18 Style Essentials For Men Who Want To Look Great But Don’t Know Where To Actually Buy Clothes
by The Candidly Team
So, we’ve noticed this pattern. Maybe you have, too.
Think of a man in your life, (feel free to picture yourself if you happen to be man), and ask yourself the question, “What is he always wearing?”
Did a single item immediately leap to mind? Maybe it was a surfer tee? A polo? A pair of flip flops he wears even when it’s 30 degrees outside.
And listen, we know every guy out there has their own eclectic taste…etc.etc. We’re not here to pigeonhole or make sweeping generalizations. Well…except this one:
When it come to clothes, many, many men find one thing they love, and they GO. ALL. IN.
That thing, be it a heavy hoodie or a harem pant, then becomes like 90% of what they wear.
And we completely get it. Shopping for menswear can be hellish. In a sea of sameness, finding excellent clothes has so much to do with subtle things like the exact amount of stretch in a pant leg or the length of a sleeve on a t-shirt that otherwise looks like every other t-shirt in the world.
So, we decided to give anyone out there shopping for a guy a shortcut…by sourcing the very best in every category of thing they love to wear.
“What makes these things the best?” you may ask, eyes primed for rolling. Well, each has been carefully chosen, because:
It feels comfortable and loungey, even if it’s more formalish.
It’s extremely well-made and therefore not about to pill and fall apart after 4 wears.
It still looks "nice” - flattering, tailored, dashing.
Did we just use the word dashing? Yes, we did. And we stand by it.
So, dive in, and find his (your?) thing. It’s there. We promise.
1. The Casj Summer Button-Down
What: Faherty Linen Laguna Shirt
Why: Button-downs don’t have to be made in stiff and starchy, Mad Men-era materials to look tailored and sharp and Mad Men-era cool. This one is made from the softest, most breathable linen, so the human inside it stays cool and fresh-feeling. It comes in a sea of colors and subtle prints. And, it has those clean lines that effortlessly transition it from casual to formal…and that flatter in every possible way.
Price: $168
2. The Coziest Jogger In Existence
What: Men’s Ultra-Soft Bamboo Jogger Pant
There’s far too many pieces of loungewear out there, all promising to be the smoothest, butteriest, most heavenly thing to ever touch your skin. But these joggers are in fact the smoothest, butteriest, most heavenly thing that will ever touch your skin. They’re breathable and light, but the fabric still feels substantial, almost stretchy, so no pilling or tiny holes that mysteriously appear after a month. The shape is also 10x more attractive than many of the frumpier lounge pants out there that wind up all stretched out and sad. And the best news is our love for these joggers (which admittedly started with the women’s version) inspired the good people at Cozy Earth to offer us 35% off! Use the code: CANDIDLY.
Price: $165
3. The Essential V-Neck Tee
What: Vince Pima Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt
Why: All that really matters with a t-shirt are two unsexy-sounding things: the feel and the fit. But when these two things are done correctly, a t-shirt can be game-changing, making you look sleek, lengthened, and put-together with almost no effort. This one from Vince has perfected all the itty bitty details: a sleeve that neither sags to your elbows nor cuts you off at the very top of your arms, a fit that’s slim yet still relaxed, and a v-neck that hits at the exact-right spot that isn’t hideously low.
Price: $65
4. The Mildly Brilliant Sweatshirt Blazer
What: Faherty Inlet Knit Blazer
Why: A well-cut, formal-ish blazer that’s made out of sweatshirt material is a veeerry smart thing. Yes, it’s soft and loungey in feel, but look closely at the texture and how it makes the whole thing dignified and not dumb. Also, it doesn’t wrinkle, which means it might just top our list as the most effortless/ attractive item on this list.
Price: $198
5. The Chinos That Aren’t Just Plain Ugly
What: Open Edit Skinny Fit Stretch Chino Pants
Why: We all quietly know that chinos are not cool. Most of them are passably okay at best. But they’re sooooo practical. They’re easy. They feel good. And people need to wear them for work things and family things and event things, and so, we found the only chinos that actually look really, really good on all guys. They have a slightly slimmer, more modern fit, but you can still easily move and relax in them. They’re still chinos - just better. And to prove it, here they are being modeled on a real person one of us may or may not be married to who’s also wearing #1 on this very list.
Price: $59
6. The “Nice” Shorts
What: J. Crew Linen Short
Why: Try to look past J. Crew’s preppy (tucked-button down) styling on this one, because these shorts are ideal for when you want to wear shorts, but you don’t want to look like you’re on your way to work out. They’re light and so well cut, hitting that sweet spot of being tailored but not too tight. They size up to 42, but even more importantly, you can choose between a 5, 7, and 9-inch length.
