Look of the Week: Sophisticated Style
It’s the start of a new year, which probably means you’ve started the new you. We’d like to be there on your style evolution. It’s time to throw away all the drab and fill your closet with impressionable style. Our guy @stevetillystyle is one to watch when needing help putting together a classy ensemble sure to catch the attention of those you seek. The first looks on us, so find everything you need to recreate this look below:
We spoke to James MacLean, the editor at LA Fashion Week about menswear, trends and what inspires him.
Bows-N-Ties: From our collection, what five pieces do you think every man should own?
James MacLean: These would be my picks:
A Classic Yellow and Navy Striped Tie
The All Purpose White Tie
A Statement Red Tie
Red and White Striped Tie
Solid White Bow Tie
Other Interviews You May Enjoy:
Menswear Influencer – A Curated Man
Meet Fashion Influencer – Well Dressed Student
Meet Fashion Influencer, Wale Soluade – Founder and Creator of A Curated Man. This GQ Fashion Insider is a power house when it comes to menswear. His cutting-edge combinations never cease to amaze and inspire us. No matter how bold he goes, Mr. Soluade always get it right! We wanted to know his secrets. Check out our Q + A with the A Curated Man and be sure to check out his website and his Instagram feed.
Bows-N-Ties: How and when did you become interested in menswear?
A Curated Man: “I think I’ve always been interested in menswear and just style period, even when I thought that was represented by sweatpants and football jersey’s. I went a private high school where we were required to wear uniforms, and I found myself using my choice of shoes, belts, accessories and back-packs to express my personal style.”
Bows-N-Ties: Who and what inspires you?
A Curated Man: “My biggest inspiration has always been my father. As a child, I got to watch him getting dressed for work in the morning and accompanied him on visits to his tailors and shoemaker’s. The smell of leather at one of his favorite shoe stores in London is still one of my fondest memories. Now, I find inspiration all over the place. I particularly appreciate architecture and often find myself comparing the construction of great buildings to well crafted garments.”
Bows-N-Ties: How many suits do you own?
A Curated Man: “My wardrobe currently contains 49 suits and 36 jackets and sport coats.”
Bows-N-Ties: How many ties do you own?
A Curated Man: “I’ve got 89 ties at the moment. I probably need to purge my wardrobe as while I wear ties anywhere from 5-6 days out of the week, some of them just never make it into rotation.”
Bows-N-Ties: How would your describe your fashion aesthetic?
A Curated Man: “The vast majority of my wardrobe is tailored clothing and as my knowledge continues to deepen there, so does my appreciation. My aesthetic is rooted in what I would like to think is elegant timelessness with a bit of a spin. I work in what is probably one of the more conservative industries attire-wise, but part of my personal brand is how I balance that with self-expression.”
Bows-N-Ties: What advice would you give men just becoming interested in fashion and beginning to define their style?
A Curated Man: “Take your time to learn – not just about what works for you but also why it works. One becomes less likely to be swayed by what magazines etc., tell you that you should be wearing. Then invest in the classics first such as a well made navy suit.”
Bows-N-Ties: If you had to name one thing, what would be your favorite thing in your wardrobe right now?
A Curated Man: “This is a tough question. Right now, I think my favorite thing/s are these coral bracelets and coral ring I brought back from my recent trip home to Nigeria. I’ve worn them everyday for the last month or so and actually have put away all of my other accessories.”
Previous Menswear Influencer Interviews:
Meet Fashion Influencer – Well Dressed Student
Meet Fashion Influencer – Noah Williams
With school in full swing, we wanted to introduce you to Sunny Murthy, creator of Well Dressed Student fashion blog. His tag line is: “It is a lifestyle, start living it.” We couldn’t agree more; the Well Dressed Student is a blog written by a student for students that covers life, fashion, travel + college life. Learn more about The Well Dressed Student with our Q&A and be sure to follow his blog and Instagram. All photography was done by RJ Goodwin and Matt Owen. Thank you to Sunny for styling our collection of knit ties and sitting down with us and sharing his fashion insight.
Bows-N-Ties: How would you describe your style?
Well Dressed Student: “My style is very personal, in every outfit you can learn a little bit about me. I have always been “weird” when it comes to style and in general. I will try anything if I like it from a tank under a blazer to Fred Astaire infamous tie as a belt. The biggest thing is I wear what I like, not what other people tell me to. This took me awhile to do, to be confident in myself that even if someone told me I looked stupid I didn’t care. In all honesty Kanye West was and still is a huge inspiration to me when it comes to confidence and style (huge music fan).
Bows-N-Ties: How did you get interested in menswear?
