Look Like Him

To be honest, I'd been avoiding this shirt for a long time. But during the All Hail Herringbone piece, I decided to consider the possibilities of this shirt I'd seen practically everywhere.

I went with a $35 on-sale number from the GAP similar to the one above, and it nailed the Herringbone Blazer look I was going for.  And whether you chose Denim or Chambray for yourself...you chose well. So let's explore some possibilities for outfitting yourself.

It's not just the Herringbone Blazer this shirt's gonna work with, try just about any blazer you'd match with a typical light blue shirt. Especially if the blazer is a different texture than the shirt.

The first example we have above pairs amazingly with a tweed blazer. This one is part of this season's Urban Collection from a company named Mango that I'm pretty excited about. The blazer isn't for sale yet, but will be priced at $219 according to their website. To finish it off, go with deep blue pants like the Monday True Blues you can find from Bonobos, and your choice of belt and shoe.

Above is another example of a textured blazer (this one is Linen) in a neutral tone you can combine with your denim or chambray shirt. By the way, these might be outstanding business casual or date night looks, but even with a tie you'll probably want to avoid serious business meetings.

The main thing to note about the photo above is the three textures going on.  Our Denim shirt, the Tweed Blazer, and a wool tie. This is a great excuse to break out wool. The blazer above is from Topman, and although it's no longer in their current collection, this Topman Blazer should work just as nicely. The tie is from Etsy (so basically one of a kind) but you can get a similar one from Lord & Taylor.

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Finally, not to beat a dead horse that this shirt goes with jackets, but you can pair your shirt with a traditional Navy blazer. This is a more warm-weather look you can pull off with seersucker pants, and a knit tie (notice once again the different types of materials combining to give the outfit visual interest).

Sweater Weather

Moving along in our journey from most formal to least, we take a pit stop at the sweater.

In our first example we've got dark pants and a cardigan. Picking a sweater that has a little blue in it helps to make this work.

  

You can also use the Denim shirt as an accent piece underneath a sweater. Showing through in the sleeves and below the waist of this Breton Stripe Sweater, the Denim adds an extra dimension. Not an easy sweater to find, but you can get one from the UK if you can see past the highly unattractive model, or you can get it from Ralph Lauren in a version without ribbing (but, on the bright side, probably more trim fitting).

Update: I should say this isn't an easy sweater to find cheap. The one above turns out to be a J. Crew offering which is no longer available, but was selling for $215.  You can find the manufacturer of that Bicnic II model which J. Crew sold here from Saint James, but you're still looking at well over $200 for the sweater. 

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It's not just for Fall and Winter, either. Layer your denim shirt under a green sweater in the Spring or when visiting Nantucket, along with some cobalt blue pants. Add boat shoes and bright belt, and prepare to be invited to the Captain's Table for dinner.

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And it doesn't just need to be blue. This combo looks good with dark jeans and the Triadic Color of yellow. We'll get into Triadic Color Schemes in another post, but basically the Triadic matching colors for your denim are yellow, red, and other shades of blue.

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Finally we mix sweater and tie to create a hybrid look. Any nice chunky cardigan, a contrasting patterned tie, and a jacket vest over your traditional khakis creates a stylish yet practical look if you're going to be stuck outside and need to stay warm.

Just Hanging Out

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Moving all the way to the casual end of the spectrum, do you ever find yourself needing to hold up the doorway of a coffee shop on occasion? Once again, our denim shirt comes to the rescue. Look like you've got nothing else to do just by putting on a pair of Converse high tops, a gray t-shirt, and, wait...could that be...a shade of green pants...

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That's right, green pants! like featured in Don't Shoot the Messenger (Alton Brown would be so proud), green pants can go with your shirt for another casual look. Finish it off with a timeless belt, which you should be buying on sale.

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Another example above of green pants and denim. Dark brown leather accents pair well with this combo, whether in the form of belt or multiple bracelets.

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Finally, if you still have any doubts, just take a look at who else rocks the denim shirt. David Beckham. Just last year voted one of People's sexiest men alive. Good enough for him, good enough for me.

So there you go. Completely casual (key points - sleeves rolled up, shirt untucked or slightly tucked in) or dressed to impress (key points - layer different textures, slap on a blazer) the denim shirt proves it's not a "unitasker" in the world of menswear.

Any tips on how you wear your denim shirt? Know where to get a great Breton Stripe Sweater? Help everyone out by posting in the comments below.