eat the rest of the clothing in your closet. To prevent that, throw away your damaged clothing. 

Launder and dry-clean the clothes you keep. We’re trying to kill any lingering eggs and larvae to prevent further damage. 

Thoroughly vacuum closet. Again, we’re trying to eliminate moths in any state that will be the source of more damage. 

Use mothballs as a last resort. The above should do the trick in cleaning up a clothing moth infestation, but if it doesn’t, bust out the mothballs. Continue keeping your clothes and closet clean.

The above also works for carpet beetles. 

There you go. How to protect your clothing from moths. 

Vintage mackinaw cruiser that I bought on eBay . . . your death was not in vain! The sacrifice of your handsome garment life will help save another’s. Rest in peace, my friend. 

The post How to Protect Your Clothing From Moths appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

If we’re going to be harkening back to the 1970s in terms of economic inflation, we might as well harken back to that decade for something much groovier: corduroy.

While corduroy clothes came to prominence during the age of gas shortages and boogie nights, they’ve never entirely gone out of style (though baggy 90’s-era corduroy pants — with enough roominess for proper hacky sacking — did their best to kill ’em off). Corduroy is classic. It’s soft — it actually derives from the same fabric as velvet. It’s warm and cozy — perfect for colder months. It’s durable — and stain-resistant too. Plus it sports a pleasing, tactile texture that not only feels great to touch but stands out (and not just because of the swooshing sound it can make when you walk).  

The uniqueness of corduroy does give men some hesitation in how to incorporate it into their wardrobe. You yourself may have wondered: “How do I wear this ribbed fabric stylishly, and what do I wear it with?”

Below, we’ll provide you with some pointers.

A Few General Guidelines on Wearing Corduroy

Corduroy is casual. Depending on its cut and style, the formality of corduroy pants is about on par with jeans and khakis. And while corduroy garments of all kinds can be dressed up or down a little, their dressiness tops out around the “smart-casual” level. It’s a fabric with laid-back vibes.

Thinner-wale=more formal / wider-wale=more casual. The cords of corduroy — its vertically-running ribs/ridges — are called wales. Each piece of corduroy fabric has a “wale count,” which represents its number of wales per inch. Thicker wales mean a lower wale count; thinner wales mean a higher wale count. A garment with a lower wale count (wider ribs) is more casual; a garment with a higher wale count (thinner ribs) is more formal (relatively speaking).

Thinner, finer wale (called pincord, pinwale, or needlecord) is often found on upper-body garments (shirts, blazers), with thicker wale being more common in pants. The exception to this rule is corduroy outerwear, which typically has a low wale count.

Don’t overdo it on the patterns/textures you pair with corduroy. Corduroy has a lot of texture and personality, so when you don a garment made of this fabric, allow it to be the star of your sartorial show. As a general (not iron-clad) rule, you don’t want to make your get-up too busy by pairing a corduroy piece with other boldly patterned/textured pieces. So, if you’re wearing corduroy pants, pair them with a smoother-knit sweater rather a chunky, ribbed one. Or if you’re wearing a corduroy blazer, layer it over it a solid-colored button-down rather than a loud plaid.

Also, unless you’re rocking a corduroy suit (and awesome for you if you are), you only want to wear one corduroy piece at a time.

How to Wear Corduroy

There are a lot of garments made with corduroy, including suits, outerwear jackets, and hats. Below we’ll offer some tips on wearing its most basic and common iterations: sports jackets, pants, and shirts.

How to Wear a Corduroy Sports Jacket/Blazer 

The corduroy sports jacket (often referred to as a blazer though it’s technically not one) may be associated with academic types, but, spiffy without being stuffy, it’s a good-looking piece regardless of your profession.

A corduroy sports jacket is a nice pick for when you want to look a little dressed up but still laid-back. Don one if you work in a more casual, but not jeans-and-t-shirt casual, workplace (like if you’re a teacher or a librarian — natch!) or to an event that feels special, but isn’t formal, like going out to dinner with your lady.

You’ll most often find corduroy sports jackets in various shades of brown, and the versatility of this color makes it a good option for adding to your wardrobe. You can also find jackets in green, burgundy, and navy, and those can certainly work if your budget and taste allow for purchasing a piece that will get less use and make you stand out more. 

Paul Newman demonstrates how, when styled differently, the look of a corduroy sports jacket can range from “eager professor” to “unassailable cool dude.”

On your bottom half, pair a corduroy sports jacket with jeans, chinos, or trousers, along with chukkas, leather boots, or dress shoes on the more casual end of the formality spectrum. Layer over a solid-color (it’s hard to go wrong with white) button-down, or a thin solid-color sweater or turtleneck (give the turtleneck a chance!). If you’re wearing a button-down, consider adding a more casual tie; in an exception to the rule of not pairing textured accessories with textured corduroy, a knit tie works well here. 

If the elbows wear out on your jacket, you can sew on some patches for the full professorial look.

How to Wear Corduroy Pants

Corduroy pants are more comfortable than jeans, and more interesting than chinos.

They come in a spectrum of colors, with brown, gray, green, and navy being the most common, and are available in a more trouser-like style, as well as the five-pocket variety; the former is a little dressier, and the latter is essentially interchangeable with jeans. But while corduroy sports jackets, with their thinner ribs, can be dressed up and down a bit more, corduroy pants, with their thicker ribs, establish a base that’s more immovably rooted in casualness.

To avoid the dated, baggy wide-leg look of the 90s era, choose corduroy pants with a slimmer, straighter cut. The pants should have little to no “break”; the bottom of the leg should hit the top of your shoes without the fabric folding/creasing over them.

Corduroy pants pair well with crewneck sweaters, henleys, solid-colored tees, turtlenecks, and casual button-down shirts. Couple a simple plaid with pants that complement one of its colors. A chambray shirt with brown corduroy pants also makes for an easy, winning combination. In the footwear department, reach for boots, chukkas, and leather or canvas sneakers. 

How to Wear Corduroy Shirts

Corduroy shirts are warm, comfortable, rugged, handsome, and stupid simple to wear.

Those made with a fine pinwale are more appropriate for wearing alone; those made with a thick cord are more appropriate for layering over another shirt. But both can do double-duty as either a stand-alone piece or an overshirt/shirt jacket. The latter option is perfect for fall when the weather is chilly, but not so cold you need to wear a full-on coat. Just layer your corduroy shirt over a henley or solid-color tee (white is classic), pair with jeans or chinos and some canvas sneakers or leather boots, and you’re good to go.

The post How to Wear Corduroy appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in June 2017.

The polo shirt is a true men’s style staple.

Yet despite its ubiquity in the male wardrobe, it’s not a garment that typically comes in for much affection or enthusiasm.

Perhaps this is because of the negative associations with which the polo shirt is laden. It is often thought of in terms of a uniform — either literally, as in the required get-up of a pizza delivery man or elementary school student, or metaphorically, as the go-to garb for corporate drones and preppy fraternity brothers. The polo is further seen as the default of the sartorially lazy — something a guy dons when an event requires a shirt with a collar, and he can’t be bothered to even button up an Oxford.

