The ideal “wardrobe”… that fantasy of every clothing lover… That destination that seems so far away, but is so exciting…
If Nicolò pushed the concept to its limits in his latest video , I would like to give you my opinion.
First of all, you have to be careful, because it's endless: there will always be a piece of clothing that you're missing to finally have the ideal wardrobe.
I have a friend who has about forty pairs of shoes. He told me he needs six more to finally complete his perfect "shoe wardrobe." Do you think he'll know when to stop when he has all six? I doubt it!
So there is a time when it is important to focus
on what you already have.
For me, the ideal wardrobe is quite simple. Above all, be careful not to confuse " minimalist wardrobe " and "ideal wardrobe". In the first case, we have very little choice, and it generally turns into a very restricted casual chic, and in the second case, well, we have fun.
Overall, for me, an ideal wardrobe looks like this:
- From casual, going from "casual chic" to "casual outdoor" to go on an adventure
- A bit of dressy, because I really like wearing a nice blazer with a nice shirt in this period where formal clothing is in its death throes.
Here is everything in detail.
1. Pants
- Raw jeans , white jeans , light bleached/stoned jeans ,
- One or two pairs of woolen trousers , because in winter it is very pleasant, and visually, it is very beautiful.
- One or two chinos , including a really technical one.
- And cargo pants , whether made of Japanese fabric or from a techwear march, it's your choice.
All our advice on pants can be read here
Yes, white jeans have their place in an ideal wardrobe. "Souvenir" photo of the shooting of our white jeans , time flies so quickly...
2. Shoes
- Two or three pairs of sneakers , to have a rotation and not wear them out too quickly.
- A pair of running shoes , because that's what you'll end up wearing the most.
- A pair of brogues , to wear with a suit as well as with jeans
- Bonus: I really like boots , whether they are Chelsea boots or "high-top brogues", like we see a lot of in English shoes, like the Islay from Crockett & Jones .
- Bonus 2: " work boots " from Red Wings or Wolverine can be useful, especially for a weekend in the countryside, a short walk in the forest or by the sea.
Finally, whenever I want to wear shoes "without overdoing it", I always turn to a pair of brogues. Photo credit: BonneGueule brogues.
3. Upper body
- Merino t-shirts ! I don't understand why this isn't a staple in every man's wardrobe. I wear merino tees way more than cotton tees year-round, and have done so for years, even before we came out with our own .
- A lighter tee for summer , in 100% linen (be careful, the material is a little unstable) or a cotton/linen blend.
- Casual shirts like oxford or chambray, a more formal shirt in oxford or denim
- Knit (fine or thick, it's up to you). Here's a link to my Let's Talk Clothes on choosing a knit sweater.
- Blazer , because it's always a pleasure to feel elegant with this piece
- A leather jacket (or just a jacket), a more formal coat and rainwear (Ventile or technical fabric)
For the summer
- Beautiful Bermuda shorts
- Two or three pairs of light trousers , as they are infinitely more comfortable when temperatures exceed 25°C.
- T-shirts with a bit of character (texture, color, worked material)
- A very nice pair of sunglasses
- Some accessories such as bracelets or even necklaces
- Espadrilles (and why not loafers)
- And a pair of canvas sneakers , like Doek or Asahi
My favorite material for summer remains the Loro Piana fabric, from the "Summertime" range, in wool, linen and silk. The color is all in nuances and the breathability very pleasant. It is for these reasons that we have used it abundantly in our summer blazers .
And there, normally, you have what it takes to deal with most situations in most climates!
Of course, my vision of the ideal outdoor wardrobe is missing, but I think that will be the subject of a separate video…
As you can see, that's already quite a few pieces, and it's a project that can easily be spread over several years. But as they say, it's the journey, not the destination, that's important.
