How To Dress Down Smartly: The Art of High/Low Dressing

How smart you look is often determined by how formal your outfit looks. Formality represents itself most on a day-to-day basis in business wear or corporate looks. Of course, evening wear such as black tie or white tie is peak formality; though most of us have never seen these dress codes in our lives, people often associate smart dress with formal business suiting: shirts, ties, pocket squares - everything as slick as possible.

There is a place for dressing like this, and I like it, but it's not as elegant as you may always assume.

Elegance is never fussy; it's understated. It means combining some great pieces with careful attention and then forgetting all about it, so the philosophy goes. If you're keen on the opposite sex, nothing is less sexy than a man who fusses and fidgets with his outfit more than those he's trying to attract.

How can I look like I am not fussy but still look smart?

The answer is combining classic menswear pieces (your lovely tailored pieces) with everyday casual items.

This outfit below could be considered on the corporate side in many offices these days —black leather Chelsea boots with black chinos with a shirt, tie, and v-neck jumper. To go fully corporate, I could wear a crisp white shirt and a pure silk tie. Instead, I chose a white and royal blue striped shirt with a silk/wool blended forest green tie. This dresses it down a little, though many people might see any shirt and tie these days as formal.

Initially, I wanted to wear my charcoal grey overcoat. This would have been nice, but definitely on the sleek side. It's so put-together that it almost looks too put-together. Too thought-through. Given it was a rainy day and I wasn't going anywhere special, a simple Barbour jacket (this is the Ashby jacket) or any wax jacket over the top combines a high form of dress with a lower form of dress. So, the whole outfit looks balanced, unfussy, and casual but still very smart. Nobody would think it unsuitable. With this style of dress, you can walk into the office to the pub, and you will not look out of place.

The Ashby Jacket from Barbour

What if I like the corporate look and want to add other casual elements?

Had I gone with the charcoal overcoat, I would have had to balance it with other casual items that add some nonchalance. For example, some colourful gloves or scarves.

A pop of colour (e.g. burst orange, rust, mustard yellow) in accessories can be powerful as they balance an outfly well, add interest, and don't stand out too much when you wear them regularly. You don't wear scarves and gloves all day, only parts of the day.

A good example of Pitti Uomo winter street style: Photography by @anthony.knaape

Photography by @anthony.knaape