Yet the polo deserves a little more love than it typically gets. Falling between a t-shirt and a dress shirt, it’s the perfect garment for the many events in life that aren’t at all formal, but aren’t outright casual either. It’s a great shirt for summertime first dates, backyard BBQs, and when you’re not sure exactly where the plans for your day or evening will take you.

Even in terms of casual everyday wear, the cool, breathable polo shirt is just as easy and comfortable as a tee, but looks a notch more put together, so that swapping the former for the latter is a zero-effort way to upgrade your summer style.

And far from being blandly uniform, or only worn by one type of man, polos have been popular with widely varied groups, from Nantucket yachtsmen to West Coast skaters; there are different types of polos for different occasions, and they can be worn and styled in many different ways.

In other words, contrary to popular opinion, the polo shirt is quite versatile and can be sartorially interesting. Truly, the polo shirt is clutch.

Today we’ll take a look at how to elevate it beyond the realm of casual Fridays and suburban dad-dom — how to wear a polo with style.

A Brief History of the Polo Shirt

Despite the name by which it is now known, the polo shirt did not emerge from the “sport of kings” but from the game of tennis.

In its early days, tennis had a touch of aristocratic flare and was played in a get-up known as “tennis whites” — flannel trousers, a dress shirt (with sleeves rolled up), and even a tie. Thick, heavy, hot, and cumbersome, these garments obviously didn’t lend themselves well to playing an active, outdoor sport.

Seven-time Grand Slam winner René Lacoste decided to do something about this issue, creating his own ideal tennis shirt. Made of a comfortable, breathable “jersey petit piqué” cotton, the white short-sleeved shirt eschewed buttons all the way down for a placket of three up top, and included a soft, unstarched collar that was still stiff enough to flip up to protect his neck from the sun. The flexible, lightweight shirt also had a longer tail in the back to keep it tucked into René’s trousers.

Lacoste debuted the shirt at the 1926 U.S. Open — which he won in both comfort and style. The following year, Lacoste, who was nicknamed “the Crocodile,” adhered the now famous reptilian logo to the breast of the shirt. And in 1933, the retired player began to manufacture his garment for the masses.

The “tennis shirt” caught on with other kinds of sportsmen, particularly polo players. These athletes had developed their own “polo shirt” — the Oxford button-down (the buttons on the collar were designed to keep it from flapping in your face as you galloped about the field) — decades prior. But Lacoste’s short-sleeve garment proved even more suitable to the game, and was so widely adopted that even tennis players began to refer to it as a “polo shirt.”

The popularity of the polo was given a big boost when President Eisenhower was seeing wearing one. Golf courses began changing their dress codes to allow for polos on the course.

In the 1950s, Lacoste began to offer the shirt, formerly only available in white, in a wider range of colors and brought the polo to America. It soon won widespread adoption by discerning sportsmen, particularly golfers, and then moved into the realm of everyday casual wear. The 50s also saw the rise of a competitor to Lacoste; fellow tennis champion Fred Perry introduced polos that had his soon-to-be iconic laurel wreath logo stitched instead of ironed on, and were adopted by English scooter-riding mods.

An even fiercer competitor to Lacoste’s polo dominance emerged in the 1970s. Designer Ralph Lauren named his line of WASP-y casual wear “Polo,” and a central piece of this collection consisted of, appropriately enough, polo shirts. As Lacoste and Lauren battled it out for dominance, the polo gained even more popularity, and became associated with the “preppy” look of the 1980s.

The polo shirt began to lose some of its cache in the 1990s, as it became the go-to get-up for casual Fridays, and corporations made it the actual uniform for workers ranging from customer service reps to waiters.

Still, the polo has maintained its staying power, and continues to be worn by everyone from U.S. presidents on the golf course to rap moguls on stage.

It should continue to be a mainstay in your everyday wardrobe too, as long as you wear it with style.

How to Wear a Polo Shirt With Style

Fabric

There aren’t too many technical details to know about the polo shirt, but it’s helpful to have an understanding of the kinds of fabrics it comes in, particularly its two main types.

Polos are available in a variety of materials from natural to synthetic. The latter often make up the performance blends used in polos specifically designed for athletic wear. Silk and silk blends are an option, but are not recommended, as they show your sweat easily, lose their color as they become wet, and just look rather cheesy. Polyester, or cotton/poly blends extend the life of the shirt, but are less breathable, more stinky, and cheaper looking.

Wool and wool blends are often used in “retro” style polos, and make for shirts that look a little more formal and can be worn into chillier months.

Given that polos are most commonly a warm weather staple, 100% cotton — with its cool, comfortable, breathable properties — is the most typical and most recommended fabric for these shirts. Cotton polos come in two main kinds:

Pique. The original polo fabric, pique is knitted in a woven pattern that lends the material a textured surface. The fabric has some heft and heaviness, but the holes in the weave keep it breathable, and it resists showing your sweat. The sleeves typically terminate in a ribbed band/cuff. With a little more substance and structure, the pique polo is a bit more formal and professional.

Jersey. A jersey polo is made from the same kind of fabric used in t-shirts, and has the same flat, smooth, soft, stretchy feel. The sleeves of a jersey polo tend to end in a simple hem, rather than a distinct band. Lighter in weight, the jersey polo is cool but will show your sweat more, and is less durable. Its lightness and relaxed drape also give it a more casual vibe.

Pique and jersey polos each have their own look and feel; overall, I reach for the jersey kind for comfort, and pique when I’m doing something a notch up in formality.

Fit

When it comes to wearing a polo shirt with style, the most important thing, as it is with all garments, is to really nail the fit. Here are two criteria to check:

• Length: The bottom hem should not hit farther than halfway down your pants fly/back pockets — no higher than the hip and no lower than a few inches below your waistband/belt; the shirt should be long enough that you can tuck it in and short enough you can wear it untucked without it looking like a nightgown.
• Sleeves: Should hit about midway down your bicep, and run no longer than 2/3 down your upper arm.

Overall the shirt should sit close to your body — fitted but not too tight. It can be a little tighter in your chest and arms, and then taper down to your waist.

The better shape you’re in, the closer-fitting the polo can be, but you don’t want it skin tight. You should still be able to stick a couple fingers under the sleeves.

Polo Shirt Dos and Don’ts

Don’t

Wear an undershirt. A polo is meant to be worn as a base or single layer close to the body, and an undershirt adds excess bulkiness underneath it, and can peep out of the neckline/collar. If you do wear an undershirt, choose one with a neckline that won’t be visible.

Layer polos upon polos. One polo at a time, please.

Pop the collar. This trend has fortunately receded, but in case you were tempted, don’t. It still reads as douchey. If you need to pop the collar in a short-term circumstance to protect your neck from the sun, feel free.

Choose a shirt with a pocket, unless secured. A pocket on the breast of a polo can add a bit of visual interest, but it rarely if ever gets used, and tends to simply sag and become misshapen, detracting from the shirt’s sharpness. So eschew pockets generally, the exception being ones that have flaps and are secured with a button to stay closed.

