The Next-Level Guide to Layering Clothes for Men
| Unlock the secrets to effortless style with our comprehensive guide to layering clothes for men. Discover how to expertly combine different garments to create stylish and functional layered outfits for any occasion. |
Walk down the street, and you'll see many men wearing sweaters and coats to fend off the cool weather. It's functional. It's fine. But we think you can do better than “fine.” Layering clothes for men is a skill, and it has levels.
The art of layering clothes for men requires a balance between form and function. Of course, you want to stay warm. But you want to look refined too. And you don't want to end up lost under your layers like Joey Tribianni or George Costanza.
Layering isn't a skill that develops overnight. But knowing a few strategies for success can help you go from a rough gem to the most polished man in the room.
Let's look at five strategies and outfit inspirations that make layering clothes for men effortless.
Layering Clothes for Men Requires Being Mindful of Your Materials
Pieces made of natural fibres look great and keep you warmer than synthetics. They also make layering so much easier. Cotton sweaters are thin and light. They're great for layering, but don't count on them to keep you warm like wool, alpaca, or cashmere.
Wear your thin layers on the inside, but don't forget about wool coats and sweaters that look refined while layered on top of a crisp shirt and exquisite tie.
Build your wardrobe out of natural neutral-coloured fabrics to create stylish layered outfits every day.
Minimize the Visible Layers
Limit your visible layers to three or four. You accomplish two things when you minimize your layers:
- You ensure you don't get too bulky.
- You don't look overwhelmed by your layers.
Take stock of the layers you wear. An overcoat on top of a suit jacket with a dress shirt, cardigan and gilet underneath add a lot of bulk. Think about setting the gilet or cardigan aside. Or opt for a thicker winter coat to stay warm.
Try to achieve a balance between form and function. Pare it down to the refined essentials to look polished, stylish and ready to take on the world.
Make Sure Each Layer Works on Its Own
Layering adds depth and interest to any outfit. A cardigan or a blazer dresses up a Henley shirt and jeans. Or you can remove the outer layer for a more casual look. That's what we love about creating layers.
You have the versatility to switch up your look while you're out and about. It's why you need to be thoughtful about your layers.
As you layer on different pieces, think about the outfits you create if you peel the layers back. You don't want to get caught in a warm room with a shirt that you only intend to wear underneath sweaters.
Being mindful of the materials you wear, the number of layers, and how each layer works on its own will take your style above the guy next to you. But if you want to go a step further, don't miss our following two tips to layering clothes for men.
Take it to the Next Level by Layering Textures
Adding textures to your outfits elevates your style and gives your look depth. The key to layering textures is to keep them subtle. Keeping your textures subtle ensures one piece doesn't overpower the rest of your outfit or overwhelm others.
Choose up to two subtle textures to combine. A grenadine tie with a herringbone suit or a knit cardigan on top looks great together. It's the type of outfit that has visual interest beyond wearing layers.
Striking and Sophisticated: Tonal Layering
Create bold and rich outfits through tonal layering (or monochromatic dressing). Tonal layering uses shades of the same colour throughout an outfit. For example, you can wear a light blue dress shirt, a navy blue suit, and a navy grenadine tie. Light and dark shades of brown work great too.
For a casual monochromatic layered look, wear a blue Oxford shirt with a French blue sweater, dark wash jeans, and a navy blazer. The mix of dark and light tones of the same hue creates a subtle but pleasing look greater than the sum of its parts. It's as striking as it is sophisticated and a simple way to add polish to your everyday attire.
We layer our clothes unconsciously almost every day. Imagine putting a little thought into it and the refined outfits you can create. It only requires a few key decisions we talked about to add polish to your everyday style.
Don't miss out on men's style tips that make you the most polished man in the room. Subscribe to our newsletter!