The Well-Dressed Man: 10 Outfits That Always Work

A well-dressed man relies on a handful of formulas: blazer and trousers, shirt and chinos, knit and denim, and shoes that fit the occasion. The picks are chosen to mix freely, with blazers, shirts, trousers and shoes that combine into outfits without much thought. Ten outfits come from four categories, not forty.

Blazers from Ted Baker, Etro and Casablanca are the piece that moves an outfit from casual to considered. A navy or brown wool blazer works over a knit, a shirt or a tee. Check that the shoulder sits flat and the sleeve shows a little cuff.

Shirts from Theory, Allsaints and Diesel cover office, dinner and weekend. A white or blue oxford does the most. A linen or overshirt layer handles casual days, and fit through the chest matters more than a label.

Trousers and chinos from Ted Baker, Vince and Theory should have a clean line and a hem that just touches the shoe. A slightly relaxed leg is more current than a narrow taper. Grey, tan and navy go with nearly everything.

A closet of ten outfits is not built from trend pieces. We would not buy a patterned trouser or a loud shirt until the basics are covered.

Good dressing is repetition done well. Pick five colors, buy everything in them, and the ten outfits assemble themselves. Notice what you wear on busy days and buy more of that, then let the rest of the closet shrink until it matches how you actually live. Own a tailor before you own a third blazer, since fit changes more than price does.

If you take one thing away: get the blazer and trousers tailored, since fit changes how every outfit looks.