Wear a shirt with a large logo. While we typically advise staying away from corporate logos on clothing altogether, a logo on the breast of polos has been one of its signature marks from the very beginning, making them quite typical and more tolerable. If you can find one without a logo, great; otherwise aim for those with logos that are tasteful and minimal in size, rather than large and garish.

Wear a long-sleeved polo. There are such things as long-sleeved polos, and while it may be possible for them to look really good, I’ve never seen ones that do. The polo’s heritage is that of a short-sleeved garment for warm weather and active pursuits; to then extend the sleeves runs contrary to its style DNA and looks funny, much like the ill-advised short-sleeve dress shirt.

Wear an athletic polo for casualwear. Polos designed for sports like golf or tennis are made from synthetic performance materials and cut for ease of movement. They’re great for the course or the courts, but shouldn’t be worn outside of them.

Do

Button at least one of the buttons. Having all the buttons undone looks floppy and sloppy. One is usually good. Having all of them buttoned-up changes the look of the shirt considerably, and is ironically a little more of an “anti-establishment” look, if that’s what you’re going for.

Feel free to tuck or untuck, depending on the occasion. A polo shirt can go either way. Tucking, of course, gives you a more formal look, while untucking is more casual. If your shirt’s longer in the back than the front, then it was definitely designed to be tucked.

Have a core collection of solid, basic colors like blue, black, and white. You can’t go wrong with having a few polos in these classic shades. Polos with stripes or contrasting colors on the sleeve bands/collar aren’t always a bad choice but do read as more casual, trendy, and young.

Expand into brighter and more interesting colors. You ought to have something a little different too, like pinks, purples, reds, and greens.

My two favorite polo brands: Flint and Tinder (left) and Criquet (right). Both have a great, handsome fit and are made with quality fabric. 

Expect to pay $50+ for a good polo. Polos can so easily look schlumpy and dumpy that it’s worth paying extra — typically upwards of $50 — for those that fit well and evince quality. Of course, sometimes a big price tag is only the result of marketing, rather than quality, so make sure you’re paying for a durable, top-notch garment, rather than a brand name.

Dressing Up the Polo By Degrees

The polo shirt is quite versatile and can easily be worn from the beach to a classy day at the races. It’s all in how you dress it up or down. Let’s start at the most casual level, and work our way up to greater formality by degrees.

The polo is a little classier than a t-shirt, and can be worn in pretty much any scenario you’d wear a tee for a more put-together look. For the most casual get-up, pair your untucked polo with khaki flat front shorts, canvas sneakers, a field watch, and a pair of aviator shades.

To up the sharpness a bit, swap the shorts for dark denim or chinos (it’s best to choose another color beside khaki to get away from the corporate/school uniform look). Wearing chukkas, boat shoes, or Chelsea boots rather than sneakers will up this look another notch.

To go up another level of formality, swap a cotton polo for a retro-styled wool knit one. These sweater shirts often come with contrasting colors on the collar/arm bands, as well as a banded bottom (don’t wear them with low-rise pants, lest your top turn into a midriff). It’s not a look for every guy, but can be handsome on some.

To move up the formality ladder another rung, keep the polo but swap the chinos/jeans for actual trousers. Tuck your shirt in for greater professionalism, and pair with a nice belt and leather loafers. You generally want to stick with a solid colored shirt rather than one that’s patterned or striped. I confess I’m not crazy about this look; the casualness of the polo on top conflicts with the formality of the trousers on the bottom. But it certainly seems to be the go-to casual Friday get-up for lawyers and other professionals around here.

To dress the polo up further, it can be paired with a sports jacket and either nice jeans, chinos, or trousers. Sartorial purists poo-poo this look, asserting that the polo is too casual to be worn with a jacket, and that a sports coat will always look better with a dress shirt underneath. But I actually find the polo+jacket combination less jarring than polo+trousers, perhaps because the sports jacket, just like the polo, was originally designed for sporting pursuits. And while it’s true that a dress shirt will almost invariably look better, on a very hot day, the short sleeve polo will feel cooler and more comfortable than a long-sleeve button-down.

If you’re going to go for this look, keep these tips in mind:

• The soft collar of a polo can rumple and collapse behind the collar of your jacket, so make sure you keep it upright and straight with its points inside the jacket’s lapels; collar stays can help with this (Criquet’s shirts come with them).
• Only pair a polo with a soft, relaxed, unstructured jacket, ideally in a natural fabric like cotton or linen. Structured wool jackets will jar too much with the polo’s casualness.
• Wear a polo with a solid color or subtle pattern; stripes or loud patterns are too casual and busy to be paired with a jacket.
• A polo with a longer placket/more buttons (up to 4) looks especially nice under a jacket, as it harkens more to the dress shirt.

Even if you follow these tips, the sports coat+polo look is hard to do well, so if you’re not sartorially confident, just stay clear and stick with dress shirts under your jackets.

To formalize the polo to a greater degree would mean wearing it with a full-on suit, which is even more difficult to pull off than pairing with a sport coat, and should only be attempted, if at all, by the most sartorially daring and confident (rather than the lazy and confused).

Dressed up or dressed down, the polo is a men’s wardrobe staple. But as you’ve hopefully seen, basic doesn’t have to mean bland.

The post How to Wear a Polo Shirt With Style appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in May 2013.

A few years ago, we published a guest post on suit buttons, and one of the best things I got out of the comments it received was a handy way to remember the right way to button a three-button suit jacket. It’s called the “sometimes, always, never” button rule. Starting with the top button and working your way down: it’s sometimes appropriate to have the top button buttoned along with the middle one (a stylistic decision — if the lapel is flat, it can look good to button it; if the lapel rolls over and hides the top button, only button the middle one); it’s always appropriate to have the middle button buttoned (the middle button pulls the jacket together at your natural waist and lets the bottom naturally flare out around your hips); and you should never button the last button (doing so messes up the intended tailoring and flare offered by the middle button). Sometimes, always, never. Easy.

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

The post The Sometimes, Always, Never Three-Button Rule appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

Summer is almost here so I’ve been thinking about refreshing my wardrobe for the warmer weather. 

Dressing for warm weather has always been befuddling for me. I usually end up wearing a simple t-shirt with a pair of shorts. If I need to dress up a bit, I’ll go with a polo shirt. But sometimes a polo shirt feels a little too dressy, or at least a little too “square.” Like if I’m at an outdoor pool party lounging around eating a burger, I don’t want to feel like I’m in a Ralph Lauren ad. I want something that’s casual, but not too casual. It’d be nice if there was a warm weather shirt that’s a step above a t-shirt and a step below a polo. 

Well, thankfully, that shirt exists! In fact, it was likely a summer style staple for your grandpa. 

It’s the camp collar shirt (aka the camp shirt, the vacation shirt, the aloha shirt, the bowling shirt).