Price: $89.50
7. The Tee You Never Want To Take Off
What: Cozy Earth Men's Stretch-Knit Bamboo Lounge Tee
Why: Once again, we turn to Cozy Earth to make the t-shirt we never want to not feel touching our skin, even if it’s through a hug. This one makes an excellent gift, because it’s all but guaranteed to be the sort of favorite that doesn’t make it to the laundry basket quite as often as it should, because it’s too busy being worn 24/7. And you can get 35% using the code CANDIDLY
Price: $90
8. The Semi-Affordable Suit
What: J. Crew Ludlow Slim-Fit Unstructured Suit Jacket In Irish Cotton-Linen Blend and Ludlow Slim-Fit Unstructured Suit Pant in Irish Cotton-Linen Blend
Why: Someone we don’t agree with once said “a suit is the uniform of success.” Honestly, we couldn’t care less about a suit’s dull, corporate associations, or its 4-digit price tag. However, we also won’t tiptoe around the fact that guys look very good in suits. What this suit brings to the table is that it’s not stuffy or stiff. It’s relaxed, breathable, and a fine linen that makes it idea for every summer wedding and formal evening where you want to exude all that Bond-ian refinement, while existing in complete comfort.
Price: $248 for the jacket, $128 - $168 for the pants
9. The "Formal" Jogger
What: Swet Tailor Duo Joggers
Why: If a single triumph came out of the loungewear craze of 2020, it’s the rise of the “formal” jogger, a piece that fits the lower half of a guy so well in a material that has some stretch and ease, but that now, thanks to styles like these, also look good enough to leave the house in. To a meeting. Out to dinner. They’re as good as any dress pant. Maybe better. In fact, when someone from our team working on this very article asked her husband who was wearing these pants what brand they were, he refused to tell her the name for fear we’d sell them out. We assured him we wouldn’t. Feel free to prove us wrong.
Price: $129
10. The Sleek Moto Sweatshirt
What: American Giant Moto Full Zip
Why: Once again, we see the genius of pairing a soft, cozy material with a more formal, sculpted cut. A hoodie feel with a moto shape. We’d call this a fairly foolproof gift for any guy we know.
Price: $138
11. The Magically Sculpting Henley
What: True Classic Short Sleeve Henley
Why: We have it on good word that this “athletic cut” henley is aptly named, not because you need to have bulging biceps to look good in it, but because it has a shape that makes any body look more athletic. And we have to say, seeing side- by-sides of this shirt next to others, it does seem to work some sort of magic.
Price: $68
12. The Lounge Shorts That Don't Look Schlumpy
What: Vuori Sunday Performance Short
Why: If you’ve listened to a podcast in the past 3 years, you’ve probably half-listened to the host reading a scripted testimonial to these shorts. But here’s the thing. We tried them. And they’re exceptional. So here’s the speech you’ve been fast-forwarding: they’re the softest knit feel with a slightly tapered leg, so they transition from workouts to other everyday things. They don’t have that latex look that screams “workout shorts",” but they’re moisture-wicking and have plenty of stretch to make them an ideal athletic short.
Price: $84
13. The Best-Fitting Jeans
What: Todd Snyder Slim Fit Stretch Jean and Classic Fit Selvedge Jean
Why: You’ll notice we’ve included two styles from our preferred men’s denim brand, a Slim Fit that pairs perfect hold with plenty of stretch and a Classic Fit that looks great on truly everyone who tries them on. However, for the best of both worlds: a bit of stretch and a straighter fit, THIS affordable pair from an iconic brand will not fail you.
Price: $158 - $198
14. The Cozy, British-Looking Cardigan
What: L.L. Bean Men’s Organic Cotton Sweater, Cardigan
Why: Are we alone in thinking that men who aren’t wearing a fitted, professorial cardigan are deeply missing out? It’s a piece that exists right at the intersection of soft and strapping. It slims without being restrictive and has all the comfort of a hoodie in a nicer package. The thick waffle and stretchy organic cotton sent this one from L.L. Bean straight to our leaderboard.
Price: $85 - $99
15. The Perfect-Fit Polo
What: Buck Mason Sueded Cotton Polo
Why: You may or may not be the sort of person who gets excited about a polo. But we assure you, the slight fade, the slim fit, the perfect range of subtle shades, and the fabric that’s “sueded for softness” make this a faaar superior polo. Buck Mason is known for making thoughtful things that fit great, and this is one of their best things.
Price: $68
16. The Acceptable-To-Wear-In-Public Sweats
What: Richer Poorer Men's Recycled Fleece Tapered Sweatpant
Why: We’re of the mind that there’s nothing actually slobbish about a sweat pant. We personally sneak into these on a daily basis. But these particular sweatpants are also tapered with a ribbed, elastic waistband, so every inch fits in just the right, drapey but dapper way. Plus, they’re made from recycled materials, which is an enormous plus.
Price: $76
17. The Supremely Soft And Best Fitting Button Down
What: Faherty Knit Seasons Shirt
Why: Before you scroll by, thinking this is just another boring old button-down, please just go here and behold the lightest and most minimalist knit material. This shirt is spun from soft organic cotton that obviously feels amazing, but also fits in the most flattering way possible. And it comes in no less than 8 colors.
Price: $148
18. The Accessories
The Wallet: The slimmest design with a shocking amount of storage.
The Belt: A classic belt crafted from fine Italian leather, so it stays looking good forever.
The Slip-Ons: The coziest sneak you’ll ever slide your foot into.
The Cap: The crew-cut of caps for the loooong stretch of procrastination between haircuts.
The Sling Bag: There has never been a sleeker, smarter, more convenient way to carry around your essentials than this Bellroy bag. Unless, of course, you decide to carry their backpack instead.
The Tie: Penguin does it best by pairing subtle prints with excellent textures. Their ties are understated while still elevating your whole suited look.
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
We have to eat.
