Summer is finally beginning to play ball. So the question that remains is what do you wear out when you’re not too keen on shorts?

A pair of chinos. That’s what.

Chinos should be part of every stylish gents wardrobe; they can be dressed up or down and depending on your outfit, they can be rolled up or down.

They’re are THE trouser choice for the summer, providing a light alternative to jeans, whilst being just as versatile. Whether you’re pairing them with trainers or shoes, chinos have just as much flexibility.

This Fullcircle offering comes in at £60-a-pop and are produced in 4 colourways: Stone grey, Light pink, Indigo blue and our choice, Light Blue.

Now onto the styling…

We kept this look very light but formal. Starting with a pinstripe contrasting collar, we dropped in a navy/white polka-dot scarf. We intentionally tucked it in halfway down the shirt to show of its timeless pattern.

A vintage Tie Bar helps secure the scarf down while adding another focal point to the outfit. A grey dress belt with gold buckle breaks up the colours.

STYLING & MODELING: AARON CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY: COOLOGRAPHY

Fullcircle’s light blue chinos are rolled up, edging it towards a more casual look. Its neutral colourway keeps everything fresh and understated and we used a pair of white deck shoes to crown off the look.

As always,

Stay Stylish

Aaron C.

GOOD LOOK

A good friend of mine was wearing this beauty; it’s a vintage compass jewellery piece and the great thing about vintage jewellery is that it comes with an air of mystery. A hidden story and rich history. Perfect for making up some bullshit to get the ladies listening!

Anyhow, this vintage-piece really stood out, not just because no-one else will have it, but because it’s simple, elegant and interesting. Every guy needs in a timeless accessory.

The second picture shows something completely different. Here, we have a  few belts from high-street king UNIQLO. The eye-catching colours and fabric help take that a step further. It’s the perfect summer accessory that won’t cost the earth.

BAD LOOK

Some printed T-shirts can be fun and show your playful side and others will have you looking like John Terry in a Champions League final… a complete dick. Sexual connotation T-shirts like these should be avoided like the plague.

What’s even worse than sexual connotation T-shirts are ones produced by Christian Audigier. And the fact that he has a book too makes it a very sorry situation.

Shit, I felt like slapping the Foyles employee. I didn’t though.

Just when you thought you had your wardrobe fully covered…we’re back on our staple journey. This week we have another five pieces that are vital in aiding a man on quest for style supremacy. So let’s not waste any time and get straight to it. 

6. Grey Cashmere Scarf

Cashmere will last forever and this beauty will feel like the Honey Monster has you in a choke-hold (in a good way.) The grey colour will work with anything from a dark suit to a light denim jacket.

A scarf also adds another element to your look and the different ways in which you can tie it will help bring out your own personal style.

7. Grey Cashmere Sweater 

Cashmere, again, has long had a reputation as being durable, comfortable as well as being noted for being refined and what’s more, it’s far less likely to pill. 

A charcoal colour palette will go perfectly with a dark suit in Autumn or Winter as it does with a pair of jeans or chinos in Spring. The neck style is down to your preference; V-necks allow you to show off more of your tie when paired with a shirt while Crewnecks are beginning to make a comeback on the runways recently. It’s totally up to you. 

8. Blue Dress Jeans

A good quality pair of classic blue straight leg jeans are timeless. They’re an American classic and there probably isn’t an American (or Englishmen) alive who doesn’t own a pair.

You can wear smart shoes or trainers with them and rock them with a T-shirt or tweed blazer. Come to think about it, there probably isn’t anything you can’t pair with a pair of good blue jeans.  The darker they are, the dressier they will look (unless you go for a baggier, comfort fit.)

9. Black Leather Belt 

You should be wearing a belt at all times. The only time you’re excused is at a black tie event with a tuxedo on. And the first belt a man should own is a black leather one.