What Makes a Camp Collar Shirt, a Camp Collar Shirt

A camp collar shirt is a short-sleeve, button-down shirt that is characterized by its open, unstructured, lay-flat collar (called a camp collar) that creates a lower-cut v-neck; this relaxed collar is part of what distinguishes it from a short-sleeve dress shirt which buttons up higher and sports a stand-up collar. The camp shirt is also defined by its loose-fitting, almost boxy silhouette and straight bottom hem.

Camp shirts come in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and styles.

Because it’s a warm weather top, camp collar shirts typically use light, breezy fabrics to keep you cool. And because of its association with the carefree bliss of summer, camp collar shirts often come in bold colors and patterns. That Hawaiian shirt you wear when you want to show everyone you’re a fun guy? That’s a camp collar shirt. The retro bowling shirt you wore to ska concerts in the late 90s? Camp collar. 

The History of the Camp Collar Shirt

The likely origin of the camp collar shirt was the guayabera, a traditional Latin American work shirt. Several Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries lay claim to being the originators of the guayabera. Ask a Mexican, and they’ll say it was created by people living in the Yucatan peninsula and the Cubans copied it. Cubans say they created the camp collar shirt without any help from Mexico. Meanwhile, Filipinos will say they’ve been rocking the guayabera since the 19th century. 

Whatever the origin of the guayabera, it was Cubans, especially in the wave of immigration following the Cuban revolution of 1959, who brought the garment to the United States and popularized it on our shores. Mid-century Americans kept the open collar style of the guayabera, replaced the long sleeves with short sleeves, and started using bold fabric patterns. The camp collar shirt was born. 

Sean Connery’s James Bond regularly wore camp collar shirts in a variety of colors and patterns.

It became the go-to casual shirt for men in America. And it cut across classes. Prominent figures like Bobby Kennedy and Elvis Presley rocked camp collar shirts. But so did working class WWII vets living in Levittown. Bowling teams made the camp collar shirt their uniform. Vacationing Americans turned the camp collar shirt into the ultimate vacation shirt by donning ones with splashy tropical patterns, giving rise to the iconic Hawaiian shirt.  

The camp collar shirt was truly a democratic piece of clothing and was a summer style staple for men in America from the 1950s through the 1980s. 

But then in the 1990s and early 2000s, the camp collar shirt went out of style. The only place you’d still see it was on guys skanking at ska concerts or dudes wearing a Hawaiian shirt at comic book conventions. 

In the past few years, the camp collar shirt has made a comeback. While modern camp collar shirts maintain the open collar and relaxed look of camp collar shirts from yesteryear, subtle changes in design and fabrics have given them a more up-to-date feel. 

How to Rock a Camp Collar Shirt

You can wear a camp collar shirt anytime a polo shirt wouldn’t be out of place, but the event has a laid-back vibe that would make a more casual shirt a better fit. Think pool parties, beach outings, backyard BBQs, patio dinners, and rooftop hangouts. Camp collar shirts are a great choice for most casual outdoor social occasions. 

Styling a camp shirt is pretty dang easy because it’s such a casual garment. You can wear it with shorts, khakis, or jeans, or with linen trousers for that full “I’m on vacation” look.

The key is to keep whatever bottom you’re wearing simple, especially if your camp collar shirt has a bold pattern (like an aloha print). Madras shorts don’t look good with a camp collar shirt. But solid-colored khakis or linen shorts do. 

Miles Teller in a floral camp shirt, tucked into white linen trousers, and paired with tassel loafers. Notice the vintage Omega watch too; a few cool-guy accessories can complete your camp shirt get-up (Teller was also wearing a signet ring), but since you may already have a lot going on with the pattern of your top, keep them simple and sharp. An all-around bold look here? Sure. But fly as heck. Good work, Goose, Jr.

For a relaxed look, keep your camp collar shirt untucked. For a more refined (yet still-casual) look, tuck in your camp collar shirt.

If you’re feeling particularly bold, you can even dress up a camp collar shirt by wearing it with a suit. If you look like you’re headed to Palm Springs to hang out with Frank Sinatra, you pulled this look off; if you look like a stereotypical 1980s used car salesman, you failed. Abort mission. 

It’s hard to pull off the camp shirt + suit look, but if you can, you can. Consider this option for a beach wedding.

In the footwear department, pair a casual camp shirt get-up with canvas sneakers (worn sockless), boat shoes, or Mohinders. If you’re dressing the shirt up a little, couple it with nicer leather loafers. 

If you’re looking for more tips on how to style a camp collar shirt, check out Primer’s great piece on the topic.

Otherwise, go forth in this retro-inspired, but perfect-for-the-present piece of elevated leisurewear and enjoy the ring-a-ding heck out of this summer.

The post A Chill Dude Style Staple: The Classic Camp Collar Shirt appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

If you’re traveling with a suit, your best bet in getting it to your destination without it becoming wrinkled is to use a garment bag. But that means bringing a garment bag in addition to the other bag or suitcase you’re schlepping. If you want to travel light and bring fewer bags, it is possible to fold a suit and put it in a suitcase or weekend bag without it getting too mussed up.  

The above method creates a compact packet consisting of your suit jacket and trousers. Popping the jacket’s shoulders inside out causes the jacket to turn inside out which protects the outside fabric from getting too wrinkled. Folding the pants over the folded jacket reduces the risk of your pants getting wrinkled and creased.

Combine the above method with our technique on folding a dress shirt for packing and the Ranger roll for your other clothes and you’ve set yourself up for compact, tidy, and wrinkle-free travel.

The post How to Fold a Suit for Packing appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

It’s a funny thing about the men’s turtleneck.

Most male garments which were born from the world of the working class, the military, and/or sports, and then became the clothing choice of rebels in the mid-20th century, still retain a bit of their aura of ruggedness and edge today, even though they can be more than a century removed from their origins and have become thoroughly mainstream. Witness the fact that jeans, leather jackets, and t-shirts, which were first worn by miners, aviators, and GIs before becoming the duds of rebel-without-a-cause types during the 1950’s, still evince a little coolness even now.

Yet the turtleneck, which has the same sort of manly history, typically does not.

Turtlenecks as we know them today were worn by working class men starting in the latter half of the 19th century. They were particularly popular amongst dockworkers, fishermen, and sailors, for the garment’s signature high-reaching, folded-over collar served a valuable functional purpose in insulating the neck from cold winds and keeping the men warm as they labored. Turtlenecks were worn by athletes of the time — whether they played baseball, football, polo, or hockey — for the very same reason.

The garment really came into style in the 1950’s, for the most countercultural of reasons. They were adopted as a stylish alternative to wearing a dress shirt and tie, and thus worn by those most inclined to chafe at anything either literally or metaphorically buttoned-up: artists, musicians, poets, philosophers, intellectuals. Beatniks.

The turtleneck’s popularity and association with culture’s edgier, more renegade-esque types continued into the 1960’s, being adopted by members of the Black Panthers, and becoming the notable sartorial choice of cinematic detectives from Steve McQueen’s Frank Bullitt to Richard Roundtree’s John Shaft.

Yet despite this iconoclastic history, today the turtleneck is often thought of as kind of dweeby — a little twee, stodgy, effete. Why is that?

