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.

JANNIS HOFF ON DENIM AND KILLING IT LIKE ‘YEAH!’

Talk about versatility, a man’s uniform should always make him comfortable both at and after work. Trust me, if you are going to wear the same thing every day, that uniform needs to work for you everywhere you go but with a dash of swag.

Bjorn Jannis Hoff show you how to pull it all off and turn your clothes into an essential part of your personal brand.

In my tiny bubble where everyone wears dreamy light colored oxford and bespoke shirts in pink, pale blue and white, paired with either navy, Nantucket red or khaki trousers, brogues, lace-ups and penny loafers, for Jannis Hoff, the man behind Swede label, SOSO, he does denim-on-denim without looking like someone spat him out of an N’Sync video in the 90’s or a cattle rancher from the Midwest. 

That, friends, is what we call confidence. Yes, without making your head do the exorcist-girl twirl, denim-on-denim can only be broken within the highest of style mastery.

If your closet is starting to look like Raggedy Anne sewed all her scrap fabrics together, don’t sweat it, the world is slowly getting dressed.

We all know Bangkok can be as bewildering as it is bewitching. What keeps you busy in all these beautiful chaos? The struggle to keep an SME business running, continuous development of our business and brand and caring for our customers.

Your personal style: Denim on denim on denim.

Denim swatches in four colors.

How did your love for denim start? Denim is for me a personal fabric. It fades and ages differently from person to person. The first thing I did every morning was to throw on a pair of jeans in hope to start the day with fading these jeans.

If we go through your closet and your bag, what would we find a lot of? Who inspires your personal style? Well, nowadays what I have mostly in my closet is of course jeans and denim shirts. Always though keep a white, black or grey plain t-shirt in your bag if the need to dress casual occurs.  My SOSO brother is who inspires my personal style, but if I had to choose a designer, I have to say Dolce & Gabanna. 

What is the one item of clothing in your wardrobe that best represents you? My Slim Darryl Redline Selvedge jeans.

With no itineraries, how do you dress for the weekend? I have to say my handmade SOSO denim suit. Exclusively made by our tailor for me and my SOSO brother in an 11 oz. Indigo dyed denim. Accessorized together with my watch and leather shoes.

Your wardrobe staple? Light weight clothing, like a t-shirt or a denim shirt combined with all our awesome jeans.