Like we’ve come to discover with most of these staples, a black leather belt holds great versatility. It can be paired up with a suit as well as with a pair of jeans. A high quality leather one will last you a lifetime. Make sure you pick a belt that is your exact waist measurement and wear it on the middle hole. The two holes either side of the used one provide a little space for the gain and loss of weight.

10. Black Socks

Unless your playing sports, stay away from white socks as much as possible. You should be upgrading your socks about every six months as they wear out and look battered fairly quickly.

We know that those two- striped £2 market socks were so comfortable, but they get holey very quickly. Boys wear white sport socks. Men wear black cotton socks. The choice is yours…man.

Stay Stylish, 

Aaron C.

Related posts: Belt Types, Scarf Styles, Scarf Styles Pt 2

P.S: Want to ask us more about men’s staples? Then simply join the forum. There you’ll be able to ask us anything regarding men’s style. You can get all these blog posts and video tips sent to you for FREE by typing your email address here.

Also, if there is a topic you want us to cover then simply write it in this little box, press send and we’ll jump on it ASAP.

Or if you prefer, we can come to you! Check out our personal ’1-on-1 style consultations’ and discover the ‘Science Behind Style’. Just drop us a message

The great British weather is finally starting to take a turn for the better! But we can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to ditch your jeans and trousers completely and run around in shorts all week. 

We’ve all been there; we get up and have been personally-invited out by the vitalite sun, he assures us he’s not leaving till very late. Then a few hours later, we realise that Vitalite bastard Sun lied and has pissed off, leaving you to walk home with frosted balls -and I’m not talking about a new Kellogs cereal. 

So while the weather is still a bit like Liverpool’s form- up and down- we’ve set out the top five accessories you need to pick up for when the real sun comes out to play. 

1. Aviator Sunglasses

The Aviators are a classic and will never go out of fashion. Period. The great thing about these are the fact that they also break the age barrier; they’ll look as stylish on a 20-year-old as they would on a a man twice his age. 

Avoid  looking like a member of YMCA and skip the metallic Police-style ones. Instead, go with a coffee brown to add to your summer chic. Just make sure you choose a frame size that fits your face. You can buy these cheaply from most high street stores or go spend some money and get them prescription fitted.  

2. Braided Belt 

The braided belt is a great way to spice up your summer outfits. The nautical styles are by far the most suited to this season’s chino/tailored short trends. A neutral cream belt is the perfect partner to your brown aviators. They are extremely versatile and can also be matched with cargo shorts as well as a wide range of coloured chinos. 

3. Fedora

Last week, we covered fedoras, so it would be hypocritical of me to leave it out in this week’s post. The fedora is a great finishing touch to any outfit and can also be used as the stand-out piece on a simple shirt and sunglasses combo, as pictured above. Pitt looks the shit.

4. Summer Watch 

The summer watch is a neat way of adding a little colour into your summer ensemble. Many of the famous sports brands such as Adidas and Puma are creating these summer masterpieces. It’s the perfect time to go crazy with your wrist pieces.

Use the sun as an excuse to go colour mad. It’s also a nice way of co-ordinating some unusual colours into your look. 

5. Cotton Tie

Cotton ties lighten up your outfit. The aim of your summer look is to look light and cool and a cotton tie does just that. It works well with other summer fabrics such as linen and looks casual enough to even pair with a pair of chino shorts.

Plaid designs are all the rave now and they work very well with the natiucal trend, so experiment and find out what suits you.

Stay Stylish,

Aaron C.

Related posts: Suit Accessories Tie Styles  Belt Types

P.S: Want to ask us more about summer accessories? Then simply join the forum. There you’ll be able to ask us anything regarding men’s style. You can get all these blog posts and video tips sent to YOU for free by typing your email address here. Also, if there is a topic you want us to cover then simply write it in this little box, press send and we’ll jump on it ASAP.

Or if you prefer, we can come to you! Check out our personal 1 on 1 style consultations and discover the ‘Science Behind Style’. Just drop us a message

Unique products  are so hard to find these days and its no different when talking about clothes. One of our pet hates is people who play it safe. It goes against everything that Individualism is about. That’s why every week, we try and seek out distinctive and innovative designs. And this week’s no different.