Well, one can only surmise the exact cultural currents that moved the turtleneck from rugged to hip to nerdy, but it likely can be traced back to its prevalence on college campuses and amongst the beatnik scene. Once-rebellious intellectuals became aging professorial yuppies. Their personal lifestyles moved closer to the mainstream of culture, while the mainstream of culture moved closer to what was formerly considered rebellious (eschewing dress shirts and ties isn’t so edgy anymore). Thus turtlenecks maintained a kind of nerdy reputation befitting its ties to academia, while academia lost some of its cool cache.

A hypothesis at least.

At any rate, the popularity and connotations of the male turtleneck have waxed and waned over the last half century, and today reached a status that seems to be approaching something like neutrality.

In an effort to further tip the dial of the turtleneck into neutral territory, and turn an underutilized part of the male wardrobe into something more guys can reach for without hesitation, below we share how to pick a turtleneck and wear it with style.

Picking a Turtleneck

The turtleneck can be a handsome, functional, and versatile garment. Donning one can dress up a pair of jeans, or dress down a suit. Soft and stretchy, turtlenecks are more comfortable than dress shirts, and yet still make you look put-together. They can read a little formal, but with a style that isn’t buttoned-up. As such, they’re a good look for the man who wants to come off as suave but unstuffy.

Thinner/fitted turtlenecks (top) vs. thicker/looser turtlenecks (bottom).

The two types of turtlenecks. Turtleneck types can roughly be broken down into two main categories:

• Thinner/fitted. A thinner style turtleneck looks a little more formal and can be layered under suit and sport jackets. Generally more stylish overall.
• Chunky/looser. Typically too thick to be layered under jackets, the chunky turtleneck is a stand-alone piece. They evince a more casual look and are appropriate for pairing with jeans.

Broken down by body type. If/how you should wear the two above types of turtlenecks depends on your body type:

• If you have a fit-to-average physique: Wear a thin/fitted turtleneck alone, or layer under a jacket. A chunkier turtleneck worn by itself will also look fine.
• If you’re overweight: Avoid wearing thin/fitted turtlenecks by themselves, as the clingy material will highlight every bulge and imperfection of your torso/paunch. You can still wear a fitted turtleneck, but layer it under a jacket. You should likewise avoid wearing a chunky turtleneck by itself; while it won’t be quite as unforgiving as a thin/fitted one, it will just make your girth seem girth-ier and your body appear more rotund. Do also keep in mind that if you carry a fair amount of weight in your face, you may wish to avoid all turtlenecks, as the collar draws attention upwards and will frame and highlight a double-chin.
• If you’re skinny: Wearing a thin/fitted turtleneck alone will make you appear skinnier, so layer it with a jacket to fill out your figure. The texture and thickness of a chunky turtleneck will be a plus for you, as it will add some heft to your physique.

Examples of how a thick sweater on a bigger man, and a thin sweater on a skinnier man, can prove unflattering, making the big man look bigger and the skinnier man look skinnier. Both body types benefit from layering the turtleneck under a jacket.

Wearing & washing. Because of the fitted nature of thinner, slimmer turtlenecks, it is not recommended that you wear an undershirt underneath them, as the outline of the undershirt will show through. Since you will be wearing the turtleneck close to your body, and it will absorb your bodily sweat/grime, it will need to be laundered more often, so look for ones that are machine washable. One made with merino wool will be warm, comfortable, and relatively easy to care for. You can of course wash more delicately made turtlenecks by hand, but that’s naturally a bit of a pain.

If you’re wearing a white thin/fitted turtleneck without an undershirt, check to see if your skin/nipples show through; if they do, layer a jacket over it.

4 Ways to Wear a Turtleneck

Turtleneck as classic style icon.

Below you’ll find 4 ways to wear a turtleneck with style. There are of course many more, but these are some pretty easy-to-pull-off, can’t-miss looks to try.

Look #1: Navy Turtleneck + Gray Suit

A turtleneck makes a great substitute for a dress shirt under a suit, making for a look that’s less buttoned-up and business-y, while still formal and put-together. The collar of a turtleneck works just as the collar of a dress shirt does in filling in the space between the jacket’s lapels and framing the face, so that it avoids the incongruous contrast one gets from wearing a t-shirt under a suit jacket. A navy turtleneck with a gray suit is a perfect pairing. A black turtleneck also works great here.

Look #2: Black Turtleneck + Gray Trousers

The black turtleneck is widely flattering, and while it’s not so iconoclastic anymore, it still maintains a little avant-garde panache. A stand-alone black turtleneck looks great with a pair of gray wool trousers; it’s a simple yet handsome look that’s ready for any nice event. 

Look #3: Cream Turtleneck + Navy Sport Jacket/Blazer

Cream (as opposed to white, which can look too stark) is a great turtleneck color. A textured cream turtleneck that’s a little thicker (but can still be layered) looks especially good when worn under a navy blazer or sport coat. The look’s got a nice nautical vibe to it. With darker pants and a heavier jacket, it’s a get-up you can wear in the winter; with chinos and a lighter-weight jacket, it’s a combo you can bust out on cool spring days.

Look #4: Black Turtleneck + Denim Jacket

To exorcise any remaining vestiges of fuddy-duddy-ness from the turtleneck, pair a black one with a denim jacket. It’s a look that reveals the rugged coolness that’s been part of the turtleneck’s DNA all along. 

The post How to Wear a Turtleneck (Without Looking Like a Dweeb) appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to help our newer readers discover some of the best, evergreen gems from the past. This article was originally published in December 2015.

How many cold-weather coats does the average man need?

There are those men, often younger, who don’t have to dress professionally each day, who try to get by with just one: a “technical,” ski/snowboard-inspired puffy jacket or parka. Such a coat works fine for outdoors pursuits and when paired with very casual clothing. But when layered over a suit, sports jacket, or even a nice sweater, the casual coat jars with the man’s dressier clothes, spoiling the overall effect of the get-up. And should the parka-only man be invited to a really swanky black tie event, he’ll be up a creek.

On the other side are men who have a variety of jackets for every occasion. The parka for activities outdoors, a mackinaw for casual get-togethers, a duffle or pea coat for layering over smart casual clothes, and a couple different kinds of overcoats for wearing atop suits and tuxes.

For the sartorially inclined, having a closet full of coats may be desirable. But for those who prefer having a very simple, minimal wardrobe, I have good news: it’s possible to get by with just two winter coats — a technical casual one and a traditional overcoat.

The overcoat — a heavy, ankle-to-thigh-length piece of outerwear with a collar and lapels — is one of the most classic and flattering staples of menswear. It projects confidence and authority and enhances a man’s silhouette — widening the shoulders, lengthening the body, and draping over any problem areas. Its functionality can’t be beat either; made of thick fabric, it’ll protect you from the elements and keep you warm all winter long. Best of all, it works when worn over both casual and formalwear. Good-looking, functional, and highly adaptable, the overcoat can truly be the only other coat you own besides a technical one — as long as you pick the most versatile style.

