CLOSET STAPLE: WORKWEAR FOR CREATIVES

It has been almost 13 years since graduating from university and joining the workforce and I still see a lot of men who do not dress appropriately at work.

I know!  For freelancers, chances are, you will find yourself employed at some point in your life, and dressing the part can be a tricky water to navigate (well, for some).

I have always believed that how you dress is a direct reflection of what you hope to achieve on that particular day. It really is all about self-respect and a way of saying, “I care.”

Finding my sweet spot for style and sort of knowing how to do that was really a function of the time I grew up. In the early 90s, my parents required us to wear collared shirts even at socials at home or birthday parties, to be taken seriously (Yes, I think I was 8 or 9!).

I work in a creative environment and as stated above, how you dress is a direct reflection of what you are going to get out of your day. By which I mean, if you make the effort, people notice and you'll feel better and those around you feel better (unless you want to look like a hobo all day in front of your laptop, I’m definitely not stopping you).

Like a perfect shift dress and a pair of Jimmy Choos, for us men, a great pair of trousers is probably the foundation of any guy’s wardrobe from evening to daytime to business occasion and yes, invest in a really great jacket.  And if you have those two things, you will be able to go to any situation, anytime.

Here are a few key pieces, I believe every man should have in his closet:

Perfectly tailored navy and grey 100% wool suit. (I have a couple from my tailor in Hong Kong and Manila - The fits are just perfect.)

Slim fitted semi spread collar button down shirt in white, pale blue and baby pink

 

Pocket Squares

 

T: Brown or cordovan cap toe oxford shoes and B: shirts in plaid and gingham from Aware & Present

Slim straight selvedge jeans from SOSO

 

Soft constructed navy sport coat and accessorize with the perfect watch and a sturdy and classic bag from Filson

 

Trust me, these items will get you into almost anywhere for almost any situation.

TUESDAY DAYDREAMING AND POSSIBLE QUARTER LIFE

Things have started to hit me since I turned a year older a few days ago. Quarter life? I’ve no clue!

My mother once told me to stop being too optimistic and be more realistic – of course I never listened. Even my sister think I daydream too much. I mean, what’s wrong?

Growing up, I think I have always been a dreamer - the “eyes open” kind as my father says. I used to dream of the places I could go, the things I could be, you do that when you’re young - I guess I still do … but they also know who I am. You find that out when you put yourself in the world, when you build something, manage a team, a class of 20 7 year olds, teach them that it takes courage and hopefully give them some. 

I made a career out of my passions and life out of my dreams and now I have something in my life that I have not had in a while – time. Time to dream new dreams, time to follow them.

Every man looks out of the horizon and sees something, something worth the journey. You don’t always know how to get there, or what there even looks like but you keep moving forward, keep finding, keep discovering.

My father used to say, “you can’t get lost if you don’t know where you are going…” I think I finally know what he means. But the truth I found is, the only time you’re ever truly lost is when you move backwards. If you take your eye off the horizon, and you stop dreaming and you stop moving forward towards your goal.

INDOCHINE AND BOWL OF PHO

After a few days back at work from Panglao, I decided to take 6 days off, maximizing my last few days at work before moving to my new office.

Beautiful Halong bay at dusk, before heading back to Hanoi

Vietnamese countryside - Ninh Binh, Hoi An and Hoan Kiem lake at three in the afternoon

 

Rewind: my sister Anika and I decided to take the last flight out to Hanoi and spent the last few days of summer, despite the humidity, biking along the Vietnamese countryside in Ninh Binh and Hoi An, and braved the weekend market, covering Hang Dao, Hang Ngang, Hang Duong and Hang Giay, with my face pressed into some stranger’s not-so-fresh armpit, in search for that perfect silk fabric, paintings and traditional water puppets for our living room. Yes, anything for treasure – dare me! Hahaha!

 

Afternoons were spent along the shady path surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake, a cup of cold sorbet at Fanny's, an artsy French-owned ice cream parlour serving upmarket ice-cream and sunsets at Le Metropole.

Charming and dreamy, there was no excuse for us to dress like usual tourists in cargo shorts and awful souvenir tees. Instead, we both opted for linen long sleeved shirts, seersucker shorts, guayaberas, cotton dresses, my trusty Panama hat, Nantucket red trousers and a pair of vintage huaraches.


Lunch at Green Tangerine and yes, that's my sister, Anika

 

We’re definitely flying back soon!

Fast forward: Here I am, getting my ass busy again before I fly out to Hong Kong for the weekend. Now, what to pack?