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(From left) Stock your closet with hardworking essentials, including: J. Crew’s 770 Chino Pant in Weathered Chino, Brooks Brothers’ Cotton Pique Half-Zip Sweater in Burgundy, Grayers Flex Everyday Knit Shirt – Faded Gray, On Cloudzone in Mulberry Black, Gap’s Modern Straight Khakis in Pilot Grey and the L.L. Bean Field Trip Shirt Jac in Olive Gray.
AARP (J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, Grayers, On, Gap, L.L. Bean)
There are many reasons for downsizing your wardrobe to just the essentials. By a certain age, a guy has usually done a fair share of experimenting with trendy fashions of youth (think jackets with linebacker shoulders, shirts in day-glo colors or eye-grating band T-shirts) or they’ve been talked to into an unnecessary and often unwearable apparel purchase by an overeager salesperson.
But most likely, at this point in life, you have a good sense of your own style and how you like to present yourself to the world. And the “world” — at least the people you usually encounter — generally have an expectation of how you’ll look when you turn up to meet them. That sense of familiarity seemingly adds a sense of calming reassurance to our interpersonal relationships, even as the world seems crazier than ever.
Along with a well-defined wardrobe comes a couple of big “but’s.” With age comes more authenticity and its privileges, but it’s still important to make an effort to look sharp, whether you’re still working, traveling the world or just meeting up with friends and family members. That means your closet’s essentials must be well-fitting and timeless. In a well-edited closet, every piece is a prime player, so restock regularly whenever something looks too worn or shabby.
With all that in mind, there’s still room for expressing your personality by adapting the wearable suggestions outlined below to your needs. An unexpected style swerve, like a chili-red topper or a pair of bolder-than-usual blue “khakis,” can show that the older guy’s still got it.
(From left) Alex Mill’s Garment Dyed Work Jacket in Recycled Denim in Red Pepper; Taylor Stitch’s The Ojai Jacket in Organic Navy Foundation Twill; L.L. Bean Field Trip Shirt Jac in Olive Gray
AARP (Alex Mill, Taylor Stitch, L.L. Bean)
Working prerogatives
There are many good reasons for keeping a casual jacket in your regular rotation. Besides pulling a look together, a lightweight top piece can camouflage a few extra pounds and provide a functional alternative for guys who might be used to wearing a suit jacket or blazer with handily accessible pockets. Unsurprisingly, dependable and functional workwear styles provide an updated springboard for a versatile alternative that’s about as dressed up as you’ll need in any situation.
One iteration is Taylor Stitch’s The Ojai Jacket ($198, taylorstitch.com), modeled on French utility outerwear in a year-round-weight Navy organic cotton twill that’s easy to dress up or down. Similarly styled, Alex Mill’s Garment Dyed Work Jacket in Recycled Denim ($225, alexmill.com) adds a hearty pop of color in Red Pepper or a reassuring neutral like Beeswax. Ruggedly handsome, the L.L. Bean Field Trip Shirt Jac in Olive Gray or Sand Dune ($85, llbean.com) in washable slubbed cotton elevates your look when layered over a button-up or tee.
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