How to choose such a “Swiss Army” overcoat is what we’ll lay out today.

Note: Some of the images below show a topcoat rather than an overcoat; a topcoat is simply a lighter-weight overcoat, and the same principles discussed apply.

Why an Overcoat?

A ski-inspired jacket is good for outdoor activities and very casual get-ups. Beyond that, though, you need a nicer coat for a wide variety of events: daily work at a professional job or the occasional job interview; going out to a bar, restaurant, or movie; coffee dates, theater dates, and every kind of date in between; winter weddings or funerals; Christmas mass and a New Year’s Eve gala.

It might seem no one coat could possibly be appropriate for all those different occasions, but an overcoat can be. It’s the one coat that can go all the way from being thrown over a sweater and jeans to being layered over a tuxedo. In fact, in recent years the more fashion-forward have even been wearing overcoats atop sweatshirts. That’s a harder look to pull off, but the fact that it even can be pulled off in the right hands attests to the overcoat’s incredible versatility.

Not every kind of overcoat achieves the same all-around adaptability, however. Some are more casual and don’t work with formalwear as well, while some are so formal they’d look out of place over jeans. The key is to pick an overcoat with the fit, length, fabric, and style that give it a not-too-formal, not-too-casual look that will be appropriate for nearly every occasion.

What to Look for in a “Swiss Army” Overcoat

The following features combine to make the most versatile possible overcoat. In general, we’re going to choose more casual features over more formal ones, as a dressier coat atop casual clothes looks more incongruous than a casual coat atop dressier clothes.

It’s not always possible to find all these features in a single overcoat — just look for as many as you can:

A double-breasted coat (left) is more traditional and formal, and looks best with tailored clothes like a suit. A single-breasted coat (right) is more versatile and can be worn with both casual and formalwear.

Single-breasted. The double-breasted overcoat goes in and out of style, and is a nice choice for wearing to a conservative workplace or more formal events. But a single-breasted coat is more classic and versatile, and pairs as well with a suit as a sweater and jeans. While a double-breasted overcoat should be worn buttoned and closed, a single-breasted can be worn open for a casual look. The single-breasted, as it involves less fabric around your midsection, is also more flattering and slimming. Single-breasted overcoats are especially recommended for short men; the double-breasted variety tends to swallow the petite man up.

3-buttons. A 3-button overcoat is the most classic way to go. 4-button coats tend to be more formal.

Choose notched lapels (top) over peak lapels (bottom).

Notched lapels. Notched lapels are typical of single-breasted overcoats and are more casual. Peak lapels are usually found on double-breasted coats and are more formal. Go with notched.

Unbelted. The extra fabric of a belt inhibits a sleeker silhouette, and can make your coat look overly twee or like something of a bathrobe. And remember, we want the option of wearing the coat open for a more casual look. But wearing a belted coat open leaves your belt flapping in the wind, and a man doesn’t want dangling bits about him.

Navy or gray color. Rather than black, navy blue is your best and most versatile color choice. It’s serious without being solemn, and looks equally good with both day and evening wear. Dark gray comes in as the second runner up in the color category.

A camel-colored number is an attention-grabbing but viable option if you own multiple overcoats, but for our minimalistic purposes, navy or gray will be more versatile; you’re not going to pull a brown coat on over your formalwear.

100% wool fabric. For weight and durability, 100% wool is the way to go; it’s warm and durable and will last forever. Cashmere coats have a nice, rich-looking finish, and are lighter, softer, and warmer. But cashmere comes with an enormous price tag, doesn’t hold up to the elements as well, and wears out and pills easier. And since this is outerwear we’re talking about, extra softness doesn’t matter much.

Some coats add a layer of synthetic microfiber for extra warmth, which can be a good idea if you live in a particularly cold place, but 100% wool should do it for most. Look for a nice hefty fabric; a good overcoat should weigh around 4 pounds.

Three-quarter length. In times past, overcoats came all the way down to a man’s calves. Men were hoofing it more outside, and needed a coat that kept their whole body wrapped up and warm. But with the advent of the automobile, all that long-flowing fabric became a hindrance in driving and getting in and out of the car. At the same time, men were spending less time walking in winter, so that the extra warmth from added length wasn’t as necessary. As a result, the length of overcoats migrated upwards during the 20^th century. Today, a long overcoat generally looks outdated and costume-y.

So look for what’s called a three-quarter-length overcoat. Its length can range anywhere from the bottom of the knee to the top of the thigh. A knee-length coat looks too formal, while a shorter coat looks boxy and cuts your body in half (which isn’t aesthetically pleasing), starts trending into pea coat territory, and may fail to cover a suit jacket (which an overcoat must do). This makes an overcoat that hits from about 2 inches above the knee to mid-thigh the most stylish and versatile choice.

Well-fitted. The single most important factor in the style and versatility of any garment is fit; an overcoat won’t look good in any situation if it’s too small or too baggy. Some men will like their coat a little tighter, some a littler roomier, but err on the side of looseness; you can get away with a bit of extra bagginess in a coat, and you can always have a tailor bring it in (while we typically think of tailors working on suits and shirts, they can do coats too). Having a tailor let it out for more room, however, is expensive, if it’s even a possibility at all (depends on how the coat was made).

When you try on an overcoat be sure to be wearing the maximum number of layers you’ll be donning with it. That is, you’re not going to be wearing it with a t-shirt, so try it on while wearing a suit, sweater, sports jacket, etc. Then lift your arms up and out, sit down, stand up, bend over, and so on. If the coat feels tight and unduly restricts your movement, it’s too small.

Then consider these factors:

• Shoulders. Shoulder fit is very important, because a tailor’s not going to be able to create any extra room there. The shoulders should fit squarely and be slightly snug when you’re wearing your thickest clothes underneath; that way, when you wear it with a thinner layer, it’ll still fit well.
• Collar. The coat’s collar should cover the collar of your suit jacket, wrap smoothly and snugly around your neck without any gaping, and hang so that the lapels of your suit aren’t visible from the front.
• Sleeves. The sleeves of the coat should cover your shirt cuffs and the sleeves of your suit jacket, extending just slightly beyond the wrist bone. A coat sleeve that’s about 1/2” longer than your suit sleeves is usually about right.
• Silhouette. The coat should drape nicely over your hips and backside, without any awkward bulges or flares.
• Body. If the buttons pull and form x-wrinkles when the coat is closed, then it’s too small for you.

While many men mistakenly believe you should purchase an overcoat one size up from your suit size in order to make room for the garments worn underneath it, coat manufacturers have already factored that in. So you should generally get an overcoat in the very same size as your suit.

Investing In and Preserving a Quality Overcoat

A quality, well-made overcoat isn’t cheap; you’ll be looking to spend at least several hundred dollars. But it’s a very good long-term investment. Few pieces of menswear have changed as little as overcoats over the past three centuries, so they’re almost assuredly never going out of style. And if you make your overcoat the coat in your closet, you’re going to be wearing it almost every day in the winter, for darn near everything. Thus, its cost per use is going to be very small — much smaller than if you had 3-4 coats that you each wore only occasionally.