A few week’s back, we wrote an article that covered everything you needed to know about men’s belt types. In it, we explained that belts are a requirement -not an option.

But what do you do when you’ve covered all the basics and picked up the essentials? Well, you take it to the next level and find belts that make you stand out.

This belt by ‘Shoflok’ takes a classic style (Braided) and sprinkles it with some Shofolk charm. It’s perfect for highlighting another colour in your outfit and the braided style offers a quirky twist and breaks the standard, high street convention.

Pick up yours here

As Always,

Stay Stylish

Aaron C.

Related posts: Men’s Belt Styles

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Right, where do I start. When I first began learning about belts I thought there were no rules, that I could throw any belt on with any bottoms. However, that was as big a mistake as Manchester United purchasing Djema Djema (If you dont know who that is, well he’s a football player who is piping hot shit, not luke warm or blazing hot but PIPING HOT!) Listen…belts are a requirement, not only because they keep your pants up, but also because they provide that stylish visual break between top and bottom. A must.

Pick up these belts and your belt shopping will be done forever! “Forever ever. Forever ever?” (It’s an ‘Outkast’ tune if your lost)

Leather Dress Belt

Probably the most common and essential accessory in any man’s wardrobe, the leather dress belt will see you through every formal event you find yourself in. From business attire to those unexpected funerals/weddings.

Just make sure you purchase a good-quality black and brown leather dress belt and don’t ever try and re-use those C&A belts that came with your school trousers. If you do, we’ll find you. And kill you.

Leather Casual Belt

The casual leather belt is a classic and one that most men are familiar with.  They are thicker, chunkier and rougher in finish in comparison to the dress belt. They can be worn with most bottoms, ranging from jeans to shorts, cargo pants to chinos. You’ll know what bottoms can be worn with a casual belt, as the loop holes around the waist will be big enough to fit one.

The three main colours are black, chocolate brown and tan. By purchasing these three, you’ll have every casual outfit covered.

Skinny Belt

CASUAL SKINNY BELT

FORMAL SKINNY BELT

Skinny belts create a chic look to your outfit. A trendier option to that of the classic leather casual/dress belt, skinny belts are now being produced in both casual and formal styles. The skinny belt is designed to reveal more of the trousers’ fabric around your waist.

It’s vitally important to get the exact fit with skinny belts, as the whole point of the slim design is to reveal the trousers waistband.  And with designs ranging from leather to patent to plastic, we’ve got many to match our ties…hint hint.

Woven Belt

Woven belts are strictly casual. They provide a fresh change for those looking to add a little texture into their outfits. Usually worn in the summer with lighter summer fabrics, they can also be pulled off with denim very stylishly. For the sake off all things good, don’t wear this belt with a suit.

Buckle Belt

The buckle belt is synonymous with the cowboy and western look. Their width is a lot wider and thicker and are designed to be worn with denim. There is a new style hitting the market, especially popular in markets within London, which allow you to change the buckle on your belt. Designs range from famous brand logos to characters and signs.

Buckle belts are a great way to show off your personality and stand out front from the crowd and the colours and designs available provide an opportunity to colour co-ordinate your outfit too.

Just make sure they aren’t too loud or outlandish. (They are not classic, but more for fun.) The trick with buckle belts is to not go too large with the buckle; it should never exceed the size of your fist.

Wearing your car wheel on your crotch should be left to the rappers.

Fabric Belt

Fabric belts are highly underrated. Less common than the leather styles and a lot more difficult to pull off but when styled well, they can seperate you from the averagly-dressed guy.

They are usually worn in the summer and styled with a light pair of bottoms. Rock them with white, beige or navy chinos to really bring them out.

That’s all the belt preaching from me!

As Always,

Stay Stylish

Aaron C.

Related posts: Men’s Staples Part 2, Top 5 Men’s Summer Accessories, Shofolk Muli Coloured Braided Belt,

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