Suits and Sneakers Done Right

When it comes to wearing clothes and talking about mens style, my emphasis is on comfort, comfort and more comfort. “All pieces in your wardrobe, formal and informal, should be based around comfort. If they aren’t, you’re not doing it right.”

Even though I advocate comfort, it is very easy for myself and many traditional sartorialists to critique and even shun the use of sneakers in sartorial style. Granted there is a time and place, and when done right this look is very striking and visually pleasing. The trick is to maintain elegance when dressing in this way, and it can be tough to master.

There are two key ingredients to sneaker/suit success. The first is a damn cool pair of sneakers, and the second is to ditch all conventional thinking on what you know about suit wearing. In the examples I give here, I will analyse the specific use of these ideas in non-business wear.

Two Individual Inspirations: Alessando Squarzi and Nami Man

Analysis:

Alessandro has the innate flair that many Italians posess, which certainly gives him an advantage on the style front. He’s likely been paying attention to details in the clothing he wears since he was a kid – even more reason we should learn from him!

The clear emphasis here is relaxedness. His trousers are roomy and braces help exaggerate this, his jacket is unbuttoned, and he has plenty of volume in his sleeves. Pair this purposeful tailoring with super comfy sneakers and a decidedly light (casual) colour palette, and you get clasically inspired weekendwear at its best.

Analysis:

Nami is young, trendy and heavily influenced by modern streetwear. Pair his #streetorial background with his love for traditional tailoring and you get a dark, slim, punchy version of weekendwear with the same relaxed intention. In this instance the fabric of his suit is most likely woven to improve freedom of movement while remaining as form fitting as possible. Relaxed comfort in a different, sportified way. This particular look is very eye catching and makes use of (and is incomplete without) accessories. Widely accepted pieces used to complete this look are: Bracelets, Beanies, Eyewear, Rings, Scarves, Quilted Vests and Technical Outerwear.

If you’re still curious about this look, I encourage you to do a bit of your own research. There are many Tumblr’s and blogs that promote relaxed tailoring. Here is a list of a few of my favourite brands and blogs based around relaxed and natural style:

Ciao,

Steve Calder