You can purchase an overcoat from a department store, local haberdashery, or even a thrift store. Or you can have one custom-made. For more details on how to buy an overcoat, see here.

Because an overcoat is an investment, you’re going to want to take care of it and ensure it has the longest life possible. To preserve your coat for many years:

• Brush the coat after wearing it with a soft suede or lint brush to remove soil, lint, and other organic matter.
• Hang up the coat on a sturdy, broad, wooden hanger that will support its shoulders. Make sure the coat is allowed to hang freely, so that the fabric has a chance to relax out any wrinkles, and it doesn’t get crumpled by being pressed against adjoining clothes.
• Remove spills and stains as soon as they happen. Blot and spot clean the stain with cool water; rubbing will only work the offending matter deeper into the wool.
• Dry clean once a year at the end of the wearing season. The less you dry clean it, the longer the coat will last.
• For long-term storage, store inside a breathable garment bag. This will protect the wool from moths and other insects.

If you’re trying to put together a minimal wardrobe for the winter, the only two outerwear pieces you need are a technical jacket for your outdoor adventures, and a Swiss Army overcoat for everywhere else life takes you.

The post The Minimal Wardrobe: How to Choose a Swiss Army Overcoat appeared first on The Art of Manliness.

Sports jackets. Suit jackets. Blazers. Most men use these terms interchangeably, as do many men’s clothing retailers.

Because of this, the differences between these three classic menswear pieces ends up being a mystery. Are these jackets really all that different? (Yes, they are!) And why should a man even care to take the time to learn these details?

Let me give you three reasons:

1) It’ll save you money. Armed with this knowledge, you can buy the right jacket that will stand the test of time.

2) You’ll show respect to others. Each of these jackets has a slightly different level of formality. You don’t want to try wearing a sports jacket to an event that calls for a suit.

3) You’ll learn a bit of history. Each of these jackets has its own unique story of how it came to be. Understanding this helps you grasp the changes men have lived through over the last 150 years.

This article is aiming to once and for all sort out the main differences between these three iconic jackets.

Read on, gentlemen, and discover how these pieces can have a place in your wardrobe.

The Suit Jacket

The most common jacket on the planet, and the one most men own.

A suit jacket is defined as being such only if it’s matched with trousers made from the same exact swatch of fabric.

For the vast majority of situations, you should wear suit jackets with their matching trousers. Part of the reasoning for this is that if you wear your suit jacket as a blazer — that is, pairing it with jeans or other trousers — it can wear or fade differently than the suit trousers. So the next time you go to wear that suit, it may not look congruous.

Another defining feature of the suit jacket is that it should be a closer and tighter fit than blazers/sports jackets. This is because suit jackets aren’t meant to be layered; at most, you’ll be wearing a dress shirt and thin sweater vest underneath the jacket.

If you are just learning to dress sharp, wearing a suit is the best approach for you to take to avoid the risk of looking out of place, or even worse, not knowing what you are doing.

Most Common Fabrics Used for the Suit Jacket

There are many fabrics that are used for the suit jacket. They’re distinguished from other jackets in that they’re often more lightweight and finer, and made with higher quality materials. Below are the most common:

• Worsted Wool. Created by aligning fibers and then turning them into yarn. More thin and rough than woolen wool, worsted wool is an excellent protector from cold weather.
• Cashmere. Not originally a common fabric for the suit jacket due to its durability and its price point. Cashmere is slowly starting to be the fabric of choice on a suit jacket, though, based on its extremely soft and luxurious feel, which justifies its shortfalls.
• Linen. An extremely lightweight option and meant for spring and summer use. One downside with linen is that it’s prone to wrinkling.
• Seersucker. An extremely thin form of cotton, the seersucker fabric is made for the spring and summer months. The most common colors are white and blue, and it contains distinct textures that work well with different colored trousers.
• Silk. Quite possibly the most luxurious fabric you can buy. A suit jacket made of 100% silk is extremely soft and very breathable.

Suit Jacket Colors

Given its formal nature, the suit jacket is mostly found with solid, foundation colors. For your first suit, stick with solids. But once you own a few, bringing in pin stripes, chalk stripes, windowpanes, and textured weaves makes sense in order to add variety to the wardrobe. The most common colors are:

• Navy Blue (most common)
• Charcoal Gray
• Light Gray
• Black

Common Types of Suit Jackets

Suit jackets come in all shapes and sizes. These are the three you are most likely to see:

• 2-Button Single-Breasted. The most common variety of suit jacket you can purchase. Timeless versions have a notched lapel and flapped pockets to create structure and definition.
• 3-Button Single-Breasted. Not as common as the 2-button variety. An ideal option for taller men as it helps frame their body well. You generally only want to button the middle button with this option. (Remember to follow the Sometimes, Always, Never Rule!)
• 6-Button Double-Breasted. A much less common version of suit jacket but something worth talking about is the 6-button double-breasted suit. This version is considered highly formal and best used for special events. Just remember to leave the bottom buttons undone.

What to Pair With a Suit Jacket

• Trousers. Trousers should match their suit jacket in terms of color and material. There are exceptions such as matching jeans with an orphaned suit jacket.
• Shoes. More formal shoes look best with a suit jacket. Stick with either close-laced oxfords or brogues in either dark brown, black, or burgundy. Boots can be worn in inclement weather and dress loafers or monk straps are acceptable if you’re dressing the suit down with no tie.

The Blazer Jacket

The jacket of choice of the British Navy in the early nineteenth century, the blazer exploded onto the scene after British royalty gave their approval of the garment in 1837.

Navy was the only color used at that time, and it was originally double-breasted with 6 buttons.

The single-breasted blazer has no ties to the British military and was used mostly by rowing clubs in England. These jackets only had two buttons to allow rowers the freedom to move around without restriction.

Today, you can find many varieties of the blazer jacket due to the way it highlights a man’s build. It is also one of the most versatile jackets you can own. It is often mistaken to be one and the same as the sports jacket. However, there are some subtle differences between the two that make each of them unique.

Most Common Fabrics Used for the Blazer

Fabric plays the most crucial role in the differentiation of the blazer compared to the suit and sports jackets.

The main fabrics used for the blazer are:

• Worsted Wool. Common, easy to find, but can make a blazer look like an orphaned suit jacket.
• Serge. Usually clear finished, serge has been a staple fabric in military uniforms for many years. Typically has a flat, diagonally-shaped rib pattern.
• Cashmere. Soft and luxurious, a 100% cashmere blazer is a great option to pair with chinos. Durability is a small issue but quality of the cashmere plays a role in this as well.
• Flannel. Most often created from wool or cotton, flannel is a soft weave usually woven in twill.
• Fresco. A rare fabric, created from multiple yarns in wool, the fresco fabric is usually created in a plain weave. A great fabric for the summer due to its thin lining but not recommended as an all-season fabric.

Blazer Jacket Colors 

Navy blue is the color of choice for the blazer. They can also come in lighter shades, but past a certain point they start to resemble sports jackets. If you only own one blazer, make it navy.