Well Dressed Student: “I enjoy it. I have an older brother, by 7 years and I am the youngest of my cousins. I was always surrounded by mature adults and they taught me the foundation on how to dress properly. From that foundation I have built my own, I am ambitious but I am also young. I realized that people take you more seriously when you look professional. I have typically lived by the motto “Don’t dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want” and “Dress like the man you want to be” And I want to be Harvey Specter so…”
Bows-N-Ties: What style tips can you give men in college?
Well Dressed Student: “You don’t have to break bank to dress nice. I come from very humble beginnings and I wear nice clothes. It’s not all about the brand. There is a huge variety of menswear companies out there that are affordable. It’s all about finding deals. Goodwill is awesome too. I don’t spend my money on stuff the majority of college students do, I spend my money on clothes, watches, school, and currently saving for a car. I promise everyone reading this I am not just saying this, I love Bows-N-Ties- the price is amazing and the quality is superb. When you can spend $15-$20 on a good quality tie that has a stellar design instead of spending $150 for a tie that just because it is from a “high end” company why would you spend that much? Shop smart.”
Bows-N-Ties: What has been your best fashion purchase ever?
Well Dressed Student: “Oh man, that is a hard one. I love watches, sadly my bank account hates the fact that I love watches. I bought this Citizen Eco-Drive. It is my favorite watch and my best purchase.”
Bows-N-Ties: What are common fashion mistakes you see on campus?
Well Dressed Student: “Buttoning the bottom buttons on people’s blazers or suit jackets is the biggest one. Not matching your shoes to your belt, doesn’t have to be exact shade but get brown on brown or black on black. Also, a lot of kids wear sizes that they aren’t. Know your size and rock it, if you are a small don’t wear a large because you wish you were a large and vice versa.”
Bows-N-Ties: Where do you go to school and what are you studying?
Well Dressed Student: “I go to Virginia Tech, currently studying Biochemistry, pre-med track. I currently work as a medical scribe while in school. I have big dreams, I want to get a MD and a MBA. There are a few schools out there that have dual programs that allow you to get both in 5 years. I believe this would set me up to reach my goal of being CEO of a hospital. Like I said, big dreams. I mean shoot for the stars, right?”
Bows-N-Ties: How many suits and ties should college men own?
Well Dressed Student: “Talking bare minimum, at least one good suit. Make it versatile, don’t make your one suit a seersucker. Preferably I would say three suits though. The basics that every man should have is at least one gray, navy, and black suit. After you get the basics you can start investing in more. Plain preferably, like not a pinstripe or windowpane. After you get those down then start expanding into a light blue pinstripe or whatever else your heart desires. They should have as many ties, white and light blue shirts as possible. You can wear the same suit numerous times and completely change the outfit by simply changing the tie.”
First up, we have one of our favorite up and coming Menswear Bloggers, Noah Williams! Mr. Williams is a Commercial Photographer / Cinematographer who instantly captured our eye with this dapper menswear looks, his gorgeous fashion layouts and his meticulous attention to aesthetics. Find out what inspires Mr. Williams and what his favorite thing in his wardrobe is. Be sure to check out his Website and his Instagram. We guarantee, he’ll inspire you. He is a master at accessorizing with the knit tie.
Bows-N-Ties: What inspires you?
Noah: “I get inspired by a lot of things. When it comes to menswear I have always loved the classic style of people like JFK, and Kiel James Patrick. On Instagram Phil Cohen(thepacman82) is one person who influences my content a lot”
Bows-N-Ties: Have you always been into menswear?
Noah: “I suppose in a subtle way I have always been picky about what I wore, and have had a favorite shirt. A couple years ago when I started photographing weddings, it sparked an interest in me. I became very interested in why/how certain men could look better in a suit than others. From that point on it became something I was very avidly interested in, and has grown ever since.
Bows-N-Ties: What made you get into photography?
Noah: “From the age of 12-18 I skateboarded everyday. When I was 14 I broke my wrist and had a six month gap in which I could not skateboard. To fill the time I started filming my friends skateboard, and when I was 17 got a DSLR for Christmas. In addition to using it for the video function, I became rather enamored with the art of photography. I took a couple of classes at a local art school at night and before I knew it was booking shoots. After three years, I have been lucky enough to find a job, and career that I look forward to doing each and everyday.”
Bows-N-Ties: What is your favorite article of clothing?
Noah: “Currently my navy suit by J. Lindeburg is a favorite. It is something I can style so many different ways, it is an invaluable part of my wardrobe.”
Ties styled by Noah Williams in order: Striped Navy Knit Tie, Madras Plaid Skinny Tie in Linen, Navy and White Polka Dot Knit Tie, Gray and Navy Knit Tie and Dark Brown Knit Tie.