Blazer jackets can also come in bright, vibrant colors, especially when associated with clubs and boating events. Green, red, and bright stripes are occasionally seen and have significance, as they identify the wearer as a club member or part of a team.

Common blazer jacket colors:

• Navy blue
• Blue
• Bottle green
• Red
• Regatta stripe (varies widely)

Common Types of Blazers

• 2-Button Single-Breasted. Pretty common among blazers. Quite possibly the most versatile piece you can own, especially if you get one in a foundation color such as navy blue.
• 3-Button Single-Breasted. 3-buttoned blazers are slowly gaining acceptance in menswear to compete with its two-button counterpart. The 3-button blazer is ideal for men taller than 6 feet. Pairing a 3-buttoned blazer with different color trousers will provide further balance for taller men as well.
• 6-Button Double-Breasted. A 6-button double-breasted blazer with jetted pockets is synonymous with formal wear. You will generally find peaked lapels on blazers over the notched variety, but this feature is anything but exclusive.

What to Pair With a Blazer Jacket

• Trousers. Gray flannel trousers look excellent when wearing a navy blue blazer. Classic light-colored chinos or well-fitted khakis are a less formal alternative. Jeans can be worn with a blazer; however, this is an informal outfit. For those with no fear, blazers can surprisingly be paired well with bright-colored pants in red, orange, or green. Again, not for the faint of heart, but doable for the dandies out there.
• Shoes. Given the versatility of the blazer, a wide variety of shoes can be worn with them. They look best when the shoes work well with the formality of the trouser. Gray flannels call for cleaner lines of a dark blucher or elegant double monk strap. Chinos call for a more casual loafer or derby.

The Sports Jacket

Last but definitely not least in our comparison today is the sports jacket.

Back in the day, gentlemen used to wear “morning” jackets paired with trousers of a different color. These jackets, along with full suits, were strictly used for sporting activities such as shooting. Such outfits were not yet considered appropriate formal wear.

Over time, a new type of jacket was designed specifically for men engaging in active pursuits. Termed the “Norfolk jacket,” it had a distinct fabric and build, and was in essence the very first version of the sports jacket. The Norfolk jacket was made from thicker material and was unique in having a belt with a fastening buckle around the waist to raise the comfort level of men participating in the sport of shooting.

It was not until the 1920s that the sports jacket as we now know it came to be. It offered many similarities to the Norfolk jacket, minus the belt and buckle around the waist.

The sports jacket was actually first viewed as a luxurious item, as most men could only afford a traditional suit, rather than one that had to be worn with different colored trousers. Over time, as clothing became more affordable, the sports jacket became known less as a jacket for shooting and more as a staple of sharp, casual style.

So what sets the sports jacket apart?

First off the sports jacket comes in a large variety of colors and patterns. It also isn’t as structured as suit jackets or blazers, and has a generally looser fit. A sports jacket should allow you to layer a sweater underneath and perhaps engage in slightly more rugged pursuits (comparatively speaking, of course). It also will sometimes have elbow patches on the arms, as well as a slit and pleats in the back. These design details once had a functional purpose: the patches protected the elbows from wearing out while the sporting gentleman traipsed through the countryside, while the pleats allowed him greater mobility. Today they serve simply as style statements.

The sports jacket is an extremely versatile piece, going with jeans and many types of trousers, such as ones made from corduroy, moleskin, and the ever popular grey flannel.

Plus, thanks to Italian design, the sports jacket is much more lightweight than it used to be.

Most Common Fabrics Used for the Sports Jacket

Sports jackets can most easily be identified by their use of thicker fabrics when compared to the suit jacket or blazer (although many sports jackets use lightweight fabric as well). The thicker fabric traditionally protected the wearer from the elements when these jackets were worn by gentlemen who were hunting or shooting.

Fabrics used for the sports coat can overlap the blazer and suit jacket. However, there are many that are unique and have distinctive patterns (click here for a quick infographic tutorial on fabric patterns). The most common fabrics are:

• Herringbone. A classic pattern. Look for sports jackets in this fabric to be made in browns, tans, dark grays, light grays, and blues.
• Houndstooth & Shepherd’s Check. Both are “busy” fabrics with distinctive patterns classically worn in the UK, Europe, and Northeastern United States.
• Flannel. Soft with a napped surface, flannel sports jackets are distinguished from blazers by the use of non-navy fabrics and the interweaving of other colors to create accents that bring out those same colors in a man’s shirt and accessories.
• Tweed. The perfect fabric for the sports coat given its thick and rough weave. Different colored weaves are used to make some truly unique looks. Tweed comes in a wide range of colors and are especially hard-wearing.

Sports Jacket Colors

Sports jackets come in an endless variety of colors, patterns, and fabric types.

Common Types of Sports Jackets

• 2-Button Single-Breasted. Visible stitching is one of the unique and acceptable features of the sports jacket that differentiate it from the blazer. Pockets and similar features have more detail to enforce its casual roots.
• 3-Button Single-Breasted. Flap pockets are the prominent feature of the 3-button single-breasted sports coat. As with all 3-buttoned jackets, the middle button should be the only button fastened. A variation often seen is the 2 1/2, where the top button is designed not to be buttoned due to a low folding of the lapel. You also see the 2 1/2 set-up in suits.

What to Pair With a Sports Jacket

• Trousers. Blue jeans work very well with a sports jacket, especially if they are dark and fit well. This pairing is an equal balance of stylish and casual. To dress up a sports jacket, wear any odd trouser that doesn’t too closely resemble the jacket’s fabric. Also ensure the trouser’s fabric doesn’t compete for attention (such as having a pattern if the sport jacket does), and is of a similar weight. This last one is tricky, as many men try to match heavyweight tweeds with lightweight dress slacks; this rarely works as well as a solid-colored flannel or corduroy trouser.
• Shoes. Much like the blazer jacket above, the footwear you choose depends heavily on your trouser choice. If you go with jeans, you want to keep the shoes dress casual at most. Dress boots, slip-on loafers, and double monks all work here. If you’re wearing a dressier pair of dark slacks with a lightweight and sleek sports jacket in gray, then black bluchers or tassel loafers are perfect.

Suit Jackets vs. Blazers vs. Sports Jackets in Summary

Although not entirely different from each other, each of the jackets discussed today offer enough subtle differences to set them apart.

There is no one jacket that is better than the other; it all depends on your need and the occasion.

Each jacket offers its own unique advantages that will help you look sharp based on the environment you are in.

Watch the Video

Here are other classic AoM articles that go deeper on these subjects.

• Guide to Wearing a Sports Jacket
• Guide to the Blazer Jacket
• How Suits, Sport Jackets, and Blazer Jackets Should Fit
• A Tailored Suit’s Educational Guide To Suits & Formalwear Clothing
• How to Wear a Sports Jacket With Jeans
• 4 Sports Coats for a Well Rounded Wardrobe
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Written By Antonio Centeno

Founder, Real Men Real Style

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